When Tampa Italian restaurant Cena shuttered last fall after more than a decade in business it was anyone’s guess what chef Michael Buttacavoli would do next News of Cena’s shutter felt abrupt — shocking who was also a part-owner of the restaurant He didn’t stay out of the kitchen for long takes over the former Salt Rock Tavern building at 3689 Tampa Road who owns the Irish pub and restaurant Strandhill Public which has locations in both Tampa Heights and Brandon Buttacavoli said he is just the executive chef And while he isn’t pegging the restaurant as Cena 2.0 if slightly more casual menu than what he served at his Channel District spot “You’re going to see my type of Italian,” he said Prices are going to be right — we’re not going to gouge anyone.” Perigord shaved truffles and pecorino romano was on the menu at Cena Italian menu will be served at Martin's Italian in Oldsmar [ Times (2018)  ]The menu will include handmade pastas — including cacio e pepe and carbonara — several types of risotto and a branzino Diners can also expect an Italian-leaning wine list and a full bar with an Italian spirits-backed cocktail menu When Cena opened in 2013, it received a rave review from then-Tampa Bay Times food critic Laura Reiley Buttacavoli worked for eight years at SideBern’s under chef Jeannie Pierola and at her Ybor City restaurant Boca as well as at Council Oak inside the Seminole Hard Rock “When things were good, they were good,” Buttacavoli said of his time at the restaurant. “But when they were bad, they were bad. We weren’t able to work through the bad effectively as a group.” Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. Buttacavoli, who was in a serious car accident prior to leaving the restaurant, said his departure and time off was bittersweet. His father-in-law was sick with cancer, and he was able to spend some much-needed time with family. Over the past few months, Buttacavoli has helped friends with catering operations and worked at a restaurant in downtown Tampa. Now, he’s eager to get back into his kitchen and cook his own food, Buttacavoli said. At 240 seats, Martin’s is considerably larger than what Buttacavoli is used to (Cena had roughly 60 inside with room for another 25 outside). The new restaurant has an indoor bar with seating for 15 and another outdoor bar and seating area that fits around 30 people. There’s also a private dining room that fits roughly 70 people and a dining room outfitted with booths and high-top tables. Buttacavoli, who lives in Clearwater, said he envisions the new restaurant as a neighborhood spot — approachable enough so that regulars can visit a few times a week, if they’d like. This week the restaurant is running a soft opening. Beginning next week, it will be open 4-10 p.m. Sunday and Monday-Thursday, and till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Helen Freund is the food and dining critic, reporting on and reviewing restaurants throughout Tampa Bay. Reach her at hfreund@tampabay.com. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Katie Gannon has been sworn in to lead the city “Feels incredible to say that,” Gannon laughed after saying she was the mayor of Oldsmar “Not many people can say they returned to their hometown since the third grade and have successfully run for mayor.” Gannon was raised in Oldsmar and previously served two terms on the City Council as Vice Mayor “My priority in the next three years is not to leave Oldsmar better than I found it but to leave Oldsmar better than it’s ever been,” she said Gannon said there is a lot of work to do in her hometown After last year’s back-to-back hurricanes and flash flooding Oldsmar residents are still trying to recover Gannon said more than 500 homes were damaged in Oldsmar Neighbors helped neighbors get back on their feet But Gannon said the healing process is far from over “We have people who are still working to get permits getting back into their homes Some people have decided to move or sell their homes Gannon said she wants to make sure they follow regulations no matter how frustrating the process may be Gannon said if they choose to go another route Gannon said the city has been reimbursed $2.88 million from FEMA so far for recovery efforts Gannon said her next three years as mayor will be one of transition for Oldsmar Gannon said the city will sell the property next to the Oldsmar library and add more housing and small businesses to the landscape “I would hope that we can see something in the next three years,” Gannon said What is uncertain is the future of the land next to Oldsmar City Hall there has been a back and forth about what to do with the eight acres an Ohio company indicated they were still interested in developing the site The mayor said she’d love to see the right project go up there somewhere that our residents can go to,” Gannon said She mentioned outdoor dining or a park area neighbors have not had enough of a voice on what will happen Gannon pledges transparency during her time in office “I do hope that we see some movement in my term although they say it takes a year to plan and a year to permit before you even put a shovel in the ground,” Gannon said Gannon said the priority right now is recovering from those storms and preparing for yet another hurricane season After shutting down Cena last October, award-winning chef Michael Buttacavoli makes his comeback