Floridacentral Credit Union to present sports park<\/p>\n
PINELLAS PARK \u2014 Sprowls Horizon Sports Park and The Sports Facilities Companies announced a multi-year partnership with Floridacentral Credit Union, which becomes the official presenting partner of the region\u2019s newest state-of-the-art sports venue. The complex will be known as Sprowls Horizon Sports Park presented by Floridacentral Credit Union.<\/p>\n
As part of the agreement, Floridacentral Credit Union also receives naming rights to the facility\u2019s premier championship field, modeled after Philadelphia\u2019s spring training ballpark. The field will be called Floridacentral Championship Field and will serve as the home for all tournament championship games at the complex.<\/p>\n
The partnership includes integrated branding throughout the complex and venue logo, digital assets, and community initiatives designed to support youth sports development and local families.<\/p>\n
The sports park will host a two-day grand opening celebration on Feb. 28 and March 1. The free, public event will include family-friendly activities, live entertainment, on-field activities, youth exhibitions, partner activations, food and more.<\/p>\n
The venue features six brand-new turf fields, six batting cages, a grass multipurpose field, a ball hockey rink, a community playground, modern amenities, and year-round programming for baseball, softball and other sports.<\/p>\n
Famed environmentalist brings foraging tour to Eckerd<\/p>\n
ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 Environmental activist and author Robin Greenfield will speak at Eckerd College\u2019s Fox Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
The lecture will address Greenfield\u2019s mission to forage 100% of his food as a way of focusing on underutilized wild resources. Greenfield believes the Earth can provide us with everything we need. For one year he is foraging every bite of his food and medicine. \u201cNature\u201d is his garden, his pantry and his pharmacy.<\/p>\n
His presentation will share insights and practical knowledge to help take individual action and come together to move forward in a path of living in harmony. In each community, he will highlight local Earth Stewards, with a focus on uplifting Black and Indigenous-led food sovereignty initiatives.<\/p>\n
The Eckerd College Community Farm will join Greenfield\u2019s initiative by planting new trees on Feb. 11 and donating banana trees to neighboring community gardens. The EC Community Farm is a 1-acre sustainable farm and food forest situated between the soccer and baseball fields in the heart of Eckerd\u2019s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. It provides produce to the campus, while creating opportunities for hands-on education, service, and recreation.<\/p>\n
Local pup to play at Puppy Bowl<\/p>\n
ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 Two local puppies will make their national television debut this month when they take the field for Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XXII. One of those puppies needing adoption is Baxter, who was rescued by the Tampa Bay area animal rescue group Compassion Kind.<\/p>\n
Baxter is a 7-month-old puppy with a sweet heart and a playful, happy-go-lucky personality. He was found as a stray in Puerto Rico with three siblings. Weighing about 40 pounds, he\u2019s full of charm and endless affection.<\/p>\n
Animal Planet\u2019s Puppy Bowl is a platform to raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption, by having rescue puppies play and run on a mini gridiron.<\/p>\n
Every player in the Puppy Bowl comes from a shelter or rescue. Many find their forever homes because of the event. Since its launch, the Puppy Bowl has helped inspire countless adoptions and highlighted the incredible work of rescue organizations like Compassion Kind.<\/p>\n
To date Compassion Kind has saved more than 10,000 animals.<\/p>\n
Puppy Bowl 2026 will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discover, TBS, tru TV, Mas, and Discovery + on<\/p>\n
Sunday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
Doc Ford\u2019s raises $7,725 for Captains For Clean Water<\/p>\n
ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 HM Restaurant Group, which manages Doc Ford\u2019s Rum Bar & Grille, has donated $7,725 to Captains For Clean Water in honor of Storm Smart, supporting the nonprofit organization\u2019s mission of raising awareness and driving change to improve Florida\u2019s water quality.<\/p>\n
The money was raised $1 at a time from the sale of Send it South cocktails in 2025. The specialty drink program has raised a cumulative $11,072 since its introduction in April 2024.<\/p>\n
Sold at Doc Ford\u2019s four locations on the St. Peterburg Pier and Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg and Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach in Southwest Florida, Send it South is a mix of mango and silver rums, blue Cura\u00e7ao, pineapple and soda water.<\/p>\n
A grassroots nonprofit, Captains For Clean Water was founded in 2016 by fishing guides concerned about the impact of Florida\u2019s water management practices wreaking havoc on estuaries\u2019 unique plant and animal communities. The organization opposes the current-day procedure of discharging fresh water from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers \u2014 a practice linked to blue-green algae and red tide plaguing South Florida\u2019s waterways, threating human health and crippling its economy. Send It South references the group\u2019s campaign that advocates a return to the natural southerly flow of critical freshwater through the Everglades and into Florida Bay, a process now impeded by dams, dikes and ditches built over a century ago. For more information, visit captainsforcleanwater.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n City invites neighborhood leaders, residents to \u2018Lunch & Learn\u2019<\/p>\n ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 The city of St. Petersburg’s Neighborhood Relations Department is inviting neighborhood leaders and residents to take part in its 2026 Community Lunch & Learn Series, a bi-monthly program designed to share knowledge, build connections, and strengthen neighborhoods across the city.<\/p>\n The Community Lunch & Learn Series is held every other month from noon-1 p.m. Participants may attend in person or join virtually.<\/p>\n Each session begins at 11:30 a.m. with registration, with lunch served at noon. The learning session begins at 12:15 and ends with questions and discussion from 12:45-1 p.m.<\/p>\n The first session, on Thursday, Feb. 5, will highlight the resources available from the city to help neighbors organize community service projects.<\/p>\n Subsequent sessions will be held April 1, June 3, Aug. 5, Oct. 14, and Dec. 2.<\/p>\n St. Pete seeks input on preserving shoreline<\/p>\n ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 City officials are actively seeking input from residents, property owners, and stakeholders as it launches a comprehensive Seawall Master Plan to assess, preserve, and improve the extensive city-owned seawall system.