There's no bad news at this 55-and-up Clearwater community

Pasco schools ban 'safe space' stickers; Tampa's Tahitian Inn sold; St. Pete city communications director resigns

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Friday, September 2, 2022 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters It's basically the weekend. 😎 Your Friday starts partly cloudy (high of 91, low of 76), with thunderstorms possible in the afternoon and evening. Read on for stories about Pasco County schools banning "safe space" stickers as a result of a new Florida law; where 328 graves from a Black cemetery were discovered in Clearwater; and the family behind Tampa's Tahitian Inn selling their hotel to a new owner.   Programming note: There won't be a Monday newsletter, because the DayStarter crew is taking a break for Labor Day. Catch us in your inbox Tuesday! [CHRIS URSO | Times] One Pinellas County retirement hub ignores bad news entirely On Top of the World, the retirement community in Clearwater, has a newspaper with only good news.   No, really.   For decades, the paper has printed only happy-go-lucky stories, certainly never the word that starts with D and ends with T-H. Not even photos of chicken bones on tables. No ads for life insurance, funeral homes, cemeteries, lawyers.   Columnist Stephanie Hayes visited this newsroom to find out what it's like to pretend bad things don't exist in these times. Even for a little bit. Get the latest sports coverage from the Times For updates and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays, Florida college teams and more, follow the Tampa Bay Times sports crew on social media. Twitter Facebook Instagram AROUND THE BAY Cautionary tale: Distracted driving is a growing problem in Florida and the nation. It recently led to the deaths of an Uber driver and the man she was taking to Tampa International Airport. Combined, they are survived by six children.   Graves found in Clearwater: At least 328 remain under a segregation-era Black cemetery's footprint, which now includes a company and a city road.   Amazon expands: The shipping and shopping giant has purchased a 70-acre Hernando County parcel on the Suncoast Parkway. It's the same size as the site Amazon bought in Pasco.   Vintage gem changes hands: A local investment company paid just under $9.7 million for the Tahitian Inn. What will the iconic Tampa hotel's next chapter bring?   Tampa's new top attorney: Council members approved Andrea Zelman for the role Thursday, but they had harsh words for her office's past behavior.   City Hall administrator resigns: Janelle Irwin Taylor is no longer St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch's communications director, alleging a "culture of bullying" by his chief deputy.   Sprucing up the Trop 🎄: The Enchant Christmas light maze will be back in St. Petersburg for the holidays, and tickets go on sale soon. Here's what to know.   7-year sentence: A Hillsborough man will go to prison for crashing a personal watercraft into a 12-year-old girl's raft on the Alafia River — killing her. Before he was sentenced, the girl's family emotionally addressed the court.    For the latest coronavirus news and updates, visit tampabay.com/coronavirus. BRIGHT SPOT [CHRIS JACKSON | Courtesy of Stageworks Theatre] Tampa's Stageworks Theatre kicks off its 40th season with a beloved musical "The Color Purple," running Sept. 9-25, will get the milestone anniversary going. The production features an award-winning score of jazz, blues, gospel and ragtime based on Alice Walker's celebrated novel and film. And there's more performing arts goodness on the 2022-23 lineup.   Plays with purpose: Here's how a Tampa Bay theater group is helping seniors.   Reimagined staple: A fixture of St. Petersburg's Warehouse Arts District will reopen as Soft Water Gallery with two exhibitions in September. POLITICS Then and now: How do the governor campaign websites for Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist compare to previous versions of their sites in prior elections? And what can we glean from them about how these candidates have evolved?   Court challenge continues: The legal battle over Florida's 15-week abortion ban is far from over. This story has the latest.   So long, stickers: Pasco County schools ban "safe space" stickers that show support for LGBTQ students, citing the state's new parental rights law.   Teachers get a big bump: With contract talks at a standstill in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Pasco school district employees agreed to the largest pay raises they've seen in years. 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 Deadly embarrassment: It's absurd that Tampa Bay is deadlier for pedestrians than New York City, the Times Editorial Board writes. SPORTS Race for AL East: The Rays trimmed 9½ games off the Yankees' division lead over a 44-game span. Now they have 33 left — including six head-to-head — to catch them. All this got columnist John Romano thinking: What's more impressive? New York's .696 winning percentage in the first half, or the .385 collapse in the second half?   Undrafted rookie on the roster: The Bucs seemed set at inside linebacker entering the preseason, but Olakunle Fatukasi couldn't be ignored. "He forced himself on this team," head coach Todd Bowles said.   Another stadium saga: As we await the next update, join us for a brief history of USF's decades-long search for an on-campus football facility.   Florida vs. Utah: When UF football opens the Billy Napier era Saturday against No. 7 Utah, rosy expectations will meet a sober reality. Reality's a 2½ point favorite. Meanwhile, Urban Meyer is one of the only ties between the Gators and Utes. But the teams remember him very differently.   Russel Tchewa to return: The USF men's basketball player is headed back to Tampa, after being stranded in his native Cameroon amid student-visa issues. TODAY'S TALKER [Courtesy of Omei Restaurant Group] Dinner at this new omakase-style restaurant won't come cheap The team behind the Bento restaurant empire is eyeing a December or January opening in Tampa Heights for its next concept — Kosen. The high-end Japanese spot will feature an 18-course tasting menu for a whopping $250 per person. Ready to splurge? Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Mari Faiello 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. Contact us Privacy policy Terms, conditions & copyright Standard of accuracy © 2022 • All Rights Reserved Tampa Bay Times • 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, add custserv@elist.tampabay.com to your address book. 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