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Axios Tampa Bay
Florida's insurance market "more stable" ahead of 2024 hurricane season
Data: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation; Chart: Axios VisualsFlorida's insurance market is in a "much stronger place" ahead of this year's hurricane season, industry experts tell Axios.Why it matters: The market, says Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute, is "well-prepared" to support claims should consumers see damage during what's expected to be an extraordinarily busy storm season.Zoom in: The state Office of Insurance Regulation reports that at least eight insurance companies in Florida have filed for a rate decrease this year, and 10 have not requested an increase.Meanwhile, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. (the bloated, state-backed insurer) saw a net drop...
Tampa coffee shop's inclusive mission gets national spotlight
A Tampa coffee shop last week got a shout-out in the Washington Post β but not for its coffee.State of play: CUP, which stands for Coffee Uniting People, employs folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities.It opened last year and has locations downtown and in South Tampa, per the story, written beautifully by multiplatform editor (and Tampa Bay Times alum) Jim Webster.Why it matters: The piece puts CUP's unique and important mission on the national stage.Worthy of your time: Read the full story here.Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Tampa is one of the fastest growing cities in America
Data: Census Bureau; Chart: Axios VisualsTampa is one of America's fastest-growing major cities, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.Why it matters: Late-pandemic shifts in where Americans live are still shaking out β with big implications for cities seeing massive growth or rapid decline.By the numbers: Among cities with at least a quarter million residents, Tampa is the 11th fastest growing. Its population rose by 1.27% between 2022 and 2023 to 403,364 residents.Orlando (#7) grew by 1.55% to 320,742 residents, Jacksonville (#9) grew by 1.45% with 985,843 residents and Miami (#10) grew by 1.31% to 455,924 residents.Fun fact: Among...
Sun face Dallas Trinity in USL Super League debut
The Tampa Bay Sun will face off against Dallas Trinity in a home opener on Aug. 18 at the Riverfront Stadium in Downtown Tampa.Why it matters: This game kicks off the inaugural season of the USL Super League (USLS), a new Division I women's soccer league.Catch up quick: The team invested $6 million to transform Blake High School's stadium. The improvements, made at no expense to taxpayers, will remain in place when the team moves into its permanent stadium.The upgrades include enhanced seating areas to raise capacity from 1,800 to more than 5,000, a new scoreboard and high-end FIFA-approved turf.What they're saying: "This opening fixture presents a critical opportunity for Tampa Bay Sun FC to establish its dominance on home soil," a statement said.What's next: Kickoff times and a full season schedule will be announced soon.Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the USL Super League is a Division I (not Division II) soccer league.Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Who has it better: Tampa's downtown trumps St. Pete's
We asked our readers to settle the debate: Which downtown is better, Tampa's or St. Pete's? Almost 2,000 votes later, we have an answer.Neither side can claim a blowout. The lead swapped more than a few times β with margins sometimes as slim as 60 votes.The verdict: Downtown Tampa eeked out a win, earning 51% of the vote to Downtown St. Pete's 49%.Why it matters: Downtowns are the "spiritual core" of a city, driving the local economy and drawing visitors, new residents and national recognition.And Tampa Bay's downtowns have changed dramatically over the last two decades.State of play: St. Petersburg...
Things to do this memorial day weekend: Aquapalooza, Mx. St Pete Pride, and more
πΊ Angelus Music Festival & Food Truck Rally: The Black Honkeys headline the music festival MC'd by Fox 13's Charley Belcher. Food trucks will serve BBQ, burgers, Hawaiian shaved ice, lobster and more.Noon-9:30pm Saturday at The Angelus in Hudson. $10-50, with proceeds benefiting the program's group homes for disabled people.π» Uptown Music and Arts Festival: A contemporary jazz and arts festival supporting community programs.Gates open at 2:30pm and the festival runs 4-10pm Saturday and Sunday at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa. Tickets start at $90.π€ Aquapalooza: Anchor your boat, kayak, paddleboard or whatever gets you to the biggest sandbar party of the year, with live music played at MarineMax.10am-4pm Sunday at New Pass Sandbar. Free!π Mx. St. Pete Pride Pageant: Celebrate the talent of St. Pete's LGBTQ community with special guest judge, Alyssa Edwards of "Ru Paul's Drag Race."5pm Sunday at the Palladium Theater. $20-50.ποΈ Memorial Day Sunset Cleanup: Join Adopt a Beach Treasure Island in keeping the shore clean and enjoying a beautiful sunset. Parking passes and supplies will be provided. Bring a reusable water bottle to fill up at the pavilion.6:30-8pm Monday at Treasure Island Beach Access. Free!Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
More babies are being delivered by C-section in Florida
Data: CDC. Chart: Axios VisualsThe rate of cesarean births in Florida is higher than the national average.Why it matters: Florida's 2023 C-section rate was 36.2%, according to provisional CDC data. That's well above the 10-15% rate that the WHO considers "ideal."Yes, but: An increase in C-sections doesn't necessarily mean the rate of unnecessary procedures has risen. There are other factors at play.Patients are sicker overall.With gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy on the rise, there could be a greater need for C-sections, says Jane van Dis, OB-GYN and assistant professor at the University of Rochester.It's her hypothesis that the...
