One billionaire just gave $2 million to Republican leaders in the #Florida Legislature jasongarcia.substack.com/p/one-billio... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social

Didn’t sit through 6.5 hours of meeting to not write a wrap up tampamonitor.com/tampa-city-c...

$4.8M flood fix for Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks moves forward — again

Company wants to build new cruise port next to Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay

For about 20 seconds, no one is heard identifying themselves as law enforcement. Only then does one of the men shout, “Stop resisting! Police!” Funez’s voice changes. “OK, OK,” she says.

The Howard Frankland Bridge expansion project remains on schedule – but it’s going to cost more than $100 million more than originally projected.

Big news.

A former spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis pled no contest Thursday to indecent exposure charges stemming from multiple incidents in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Fred Piccolo, who previously held roles under Ron DeSantis and at New College of Florida, entered the plea in Manatee County court.

New podcast: As Florida Republicans prepare to redraw Congressional districts for the 2026 elections, Ron DeSantis just replaced a state Supreme Court justice who couldn't participate in redistricting cases with one who has defended partisan gerrymandering. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/florida-le...

Fred Piccolo, who also worked as a spokesperson for Gov DeSantis, was arrested by Manatee Sheriffs last April. Piccolo was accused of exposing his genitals to employees at department stores in the University Town Center Mall in Sarasota, as well as a woman he stopped to ask for directions.

It’s 11:36 and council are debating the first item on the agenda. How are they going to hear the other 9 items?

tampa city council has been in session for seven hours now. they are still on agenda item 1

CRA Board Chair Luis Viera's office responded to a request for comment with the message "shared to the public" "Due to unforeseen circumstances personal to council members, we are having to reschedule this meeting. Thank you very much. I apologize for any inconvenience.”

Tampa City Council begins its new year with a moment of silence for Renee Good & the city and people of Minneapolis.

This comes just one day after DeSantis bashed the ABA as a left-wing organization undeserving of being the “arbiter of legal education,” and months after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused the organization of discriminating against Roman Catholics. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...

A political committee supporting St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch reported more than $200,000 in missing funds, prompting plans to notify state and federal law enforcement and intensifying scrutiny of the mayor’s fundraising operation as the 2026 election cycle takes shape.

$200,000 appears to have been stolen from Mayor Ken Welch's political committee by it's treasurer, Yolanda Brown. Here is our reporting from last summer about previous PAC troubles for the mayor and for Brown:

@craigtimes.bsky.social reports on Mosaic's attempts to change Florida law to protect themselves from lawsuits. Thousands of Floridians live on radioactive soil. As phosphate land continues to be sold to developers, that number is likely to increase. Most homebuyers have no idea.

$200,000 appears to have been stolen from Mayor Ken Welch's political committee by it's treasurer, Yolanda Brown. Here is our reporting from last summer about previous PAC troubles for the mayor and for Brown:

A political committee supporting St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch reported more than $200,000 in missing funds, prompting plans to notify state and federal law enforcement and intensifying scrutiny of the mayor’s fundraising operation as the 2026 election cycle takes shape.

Florida failed to give due process to thousands kicked off Medicaid, court finds

As of Monday morning, Lakeland officially has a new mayor. https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/new-leadership-begins-as-sarah-roberts-mccarley-sworn-in-as-lakeland-mayor/ 

Developers who are interested in transforming the Tropicana Field site in St. Petersburg have until Feb. 3 to pitch their plans to redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District. Read more: www.wusf.org/economy-busi...

New: A children’s education company connected to Trump appointee and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee wants more than $1 million from Florida taxpayers to develop curriculum under a new law requiring Florida public schools to teach students about the history of communism. 1/2

Perhaps more meaningful than words has been the $$$ prominent Republicans have poured into Buckhorn’s coffers. Of the $1 million his PC has raised so far, nearly 1/3 comes from just 3 contributors. Jay Feaster, Charles Garber & Thomas Pepin, all Republicans, gave $100,000 each to Buckhorn’s project.

Neither Clendenin nor Viera explicitly referenced President Trump by name, nor did either frame their remarks as partisan. Still, their statements amount to a cautious but clear alignment with the moral and strategic logic underpinning Trump’s move to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

#1 in our top headlines of 2025: 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭 Stephen Clay McGehee is an avowed confederate & white supremacist. He displays the confederate flag. And he offers a service for campaigns that City Council candidate Tom Scott is paying to use.

