Fla — A Tampa man was injured in a Gandy Bridge crash early Sunday morning after trying to flee from troopers at speeds above 100mph was charged with fleeing and eluding at high speed WATCH: Tampa man injured in crash fleeing from troopers above 100 mph A trooper on patrol along the Gandy Bridge at about 1 a.m saw Ramnarine in a Toyota Supra traveling at 93 mph in a 55-mph speed zone FHP officials said the trooper attempted a traffic stop but Ramnarine fled eastbound on the bridge at speeds exceeding 100 mph The trooper then conducted a PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver on the Supra at the east end of the bridge It caused the vehicle to rotate onto the shoulder Ramnarine suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital for medical care also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital 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 Hillsborough County News from ABC Action News Report a typo Injuries are never a valid excuse for a team to lose a playoff series Chances are the team they are playing against is just as beat up as they are hoo boy were the Tampa Bay Lightning playing through some pretty bad things general manager Julien BriseBois detailed some of the ailments that the players were going through at the end of the season and at least one was shocking in its seriousness This is the least surprising of all of the injuries From the moment Hagel managed to get to his skates following the illegal hit from Aaron Ekblad it was obvious that the winger was dazed Once it was announced that he wouldn’t be available for Game 5 it was pretty obvious that he was dealing with a concussion It’s the first documented concussion for Hagel in his NHL career and the fact that he was able to partake in the exit interview process was a good sign that the effects weren’t too debilitating The Big Swede was slowed by a broken foot in Game 4 of the series against Florida but still managed two assists and 26:37 in Game 5 While it will delay his off season workout regime Hedman should be back and ready to go for training camp 27 assists) in 25 games with an injured hand Perhaps some of the errant passing we saw down the stretch and in the playoffs was a result but he definitely didn’t have the precision with the puck that we’re used to seeing this was the most surprising injury as Nick Paul was one of the best players on the ice for the Lightning Kudos to him for playing through the discomfort and still performing The Yanni Gourde we saw in the playoffs is not the one we were used to seeing in a Lightning uniform He just didn’t seem as engaged as he normally was and now we kind of know why as he played most of the series trying to adjust to a broken finger Anthony Cirelli – Grade 2 MCL strain in his right knee we now know why Cirelli wasn’t practicing during the off days or at the morning skates so the Lightning’s number two center should be ready to go for training camp Like Glendening – AC joint separation in right shoulder Props go out to Glendening for even suiting up in the playoffs after suffering the injury on April 9 It’s the second season in a row he hasn’t been 100% for the postseason as he was dealing with a dislocated shoulder and labral tear last April Erik Erlendsson reported that Cernak is waiting medical clearance from the injury before deciding on if he would play in the World Championships which get underway next week Oliver Bjorkstrand – compartment syndrome It’s never good when you have to look up an injury to see exactly what it is. The Cleveland Clinic describes compartment syndrome as “Compartment syndrome happens when there’s too much pressure around your muscles. The pressure restricts (reduces) the flow of blood, fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and nerves Compartment syndrome is extremely painful.” Bjorkstrand was injured in the April 11th game against Detroit Later that night he developed swelling in his left leg severe enough that Dr visited Bjorkstrand at his house at around 2:00 AM Bjorkstrand was taken to the emergency room for immediate surgery and with the heavy cravat that we are not medical experts it seems like this was a case of acute compartment syndrome brought on directly by the injury suffered by Bjorkstrand in the game and the 30-year-old should be ready for training camp with no lingering side effects Support RawCharge by using our Affiliate Link when Shopping Hockey Apparel In the aftermath of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings at AMALIE Arena on April 11 Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand felt sore Sore is the expectation after 60-plus minutes of body checking full skating strides and blocking shots of over 100 mph whenever possible the knee of an opposing player had caught Bjorkstrand in the thigh causing a pain which the Danish forward compared to the feeling of a charlie-horse muscle cramp didn’t think too much of it,” Bjorkstrand said “I was hurting a little bit after the game and as time went on that night Lightning head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan checked in with Bjorkstrand throughout the night before contacting the team doctor around 2 a.m. and wisely so—Bjorkstrand was soon whisked into emergency surgery to rectify a condition called compartment syndrome in which heightened pressure around a muscle restricts proper blood flow compartment syndrome can cause permanent damage to nerve and muscle tissue in which Tampa General Hospital orthopedic trauma specialist Dr Anjan Shah cut open the leg to relieve pressure and release some of the pooled blood “It was obviously more serious than I probably anticipated,” Bjorkstrand said “I didn’t really expect a full on surgery that night and to be out for a while and obviously the days ahead of that too were a little bit overwhelming.” The 30-year-old forward spent five days in the hospital The incision was left open for about two days while a tube removed excess blood from his leg “I didn’t expect that coming out of a game feeling OK and going home and ending up at the hospital,” he said Bjorkstrand will make a full recovery and is expected to be ready for next season He returned to the ice for the first time last week He likely has about two to four weeks left before feeling back to 100% When the doctor told him he would need immediate surgery Bjorkstrand admitted his mind kept flashing between missing time and hoping to relieve the intense pain Bjorkstrand has never met someone affected by compartment syndrome “I didn't have too much time to really think about what was going on and missing time and so on You get traded and you're ready for playoffs and you're so excited about that and then out of nowhere you're getting cut open,” he said “You definitely start thinking about the possibility of missing the playoffs And of course you don't want an emergency surgery either In his end of season media availability last week Lightning vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois credited Dr Lannon executed a house call for Bjorkstrand at 2 a.m before helping to expedite the player's care at the emergency room the rehab would have been considerably more serious,” BriseBois said prompt and over-and-above service that he provided Oliver that night and now we expect Oliver to make a full recovery.” Stitches from the surgery were removed recently He hoped to return for the Lightning in the playoffs Bjorkstrand remembers the shock of learning what was happening They awoke the next morning to news that one of their teammates was rushed into emergency surgery in the early morning hours “I think when news came out the next morning that it was the middle of the night and I got the surgery ‘What the hell just happened?’ But everybody was super supportive but everybody's really nice and it's a great group of guys here.” After being acquired from the Seattle Kraken in a March trade Bjorkstrand was excited for his first playoff experience with Tampa Bay these last few weeks of unexpected rehabilitation have him energized even further for 2025-26 you're not a part of it because you're injured So it's another summer of thinking about what the ultimate goal is and that's obviously winning the Stanley Cup I believe it gives you a really good chance to be able to compete for it and win One more year on my deal and I want to do well here I want to help the team and just play good hockey “It still stings, no doubt,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “You kind of go over it in your head from one game to the next, and you go through what happened and break it down. It is tough. ... In our minds, it was closer than a five-game series. It’s close. It’s tight. You need high execution from everybody in your lineup at different points, and ultimately we came up short.” Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons walks out of the locker room as gear and equipment is packed up Friday at Amalie Arena. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]General manager Julien BriseBois addressed the previous season’s weaknesses, and the Lightning were a much more complete team — better defensively and at 5-on-5 — and seemingly better prepared for the playoffs. Though the season ended with a third straight opening-round loss and second to their cross-state rival, BriseBois said the Lightning aren’t far from another deep run. Lightning forward Jake Guentzel packs up his equipment at his stall Friday at Amalie Arena. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]“History is written by the victors, and when you win you are perceived as being better than you actually are,” BriseBois said. “When you lose, you are perceived as being worse than you actually are. But the reality is that we have one heck of a great hockey team. “The reality is that even with having a great hockey team, even with having a legitimate Stanley Cup-contending team year in, year out, most seasons will end in disappointment. You need breaks along the way. But first, you need a really good hockey team, and we have a really good hockey team. And we’re gonna have a really good hockey team again next year.” Looking ahead, these were the three biggest topics that came out of BriseBois’ end-of-season availability. Head coach Jon Cooper will be back with the Lightning next season, GM Julien BriseBois said Friday, though he didn't address the length of Coopers contract beyond next season. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Both BriseBois and Jon Cooper quashed questions about Cooper‘s future with the team amid rumors about the NHL’s longest-tenured coach potentially going elsewhere with a number of bench vacancies open. “He will be back next year,” BriseBois said. “He will be back because, A, he’s an outstanding coach. Two, more importantly, he’s the best coach for this job. Three, I really enjoy working with him. I am appreciative and grateful for our partnership, and I expect it to go on for many years to come, regardless of how many years he’s got left on his contract. When this contract ends, my expectation is he’s gonna sign another one and he’s going to be here for a while.” Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. the length of Cooper‘s current contract is a mystery BriseBois declined to offer any further details “I don’t want to get into the term,” BriseBois said What’s important is who the coach is and what their job security is I’m not worried about Jon Cooper‘s job screen Cooper was hired as the Lightning’s head coach in March 2013 and his arrival marked the beginning of a stretch of remarkable success for the team including back-to-back championships and three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final But after first-round playoff exits the past three seasons there has been speculation that Cooper might want to go elsewhere He’s one of the most highly regarded coaches in the game and would have numerous opportunities One unsubstantiated rumor had Cooper going to Utah to work for owner Ryan Smith “The talk should be whatever comes out of Julien or myself or our ownership,” Cooper said and for my kids it’s the only city they really remember … I’ve never been a part of another organization but I just know that if there’s an organization out here better than this one And it just exudes class from the ownership all the way down it’s hard to see myself being anywhere else.” who led all NHL skaters with a plus-43 rating will enter the final year of his contract next season [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Though much of the Lightning’s core group returns next season there will be some roster retooling in the offseason reacquired from Seattle at the trade deadline is due to become an unrestricted free agent veteran depth forward Cam Atkinson and backup goaltender Jonas Johansson also are scheduled to become UFAs and there’s possibly for all of them to come back,” BriseBois said Some of those guys are unrestricted free agents and might want the opportunity to go to a different organization where they might be able to play a bigger role will enter the final year of his contract coming off a season in which he led the NHL with a plus-43 rating The team could open contract negotiations to ensure he remains with the Lightning for the remainder of his career “I have a ton of hunger still in me in wanting to win and this is a great place for me to have that chance,” McDonagh said There’s nowhere else I’d want to be for the rest of my career a team that’s always gonna be going for it and a great great group of guys that care for one another Michigan State forward Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey [ JACKSON RANGER | mlive.com via TNS ]BriseBois shed light on what appears to be an acrimonious split between the organization and Isaac Howard saying the 2022 first-round pick currently seems unlikely to sign with the Lightning Howard won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey after leading all Division I skaters in points per game and helping Michigan State to the Big Ten title Howard is planning to return to the Spartans saying he and the team didn’t see “eye to eye” in negotiations “When I chatted with Isaac he was really candid and I appreciated his honesty and I thanked him for his honesty,” BriseBois said “He values the opportunity to choose the club that he believes is the best fit for him and right now I would say it’s unlikely that we will sign him.” The Lightning control Howard’s rights until Aug when he would become an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team the Lightning could trade Howard (his stock likely would be highest around next month’s draft If he does become a UFA and goes elsewhere next year the Lightning would receive a compensatory second-round pick in 2027 it’s a bizarre turn of events considering the high hopes the Lightning had for Howard as a key piece of their future up until just a few months ago BriseBois watch Howard play in person at Michigan State multiple times this season “I had regular communication with him and his agent throughout the years,” BriseBois said he spends a lot of time with all of our prospects Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs Lightning and college football across Florida Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook. Eduardo A. Encina is a sports reporter covering the Tampa Bay Lightning. Reach him at eencina@tampabay.com. TAMPA, Fla. - A man died after Tampa police say a vehicle hit him as he stood in a roadway early Friday the man was standing in the northbound lanes of N TPD says the man was pronounced dead at the scene The driver stayed at the scene and is cooperating with investigators TPD did not release the name or age of the man who died Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source: This story was written with information from the Tampa Police Department By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Last week, she was deported to Cuba after she was arrested during an immigration interview in Tampa Castor sent a letter this week urging President Donald Trump to grant humanitarian parole for Sánchez Tejada. Castor denounced the way immigration authorities arrested Sánchez Tejeda during a regularly scheduled check-in at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Tampa on April 22. “The separation of mother and daughter was so sudden and traumatic that their infant daughter was taken to the hospital,” Castor wrote. “The baby was still breastfeeding at the time your administration tore them apart, and the baby’s ongoing health issues require her mother’s return to the U.S. as soon as possible.” Castor said the treatment of the Sánchez Tejeda-Valle family was “a deep stain and is repugnant to American values and constitutional protections.” “Ms. Sánchez is entitled to due process, and her husband and daughter (both U.S. citizens) deserve to be treated with the dignity we value as Americans,“ wrote Castor. ”Due to the suffocating oppression in Cuba and lack of essentials like food and clean water, Ms. Sánchez should not be trafficked to a country where she will be harmed and suffer.” Sánchez Tejeda’s case has drawn the attention of local leaders, advocates and nonprofits who defend immigrant rights. Last weekend, dozens of supporters gathered in downtown Tampa to show solidarity with Sánchez and her family. Heidy Sánchez Tejeda and Carlos Valle in a photo from last November when they celebrated their daughter’s birthday in Tampa. [ COURTESY OF C. VALLE | Times ]One of the organizers, Ruth Beltran, an advocate with the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network, said the demonstration was a call to action for justice and dignity. “No mother should be ripped apart from their child like Heidy was. It is inhumane and unacceptable. Too many immigrant mothers are now faced with this reality,” said Beltran. “We stand together to demand dignity for mothers and children confronting the cruelty of family separation and violation of basic human rights.” Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter Sánchez Tejeda first came to the United States in 2019 under a temporary stay permit known as the I-220B form a permit that does not grant legal status or provide protection from deportation She missed an immigration hearing while she was waiting in Mexico and was ordered deported in absentia Sánchez Tejeda was detained for nine months in an immigration facility Community organizer Ruth Beltran speaks to the press gathered in support of Heidy Sánchez Tejeda in front of the federal courthouse in Tampa on April 26 Sánchez Tejeda was arrested following a regularly scheduled check-in at the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Tampa and deported back to Cuba [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]She was released under the condition to regularly check in with immigration authorities He filed a petition for permanent legal status for his wife but Valle said he never received a response from immigration authorities Sánchez Tejeda’s attorney, Claudia Canizares, launched a campaign on MoveOn to collect 3,000 signatures in solidarity with Sánchez Tejeda. So far, it has gathered 2,100 signatures. Canizares said the issue is not only about immigration. “It is about compassion, family unity, and a child’s right to her mother’s care,” Canizares wrote in her petition drive. “We ask that you act swiftly to correct this tragic separation and allow this family to heal together.” Valle said his family also tried to reach out to the office of U.S. Sen. Rick Scott last week through one of Sánchez Tejeda’s cousins, Alonso Rodríguez, who’s fluent in English. But Scott’s office said in a letter that they were unable to assist. “You may wish to speak with a private attorney, who can best answer any legal questions or concerns you have,” the letter stated. The emotional toll of the separation is growing by the day. During an interview through WhatsApp with the Tampa Bay Times on Friday morning, Sánchez Tejeda, who is living at her mother’s house in Havana, said she can’t sleep thinking about her daughter. Heidy Sánchez Tejeda and her 1-year-old daughter. [ COURTESY OF C. VALLE | Times ]“It’s very difficult to live this way, far from my daughter and my family,” said Sánchez Tejeda. “My daughter needs me. My daughter is still breastfeeding.” Sánchez Tejeda described the pain of separation not only for herself, but for her daughter, who is too young to understand why her mother is gone. “I am suffering, but so is my daughter, and that’s what worries me the most. It’s very hard because every time she sees me on the phone, she says, ‘Mama come, Mama come!’” Sánchez Tejeda said. “I can’t explain to her that I’m far away and can’t be with her. It breaks my heart.” Juan Carlos Chavez is the immigration reporter, covering immigration, diverse communities and the intersection with politics. He can be reached at jchavez@tampabay.com. Explore more guides to help you find what you need Tampa Convention Center is proud to welcome back SOF Week an annual convention dedicated to Special Operations Forces It is expected to draw around 20,000 attendees to the convention center and other venues in Downtown Tampa Franklin Street will be closed from Channelside Drive to Harbour Island Drivers should expect additional traffic around the convention center and other participating venues Traffic volume is expected to increase starting Sunday Please use alternate routes and avoid the area if possible SOF Week 2025 will not include the capabilities demonstration that occurred on the Riverwalk in 2024 people in the downtown area may still hear some noise around the convention center during this event due to military equipment SOF Week will have an estimated economic impact of more than $17.5 million for the City of Tampa and the surrounding community General Question? contact us Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Tampa Bay. Here's what you need to know today A weak front will drift south across the Tampa Bay area into Monday So a stray shower will be possible in the morning in the coastal counties the sea breeze moves inland shifting the rain chances east A few thunderstorms will be possible in the afternoon inland High temperatures will be in the mid 80s near the coast to around 90 inland Check your hour-by-hour forecast here | Share your weather photos 1. Trump says he will reopen Alcatraz prison 2. Amid Cinco de Mayo celebrations, a tax on Mexican tomatoes looms 3. Musk gets his Texas wish. SpaceX launch site is approved as the new city of Starbase 4. 'Thunderbolts' kicks off the summer movie season with $76 million at the box office jockey Junior Alvarado put it behind him with the ride of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby Most satisfying was guiding Sovereignty past other horses in the slop before drawing a bead on 3-1 favorite Journalism and chasing him down to win the 151st running at Churchill Downs by 1 1/2 lengths The effort left Alvarado and his mount caked in mud worn proudly along with the garland of red roses that was draped over the winner to be honest,” the 38-year-old Venezuelan rider said of his breakthrough Coming from my country where the only race we would be able to watch back there was just the Kentucky Derby A 6-foot wooden privacy fence lined his small backyard. On the other side, his neighbor’s nearly identical tan-brick house loomed so close it felt like Mora could reach over and touch it. Things might have stayed typically placid in this historic enclave of finance executives and impeccable shrubs. Instead, a feud so intractable took root that the next four months would bring more than 100 police visits amid accusations of trespassing on four inches of yard, video voyeurism and battery via a garden sprinkler. Surveillance cameras would go up. Cease-and-desist letters would fly. The infamous gossip site Worldstar Hip Hop would get involved. Living with neighbors requires a delicate balance of reciprocity, of “live and let live” versus “we don’t do that here.” It’s a peace-keeping seesaw between being “right” and being reasonable. In New Suburb Beautiful, two neighbors were going to push the limit. Mora met Ghada Maghrebi in October, a month before his move-in day. He was piling bags of mulch around his back door in preparation for Hurricane Milton when she poked her head over the fence to say hi. When he went back to New York, she texted him storm updates. When his alarm system went off, he unlocked his deadbolt remotely to let her scope things out. He thanked her. “Anytime :),” wrote Maghrebi, who’d once served as the “security liaison” in the neighborhood. “We are all a family here and we watch for each other.” In December, Mora’s wife, Melissa, briefly babysat Maghrebi’s 2-year-old while Maghrebi did yard work. Later, the little girl presented the couple with a scented candle. In those first weeks, though, Mora remembers growing concerned with how often his neighbor hung out in her yard talking with friends and playing music he could hear indoors. At 2:20 a.m. Christmas morning, after overhearing a spirited conversation about a threesome, he said something. “Hi Gada, would you mind plz taking the party inside or lowering the volume,” he texted, saying his visiting in-laws were trying to sleep. Maghrebi texted back a profuse apology. It was her roommate. She’d ensure it would never happen again, she wrote, and “Merry Christmas.” [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]The music did not stop Mora texted her again on a January afternoon to ask if she could be “more mindful.” “There have been many times like today where the music can be heard clearly down the block.” Maghrebi replied with a curt interpretation of the noise ordinance and her decibel levels — and a heart-hands emoji they maintained a half-hearted neighborly tone Mora recalls becoming desperate for peace as he and his wife worked from home Mora also said he heard “what I’m assuming are Tunisian deep cuts” alongside “drunk screaming.” Mora knocked on other neighbors’ doors asking if they’d sign a letter to Maghrebi demanding quiet They told him there was no violation and left so he called three more times that night until the music stopped “What would you do if you spent all this money on a house the place where you were planning to raise a kid and a neighbor was making it so you couldn’t even enjoy it — not even enjoy it — just live peacefully,” said Miguel Mora “That’s all I wanted.” [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Feeling friendly no longer Mora demanded Maghrebi remove decorations and security cameras she’d long ago mounted to her side of what is technically Mora’s fence Officers retrieved and returned her cameras one of several cameras mounted to Mora’s house captured someone tossing a bag of food wrappers into his yard was violating the city’s noise ordinance banning unreasonably loud and raucous sound that “jars welfare or wellbeing of a reasonable individual.” Between 10 p.m a sound crosses that line if clearly audible 100 feet from the property line of its source Cops kept telling Mora they couldn’t do much He understood why they might let it slide once or twice he felt like no one was grasping the bigger picture Mora mounted three more cameras on the fence One captured Maghrebi’s roommates saying what sounded like “whoop his ass” and “I could kill him.” The officers he summoned told him that wasn’t assault Maghrebi questioned Mora’s cameras pointed toward where her daughter plays They have no idea who the actual bad neighbor is Through his camera he saw Maghrebi asleep in a chair next to a hookah Police or firefighters woke Maghrebi at least six more times in her chair that month and the next after Mora’s calls suggested the unattended hookah was a fire hazard an officer issued her a trespassing warning The evidence: a video Mora took of Maghrebi reaching over the fence to take a video of Mora a bespectacled Mora stood in his backyard in a leopard-print cardigan He sounded worn down by the situation and reanimated by someone listening to his tale Bold “no trespassing” signs covered the fence The area looked like a miniature Demilitarized Zone with at least eight cameras surveilling their border Ghada Maghrebi shouts at Miguel Mora in an undated still from video captured by one of Mora's surveillance cameras Lawyers said that when it comes to chronic neighbor issues many discover the easiest solution is to move [ Courtesy of Miguel Mora ]Mora had written long He’d hired a publicist to pitch his surveillance videos of Maghrebi a construction manager for the Florida Department of Transportation saying she was “unfit for public service,” in part because she’d recently been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence at first I just wanted her to stop,” he said moved into her house on W Jetton Avenue in 2000 His business partner on the development moved into the other house "I've been living here more than 20 years He's not going to tell me what I can talk about in my own backyard," said Ghada Maghrebi photographed in the backyard of her home in south Tampa [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Maghrebi had come to the U.S Seeking a climate she thought might feel like home she settled on the University of Tampa after seeing palm trees in the brochure after years as a stay-at-home mom and a divorce she worked her way into management at the male-dominated Florida Department of Transportation with a knack for defusing arguments with grumpy contractors her makeup precise and the logo on her Armani Exchange shirt sparkling She pointed toward the cameras aimed at her house debating all sorts of topics from politics to sexuality Now a camera looked at her above-ground pool She put up a sunshade to block another mounted by her patio set she uses an umbrella and a screen to make a little privacy tent Miguel Mora points over his fence in an undated still from video shot by Ghada Maghrebi from her yard The black box on the fence is one of several surveillance cameras Mora installed that point into Maghrebi's yard [ Courtesy of Ghada Maghrebi ]After she’d apologized for the Christmas incident she checked her own camera and felt her roommate hadn’t been loud When she listens to music on her portable speaker she finds the volume reasonable and said it’s usually daytime She can’t help that the neighborhood is dense “We’re so close I can hear him sneeze,” she said of Mora She can hear the restaurants from her bedroom and her other neighbors in their pool and a nearby soccer fan who yells “gooaal” during matches and pointed out that she has never been cited “I’ve never even been given a warning.” (Mora said he’d actually bought a decibel meter on Amazon and had it shipped to her house anonymously.) believing Mora’s camera setup constitutes illegal voyeurism she’s been outside and been startled to hear Mora play back her own recorded voice through a speaker Maghrebi’s lawyer sent a certified letter demanding Mora cease all contact and accusations against her or face a harassment suit In one of Florida’s densest regions, people will always gripe, gossip and roll their eyes over neighbors. Around 17 times a day, someone calls Tampa police about loud music amounting to more than 6,200 calls last year Another 3,338 police calls in 2024 were labeled simply “disturbance-neighbor dispute.” Very rarely was anyone cited or charged with a crime Real estate lawyers hear from people enmeshed in disputes over fences and tree branches and dog poop Emotions run high and patience low when it comes to people’s enjoyment of what’s usually their greatest investment Add in social media and cheap surveillance cameras and things can escalate quickly “Are people trying to actually solve the problem or are they trying to shame their neighbor into better behavior?” he said pricey court battles or revolving police visits Posting a video to drum up gossip may be a temporary high that’s doomed to fade when nothing changes but many feuding neighbors won’t even talk face to face the Hillsborough County court system hosts about 100 free mediations for people who want to avoid lawsuits she tries to bring people back to before any name calling or retaliation Sometimes people use it as a free opportunity for a face-to-face confrontation Mora and Maghrebi say they’re not interested Maghrebi was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a parking lot after a school fundraiser Mora changed his Facebook photo to Maghrebi’s mugshot Someone created the domain ghadamaghrebi.com so that anyone googling her name would quickly find the details Maghrebi pleaded not guilty and maintains she never planned to drive “I haven’t been convicted of anything,” she said that case has nothing to do with my neighbor.” Mora called Maghrebi’s job and her daughter’s preschool He called the state attorney’s office to offer recordings of conversations he thought might incriminate her He contacted the Department of Children and Family Services He sent the arrest details and his video of the officer waking Maghrebi in her yard to a blogger friend. Soon the infamous gossip site WorldStar Hip Hop posted it to Instagram for its 49.9 million followers The caption: “Construction Manager #GhadaMaghrebi allegedly got so intoxicated that she called the police on herself … Maghrebi was allegedly found passed out drunk in her yard A Tampa police officer awakens Ghada Maghrebi in her backyard in Tampa in March of 2025 in a still from video taken by Miguel Mora "I'm in my (own) house," Maghrebi said after the officer turned down her music and woke her [ Courtesy of Miguel Mora ]Mora said he’s unsure where WorldStar got the idea she’d called the cops on herself but he considered the eye-grabbing caption a “happy accident.” more accustomed to parking lot brawls and twerking vids seemed confused about the video of a random Florida transportation employee asleep in her yard “Why is the neighbor allowed to film,” one commenter asked “Ya wanna put her job at risk because she got drunk at her own place Maghrebi’s boss texted her a link to the post the next morning She says she was not given a specific reason The state agency did not respond to requests for comment Mora reported her to city code enforcement for having illegal tenants and running a boarding house “which I’m allowed to have,” plus a University of Tampa student taking part in the same host-family program that once hosted her Maghrebi took video when her windows vibrated with a crazy bass sound she thinks comes from a purposefully directed subwoofer she was sitting outside with a guest when a small device attached to the fence released a plume of poop-smelling fog After Maghrebi and her daughter were hit with water that arced over the fence from Mora’s yard Maghrebi filed a sworn request for prosecution for battery with the state attorney’s office A real estate agent called saying she’d received her inquiry about selling the house The University of Tampa checked in about a concerning email that said the exchange student could be in danger The student replied that she was happy and comfortable Odd texts came from numbers she didn’t recognize “Ghada I’m so sorry to hear the news,” one said “The police report makes it sound really bad.” She replied “Donate some money to fix your roof you broke bitch,” read one Mora admitted texting Maghrebi from his “burner” number to try to draw out information He later dug under the fence with a shovel to remove patio pavers that were partially sitting on his four inches on the other side He was installing a drain to deal with a mud problem was when Maghrebi went to court on April 1 for the DUI she saw a digital billboard truck displaying her mugshot When the billboard truck later parked outside her daughter’s school Mora announced on X that he’d recorded a new song Unhappy with the police response to his noise calls — sometimes as many as four a day — Mora in March began calling and emailing the department’s top brass he complained that an officer had asked to enter the bedroom where his wife was sleeping to see if he could hear the music there Mora asked for a “thorough review” and “immediate and proactive patrols” or “prolonged surveillance” in front of Maghrebi’s house police officers patrolled Maghrebi’s home every two hours Both Mora and Maghrebi provided contacts for neighbors who they said would vouch for their character or serve as witnesses None of those residents would do so on the record a retired firefighter who has lived on the block for 13 years He said police officers he knows have told him both neighbors are known as nuisances The Tampa Police Department said it takes every call seriously “The situation needs some kind of come-to-Jesus mediation.” In reality, some battles can only end with a retreat. Maghrebi doesn’t know if she’ll really go through with it — she doesn’t want to — but she did end up calling a real estate agent. In mid-March, she listed the house for $1.19 million. Maghrebi and Mora have both captured dozens of hours of footage, each holding it up as evidence that their neighbor is the unreasonable one. In grainy videos, they shout across the fence like people pushed to their end. On the afternoon of April 10, Mora stood inside his closed bedroom window and recorded once more. His sound meter hovered around 60 decibels while the singer Benson Boone wailed, Please stay. I want you, I need you, oh God, from Maghrebi’s speaker. Mora said it wasn’t particularly loud compared to what he’s become used to. Maghrebi watched the video later and texted, “I am not sure what he is trying to prove here.” Tour Again” tour with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum is offering $5 admission for moms on Sunday Regular admission is $16 to see the wide collection of classic cars Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live based on the recent reboot of Jim Henson’s beloved 1980s creations will be at the Straz Center in Tampa on Saturday [ Straz Center for the Performing Arts ]Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live: Based on the recent reboot of Jim Henson’s beloved 1980s creations the show features a new story that follows the Fraggles on a mission to find the magical Celebration Stone in Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts AMAZE with Jamie Allan: The illusionist is known as an innovator of magic and a groundbreaking high-tech magician. Through May 11. Tickets start at $45.83. Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. strazcenter.org. Graphicstudio Open House and Benefit Sale: The University of South Florida’s art research institute attracts top talent and in this sale, hundreds of original, artist-signed, fine art prints and sculpture multiples will be on display and available for sale at discounted prices. The sale is a one-day event, Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the USF campus at 3702 Spectrum Blvd. Suite 100, just north of the Embassy Suites Hotel on Fowler Avenue. Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter Consume: The Morean Center for Clay presents “Consume” featuring the work of Erica Bleu who explores human emotion through the behaviors of insects Her work reflects this tension through elegant clay forms in faded greens and muted grays their ornate slip-trailed designs and floral water etchings evoking both beauty and quiet unease We Them One’s Comedy Tour: Led by Mike Epps from “Next Friday” the top comedy lineup includes Deray Davis Lil Duval and Mojo Brookz in a stand-up showcase Saturday Puscifer & Primus): The Sessanta tour is an atypical concert It’s one solid set that clocks in around three hours in total and features Puscifer Each band performs multiple mini sets of their own material with the bands shifting members as the night goes on $42 and up at Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre The view driving southwest from Hillsborough County heading to Pinellas County on the new Howard Frankland Bridge on March 25 It will be among the many topics in the Tampa Bay Times' community discussion focusing on responsible sustainable development as Tampa Bay’s landscape continues to grow and evolve [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]Sustainability in Growth: Join the Tampa Bay Times for a community discussion focusing on responsible This discussion will explore how innovative practices are helping shape the future of our region Craig Ferguson: The comedian and former late night host performs Wednesday Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Food & Wine Festival: Guests can sip and savor their way through the park each weekend of the event This week features concerts by classic rockers Grand Funk Railroad on Saturday and the legendary salsa group El Gran Combo on Sunday Food and beverage are purchased separately and is not included with park admission Terms of Endearment: Though Emma is often exasperated by her highly-opinionated mother, Aurora, when they need one another most, will they be able to find courage in each other? 8 p.m. May 9-11. Carrollwood Players, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa. $26. carrollwoodplayers.org Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta: Featuring treats from a variety of local vendors the Mayor’s Food Truck Fiesta occurs the first Wednesday of every month Tampa Bay Symphony Spring 2025 Scheherazade: More than 80 musicians make up “one of Tampa Bay’s hidden jewels.” Come and experience the excitement of live classical music. $25, free to students. 8-10 p.m. Friday, May 9. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Road, Tampa. tinyurl.com/4nvmshr8 Westley Chapel Craft Festival: This curated craft festival brings together a talented selection of artisans from the Tampa Bay area Pete Running Company the second Saturday of every month at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Central Park Performing Arts Center at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts Invisible Immigrants: The Tampa Bay History Center is the first museum is in the U.S. to host this exhibit that had a four-year run in major Spanish cities. “Invisible Immigrants: Spaniards in the U.S. (1868–1945)” is on display through Aug. 3. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets are $18.95, students $15.95, age 6 and younger free. 801 Water St., Tampa. tampabayhistorycenter.org. Also compiled by Lee Clark Zumpe, Tampa Bay Newspapers. Sharon Kennedy Wynne is a reporter covering events, things to do and family experiences through the region. Reach her at swynne@tampabay.com. There was an air of uncertainty as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the 2023 NFL offseason Despite winning the NFC South for the second-straight season the team suffered an early exit from the playoffs and legendary Quarterback Tom Brady officially retired for good The Bucs began their search for the next leader of the franchise Baker Mayfield made Tampa Bay his home After a training camp battle with Kyle Trask he won the job and the Krewe has never looked back Mayfield has put up career numbers wearing a Bucs' uniform he became just the second quarterback in Bucs' history to throw 40 or more touchdown passes in a single season Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards that same year—the fifth-highest single-season total in the franchise's history he ingrained himself into the very fabric of the community let's revisit the three most memorable performances Baker Mayfield has delivered as a Buccaneer—starting with No View photos of WR Emeka Egbuka's first day as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the exclusive Season Pass Member only "Welcome to the Krewe" event at AdventHealth Training Center Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the exclusive Season Pass Member only 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers arrives for his first day at AdventHealth Training Center Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chief Public Relations Officer Nelson Luis during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meets General Manager Jason Licht during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' and Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meets Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - General Manager Jason Licht during Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first day at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speaks with Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first day at AdventHealth Training Center Head Coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and General Manager Jason Licht during a press conference at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meets with Director of Player Personnel Shane Scannell at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and College Scout Brian McLaughlin at AdventHealth Training Center and National Scout Andy Speyer at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and General Manager Jason Licht at AdventHealth Training Center 2025 - Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his press conference at AdventHealth Training Center 2024 | NFC Wild Card Round 2023-2024 Playoffs vs This is a game no one will forget anytime soon The Bucs entered the game winning their third-straight division championship after a 9-0 win in Carolina the team failed to score more than 13 points in their last two games League-wide experts questioned if the offense would regain the momentum they built in the second half of the season After a tough loss to the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football The Buccaneers could not afford another misstep with the NFC South up for grabs The Bucs' first two touchdowns were scored by Mike Evans, increasing his total to 11 on the season. Mayfield found Jalen McMillan in the end zone twice extending the rookie's scoring streak to four games Payne Durham also caught his first touchdown before promptly launching it into the crowd a pivotal performance in his march toward another 1,000-yard milestone It was the fourth time the Bucs scored 40 or more points that season Mayfield finished the game with as many touchdowns as incompletions Mayfield's five passing touchdowns tied his career-high the other time being in 2020 when he led Cleveland to a 37-34 victory over the Bengals he threw for 359 yards—the fifth-highest total of his career The Falcons would fall to the Commanders the same night giving control of the NFC South back to the Buccaneers The Bucs would finish the job the following week When you think of some of the most iconic venues in all of professional sports With over 400 regular season games played and 25 playoff matchups hosted the grounds have seen many memorable moments Mayfield did something no one has ever seen in Green Bay He became the first visiting quarterback with a perfect passer rating in the Frozen Tundra The Buccaneers entered the game following two-straight wins looking to get back to .500 for the first time since Week Seven 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Evans The Bucs went into halftime up three and then switched into high gear Mayfield threw three passing touchdowns in the next half His 381-yard performance was his highest single-game total as a Buccaneer and second-most of his career Mayfield was one of just eight quarterbacks to post a perfect passer rating over the previous five seasons he is the only quarterback to achieve that feat on the road at Lambeau Go behind the scenes with Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka during his first 24 hours in the league tours the Bucs facility and meets the Krewe Phase II of the Buccaneers' 2025 offseason workout program began on Monday including on-field work and instruction leading up to mandatory minicamp from June 10-12  developed an unconventional draft process to identify talent with an emphasis on character That shift has led to unparalleled success for the franchise and its culture Bucs fans have questions about first-round reactions spots on the depth chart that need attention the Buccaneers' second-round pick in last week's draft is on the way back from hip surgery and GM Jason Licht told ESPN's Pat McAfee that Morrison should be cleared for the start of training camp in July A look back at Baker Mayfield's finest games as a member of the Krewe View images from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Phase 2 Week 1 Workouts on Monday In the series "Mid-Round Gems" on NFL Network Bucky Brooks discusses how CB Jacob Parrish is the perfect fit for Todd Bowles' defense GM Jason Licht joins 'Path to the Draft' to discuss Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2025 rookie class and selecting first-round draft pick WR Emeka Egbuka Senior Writer/Editor and Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix talk about all the latest Bucs news in this week's edition of Bucs Insider The team discussed the Bucs' reported UDFA the NFC South's draft classes and their overall thoughts on the 2025 NFL Draft a look at how Tampa Bay's roster shakes out on the defensive side of the ball As first-round pick Emeka Egbuka joins the Buccaneers offense what will he add to the club's receiving corps a look at how the roster shakes out on the offensive side of the ball creating some room on the 90-man offseason roster View highlights from the incoming 2025 NFL Draft class of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Buccaneers' brass received a favorable review post-draft from a variety of outlets The Saints have a new head coach in 2025 and already have a potential change at quarterback brewing thanks to a Derek Carr shoulder injury and a high draft pick at the position Team Reporter Casey Phillips & Senior Writer & Editor Scott Smith discuss the Buccaneers' official 2025 NFL Draft class sharing what makes these six rookies exciting additions to the Krewe View images from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Phase 1 Week 2 Workouts on Monday The National Football League will release its full 272-game 2025 regular season schedule on Wednesday and single game tickets to the highly-anticipated Bucs' 50th season will go on sale that same evening This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Tampa Bay has seen a surge in population growth that uptick has spurred a wave of new development The Tampa Bay Times, in partnership with Tampa Electric, will host a free community conversation on responsible, sustainable development in our region at the upcoming event, Spotlight Tampa Bay: Sustainability in Growth The forum will take place at Feeding Tampa Bay “The Tampa Bay Times is proud to host this conversation on sustainability and innovation connecting thought leaders with the community,” said Conan Gallaty chairperson and CEO of Times Publishing Co ensuring that growth reflects our region’s shared values.” Local experts and community leaders will participate in a panel discussion on the need for innovations in development and construction as Tampa Bay’s landscape continues to evolve Visitors are encouraged to come early to enjoy an interactive resource center with displays from local organizations including Tampa Electric’s energy conservation team Enjoy tastings from the catering team at Feeding Tampa Bay and meet the business reporters behind the headlines the panel discussion moderated by Tampa Bay Times Real Estate Reporter Rebecca Liebson will begin principal of operations at Metro Development Group; Melissa Zornitta executive director of Plan Hillsborough; Taylor Ralph president and founder of REAL Building Consultants LLC; Casey Ellison CEO of Ellison Companies; and Abbye Feeley administrator for development and economic opportunity at the city of Tampa “Tampa Electric is pleased to support this free forum for the community to discuss innovations that shape and enhance the future of our region,” said Stephanie Smith vice president of State and Regional Affairs at Tampa Electric in a statement “Our energy solutions are crucial to Tampa Bay’s development we are not simply fueling the future of sustainable growth but actively collaborating to shape it.” Justine Griffin is the economy and growth editor. She can be reached at jgriffin@tampabay.com. An uncomfortable one they may have to make soon is with veteran cornerback Jamel Dean, who was named a potential cut candidate by Pro Football Network writer Sterling Xie. READ MORE: Bucs hand biggest UDFA deal in the NFL to rookie who just picked up football NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean / Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesDean could be cut soon"PFSN highlighted Jamel Dean as a potential trade candidate in other articles this offseason That speculation could be cranked up after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent both of their Day 2 picks on cornerbacks bringing in Benjamin Morrison in the second round and Jacob Parrish in the third," Xie wrote "Parrish profiles as a slot corner and shouldn’t directly overlap with Dean Morrison was a Round 1 talent who fell due to injury concerns which included a hip procedure that shortened his 2024 campaign with Notre Dame the early indication is that Morrison shouldn’t have any limitations this offseason giving him an opportunity to win one of the two starting perimeter cornerback spots along with Dean and Zyon McCollum "Dean’s injury history likely played a factor in some of Tampa’s draft choices That included a career-low 12 games in 2024 which would give an acquiring team some control If the Bucs were to move Dean after June 1 they’d save $12.9 million in cap space this year while taking on $2.3 million in dead money from 2025 through 2027." but he will have to earn his spot in training camp against all of the top competition coming in from this year's draft class READ MORE: Buccaneers GM explains bold decision to draft 150-pound rookie Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 offseason Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook • Buccaneers GM delivers unpopular NIL take that stuns college football fans • NFL analyst questions Buccaneers' first-round pick • Bucs Super Bowl coach says this is why most young QBs don’t make it • 3 draft picks who could start Week 1 for the Buccaneers 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 Tampa General Hospital is ranked among the top academic medical centers in the country Vizient Inc. is a company that rates safety and quality factors at American hospitals and it found Tampa General among the top 30% of overall performance among the facilities Tampa General is continuously working to elevate quality enhance safety and improve patient outcomes,” said John Couris President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital “This monumental climb in rankings from Vizient is a testament to the relentless pursuit of exceptionalism by physicians and it’s an indication of the level of world-class care our patients receive when they seek care at Tampa General.” Tampa General Hospital has been ranked in the 81st percentile among American hospitals since 2017 The latest Vizient rankings note specific areas of outstanding performance at the Gulf Coast facility Tampa General was ranked in the top 13th percentile for risk-adjusted mortality rate and in the 21st percentile for patient length of stay all measured against other academic medical centers across the country Those facilities were measured on the scale of treating patients with the rarest and most complex conditions and diseases “I’m grateful to our faculty physician leaders who commit to providing the highest level of health care to our patients every day,” said Charles J Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Tampa General “Their expertise and dedication to advancing complex cutting-edge care show why academic medicine delivers lifesaving care and the best outcomes for our patients.” among 118 academic medical centers in the United States Tampa General is the only hospital in the Tampa area ranked in the Vizient ranking system Drew Dixon is a journalist of 40 years who has reported in print and broadcast throughout Florida, starting in Ohio in the 1980s. He is also an adjunct professor of philosophy and ethics at three colleges, Jacksonville