to Tampa Bay with Martin's Italian restaurant The new spot is located at 3689 Tampa Road in Oldsmar His new restaurant features multiple areas The size is quite a jump from Cena's cozy 60-seat layout now owned by Strandhill Public's Rory Martin the restaurant is starting with limited hours on Sundays and Mondays during the opening phase The menu features homemade pasta and traditional risotto Martin's offers more budget-friendly prices that most people can afford “You're going to see my type of Italian,” he said to Sun Coast News Prices are going to be right — we're not going to gouge anyone.” The restaurant includes a special event space that blends old-school Italian style with modern elements Right after winning on "Beat Bobby Flay," Buttacavoli had to close his previous restaurant due to money problems and storm damage after 11 years of running it While keeping some favorite dishes from Cena's menu Longer weekend hours will begin next week as the restaurant ramps up to full service MarineMax has moved its headquarters out of Clearwater without a formal announcement The nation’s largest recreational boat and yacht dealer now operates from a 40,000-square-foot space in Oldsmar The new corporate office is part of the environmentally resilient Neilsen Media Research campus at 502 Brooker Creek Blvd In a recent LinkedIn post, Matt Coticchio, president of Orlando-based Interstruct Design + Build said his company built the new headquarters He also noted construction concluded in 2024 “Thanks to the dream team of Dana Clark and Millette Schmidt from ASD|Sky Architects our friends at Kimley-Horn and project manager Arnaldo Abreu of Relofant MarineMax’s HQ is the diamond of the sprawling Nielsen Business complex,” Coticchio wrote The publicly traded company’s regulatory filings began showing a new address in late August 2024. However, MarineMax did not formally announce the move in previous or subsequent press releases Interstruct has a local office in Tampa and retrofitted MarineMax’s new headquarters in two phases The first encompassed 30,000 square feet in Building A and the second consisted of 10,000 square feet in Building C Coticchio told the Catalyst that a pedestrian bridge connects the nautical-themed Class A office space He said the project featured “high-end finishes technology and beautiful conference spaces.” called MarineMax’s new conference spaces “beautiful.” Photo: LinkedIn MarineMax’s previous headquarters was at 2600 McCormick Dr Coticchio is unsure why the company moved and could not say how much the project cost he noted Interstruct’s local office completes $35 million to $40 million worth of tenant interior improvements annually Nielsen opened its Oldsmar campus in September 2003 on 39 acres surrounded by the Brooker Creek Preserve so they’re obviously trying to lease the buildings,” Coticchio said Five interconnected buildings feature training rooms a 100,000-square-foot data center and a “central plant” with a 25,000-square-foot computer room According to Nielsen, phase one structures can withstand a Category 5 hurricane with 155 mph winds and a 25-foot storm surge Mechanical and electrical systems are “fully redundant” and can operate without outside utilities for 72 hours “The campus has a dual underground utility loop to assure that NMR will never lose power or communications due to unforeseen conditions,” Nielsen said when announcing the project The development’s second phase included a four-story “I would assume they have all those redundancies,” Coticchio said of the various facilities The $26.5 million (in 2005) project included a 600-space parking garage and added 80,000 square feet to phase one facilities. That brought the complex to nearly 700,000 square feet “I don’t know how long they (Nielsen) have been out of that building but much of the campus is vacant,” Coticchio said Intrerstruct has completed multiple projects at the Nielsen Media Research campus MarineMax began retrofitting its new headquarters before Hurricanes Helene and Milton decimated the area in the fall of 2024 the unprecedented storm season took a toll on the rapidly expanding company MarineMax wrote that in-store sales decreased by 5% due to Helene CEO Brett McGill noted Milton substantially damaged the Sarasota location the effects of Hurricane Helene significantly impacted our fourth-quarter results causing damage and disruption to a number of our locations along the west coast of Florida Hurricane Milton has exacerbated the damage,” McGill said in a prepared statement we performed well in light of what has proven to be one of the more challenging years for our industry “As part of our long-term improvement plan we implemented further strategic cost-cutting actions during the fourth quarter including consolidating certain retail locations Expense reduction remains a focus in fiscal 2025 with the goal of driving improved operating leverage.” MarineMax has continued expanding – despite the storm-induced headwinds 31 that they signed a definitive agreement to acquire Marathon-based Shelter Bay Marina The marina provides unrestricted ocean access from the Florida Keys Shelter Bay can house over 175 boats and offers comprehensive service and retail facilities “The acquisition of Shelter Bay aligns seamlessly with our strategy of acquiring higher-margin businesses that complement other parts of our business and create valuable synergies,” McGill said Those include more than 70 dealerships and 65 marinas and storage facilities Add your idea below. Review Catalyst posting guidelines here. By posting a comment, I have read, understand and agree to the Posting Guidelines Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Students rocket toward STEM careers at community hub 2025 Florida legislative session extended through June 6 Multiple affordable senior housing projects advance  The Catalyst honors its name by aggregating & curating the sparks that propel the St Pete engine.  