Beetlejuice will officiate weddings, vow renewals in Ybor on Valentine’s Day

There are few spots boasting more personality than the SpookEasy Lounge (1909 N 15th St) in Historic Ybor City; and there may be no greater spiritual successor to the world’s crafted by Tim Burton in the 90s than this hub free of inhibitions. While spooky is in the name, love will most certainly be in the air on February 14. SpookyEasy Lounge will host a Wedding Mass(acre) featuring the ghost with the most BeetleJuice.....Read More

If Trump is disqualified, will mayhem ensue?

If by chaos people mean social unrest caused by Trump’s supporters, this is the worst possible reason for refusing to enforce a provision in the Constitution whose sole purpose is to prevent people bent on destroying our democracy from using governmental powers to achieve that goal.....Read More

Netanyahu and Sinwar’s forever war in Gaza

As the Gaza War extends beyond 100 days with no end in sight, a potential months-long respite from fighting has arisen. A ceasefire will allow the release of another set of Israeli hostages and another set of Palestinian prisoners.

But beyond this ongoing series of exchanges, no end to the war is in sight. The bombing, the raids, and the exchanges will go on for months and months. This perpetual state of conflict is exactly what the two men leading both sides seek.

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UPDATE in Matt Gaetz investigation involving minor

Ybor Paparazzi

Jose

Tampa Bay-area waterfront business owners concerned over abandoned boats

Tampa Hoods: Ybor City

7th Ave

Weekend Update: Trump Ordered to Pay $83 Million, DeSantis Endorses Trump - SNL

U.S. Arms Sales To Foreign Governments Reach Record High

 

The value of U.S. military equipment sold to foreign governments reached a record high in the 2023 fiscal year, according to the State Department.

Total military equipment transfers amounted to $238.4 billion in 2023, including equipment purchased by the U.S. government on behalf of other countries and goods sold directly to foreign governments by American defense companies, according to the State Department.

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Harvard students file civil rights complaint claiming harassment for supporting Palestinian rights

Harvard students filed a civil rights complaint against the university on Monday, alleging the school has not supported or protected students who have been harassed for being Palestinian, Arab, Muslim or supporters of Palestinian rights.....Read More

Supreme Court to hear abortion pill arguments in March

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on March 26 in a case that could limit the availability of the common abortion pill mifepristone. 

The justices will hear an appeal from the Biden administration and the maker of the branded version of mifepristone asking the high court to reverse a ruling from a federal appeals court that significantly curtailed access to the pill, even in states where abortion remains fully legal.

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Hillsborough TPO preparing to vote on big changes

The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Board is preparing to vote on some big changes. These changes aim to increase safety and ensure reliable transportation is available for people in the county. As Hillsborough County continues to grow, with more people moving here every day. The county is working to expand public transportation to keep up with demand.....Read More

IRS launches new, free tax filing program in Florida, 11 other states

Monday marks the start of tax season. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is launching a new pilot program in several states.

The IRS is rolling out Direct File in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State and Wyoming.

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Florida House to discuss bill that would ban sleeping on public property

The Florida House of Representatives will meet Monday afternoon to continue discussing several proposed bills for this session, including Senate Bill 1530, that aims to target unauthorized public camping and sleeping on public property, which has some homeless advocates upset.....Read More

Tax season is here: Here are local resources to help you file your returns

Tax season 2024 is now here. Jan. 29 is the day when all Americans can start filing those taxes, as long as you have the necessary documents on hand from your 2023 income. 

To help you get your taxes filed correctly and on time, local resources are stepping up to give back to their community by doing so.

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Illinois Hearing Officer, Ex-G.O.P. Judge, Says Trump Engaged in Insurrection

A former Republican judge appointed to hear arguments on whether to disqualify former President Donald J. Trump from the Illinois primary ballot said on Sunday that he believed Mr. Trump engaged in insurrection by attempting to remain in office after the 2020 election.

But the former judge, Clark Erickson, whose nonbinding opinion will be considered by the State Board of Elections on Tuesday, added that he believed the board did not have the authority to disqualify Mr. Trump on those grounds and that the question should instead be left to the courts.