University, University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. You can reach him at [email protected] and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN -- The most unique transformation of a ballpark in Major League Baseball history launched in earnest Sunday at 5 p.m The Rays will play their entire 81-game home schedule at Steinbrenner Field this season because in October Hurricane Milton tore through Tropicana Field Petersburg since their inaugural season in 1998 Winds that reached 120 mph shredded chunks of the building's fiberglass roof The damage was deemed too extensive to repair in time to play baseball in 2025 Converting Steinbrenner Field -- the home of the Yankees every spring and of their Single-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons MLB pushed back the Rays' home opener from Thursday to Friday giving the organization an extra day to prepare more than 80 Rays staff members and more than 50 contractors from five companies contributed around the clock The plan included rebranding the property with more than 3,000 signs enough to stretch a mile if laid out end to end Two MLB teams will be playing in minor league ballparks this season. Here's what it says about the sport. Jeff Passan » Inside the transformation of Steinbrenner Field » in a rare break for the franchise during the upheaval much painting wasn't necessary because the Yankees' navy blue pantone (PMS 289 C) is not far from the Rays' navy blue (PMS 648 C) There was one thing explicitly off limits during the ballpark makeover: the 600-pound bronze statue of George Steinbrenner standing on a marble pedestal by the main entrance which was open to the Rays starting Monday at 4:30 p.m. to the two team stores on the property to the massive "Y-A-N-K-E-E-S" lettering above the right- and left-field stands There were cranes and scissor lifts and cameras to record a time-lapse video of something that has never been done: a major league team moving out of a stadium after spring training and another one moving into it for the summer "We're not going to get every single pinstripe gone in the next four days and that's not really the goal," Rays chief business officer Bill Walsh said Sunday shortly after the Rays were given the green light to take over the ballpark "The goal is to have this place feel -- when you're walking around when you're sitting in the seating bowl -- to feel like this is the home of the Rays." is making the stadium feel like home for the players they played as the road team against the Yankees players walked into the home clubhouse for the first time ahead of a team workout That gave them 48 hours to become acclimated to their new surroundings after calling Port Charlotte Rays manager Kevin Cash didn't expect a difficult transition for a team looking forward to the end of the spring training grind and playing games that count getting out of Port Charlotte," Cash joked Signs of change at Steinbrenner Field as the "Y-A-N-K-E-E-S" lettering above the stands in left and right was replaced with "R-A-Y-S" this week. Jorge Castillo/ESPNPLAYING A FULL season in the spring home of a division rival qualifies as less than ideal Multiple options in the area were considered Steinbrenner Field was deemed the most major-league-ready choice A one-year deal between the Rays and Yankees was struck in November giving the Rays full-time use of the stadium and New York more than $15 million in return Steinbrenner Field was already undergoing the final phase of a substantial renovation to player and staff facilities with health and wellness upgrades that include a two-story weight room a kitchen with a dedicated staff and a players' lounge with an arcade The project -- which began last offseason with the renovation of the home clubhouse -- made the stadium more of a fit for the Rays More work was required to bring the building up to MLB regular-season standards including remodeling the visiting clubhouse and improvements to cabling and broadcast infrastructure The Tarpons will play their home games at a field next to the stadium that was upgraded with lights and seating for 1,000 people MLB commissioner Rob Manfred estimated the entire operation would cost $50 million "A gentleman from the Yankees said this in one of our first meetings: 'We may not root for you on the field but we can root for you to have a field,'" Walsh recalled "We just appreciate the collaborative spirit that they really put forth here." The Rays ranked 28th in attendance across the majors last season but their 16,515 average was still significantly higher than their new home's capacity the organization had already renewed their season-ticket base for Tropicana Field in 2025 by September Playing in an open-air stadium during a Florida summer will be an issue between the unforgiving heat and constant rain MLB moved first-pitch times starting in June back from 7:05 p.m and gave the Rays more home games before June Tampa Bay will play 19 of its first 22 games at home and 37 of its first 54 games there Predictions » | Relive offseason moves » Passan's ultimate preview » director of special projects and field operations Dan Moeller had six of the Rays' eight full-time groundskeepers work Yankees Grapefruit League home games alongside the Yankees' crew while two stayed behind to maintain the team's 85 acres around Tropicana Field Moeller said his crew helped pull out the tarp twice this spring The first one in franchise history will have a Budweiser logo on what is prime advertising real estate The work won't be entirely foreign to Moeller and his grounds crew They maintain the team's six natural fields in Port Charlotte also previously worked on the team's five outdoor fields at their former spring training complex in St "I'm not quite sure what to expect," Moeller said "But we got the best grounds crew in the major leagues and we'll deal with whatever's thrown at us The Rays didn't have to repaint the clubhouse -- but they did need to cover a giant light fixture with a Yankees logo on it. See above for the result. Courtesy/@RaysBaseball/XVETERAN SECOND BASEMAN Brandon Lowe considered Sunday's game against the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field more important than a typical exhibition it was an opportunity to become more familiar with the ballpark "I feel like baseball players are very resilient and very good at adapting to changes," said Lowe who lives in Tampa and will have his commute to work cut significantly said his will increase from just eight minutes to 25.) The afternoon served as a reminder that it wasn't home quite yet. The Rays heard a smattering of cheers, but the loudest ones were for Aaron Judge and the Yankees for a game that ended in a tie and doubled as a dress rehearsal for the organization the Rays' public relations team tried to figure out how it would handle large groups of media during the regular season and potentially beyond while TV and radio broadcast teams adapted themselves to their new workplace One problem they encountered: Broadcasters can't see the bullpens from the booths The Rays would have to install new camera feeds the team's sideline reporter for Fanduel Sports Network Sun noted there often might not be enough room for him to sit in the camera wells next to the dugouts during games as he normally does Is your favorite franchise boiling hot or below freezing We take the temperature of every club with a brand-new number Bradford Doolittle » what the best method is for making sure we bring Rays baseball to fans," Bass said before Sunday's game "I think from what you see March 28th to what you see April 27th will be completely different just from being really able to get a feel with so many home games to start the year." Yankees manager Aaron Boone finished packing up his office and left it for Cash "I'm getting out of here today," Boone said with a smile when reached by phone for an interview just 90 minutes after Tampa Bay was given clearance to start the makeover Walsh kindly asked if he could call back in five minutes the outfield walls were being power-washed for advertisement installations on Monday sod featuring ads from Yankees sponsors was being cut out and replaced one of the team stores was being stocked with Rays gear the Yankees packed and moved out of the home clubhouse ahead of a flight to Miami As they did so, Yankees reliever Scott Effross asked a clubhouse attendant a question that was on everybody's minds this spring: What are the Rays going to do with the giant Yankees logo light fixture suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the room Rays-branded rug concealed tiling leading to the showers with "The Bronx" spelled out on it Rays logos replaced Yankees logos on training tables and whirlpool tiles photos of former Rays and framed media guide covers were hung a billboard was mounted featuring the organization's "Rays Up" tagline to let every car speeding past the ballpark know George M Steinbrenner Field is the home of the Rays contrary to what the governor and other officials have publicly asserted lawyers working with the state drew up a settlement agreement that said Florida’s largest Medicaid contractor overbilled taxpayers $67,048,611 for medications according to a copy of a draft agreement obtained by the Times/Herald a charity overseen by first lady Casey DeSantis which pays for health care services for the poor The document contradicts statements by DeSantis and state officials that the $10 million was a charitable contribution by Centene separate from what it owed to the state DeSantis said earlier this month that the $10 million “was in addition to what they (the state) were getting.” where they agreed to make an additional contribution,” he said in his only detailed remarks since the unusual settlement became the target of a House Republican investigation DeSantis has primarily responded to the accusations by lashing out at reporters and lawmakers who have questioned aspects of the Hope Florida initiative, which is intended to move Floridians off of government services The February 2022 draft agreement was drawn up the same month that DeSantis’ then-chief of staff began settlement negotiations The overbilling was uncovered by politically connected Mississippi law firms, which helped states negotiate settlements with Centene in exchange for millions of dollars in contingency fees, the New York Times reported last year The data the law firms used to calculate how much each state was owed is hidden from the public making it impossible to know whether Centene paid its full share Florida signed on with one of the firms other lawyers working with the firm on the Centene settlements donated $100,000 to the Republican Party of Florida and $10,000 to then-Attorney General Ashley Moody’s political committee DeSantis spokespeople and state officials have said that Centene was the first to notify the state it owed money But that doesn’t align with what one of the original attorneys said that were eligible to participate,” attorney Lawrence Deas said in a statement Monday had a “Centene Call” with some of those lawyers according to calendar entries first unearthed by investigative reporter Jason Garcia from the newsletter Seeking Rents The records were posted on the governor’s public records portal Uthmeier had another meeting with a lobbyist representing the lawyers He was joined by top DeSantis administration officials including Deputy Chief of Staff Katie Strickland Strickland oversees the health care agencies carrying out DeSantis’ Hope Florida initiative including the Agency for Health Care Administration Though Casey DeSantis has no official chief of staff Strickland functionally serves in that role according to four people familiar with the administration’s operations Uthmeier and Strickland had three more meetings that year about Centene including one with the CEO of the company’s Florida subsidiary Where the negotiations with Centene went after 2022 is unclear. Last month, KFF Health News reported that Florida and Georgia were the final holdouts among more than 20 states that had reached settlements with Centene Florida officials didn’t respond to the news outlet’s questions (Nearly all the states announced their settlements in news releases.) In reality, DeSantis officials had quietly reached a $67 million settlement with the company in September The law firm Liston & Deas wasn’t part of the final settlement. The state fired them in 2023 and never paid them for their services, records show. Deas told the Times/Herald on Monday that a donation to Hope Florida Foundation was not mentioned in the settlement talks, and the firm didn’t learn of it until its lawyers saw media reports. DeSantis this month said the settlement was a “good deal” for the state. “There was a potential you could have filed a lawsuit,” he said. “But I can tell you, you look at it, it was not a clear-cut case that we were guaranteed to win, and certainly not guaranteed to win that much money.” DeSantis spokesperson Bryan Griffin said the negotiations were handled by the Agency for Health Care Administration. “Centene proactively made the state aware of a billing issue in 2021 and the state worked for years to ensure it was resolved,” Griffin said in a statement. “(The agency’s) settlement was a great benefit to the state,” he added. Uthmeier, whom DeSantis named attorney general this year, said in a news conference Tuesday that he “wasn’t part of securing the deal that was struck.” “My understanding is that there was a sweetener in there, that Centene’s estimated harms to the state was $56, $57 million,” he said. “If it’s a contribution to a 501(c)(3) entity, that is not state dollars, that is not Medicaid dollars,” Uthmeier added. Spokesperson Jeremy Redfern said in a statement that Uthmeier was not involved in the 2024 settlement. He said the settlement talks were referred to the Agency for Health Care Administration, “the proper agency to manage the issue.” The then-secretary for the Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees Medicaid, attended none of the five Centene-related meetings in 2022, according to the records. The agency’s assistant deputy secretary for Medicaid attended one meeting. Andrade, who has been investigating the $10 million transfer to the Hope Florida Foundation, told the Times/Herald on Monday that DeSantis “is either misinformed by his shrinking circle, or he’s lying.” “This was Medicaid money that was squandered, plain and simple,” he said. He said the meeting records raise new questions about why the state waited so long to finalize the agreement. “They were in no rush until suddenly they needed cash to fund their campaign” against Amendment 3, he said. The 2024 initiative, which failed, would have allowed recreational marijuana in Florida. DeSantis threw his political weight against it during the past election season. “Now, we’re just trying to drill down on whose bright idea it was to carve out the $10 million for Hope Florida,” Andrade said. Times investigative reporter Justin Garcia contributed to this report. Alexandra Glorioso is a state government reporter for the Miami Herald and is based in Tallahassee. Lawrence Mower is a Tallahassee correspondent, covering politics and the state capitol. Reach him at lmower@tampabay.com. Dawn Staley was walking home from high school one afternoon with a friend from the neighborhood She lived in a rowhome in the Raymond Rosen housing projects had grown up in the high rises across Diamond Street but had recently moved to Staley's side of the projects were making their way back to Raymond Rosen when a man jumped in front of them and tried to grab Patrice when the men recognized Staley -- that short girl who can play basketball with any boy This was the nature of Staley's slice of the city: "If you lived in a certain area you couldn't go outside your area to even play a game because of the various gang affiliations," says Doyt Jones who was one of Staley's high school coaches "Nobody was going to threaten her or anything like that because they recognized her athletic ability." She was a girl but had no problem playing against the boys Her game felt as if it were made for Philadelphia brimming with the same "extraordinary mental and physical toughness" Bo Kimble says the city and its people did played college ball in Southern California and professional ball all over the world By the time Staley was approaching high school Philly baller -- that short girl who can play with any boy -- had traveled as fast as those would-be aggressors disappeared into the North Philadelphia ether "She had gained the respect of the entire city," Kimble says Staley is vying for her fourth national championship as head coach of the South Carolina women's basketball team she has reached near-mythical heights on the basketball court -- first as a player then as a coach -- but it's the tale of a near run-in on a street in North Philadelphia that gets to the heart of her enduring resonance in all the places this game has taken her Dawn Staley has always meant something more on the ground she walks on She has transcended the game in the places she has called home championed a young Dawn Staley in North Philadelphia. Peter Reade Miller/NBAE via Getty ImagesSTALEY IS GROUNDED now stopped in a tunnel at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia Thirty minutes after South Carolina defeated Kentucky in its regular-season finale long after the Gamecocks locked in a share of the SEC regular-season title -- their ninth all under Staley -- the coach is still attending to the masses who looks to be some sort of security detail doing his level best to usher her away from the court and the throng of fans who are still lining either side of the tunnel and the people who flock to Colonial Life Arena in NCAA record-breaking droves -- last season Staley is finally about to head all the way inside when she stops short at the sound of a fan screaming her name massaging her name into something more than two syllables The first time Darrell Gates remembers hearing Staley's name was in high school the school where they all attended and played basketball just a few blocks from the Moylan Rec Center Cheryl Hardy worked at the center on Diamond Street and she'd open the gymnasium at night for Staley to play ball by herself The center had a slippery old parquet floor and no glass backboard on the hoops who grew up with Staley and now works alongside Hardy at the center it's called the Hank Gathers Recreation Center Gathers was a local legend whose talent took him far from Philadelphia he became the second player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding; he died a year later collapsing on the court because of a heart muscle disorder A mural