Finding stylish and adaptive clothing can be a challenge for people with disabilities, as the fast-paced fashion industry prioritizes trends over inclusive design.
“I realized there was a huge need for clothing for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses,” said Tampa Bay fashion designer, Lady Natasha Fines. “I brought it up to the companies I worked for, but they didn’t want to invest in the research because it was a subject they weren’t familiar with.”
Fines decided to use her passion for fashion to create a brand full of adaptive clothing that is functional for people with specific needs and also meets modern style trends.
Fines Adaptive Fashion features clothing with a variance of specific functions to help people with disabilities. Her clothes range from utilizing magnetic closures with extra zippers to hook and loop closures, also known as velcro.
Outside hitter of the USA Women’s Volleyball Sitting National Team and Lady Fines model, MaKenzie Wittman, is a left side above-the-knee amputee and needs constant access to her prosthetic; which is a feature that most clothing and fashion brands do not provide.
Lady Natasha Fines Adaptive Fashion features clothing with a variance of specific functions to help people with disabilities. This clothing piece features. cargo pants with additional zippers for easier access. (Photo courtesy of Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion)
“I live in Minnesota,” Wittman said. “I cut all my pants off on the left side and so then my limb is exposed, and if it’s cold out, it’s not the greatest thing to have happening. With Lady Fine’s clothes, I’m still able to wear it over my prosthetic and keep my limb warm, but I also have access to my leg whenever I need it.”
Another model, Gloria Stephens, echoed that same appreciation for inclusive fashion.
“It’s really nice to have someone like Natasha who made a brand specifically for disabled people that’s also stylish and usable,” she said.
In addition to requiring regular access to her port-a-cath — a catheter placed in a large vein near the heart — Stephens occasionally uses a wheelchair whenever she is outside of her home.
“(Fines) takes style and then turns it into something accessible because people with disabilities who need these adaptive items deserve to feel nice and look nice too,” Stephans said.
Following the success of her fashion brand, Fines also launched Rebels With a Cause, a nonprofit aimed at challenging the fashion industry to design more inclusively for people living with disabilities.
Rebels With a Cause also addresses bigger issues such as the lack of accessibility for people with disabilities in common places throughout the community.
“They assume people with disabilities aren’t their customers,” Fines said. “But the truth is that the customers exist. They just don’t have the products available for them.”
Rebels With a Cause organizes fashion shows featuring people with disabilities and provides educational outreach to colleges, universities and other organizations about the importance and practicality of adaptive clothing.
“There’s a general lack of education,” Fines said. “People are often stuck in their bubble. If they don’t personally know someone with a disability or chronic illness, they don’t realize how much of a need there is.”
Fines said she wants her clothing to share an important message to people with disabilities.
“You are able to do you,” she said, “and you deserve to feel just as confident as someone that doesn’t have a disability or chronic illness.”
The St. Petersburg Housing Authority’s Jordan Park Youth Program is an initiative that provides free after-school programs for the children of Jordan Park. They have mentorship, educational and recreational activities available.
Kiara Lovett, the director of social services for SPHA, believes this initiative has created a safe and supportive environment for the children and community of Jordan Park. She said she has seen it help foster personal growth and build confidence in the youth and wants to let the youth know that they have a community that cares.
“I want them to know that they can be something great,” Lovett said. “And life is truly limitless. You can be whatever it is that you want to be, but if you don’t have the tools to do so, I feel like it’s my duty, my job, to help provide the tools.”
Lovett said she firmly believes that children must be provided with the tools and not just be expected to be successful. Not everybody is afforded the same opportunities or grows up with the same skills, moral confidence or values; therefore, she said the need for opportunities is what inspired her team to begin to brainstorm some possible ideas.
Asking themselves what families wanted to see, they decided to conduct a needs-based assessment.
“We created a needs assessment that encompasses everything from what do you like most about living in your community to what is it that you want to see,” Lovett said. “And we took the stats from that and designed the program to hit on the majority of those components.”
As a part of the Jordan Youth Program, students attend the martial arts initiative at The Legacy at Jordan Park. They are lined up, proudly displaying their new belts. (Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Housing Authority)
One of the programs with the biggest turnout was their Tutoring and Education Program, held on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Volunteers come to help children with their homework and give guidance for them to succeed in school.
Lovett said that a teacher reached out to her about one of the students. He was missing about 21 assignments. They spent the entire evening helping him to complete them, and he was able to raise his failing grade up to a C.
“That was just great to hear because that’s our purpose,” Lovett said. “That’s our mission.”
Zedrick Colier Jr., an 8-year-old third-grade student, is part of the Tutoring and Education Program. He said he has enjoyed coming to learn and has already made friends.
“So, my first day was the other week,” he said. “I had a tutoring teacher. She was kind of nice, and I couldn’t say how much I appreciated it.”
Zedrick Colier Sr., the boy’s father, had enrolled his son in the program after finding out about it through an email that Lovett had set up. Over time, he said he has noticed his son becoming much more confident and comfortable in the classroom setting.
“He loves to learn, [and] he’s more willing to learn now,” Zedrick Colier Sr. said. “In tutoring, he says ‘those guys, they’re pretty nice.’ He likes the environment, you know, his friends coming to learn, and he’s more happy about learning. I wish it was for more than just one day a week.”
Zedrick Colier Sr. said he’s grateful for the additional support the program provides for his son. He explained that teaching can be challenging at times, so he appreciates others who can reach his son.
“I’m thankful there is a program that reaches out to people who can’t afford tutoring,” said Zedrick Colier Sr. “I just want to thank them for lending a hand with helping my son to become a better person, a smarter person also.”