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Ocasio-Cortez says genocide accusations demonstrate ‘mass inhumanity that Gazans are facing’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that accusations that President Biden is enabling genocide in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war demonstrate the “mass inhumanity that Gazans are facing.”....Read More

Joe Biden is trying to balance Gaza protests and free speech rights as demonstrators disrupt his events

It was President Joe Biden’s first big campaign rally of the year, a chance to spotlight the issue of protecting abortion rights. Instead, at least a dozen times during Biden’s 22-minute speech, demonstrators scattered throughout the audience rose to shout out demands for a cease-fire in Gaza.....Read More

Federal Judge Weighs Florida Officials’ Efforts To Disband Pro-Palestinian Student Groups

As the death toll continues to rise in the war between Israel and Hamas, a federal judge heard arguments Friday in a challenge to Florida officials’ efforts to disband pro-Palestinian student groups at two universities.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker spent more than two hours grilling lawyers representing the groups Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida and Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of South Florida, which allege that Gov. Ron DeSantis and state university leaders are violating their First Amendment rights.

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Abortion amendment could boost Democrats in November

On Friday, Floridians Protecting Freedom said their bid to have adult reproductive rights enshrined in the Constitution will be Amendment 4 on the 2024 ballot.

“We received official notice today from the Secretary of State,” the group posted to social media Friday. “The amendment to limit government interference is official! We got our number! Now, all eyes are on the Supreme Court of Florida to let us vote Yes on 4 in ‘24!”

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Dems need the urban youth vote to win in 2024, but do they know how to get it?

If Donald Trump wins in 2024, he will appoint cronies to control our national military and law enforcement, and he will use that power to stay in office until he dies. Our constitutional democracy has roughly even odds of surviving into next year.....Read More

Gov. DeSantis says he’s open to sending his Florida State Guard to Texas southern border

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reinstated on Friday his willingness to send the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border as Texas openly defies U.S. Supreme Court orders.....Read More

Florida House Approves Bill Penalizing Students That Supports Hamas, Terrorists

A House panel Thursday approved a bill that could financially penalize state university and college students if they take actions that back “foreign terrorist” organizations such as the Palestinian group Hamas.....Read More

Top U.N. court stops short of ordering cease-fire in Gaza, demands Israel contain deaths

The United Nations' top court stopped short Friday of ordering a cease-fire in Gaza in a genocide case but demanded that Israel try to contain death and damage in its military offensive in the tiny coastal enclave.....Read More

Gasparilla Parade Route and Parking Information

Saturday, January 27, 2024

11:30am-1:30pm Gasparilla Invasion

2-6pm Gasparilla Parade of Pirates

$20 Event Parking

Pam Iorio Parking Garage (S. Florida Ave & Channelside Dr.)

  8 a.m. – Limited spaces

Tampa Convention Center Garage (Tampa St. & Brorein St.)

  Open 24/7

Fort Brooke Garage (Whiting St. between Franklin St. & Florida Ave.)

  8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Whiting St. Garage (N. Morgan St.)

  8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Selmon Expressway Downtown parking lots

  8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Royal Regional Lot (Tampa St. & Fortune St.)

  Open 24/7

Scott Street Lot (Morgan St. & Scott St.)

  Open 24/7

Poe Garage (N. Ashley Dr. & W. Cass St.)

  Open 24/7 - Due to the parade route, this garage will close from 1:00 –

  6:00 p.m.

  No entry or exit will be allowed during this time.

Twiggs Street Garage (Twiggs St., west of Nebraska Ave.)

  Open 24/7, Standard hourly rate with a $12.00 maximum

**Centro Ybor Garage (5th Ave. & 15th St.)

  Open 24/7, Standard hourly rate with a $12.00 maximum

**Palm Ave. Garage (13th St. & 9th Ave.)

  Open 24/7, Standard hourly rate with a $12.00 maximum

On-street parking meters will be enforced from 8:00 a.m. until midnight

**The FREE TECO Line Streetcar (8:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.) and the FREE HART bus shuttle service (9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) will be available to transport between Ybor and Downtown Tampa.

City Council set to vote on teen curfew in Tampa

The Tampa City Council is expected to vote today on a city-wide curfew for teens 15 years old and younger.....Read More

LGBTQ+ advocates are watching these Florida bills with concern

The proposed legislation comes on the heels of what advocates said was a particularly brutal year for LGBTQ+ rights and signals that at least some members of the Republican-controlled legislature intend to go even further.....Read More

Homeless advocates say citations hinder efforts to address homelessness

The Supreme Court has agreed to make a decision on whether it is unconstitutional to ticket homeless people who sleep on public property. The case is considered to be the most significant Supreme Court case relating to the rights of homeless individuals in decades. Advocates for the homeless population say that such citations are hindering efforts to address homelessness.....Read More