It is a modern news platform, powered by community sourced content and augmented with directed coverage your perspective and your spark to the St Pete Catalyst and take your seat at the table Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value" Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2020 The St Petersburg Group Enter the details of the person you want to share this article with Calling or texting 911 connects you to law enforcement The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office also has a non-emergency number – 727-582-6200 – for crimes that are not in progress If you are unsure whether your situation is a true emergency please call 911 and the call taker will determine if you need emergency assistance Email addresses are public record under Florida law and are not exempt from public records requirements If you do not want your email address to be subject to release pursuant to a public records request do not send electronic mail to this entity contact this office by telephone or in writing — Arkansas State men’s basketball head coach Ryan Pannone announced Tuesday the addition of veteran coach Jordan Fair to his 2025-26 staff as an assistant coach “Jordan Fair is one of our new assistant coaches and came from Oldsmar Christian where he was most recently the head coach and worked in player development working out NBA players,” Pannone said “He has experience at the college level as an assistant coach at Louisville under Rick Pitino he was regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country and to be able to get a coach with his recruiting ability and ability to develop relationships within the community and potential recruits was a steal for us He’s shown an acumen as a coach in terms of building up Oldsmar Christian into one of the top 25 high school programs in the country when he was the head coach He played for me when I was the head coach at Oldsmar Christian so he brings a unique knowledge of who I am as a person but also what I believe in basketball-wise and how I’m going to push and love and hold these players accountable.” Fair spent eight seasons as head coach at Oldsmar Christian posting a career record of 185-60 (.755) and being named the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) Coach of the Year two times in 2015 and 2021 Oldsmar was nationally-ranked in the top 25 in six of his eight seasons at the helm The Eagles reached the state championship game in 2016 Oldsmar Christian became the only program in the Tampa Bay Area to be nationally-ranked in four consecutive years During his stint at the helm of the Eagles 35 Fair-coached players signed college scholarships including 26 with Division-I schools – eight in 2016 alone Five of these players were ranked in the Top 50 nationally He coached with the AAU Program Team Breakdown where in 2016 they were ranked as a top 5 AAU program in the country He also coached in the Under Armour Elite 24 game and had a player selected to the 2015 McDonald’s All-America Game Fair has exclusively worked with NBA players such as Donovan Mitchell Prior to becoming head coach at Oldsmar Christian Fair was an assistant at Oldsmar for one year (2010-11) and spent one season as the associate head coach at Faith Baptist High School in Brandon After playing at Oldsmar Christian from 2005-08 he moved on to play collegiately at North Florida (2008-09) and Lee University in Tennessee (2009-10) We are locally owned and operated and the most complete source of news and information in South Central and Southeast Arkansas We provide top-quality advertising and exposure to small business owners companies and industries in the communities we serve 870.673.1595 stuttgartdailyleader@stuttgartdailyleader.com — An Oldsmar mother has been arrested on a charge of first-degree murder for the death of her three-month-old daughter the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said Thursday 2024 when deputies and first responders were called to a home in the 3500 block of Meriden Avenue in Oldsmar for an unresponsive 3-month-old Paramedics at the scene took the child to the hospital where the infant was pronounced dead a short time later detectives discovered the child suffered from multiple brain bleeds and a large skull fracture The Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death for the infant to be blunt head trauma Detectives determined the infant was under the care of her mother Britt was arrested and charged with murder in the first degree and taken to the Pinellas County Jail The sheriff's office said the investigation into the infant's death was ongoing and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Latest Pinellas County News from ABC Action News Report a typo OLDSMAR, Fla. — The city of Oldsmar takes pride in its small town feel There has not been many major development projects in recent years but that might soon change as the city looks to create a new mixed-use area that could bring more businesses The council voted 3-2 to begin negotiations with Stanbery Development Group to develop eight acres on State Road 580 at Tampa Road The property is bordered by State Street and Washington Ave.   