St. Pete novelist Benjamin Kirby creates a vivid Western world
Growing up in suburban Little Rock, Arkansas, Benjamin J. Kirby dreamed of being a novelist. As a teenager he virtually inhaled all the classic Stephen King books, one after the other. “And I thought, this is what I’m going to do,” Kirby remembers. “I want to be Stephen King.”...
Staffing costs rise in St. Petersburg as council weighs $2M increase
St. Petersburg City Council will take up a $2 million staffing increase, a South St. Petersburg land-use change and an early-stage infrastructure partnership when it meets April 2, offering a clear look at how the city is managing daily operations while planning for longer-term capital needs. The meeting begins at...
Skyway Marina District affordable housing funding approved
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved land acquisition funding Tuesday for a new affordable housing project in St. Petersburg’s Skyway Marina District. Nashville-based Elmington Capital Group’s Skyway Flats development, at 3600 34th Street S., will feature a five-story building with...
Mahaffey Theater and longtime management company prepare for new acts
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It's the end of an era at the Mahaffey Theater, but the CEO of its management company said he wants it to be the start of a new act for the arts in St. Petersburg. "It's bittersweet. I tried to negotiate with the city. We...
Veterans find support at Bay Pines VA’s Stand Down event
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System hosted its annual Homeless Veteran Stand Down on Saturday. With more than 70 vendors, this event helps veterans with anything they may need, from legal services to offering clothes. Barber student Derrick Rayner is one of many helping veterans...
Proposed Coquina Park kayak zone heads to committee
A proposal to designate part of Coquina Park’s lagoon as a non-motorized boating zone is moving forward, as St. Petersburg City Council voted Thursday to send agenda item G-2 to committee for further discussion. The measure, brought forward by District 6 Council member Gina Driscoll, would establish the lagoon...
How Eckerd’s Healthy Masculinity Club is combating toxic masculinity
What started as “tea time” with his guy friends became a greater mission for Eli Koss, junior in psychology. Olin Duggan, Sam Taylor and Koss started an evening tradition of sitting together to catch up, an opportunity for open communication and taking a break. When they spent time together, it didn’t feel like they...
13-foot great white shark pings off Pinellas County coast
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A great white shark measuring over 13 feet long pinged off the coast of Pinellas County on Tuesday. Goodall, a shark tracked by OCEARCH that weighs over 1,300 pounds, was pinged at 10:23 p.m. Tracking data shows Goodall reached the Atlantic coast of Florida last...
💧 New Extreme Water Shortage Rules Start April 3 in Pinellas
Starting April 3, 2026, Pinellas County will enforce a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage Order. Residents can water lawns one day per week only — Tuesdays for even-numbered addresses and Thursdays for odd or no-address properties. Watering is allowed only between 12:01–4 a.m. or 8–11:59 p.m., and smaller...
Pinellas County Beach Disappearance: Search Intensifies For Missing, Endangered Woman
Anh Ngoc Nguyen Tran PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Pinellas County detectives have issued a plea...
