A gatekeeper of milestones watches the world pass

St. Pete wants out of Pinellas tenant program; latest on Warren v. DeSantis; street curling comes to downtown Tampa for holidays

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Friday, December 2, 2022 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Happy Friday! Expect sunshine and a high of 82 and low of 61 to start the weekend.  A video shared by Tampa police shows the city's police chief pulling out her badge and asking a Pinellas deputy to let her and her husband go during a traffic stop. Plus: After spending years thinking William Shatner was his dad, a Clearwater man meets his blood family; and Plant High junior Jayden Spencer plays in the basketball season opener eight months after cancer diagnosis.  [IVY CEBALLO | Times] Hillsborough County keeper of record is the first step to so many next steps Want to get a passport? Add a room? Pick up your divorce records? If you live in Hillsborough County, you have to go through a deputy clerk in the circuit court, like Carlena Ward.   From her cubicle in the courthouse, Ward, 39, processes other people’s dreams — and harbors her own.   We spent a day with her. 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. AROUND THE BAY "Just let us go": Tampa police Chief Mary O'Connor identified herself as chief, pulled out her badge and asked a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy to let her and her husband go during a November traffic stop, a video shared by Tampa police on Thursday shows. The deputy did just that.   Decision pushed: The Tampa City Council and the mayor will wait until January to come up with a plan for dealing with the wastewater currently being pumped into the bay. The practice will be outlawed by the state in the next decade.   St. Petersburg wants out: The city is seeking to opt out of Pinellas County's tenant bill of rights so it can oversee enforcement of its own rules within city limits. But the county ordinance, advocates say, does more to protect renters.   Cameras back on? Pinellas County's School Board stopped livestreaming public comment during meetings to avoid inadvertently revealing children's personal information. Now, it could reverse course amid calls for more transparency.   Mulling poison restrictions: The EPA is asking the public to weigh in as it considers tighter rules for toxic chemicals used to kill rodents. Earlier this year, the poisons likely caused or contributed to the deaths of four beloved owls in Safety Harbor.   World premiere: This weekend, the Florida Orchestra will perform a Tampa native's violin concerto for the first time.   Changing his plea? Steven Lorenzo spent years fighting murder charges in the 2003 killings of two men in one of Tampa's most notorious criminal cases, but in a 16-page handwritten court paper, he says he now wants a death sentence.   Florida crime falls: It dropped to a 50-year low in 2021, state officials announced. Experts contend the full picture is muddled.   Vaccines still work: Since April, people vaccinated against COVID-19 have comprised the majority of U.S. deaths from the virus. But that's not a verdict on vaccine effectiveness, experts say, and it underscores the importance of boosters. PolitiFact dives in. BRIGHT SPOT [IVY CEBALLO | Times] Get your curling on in Curtis Hixon Park New this year at downtown Tampa's Winter Village? Free "street curling" played on a sheet of plastic with a heavy stone. It's more like shuffleboard than the Olympic curling matches where players furiously sweep to move a granite stone across the ice. Get a preview of what to expect.   Merry and bright ✨: We round up the holiday boat parades, tree lightings and other yuletide celebrations kicking off this weekend around town.   Bring joy to the kids: Want more family-friendly ways to embrace the season in Tampa Bay? Here are three holiday activities for toddlers. POLITICS Final day in court: Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis and ousted Hillsborough prosecutor Andrew Warren made their closing arguments Thursday as Warren vies to get his job back. But the judge said a ruling won't be immediate. Here's what happened on the last day of the trial.   Millionaire members: Freshman state Rep. Kevin Steele, a Dade City Republican, pushes Florida House members' average net worth over $6 million.   What did Trump say? PolitiFact looked at four statements the former president made on his controversial dinner with rapper Kanye West and right-wing commentator Nick Fuentes, who have both made antisemitic comments in the past. In none did Trump condemn Fuentes. 📹 Find us on YouTube The Tampa Bay Times video team produces special reports, sports coverage and more. Follow along with their work and subscribe to our YouTube channel. OPINION AND COMMENTARY All politics: Well, that didn't take long. The Times Editorial Board says the federal trial that opened earlier this week in Tallahassee exposed DeSantis' ouster of Warren as the political hit job it was. SPORTS [ANGELICA EDWARDS | Times] Plant High basketball player comes off the bench to inspire Eight months after his cancer diagnosis, 17-year-old junior Jayden Spencer met his goal of suiting up for the season opener. Getting in the game and scoring? That was surreal and sublime. "My heart is full," his mom said.   Lightning beat Flyers: With an assist on the second of Nick Paul's two goals, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos picked up his 1,000th career point during Tampa Bay's win over Philadelphia Thursday night.   Out of bounds: Lightning forward Pat Maroon says that Boston broadcaster's comments about his weight were "uncalled for" and "embarrassing."   Looking for other options: The Rays announced Thursday that their 2023 spring training camp will be relocated from Port Charlotte because of damage to the facility caused by Hurricane Ian.   Bulls vs. competition: Because football coaching searches don't occur in a vacuum, Matt Baker looks at how USF stacks up against Colorado, Cincinnati and Liberty — three schools that are likely eyeing some of the same candidates.   Details emerge: An arrest report reveals more information in Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna's child pornography case.   Arrest warrant issued: Former Bucs receiver Antonio Brown is wanted on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence battery following an altercation at a South Tampa home, according to police.   Back on Monday? If it were exclusively his call, Logan Ryan would make his anticipated return to the secondary next week against the Saints. But the Bucs safety said he's leaving that decision "to the doctors who care more about my body than I probably do." TODAY'S TALKER [MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times] Clearwater man meets his blood family after years of thinking William Shatner was his dad Peter Shatner — formerly known as Peter Sloan — had long claimed the actor was his biological father. In 2020, he learned the identity of his real dad. He's not clinging to the years when he had tabloid celebrity, dubbed by The National Enquirer as "Shatner's Love Child." Instead, he's focused on connecting with his biological family and learning more about his father. Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Kelsey Harrell 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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