City councilmember Katie Gannon says the project could be a major boost for the city “I think the majority of our residents would like to see something other than a grassy field that the city has been paying taxes on and mowing for about 20 years,” Gannon said She has been a long time resident and wants to see something done “It would mean that we could change the downtown area to be an inclusive place to revitalize some of the businesses’ along State Street to make it more inviting for people to live there,” Gannon said Some on the city council want to see a more vibrant area but it will be a long process to determine a final plan “If we reach a mutually agreed upon development terms and site plan I'd bring that back to the City Council and then the council will then decide if the city wants to move forward,” Donnelly said some residents have voiced concern over the project including former Oldsmar Mayor Jerry Beaverland He addressed the council in a public hearing in August “There is not a person on the council that wants density next to their house," Beaverland said The project isn’t close to breaking ground as the city council still has to finalize plans for what it will look like and allow more public comment — While many people continue to pick up the pieces of their lives after Helene parts of the Tampa Bay area saw more flooding from heavy rainfall Thursday night I’ve never seen this place flood like this,” said Mark Anderson a pond of water still sat outside Anderson’s business off Douglas Road East in Oldsmar He spent the day cleaning up a mess and vacuuming out his car that had about five inches of water in it we had two feet of water in the parking lot and five inches through all the buildings here,” said Anderson the manager at Vibratory Tooling and Repair ABC Action News caught up with him as he mopped up inside his business Both businesses we heard from said they didn’t flood after Hurricane Helene “It’s usually about three feet lower than that and it’s just going to go right in the shop and we’re going to be doing this whole thing all over again.” ABC Action News reached out to the city of Oldsmar about the flooding issue and received the following statement: home inspectionsOfficials say the move can save the city money and expedite post-storm cleanup   Contractors have been making sweeps of Oldsmar to collect debris from hurricanes Helene and Milton [ City of Oldsmar ]By Lea MandelTampa Bay NewspapersPublished Nov 2024OLDSMAR — Like many coastal communities Oldsmar has faced significant challenges in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton and the impact of the storms has left the city grappling with widespread flooding and substantial debris 5 decided to enter into an interlocal agreement with Pinellas County for cooperative procurement of disaster debris collection and removal services As the community works to rebuild and recover city officials say understanding the National Flood Insurance Program Substantial Damage Assessment process and local regulations can help strengthen Oldsmar’s resilience in the face of future natural disasters One aspect of the agreement is the cost-saving potential Oldsmar officials say they can benefit from lower unit prices for debris removal the state contract unit price for loading and hauling vegetative debris from the right of way to the debris management site is $14.98 per cubic yard compared to $7.68 per cubic yard under the county contract the state contract unit price for construction and demolition debris is $18 per cubic yard the interlocal agreement allows Oldsmar to comply with stringent federal requirements for debris removal and Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement By partnering with experienced debris monitoring and management firms officials said the city can ensure accurate record-keeping and maximize reimbursement opportunities To mitigate future flood risks and support recovery efforts Oldsmar participates in the National Flood Insurance Program The federal program provides flood insurance to property owners in exchange for their community’s adherence to specific floodplain management regulations Oldsmar has adopted the regulations to reduce future flood damage but the recent flooding has underscored the challenges of navigating these regulations particularly in the context of substantial damage assessments A substantial damage assessment is used to determine whether a building has sustained significant damage due to flooding If the cost of repairs exceeds 50% of the building’s pre-damage market value This designation has significant implications for property owners as it can affect their ability to obtain flood insurance secure building permits and sell their property the city has adopted a stricter threshold for substantial damage This means that even minor repairs could potentially trigger the assessment process leading to increased regulatory hurdles for homeowners Oldsmar has partnered with Pinellas County for building inspections Property