of Gathers now sits alongside one of Staley on the walls of the rec center It was Gathers who first alerted Darrell Gates to a thrilling ninth grader named Doooooawn Staley He nudged a tape into the VCR and told his friend to watch this girl's game film "We were sitting on the edge of the couch," Gates says We were just sitting up there laughing because we just couldn't believe it." She'd throw the ball through some poor sap's legs Her otherworldly ability to find her intended target made Gathers and Gates intent on seeing more they'd sneak over to watch her games at Dobbins They'd spread the word about Staley to teammates such as Kimble "Nobody can stop her," Kimble recalls of their breathless reviews She had this stunning talent and the stamp of approval from some of the city's most revered players so when she wanted to play against boys her age "And they'd pick her first," says Debbie Ryan who coached Staley in college at Virginia and saw her play for the first time in Philadelphia She did more than earn a spot on the court with the boys "Her name started circulatin'," Richardson says everybody wants to figure out where that person is at reveling in the fierceness of neighborhood ball dispensing but also happy to receive a Philadelphia foul -- not your run-of-the-mill physical foul but a foul so physical it verges on disrespect You had to foul like you wanted to break some bones because if you didn't Gates and Kimble -- had to get better to get where they were going a plaque at the Hank Gathers Rec Center bears a message from Staley: "25th and Diamond is where dreams start!" For the last six seasons of her WNBA career just a mile from her childhood home. Joseph Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesNORTH PHILADELPHIA IS an easy place to love but a hard place to survive Darrell Clarke grew up in Strawberry Mansion he represented that same neighborhood -- including the Hank Gathers Rec Center -- as a city councilman He says he saw firsthand how government disinvestment eroded his neighborhood How federal funding earmarked for housing in low-income communities got redirected to build shopping malls elsewhere "If you disinvest so much in a particular community eventually the people will leave," Clarke says "But an interesting thing happened along the way older guys from around Raymond Rosen would keep a watchful eye on his younger brother he couldn't hang on that block anymore because other people across the street might be doing drugs or selling them "The city has a certain pulse about it," Staley said in 2017 Staley makes clear exactly where she's from "Sometimes people who grew up in certain types of environments And that's a great thing.' The people of North Philadelphia appreciate that Staley multitasked the end of her professional playing days with the onset of her coaching career and for eight years -- the first six of which she was still playing in the league -- she was Temple's women's basketball coach The campus was a mile from her home in North Philly and former players recall how she'd haul her team down Diamond Street there's a blue rubber court that Staley helped commission to replace the old parquet one A replica NCAA championship trophy she gifted the center sits just outside the doors that lead to the courts The heat in the building stays on in the winter because she called Clarke one day to let him know she'd been back and it was broken and needed fixing "She really started leaning on me to make sure that things got done," he says Kahleah Copper lived in the neighborhood too she's a WNBA All-Star and an Olympic gold medalist guys from the neighborhood would watch her play Here was this person who looked like Copper and who came from where she came from Here was this person who knew what it was to love a place and still fight to rise above it Staley had left these breadcrumbs of herself behind she wants you to touch her," Richardson says "She wants you to know that she's real so you know you can do it now known as the Hank Gathers Recreation Center was a basketball home for Staley. Jacob Stelman Collection/Athenaeum of PhiladelphiaTHERE WERE A pair of outdoor courts in Charlottesville Staley came to play basketball for the University of Virginia in 1988 when the Cavaliers didn't have any organized practices Reiss would watch her on the court -- "She got straight nasty at the Dell," Reiss says -- and think to herself Staley crossed up a defender and the next time down the court her hair flopping -- set in a style her teammates at the time lovingly called a "mushroom cut" -- and shot the man a look The other guys on Staley's team tried to act as protectors man," Reiss remembers Staley reassuring the players on the court that night A shove into a pole felt awfully close to a Philadelphia foul Not much else in Charlottesville looked like Staley's old world her neighborhood was "100% Black," she has said only 14% of first-year students were Black but everything away from the court was a shock to her system "I think her first interview she literally threw up," Reiss says She was expected to talk to her professors Reiss says Staley eventually grew into her role as a public face of the team Staley embraced the expectations and culture of this new place The way her mother raised her was to embrace and be her authentic self and know it's OK to be that in different places." four years and three Final Four appearances later It's the very reason she has said she is able to do what she has done at South Carolina -- because of who she was in Virginia Murals of Gathers and Staley watch over the court at the Hank Gathers Recreation Center. Jessica Kourkounis for The Washington PostStaley kept a firm grip on her roots but opened her arms to what was new and unknown about Virginia people felt they could relate to her and understand her She was there for every moment that added up to the Cavaliers' three deep tournament runs to Staley's two national player of the year awards when she considers the weight of Staley's presence in Charlottesville is this: the fact of people reaching out for Staley Reiss remembers being in the suite she shared with Staley their senior season when the police called A 16-year-old girl was on the roof of a parking structure and the police had been able to talk to her enough to discern this much: She loved Dawn Staley spoke to the girl on the edge of a concrete structure and sat with her for two hours in a police station once she came down on her own "That's who Dawn had started to become," Reiss says She had started to become proof -- of what a person can mean to a place Proof of what it can mean to another person if you know what you mean to yourself STALEY has called South Carolina home for just about as long as she had Raymond Rosen This past fall marked the start of her 16th year in Columbia; she was barely 18 when she left North Philadelphia for Charlottesville but she moved just across the bridge to West Columbia years ago and found walking the path along the Congaree River because she winds up walking the whole of Columbia "There are people who set their watch on her walks," says Daniel Rickenmann "There's a coffee shop in Five Points that she walks by and somebody will go It matters to the people there that she sees them on the riverwalk When Dickey and his wife were navigating the blows of a family tragedy several years ago and I would keep her updated about it," Dickey says because I'm just talking to a neighbor who's concerned and praying for me." a few blocks from Colonial Life Arena down Lincoln Street there's a small art gallery called SoulHAUS likes to say his shop is hyperlocal -- his space mostly showcases Black artists from Columbia He grew up in Northeast Columbia; his mother and father came from the outskirts of the city; his grandmother attended Benedict College one of the city's HBCUs in the heart of downtown Staley "never left who she was," former teammate Tammi Reiss says a fact that endeared her to fans. G Fiume/Getty Images Damian Strohmeyer/Getty Images"Columbia is ..." he starts "The best way I can say it: I used to work at the Columbia Museum of Art and there were times where I'm going to work on programming that's amplifying Black artists but I turn around and a Confederate flag is up there at the Statehouse There was always this underlying comment: 'You don't belong here.' "And it made you want to get the f--- out." her signature on a bill passed by its long-resistant legislature But it was never as simple as excising it from Statehouse grounds killing nine Black churchgoers at a bible study across the state in Charleston It came down but has been raised again in the years since by protestors taking to the Statehouse to decry its removal but Jacobs has still found himself deejaying porch parties on Confederate Avenue The last time Jacobs spoke to his grandmother before she died piecing together that he could directly know and love a person who had directly known and loved a former enslaved person "So when you decide to stay here," he says for a lot of the people around here -- did something more than stay in this place JUST 25 MILES south of Columbia sits Woodford until the day Estelle's mother sent her on an errand to the butcher -- a white butcher She argued with the store owner -- insisting she wouldn't leave with rotten food -- until he ran her out of the shop and she returned home Her mother packed Estelle's bags and sent her to live with family up north then and there Estelle Staley had to leave South Carolina to live Her daughter has resolved to live here to leave it transformed "I think about what she made possible for me," Staley wrote in an essay "And maybe what I'm supposed to make possible for others She left South Carolina because of the racial divide Staley has never been anything but transparent about her intentions in Columbia "There's something about knowing that a place belongs to you and it can be tragic that you had to get away from it I think that if she was somebody who just had roots up north she wouldn't understand the importance of the work she's doing in South Carolina." sends them pieces of the championship nets she cuts down "I want my piece of net to be an inspiration for someone else to win the championship," she said after she captured her first the way she did when she called the athletic director at nearby Allen University to campaign for her former player to be named the new women's basketball head coach "'You don't stop until you get what you're worth." She speaks out against police brutality, publicly criticizing Haley, who had seemed to equate WNBA players with "a mob" for their support of Black Lives Matter Then she logs onto a private Zoom session with Leon Lott the sheriff of Richland County who has become her friend to give her players the opportunity to speak directly with police Staley is loud about what matters to her and quietly relentless in pursuit of it That's her prize in her long climb to the top of women's basketball -- the platform she is given to speak and be heard "They're watching me," she has said of her players "I can't ask them to stand up for themselves if I'm sitting down Nor can I ask them to use their voice to affect change if I'm only willing to whisper So when someone tells me to shut up and coach Marcus Lattimore knows the peaks and valleys of that road He's here to say that the winning makes Staley's mission possible He electrified South Carolina as one of the country's best high school running backs up the road in Duncan in the early 2000s then did something a lot of local stars didn't do much of at the time often literally; he was called a god to his face more than once by besotted South Carolinians But the moments before all that fawning sat like a weight on his chest "If they don't know who you are and you walk in Black skin Being an average Black person in South Carolina it's very different than being well-known in South Carolina," Lattimore says He would watch the lights turn on in someone's eyes when it dawned on them who he was and who he had been on a football field "Now I'm a completely different human being." Fans continue to embrace Staley at South Carolina which she has led to three national titles and is vying for a fourth this weekend. Sean Rayford/Getty Images Dwayne McLemore/The State/Tribune News Service/Getty ImagesThere was a shift Lattimore started to do things such as attach his name -- this name that meant so much to so many people -- to petitions to remove Strom Thurmond's name from the campus fitness center Its rotunda is just as stately as the one on the actual Statehouse down the street; the exterior is bleached and practically sun-kissed And it bears the name of South Carolina's long-serving who is perhaps most famous for his 24-hour filibuster in an attempt to block the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957 The fitness center is just a 10-minute walk from Colonial Life Arena where one of the country's most prominent Black coaches walks the sideline Lattimore couldn't square how the university could implore young Black athletes to sign on to South Carolina then ask them to walk through the doors of a Strom Thurmond fitness center she took to the front of the building with other Gamecocks athletes to call for change "I don't know how you get any more simple than if something or somebody promotes racial divides it shouldn't be a part of our university and it shouldn't be part of our existence." plaques still bear Thurmond's name on the center; signposts welcome visitors to "the Strom." Lattimore knows -- with his name now bound to issues like the petition -- that he has surrendered some fans as he found his voice But since that afternoon in August 2020 when she pushed for the building's renaming * Kneeled during the pregame playing of the national anthem she took a knee alongside one of her players hoping to shield that player from public outrage "They're going to tear her ass up," Staley said she thought at the time * Publicly rebuked former NCAA president Mark Emmert for the inequities that went public -- and viral -- in the tournament's provisions for men and women athletes "There is no answer that the NCAA executive leadership led by Mark Emmert can give to explain the disparities," she wrote in a letter and posted to social media "The real issue is not the weights or the 'swag' bags; it's that they did not think or do not think that the women's players 'deserve' the same amenities of the men." making history as the first Black head coach in Division I men's or women's basketball to win multiple titles "I felt a great deal of pressure to win because I'm a Black coach," Staley said at the time you had enough to get it done but yet you failed.'" * Canceled a series with BYU after a Duke player alleged a fan in the stands shouted a racial slur at her during a volleyball match "After my personal research," she said in a statement "I made a decision for the well-being of my team." * Voiced support for transgender athletes to play on teams in accordance with their gender identity "I'm of the opinion that if you're a woman you should play," she said during last year's tournament "If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports * Endorsed Kamala Harris for president in a state that would go on to vote for Donald Trump by an 18-point margin * Became the highest-paid women's basketball coach in NCAA history "I look forward to continuing to be an example of how an investment in women's basketball is one that will pay off for everyone," she said in a statement after news of her contract broke "She just gets put into those categories of revered women in history -- partly because of what she's done on the basketball court but more because of what she stands for," Lattimore says If there's a list of top five most important South Carolinians ever In all of her stops and all her success in her playing and coaching career Staley's focus on community has stuck with her fans. C a group called Statues for Equality reached out to Rickenmann They wanted to talk to the mayor of Columbia about erecting a statue in town of a woman of import The country had so few such monuments -- Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Eleanor Roosevelt; Jane Goodall -- but they wanted more and did he have any ideas Rickenmann thought it ought to be downtown because Staley has never mattered only to basketball He figures it's only right that the statue -- like Staley -- command attention in a community space "I'm excited that we have a coach who has really embraced our community and at the same time has really empowered her athletes to stand up tall every day," he said in 2023 Though the city remains tight-lipped about its final destination one spot reportedly under consideration is at the corner of Gervais and Main Streets Jacobs used to walk this intersection downtown and get a message: You don't belong when the statue is unveiled sometime after this season it might face the building where the Confederate flag flew a decade ago and where a statue of Strom Thurmond still stands around the back facing off: the statue of a Black woman and coach who has won in and won over Columbia and the statue of a man who would not have welcomed her there "How can two truths exist at once?" Lattimore says She spends precious few minutes actually sitting in her seat in the season finale against Kentucky thrashing a rolled-up paper -- her constant companion on gamedays -- in the air stomping her right foot in staccato bursts as if she can't quite fathom how Raven Johnson could possibly miss a pull-up jumper "Maybe people would not expect a Black female coach and a white Southern sheriff to be friends," he says the way he sits in the car with her on the ride-alongs she's always requesting during the offseason showing up for this person who doesn't look like him or even think like him all the time "We're both at that level in our professions where you don't have a whole lot of peers," he says a smattering of players' families fill in Section 103 she wasn't all that thrilled at first at the prospect of her daughter choosing a school so far from home But Staley recruited LaShauna as much as she did Bree only her vision: that she'd love for Bree to join her in Columbia but the team was replete with good players so if individual accolades were their thing Bree announced her commitment to South Carolina the same day George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis While the country reeled in the days and weeks and months after LaShauna says that as Bree was figuring out how to feel she did know this much: She wanted to be close to Staley "There were times when Bree felt like she had been slighted because of the color of her skin," LaShauna says And this woman is going