What happened when a St. Pete mom saw violence at her son's school

Tampa dentist raises concern after suddenly closing his office; state proposal moves to restrict instruction on sexual orientation; Tampa Bay housing market update

View on the web Go to our homepage Subscribe to the Times Thursday, March 23, 2023 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Morning! Temperatures continue to rise with mostly sunny skies and a slight breeze (high of 88, low of 62).   The sudden closure of a Tampa dentist office has patients concerned and upset, and this Florida proposal would further restrict educators from teaching about sexual orientation. We also give an update on the Tampa Bay housing market. [JEFFEREE WOO | Times] Officials say the climate at a St. Petersburg middle school is improving. One mom isn’t so sure. Treia Martin is alarmed at videos that her 11-year-old, sixth-grade son shows her regularly of fighting in his Pinellas County school and on the bus.    She’s worried about the kind of behavior reflected in 42 police reports between August and February, many classified as “brawling” or “battery.”   Bay Point Middle doesn’t have the most disciplinary incidents on record and it doesn’t have the least. But the reports illustrate the challenges schools face in moderating behavior during the turbulent, post-pandemic years of early adolescence.   When Martin raised concerns, she says school leaders barely acknowledged her and tried to explain away the problems.    Administrators say they are working to make Bay Point Middle safer, and seeing steady progress. But Martin wishes for more.   She would like someone there to take her concerns seriously. 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 New bug in town: Florida has another invasive mosquito. It’s unclear if this species will spread disease, but it comes from a family of mosquitos that does.   “Astronomical and devastating”: How would Pasco fare if a Hurricane Ian-caliber storm hit the county? One local official shares his findings.   A safer downtown: Jane Castor showed one of the nation’s top transportation officials how Tampa is putting federal grant money to work. The mayor also made her case for what she could do with more.   Talk of Cruz connections: At a Harbour Island event, Tampa Mayor Castor responded to a question about the possible influence of her partner, Ana Cruz, and Cruz’s mother, Janet, who’s running for City Council. Here’s what happened.   Patients in limbo: A Tampa orthodontist closed his practice suddenly, and patients say they haven’t been able to reach him. Now they’re trying to figure out what to do next.   Circus makes comeback: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will return to Tampa with The Greatest Show on Earth — this time without the animals.   DUI charge: A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy has been arrested and placed on unpaid leave following a December crash in Polk County.   Investigation complete: A Pinellas County deputy’s fatal shooting of a man who fired a gun at deputies was justified, the state attorney’s office rules.   Pasco deputy shoots man: The shooting happened in a Trinity neighborhood Tuesday night after the deputy responded to a suicide attempt call, the county sheriff’s office said. THINGS TO DO [ARIELLE BADER | Special to the Times (2022)] Tampa Pride returns this weekend 🏳️‍🌈 The family-friendly celebration will take over Ybor City with a parade and street festival. There's also a Pride at Night party planned at the Cuban Club for ages 18 and up. We break down all the festivities in this guide.   "Bait-shop chic": Chow down at the new Trophy Fish in Seminole Heights, where fresh local seafood and cocktails await.   Movies, anyone? The Gasparilla International Film Festival begins today and runs through the weekend. Here's the scoop on the Tampa screenings, plus other top local events. POLITICS Calling for travel advisory: Florida's NAACP chapter wants its national board to urge people not to visit or move to the state in light of recent proposals targeting diversity and racial issues.   Teacher raises: The State Board of Education has plans to push straggling school districts, like Hillsborough County, to bump up salaries for teachers.   Rule change: The DeSantis administration is moving to ban classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades with an expansion of Florida's Parental Rights in Education law. The measure would bypass legislative approval.   Trans care bill: A proposal making its way through the Florida House aims to stop transgender kids from continuing gender dysphoria treatment.   Speaking out: Supporters and opponents showed up to the state Capitol on Tuesday over a measure seeking to tighten restrictions on venues that allow minors at drag shows.   Gay rights summit: After a yearlong dispute with DeSantis, Disney will host a major LGBTQ conference this fall in Orlando.   More state funding? Florida Republican lawmakers are proposing $25 million (a more than fivefold increase) in taxpayer money for anti-abortion centers. 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 More housing needed: Today the St. Petersburg City Council will take a vote on new residential zoning rules. But the council agenda isn't about building skyscrapers in single-family neighborhoods, the Times Editorial Board writes. SPORTS Making himself at home: Entering his second season with the Rays, Harold Ramirez is hoping he can find more power behind his swing and improve on last year.     Feeling that click: Gators running back Trevor Etienne is ready to elevate his game as a sophomore because of one particular moment from last year. And it has nothing to do with noteworthy touchdown plays.   Hands-on approach: Striving to create a winning culture, USF football coach Alex Golesh is monitoring players' meals, class attendance and more. TODAY'S TALKER [MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times (2022)] How's the Tampa Bay real estate market doing? For nearly two years, the region's housing sector has had explosive growth. Economists and real estate experts said sales could take a major dip in 2023. But so far, that hasn't happened. Rebecca Liebson examines the local market's resilience and what might come next. Today's DayStarter was compiled by Meaghan Habuda, Mari Faiello, Alexandra Urban 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 © 2023 • 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. You are receiving this email because you signed up for the "DayStarter" newsletter from the Tampa Bay Times. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe from this email.