This is the first of a two-part article based on an extensive interview with former mayor Don Jones.  Don Jones was mayor during a time of intense infrastructure improvement, and a watershed period for St. Petersburg’s civil rights history.

Don Jones was city councilman from 1963-1967 and mayor from 1967-1969. In a recent interview, he described his tenure as ‘the best of times and the worst of times.’ “Five of those years were years of dramatic progress, accomplishment and growth. The sixth year was a time of stress, tension and confrontation due to the racial climate at that time in St.… Read More

Sara Moola and her husband, Mike Vaughn, are accomplished leaders who live exemplary lives of dedication and service. Moreover, the Snell Isle couple is committed to our nation and serving the children of their fallen peers who died protecting it.

Mike is an Air Force Special Operations veteran with 21 years of service. Sara served the Peace Corp in Africa and is an expert in international development and geographic information systems. Together they own and operate Visual Awareness Technologies and Consulting, a non-governmental provider of global strategies, training and technology for the U.S. military and its allies.

Sara and Mike are unwavering supporters of the Special Operations soldiers and families who have made the ultimate sacrifice.… Read More

How would you celebrate an 85th anniversary? Have a party, of course! And no one throws a party better than the Junior League!

Lest you think this is a Junior League of pearls, white gloves, and sterling tea service –  think again. Since 1931, the Junior League of St. Petersburg (JLSP ) has been a driving force in improving our community for families and especially children. Members of the Junior League are accomplished collaborators who build coalitions, identify community needs, and develop effective and responsive programs to serve those needs. For 85 years, members of the Junior League have focused their energies on school readiness and literacy, improved health care and nutrition, support for the arts, and advocacy for environmental responsibility through effective action and trained leadership.… Read More

From Ocean, to Gulf, to Bayou, and Swamps and Rivers, too… George Can Do, Can You?

Snell Isle resident, Dr. George Stovall, can canoe. In fact, he is locally famous for his adventures, large and medium – no small ones. Key Largo to Bimini; from Fort Clinch on Fernandina Beach, up the St. Mary’s into the Okefenokee Swamp, into the Suwanee River, and down to Cedar Key; coastlines in Florida to Georgia to both Carolinas; George has done it, alone and with companions. He likes to paddle; he loves to experiment. He has kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards – but he loves his dugouts the most.… Read More

‘When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing – just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?” –Ralph Marston

As I’ve said many times before, beauty is everywhere; all you have to do is open your eyes. Flora Wylie Park is one of St. Pete’s true treasures. Nestled along the waterfront from the Sundial at 18th Avenue and North Shore Drive NE, and extending past the Aquatic Center, the park is truly remarkable.… Read More

St. Petersburg hosts more than 1,000 annual downtown events. Many of the events feature a shuttle service provided by the St. Petersburg Trolley between designated parking locations and event locations. The Looper shuttle service has operated with a regular daily schedule.

City Invited Public Input to Discuss Downtown Parking Issues

Back in July, 2015, the City began a study of the parking challenges in the downtown area. Two public, interactive workshops were held. Residents were also invited to take an online opinion survey regarding the city’s parking challenges.

City Initiated a Six-Month Pilot Program to Provide a Free Shuttle Service on Friday and Saturday Nights

On November 6, a six-month pilot program was introduced.… Read More

Grown men in nothing but tighty whities and tube socks. Lovely ladies braving the Valentine’s Day chill in lingerie and knit beanies. Trotting along the waterfront, down to the Dali and back up to the raucous bars on Central Avenue, the first annual St. Petersburg Cupid’s Undie Run was truly a sight to behold.

And thanks to a charmingly persuasive race director – Eden Isle resident Katherine Zehr – the fun and  festive event raised a whopping $65,000 for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for NF (neurofibromatosis). Though still relatively low profile, the tumor-generating genetic disorder is more common than muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis combined.… Read More

Judy Prime-Sayles absolutely loves being a nurse.  It’s who she is, and that comes through in everything she does. A teacher at Pinellas Technical College, Judy teaches more than skills, she teaches nursing! “I love nursing because you can make things better for someone else,” she told me.

Nursing isn’t just about procedures and medications; it is about taking care of a person, both physically and psychologically. It’s about calming fears, listening to concerns, and helping the entire person to feel better. As a nurse myself, I know what she is talking about. Sometimes it seems that other fields of medicine focus on one aspect of the patient, but the nurse pulls them all together.… Read More

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

A Look Behind The Scenes With John Collins

John Collins, the executive director of the St. Petersburg Arts Council, and his wife Mary Ellen, a writer, met at Tufts University in Boston where he was the associate director of Alumni Relations and she was hired as one of several assistant directors. It was a definite match from the start. “We knew we were in trouble right away,” jokes John.

Another little known fact about John.  When he lived in Boston, he was a street mime at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace.  “I loved it,” says Collins.  “I studied mime with private instructors for two years, did some teaching, and then ventured out into street performing.… Read More