Shalonda Gary, from Exceeding Grace Christan Center, leads the Tutoring and Education Program. To her, teaching is more than math and reading, it’s about connecting with each child and learning about their story, she said.
“The desire to point to other kids’ lives is one of my biggest gifts that I can give back, and it’s a gift that God has given me to love and to just pour into others,” Gary said. “I couldn’t think of a better program to be a part of. You’re loving on children while you’re educating children, along with building relationships.”
Gary said she has also seen how the program has impacted the parents in the community as well.
“The parents get a breather because, speaking from my own life when my children were younger, I would’ve loved to have had the extra help,” she said. “You’re kind of stretching yourself thin between working, cooking [and] making sure everything is done.”
As the Jordan Park Youth Program continues to support families, community support is important to the program’s continued success. Donations, volunteering and spreading the word about the program can all make a difference.
“I would say step up and volunteer, even if it’s just one child that you mentor,” Gary said. “Allow yourself to not just take this as a mundane type thing, where you’re just coming in every Thursday, but you’re open to doing more in their lives. Even going as far as partnering with the parents and seeing where you can help the child even more.”
“People can help by signing up to volunteer and donations,” Lovett said. “It allows us to still be able to provide for our community in the way that we do.”
For example, the Jordan Youth Program received donations for their Christmas toy giveaway last year. It helped to adopt families for the holidays and provide meals and gifts for the children.
The donations and assistance also help fund the martial arts programs and provide snacks, fresh fruit and drinks for the children.
Lovett said that working with the youth is the most important part of her work. She highlighted that the focus on youth is essential for the well-being of future generations.
“Our youth, that’s the next generation,” Lovett said. “That’s who I’m going to look forward to when I’m old and, you know, wrinkled. That’s what I’m going to hope, that our society is in great hands.”
By Rhiannon McIsaac, Kadin Knowles, Paola Bisbal and John Mancini
During major storms, Pinellas County residents face the real threat of speeding vehicles pushing flood water into their front yards and homes, leading to damage that could have been avoided.
Pinellas County lawmakers hope to regulate vehicle speeds in areas vulnerable to flooding, as well as bring awareness to the issue with the proposition of a new bill.
“You get victimized twice, once by the storm, once by the drivers that are not necessarily understanding that they should slow it down,” said St. Petersburg Assistant Police Chief Mike Kovacsev when emphasizing the impact speeding vehicles have in flood zones.
Flooding begins when heavy rain or storm surge overwhelms streets, turning familiar roads into unfamiliar and dangerous ones. As drivers return home, head to work or venture out after a storm, many speed through floodwaters, creating wakes that push more water onto properties and cause further damage.
“[If] you live in a house, you have flooding that comes right up to your garage door, and then the pickup truck decides to go through at 15 mph and push all that water right in your garage,” Kovacsev said.
Shores Acres in Pinellas County is just one of many neighborhoods that have had to deal with wake-induced flooding and been left to deal with its aftermath. The water pushed onto front lawns and into homes can lead to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage costs. This is an additional financial burden for residents that have already been majorly inconvenienced by debilitating natural disasters.
Longtime Shore Acres resident Charles Wood said that most of his neighbors have had unfortunate experiences dealing with wake flood damage, leading them to make hard decisions.
“It’s just getting too expensive to keep building over and over again,” Wood said. “Those guys in the next house over have sold their property. They have had to rebuild their house three times in four years.”
The vulnerability caused by the city’s frequent flooding is due to the county’s unique geography, low-lying topography, rising sea levels and drainage issues. Major Hurricanes Helene and Milton have cast an unfortunate spotlight on the importance of reduced speeds during flood times.
The bill, labeled Senate Bill 350 and House Bill 241, is being proposed by Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Rep. Lindsay Cross. Even though SB 350 and HB 241 have different numeric labels, they are the same bill.
SB 350 and HB 241 would prohibit slow motor vehicle speeds that would block or cause traffic congestion. During flood periods, like the one that occurred during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, vehicle speed limits would be reduced by local government standards to prevent additional wake-induced flooding.
To become a law, bills must go through legislative committees before they hit the general assembly floor and are voted on by both chambers. When a bill gets put into committee, as HB 241 and SB 350 have, it’s in the early stage of being approved or denied. A lot of bills quietly die in committee before they can reach the prepubescent stage of life, the voting stage.
DiCeglie initially proposed SB 350 on Jan. 27, and it was moved into committee on Feb. 3. On the other hand, HB 241 was filed by Cross on Jan. 24 and moved into committee on Feb. 6.
After reaching the general assembly floor and passing by a majority vote in both chambers, the bill needs to be affirmed by the governor before officially becoming an enforceable law.
Law enforcement has long received complaints about drivers speeding through flooded streets but had no authority to act beyond issuing warnings. If passed, the bill would give officers the power to enforce reduced speeds.
First responders play a critical role during floods, responding quickly and helping keep communities safe. Their firsthand experience with wake-induced flooding has shown how damaging it can be, and the St. Petersburg Police Department supports the bill’s passage. However, the state must change its laws regarding vehicle speed regulation before the city can act.
The proposed bill was also included in a larger hurricane response package during the March 4 Florida legislation session.
“It seems to have a lot of backing from the Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association,” Kovacsev said prior to the March 4 meeting. “If you get the amendment, put in there, then we can start enforcing it.”
In the past, during deadly hurricanes, Kovacsev said that the city would just shut down certain neighborhoods that are prone to flooding. The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene and Milton made things more difficult and shifted lawmakers’ and community safety workers’ mindset on the proper way to prevent unnatural and additional flooding.
