Good morning! If you've driven downtown lately, you've probably noticed that every single parking meter now costs more than a movie ticket, and the only available spot is always exactly 0.3 miles from where you actually need to be. It's like a treasure hunt, except the treasure is mediocre and costs $3 an hour. Anyways lets get into todays newsletter...

How the city just changed the game for community input on major projects

Here's something that usually happens behind closed doors: the city picks a developer, negotiates a deal, then asks what the community thinks.

Not anymore.

Last night, St. Petersburg's Community Benefits Advisory Council unanimously voted (with one abstention) to overhaul how the city handles community benefit agreements — the legally binding promises developers make when they get taxpayer-funded deals.

More voices at the table

Earlier in the room This is the game-changer: Instead of the community seeing proposals after city-developer negotiations are basically done, they'll now get input before terms are finalized.

The old way: Developer and city negotiate → Present to committee → Community says "we want this" → Response: "Too late, already negotiated"

The new way: City picks developer → Developer meets with committee and community first → Negotiations happen → Committee reviews term sheet → Final agreement

Committee member Jason Mathis summed it up: "I appreciate the opportunity to talk in advance and say, hey, here's what we'd like to see as you're going into your negotiations."

While the changes apply to all future major developments, committee member Esther Sani said the quiet part out loud: "This conversation was triggered by the current project coming before us" — referring to the massive Gas Plant redevelopment.

In public comment, Robin Davidov from the League of Women Voters went further, arguing the city should create a master plan for the Gas Plant site before selecting any developer. She cited other cities that maintained land ownership and used community land trusts to keep housing affordable "not for fifteen years, not for thirty years, but forever."

The recommendations now head to City Council. Timeline's unclear — there's advertising requirements, potential committee discussions, and March has a weird meeting schedule.

But city staff signaled they're on board and ready to move quickly.

Two committee seats are up for renewal in March. If you're interested in serving, applications should open soon through City Council's office.

St. Pete is in the middle of a development boom. These aren't just policy tweaks — they're about whether residents have real input on projects that reshape neighborhoods, or just get to comment after the deals are done.

The committee chose earlier input over rubber-stamp approval.

That's the story.

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St. Petersburg Police are treating a child's death as suspicious after responding to a Shore Acres home Tuesday afternoon. Officers found the young child deceased and an adult injured at 1760 Tanglewood Drive NE.

Here's what we know (and don't know): Police initially reported that two people were found dead before correcting their statement—the child was deceased, but the adult was injured. They haven't released any details about how the child died, the adult's condition, or the relationship between the two.

What makes this particularly concerning is that police classified it as "suspicious" right out of the gate. That language matters—it's not an accident, not natural causes, not something they can explain away easily. FOX 13 reports investigators haven't indicated whether they're looking for anyone else in connection with the death.

Shore Acres is typically one of St. Pete's quieter waterfront neighborhoods. The investigation is active and ongoing.

Bottom line: A child is dead under suspicious circumstances, and police aren't saying much else yet. We'll update as more details emerge.

Florida finds arsenic in your candy. The state's Health Florida First initiative tested 46 candy products and found arsenic in 28 of them, following similar discoveries in infant formulas. Results are posted at ExposingFoodToxins.com. The National Confectioners Association is calling it "scare tactics," which is exactly what we'd expect them to say.

Lightning shutout. The Tampa Bay Lightning blanked the Utah Mammoth 2-0 Monday night, with Andrei Vasilevskiy making 28 saves for his second shutout of the season. The win puts the Bolts atop the Eastern Conference. Nikita Kucherov recorded his 53rd assist of the season, because of course he did.

Rowdies tie in preseason. Tampa Bay Rowdies drew 2-2 against MLS club New York City FC in their preseason opener. The Rowdies added 17 new players after missing playoffs last season. Regular season kicks off March 7 at Birmingham, with the home opener March 21 against Pittsburgh.

St. Pete jazz legend honored. Al Downing has been selected for induction into the 2025 Florida Artists Hall of Fame, the state's highest arts honor. Downing, who's also a Tuskegee Airman from WWII, founded the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association. A bronze sculpture will be installed in the Capitol rotunda.

Measles cases rising. The Florida Department of Health confirmed three new measles cases in three counties, including Hillsborough. Health officials are monitoring as the highly contagious disease continues popping up across the state and nation.

🎵 Forever Motown - 7:30 PM at the Mahaffey Theater (400 First Street South). High-energy musical tribute featuring former members of The Marvelettes and Broadway performers from "Dream Girls." Expect nearly 30 non-stop hits from The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. Tickets run $44-$65+.

👵 Tampa Bay Senior Expo - 10 AM-2 PM at The Coliseum (535 4th Avenue North). Tampa Bay's biggest event for seniors, caregivers, and families with 75-100+ vendors offering health screenings, financial advice, senior living options, and retirement planning. Free admission and parking.

🎨 The Dalí Museum - 10 AM-6 PM (1 Dali Blvd). Current exhibitions include "Alberto Giacometti & Salvador Dalí: Through and Beyond Surrealism" (the first comparative U.S. exhibition of these two artists), plus "Dalí Alive 360°" and "Van Gogh Alive 360°." Adults $29, Seniors $27, Students $20.

January 28, 1980 (46 years ago today): The USCGC Blackthorn disaster near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge killed 23 Coast Guard crewmembers when the 180-foot buoy tender collided with the tanker SS Capricorn around 8:21 PM. The Capricorn's anchor became embedded in the Blackthorn's hull, causing it to capsize within minutes.

It remains the worst peacetime disaster in U.S. Coast Guard history. Seaman Apprentice William "Billy" Flores was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal for saving lives by securing a life jacket locker open with his belt as the ship went down. A memorial in St. Petersburg hosts annual remembrance ceremonies every January 28.

Also on this date in 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven astronauts including teacher Christa McAuliffe. The tragedy was witnessed across Florida and the nation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ AMAZING!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, do better
⭐️ You didn't bring the heat