Tampa Bay's iconic private island home, 'Moontide Isle,' finally sold over the spring

Situated on its own tiny island in the Pithlachascotee River, Tampa Bay's famous "Moontide Isle" is no stranger to hurricanes. But after…

By Colin Wolf

Image: Tampa Bay's iconic private island home, 'Moontide Isle,' is back on the market
37 slides

After slashing $5 million from asking price last year, the most expensive home in Tampa Bay is now off the market

The only home in Tampa Bay to share a property line with Caladesi Island State Park recently slashed $5 million from the…

By Colin Wolf

Image: The most expensive home in Tampa Bay slashes $5 million from asking price
61 slides

12 ways to celebrate Tampa's 138th birthday during Archives Awareness Week

The National Archives marks its archives awareness month in the fall, but in 1992, the City of Tampa Archives Advisory Committee moved…

By Ray Roa

A crop from the July 10, 2025 cover of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
15 slides

'One of those things we need to embrace': Rodney Kite Powell defends Tampa's flag ahead of archives awareness week

Rodney Kite-Powell is always quick to give others credit, and he did that last month at a gathering of the city’s most-engaged…

By Ray Roa

 Rodney Kite-Powell likes the city’s official flag It was designed in the 1930s, meaning it’s almost a century old. “It was designed in a way to be, using our terms of today, ‘inclusive,’” he added, explaining how the colorful, busy, banner celebrates our city’s heritage. Designed by F. Grant Whitney, who worked as an engineer at Tampa Electric, the colors and lines all have meanings. The red, white, blue and stars rep the United States—and reference both the United Kingdom and Cuba. Yellow and red represent Spain while the green, yellow and red cover Italy. Red diagonal lines acknowledge the state flag of Florida. Native Americans are recognized, too. And if you turn the flag 90-degrees, there is a “T” to represent “Tampa,” complete with 16 stars for the 16 wards that existed at the time of its design. Turn the flag back, and there’s an “H” for “Hillsborough County.” Tip the flag about 45 degrees, and you see an “F” for “Florida.” “It really tries to represent the city as best it can,” he added. Sure, it’s not Chicago’s flag, and transplants from other cities are always trying to get rid of it, but Kite-Powell said it’s ours for better or worse, good or bad. “I think we have some things we have to kind of embrace, and I think the flag is one of those things that we need to embrace,” he said.
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Lake Wales' 100-year-old 'Maison sur la Colline' is for sale

A 100-year-old home has just hit the market with significant ties to Florida's architectural history. Built in 1925, the residence has been…

By Chloe Greenberg

Image: Lake Wales' 100-year-old 'Maison sur la Colline' is for sale
27 slides

Photos: At 'Alligator Alcatraz' opening, immigration and environment activists face 'Daddy' Trump lovers

President Donald Trump visited the Everglades on Tuesday, July 2 for the opening of Florida's so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" ICE detention center. Outside,…

By Dave Decker, Ray Roa

Image: Photos: At 'Alligator Alcatraz' opening, immigration and environment activists face 'Daddy' Trump lovers
51 slides

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After Florida 'Alligator Alcatraz' visit, Trump says he wants more states to build immigrant detention centers

President Donald Trump urged additional states to build immigrant detention centers following his tour Tuesday of the 3,000-capacity tent and trailer Everglades…

By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix

President Donald Trump participates in a walking tour of the immigration detention center nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' on July 1, 2025, in Ochopee, Florida.
23 slides

Photos: All the wet and wild people we saw at St. Pete Pride’s 2025 Sunday street festival

Saturday’s St. Pete Pride parade included hundreds of thousands of revelers lining Bayshore Drive on the downtown waterfront, and the party continued…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Partygoers outside Mari Jean Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 29, 2025.
67 slides

Photos: Every beautiful person we saw celebrating St. Pete Pride 2025

Organizers said that more than 350,000 people took to the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront last Saturday as the Southeast’s largest Pride parade…

By Ray Roa, Jorge Cordova

Image: Photos: Every beautiful person we saw celebrating St. Pete Pride 2025
67 slides

Photos: In the Everglades, hundreds, including Betty Osceola, rally against Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Despite environmental concerns and a lawsuit contesting its operation, construction of Florida's so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" is well underway in the Everglades. Last…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Betty Osceola speaks to a crowd of protestors on June 28, 2025 as law enforcement conducts security checks on vehicles entering the future site of 'Alligator Alcatraz' in the Florida Everglades.
70 slides

Photos: Tampa protestors join National Day of Action against Trump’s war on Iran

Until late last Saturday night, even the libs had to give Donald Trump credit for not throwing the U.S. into the kind…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Protestors outside Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse in Tampa, Florida on June 22, 2025.
78 slides

Photos: Everyone we saw partying like it's 1999 at Tempus Projects' Prince party

Gabe Echazabal's DJ set made it "Purple Rain" last Saturday at Tempus Projects' Prince Party fundraiser. The celebration at Ybor's Kress Collective—which also…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Image: Photos: Everyone we saw partying like it's 1999 at Tempus Projects' Prince party
55 slides

'Security isn't built on children's corpses': Tampa activists rally against Israel's ongoing conflicts [PHOTOS]

Thousands of "No Kings" protesters took to the sidewalks outside Tampa City Hall last Saturday, but the demonstrations didn't end there. Less…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Protesters in Tampa, Florida on June 15, 2025.
85 slides

