News & Public Affairs

Mail-in ballots exceed precint voting in St. Petersburg District 1 City Council primary election listen

08/30/11 Janelle Irwin
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Tags: St. Petersburg City Council, Charlie Gerdes, Bob Kersteen, Joshua Shulman, Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, City of St. Petersburg

The three-way primary for St. Petersburg City Council District 1 is underway today. One candidate will be eliminated by the time polls close at 7, while the remaining two move on to the general election in November. Polling places were quiet in areas of Northwest St. Petersburg, but overall participation may exceed previous years.

Charlie Gerdes, Josh Shulman and Bob Kersteen are the stars of St. Pete’s single-district primary. Endorsements could...

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New St. Pete Pier design finalists shortlisted to three listen

08/24/11 Josh Holton
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Tags: St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg City Council, pier

The St. Petersburg Pier is now one step closer to getting a total makeover. Last Friday a jury narrowed down the list of new design competitors to a final three.

The City of St. Petersburg is world renowned for its water front parks, commitment to the arts, and its iconic pier, which for more than 30 years has been a city landmark and destination, but is now set to be replaced. A five member jury of architects, politicia...

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St. Pete City Council rejects digital billboards listen

08/19/11 Josh Holton
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Tags: St. Petersburg City Council, Clear Channel Communications, Council of Neighborhood Associations, digital billboards

After several years of negotiations, St. Pete City Council voted after midnight Friday to reject an ordinance that would have allowed construction of digital billboards. Clear Channel Communications had offered to take down 80 billboards in exchange for building 8 new digital signs.

At the meeting, about 20 people representing communities throughout St. Petersburg opposed the ordinance. Only about 5, most from Clear Channel...

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City Council candidates hoping to represent west St. Pete answer questions from residents listen

08/17/11 Janelle Irwin
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Tags: Bob Kersteen, Charlie Gerdes, Joshua Shulman, St. Petersburg City Council, St. Petersburg, elections

The three candidates for the district one seat in St. Petersburg city council participated in a forum last night hosted by the League of Women Voters.

With the added shelter space provided by the Pinellas Safe Harbor facility that opened in January, people taking to the streets to sleep now have the option to go to a shelter, or get arrested. It’s a topic that will weigh heavily on the mix of opinions at the polls. That makes it a topic three city council candidates will certainly talk...

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Shuffleboard nonprofit urges city not to privatize facilities listen

06/21/11 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg City Council, downtown st. pete, shuffleboard

In recent years, shuffleboard has seen a revival. The activity, once associated with Florida retirees, now attracts people of all ages and stripes. When the weather’s right, a shuffleboard complex at Downtown St. Pete’s Mirror Lake park brings in some sizable crowds – everyone from hipsters to families with young children – when it opens up its courts to the public for free on Friday nights. But a recent proposal might change that. Chris Kelly is Vice President of the nonprofit St. Pete Shuff...

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Political action committee formed to save the St. Pete Pier listen

11/11/10 Jamie Kidder
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Tags: pier, st. petersburg, vote on the pier, wengay newton, st. petersburg city council

The St. Petersburg City Council voted last August to demolish the Pier, the waterfront landmark that has defined the St. Pete skyline since 1973. A new group wants to put the fate of the pier in the hands of voters during next year's municipal elections. WMNF was there for the organization's first meeting as an official political action committee.

Tom Lambdon formed the Vote on the Pier political action committee to try to force a referendum on ...

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SP Council Chair Curran still hospitalized listen

09/02/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Leslie Curran, St. Petersburg City Council, Herb Polson

On Monday St. Petersburg City Council Chairperson Leslie Curran was hospitalized after a bicycling accident. At a regular council meeting today, Council member Herb Polson said he will be acting chair until Curran returns.

News reports say Curran was in a chemically-induced coma Monday, but today Polson did not give an update on Curran’s condition.

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St. Pete council approves broader comp plan ahead of Amendment 4 listen

07/23/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Amendment 4, Hometown Democracy Amendment, St. Petersburg City Council, St. Petersburg, Jill Yelverton Nurse, Steve Kornell

In an attempt to thwart the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment, the St. Petersburg City Council approved a new land use plan yesterday critics say would let developers continue to have their way. Supporters say the new plan simplifies land use issues, but local activists, like Jill Yelverton of Dade City, see it as a blow to democracy.

"These kind of tricky maneuvers designed to circumvent the will of the people are exactly why Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 is necessary in the...

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Foster: Rays must stay in St. Pete listen

06/24/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Tampa Bay Rays, Rays, Rays stadium, Bill Foster, Kevin Kennedy, John Wolfe, St. Petersburg City Council, Jim Kennedy

Officials met this morning to discuss how to keep the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Pete. Mayor Bill Foster wants the Rays to acknowledge the risk the city’s taxpayers took in funding the stadium the ball club is now trying to leave.

St. Pete City Attorney John Wolfe stressed that this shouldn’t be something that pits the St. Pete against Tampa.

On Monday, Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg announced that the Rays wouldn’t be playing in Tropicana Field when their contract with the stadium ex...

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St Petersburg Alcohol Sales Extended One Hour listen

05/06/10 Arielle Stevenson
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Tags: wmnf, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg City Council, Leslie Curran, Herb Polson, Jeff Danner, Bill Foster, economic stimulus, economy

St. Petersburg’s one hundred or more bars and restaurants can keep bar tabs going until three in the morning, thanks to a vote by the city council today. The ordinance to allow sales of alcoholic beverages from 2 a.m. until 3 a.m. passed in a 6-2 vote. Supporters of the ordinance spoke about the increase in revenue and better competition with Tampa. Duffy Iorio has bartended in downtown St. Petersbu...

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