In Pinellas, new teams take on 911 calls about mental health

The Nashville Rays?; St. Petersburg concert costs $1000 for the unvaccinated; Local teacher becomes TikTok star

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Tuesday, June 1, 2021 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Welcome to June! It’s Tuesday. Expect a high of 92 and a low of 72 today, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms.  What you missed over the long weekend: The investigation of the deaths of ZooTampa’s 12 stingrays hasn’t uncovered any answers so far; A Plant City teacher finds an audience on TikTok; Read about the late Bob Heilman as his Beachcomber restaurant continues his legacy and more. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times] What happens when social workers respond to 911 mental health calls with cops — or take their place? Law enforcement agencies across the country this year have made changes to the way they approach 911 calls about mental health. In Pinellas County, the Sheriff’s Office has an expanded mental health unit, pairing deputies with social workers. In St. Petersburg, a crisis unit is answering calls without police. Both experiments seem to be going well so far. “There’s only so much (law enforcement) can offer,” said the director of the St. Petersburg program. “I tell my team, you’re agents of change.” Read Tampa Bay Times reporter Jack Evans’ story. FEATURED  [MENGSHIN LIN | Times] Brothers in arms, but mostly, just brothers Ed Goldberg and his late little brother both served in the Marine Corps. Throughout life, they had drifted apart before, but they'd always found their way back to each other. On Memorial Day, they were together again. CORONAVIRUS DEVELOPMENTS UPDATES AT TAMPABAY.COM/CORONAVIRUS Discount for some music fans: Tickets to see pop-punk band Teenage Bottlerocket in St. Petersburg range between $18 and $1,000. What you pay depends on your vaccination status. Rebekah Jones granted whistleblower status: The former Florida health department COVID-19 data analyst was fired last year after raising concerns. Now she’s been given certain protections under state law. Requiring vaccines: Statewide, the majority of long-term care workers weren’t vaccinated at last count. But three Tampa Bay assisted-living centers have mandated that staff get the shot. Vaccine doses: See how Florida compares to other states. Daily update: Get the latest figures on Florida cases and deaths with our tracker. Track the spread: Search by county, city, ZIP code or hospital. CDC okays test cruises: The Carnival Cruise Line get the go-ahead to sail ships out of some Florida ports with volunteer passengers to test COVID-19 safety protocols. Your support makes a difference The Tampa Bay Times needs your help to keep delivering top-notch journalism. Please consider subscribing or making a tax-deductible donation to the Tampa Bay Times Journalism Fund. Donate Gain unlimited access BRIGHT SPOT [MENGSHIN LIN | Times] St. Petersburg gets a taste of Portugal A new Portuguese-style restaurant has opened in the Sunshine City after its owners saw a demand for the cuisine. Here’s everything you need to know. AROUND THE BAY UT offers $2,000: The University of Tampa, facing a housing shortage for incoming freshmen, is now offering money for those willing to live off campus. Sunset Music Festival returns: After being postponed multiple times due to the pandemic, the popular Tampa event was met with excited crowds this weekend — and few masks. And then there were 2: St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman picked two finalists for Tropicana Field’s redevelopment. The move comes after business leaders urged him to keep working with the Rays on a stadium deal amid uncertainty. And, city council chair Ed Montanari plans to address the Rays' stadium situation today. Meanwhile, in Tampa: After discussions on a Ybor City stadium resurfaced, a City Council member said Friday that Rays officials mentioned Nashville as an attractive relocation possibility if Tampa Bay doesn't work out. Mysterious deaths at ZooTampa: The attraction’s 12 stingrays were found dead last week, zoo officials said. The cause of their deaths is under investigation. That time of year again: It's the official first day of the Atlantic hurricane season. Bookmark our online guide and storm tracker for the latest tropical updates. Cyber attack on Pinellas County Schools: A St. Petersburg junior hacked into the district’s network and shut down internet access for its 145 schools for two days. Shooting at Miami rap concert: Two people were killed and more than 20 hurt early Sunday morning. Police have yet to identify the shooters. It wasn’t the only shooting in Miami this weekend. Florida partners with E-ZPass: Drivers can now purchase a transponder that works with the toll system used along the East Coast and Midwest. Road trip? Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber: He ran one of Tampa Bay’s most beloved restaurants. After his death in March, his family has kept the Clearwater Beach mainstay running. Read about his life. Need a mental break? Play a game! 👾 ARCADE SOLITAIRE SUDOKU SEE ALL POLITICS Tampa man to take Capitol riot plea deal: Paul Allard Hodgkins' lawyer says the U.S. Attorney's Office offered his client the chance to plead guilty to one charge and dismiss the other four. Prosecutors not pursuing charges: Florida's elected chief financial officer won't face charges for releasing a woman's sexual harassment complaint. The woman who filed the complaint still believes state law was broken. Biden commemorates Memorial Day: The president visited Arlington National Cemetery and called on Americans to honor their fallen heroes and remember their sacrifices. DeSantis seizes national stage: As the pandemic slowly wanes, the Florida governor campaigns for a second term and emerges from political uncertainty defiant. Diving into local trends 📉 How is Tampa Bay's economy affecting you?  We've introduced a free, weekly newsletter breaking down the biggest stories in tourism, real estate, city development, retail and more. Sign up for Business by the Bay here. OPINION AND COMMENTARY One-way ticket out of Florida: In this weekend's letters to the editor, one reader has an idea for how to spend the $1,000 bonus DeSantis is sending teachers while another takes on "conservative fear of critical race theory." Read those letters and more. SPORTS Lightning Game 1 report card: Tampa Bay took a one-game lead in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. The team's defensemen came up big and Andrei Vasilevskiy was in the zone. Game 2 is tonight at 7:30 p.m. Lightning to retire jersey policy: After a flap with a Florida Panthers fan, the Bolts will no longer ban opposing teams' jerseys in premium Amalie Arena seats. Rays keep rolling: With a 3-1 win over the Yankees on Monday, Tampa Bay has won a franchise-best 16 of their past 17 games. Hitting the road again: WWE's residency at the Yuengling Center will soon come to an end. Bulls baseball victory: The USF baseball team clinched its first NCAA tourney berth in three years, one of five state schools to make the cut. TODAY'S TALKER [IVY CEBALLO | Times] A beloved Plant City teacher always loved to perform. Now he's big on TikTok. Casey Hamilton joined the social media platform shortly before the coronavirus pandemic hit. After achieving major recognition, he made the difficult decision to quit his job and pursue a career as a TikTok influencer. How's that going? Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Valentina Botero, Carly Thompson and Bernadette Berdychowski. Did someone forward this to you? Get the DayStarter in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. 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