Kovacsev also said that keeping homeowners away from their residences is only a temporary fix. When a storm surge occurs and lasts for long periods, as it did due to Hurricane Helene, it gets harder to tell people to stay away, he said. Many St. Petersburg residents were starting to demand change.
Amber Boulding, St. Petersburg emergency manager, points out the good impact that the bill has already had on Pinellas County.
“Whether it passes or not I feel like it’s already done a lot,” Boulding said.
The proposal of a wake zone speed limit bill highlights the important but oftentimes underestimated issue presented by cars during flood periods. When hurricanes get covered by the media, they are usually only covered from a present-tense standpoint. By pushing this bill forward, Florida lawmakers are shining a light on this issue and encouraging drivers to consider their actions more carefully.
“I think that there should be speed limits when the streets are flooded,” Wood said. “It’s a safety issue for the driver and a safety issue for the homeowners.”
Residents like Wood see the proposed bill as a necessary step toward addressing wake-related flooding. While storms and speeding drivers remain ongoing challenges in flood-prone areas like Pinellas County, the legislation aims to provide law enforcement with a tool to help protect neighborhoods when streets are submerged.
This year’s Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival in St. Petersburg marked a major milestone for the local community, blending food, health and culture. What started as a small fundraiser in a church basement in 2018 has grown into an annual event that draws hundreds of attendees from across the city.
“We started with just a small group, cooking greens to raise money for kids at our church, and now look at where we are today,” said Tamikae Mitchem, one of the festival’s founders.
What began nearly two decades ago as a humble church fundraiser has become a cornerstone event, showcasing the vibrant culture and history of St. Petersburg’s Historic Black District.
The festival’s origins trace back to an accidental culinary experiment when one of the founders, cooking collard greens in a pressure cooker, forgot to add water and thought they had ruined the dish. To their surprise, the greens turned out perfectly, and it sparked the idea to share this unique cooking method with the community.
The festival, originally founded in 2018 by Samantha Harris, Boyzell Hosey and Tamikae Mitchem, now draws attendees from all over the region.
“It’s been amazing to see the community embrace this celebration, and each year it continues to grow,” Mitchem said.
The event has evolved, incorporating not only food and entertainment but also health and wellness. This year, organizers emphasized the theme of “health is wealth,” with vendors offering nutritional advice, wellness products and mental health resources.
One of the festival’s regular attendees, Jasmine Fracier, shared her excitement about the event.
“I’ve been living here for two years, and I just love this community,” Fracier said. “It’s so welcoming, and it’s nice to see so many familiar faces. It’s a great event, and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
In addition to focusing on health, the festival has placed a growing emphasis on supporting local businesses and empowering the Black community. This year, organizers expanded the number of local vendors, ensuring that money circulates within the community.
Dr. Angela Thompson, a local health expert, emphasized the importance of community wellness events.
“It’s essential for festivals like this to focus on both physical and mental health,” Thompson said, “as they help foster connections and provide resources that individuals may not otherwise have access to.”
Entertainment also plays a key role in the festival, with live performances from up-and-coming local artists. Providing the opportunity for attendees to discover new talent, and the event allowed young performers to share their passion with a larger audience.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth,” said one festival organizer. “There’s been a lot of positive feedback from the community, and we listen to it. That’s why we’ve added more entertainment, including opportunities for young artists to showcase their talents. We want to provide a platform for the next generation.”
Bababa James, who traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to attend the festival, brought his own unique touch to the event. As a vendor selling ice cream, he shared his connection to the Collard Green Festival’s larger network.
“I started these festivals in California, and it’s exciting to see how they’ve grown,” James said. “I have my own collard greens festival in California, and I hope we can collaborate and bring more attention to the Black community through these events. We can make a real impact together.”
Despite its success, the festival has begun to outgrow its current space in the historic Black district. Organizers are now exploring options to expand, possibly relocating to a larger venue to accommodate the growing number of attendees.
“We’ve reached a point where we need more space, especially for parking,” Mitchem said. “We’re very intentional about listening to our community’s feedback and adjusting our plans accordingly. The goal is to make sure the festival continues to serve and grow with the community.”
Looking ahead, organizers are already brainstorming ways to expand the festival’s impact, including the possibility of future collaborations with the original California-based festival.
“We have our 10th anniversary coming up in a couple of years, and we’re definitely thinking about what the future holds for this event,” one of the founders said.
As the Collard Green Festival continues to grow and evolve, one thing remains clear: it’s a celebration of the past, present and future of the community.
Whether it’s enjoying the delicious collard greens, supporting local businesses or learning more about health and wellness, this annual festival is considered to be a reminder of the power of community and the importance of locals coming together to celebrate culture, history and a brighter future.
Over 800 people attended the twice sold-out premiere of the new documentary “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress” on Saturday, Feb. 22 and Sunday, Feb. 23, according to its creators.
While the initial screening was held at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s Center for Health Equity, the overwhelming amount of support prompted the Razed team to appease public demand with an additional screening on Friday, Feb. 28, as part of the inaugural Festival of Films from the Institute on Black Life at the University of South Florida Tampa campus.
Roundhouse Creative’s film director Andrew Lee and assistant director and co-producer Tara Segall took on the long overdue project of disinterring the history of St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District, a once-thriving Black neighborhood that was displaced to make way for Tropicana Field.
According to the Razed team, the film provides a chair at the table for those who were displaced and allows them to finally be involved in the conversation of this irreversible redevelopment.