to help me become a woman but also get what I deserve.'" He was glued to a television screen playing a VHS highlight of Dawn Staley from 40 years ago and he's captivated by her still but on weekends as the afternoon tip gets closer he's steadfast: "I'm outta here," he tells his teammates when Leon Lott and LaShauna Hall leave the arena they pass by the stretch of Lincoln Street between College and Blossom named Dawn Staley Way when Jimmy Richardson heads to work at the center in North Philly if Gates swings by his old home court there they'll make their way between 23rd and 25th on Diamond Street This basketball player and coach and person the places she has been and the people still there will be with her Colleges this week began the process of asking professors for the information, which would be supplied for Florida’s newly formed cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, initiative. “Unfortunately, we do not have any additional insights beyond what was stated in Gov. DeSantis’s executive order forming the Florida DOGE,” Nathaniel Southerland, the vice president of academic affairs at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, wrote in an email to faculty Wednesday. “I remain confident that the information we supply will demonstrate that Santa Fe College is a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars.” Schools must turn over the list of published papers by April 18, according to the letter. “There is a huge cost associated with this. Immense resources that could be going elsewhere,” said University of South Florida engineering professor David Simmons, who serves as president of the school’s faculty senate. “Faculty research is already publicly available on databases like Google Scholar,” he said. “Right now, we don’t know why this has been requested.” DeSantis told state university leaders last month that the review was part of his offices effort find inefficiencies and make the public higher education system a “well-oiled machine.” He added that his team will be rooting out noncompliance with state laws over diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Ian Hodgson is an education reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, working in partnership with Open Campus. Ian Hodgson is the higher education reporter. Reach him at ihodgson@tampabay.com. Florida police earlier this month jailed a transgender woman who washed her hands in a women’s restroom at the Capitol was arrested by Capitol police March 19 on a trespassing charge after she alerted state officials that she planned to use the bathroom in protest of the law Lawmakers in 2023 passed legislation making it a criminal offense for some people to use restrooms in correctional facilities schools or public buildings that don’t match their sex at birth Rheintgen calls Florida a “home away from home” and said she felt disturbed at the idea she could be targeted for using a women’s restroom She sent letters earlier in March to Florida lawmakers warning them that she planned to use a specific women’s bathroom in the Capitol and included a photo of herself for identification “I know that you know in your heart that this law is wrong and unjust,” Rheintgen said in her letter “I know that you know in your heart that transgender people are human too “I know that you know that I have dignity,” Rheintgen said “That’s why I know that you won’t arrest me.” On the day Rheintgen planned to use the bathroom she was met outside by two officers who said they would try to work with her Rheintgen decided to use the bathroom anyway Officers in the restroom told Rheintgen that they would issue her a notice to appear in front of a judge officers said Rheintgen didn’t meet the criteria for a notice to appear Rheintgen said she was a little bit “sassy” when the officers were talking to her and she said she implied she might use the women’s restroom again The trespassing charge is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Florida on Tuesday decried Rheintgen’s arrest and said the law’s goal is intimidation. “The arrest of Marcy Rheintgen is not about safety,” said Nadine Smith, Equality Florida’s executive director. “It’s about cruelty, humiliation, and the deliberate erosion of human dignity.” Rheintgen, who said she’s a moderate conservative, was released from jail on pretrial release about 24 hours later. She said she regrets her experience and didn’t think she’d actually be arrested; now back at school, she said she has to find a way to fly back to Florida for further hearings. “Everything that is politics seems very abstract and philosophical from far away,” Rheintgen said. “This is the first time it’s really affected me. I got arrested and I got sent to jail because of Gov. (Ron) DeSantis’ policies — like that’s crazy, that’s crazy!" New College spokesperson Alexandra Nicole Islas confirmed that Piccolo was fired Wednesday after the school removed him from its website has been accused of sexually inappropriate behavior Piccolo was accused of exposing himself to a store employee at a Banana Republic inside Sarasota’s University Town Center Mall Piccolo was “using one hand in a stroking manner” while looking at the female employee according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrest report Piccolo exposed himself to an employee of Dillard’s in the same shopping center Piccolo returned to the store and again exposed himself to a female employee Criminal proceedings for the three cases are ongoing New College of Florida director of marketing and media was arrested on Tuesday for 'exposure of sexual organs.' [ Manatee County Sheriff's Office ]Piccolo’s father explained that his son’s “impulsive and compulsive behaviors including gambling and hypersexual activities” were side effects from medications used to treat early onset Parkinson’s disease “We are very sorry that any individuals were subjected to any inappropriate conduct and we will seek the medical and mental health services necessary to return him to the wonderful and caring individual we knew before this decade of medication he has endured,” Rick Piccolo said in a written statement to the Tampa Bay Times Piccolo previously worked as a spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis, resigning in 2020 after a controversial tweet about COVID-19 victims. Piccolo has worked for New College President Richard Corcoran off and on for over a decade, at least since Corcoran’s time as state House Speaker and, later, at the state Department of Education. Indecent exposure is a third-degree felony under state statute. the Hope Florida Foundation sent $5 million apiece to two separate organizations that gave millions to a political committee waging an anti-marijuana campaign championed by the governor laid out in campaign finance records and documents released to the Times/Herald by the foundation on Friday raise questions about whether the DeSantis administration diverted Medicaid dollars through Casey DeSantis’ key initiative to a political campaign The $10 million — deriving from a settlement with Centene the state’s largest Medicaid contractor — was split evenly between Secure Florida’s Future The committees sent $8.5 million that October to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee controlled by Ron DeSantis’ then-chief of staff, James Uthmeier. The committee was created to defeat Amendment 3 the failed ballot initiative that tried to legalize recreational marijuana The settlement with Centene — which some Florida Republicans have said may have been illegal — was signed Sept The grant proposals from Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society from Drugs were submitted to the Hope Florida Foundation on Oct The $5 million payments from the foundation to those organizations were made that same month according to an attorney representing the charity Campaign finance records show that between October and December, Keep Florida Clean diverted $10.5 million to the Republican Party of Florida, which campaigned against Amendment 3. Another $1.1 million went from the committee to the Florida Freedom Fund, which is controlled by Ron DeSantis. Uthmeier is also chairperson of the Florida Freedom Fund It’s not clear how much of the $10 million Centene paid to the Hope Florida Foundation ended up in bank accounts for either the Republican Party of Florida or the Florida Freedom Fund to track how dollars are spent as they move between political committees The flow of money from the charity to big-dollar contributors to the governor’s political causes is already stirring debate in Florida’s Capitol where House Republicans are digging into how the DeSantis administration is spending public money Republicans have said that the administration may have broken the law by steering millions of dollars to the Hope Florida Foundation from Centene The company entered into talks with the Agency for Health Care Administration after it was overpaid for Medicaid services DeSantis on Thursday said the $67 million settlement was “100% appropriate” and part of a “good deal” the state negotiated with Centene a Pensacola Republican who has been looking into the funding and operations of Hope Florida and its charity said in a statement Friday that the use of the $10 million “looks like criminal fraud by some of those involved.” “The questions I now have are what did Governor DeSantis know what did James Uthmeier know and who on earth thought this was legal Florida House Republicans on Friday sent letters to the DeSantis administration demanding text messages and other records about a variety of state programs Matt Gaetz’s show Friday night that the “digging continues.” The foundation has not turned over records about its structure documents that are required under state law “I think people are interested in knowing where the money went why it got there and how it was used,” Perez said who became a lawyer for the Hope Florida Foundation this month said the money paid to the foundation by Centene was not sent to political committees “I remain confident nothing was illegal and it is not a political organization,” he said of Secure Florida’s Future the organization overseen by the Florida Chamber of Commerce A spokesperson for DeSantis referred comment to his political committee A spokesperson for DeSantis’ Florida Freedom Fund said it was “absolutely false” that any of the $10 million ended up in the governor’s political committee or the effort to fight Amendment 3 A spokesperson for Centene said the company “had no part in or knowledge of any decision by the Hope Florida Foundation regarding the subsequent use of any Foundation funds.” The spokesperson said its donation to the foundation was directed by the Agency for Health Care Administration and approved by the Attorney General’s Office A spokesperson for Uthemeier, whom DeSantis appointed attorney general this year did not immediately respond to a request for comment Hope Florida is the first lady’s signature initiative aiming to get Floridians off government assistance by connecting people receiving government benefits with churches and nonprofits The Hope Florida Foundation is a charity created to financially help the Department of Children and Families carry out the program The foundation sent the $5 million payments to the two dark-money 501(c)(4) organizations after they submitted grant proposals do not detail how the money would be spent “These funds would be instrumental in developing and implementing strategies that directly address the substance use crisis facing our communities,” Amy Ronshausen, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs, wrote in the Oct. 18 grant proposal The organization board chairperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Mark Wilson, CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and its political committee, wrote in an Oct. 13 grant proposal that the money would “raise awareness of Hope Florida’s efforts within the private sector utilizing a data-centric approach and to recruit business community partners to advance this necessary cause.” A spokesperson for the Chamber did not address whether the money received from the Hope Florida Foundation was sent to Keep Florida Clean “The grant received from the Hope Florida Foundation is already making Florida better and more prosperous and will for years to come,” Wilson said in a statement the contributions could jeopardize the Hope Florida Foundation’s nonprofit status The prohibition of nonprofit political contributions gained wide attention nine years ago when Donald Trump paid a $2,500 penalty to the IRS and refunded his nonprofit foundation the $25,000 it gave to Pam Bondi’s reelection campaign for Florida attorney general. A charity such as the Hope Florida Foundation can make political contributions to fight a ballot initiative but it cannot be a “substantial part” of the charity’s “activity,” said Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel for the campaign finance watchdog Campaign Legal Center. If the charity violates those rules, it “could lose” its tax-exempt status, Ports said. more-than-two-hour House committee hearing top Florida officials said that the company owed tens of millions of dollars last year for overbilling the state for services The Agency for Health Care Administration wrote a $67 million settlement in which $10 million of that would be made by Centene as “a one-time donation” to the Hope Florida Foundation according to a copy of the settlement obtained by the Times/Herald money from those types of settlements has to be deposited into a trust fund or the general fund was never disclosed to lawmakers — raising the prospect that the DeSantis administration unilaterally steered millions of taxpayer dollars to the first lady’s initiative “That was a policy decision … that I believe was illegal,” Rep told Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris “We discover that state agencies are redirecting money secretly at the 11th hour in the legal settlement without giving us any notice,” he added Wednesday’s hearing provided more clues into a widening inquiry involving Casey DeSantis’ embattled top initiative, Hope Florida Hope Florida was launched in 2021 as an effort by Gov Ron DeSantis and the first lady to steer Floridians off of government services and toward churches and local nonprofits to collect donations and pay those churches and nonprofits Casey DeSantis’ name does not appear on corporate records for the charity Ron DeSantis is asking lawmakers this session to enshrine Hope Florida in state law as an office reporting to the governor. It would give his wife a major legislative win heading into campaign season this summer should she run to replace her husband as governor in 2026 It would also help assuage concerns by voters over her qualifications But the foundation has released no records about its donors or recipients and has not submitted any of the records about its structure ethics and oversight required under state law The Times/Herald reported Tuesday that a $10 million donation was mentioned in the foundation’s October meeting minutes. Both the settlement agreement and the meeting minutes were obtained by the Times/Herald. The agency has not answered the newspapers’ requests for the records. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said Wednesday that the transaction “looks as though it could be illegal.” He pushed back on criticism from DeSantis officials that the hearing was an “ambush.” He said they were asking simple questions. “How was the money received? Where did it go? How was it used? And why?” Andrade asked Harris multiple times Wednesday for details of the settlement before she answered. She said Centene notified the Agency for Health Care Administration that its pharmacy benefit manager had overbilled the state. The agency negotiated that $10 million of the $67 million would be a donation to the Hope Florida Foundation. Centene is the largest Medicaid contractor in Florida and serves more than a million Floridians. Harris said state law requiring the settlement money be given to the Legislature didn’t apply to the donation because it was a “separate contribution” under the settlement and wasn’t taxpayer money “owed to the state.” “Any monies owed to the state were paid back to the state,” she said. “This entity, Centene, made a separate contribution to the foundation.” Andrade said the notion it wasn’t taxpayer dollars was “offensive.” Centene was “overpaid taxpayer dollars,” he said. It settled with the state agency because of that “overpayment of taxpayer dollars.” So how did that money “suddenly” become “not taxpayer dollars?” he asked. “I’ve answered these questions to the best of my ability,” Harris responded. The settlement was signed by several top DeSantis administration officials: Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard, then-Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida, Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner Mike Yaworsky and Department of Health Chief of Staff Cassandra Pasley. Weida is DeSantis’ chief of staff. Spokespeople for Weida, Yaworsky and Pasley did not respond to questions. Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Jeremy Redfern said “donations to Hope Florida are not state funds” under the statute. He did not answer when asked to provide other examples of the attorney general diverting settlement money to charities instead of delivering it to lawmakers. What the $10 million is being used for is not clear. Harris and Agency Deputy Chief of Staff Mallory McManus, who was the foundation’s registered agent until Wednesday, refused to answer questions about the money during the hearing. Andrade called the foundation a “black hole.” “What I’m hearing from the secretary of AHCA is we have no idea what that money is to be used for,” Andrade added. “We have no idea why we did it. That’s not acceptable, secretary.” Harris and McManus struggled to explain what Hope Florida does or its accomplishments. The initiative has produced no detailed data or metrics to show how it’s steering people off of government aid, where those people are located or what aid they are no longer receiving. Lawmakers asked who was in charge of the state’s Hope Florida program. The answer was no one. When lawmakers asked why the foundation had not filed any records, they directed the questions to the foundation. Amid the questioning, Harris implied the House lawmakers didn’t support the agency’s “overall goal of helping families.” “It’s kind of sad, right? Genuinely,” Harris said. “This is the goal of helping individuals get back on their feet. I don’t know what’s wrong with that.” Some lawmakers seemed offended by the remark. “I want to take umbrage at the insinuation that we don’t care about families,” said Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman, a Tampa Republican. “We care about families, and we care about families receiving good health care.” McManus said in a statement afterward that it was “concerning how little Representative Andrade understands about Medicaid, as demonstrated in his performative committee hearing today.” Andrade said afterward that the state’s responses were “very frustrating.” He said he wanted answers on “how this $10 million was spent, or why on Earth” the agency “felt justified” in sending it to the foundation. “If we can’t get information … I think at some point, a subpoena would be valid,” Andrade said. Hilaire family moved to the Sunshine State North Shore roast beef sandwiches with James River sauce "People in Florida are passionate about grouper but for it's a whole different ballgame," says Dan St who runs the charming spot with his wife Linda and daughter Jennifer "So we wanted to bring a little bit of New England here." WATCH: Beef & Sea in Riverview brings a taste of New England to Tampa Bay Word of mouth is spreading for the charming restaurant with the Maine fishing village vibe It's drawing in newbies ready to try Northeastern fare like whole shucked fried clams and thinly sliced roast beef sandwiches — and bringing in Boston transplants happy to see a familiar plate it feels like home and it tastes like home," says Dan For more of Sean's "Daly Discoveries," follow him on Instagram at @seandalytv. For more on Beef & Sea, go here. Cai Culpepper is a great example of how in track and field It’s her finishes that have gotten a lot of attention this season In her first year competing for Tampa Prep this freshman has already broken school records in the 200 and 400 meter dash She set a tone in the postseason by breaking her own 400 meter record at the district championships Was she born with this talent or is it something that she’s developed over the years “But then I have to put in the work to use my gift Cai’s work ethic is something that sets her apart from the others And it’s that hard work that shows up in her results so when I come on the track I feel comfortable enough that I put in what I need to put in here,” she said It’s what she’s been doing from a very early age Spectrum News first introduced you to Cai two years ago when she was the fastest preteen in the nation She was breaking records then and setting the stage for her prep career Now she is lighting up the high school scene and has her sights set on the Olympics “It’s like my mind is blank and I’m just letting my body do what’s it’s used to doing,” Cai said forcing Tampa Bay to finish with 10 players   Hannah Keane of the Tampa Bay Sun celebrates her goal in the 13th minute of a 1-0 victory over Dallas Trinity FC Sunday at Riverfront Stadium in Tampa [ Mike Carlson/Tampa Bay Sun FC ]By Ella Zinken Times staffPublished Yesterday|Updated YesterdayTAMPA — The Tampa Bay Sun is more than the 11 players in their starting lineup head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said Sunday at Riverfront Stadium because they had to play much of their game against Dallas Trinity FC down a player The Sun lost captain Jordyn Listro in the 25th minute after she received the first red card in the history of the first-year USL Super League Tampa Bay was able to make Hannah Keane’s early goal stand up in a 1-0 victory “There’s a lot of depth on this team,” Schilte-Brown said Listro was ejected for a “violent conduct” foul that resulted from a collision with Dallas captain Amber Brooks Jordyn Listro of the Tampa Bay Sun receives a red card in the 25th minute the first ever handed out in the USL Super League [ Mike Carlson/Tampa Bay Sun FC ]Schilte-Brown said she didn’t think the call was correct “at all.” “I think Amber Brooks is one of the smartest players on the pitch,” the coach said A red card results not only in an ejection for the player who receives it but also a suspension for the next game (The Sun will be permitted to start 11 players.) Schilte-Brown said the Sun plan to appeal the red card Listro “is not that kind of person or player,” the coach said Keane gave the Sun the only scoring they would need with a goal into the top left corner of the net in the 13th minute “I think we do play better when we score first and start off strong,” Schilte-Brown said The goal was the second for Keane since returning from a ruptured patellar tendon in her right knee April 5 against Fort Lauderdale. She sustained the injury in March 2024. “We just tried to take the opportunities that were given to us,” Keane said, “and we did on one, and it’s all we needed.” The game became a defensive battle, with Sun goalkeeper Sydney Schneider making five saves to preserve the shutout. Sun goalkeeper Sydney Schneider celebrates after making a save to help preserve the shutout victory. [ Mike Carlson/Tampa Bay Sun ]“I’m doing my job. That’s that’s what I’m there for,” Schneider said. “But I have their back and they have mine, and I’m just going to roll on that.” She had to do it with only nine players in front of her for the final 74 minutes, including stoppage time. “It’s not the best situation, and you don’t want that,” Schneider said. “But at the same time, I have confidence in the people in front of me, and I hope they have confidence in me that we can, no matter what minute, play a man down and just be disciplined, believe in each other, and that’s all we did.” They did so despite the chaos created by the game being pushed back a day due to weather-related travel delays for Dallas, the controversial red card and relentless pressure from the Trinity. With the win, the Sun (10-6-9) took sole possession of third place in the USL Super League standings, two points ahead of Spokane and Brooklyn, and moved within one of second-place Dallas, with three games remaining. The top four teams will make the playoffs in the Division I professional women’s soccer league’s inaugural season. at Lexington (Ky.), 7 Saturday Streaming: Peacock Tampa Bay's draft class will work out with the team's undrafted rookies and it will be the first bit of football for the team since the playoffs in January Everyone has something to prove in rookie minicamp but there are certain storylines that intruige us as the Bucs gear up to see what their rookies can do We've picked out three players here we're going to keep an eye on once the festivities kick off on the weekend and the rookies suit up in red and pewter Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison walks with his team during warm ups / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORKBenjamin Morrison's production speaks for itself — he's put up nine interceptions in 31 games at Notre Dame and the Bucs are looking for that turnover prowess as he's had two hip surgeries and one shoulder surgery across his football career The hip surgeries were apparently corrective surgeries but he'll have to prove his game speed and athleticism have remained during his recovery at rookie minicamp when he covers wideouts like Emeka Egbuka Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders reacts in the second quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys / Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesSanders is the only undrafted free agent on this list but he comes with a lot more baggage than most UDFAs do He's the son of Deion Sanders and the brother of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders There's already been a lot of noise around his arrival in Tampa Bay but he was an inconsistent safety at Colorado and struggled in coverage He'll look to prove that he can play football with NFL talent and that he's worth the fame that comes with his surname and he has his first shot to do so at rookie minicamp Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson runs against the Ohio State Buckeyes Vasquez-Imagn ImagesTez Johnson has a lot of potential as a prospect grabbing 20 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Oregon weighing in at 154 pounds at the NFL Combine but his elite and agility convinced the Bucs that he could be a great player — and he'll have a chance to do so at rookie minicamp and his next step is to convince the Buccaneers that his size won't be an issue at the next level — The 151st Kentucky Derby has come and gone with Sovereignty taking home first place Churchill Downs isn’t the only place that held races on Saturday Hundreds of people made their way down to Tampa Bay Downs “There’s something about watching live horses race,” she said Moore came all the way from Sarasota to see Saturday’s races It’s not just the races that people come to the track for Federal bankruptcy Judge Roberta Colton ordered that Leo Govoni pay a $5,000 daily fine for every day that he fails to comply with court orders to provide personal and company financial records She gave him a deadline of May 12 to come into compliance before she will recommend to a federal district court that criminal contempt proceedings be launched Govoni will also be required to pay legal costs for the time attorneys have spent pursuing his records The money was never repaid forcing the nonprofit into bankruptcy and leaving trust fund holders with no money for medical and living expenses. Govoni, who has been ruled liable for the missing money the Internal Revenue Service and the Securities and Exchange Commission Court orders compelling him to produce the documents were put in place in March after Govoni failed to comply with subpoenas issued as far back as September by the legal team working for bankruptcy trustee Michael Goldberg Attorneys pursuing his business and personal assets said that his delays have allowed him to hide or move assets being sought by the bankruptcy trustee. Colton was scathing in her criticism of Govoni, saying his violation of court orders that his own attorneys agreed to was egregious. “Any claim that he was not aware of what was required falls on deaf ears with this court,” she said. Govoni did submit a fact sheet for his personal finances but it omitted the names of companies that he had previously testified in court to having an ownership stake in. It also did not mention a family trust set up in 2018. Colton described the document as “a complete waste of paper.” “It’s amazing it was given under oath,” she said. Govoni’s attorney, Buddy Ford, admitted that their client was not in compliance with court orders but that their client has instructed them to subpoena his accountant and his general counsel, Jonathan Golden. “There have been efforts made,” Ford said. During the two-hour hearing, Govoni was questioned under oath by attorney John Dicks. Govoni responded to many questions about his assets saying he did not know the answer and that his former accountant, John Witek, had those details. Witek has refused to take his calls, he said. Dicks told the court that the Clearwater businessperson‘s delaying tactics had allowed him to sell and move assets that could have been part of the bankruptcy estate and sold to raise money to help the victims. That included properties that netted $1.6 million. “Every time we need more information, we get stonewalled by Mr. Govoni,” Dicks said. “He has never cooperated in 12 months.” Another concern was that Govoni in March filed dissolution papers for more than half a dozen of his companies, including some that were already under a restraining order. One of the companies already dissolved is the listed owner of a property that the trustee is marketing for $3 million, Dicks said. That will complicate title transfers and further delay any sale. This Cessna 525A 8-seat twin-engine jet was purchased by one of Govoni's companies in 2014. He later sold it for $3.4 million. [ Courtesy photo ]Govoni was questioned about a May 2018 trip to Antigua and to Turks and Caicos recorded in the travel log of his private jet. Was the short turnaround trip made to set up foreign trusts, Dicks asked. Govoni responded that he did not remember being on that trip that may have been a flight chartered by a client. He was also forced to testify on how he was able to afford to buy ownership shares of companies. He responded that he had multiple successful businesses, including investment advising firm Boston Asset Management, for whom his brother, Mark Govoni, was a money manager, and Big Storm Brewing, the craft beer business he ran with his son, LJ Govoni. He said that Boston Finance Group, his firm that received the trust fund money, lent money to other companies and to lawyers and litigators. That testimony may have been of interest to FBI investigators and Department of Justice attorneys who sat in the public benches throughout the hearing. A forensic accountant’s report shows that trust fund money wired to Govoni’s Boston Finance Group was then distributed to other roughly a dozen companies that Govoni owns, including transfers totaling $16 million to Big Storm. Megan Murray, an attorney with Underwood Murray who is representing creditors of the nonprofit, read statements from several families whose trust funds were emptied. One was from a woman whose injuries mean she cannot swallow or chew and is in “desperate need” of surgery. The delay in finding Govoni’s assets has had a “profound effect on her quality of life,” Murray said. Another was from a grandmother who cares for her injured grandson and can no longer afford to pay for his clothes and medicine. Speaking after the hearing, Murray welcomed the finding of contempt and said she hopes it will force Govoni to cooperate with bankruptcy attorneys. “It feels like complete disregard for the victims and what they’ve been through,” she said. Christopher O’Donnell is the health and medicine reporter. He can be reached at codonnell@tampabay.com. violent and arbitrary as Sunday night’s Clearwater Ferry crash was it also seemed like an obvious crime scene Onlookers watched as the boat that slammed into the ferry drove away Police later found the boat and its driver nearly 4 miles away Retrieved footage soon revealed the seconds leading up to the crash — that boat driving a clear path directly into the ferry One person, Jose Castro, 41, was killed despite the abundance of eyewitnesses and footage it’s unclear how the criminal investigation will proceed or whom The online outcry only grows: Why hasn’t an arrest been made the boater who says he was driving when he hit the ferry Complicating the case is where it took place: on water. Investigations into maritime crashes are often complex and take time, usually far longer than highway collisions. So what comes next? And who, if anyone, could be held responsible? Amid the bedlam of a crash, law enforcement must first address the safety of everyone involved, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Capt. Matthew Dallarosa. Only after the waters calm and everyone is accounted for can officials retrace events. It’s difficult, because evidence can float away. “Vessel accident investigations are very different than vehicle accident investigations,” Dallarosa said during a news conference Monday. “Tides and winds shift everything around.” Wildlife officials typically use lidar, a technology that creates high-resolution models, to map damage and piece together the scene, Dallarosa said. In this instance, Dallarosa said investigators also must consider the size and weight of each boat to determine how the collision played out. Matthew Dallarosa, center, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, flanked by Evan Laskowski, left, also of FWC, and Clearwater police Chief Eric Gandy, right, speaks during a news conference Monday after a deadly boat crash involving a Clearwater Ferry on Sunday night. [ CHRIS O'MEARA | AP ]Spend your days with HayesSubscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter The boats themselves present a challenge Unlike cars that are largely made of steel which can bend and be more resilient in crashes a former captain for the wildlife commission and maritime law adjunct professor at Florida State University said he’s seen investigations take as long as a year “It depends entirely on the accident,” Richard said City footage of the crash shows the recreational boat plowing into the back of the ferry The Coast Guard captured the chilling distress call underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Law enforcement found Knight and his boat about 3½ miles away Wildlife officials said Monday they were working with the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office to determine whether Knight had committed a hit-and-run leaving the scene of a boat crash involving death is considered a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison Leaving the scene of a car crash involving death is considered a first-degree felony we’re committed to working those charges all the way through,” Dallarosa said disputing the notion that Knight had committed a hit-and-run Hayslett’s letter states that immediately after the crash Knight directed a passenger on his boat to call 911 and that person remained on the line for nearly 12 minutes He also tied his vessel to the ferry to stabilize it and render aid and the mother of an 8-week-old on board pleaded for “immediate transport,” leading Knight to motor to shore Hayslett reiterated that Knight directed passengers on his boat to call for help The letter included sworn statements from some of Knight’s passengers a passenger described hearing Knight yelling a Palm Beach defense attorney and former Florida Bar president said it’s important not to jump to conclusions in this type of case “If his boat and his occupants were in danger that certainly is something that needs to be taken into consideration because you don’t want to increase the tragedy here,” Suskauer said a Miami-based maritime lawyer and University of Miami adjunct professor “so far as he or she can do without serious danger” to their own boat Karcher said it will be up to law enforcement to determine whether the crash is considered a hit-and-run The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office will have the final say in whether it will bring charges The State Attorney’s Office has previously declined to comment on the case Law enforcement has not said what factors may have contributed to the crash particularly as Knight’s previous history has surfaced One major question has arisen: his sobriety Knight has a history of run-ins with the law He has been arrested three times on charges of driving while impaired He pleaded no contest each time and received probation and fines In 2012, Knight was on his yacht, Pure Knight Life, in the waters off the Renaissance Vinoy Resort with a group of friends after a night of partying, police said, when one of them fell off the boat. The man hit his head on the way down and drowned The Medical Examiner’s Office found the man had alcohol and cocaine in his system Knight cooperated with law enforcement after the ferry crash and consented to a Breathalyzer A blood test would show if he’d had drugs in his system officials would only say that they intend to provide an update soon An investigator leads Jeff Knight up a gangway at the Belleair boat ramp south of the site of a crash involving a Clearwater Ferry on Sunday CLIFFORD | Times ]Florida law requires that for law enforcement to force someone to provide a blood sample they first have to observe certain attributes This gives them what’s known as “probable cause” to forcefully take a blood sample Richard said such a test requires a search warrant signed by a judge unless there’s no possibility of getting one before a person sobers up When asked by the Times about the significance of officials asking Knight to voluntarily take a Breathalyzer test Suskauer agreed that this likely meant officials didn’t have probable cause to draw blood there most likely would have been an arrest immediately for boating under the influence .. there needs to be a thorough investigation,” Suskauer said Karcher said certain rules on the water are expected of boaters “They have their own rules of the road in terms of boats approaching each other what direction they’re coming from,” Karcher said This week, Rodney Barreto was reconfirmed as the chairperson of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission despite public opposition stemming partly from how the agency handled a Biscayne Bay boat crash that killed 17-year-old Luciana Fernandez The Miami Herald reported on flaws in the investigation, which led officials to reevaluate their initial misdemeanor charges against the boat driver and charge him with felony vessel homicide. Legislation dubbed Lucy’s Law would increase penalties for certain boating violations, including leaving the scene of a crash involving a death. The legislation would increase the penalty for leaving after someone died to a first-degree felony, which carries up to 30 years in prison. The bill was passed by the Florida House and Senate and awaits approval from the governor, according to reporting from CBS News Miami. Richard, the former wildlife investigator, said it’s too early to speculate if charges will be brought in this case. Law enforcement officials investigate a crash involving a Clearwater Ferry at the Memorial Causeway on Sunday. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]However, he described a series of scenarios law enforcement and attorneys must consider if they were to do so. Under Florida law, if someone operating a boat is found to have violated navigation rules ― a set of more than 30 created by the federal government, but adopted by Florida law — and injuries or death have occurred, the punishment is a second-degree misdemeanor, up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Navigation rules include such things as maintaining proper lookout or maintaining a safe speed, measured by the ability to avoid a collision or to be able to stop. Wildlife officials said they are unsure how fast the boats were going, but the crash investigation will likely give them clues. Where the collision occurred, there was no speed requirement outside of safe operation. “Now, if it’s reckless and you end up killing somebody, it’s vessel homicide; it’s a felony,” Richard said. Florida law makes a distinction between “reckless” and “careless” operation of a boat or vehicle. “Careless is an accident that results from ignorance, inattention or stupidity,” Richard said. “Reckless requires a state of mind.” Richard said that for a jury to convict, prosecutors must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that an incident occurred while a person knew what they were doing was dangerous. It must be willful, he said. “I’ve never talked to the operator of this boat,” Richard said. “I have no idea what his mental state is, and at this point, I don’t think anybody else does.” Times staff writers Jack Prator and Emily Wunderlich contributed to this report. Michaela Mulligan a climate and environment reporter. Reach her at mmulligan@tampabay.com. Put him in front of 26 big-leaguers, and apparently he’ll say the same thing. Manfred visits with every team at some point during the season, and on Friday he showed up at Yankee Stadium for a chat with Rays players in the clubhouse before batting practice. As he has said publicly in recent months, Manfred told players he was optimistic about Tampa Bay’s future. “He seemed positive,” said closer Pete Fairbanks, who is Tampa Bay’s union representative. “I mean, so much of this is speculation, right? But overall, I would say his response was positive.” Going back to last fall, when Tropicana Field’s roof was destroyed by a hurricane, Manfred said MLB was “committed” to fans in Tampa Bay. He’s reiterated that position several times since then and said last month that owner Stuart Sternberg needs to come up with a plan to “go forward,” because playing indefinitely at a rebuilt Tropicana Field is not feasible. “He wants baseball to be in this market,” Fairbanks said. “I think the league, from what it seems, wants to have a team in the region.” Fairbanks, who asked multiple questions of the commissioner during the meeting, did not want to discuss specifics about the conversation. “My questions were not in regard to stadiums being built or anything like that,” Fairbanks said. “It was more just making sure that we’re taking into consideration everything that’s involved.” Rays outfielder Josh Lowe mingles with teammates before a game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday in Tampa. He has been out since opening day with an oblique injury. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]Josh Lowe has hit a snag in his rehab. The Rays outfielder, who has been out since opening day with an oblique injury, was scheduled to take live batting practice Friday and then play in a Florida Complex League game on Saturday. Instead, Lowe had a back spasm on Thursday and it wasn’t feeling any better on Friday, so he was given a trigger point injection designed to alleviate painful knots. The hope is that he will only be shut down for a couple of days. The spasms had nothing to do with the oblique injury. “He had the injection, we sent him home, and we’ll see how he responds,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We were hoping he was going to wake up feeling better (Friday) morning, and he did not. So, we went ahead and said, let’s get the injection and it should resolve pretty quick.” The Littell methodAfter back-to-back rough starts in early April Zack Littell has been much more efficient recently Littell has a 3.18 ERA and two quality starts in his last three appearances Littell has only eight strikeouts in his last 17 innings He had 14 strikeouts in 17 innings in his first three starts while compiling a 6.88 ERA the lack of strikeouts is not necessarily alarming to him the best possible outcome is a swing-and-miss,” Littell said “Not putting the ball in play at all takes all the other stuff that could happen out of the equation But it’s not something I’m out there on the mound thinking about If I’m navigating the lineup and we’re getting guys out of the box on four or less pitches and I’m at an 80% clip on first-pitch strikes I’m just not concerned with the rest of the stuff.” Chandler Simpson hit into the first double play of his major-league career in the third inning Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera was playing on the grass for a possible bunt and got a tailor-made ground ball Simpson hit into only six double plays in 994 minor league at-bats … Rain is in the forecast for Saturday although the heavy stuff is not supposed to hit until later in the afternoon Rain could be a bigger issue for Sunday’s game … Jose Caballero was picked off first base in the second inning Considering Yankees starter Max Fried has more pickoffs than any other pitcher since 2017 and Caballero led the majors in getting picked off in 2024 Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs John Romano is the sports columnist, offering his opinion on all Tampa Bay sports franchises. Reach him at jromano@tampabay.com. Fla — Benson Boone announced he is coming to Tampa for the American Heart tour this fall Tampa is one of three dates he has scheduled in Florida as part of his world tour Pre-sale tickets go on sale starting May 7 and the general on-sale will be May 9 at 10 a.m More information on tickets can be found here. is the new WBA super flyweight world champion after recently earning a major decision win over Mexico’s Regina Chavez Artiga (13-0-1) is undefeated in the boxing ring with six wins coming by the way of knockout Artiga is Tampa’s first native-born major boxing world title and belt holder ABC Action News sports anchor Kyle Burger sat down with Artiga to find out what it takes to become a world champion “You have to dedicate your whole life to this sport,” Artiga said You have to give up a lot of things people aren’t willing to give up for it.” That dedication led to her earning the WBA world title belt “This is the biggest belt you can win in boxing,” she said “It is the oldest belt and most recognizable belt in all of professional boxing.” but she didn’t start boxing until the late age of 21 was on his way to a promising boxing career before sacrificing his world championship dreams for his daughter’s dreams “I did used to hit the heavy bag and hoped my dad could hear I was hitting it hard enough to put me in boxing,” Jasmine said “After working with her for about six months I realized that she really had what it took,” Eddie said “My wife went by what I said and ‘Eddie wouldn’t lie.’ He’s not a little league coach that thinks his son is going to prosper what it's not there.” Eddie is in Jasmine’s corner for every sparring session and whenever she’s hitting the bag “I’m lucky to have a father who has dedicated my whole life Not too many fathers would do that,” Jasmine said “I want to cry just talking about it,” Eddie added “It’s a beautiful dream to give your daughter all the input you know.” which includes her 94-year-old grandmother “I just gained guardianship of my grandma,” Jasmine said but I knew she was going to make it,” Mercedes said “I knew it was my job to get her a world title and become a world champion while she is still with us,” Jasmine said Now that Artiga is a world champion and belt holder she has a platform to give back to the younger generation She runs a kids' camp in Brandon three days a week She started doing this during the COVID-19 pandemic to get kids outside and active “It definitely gives them something to look up to,” she said It can be anything you put your mind to that you love enough I want to show the kids the right way to do it Artiga begins the class with warm-ups and stretching before she grabs a duffle bag filled with boxing gloves from the trunk of her car “We’re going to go two minutes,” she yelled to the group The kids work on their form and footwork by punching the wall they take turns sparring with the world champion “She’s out here training other people when she could be out there doing her own thing “I can see the same kids that I was like,” Artiga said I can instill confidence in them through the sport of boxing.” The Bucs are pretty well-positioned across the board but there are still improvements that need to be made in order for the team to become the best version of itself NFL.com columnist Judy Battista believes that the team needs to add a pass rusher. READ MORE: Bucs hand biggest UDFA deal in the NFL to rookie who just picked up football Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby looks on against the Atlanta Falcons / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesBuccaneers still need a pass rusher"The Bucs are the least-heralded among the consistent teams in the NFL," Battista wrote "They've won the NFC South four years in a row including twice with Baker Mayfield after winning the Super Bowl with Tom Brady The offense will have yet another new offensive coordinator following the departure of Liam Coen but the concern for the Bucs last year was defense They were 29th against the pass and had just seven interceptions If that's what Benjamin Morrison (Round 2 the Bucs are in position to stay atop an improving division as long as Mayfield and the offense keep rolling." The Bucs could look to see if a pass rusher they brought in for undrafted free agency will fit the bill or if a veteran on the open market could fill a void bringing in one or two players to challenge the status quo wouldn't be a bad idea for the Bucs as they go into the season Much of the focus this offseason has been on what the Bucs were going to do to fix their defensive woes last year and while they didn't necessarily go as heavy as some may have thought on that side of the ball they were able to add in free agency by signing Haason Reddick READ MORE: Buccaneers star named best at position in NFL by Super Bowl champ Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Emeka Egbuka is selected as the No / Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesThe Bucs undoubtedly improved their roster from a season ago but it will be up to the entire team to work together to make sure they can make a deeper run in the playoffs especially with the likes of the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons breathing down their neck in the NFC South experts and fans alike like to see where the landscape of the NFL is and in FOX Sports' David Helman's post-draft power rankings he had the Bucs standing pat as the ninth-best team in the league Do you agree with @davidhelman_'s post-draft power rankings?Check out the full story: https://t.co/6xYKXBCbD1 pic.twitter.com/x6IAHtPm1a Tampa Bay has what it takes to be one of the best teams in the league but will need to come together as a collective unit if it wants to make a run at the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy Adding elite-level players through the draft isn't always easy but the Bucs prioritized production in the 2025 NFL Draft with the hopes that they can come in immediately and contribute to the goals set out by the team READ MORE: Buccaneers' $52 million cornerback named cut candidate after NFL Draft • Analyst believes Texas UDFA can make Buccaneers roster • Bucs hand biggest UDFA deal in the NFL to rookie who just picked up football • Buccaneers rookie Shilo Sanders goes viral after roasting dad Deion Sanders • Predicting the Buccaneers’ primetime games in the 2025 season The Yankees will look to claim the rubber match over Tampa Schmidt’s next start is due for Tuesday assuming all goes well but Volpe will miss his first game of the year this afternoon in the rubber match with Tampa The Yankees seem to have avoided the worst-case scenario with both Schmidt and Volpe, a relief since Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be out at least a month But it’s been one of those series which can feel like work to watch dragging you down to sluggishness like a muggy Will Warren will try to put some pep back in the Yankees’ step though a threatening forecast reminds us we're still in spring It’s true that Warren’s numbers to this point in the year aren’t very pretty He’s got a 5.63 ERA over his first six starts averaging just four innings per appearance One thing I’ll give him though: he’s always kept the Yankees in it even when he hasn’t had the best day on the mound he allowed all four runs the O’s would score in their eventual 4-3 win with a Ryan O’Hearn bomb really hurting him but the Yankees were still in it until the end the Yanks will hope Warren can give them five or more The Bombers saw Taj Bradley very well during that series in Tampa tuning him up for six runs on nine hits with four walks sprinkled in Bradley’s ability to get the strikeout has diminished in recent starts: after posting seven Ks in each of his first four trips through the rotation he’s failed to collect more than three in a game since Hitters are slugging .509 on his bread-and-butter fastball this season The Yanks’ order has slight spring training vibes Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza bringing up the rear behind the regular starters Peraza will substitute for Volpe at the six The weather report predicts scattered showers throughout the afternoon and evening in New York today and a delay of unknown length has already been announced Stay tuned and we’ll let you know when things get started — if indeed they do Please be advised we do not intend to start today’s game on time For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook Sunday Series Finale. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/oREsVWmBwW Almost Taj time pic.twitter.com/PN8bJJsw3e COMMUNITY PARTNER That’s So Tampa has been the most trusted local resource for discovering All Things Good in Tampa Bay His resignation came the day before the school’s board of trustees had planned a special meeting In a letter to her fellow board members last week Chairperson Marilyn Pearson-Adams wrote that the Gov Ron DeSantis’ Department of Government Efficiency found that PHSC was second to last in student retention among the state’s 28 public colleges “I found this very alarming for our institution especially with our campuses situated in two of the fastest growing counties in the state,” Pearson-Adams wrote she directed criticism toward Pisors for not disclosing the declining enrollment “especially considering our continued requests over the past 12 months regarding this type of information and data.” According to analysis provided to the school by the state DOGE team nearly 60% of students enrolled last fall did not return in this spring The low retention resulted in a revenue loss of up to $10 million The DOGE report also indicates that more than 10% of students were denied a diploma for failing to meet graduation requirements in the past three semesters In a February executive order on efficiency DeSantis said he expected state colleges and universities to help “identify and eliminate unnecessary spending “In terms of the bureaucracies and administrative are we a well-oiled machine or is there room for improvement?” DeSantis said at a March meeting of state university leaders Last month, the governor’s office asked all colleges and universities to hand over a detailed list of grants and research conducted by faculty over the past six years. Andrea Brvenik, the college’s general counsel and vice president of government relations, will act as interim president until a permanent replacement is chosen.