Idalia flamingos have stuck around Florida β at least for now
Some of the flamingos blown into Florida last year by Hurricane Idalia have stuck around, but it's too soon to say whether they're making a comeback here.Why it matters: The longer they stay, the greater the chances they'll nest and start to repopulate the Sunshine State after plume hunting wiped them out at the turn of the century.Driving the news: A first-of-its-kind flamingo census conducted during one week in February β six months after Idalia β counted 101 wild American flamingos across the state, the conservation nonprofit Audubon Florida announced this month.By the numbers: The count is based on more...
The story behind the design of 400 Central in downtown St. Petersburg
Look toward downtown St. Petersburg from most directions, and you'll see it: the innards of a rising skyscraper with curved edges and a massive diagonal footprint, resembling a cruise ship dropped in the middle of the city.Turns out that's very much on purpose, the architect told Axios.Why it matters: With 400 Central set to be the tallest building on Florida's west coast, its appearance will play a prominent role downtown and in the city's skyline for generations to come.The big picture: The 46-story building, which upon completion will house 301 luxury condos along with retail and office space, is the...
"Sick and tired of having no say:" Tampa Starbucks workers speak out after union vote
Starbucks workers in Tampa voted to unionize last week, joining more than 400 U.S. stores in demanding fairer wages, scheduling, staffing and healthcare.Why it matters: While those issues are being debated in contract negotiations with the national union, it's a tumultuous time for the coffee giant.The big picture: A stock plummet at the beginning of May was attributed to stores struggling to keep up with the morning rush.To lure customers back after last quarter's declining traffic, the chain has been showering rewards members with deals and adding new items, including spicy refresher drinks.Zoom in: The Dale Mabry Highway & West...
Review: Ash, Water Street Tampa's new Italian spot
I snagged a reservation at Ash, the long-awaited Italian concept from Rooster & the Till chef Ferrell Alvarez.What to expect: My girlfriend, Maya, and I wound up with a patio seat. I caught a late whiff of Ash's soft opening, and a table inside was next to impossible to reserve at a moment's notice.Best bites: We began our dinner with warm, fluffy focaccia and whipped ricotta ($14). Then, we tried an order of Ash's crispy artichokes ($20), which had the taste and texture of potatoes.We topped it off with the braised lamb neck ($70), served with flatbread, refried white beans, and salsa verde.If you consider that the entree is intended for at least two people, the price is forgivable, and the taste is unforgettable.Four-word review: Worth the pit stains. Ash's braised lamb neck. Photo: Yacob Reyes/AxiosSign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
St. Pete startup Spontivley teams up with Tampa Bay Rowdies
A Mark Cuban-backed tech startup is strengthening its Tampa Bay roots.Driving the news: Spontivly, a St. Petersburg-based software analytics company, added the Tampa Bay Rowdies to its sports clients, the team announced Tuesday.The company also works with Apna Hockey, a South Asia-based hockey network, and businessman Cuban's NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks.How it works: Spontivly's platform helps teams track fan engagement by integrating and analyzing data from sites like Tickets.com, LinkedIn and Salesloft.The Rowdies will use Spontivly's software to track the exposure and engagement of its corporate partnerships and sponsorships.Background: The company run by Marissa Huggins and Anthony Nagendraraj moved to St. Pete from Canada in 2022.They closed an oversubscribed pre-series funding round last year, per Tampa Bay Inno.Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
EV charging boosts home listing in Tampa Bay
Our hot housing market could be the key to more electric vehicles hitting Tampa Bay roads.Why it matters: Access to at-home EV charging is a rare and increasingly desirable amenity nationwide β meaning homes with EV chargers could hold greater resale value, Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale says.State of play: Lakeland-Winter Haven and North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton were among the top 10 metros with the most crowded public charging ports β suggesting a higher potential demand for at-home charging.Lakeland-Winter Haven had 34 EVs per public charging port and North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton had 31.Context: Home chargers are often more convenient than public ones, and...