Attendees including Roundhouse Creative’s film director Andrew Lee and assistant director and co-producer Tara Segall watch the documentary “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress” during the screening on Feb. 28, 2025, as part of the inaugural Festival of Films from the Institute on Black Life at the University of South Florida Tampa campus. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano/NNB)
For the purpose of dissemination, the premieres also included time with a panel featuring the filmmakers and former Gas Plant residents. These events held space for attendees, including former residents of the Gas Plant District, local activists, historians, city officials, teachers, students and all others interested in learning about the redevelopment.
David Ponton, associate professor and chair of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of South Florida, was among those in attendance both on Sunday and again on the following Friday. With a knowledgeable background in Black history and systemic inequalities, Ponton spoke on how Razed captured the emotional and historical weight of racism during the panel discussion on Friday.
“Of course, there’s discomfort with telling a story in a country with racist devices when you’re talking about race,” Ponton said. “At the same time, it’s not just a story about a Black community. It’s a story about a community that experienced trauma–and so that’s another different type of layer of discomfort that comes in. We get up to the point oftentimes where we are discomforted and then we recoil, and we go backwards, and I think you have to push through the discomfort to the other side, which is this empowerment, and that’s what we got to see and feel because of the willingness to push forward with it.”
Razed depicts the history of the Gas Plant District. A lost home to generations of Black families and Black-owned businesses, before the city’s redevelopment plan promised economic revitalization. Many former residents and their descendants feel that those promises were never fulfilled, and the documentary brings their stories to the forefront.
Attendees watch the documentary “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress” which explores the destruction of the Gas Plant
District and its effect on the people who lived there, during the screening on Feb. 28, 2025 at the University of South Florida Tampa campus. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano/NNB)
Throughout the discussion of this documentary and the history it presents, a recurring theme emerged, the erasure of a once-thriving community. However, through the creation and release of this documentary, that sense of community has been rediscovered, according to attendees.
“Every child had a mother and father in every house, regardless of whether there was a blood tie,” Segall said. “They were the community’s children. Everyone knew everybody, and when the construction started, and people left, it was all lost.”
Lee also emphasized the emotional impact of that lost community.
“That’s definitely something that touched us, understanding just how significant that sense of community was to those folks who lived there, and just how much loss they feel to this day,” Lee said.
The team’s commitment to authenticity and respect for the people who lived through the trauma of displacement began during the initial conversation about creating the documentary.
Roundhouse Creative’s film director Andrew Lee and assistant director and co-producer Tara Segall share
insights about their documentary during a panel discussion facilitated by David Ponton, associate
professor and chair of the Racial Justice Initiative, on Feb. 28, 2025. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano/NNB)
“One of the first things we did when Tara and I started talking about the idea of making this documentary was to reach out to Ms. Gwendolyn Reese, who’s prominently featured,” Lee said. “We know that Ms. Reese holds so much of this history in our community, and it would not be possible for us, or appropriate, to try to tell this story without her guidance and support. So luckily for us, she jumped on board and helped us produce this film. Her involvement established trust and credibility and without her vouching for us, many people might not have shared their stories.”
According to the filmmakers, they’ve received an enthusiastic response to the film’s premiere.
“The turnout and support genuinely surprised us,” Segall said. “We expected attendance primarily from residents featured in the film and family members, but this story clearly struck a chord with the broader community. Many people who weren’t directly involved with the film saw their own memories, lives and experiences reflected on screen.”
In addition to Segell’s sentiment, Lee also added that he felt the emotional response from viewers.
“We were deeply moved when multiple former residents stood up and stated that this was the first time in their lives they had felt truly seen and heard,” Lee said. “Some shared that they had spent years feeling like their stories had been erased, and this film gave them a platform to reclaim their history. That level of emotional impact was something we hadn’t fully anticipated.”
Segall noted the film’s growing impact since its premiere, sharing that the St. Pete Downtown Partnership and Economic Development Corporation expressed interest in screening it for their investors. Community members have also requested private shows to present the film to their own organizations.
“What was missing was kind of a unified front from the community,” Segall said. “If we want to see folks not being taken advantage of by the system, by greed, by the development and the progress that maybe isn’t putting people above money, [then] we have to band together to make sure that we’re all on the same page.”
By Mahika Kukday, Canela Vasquez, Alyssa Moritz and Noah Chase
The Tampa Bay Rays and the fate of their new and old stadium has been the talk of St. Petersburg for about a year, but even as city council continues to move forward with repairing Tropicana Field, the city remains unsure of how important major league baseball really is to the local economy.
“The economic impact for the region is much smaller than you would anticipate,” said city council member Richie Floyd. “I think it’s something like [4%] of visitors to the county actually attend baseball games.”
Visit St. Pete-Clearwater’s latest visitor profile study found that 4% of 4,977 tourists surveyed attended a Rays game or went to Tropicana Field during their visit. Otherwise, tourists visited St. Pete Pier (52%), the Dali Museum (25%) and the Chihuly Collection (22%) the most.
Floyd told the Neighborhood News Bureau that if he had been around, he would have opposed the 30-year contract that obligates the city to provide the Rays with an MLB-quality stadium until 2027.
“I’m not just balancing a binary decision between giving them this money and the team leaves or don’t give them this money and the team leaves,” Floyd said. “I also have to balance the infrastructure needs that our city has [and] the cost-of-living problems, so it’s really more holistic than that.”
The St. Petersburg City Council approved an additional $950,000 for preconstruction repairs to Tropicana Field on Feb. 6, the latest installment in a total $55 million price tag.
In addition to footing those repair bills, St. Petersburg is also contributing $287 million to the creation of a new Rays ballpark by 2028. Floyd said that the city’s counting on using tax dollars to pay off the debt by 2055, but it probably won’t be enough.