#2 in our top headlines of 2025: 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 A leadership rift has surfaced inside ATU Local 1464. Union president Stephen Simon is accusing most of his Executive Board of undermining the union’s progress.

#3 in our top headlines of 2025: 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲 “My mother was a fierce leader for the City of Tampa,” wrote Henderson’s daughter. “There are no words to express the pain of this loss. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”

#4 in our top headlines of 2025: 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧, 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 A FP article suggests FL Sen Darryl Rouson is considering a run for HD 62. That seat is held by Rep Michele Rayner, who is vacating. If he runs & wins, it would mark a return to the chamber he left nearly a decade ago.

2025 data point to mounting stress in Florida’s housing market, with foreclosure activity rising sharply and the Tampa Bay area emerging as one of the most affected regions.

#5 in our top headlines of 2025: 𝐒𝐭. 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐃𝐎𝐄 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Rev. Andy Oliver issued a pointed rebuttal Monday to a statewide letter from Florida’s new Commissioner of Education, calling it an act of “state-sanctioned bullying.”

County Commissioner Joshua Wostal took a strange detour during last week’s Commission meeting to air his grievances with Tampa. “City of Tampa sucks, I’m just saying.” “I actually received 4x more votes than any of the Tampa City Council members & 3x the votes of the Tampa Mayor,” Wostal said.

Although its still 75 and sunny in Tampa Bay, today marks the official start of winter ☀️❄️ Do you travel to see some winter weather or prefer the Florida sun? https://www.wfla.com

County Commissioner Joshua Wostal took a strange detour during last week’s Commission meeting to air his grievances with Tampa. “City of Tampa sucks, I’m just saying.” “I actually received 4x more votes than any of the Tampa City Council members & 3x the votes of the Tampa Mayor,” Wostal said.

“We’re seeing in my practice that cyclists are just being ignored. If this was a motor vehicle vs. another motor vehicle causing this much damage to somebody, I think it would be a much different story.” floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/19/i...

The Hillsborough County School Board took a bold stand against the controversial "Schools of Hope" law, voicing deep concerns over student safety and the financial impact on public education. Learn more here #FL #EducationReform #HillsboroughCountySchools #PublicSafety #CitizenPortal

Perhaps more meaningful than words has been the $$$ prominent Republicans have poured into Buckhorn’s coffers. Of the $1 million his PC has raised so far, nearly 1/3 comes from just 3 contributors. Jay Feaster, Charles Garber & Thomas Pepin, all Republicans, gave $100,000 each to Buckhorn’s project.

Tampa City Council's final meeting of the year is live right now. Check out this agenda preview from @tampamonitor.com

Capt. Lora Rivera, who oversaw the sheriff’s professional standards bureau, resigned Thursday amid allegations she’d paid Robert Roush to complete a work-related paper for her, Sheriff Chad Chronister told the Times.

I don't want to be melodramatic here, but this could well be the last stand for home rule in Florida. Land-use is arguably the one major policy area where cities and counties have lots of autonomy and power. If Tallahassee can strip local governments of even that...

The City of Tampa will be holding their 1st workshop next week in an attempt to raise their impact fees in the same manner as Manatee County.

If Tate throws her support behind Naya Young, Young could start the runoff with a coalition of voters larger than Scott’s total. If Tate supports Scott, she would solidify his lead and turn Young into more of a dark horse candidate than an equal contender with Scott.

If Tate throws her support behind Naya Young, Young could start the runoff with a coalition of voters larger than Scott’s total. If Tate supports Scott, she would solidify his lead and turn Young into more of a dark horse candidate than an equal contender with Scott.

Results are in for Tampa’s special election to replace late Councilmember Gwen Henderson in City Council District 5. A total of 5,411 ballots were cast in this election, slightly more than the 5,199 votes cast when Gwen Myers won the seat in a close race against Orlando Gudes in 2023.

Contractors are being furloughed and DHS is “moving detainees to other facilities.”

Gov. DeSantis calls crosswalk outside of a mass shooting memorial 'political'

Mayor Ken Welch praised the program as a step forward in community safety, noting that the drones allow officers to respond faster while reducing risks. “There’s no one else in Pinellas County doing it like St. Petersburg Police Department,” Welch said.

“Ballard Partners soars to #1 in the nation,” wrote Ana Cruz, who is a managing partner at the lobbying firm. “That’s right—Número Uno. Florida roots. D.C. results. To every client who put their trust in us—thank you. This milestone is yours, too.”