Chappell Roan fans climbed on a trash compactor to see sold out St. Pete show
If you saw mermaids wandering downtown St. Pete on Sunday night, they were seeing "your favorite artist's favorite artist," Chappell Roan.The intrigue: Fans who couldn't get into the sold-out Jannus Live show dressed up in the night's theme to listen in the streets."Pink Pony Club" members crawled onto rooftops and on top of a trash compactor to catch the show. Chappell Roan fans wait for her outside Jannus Live on May 19. Photo courtesy of Biz 3 A fan dressed up in Chappell Roan's look on the cover of her album, "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess." Photo courtesy of Biz 3. Fans made bracelets while waiting for Chappell Roan outside Jannus Live on May 19. Photo courtesy of Biz 3.Sign up for Axios Tampa Bay for free.
Black, white students in Tampa Bay more segregated now than 20 years ago
Data: Stanford Education Data Archive; Note: Index ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 implies no segregation (all schools have identical proportions of Black and white students) while 1 implies complete segregation (no Black student attends a school with any white students, and vice versa); Map: Axios VisualsββRacial segregation in schools has increased dramatically over the last three decades, according to two new reports and an Axios review of federal data.Why it matters: Friday was the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, and American public schools are growing more separate and unequal even though the...
Bucs schedule features prime-time games, light travel
Data: Bookies.com; Table: Axios VisualsThe Bucs start their 2024 season at Ray Jay, hosting the Washington Commanders on Sept. 8 β a rare Week 1 home opener, just their fourth since 2015, per ESPN.And though a third consecutive division crown means playing some heavy hitters βΒ like the 49ers, Lions, Ravens and Cowboys β the schedule revealed last week has plenty for Tampa Bay fans to be pleased with.Go (not so) long: The Bucs will travel 15,300 miles this season, just the 23rd longest travel schedule in the NFL.And they face the fifth-easiest slate of opponents, according to those teams' records...
Bucs schedule features prime-time games, light travel
Data: Bookies.com; Table: Axios VisualsThe Bucs start their 2024 season at Ray Jay, hosting the Washington Commanders on Sept. 8 β a rare Week 1 home opener, just their fourth since 2015, per ESPN.And though a third consecutive division crown means playing some heavy hitters βΒ like the 49ers, Lions, Ravens and Cowboys β the schedule revealed last week has plenty for Tampa Bay fans to be pleased with.Go (not so) long: The Bucs will travel 15,300 miles this season, just the 23rd longest travel schedule in the NFL.And they face the fifth-easiest slate of opponents, according to those teams' records...
A guide to whimsical, tasty Safety Harbor
Many of you recognized the pink elephant in yesterday's newsletter as Ellie, a beloved icon in downtown Safety Harbor.Why it matters: She's one of countless quirky characters in a little town well worth the half-hour-or-more drive from areas such as St. Pete and Tampa.State of play: The city's Third Friday celebration (tonight!) is a great way to get a taste of Safety Harbor partying, with live music and local vendors.Zoom in: Ellie lives at the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center (SHAMC), a building covered in mirrored mosaics that hosts concerts, offers craft classes and sells work from local artists.It's...
Crazy burgers meet classic movies at Gigglewaters
You won't want to sneak food into this Safety Harbor movie theater.State of screen: Their love of movies inspired Rachel and Richard Wilson to open a dinner theater in 2018.But Gigglewaters' gourmet American cuisine and craft cocktails are the real stars of the show.The vibe: The speakeasy theme ("Gigglewater" was the code word to get a strong drink during prohibition) calls back to the 1920s and stays true to the city's spirit of upcycled decor.The bar is carved from the dancefloor of the historic Belleview-Biltmore Hotel, and its ceiling is lined with the hotel's tin panels.Best bites: The menu is...
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