St. Petersburg’s Chamber of Commerce CEO Chris Steinocher, however, doesn’t agree with Floyd’s assessment of the costs being greater than the benefits.
“I’m a big believer in the impact financially, morally and spiritually of major league baseball in our downtown,” Steinocher said.
He emphasized that the “economic impact is real,” and that even if the percentage of sports- focussed visitors is low, it still amounts to “a couple hundred thousand,” people supporting baseball in the area.
In 2024, the Rays ranked third lowest in home-game attendance numbers, with an average of 16,515 fans. In the past decade, the Rays have been in the bottom four of the attendance table. Their highest ranking was 27 out of 30, with an average of 17,781 fans at home games was recorded in 2023.
Still, Steinocher remains resolute that “it’s the largest economic impact of a corporation we have in this community,” adding that the Rays Baseball Foundation is a generous and frequent donor to many local programs.
He thinks families are drawn to the area to watch baseball because it’s “still a better bargain” than watching the sport in other cities.
While Steinocher firmly believes that local bars, restaurants and other businesses will suffer with the Rays’ absence in 2025, Floyd isn’t so sure.
“I can’t tell you exactly what [that impact] looks like since there’s no baseball going on,” he said. “But it’s only a very small impact directly surrounding the immediate stadium area.”
One of those businesses is Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill. Owner Mark Ferguson, 68, said the Rays are vital to the success of his 33-year-old establishment.
“It means a lot to all of us,” Ferguson said. “When we’re usually slow during the week, we get an influx of people from all over and they stay here for three or four days.”
Audrey Everett, environmental science and policy senior at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus, said she enjoyed being able to take the SunRunner to catch a Rays game in her city.
“We have all this history of [Tropicana Field] being misused and poorly designed,” Everett said, adding that she feels the Rays should stay in St. Petersburg because the redevelopment deal hinges on it.
Mayor Kenneth Welch remains resolute that “the greatness and future of St. Pete does not depend solely on [the Historic Gas Plant Redevelopment deal].”
At his State of the City address on Feb. 4, he stated that while moving forward with the Rays was the preferred option, the city was prepared to walk away if the deal fell through. The address was marked by a singular strong message: “the city’s success isn’t reliant on the Rays.”
Ferguson said he thought that the mayor is “playing a good hand,” but he’s confident that the Rays will stay because they have a dedicated fanbase here.
He expressed concern about much of his customer base shifting to Tampa for the upcoming season while the Rays play at Steinbrenner Field. However, he said folks who don’t want to make the drive are welcome to “come [to Ferg’s] and have a watch party for all the home games.”
By Anastaciya Pellicano, Jensen Horvath, Destiny McDaniel and Alisha Durosier
In December 2021, when Carlos Lovett was first asked about his experience growing up in St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District, he was not expecting to be featured in a documentary.
While attending a cookout organized for former Gas Plant and Laurel Park neighborhood residents, Lovett recounted growing up with 10 older siblings in their house on First Avenue South. He could point to where his family’s home once stood from where he sat: parking lot number one of Tropicana Field, the former site of the Laurel Park residential complex.
Residents who attended the December 2021 cookout on lot one of Tropicana Field said they could stand on or point to where their houses once stood before the redevelopment of the Gas Plant District. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano)
“I just thought, okay, these people are going to go down there and talk and just commune together,” Lovett said. “I thought that was going to be it.”
Lovett is among the youngest of the Gas Plant residents to be featured in “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress.”
Having premiered on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the documentary highlights the historical Black community that once flourished in St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District. The community, which occupied 85-acres in the heart of downtown, was paved over to build the St. Petersburg ballpark, Tropicana Field.
Produced by Roundhouse Creative with support from other local foundations, “Razed” was directed by Andrew Lee and Tara Segall. Over the span of three years, Lee and Segall conducted interviews with 20 former Gas Plant residents and three local historians, capturing the neighborhood’s history from its inception to its eventual displacement.
Aside from the dome, the Tropicana Field site in St. Petersburg is largely empty. As stated in the film “Razed: Lies, Baseball, and the Price of Progress,” the Gas Plant District is now just “85 acres of asphalt.” (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano)
“The film is in large part told through their voices,” Lee said.
Born on Tropicana Field’s parking lot one, the making of “Razed” started during a December 2021 cookout.
In collaboration with the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the African American Heritage Association, the Tampa Bay Rays and the city of St. Petersburg hosted the cookout and hired Roundhouse Creative to facilitate a video booth where residents were filmed speaking about their memories of the Gas Plant and Laurel Park neighborhoods.
Until then, Segall had never heard the words “Gas Plant Neighborhood.”
“Here I am in a community with somebody like Carlos, who has had this experience impact him so deeply and I don’t even know about it,” Segall said. “I think for Andrew and I, we felt upset by the fact that we didn’t know. But then also inspired by the opportunity to be able to share the story.”
Carl Lavender Jr., of the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, alongside Lee and Segall, developed the idea to create a film about the Gas Plant District. However, Lavender emphasized that the film would not come to fruition without the approval or involvement of local historian, AAHA president and former Gas Plant resident, Gwendolyn Reese. This guided Lee and Segall’s decision to bring Reese on as a producer.
“My role as producer … was primarily identifying people who lived in the Gas Plant Neighborhood and reaching out to them because they knew me,” Reese said. “They didn’t know Roundhouse Creative.”
In the documentary, what is seen are not formal interviews with the locals, but rather a discussion between them and Reese, who sat out of the camera’s view and facilitated a conversation.
In cutting down over 30 hours of footage into a 75-minute film, Lee and Segall wanted to make sure the documentary was balanced.
