Almost Everywhere You Turn These Days, There’s Another Magnificent Mural

In most cities, the alleys are the last place you’d expect to find world-class art. In St. Petersburg, however, home-grown and internationally imported muralists have thoroughly staked their claim to the backs of our urban buildings, raising the bar and completely redefining the very notion of street art.

A phenomenon in play since 2010 – dovetailing with the refurbishment of the Crislip Arcade and the re-branding of the 600 block of Central Avenue as the Central Arts District – the mural scene here has been on a steady upward trajectory for the past five years.… Read More

They are the greatest generation. No doubt about that. They came out of the worst of the Great Depression of the 1930s, then went to war to defeat two totalitarian regimes in World War II. After that, they went on to build a great America in the 1950s and beyond.

We still commemorate Veteran’s Day on November 11. Among local heroes are names like Bill Priest, subject of the November/December 2005 issue of the Northeast Journal, and Charles O’Neil, brother of Judge David O’Neil who served in the Korean war, subjects of the August/September 2015 issue. For this November/December issue, another hero is commemorated: Andrew H.… Read More

Listed as one of the top 52 places to visit in 2014 by the New York Times, our once sleepy little city is waking up and turning heads. While the natural beauty of white sandy beaches, dramatic splashes of purple, red, and orange sunrises and sunsets in our tropical paradise clearly warrant attention and attract tourists, the revitalization of our downtown area, growing culture, art, and food scenes, are opening eyes everywhere.

The dance community has a new champion in Helen Hansen French, an Old Northeast native. Her simplest movements are graceful, seemingly choreographed to flow delicately with her melodic voice which is replete with crescendos and diminuendos.… Read More

This old Florida boy trembled a bit as I strode into the St. Petersburg Museum of History. I pride myself on being able to occasionally talk or write about history – mostly about Tampa – that I have observed, being an almost-native Floridian. I say “almost” because I was already an eight-year-old when my family moved here from ‘the big-city’ Atlanta.

The trembling was the result of realizing I had been asked to write about a real student of Florida history, Dr. Will Michaels. You have seen his knowledgeable, thoughtful, and well-researched stories in every issue of the Northeast Journal since the first one in September 2004, always ‘below the fold’ in its prominent location at the bottom of page one.… Read More

Escape reality and experience international time-travel right here in St. Petersburg. For free! A little-acknowledged, outdoor treasure, suited for all ages, has always been readily available, on the waterfront, right on North Shore Drive – all thanks to the generosity and devotion of one of our own.

On a recent morning while strolling the garden along the waterfront, my husband and I encountered people touring on Segways, groups of runners, acrobats with a photographer, families on bikes, squirrels, blue jays, butterflies, and, of course, lizards. All of them were enjoying the shady, brick walkways, the wide pergola, restful benches and water fountains in the Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum.… Read More

What started as a chance meeting, turned into the story of a flag, a judge, and his affection for his fallen brother. For me, it became a promising friendship.

Memorial Day morning, I was awakened by a phone call from my mother asking me to meet her to help a neighbor put up a flag. Happy to oblige, I raced over. Upon arriving, I saw an old 48-star flag draped over a tree, and I met Judge David O’Neil. The judge is a tall soft-spoken man. He walks with a cane and gives a firm handshake.

He told us that the flag was presented to his parents after the death of his brother Charles, who served in WWII.… Read More

In May, one of our own Old NE Neighborhood residents, Jackson Willis, graduated from Shorecrest Preparatory School as the 2015 Class Valedictorian. In addition, he was also selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of only 144 students to be named as such in 2015. He was selected based on his academic success, essays, school evaluations, transcripts, community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to ethical and moral character.

Jackson Willis is the fifth generation to live in his home in Old Northeast St. Petersburg. His great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Latham Loyd Armstrong from Connecticut, built this home with a basement in the Old Northeast in the 1920s.… Read More

We’ve all heard the phrase “life is short; live today as if it is your last day; dance as if no one is watching.” We know we may eventually succumb to sickness or disease. Many of us are aware of the numerous types of illnesses and diseases in our world. At any time, on any given day, and at any given age, unfortunately any of us could be diagnosed with a disease. This happened to Cole.

Cole Eicher started vomiting during the mornings of his Thanksgiving break in 2013. In January of 2014 during a soccer tournament, the same symptoms returned and Cole told his dad he did not feel well enough to continue to play.… Read More

It was a chilly January morning in The Tampa Bay Metro area. The air temperature was about 54° as the sun was starting to rise over the Bay and the water temperature was just above 60°. Most people wouldn’t even dream of sticking a toe in the water, but on Gandy Beach, 150 men and women had donned wetsuits and were getting set to dive in for a very good cause! It was the 6th annual Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, a charity fundraising event that benefits The Navy SEAL Foundation. This charity has a four-star rating by Charity Navigator and has been certified by Charities of America as a “Best in America” Charity.… Read More

It is St. Petersburg’s sunny climate and surrounding rich aquatic beauty and resources that are fundamental in making our city so special. Early city leaders appreciated this and were pivotal in moving our community in the direction of both a world-class destination for tourists and a great place to live which lasts to this day. The first Pier Task Force noted that a new Pier should “speak to our city’s beautiful aquatic setting,” and that the “architecture of the main building should reflect our history and unique identity as a City” and be “a worthy symbol of our great City.” The Pier has served as St.… Read More