owners in the special flood hazard area are required to obtain permits for repairs While the county is working to expedite these inspections “We’re still waiting for the resources from Pinellas County and the state,” said Tatiana Childress “As you know they fulfilled the mission for the inspection so they received 75 inspectors from the state They’re trying to get additional help to do this second step but right now it will be helpful if residents would fill out the forms and transmit those forms to us so that we can assign the application to their case and initiate the review.” Homeowners can take steps to accelerate the process Properties below the designated flood elevation must submit a substantial damage/improvement form and an elevation certificate properties in the Coastal A Zone with slab-on-grade foundations that are deemed substantially damaged will face stricter rebuilding requirements residents are encouraged to contact the Planning and Redevelopment Department or submit the required documentation Understanding the cumulative damage assessment and the limitations on enclosed areas below the Base Flood Elevation is crucial Noncompliance with these regulations can result in significant penalties and hinder the rebuilding process The cumulative damage assessment considers repairs made over a five-year period If the total cost of repairs during this period exceeds the 50% threshold the property may be considered substantially damaged This means that even seemingly minor repairs can have long-term consequences Enclosed areas below the base flood elevation are intended for parking These areas should remain free of obstructions to allow floodwaters to flow freely Breakaway walls and flood vents are essential features in these areas and should be maintained to ensure proper drainage The city of Oldsmar is offering resources to help residents navigate the recovery process “We have information in two places,” Childress said. “You can call us and we can email you all of the fillable forms, or at myoldsmar.com or oldsmarfl.gov.” What to know about FEMA checks, other federal Florida aid after Milton Could Tampa Bay flood insurance rise after a hurricane? A warning from Hurricane Ian 11 ways to help struggling Tampa Bay businesses after Milton and Helene How to handle fires, tree limbs and other hazards after Hurricane Milton Checklists for building all kinds of storm kits. — More than 500 homes in Oldsmar suffered damage from Hurricane Helene and resultant floodwaters from the bay One of those homes is owned by Christine Duncan "Our house was a 'total flood,'" she said of the destruction an outreach coordinator at Community United Methodist Church with so many of her neighbors banding together in the face of tragedy— "I actually have quite a bit of joy inside." Know this about Oldsmar: the city is small but mighty "We are Oldsmar Strong," said supermom and neighborhood leader Nicole Williger who hasn't stopped organizing public rallies for aid and support neighbor helping neighbor with old-school resilience This defiant stand has been spearheaded by local nonprofit Oldsmar Cares and leader Michelle Baldwin "We immediately started reaching out to each other at Oldsmar Cares asking where's the need The nonprofit relies on volunteers and donations bedding and cleaning supplies to families in need Current needs include plastic storage bins For more on Oldsmar Cares, including location and hours of operation, go here. For a full list of resources — whether you need help in any regard or want to help or donate, go here. Latest on Helene Aftermath and Recovery from ABC Action News — If you’re driving down Tampa Road in Oldsmar You’d almost never know that just a few blocks away pretty devastating,” said Oldsmar resident Brandon Gray Gray has lived in the area for a number of years He didn’t believe the storm surge warnings and we’ve been through several tropical storms where it came close but I was surprised by how high the water got,” he added The surge reached several feet in certain spots of his neighborhood He’s now working to replace what was damaged by the hurricane as soon as possible I have kids that I share custody with and I had to call them up and tell them that I can’t come home.. my kids can’t come to my house until things get repaired and functioning for me to be able to take care of them properly,” said Gray Farther along in the neighborhood as you travel along Shore Drive large piles of debris on the edge of driveways are starting to take over the road “Some of the people on this block lost everything I don’t know if the word for home is totaled but they’re in essence totaled,” said Oldsmar resident Geoff Martin “Just been trying to clean it out before the mold sets and get ready for the next storm,” said Martin He and his fiance heeded the warnings and evacuated to Orlando “I came back first because we took two cars and we got about 4 feet of water,” said Martin and the garage took on all of the flooding “We did lose some keepsakes that we thought we were being smart that we had 6 feet up in bins Kids' stuff when they’re in elementary school and the water got so high that having our shelves didn’t help and that’s probably been the hardest thing to deal with,” said Martin He was also shocked by just how much the neighborhood flooded we saw another camera view of the house across the street the water was