“It’s equal parts, I think, making sure that we convey the joy and the connectivity and the love that was there,” Lee said. “And then also telling the story of what happened… and how that changed.”
According to Reese, the story of the Gas Plant District is multifaceted.
“Our story is like any other story,” she said. “It has its dark sides, but it has its joyous and light sides. We want people to know all sides.”
Pictured in front of the St. Petersburg gas cylinder in 1930, two young girls, Eula and Wren, stand together posing. (Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Museum of History)
The Gas Plant District was characterized by its close-knit community and two large gas cylinders — landmarks that gave the area its name. Existing in segregated St. Petersburg, the predominantly Black neighborhood was forged out of redlining. Residents ensured that they received most of their services and found support within their neighborhood, where they felt safe.
“We knew everybody, and everybody knew us,” Lovett said. “It’s not something we just say when we say that.”
Lovett said he remembers the row of houses that were once on First Avenue South and how his neighbors would pass food to one another.
Katz Grocery Store, a once beloved St. Petersburg market located at 1056 Third Ave S., was the last structure to be demolished in the redevelopment of the Gas Plant District. It took city officials two years and a settlement triple of what they originally offered to get Abe S. Katz to sell his property. (Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Museum of History)
Reese said that a frequent talking point among the residents in the film was the joy of living in the Gas Plant District.
“You’ll hear about the barbecues,” Reese said. “You’ll hear about the fish fries. You’ll hear about the neighbors and how safe it was for us. St. Petersburg Times [now Tampa Bay Time]… every time they wrote about it, it was this blighted community, but we were not blighted.”
Reese noted that there were “slum areas owned by white slumlords,” but that there were also two-story and ranch-style homes, along with bungalows.
“It was thriving with about 30 businesses, about nine churches [and] 200-plus residences,” she said.
The displacement of the Gas Plant District happened over the span of approximately 20 years.
In 1978, soon after the I-175 highway extension was implemented, slicing the Gas Plant District in half, the city of St. Petersburg passed a resolution declaring the Gas Plant District a redevelopment era.
Slicing the Gas Plant District in half, the implementation of Interstate 275’s extension in the late 1970s was among the first instances of residents’ displacement. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano)
The city’s intention was to revitalize the “slum” they considered the Gas Plant District. They promised an industrial park and over 600 new jobs and affordable housing.
In compliance with the resolution, the city sought “to acquire 185 parcels of land; demolish 262 structures; relocate 27 small businesses, 45 owner-occupants, and 281 tenant households,” according to a St. Petersburg Times article written in 1979.
Between 1982 and 1983, the city’s discussions switched from building an industrial park, new jobs and affordable housing to building a stadium and acquiring a major league baseball team.
In 1984, the Gas Plant District’s landmarks, the gas cylinders, were dismantled.
In 1986, without going to referendum, St. Petersburg approved the stadium before the city was officially awarded a major league baseball franchise. That same year the city began to acquire property to construct what was known then as the Florida Suncoast Dome.
Later in 1990, eight years before the city received their baseball team, the stadium was complete, and the Gas Plant District was gone.
According to a structural racism study conducted by the city of St. Petersburg and the University of South Florida, the redevelopment displaced “2,100 Black families, businesses and institutions from their homes.”
The Laurel Park residential complex once occupied much of the area where parking lot one at Tropicana Field stands today. (Photo by Anastaciya Pellicano)
Julie Armstrong, a civil rights and southern literature professor at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, said the city failed to uphold its promises to residents.
“When the Gas Plant was raised, residents were promised jobs,” Armstrong said. “What they got was their community disrespected and fractured.”
Lovett and his family were one of the last households to leave the Gas Plant District. While displaced property owners received compensation, Lovett’s family, as renters, got nothing when their home was taken. With nowhere to go, they became homeless.
“For me, it was my history, but it was just lost,” Lovett said. “Now I feel like I’ve gained some of that back. I gained community. I gained my folks, as we would say, I gained my people back.”
Watching the rough cut of the documentary, Reese said that people cried. “But I was smiling,” she said. “Because finally, people could tell their stories in their words and their stories will be heard.”
Due to an overwhelming demand and a growing waitlist for tickets, an encore screening of the film was scheduled for Sunday, Feb 23. Like the premiere, the event included a panel discussion featuring filmmakers, former Gas Plant residents and historians.
Armstrong affirms that “marking the history is far better than erasing it,” though she said she wishes to see more meaningful efforts being made to address the city’s history of structural racism.
“We just want these stories to be out there,” Segall said. “We want them to be heard. We want folks to know that what happened to them not only mattered but is known by the larger community. Because it does matter that there were people here before Tropicana Field.”
Regarding the hours of extra footage, the “Razed” directors have ideas. “The cutting room floor is not the garbage,” Segall said. “We have so much valuable footage… they deserve a place to live in our community permanently.”
There are no standing monuments of the Gas Plant District. As an interviewee in “Razed” stated, the area is now “85-acres of asphalt.” But for former Gas Plant residents like Lovett, remembering what once was is not just cause for grief.
“That fills me with pride, that I came from a place and a people that could thrive in the midst of racism and depression,” Lovett said. “I’m here. This is the monument. I’m the monument.”
In a transitional move to merge high art with pop culture, St. Petersburg’s Imagine Museum hosts a new an anime exhibit that promises to dazzle lifelong fans and curious newcomers alike.
Anime, a Japanese art form known for its unique visuals and captivating storytelling, has become a global cultural phenomenon. This exhibit will spotlight iconic works from celebrated anime titles and creators, offering visitors an in-depth look at the evolution and significance of the medium.