<\/p>\n The Seawall Master Plan will evaluate the current condition of all municipal seawalls, prioritize necessary upgrades and long-term investments, and develop design alternatives for future improvements. In addition, the plan will explore opportunities to incorporate green infrastructure solutions and establish a clear funding and implementation strategy to guide future projects.<\/p>\n Residents will have the opportunity to attend a virtual public meeting, complete the online community survey, and explore the interactive story map to see project details and progress.<\/p>\n Virtual meetings will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10, and Tuesday, Feb. 17. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n Links to the virtual meetings and the survey can be found at https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/y5vynfep<\/a>.<\/p>\n Grants offer $5,000 to local artists<\/p>\n ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 The city has launched the Individual Artist Grants, designed to provide vital operational support to practicing, professional artists across all mediums and disciplines. Up to 15 local artists will each receive a $5,000 grant to advance their creative practice.<\/p>\n “Grants like this don’t just fund art, they nurture community, creativity, and hope,” said Jenipher Chandley, a St. Petersburg artist and past grant recipient. “Grants like this truly make it possible for meaningful work to happen and for creative voices to keep growing. I hope my words help inspire continued support for programs that nurture artists and the cultural life of our city.”<\/p>\n An applicant must be a working, practicing, professional artist \u2014 someone creating work consistently within at least the past 12 months \u2014 living or working in the city of St. Petersburg with plans to continue doing so following the grant award period. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.<\/p>\n Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. The grant award period is March 1, through Sept. 30.<\/p>\n Details about the Individual Artist Grant Program and the application can be found at https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/z2v32m58<\/a>.<\/p>\n SPC gains national honors for online bachelor\u2019s programs<\/p>\n St. Petersburg College continues to stand out in the latest U.S. News & World Report\u2019s Best Online Programs rankings, earning top regional and statewide recognition and delivering its strongest national performance to date.<\/p>\n Recognized as a top college in the Tampa Bay region, SPC earned the following distinctions in the 2026 rankings:<\/p>\n \u2022 Best in Tampa Bay \u2014 Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs<\/p>\n \u2022 Best in Tampa Bay \u2014 Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs in Business<\/p>\n \u2022 Best in Tampa Bay \u2014 Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs for Veterans<\/p>\n This is the sixth consecutive year SPC has ranked No. 1 in Tampa Bay for both Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs overall and for veterans. SPC\u2019s College of Business ranked No. 1 across the Florida College System and the Tampa Bay area, reinforcing the College\u2019s leadership in workforce-focused, career-aligned business education.<\/p>\n Nationally, SPC placed among the top 100 public institutions for Best Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs and among the top public colleges for Online Bachelor\u2019s Programs for Veterans, underscoring its leadership in high-quality, career-aligned online education.<\/p>\n St. Petersburg launches legacy business program<\/p>\n ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 The city has created the Legacy Business Program, a new initiative designed to celebrate the small businesses that have been integral to the community’s character and culture for more than two decades.<\/p>\n The program will designate eight long-standing businesses, one from each City Council district, as official St. Pete Legacy Businesses in recognition of their enduring commitment, resilience, and impact on the city.<\/p>\n “This program is the beginning of something special we want to establish for longstanding businesses in St. Pete”, said Tracey Smith, small business liaison manager for The Greenhouse. “We want to recognize community anchors, stores, and services that are a part of the city’s identity. When you think of St. Pete, you think of the experiences these places have created, the true legacy businesses of our community.”<\/p>\n Selected Legacy Businesses will receive public recognition and promotional support from the city, including:<\/p>\n \u2022 Official Legacy Business seal to display at their location<\/p>\n \u2022 A small ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring their history and community impact<\/p>\n \u2022 A feature in BurgBiz: Legacy Edition, shared on the City’s social media channels<\/p>\n The city will host a series of events, trainings, and panel discussions designed to address longstanding business needs. These sessions will cover essential topics including retirement and succession planning, effective social media marketing and storytelling, access to legal consultation, and support for navigating lease negotiations.<\/p>\n To qualify, businesses must have operated within St. Pete city limits for 20 or more years, be independently owned and operated, maintain good standing with all federal, state, and local laws and hold active Florida business registration and city business tax receipts.<\/p>\n The one-month application period for the first round of submissions began Feb. 2 and will continue through Monday, March 2. All entries will be reviewed, and the selection announcement will be made on Friday, April 17.<\/p>\n To learn more and apply, visit https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/m8j78a8t<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n City seeks applicants for advisory council<\/p>\n ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 The city of St. Petersburg is accepting applications for Standing Member positions on the Community Benefits Advisory Council. The CBAC is a non-partisan board that advises the mayor and city council on matters related to the city’s Community Benefits Program.<\/p>\n The Community Benefits Program requires developers to provide community benefits for projects that include City participation. Benefits may include activities in the following areas: affordable housing, environmental resiliency and sustainability, public infrastructure, equitable workforce development, equitable economic opportunities, and neighborhood health and safety.<\/p>\n The CBAC currently consists of four Standing Members: two appointed by the mayor and two by the City Council. Each Standing Member must be from a different City Council district.<\/p>\n The City Council is seeking applications from residents of the following City Council Districts: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, or 8. Mayoral appointments currently represent districts 3 and 5.<\/p>\n Standing Members serve no more than two three-year terms. They are required to file a Form 1 – Statement of Financial Interests annually. Additionally, when serving on a project-specific committee, members will be required to attest that they have no financial or other conflict of interest with the project under review.<\/p>\n