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Axios Tampa Bay
Who's Tampa Bay's best pro athlete? Vote in our bracket
Picture Tampa Bay's greatest sports moment. What do you see?Is it Jon Gruden hoisting the Lombardi Trophy back in 2002? Or maybe Tom Brady playing catch with it 18 years later?Or maybe it's Lightning captain Steven Stamkos being handed the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive season in 2021.State of play: Tampa Bay's teams are known for their idiosyncrasies, from the Rays' bargain-shopping, to the Bucs' reliance on defense, and a region-wide penchant for extracting those final good years from aging veterans.Yes, but: Local teams have also fielded bona fide hall-of-famers and beloved contributors who'd have been heroes in any city.Now, it's time to decide — who's the greatest pro athlete in Tampa Bay's history? This week, we'll host a bracket-style competition.Vote here to help us pick. We'll reveal the winner next week.Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Hillsborough, Pinellas elections are set. Here are 5 takeaways
Friday's candidate qualifying deadline set up a competitive election season for Tampa Bay.Why it matters: Local and state elected officials shape everything from housing, to transit and roads, law enforcement, funding for community projects, and election administration.Here are five of our biggest takeaways:GOP vs. Dem. battles in every legislative raceState of play: Florida Democrats fielded a candidate in every state House and Senate district for the first time in decades.While Republicans sat out 22 races across Florida, none are in Tampa Bay, which Gov. Ron DeSantis has said is no longer a "swing region."All incumbent state representatives and senators in...
Vintage clothing shop Ingrid's opens in St. Pete
Tucked in a nondescript shopping plaza on Gandy Boulevard, a new vintage resale shop bills itself as a "2024 thrift store with 2014 prices."Why it matters: Thanks to Gen-Z, the secondhand clothing market is booming. But with more sellers flipping thrifted clothing at shops, flea markets and online with vendors like Depop and Poshmark, finding a good deal can be tricky.Driving the news: That's what led Ingrid Bridges to open Ingrid's St. Pete with the help of her 26-year-old son and his on-trend friends.👋 Kathryn here. I went by the shop's grand opening over the weekend to check out the...
Florida's 988 crisis centers pick up fewer calls than other states
Data: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAlmost two years after the debut of a revamped national suicide hotline, its promise of a quicker, more seamless crisis response is still a work in progress.Why it matters: Congress gave states $1 billion to build out the 988 hotline, with the expectation that states would establish their own long-term funding to operate crisis services.But those efforts have been slow in Florida — and its in-state response rate lags behind other states that have secured funds for 988.State of play: Though Florida uses surcharges on cellphone bills to fund 911 services, it...
These Tampa Bay projects were just vetoed from Florida's budget
Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto pen crossed out millions of dollars earmarked for Tampa Bay from the state budget.Why it matters: The region lost money for programs that aim to tackle road repairs, environmental issues, affordable housing and more as DeSantis slashed almost $1 billion from next year's budget.Zoom in: Bradenton had Tampa Bay's largest cut, with $5 million vetoed for transportation safety improvements. The city planned to use the funds to construct roundabouts at three intersections where there have been dozens of crashes.Tampa's Palmetto Beach saw a $1 million cut for shoreline revitalization, while St. Pete's North Shore Park lost...
Here's how to celebrate Juneteenth in Tampa Bay
America's second independence day is coming up next week, but related events in Tampa Bay begin this weekend.Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed.Here's a round-up of some of the biggest events leading up to Emancipation Day.You can find even more at WUSF.🗣️ Juneteenth Celebration — A free, daytime celebration at USF's Gibbons Alumni Center, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa. Hosted by the USF Black Alumni Society.Food vendors, jazz music, panels and dancers.Saturday, 11am-6pm.🥳 Juneteenth Festival — The city of Tampa is hosting the fourth edition of this free annual event...
Hot Publix summer: Grocer rolls out 8 limited-edition ice cream flavors
Reader Deborah Green sent in a sweet tip for how to make the summer heat a little more bearable.The scoop: "Try every one of the eight new limited-time flavors Publix is rolling out for summer!" Green wrote in."I'm starting with Cold Brew Cookies and Crème," she added.Intrigued? Here are all eight flavors, per a Publix news release:Chocolate Cookie QuarryCold Brew Cookies and CrèmeLemon Berry BlissMarry Me StrawberryCoffee Almond FudgeCaramel Turtle CheesecakeHula Hula MacadamiaBuckeyes & FudgeSign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Hot Publix summer: Grocer rolls out 8 limited-edition ice cream flavors
Reader Deborah Green sent in a sweet tip for how to make the summer heat a little more bearable.The scoop: "Try every one of the eight new limited-time flavors Publix is rolling out for summer!" Green wrote in."I'm starting with Cold Brew Cookies and Crème," she added.Intrigued? Here are all eight flavors, per a Publix news release:Chocolate Cookie QuarryCold Brew Cookies and CrèmeLemon Berry BlissMarry Me StrawberryCoffee Almond FudgeCaramel Turtle CheesecakeHula Hula MacadamiaBuckeyes & FudgeSign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Detwiler's Farm Market could be coming to St. Pete
A development group planning apartments and a grocer for a long-vacant plaza in southern St. Petersburg is in talks with Detwiler's Farm Market.Why it matters: The city-owned Tangerine Plaza has struggled to keep a grocer, with its last tenant, Walmart Neighborhood Market, closing seven years ago.Meantime, the area around the plaza at 22nd Street South and 18th Avenue has been designated as a federal food desert.State of play: Per the Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg City Council members on Thursday approved a redevelopment plan for the shopping center that also includes at least 115 affordable housing units.Representatives from Sugar Hill...
How to not question all your life decisions this summer in Florida
It's so hot.It's so hot the Gulf of Mexico already feels like a bathtub.It's so hot daily temperatures are smashing 40-year-old records.Why it matters: Step outside and you'll know — the misery of summer heat has arrived early this year, rendering outdoor activities somewhere between uncomfortable and dangerous.The bad news: The extreme temperatures are likely here to stay. Forecasters project everywhere in the contiguous U.S. except North Dakota to be hotter than average, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.Meanwhile, the rainy season so far has taken a rain check. Per the National Weather Service Tampa Bay, a lack of rainfall has meant...
Treasure Island bans fireworks before July 4
Treasure Island is skirting state law to all but ban fireworks on its beaches ahead of Independence Day.Why it matters: The city says personal fireworks threaten the safety of its residents and visitors — and also leave behind debris that has a "horrible impact" on its environment.Between the lines: Florida is one of the few states with "firework holidays." Anyone over 18 has the legal right to set off fireworks in Florida on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and Independence Day.Treasure Island is not issuing an all-out ban on fireworks. Instead, the city is ramping up the enforcement of...
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Axios Tampa Bay, anchored by Ben Montgomery and Selene San Felice, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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