Publix Super Markets shoppers have raised over $10 million for St. Petersburg-based Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital through decades of donating $1 as they pay for their groceries. The annual Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' Miracle Balloon campaign occurs each summer at Publix stores throughout the Southeast. The funding supports All Children's facilities in Citrus, De Soto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota Counties.
The St. Petersburg Police Department has arrested a man accused of making over 16,000 calls, most not related to emergencies, to emergency dispatchers over the past five years. Investigators told WFLA that Samuel Thomas has already called 911 over 3,000 times in 2025, with more than 600 targeting one family on his street. Officers arrested Thomas after he reported someone firing an AR-15 rifle. Police found children playing in their yard and a family barbecue.
The Times Publishing Co., which publishes the Tampa Bay Times, has resolved a legal dispute with the late widow of its former owner through an out-of-court settlement. A federal lawsuit filed in March claimed that the Time owed a trust in the name of Marion Poynter, the late widow of Poynter Institute founder Nelson Poynter, over $7 million in missed payments. The lawsuit was dismissed earlier this week, and settlement terms were not disclosed.
Jabil, the St. Petersburg-based technology company, is planning to build a $500 million manufacturing facility in the Southeast United States to support its cloud data center business, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence. A location for the facility has not been announced, athough Jabil intends to have it operational by the middle of next year. To learn more, visit this link.
The Tampa Bay Rays announced Wednesday afternoon that the team has "recently commenced exclusive discussions with a group led by Patrick Zalupski, Bill Cosgrove, Ken Babby and prominent Tampa Bay investors concerning a possible sale of the team." The Sportico website reported earlier Wednesday that Zalupski, a Jacksonville-based developer, has signed a letter of intent to buy the team, but "the deal ultimately might not be completed." Rays president Matt Silverman said the team was not for sale in March. The team stated Wednesday that "neither the Rays nor the group will have further comment during the discussions."
Michael Dema, managing assistant city attorney for the City of St. Petersburg, died Friday, June 13. He was 45. Dema, a St. Petersburg native, attended Stetson University College of Law and specialized in land use and environmental matters for the city. His obituary does not state a cause of death. For funeral service information, visit the website here.
The Florida legislature approved a $115.1 billion state budget Monday, for FY 2025-26. This represents a $3.8 billion reduction from the previous year, while retaining $12.4 billion in total reserves. Governor Ron DeSantis has until July 1 to approve the proposed budget, or apply line-item vetoes.
The City of St. Petersburg began pouring a concrete foundation at Lift Station #85 Tuesday to accommodate an AquaFence impermeable flood barrier system. The lift station collects wastewater through the downtown waterfront and pumps it to the Southwest Sewer Treatment Plant. According to the city's social media post, the AquaFence is "set to be installed soon." The initiative is part of the administration's St. Pete Agile Resiliency (SPAR) plan.
WalletHub compared the operating efficiency of the nation's 148 largest municipalities across 36 metrics, which it then measured against per-capita budgets, to determine the "best-run cities in America." St. Petersburg ranked No. 42 overall and No. 25 for the quality of city services. Tallahassee was the top-ranked Florida city at No. 18. Tampa placed No. 97.
The University of South Florida's women's sailing team recently reached its 18th national finals in 20 years. The team, based on the St. Petersburg campus, ended the season ranked 17th, and USF was one of only two public universities to finish in the top 20. The school recently announced that the St. Petersburg campus will host the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Women's National Championship in 2026 for the first time since 2013. St. Mary's City, Maryland, hosted the 36-team finals this year in late May.
The City of St. Petersburg will close all government facilities Thursday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth federal holiday. Residential trash and recycling collection scheduled for Thursday will occur on Wednesday. Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
The City of Treasure Island will host an Independance Day celebration July 4, with fireworks illuminating the beach at around 9 p.m. Officials said the Gulf Front Park area at 10400 will provide the best viewing area, and attendees should bring a beach chair or towel. The police department will also enforce city laws to keep fireworks off the beach, including the "Leave No Trace" policy and open flame prohibitions.