From hand-drawn cells of early classics to cutting-edge digital designs, the exhibit will display the artistic innovation that defines anime. The exhibit will feature a collection of iconic works and spotlight local artists, offering visitors an immersive journey into the rich history and influence of anime.
“The Graphic World exhibit was inspired by the global impact and cultural significance of comics, manga and anime,” artist Trish Duggan said. “Graphic Worlds honors trailblazers like Richard F. Outcault, creator of the modern comic strip, and Osamu Tezuka, the father of modern manga. The exhibit also features works from acclaimed DC Comics illustrator and writer, Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, celebrated for their contributions to Harley Quinn and Black Panther.”
In addition to original artwork and curated displays, visitors can expect an immersive experience that goes beyond traditional displays. Interactive installations, film screenings and live workshops allow visitors of all ages to interact with the art.
“A standout piece is an original inked Johnny Bravo strip, signed by Kirk Tingblad from Cartoon Network Studios, demonstrating the synergy between comics and animation,” Duggan said. “These works reflect the evolution of visual storytelling and the pioneers who paved the way for today’s artists.”
From long-time anime enthusiasts to newcomers, the exhibit aims to bridge cultural connections and inspire creativity, according to Imagine Museum’s marketing and communications manager, Francesca Brown.
“We hope younger audiences leave with a newfound appreciation for comics, manga and anime as legitimate art forms,” Brown said. “We hope this will inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers to engage in the visual arts and express themselves through a medium that goes beyond words.”
According to Brown, one of the most iconic works in the exhibition is Spidey vs. Venom, a blown and hot-sculpted glass piece by American glass artist Charlyn Reynolds. The composition of the piece consists of two busts—Spiderman and Venom—facing off.
“This display is truly special to me,” art enthusiast Denise Herrera said. “It brings back the nostalgia of Saturday mornings spent watching Spiderman cartoons as a kid with my brothers. It is a timeless classic that captures those cherished memories. Venom’s mouth is open, bearing his menacing teeth and tongue in the face of a valiant Spiderman—a nod to the classic hero vs. villain hyperbole.”
This piece holds significance for fans of the comic book world and glass artistry, blending compelling visual storytelling of cinema and pop culture with the compositional and technical finesse of fine art.
The Graphic Worlds: Exploring Comic and Anime Art exhibit will be open to the public until January 5, 2025. To witness the intersection of art, culture and anime through the museum’s displays, visit their website for more details.
As unhoused individuals struggle with the loss of their livelihoods, nonprofits and activists push for housing reform, despite facing significant pushbacks.
As the enactment date for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ House Bill 1365 approached, law enforcement and homeless organizations prepared for incoming risks.
The bill bans public sleeping and camping, with another section set to be enacted in January 2025, allowing complaints to local governments if issues are not resolved within five business days.
With the assistance of the Homeless Leadership Alliance, Pinellas Continuum of Care erected a task force to confront challenges brought on by HB 1365.
However, preparations were delayed due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as Florida focused on repairing damage caused by heavy rains, floods and winds.
“The anti-camping legislation really kind of went under the radar because we were so focused on the storms that arose,” said Nicholas Carey from the HLA board of directors, “but the reality is it just has the likelihood of impacting even more people now that might be struggling with being unhoused for the first time in their lives.”
Carey said task force meetings aimed to address harmful policies and maximize limited resources for unhoused populations.
Gulfport City Council member April Thanos joined the CoC’s task force in April to tackle the shortage of shelter space and funding. She said the state’s $10 million allocation for these expenses is nothing short of a “drop in the bucket” compared to the actual costs local governments face.
Further compounding this problem was Gulfport’s enactment of a time-strict version of HB 1365, operational between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
According to Thanos, the enactment of this local ordinance stemmed from a misunderstanding of the city’s compliance with the house bill, now resulting in two different, but similar, laws.
For Gulfport, Thanos pointed out how it’s not like St. Petersburg, where the city engages in housing projects, offering rooms and apartments to unhoused people. Instead, Gulfport must rely on the help of nonprofit thrift stores and shelters like Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul.
Shelters like Pinellas Hope, operated by the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg, faced evacuation orders during both hurricanes. Pinellas Hope Director Joe Pondolfino said that most of the residents took refuge in Largo High School and Palm Harbor University High School.
Upon returning, Pondolfino found all 159 of their tents destroyed. In addition, more than 50 trees were tumbled by high winds and three vehicles were found to be completely flooded in the parking lot.
Due to Hurricane’s Helene and Milton, as many as 50 trees were dislodged from the ground in front of the Pinellas Hope shelter. Some had fallen on top of rooftops, while others were uprooted on the stone paths and concrete sidewalks. Residents will have to contend with little to no shade for the summer. (Photo by Joe Pondolfino)
To account for these damages, CCDSP established a disaster relief fund. A move welcomed by Pondolfino as the shelter had run out of deficit and had been looking to the community to help keep the shelter afloat, especially with the ongoing anti-public sleeping and camping ban.
“[HB 1365] raises awareness of the need for more services,” Pondolfino said. “[Pinellas Hope] has become a focus point of the homeless in our area and the services needed to get them helped.”
Pondolfino said that he doesn’t know how far law enforcement will go in carrying out this law, but he wants to focus on providing services to those who need them.
On the other hand, Thanos has been raising awareness among homeowners about FEMA benefits, warning that repairing without a permit could lead to higher costs and cause the city to lose flood insurance eligibility and discounts.
Furthermore, FEMA’s 50% rule, a regulation by the National Flood Insurance Program, covers improvements made on a structure if the costs were to exceed 50% of the property’s market value, not including the land. This would require the homeowner to issue a permit and bring the property into compliance with the Florida Building Code and the community’s floodplain management regulations.