up to a foot below the top of their front door,” he added This community is now worried it could be even worse in the future “Kind of deciding if I’m going to pull the trigger on all this money before this hurricane season is over,” said Gray where residents were watching unruly water in Old Tampa Bay throughout the afternoon As Hurricane Helene passes west of Tampa Bay many of those residents have now left the parks as floodwaters begin to build up in the park Watch the video above to see the full report — Before Monday night's game at Steinbrenner Field the New York Yankees honored local non-profit It's part of the New York Yankees HOPE week which stands for Helping Others Preserve and Excel a week-long initiative that brings 5 stories to inspire individuals into action The New York Yankees saw this story on ABC Action News about Oldsmar Cares springing into action after Hurricane Helene to help the community "They'r recognizing there's a need in the community They're recognizing the people in the community that meet that need And I think the Yankees definitely exemplify that," explains Michelle Baldwin Director of Partnership and community activation for the New York Yankees says "We've chosen Oldsmar Cares as the charity for tonight we've seen what Michelle Baldwin did in the piece that ABC posted on her and the day after the hurricane she was out in the community with her organization I know that they've helped over 200 families since the hurricanes and that's what hope week is all about to the Yankees We're looking for that individual that's going out changing the world and making a difference and bringing people together and that's Michelle Baldwin." the Yankees awarded the non-profit $10,000 to continue relief efforts — Two developers have unveiled plans to develop a large Members of the public got a chance to see the proposals and offer their thoughts during an open house on Wednesday night was one of dozens who offered her thoughts on the proposals Wednesday.“We want to stay here for the rest of our lives so we’re here for our kids and other people’s kids because we want to see Oldsmar grow and grow well,” she said “There were different components of each that I thought were really good,” she said submitted one of the two proposals received by the City of Oldsmar OAG‘s plan includes 192 apartments in two one-story apartment buildings and various decorative features like an interactive foundation and a clock tower Stanbery’s plan includes 250 apartments in a single five-story building a two-story garage shielded from view by proposed buildings and multiple buildings that could be used for offices City Council will start the process of picking one of the two visions “The project represents 30 years of effort for the City of Oldsmar so it’s very important that the public have the opportunity to be part of the project,” she said Starting Thursday until Aug. 2, the city will also collect feedback online. If you’d like to share your thoughts, visit downtownoldsmar.com — A Largo woman was arrested for grand theft after surveillance footage shows her stealing an exotic baby bird Kirsten Cunningham is the owner of Everything Birds in Oldsmar She said one of the baby black-headed caiques was stolen from the store just before 10 a.m The store is located in the Oldsmar Flea Market "It's one of the more rare types of parrots," said Cunningham "They're known for really excellent temperaments They love to ride around on your shoulders so they give a really good pet experience and they're kind of more rare and hard to breed," she said as she held a caique Surveillance video from the pet store shows the woman standing in front of the bird compartment when she reaches down puts it in her purse and walks out of the store Cunningham said she greeted the woman and started vacuuming because she was getting ready for an event on Saturday morning "It was just really shocking someone would be so nice to your face and then literally steal a bird behind your back I was instantly worried because this baby is on hand feeding formula It doesn't eat totally on its own yet," she said The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said that two anonymous people contacted the store owners through social media and identified the woman as Grissel Flores Nistal She agreed to return the bird and was arrested She is being charged with one count of felony grand theft and was taken to the Pinellas County Jail "Thank you to the people who did recognize this woman and turned her in and to law enforcement who worked quickly," said Cunningham The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said in December 13 deputies responded to a call at 3580 Meriden Avenue in Oldsmar (WPEC) — A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday accused of first-degree murder in connection to her 3-month-old daughter's death The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said on December 13 paramedics found the baby girl unresponsive and rushed her to a nearby hospital the baby was pronounced dead shortly after arrival Investigators said they later discovered that the baby had suffered multiple brain bleeds and a large skull fracture The Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt head trauma Detectives learned that the infant was in the care of her mother Britt was arrested and charged with first-degree murder She was