When the grandaddy of independent bookstores in St. Petersburg, Haslam’s, closed its doors at the start of the pandemic, no one thought it would be forever. A staple for local readers since the Great Depression, Haslam’s current 30,000-square-foot building is also prime real estate on Central Avenue. 

While rumors abound, dogged persistence by Tampa Bay Times reporters revealed in June that the famous Haslam Bookstore cats have been rehomed – at least for now. And third-generation owners Suzanne and Ray Hinst are “undecided” about the future.

The shuttering of Haslam’s leaves a sizable hole in the independent bookstore scene, but there’s still a lot for book lovers in the Bay Area to love, from traditional new and used sellers to hybrid shops and pop-ups.… Read More

Many birds in St. Petersburg were on the verge of extinction in the late 1800s. This was because their feathers had become unbelievably valuable. For example, the snowy egret’s fluffy mating feathers fetched thirty-two dollars an ounce – the same as the price of gold. Feathers had become quite fashionable, especially when displayed on women’s hats. The throat pouches of pelicans were made into tobacco pouches. There was even a market for wild bird eggs. The killing of birds for their feathers had become an industry for many hunters. And one of the most notorious of these was Jean Chevelier.

There is a love and obsession for dogs on Snell Isle, and in St. Petersburg in general. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love dogs, too. In fact, I am the proud owner of a pair of adorable Newfoundland’s (‘Newfies’ to those familiar with the breed). They are large, hairy, and slobbery creatures often mistaken for bears; wonderful dogs who are not very popular in the heat of St. Petersburg and more suited to the cold of the North.

But I digress. The real point of this article – and the idea that spawned it – came to me as I jogged by the beach along the path through the Old Northeast and down past Vinoy Park.… Read More

In 1961, local Black civic leaders and civil rights activists Dr. Ralph Wimbish and Dr. Robert Swain sent shockwaves through the baseball world. They refused to continue the practice of opening their homes and hotels to Black players who were not permitted to stay with their white teammates in local St. Petersburg hotels.

Their actions weren’t meant to discriminate against the Black players – just the opposite. Their stand effectively ended segregation of baseball’s spring training, and brought on the integration of hotels in St.… Read More

St. Petersburg is experiencing a building boom such as has not been seen since the 1920s and 1950s. Based on current growth rates, City planners project a need for between 1,000 and 1,500 new homes or ‘dwelling units’ per year. Mayor Kriseman has made recommendations for changing neighborhood zoning as part of an effort to meet this need. The proposals – a type of “upzoning” or increase in density – if approved by the City Council would be perhaps the most significant changes affecting neighborhood zoning in a decade.

There are basically two-types of neighborhoods in the city – Traditional Neighborhoods and Suburban Neighborhoods.… Read More

There aren’t many horses that can whinny about how they became a Bay News 9 Everyday Hero, but Elliott, a four-year old quarter horse can. Just before the pandemic took off, Elliott was recognized for ponying up contributions, love, and kisses to children all around the Tampa Bay area.

From the time Elliott was a foal, he has been over-flowing with personality, so much so that he never ceases to entertain. He creatively uses his nose and hooves to play with a beach ball, and enjoys galloping about with his dog friend, Sammie, a Doberman. When he is in the corral, he will kick over his water bucket just to run around with it on his head as a hat.… Read More

Stepping into Alli Arnold’s cozy bungalow in the Old Northeast feels like walking into a charming English cottage. It’s filled with artwork, a mix-and-match of colors and textures, comfortable furniture, lots of books and a menagerie of animals. Sophia, the Boston Terrier; Honey the Morkie (Maltese & Yorkie); George, the little Green Cheek Conure parrot; and two gerbils – Gronk (for Rob Gronkowski of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Tzatziki (for Alli’s favorite Greek-style condiment) are all eager to greet me.

“I’m happy my husband Ken is on board with all of this animal madness,” jokes Alli.

A native New Yorker and illustrator, Alli moved to St.… Read More

On September 11th, the St. Petersburg Civitan Club celebrated its 100th year of services to the community. Although the club was officially chartered on April 12, 1921, like many other clubs and volunteer organizations, the recent pandemic delayed their centennial festivities from last spring until now. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman issued a proclamation recognizing the Club’s centennial on its actual anniversary last April.

The first Civitan Club was formed in Birmingham, AL, in 1917, with St. Pete starting its own club four years later. The organization’s guiding principle is to build good citizenship through volunteering with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.… Read More

Bobby Finke stunned swimming fans around the world when he came from the middle of the pack of swimmers in the men’s 800-meter freestyle race to capture an Olympic gold medal in a final, thrilling sprint at the end. He went on to repeat the breathtaking, gold-medal-winning finish for the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle race a few days later. The 21-year-old Clearwater native who grew up swimming at North Shore Aquatic Complex has since been called the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world.

Even his journey home was memorable. While connecting through Newark airport, Bobby’s carry-on luggage triggered a security alert with the TSA.… Read More

This year is the Diamond Jubilee of the St. Petersburg-Takamatsu, Japan, Sister City Partnership. Sixty years ago, some in St. Petersburg were not all that enthused about becoming a Sister City with any Japanese city. 1961 was only sixteen years after the end of World War II. Many still had bitter memories of Japan from the war. On the other hand, Takamatsu had bitter memories as well, especially dating from July 4, 1945, when about 80% of Takamatsu was destroyed by US bombing.

The Sister Cities Program was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Eisenhower envisioned a network of sister cities that would be a “champion for peace and prosperity by fostering bonds between people from different communities around the world.”… Read More