Even then, some people may not end up qualifying for FEMA’s housing assistance or may find trouble in finding a place that accepts FEMA vouchers. Thanos said that people may feel financially stressed, as they may still be paying a mortgage for a house they cannot physically live in on top of having to rent a place to stay.
Winds destroyed Pinellas Hope shelter’s ‘tent city.’ There were as many as 159 tents that were lost, each costing about $80, amounting to over $12k of damage. This does not account for the wooden platforms, 50 of which were destroyed, and all other expenses caused by Hurricane Helene and Milton. (Photo by Joe Pondolfino)
Thanos said she had been trying to convince city council to add accessory dwelling units, arguing that it may help with the housing crisis and could provide a place for people whose houses were flooded, but it was all to no avail, as “there hasn’t been much inclination [from city council] to want to deal with even the easiest solutions.”
“They haven’t been willing to even discuss it,” Thanos said. “I’ve had several people come and talk to us about the benefits of it, but they are not interested.”
Thanos isn’t the only person attempting to offer solutions to the unhoused community. Carey had been in the running for District 3 St. Petersburg’s City Council on a progressive platform, promising rent control, tenant protections and accessible housing.
Carey had taken part in protests pressuring city hall to enact rent control around February and August of 2022. He said that the problems concerning the housing crisis stem from real estate letting the market decide the price of what should be a tenable basic need.
“The reality is that people will pay whatever it takes to keep themselves safe,” Carey said. “And so that just continues to drive prices upward.”
Furthermore, Carey highlighted that the housing crisis problem had grown worse around the pandemic, as folks coming in from higher paying areas of the country move to Florida, further increasing house prices.
In response to this, Carey has been championing the concept of social housing, which would allow the government to directly own housing, and allow homeowners to pay only 30% of their income. On top of that, Carey highlighted that developers need to be held accountable and pay their fair share of impact fees instead of leaving most of it up to taxpayers.
Forward Pinellas, a countywide organization overseeing transportation, land use and redevelopment, is working on various projects across the city. Its executive director, Whit Blanton, expressed support for the Housing Action Plan, which aims to build 10,000 housing units in Pinellas County over the next decade.
“The more housing supply we build, the more affordable housing will become in time,” Blanton said. “As newer homes get built […] older ones will be freed up, and older housing is affordable housing, generally.”
According to Blanton and other housing advocates, the fight for housing rights and homeless services remains an uphill battle, with a long road still ahead.
In the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Jannus Live has become more than just a concert venue; for many community members, it’s a cultural icon and a key player in the city’s economic and cultural revival. With its open-air stage and wide-ranging performances, Jannus Live attracts thousands of visitors, helping reshape downtown into a vibrant entertainment spot.
Jannus Live stands out as a symbol of St. Petersburg’s dynamic nightlife, bringing together a diverse audience for live music experiences.
Known for hosting a mix of artists from hip-hop sensations like Lil Uzi Vert to rock legends like Green Day, the venue has built a reputation for offering something for everyone.
The venue’s cultural significance goes beyond its music lineup. Jannus Live has become a gathering place for residents and visitors alike.
For concertgoers like Tapan Harkhani, the venue holds a special place in their social lives.
“Back in high school, we saw Lil Uzi Vert here when he was just getting big,” Harkhani said. “To think now he’s way too big to perform here makes that concert even more special.”
The venue’s ability to create lasting memories makes it a cornerstone of the city’s nightlife.
“I have so many good memories here with my buddies and have seen some of my favorite artists perform,”Harkhani said.
Another angle of Ken Carson performing at Jannus live on July 10, 2024. (Photo by Tapan Harkhani)
These personal connections, multiplied by thousands of attendees each year, highlight how Jannus Live strengthens St. Petersburg’s cultural identity while boosting its reputation as a must-visit place for live entertainment.
For longtime St. Petersburg resident Timothy See, who has lived in the city for 40 years, Jannus Live represents a impactful force in downtown’s evolution. He said he remembers a time when the area was almost lifeless in the evenings.
“Downtown for many years was dead past 5 or 6 p.m.,” See said. “There were spots like Club Detroit, which is now Goodnight John Boy, and the Maas Brothers store, but nothing too notable.”
Jannus Live, formerly known as Jannus Landing, has been around since the 1980s and originally catered to niche rock and punk bands
While it was a spot for music lovers, it didn’t play a significant role in the broader downtown scene. However, as the 2000s approached and downtown St. Pete began its revitalization, Jannus Live remained a consistent place for live music.
“The renovation back in 2010 was huge,” See said. “It gave the venue a new life. It became more polished and professional while still keeping that intimate open-air vibe that people love.”
According to See, the venue has always stood out because of its atmosphere. The outdoor setting is a rarity among venues in the area, giving it a unique charm, he said. While other venues, like the Duke Energy Center for the Arts- Mahaffey Theater, cater to a more traditional or upscale crowd, Jannus Live welcomes people to come as they are and enjoy the music.
That same energy has extended beyond the venue itself, shaping the surrounding area as well.
“Without a doubt, it’s been a game-changer,” See said. “When people come to a show, they usually grab dinner at a restaurant nearby or hit up a bar afterward. That kind of traffic has pushed these businesses to open up, and the whole area has grown because of that. Jannus definitely helped put downtown St. Pete on the map for nightlife.”
Its intimate atmosphere, diverse performances and lasting cultural impact make the venue a beloved gathering place for music lovers and a driving force behind the area’s revitalization, he said.
Along with boosting local businesses, Jannus Live continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the city’s vibrant identity and ensuring its place as a hub for community entertainment.