booked into the Pinellas County Jail for murder in the first-degree residents are "adopting" a senior for the holidays “I have a basket on my front porch and people have been coming day and night and dropping off gifts,” said co-organizer Rhonda Dunkley residents receive the wish list of a nursing home resident in Oldsmar More than a thousand items have been collected “And I said if they want to throw in extras they could and a lot of people have.” Nearly 400 seniors have been adopted for the holidays Organizers were overwhelmed by all the residents who wanted to help but it’s good for those giving too,” said co-organizer Nicole Williger The event started four years ago as a way to spread happiness in nursing homes over the holidays there is an even bigger need to help the oldest of residents “I think morale has been down this holiday season for anybody Organizers plan to start delivering presents to four nursing homes a little later this week They hope it brings a little holiday joy to those who need it most To help, reach out through their community Facebook page Arkansas State has hired Jordan Fair to become their new top assistant under newly-hired Ryan Pannone's coaching staff Arkansas State HC Ryan Pannone is hiring former Oldsmar Christian HC & Louisville assistant Jordan Fair to his staff, a source tells @247Sports.A high level recruiter that has worked as a personal player development Coach to NBA players & prepared players for the NBA draft Fair played at Oldsmar Christian in Florida where he was a four-year starter under Pannone from 2005 to 2008 before moving on to playing collegiate basketball at the University of North Florida during the 2008-2009 season and Lee University in Tennessee during the 2009-2010 season Fair returned to Oldsmar Christian as a coach in 2010 where he coached as an assistant from 2010 to 2013 Fair was promoted from top assistant to head coach for the Eagles and returned to Oldsmar for the 2020-2021 season Fair spent the 2016-2017 collegiate basketball season as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville under Rick Pitino before he and former assistant coach Kenny Johnson were placed on administrative leave following a recruiting allegation that Fair was in the clear of later that year Fair posted a career record of 115-32 (.782) winning percentage and was named the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) Coach of the Year twice in 2013 and 2015 Pannone was named the 18th head men's basketball coach in Arkansas State program history after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama under Nate Oats where they reached the Final Four in 2024 Pannone has coached 82 total NBA players and 46 players selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft including 30 Lottery picks in his 18 years of coaching experience Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school boys basketball news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App ROSS VAN DE GRIEKRoss Van De Griek has been a high school sports writer covering the state of Florida since 2021 Ross also has been scouting high school basketball and Grassroots Basketball across the Southeast Region since 2022 Ross has been covering basketball and recruiting for High School on SI since August 2024 and On The Radar Hoops throughout his scouting career You can follow him on X @rossvdg14 or reach him via email rossvdg14@gmail.com for story ideas © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER — An exotic bird worth $2,400 is back at an Oldsmar store after being stolen according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office On Saturday, Everything Birds posted a video to their Facebook page of a woman walking up to one of the bird displays stuffing it in her purse and leaving the store The sheriff's office says the post led to two anonymous citizens contacting the store owners and identified the suspect as 54-year-old Grissel Nistal Nistal agreed to return the bird after detectives visited her home She was charged with one count of felony grand theft and taken to the Pinellas County Jail The owners of Everything Birds say they are thinking of naming the bird "Bandit" in reference to the incident — The Oldsmar’s Historical Society Museum has been run by a nonprofit – the Oldsmar Historical Society – but due to a lack of volunteers and declining visitors Maryann Cruse has been in charge of the museum since 2003 and heads up the Oldsmar Historical Society She says the move is actually a plus and that it will help bring in more visitors “There are great things (that are) going to be happening You are going to have more hours and days open to visit the museum,” Cruse said She says most of the volunteers who run the museum are older and facing health issues so this will be a good move for the future of the museum The museum is a step back into the history of Oldsmar He was an automotive pioneer who created the Oldsmobile brand The museum has some of the original advertisements for Olds vehicles and so much more says it’s important to preserve the history of the city “The museum is extremely important to Oldsmar and it has been curated by a team of volunteers for the last 21 years They have put their hearts and souls into preserving and sharing Oldsmar’s rich history,” Donnelly said The city still has to approve the move and make it official A few local