Meet St. Pete's 100-year-old identical twin sisters

Readers share thoughts on Rays' next move; Temple Terrace official arrested; federal trial over Florida voting bill begins

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Tuesday, February 1, 2022 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Morning! Here’s hoping your Tuesday is a good one. As the weather continues to warm up, expect partly cloudy skies with a high of 75 and low of 54.   Today we bring you the results of our completely unscientific survey about the Rays’ stadium search. Plus: A federal trial challenging recent changes to Florida’s voting law is underway and nine months at sea helped a St. Petersburg couple find a new outlook on life. [MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times] St. Petersburg twins, born in 1921, still do everything together Norma Matthews and Edith “Edy” Antoncecchi — not “Edie” because of the word “die” — are identical twins who turned 100 on Dec. 23. Friends and family drive them around, but they live without assistance in a St. Petersburg mobile home.   The sisters appeared on the Today show in January, their photo on the famous Smuckers birthday jar. They don’t watch much TV, but then, they’re too busy.   Columnist Stephanie Hayes spent time getting to know the twins and their remarkable story. AROUND THE BAY [Times (2019)] Times readers weigh in on next steps for the Rays We asked what you think should happen in the team’s ongoing quest for a new stadium, and what you think will happen. You didn’t hold back, offering opinions on everything from where the ballpark should be built to who should pay for it.   U.S. 19 development concerns: Clearwater officials are considering options such as incentives to help entice corporations to set up headquarters or technology hubs along a 7-mile stretch of U.S. 19, bringing high-paying jobs and mixed-use projects to the area.   East Coast hub: Procore, a construction management software company, aims to add 100 jobs as it makes Tampa its headquarters in the eastern time zone.   Commuting landmark ➡️ public art: A local restaurant saved the top of the Seminole Heights Baptist Church's steeple from the wrecking ball. Now, the spire is living its best second life.   FDOT razes historic building: Tampa neighbors had hoped to turn vacant apartments into a community center or museum. Their time was up on Friday.   Updated water reuse plan: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's administration says a new proposal will drought-proof the city, preserve Sulphur Springs and improve water quality in Tampa Bay.   Latest on deputies' deaths: A neighbor says he saw authorities evacuating people Saturday night from a beach vacation rental where a Hillsborough County sheriff's detective killed another deputy and then himself.   Florida sets new record: The state once again leads the nation in Affordable Care Act enrollment, with 2.7 million residents getting health insurance through the federal program.   President search starts soon: UF will begin looking for its next leader in March, with two top board of trustees members overseeing the process. BRIGHT SPOT [William Morrow] Florida author celebrates 25th book in his bestselling series Serge Storms, lover of all things Sunshine State and occasional killer, is back in Tim Dorsey's latest novel, Mermaid Confidential. Dorsey discusses what keeps the series going and more in this Q&A. Need a mental break? Play a game! 👾 ARCADE SOLITAIRE SUDOKU SEE ALL CORONAVIRUS DEVELOPMENTS UPDATES AT TAMPABAY.COM/CORONAVIRUS FDA strengthens endorsement: Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine now has full approval from U.S. regulators after facing the same rigorous review as other long-established vaccines.   Data on doses: Find out how Florida vaccinations compares to other states.   False vaccine claim: Athletes are not dying on the field after getting vaccinated, sports doctors say. PolitiFact takes a closer look. POLITICS Voting bill trial begins: A federal trial about changes to Florida's voting law started on Monday. It focused on a little-publicized aspect of the new laws: voter registration. Here's a quick rundown on what to know about the case.   DeSantis on the defensive: The governor deflected criticism on Monday for not immediately condemning a series of neo-Nazi demonstrations in Orlando over the weekend.   Effort to end court fines for kids: These bills with bipartisan support would stop courts from assigning "user fees" for juveniles, who often can't afford to pay. But they might be running up against election-year politics.   Temple Terrace official arrested: The city's community development director faces bribery and misconduct charges, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.   Pasco County commissioner to retire: At the end of the year, Mike Moore will step away from his District 2 seat and return to the private sector. Dive deeper into your favorite local subjects 📨 Our free email newsletters bring the best of the Tampa Bay Times to your inbox every week. Explore all of them here. OPINION AND COMMENTARY Teaching about hard truths: Columnist Mona Charen, who is policy editor of The Bulwark and more, takes on both sides of the critical race theory debate.  SPORTS Tom Brady on his future: The Bucs QB responded to reports that he's calling it quits and said on his weekly podcast that he's still undecided if he'll return for another season. Read what else he had to say.   Vita Vea added to Pro Bowl roster: The Bucs nose tackle will replace Rams counterpart Aaron Donald, giving Tampa Bay a franchise record-tying nine selections for the contest.    Salary gap raises eyebrows: The USF men's basketball team remains in the conference cellar. So why is head coach Brian Gregory earning more than his far more successful peer, Jose Fernandez? We break it down.   Save the dates ⚾: The Rays announce when regular-season ticket sales will open to the general public, plus 16 giveaway days.   Memorable first Bolts game: Four-year-old Bradley Wombles, who is battling cystic fibrosis, had the time of his life on Saturday — thanks in part to Lightning forward Pat Maroon. TODAY'S TALKER [Courtesy of 2 Women Sailing] St. Petersburg couple's 9-month voyage takes them to Massachusetts and back Sara O'Brien and Vanessa Goodrum used to hold 9-to-5 jobs. After the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, the two women started to reassess the way they were living life. Here's what they learned after cruising on a sailboat for the better part of 2021. Their cat, Whippoorwill, even tagged along. Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Carly Thompson, Anila Lijo and Amy Gehrt. Did someone forward this to you? Get DayStarter in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. 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