Photos: Tampa 'No Kings' protesters face MAGA protestors and Proud Boys

Anti-Trump protesters in Tampa joined largest mobilization against his second term last Saturday, and at one point were faced with Trump supporters and…

By Dave Decker, Selene San Felice

Protesters outside Tampa City Hall in Tampa, Florida on June 14, 2025.
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St. Petersburg among more than 70 Florida cities taking part in 'No Kings' protests

In the largest mobilization against the policies of the Trump administration since the president returned to the White House in January, Floridians…

By Jackie Llanos, Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix

Protesters near Tyrone Mall in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 14, 2025.
12 slides

Photos: Tampa activists against ICE raids face MAGA counter-protesters

Anti-ICE and pro-Trump protesters fought in downtown Tampa last Monday afternoon. A couple hundred anti-ICE protesters descended on Tampa City Hall in…

By Selene San Felice, Dave Decker

Image: Photos: Tampa activists against ICE raids face MAGA counter-protesters
106 slides

Photos: Activists hold vigil outside Miami’s Krome ICE detention center, which is accused overcrowding

From Tallahassee to Miami, immigration is driving communities to action, and last Saturday, May 24, activists from a coalition of groups working…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Krome Detention Center in Miami, Florida on May 24. 2025.
56 slides

Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater mayors join forces for mental health program [PHOTOS]

It can get lonely at the top—just ask the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Last Wednesday, Jane Castor, Ken Welch…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

(L-R) St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Titus O'Neil, and Clearwater mayor Bruce Rector at The Westin Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida on May 28, 2025.
43 slides

Photos: Pinellas activists hold die-in in front of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s St. Pete office

In many ways the Democratic party in Florida feels dead to progressives, but their fighting spirit is still intact. Protests continue to…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Protestors in St. Petersburg, Florida on May 27, 2028.
48 slides

Column: Meet the gay people protesting St. Pete Pride

Not every Pride protester is a homophobe with a megaphone and a cardboard sign reading “REPENT.” This year, a large contingent of…

By Valerie Smith, The Sapphic Sun

PPC formed in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, and Israel’s ensuing attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
20 slides

Photos: In Tampa, activists commemorate 77th anniversary of the Nakba

The last two years have been especially hard on Palestinians, but many who’ve fled the country remembered another difficult period in their…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Image: Photos: In Tampa, activists commemorate 77th anniversary of the Nakba
50 slides

Photos: Tampa Bay Abortion fund holds ‘Superstar’ fundraiser at Shuffle

A bunch of “superstars”—that is people who support the work of Tampa Bay Abortion Fund (TBAF)—were out in Tampa Heights last Friday…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Image: Photos: Tampa Bay Abortion fund holds ‘Superstar’ fundraiser at Shuffle
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Tampa photographer Dave Decker among finalists in North American AAN Awards

For six years, Dave Decker’s photos have captured the ups and downs of life in Tampa Bay, but the Tampa-based photographer has…

By Ray Roa

Orlando police use chemical agent on pro-Palestinian protesters at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida on May 11, 2024.
10 slides

Photos: Democratic lawmakers pack Sarasota town hall to blast Republican Rep. Greg Steube

Republican Greg Steube won re-election to his U.S. Congressional seat with 64% of the vote, but that didn’t stop two Democrats from…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Sen. Chris Murphy (L) Rep. Maxwell Frost at Harvest House in Sarasota, Florida on May 10, 2025.
27 slides

On Mother’s Day, Tampa activists hold vigil for mom deported without 17-month-old daughter [PHOTOS]

Less than a month after taking to downtown Tampa to call for her return, activists spent Mother’s Day continuing to support Heidy…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Carlos Sánchez holds his daughter, Kailyn, at Centennial Park in Ybor City, Florida on May 11, 2025.
33 slides

Here are the 14 people who’ve applied for Hillsborough County’s DOGE committee

Hillsborough County residents—including career Republicans, entrepreneurs, and a guy who sued the county—want to help audit its spending as part of a…

By Selene San Felice, Ray Roa

Gov. Ron DeSantis at The Vault in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 24, 2025.
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Photos: Activists recreate Ybor City’s 1937 antifascist women's march

Ybor City’s antifascist history came back to life last Tuesday evening when a few dozen activists walked to recreate a 1937 march…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Image: Photos: Activists recreate Ybor City’s 1937 antifascist women's march
89 slides

100-year-old home designed by Tampa City Hall architect hits the market for $1.7 million

An iconic piece of Florida history has hit the market near Central Florida, for just one of the few times since it…

By Chloe Greenberg

Image: A 100-year-old home designed by the architect responsible for Tampa City Hall, is for sale for $1.7million
31 slides

Photos: In Tampa, hundreds gather for Ybor City May Day protests

Labor union advocates have been rallying on May Day for more than 130 years, but this year’s demonstration took on more meaning.…

By Selene San Felice, Dave Decker

Protestors in Ybor City, Florida on May 3, 2025.
101 slides

Photos: Activists, family, rally for Tampa woman deported to Cuba without her infant

Florida is at the front of Trump’s immigration efforts, with ICE just boasting about arresting nearly 800 people in a recent four-day…

By Ray Roa, Dave Decker

Carlos Yunier Valle, with his 16-month-old daughter, outside the federal courthouse in Tampa, Florida on April 26, 2025.
24 slides