organizations came together in Oldsmar to make that possible and this is how it lasts," said Liz Martin of Oldsmar Alliance "This is how we actually help each other and build community.” Outside the Oldsmar Community Methodist Church the Oldsmar community gathered for a Thanksgiving Day meal inspired by a call to action after recent back-to-back hurricanes hurt the area it’s been a Thanksgiving Day for us," Martin said "We’re able to come together where we know people are suffering People that are suffering know that we’re here Families of all ages showed up for a hot meal dinners made possible thanks to a local business “We had enough food for 400 people," said Sean Marsiglia with Three Brothers Pizza and then we’re on our way to Safety Harbor to drop off the rest.” Families like Totyo Ivanov's feel grateful everybody else in our community all together And just based on the reception to Thursday’s meal Martin said the community dinner may become an annual event for them — Franja Eastling faces a frustrating reality daily She’s living in an RV parked outside the home she can no longer live in — at least for now What’s worse is she’s not only paying a mortgage on that home but also monthly rent for the trailer Eastling’s Oldsmar home flooded during Hurricane Helene her life is still in limbo more than three months later She’s still fighting to prove her home is not substantially damaged and can be repaired getting permits to repair the home will likely take months The frustration is not just evident in her neighborhood It was also evident in a Thursday work session of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners Commissioner Kathleen Peters said she is still waiting on permits to fix her damaged home so she understands what many of her constituents are currently facing “I’m letting my frustration out,” Peters said the wait for permits has been so long that her mortgage company is questioning her for insurance fraud because work has yet to start on repairing her home “You cannot imagine how incredibly difficult and frustrating this is and there’s absolutely no excuse that almost four months later people still are waiting for a permit,” she said Pinellas County’s Administrator said his staffers are doing everything they can and they have to follow rules from both FEMA and the state commissioners like Peters think more can and should be done to get people back in their homes faster "This is the biggest government overreach I personally have experienced They literally are taking away people's property rights I should be able to take the letter on the Property Appraiser's website demonstrate I can be under the [substantial damage] threshold and get a permit," Peters told ABC Action News via text message “They need to alleviate a lot of guidelines here,” she said she will keep paying for two homes and keep fighting a frustrating fight daily Those ABC Action News talked to who do have permits said persistence is key Pinellas County commissioners will get a bigger briefing about permits and recovery during a meeting next Tuesday — If it's summer at Old Tampa Bay in Oldsmar there is a good chance you’ll find city employees out in kayaks off RE Olds Park It’s part of their biannual checkup of their Vertical Oyster Garden program Old Tampa Bay has had some water quality issues,” said Ashlee Painter an adult oyster filters about 50 gallons of water per day which is helping improve the bay's water quality “We have about 40 here on our pier at RE Olds Park that are city-owned that we maintain and then we probably have five to ten residents that have it on private docks,” said Painter the city hangs old oyster shells donated by local restaurants off of the pier into the water “They provide a surface for oysters to recruit on so we can grow oyster reefs,” said Painter we had maybe two or three on each one; the second year so we are seeing they are working and they are growing.” “So we come out here this time of year because of breeding season We want to make sure the reefs are up and ready for the oysters,” said Bryanna Fleshman with the city so it allows the community to get involved,” said Painter “So if you have a dock and you live in the City of Oldsmar and we’ll provide these vertical oyster gardens to you to hang on your dock and we’ll actually come out and hang them for you.” Painter said she is proud to show off all the environmental work the city is doing “I’m glad ABC Action News is doing this story because I think it highlights the positive things and changes that we are doing within the city for not only our current residents but for the future.” Latest Hillsborough County News from ABC Action News deputies responded to Tampa Road and Pine Avenue South after receiving a report of a female hit by a vehicle 57-year-old Randall George was traveling eastbound in the middle lane of Tampa Road approaching the intersection of Pine Avenue South was crossing Tampa Road from north to south Lucas and her son entered the crosswalk while having a do not cross signal Lucas was struck by the 2021 orange Chevrolet Colorado operated by George Speed and impairment do not appear to be factors in the crash Marie Lucas (Pedestrian - Deceased)DOB: 02/01/1986Address: 201 North East 724th Street Old TownRandall George (Driver - Uninjured)DOB: 09/14/1967Address: 9719 Loma Linda Court New Port RicheyVehicle: 2021 Chevrolet Colorado