Babe Ruth Day and the centennial of Ruth’s first year of spring training in St. Petersburg was celebrated with great gusto last month. George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Jr. played baseball during spring training in St. Pete with the New York Yankees from 1925 to 1934, and again with the Boston Braves in 1935.

Festivities began with Mayor Ken Welch issuing a proclamation at the city council meeting on February 6 declaring Saturday, February 8, “Babe Ruth Day,” honoring how Ruth’s presence in our city greatly magnified St. Petersburg’s profile as a town of sport, outdoor leisure, “and just plain fun,” and greatly contributed to the city’s sense of place.… Read More

Winter brings its share of wildlife glories to St. Petersburg. Between the graceful American white pelican and the charmingly chunky Florida manatee, larger-than-life species send us flocking to local waterways to catch a glimpse. But winter is also a great time to get to know some of the critters in your own backyard and to welcome winter animals with wildlife-friendly practices.

Nature’s Neighbors

Despite what you may have learned about winter hibernation, many Florida animals remain active this time of year. You may notice birds of prey becoming particularly industrious as they enter their breeding season. Lara Milligan, Natural Resources Agent for Pinellas County’s UF/IFAS Extension, notes that ospreys and bald eagles can be found in winter constructing their nests, soaring athletically through the skies with sticks, grasses, or moss in tow.… Read More

The glory of our waterfront parks in downtown St. Pete was on full display during Shopapalooza 2024. An extravagant feast for the senses: The sights! The smells! The deals!  But what’s this? A booth with just a bowl of Hershey’s kisses, a few stacks of documents, and a woman with a very inviting smile. Oh, and a dog bowl of water for the four-legged attendees. She looked like a favorite aunt, and curious visitors soon find she represents Suncoast Voices for Children. It turns out, Kari Mainelli has been driven to help with the needs of others for as long as she has been able to make good things happen.… Read More

Disaster Dog: a dog residing at a shelter, abandoned, or otherwise misplaced due to a storm or other natural disaster. 

Pinellas County Animal Services works hard to do what’s best for disaster dogs during storms and has a relationship with many Pinellas animal shelters and rescues. When back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton struck and Pinellas animal shelters were overwhelmed with dogs from evacuees, abandoned on the streets, or otherwise misplaced, it was an all-hands-on-deck situation. Cue independent outfits like Jaime McKnight’s Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue.

Since 2013, McKnight has operated her 501c3 nonprofit dog rescue. Her specialty? Senior pups, handicap, sick, and small breed dogs, 10 pounds and under.… Read More

Feature image: Arts Connection’s exhibit features the alcohol ink works by Patricia Chase

The hurricanes of 2024 certainly added tumult to the year. Many programs, including the Arts Connection at the First Presbyterian Church, seemed to be shoehorned in between these natural events. But now, 2025 is offering a fresh breath and a new start to these endeavors.

Ronn Johnson, one of the organizers, noted that he “wanted to bring the arts to FPC so that our congregation could have the enlightening experiences I was seeing in other churches.” He, and other artists from the congregation, came together to start an arts outreach program.… Read More

Feature photo: Julia Ruth Stevens and her son Tom remembering her father’s famous “call shot” at Wrigley Field in Chicago, 1932. Courtesy of Julia Ruth Stevens Family

The year 2025 is the Centennial of Babe Ruth playing baseball in St. Petersburg. It was in 1925 that the New York Yankees relocated their spring training headquarters to Florida and St. Petersburg, and along with the deal came Babe Ruth, the world’s foremost baseball athlete. To celebrate the occasion, the Kids and Kubs Senior Softball Club and the “City Hall Stars,” led by Mayor Ken Welch, will dedicate their annual Mayor’s Game to Babe Ruth, and Ruth’s grandson, Tom Stevens, will throw out the first pitch.… Read More

Many new things are coming in 2025, including a new director at the St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts. I recently caught up with Klaudio Rodriguez after his return from Art Basel to learn more about him and the future of the MFA.

Rodriguez is a good fit for a multicultural encyclopedic museum like the MFA. “My mother is Croatian, and my dad is Nicaraguan. They met in Rome, Italy and after they married, returned to Nicaragua. However, during the political turmoil there, we came to Miami. I was six years old and the only things we had, came in the suitcases that we brought with us.” … Read More

Monica Kile is a household name for many in St. Pete. You may know her from her time as Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College, or perhaps for her work as Executive Director of Preserve the ‘Burg. As a reader you likely have enjoyed her articles in Green Bench Monthly, I Love the ‘Burg, and our own Northeast Journal. You might have seen her running along the waterfront as she trains for yet another marathon, or possibly you know her as Mangrove Bay Middle’s newest librarian. But, most likely, you know her face from the many historic tours she has led within this city over the past 20 years.… Read More

Featured image: Youth Ministry Director Andrew Johnson and Life Teen Core member Chris Griffin with help youth fill sandbags

It’s been well over a month since hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, and neighborhoods are still feeling her wrath. The communities of Snell Isle and Shore Acres, and their neighboring areas, are among some of the hardest hit in St. Pete. As you drive down Snell Isle Boulevard and into Shore Acres you see the remnants of what once made a home now tossed on the side of the road. The debris piles seem endless and the loss they represent are sobering.… Read More

Featured image: EnnYe Collection owners and sisters Mercy Nyamangwanda, Matipa Mutsemi and husband Vini Mutsemi. Photos by Tafadzwa Madamombe

At first glance, Matipa and Vini Mutsemi appear to be your typical, happy couple. They’ve been married for 17 years and have loved living and working in the tropical paradise of St. Pete since 2020.

As entrepreneurs, however, they also run a successful business together, EnnYe on Beach Drive. At the heart of the retail business is a Stone Sculpture Gallery curated by Vini Mutsemi. “We feature unique stone sculptures made by Zimbabwean sculptors from the Shona tribe.”

Zimbabwe means “House of Stone.”… Read More