Scientology and the downtown Clearwater land buys

Update on the killings of a St. Pete mother and toddler; see who a Tampa mural is honoring; the latest on education bills moving through the state legislature

View on the web Go to our homepage Subscribe to the Times Monday, April 3, 2023 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Read today's e-Newspaper Happy Monday, Tampa Bay! A partly cloudy day in store (high of 87, low of 67).    Catch up with the latest on the killings of a St. Petersburg toddler and his mother; a Tampa mural that's honoring women who protested fascism in the 1930s; and a rundown of the education bills moving through the Florida Legislature.  [LUIS SANTANA | Times] Email detailed plans to obscure Scientologists’ role in Clearwater project Arizona real estate developer Rodney Riley moved to Clearwater last year and unveiled a $350 million plan to revive prime waterfront property in the North Marina Area near downtown.   It was promising news. The owners of the land — limited liability companies tied to Church of Scientology parishioners — had been holding the parcels vacant for years.   Riley is not a member of Scientology, and he shared that fact with city officials.    An email obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, however, lays out a plan for Riley to serve as a public face of the project instead of wealthy Scientologists.   Riley denies receiving the email or agreeing to its terms. AROUND THE BAY Piney Point 2 years later: After the former phosphate processing plant spun out of control, officials are looking to shut down the abandoned property for good. And there has been significant progress. Rule violated: An ordinance in the small city of Belleair Beach requires permits for gatherings of more than 10 people — and bans them for political activities. A national nonprofit says it's a First Amendment violation.   Beach still a no-go: A proposal to create a beach on a mining lake in the Weekiwachee Preserve has once again been rejected by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, but officials will allow a new public access point.  Church "too political”: Allendale United Methodist Church bills itself as a “social justice, anti-racist, LGBTQ affirming congregation of believers.” Now, an IRS complaint filed by a former mayoral candidate questions if the church has crossed a line and should have its tax-exempt status investigated. Change in explanation: As the story about how a Pinellas school removed the movie "Ruby Bridges" from classroom use went viral, district officials worked to avoid having it called a ban. Meanwhile, the creators of the movie say the film offers lessons and not a message of hate.    Guaranteed admission: New College of Florida promised to give admissions to graduates of St. Petersburg College who complete their associate degree within eight semesters along with at least a 3.0 GPA.    More details emerge: Thomas Mosley was arrested Saturday on two counts of murder for the killings of his son, Taylen, and the boy's mother. Pashun Jeffery had been stabbed more than 100 times after hosting a birthday party for Mosley, according to arrest records released Saturday.    Tampa orthodontist in jail: Manuel Alejandro Gutierrez-Rodriguez, the orthodontist whose patients have accused him of abandoning them, was booked into the Pinellas County jail, jail records say.  Officer terminated: The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office fired one of its deputies after he responded to another deputy's home for a mental health crisis, then didn't report that a gun had gone off. BRIGHT SPOT [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times] Mural in Ybor City honors women who protested fascism in 1937 Sarah McNamara learned as a teenager of her great-great grandmother and great aunt’s participation in the 1937 women's march against fascism. Now, the history professor at Texas A&M University is spreading the story through a book, historic marker and mural. 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 Times Journalism Fund or Times Investigative Fund. Donate Gain unlimited access POLITICS Allies turned rivals: Former President Trump’s indictment could change the trajectory of the 2024 presidential race in plenty of ways. We analyze three ways it could politically help Gov. Ron DeSantis in a potential run, and three ways it could harm him. Plus: Here's a timeline of their political feud.    Bill heads to DeSantis: The Florida Senate gave final approval to a bill that would allow people to carry guns without concealed weapons licenses. The governor has already said he will sign it. Education bills: Lawmakers appear poised to pass legislation that would impact thousands of people in Florida public schools. Here's a rundown of education measures moving through the session. Case dismissed: A judge threw out a lawsuit over a child bitten by a dog against Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and her 2022 congressional campaign. The lawsuit against her husband remains active.   Progressives target Maniscalco: Tampa City Council member Guido Maniscalco voted against giving the Citizens Review Board an independent attorney in key votes earlier this year. Some progressives say he flip-flopped under pressure from Mayor Jane Castor.  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 Law change needs safeguard: Bills in the House and Senate would change the law to allow nonunanimous juries to impose a death sentence. The House should at least follow the Senate's lead in including an important judicial guardrail over this fateful decision, writes the Times Editorial Board.  SPORTS Rays sweep Tigers: Tampa Bay's Jeffrey Springs threw six no-hit innings while striking out a career-high 12. Also, the Rays made Don Zimmer the first inductee into their team Hall of Fame.  Settling in: Tanner Jeannot scored his first goal with the Lightning in Saturday's playoff-clinching win over the Islanders, a sign that the trade-deadline acquisition is beginning to find his stride with his new team. Prized prospect: Before he was an All-American at Florida and potential Bucs draft target, O'Cyrus Torrence was a small-town prospect with spotty cell service and one major recruiter: Billy Napier.   Lessons learned: New USF wide receivers coach L'Damian Washington endured a lifetime of tragedy by the time he was 15. Now, the former Missouri receiver seeks to help others when times get tough. TODAY'S TALKER [Times (2015)] How a lawyer went from helping debt-ridden owners hang on to homes to aiding cities in taking them away Matt Weidner had made a name for himself in the wake of the Great Recession by representing hundreds of Florida homeowners who were being foreclosed upon. Then, he picked up a new line of work: helping cities foreclose on property owners who owed fines for violating the city's property code. What made Weidner change paths? Today's DayStarter was compiled by Carly Thompson, Anila Lijo, Kelsey Harrell and Mari Faiello. Did someone forward this to you? 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