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A guide to fun things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend.

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Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporter Selene San Felice.

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Florida abortion ballot initiative hits threshold for state  Supreme Court review

The group needs more than 800,000 signatures by February to get it in front of voters in 2024.

News

Citing issues with tenure, loss of DEI, Florida faculty members want out

Nearly half of Florida respondents said they planned to find jobs in other states within the year.

Latin tech accelerator seeks Tampa Bay talent

Tampa Bay's Latino and Hispanic population has boomed in the last decade along with the area's tech industry.

Business

Bite club: St. Petersburg's new Azúcar Cuban Café

The menu offers breakfast and lunch, along with an array of desserts and coffee.

Food and Drink

How working from home has impacted Tampa Bay

More than 21% of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area employees were working from home as of 2022.

A good chunk of Tampa Bay is working from home, and that could change the way our area looks.Why it matters: Workers in America&#x27;s biggest, most competitive cities aren&#x27;t giving up the flexibility and savings — in both time and gas money — of working from home, Axios&#x27; Sam Baker and Simran Parwani report.

Illustration of an office cubicle with a roof like a house.

Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state

The pitch included $25 million in incentives like tax breaks and grants but ultimately flopped.

Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to bring a major gun manufacturer to Florida using millions in state money, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new report" data-vars-click-url="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-tried-to-give-25-million" data-vars-content-id="c06928f4-9966-48dc-8e44-9f9b4de6ac82" data-vars-headline="Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-tried-to-give-25-million" target="_blank">new report</a> from Orlando journalist Jason Garcia.Why it matters: The pitch included $25 million in incentives like tax breaks and grants but ultimately flopped because the CEO doubted that the Sunshine State could develop a skilled workforce, per the report in Garcia&#x27;s newsletter <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Seeking Rents" data-vars-click-url="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/" data-vars-content-id="c06928f4-9966-48dc-8e44-9f9b4de6ac82" data-vars-headline="Florida tries and fails to bring major gun manufacturer to the state" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jasongarcia.substack.com/" target="_blank">Seeking Rents</a>.

Illustration of a suited person's hand pointing a finger gun with a one hundred dollar bill dropping from their finger

Remembering Lucy Morgan, a titan of Florida journalism

Morgan died Wednesday from complications from a fall. She was 82.

Lucy Morgan had stories. The kind that won her a Pulitzer Prize and countless other journalism awards but also the behind-the-scenes tales that made her decades-long career so iconic.<ul><li>There was the one about the subject of one of her fiery investigations (maybe) poisoning her cat, or the one <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="about how she got into journalism to begin with" data-vars-click-url="https://flpress.com/hall_of_fame/lucy-morgan/" data-vars-content-id="bd188d39-74ad-4316-b784-810133d11262" data-vars-headline="Remembering Lucy Morgan, a titan of Florida journalism" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://flpress.com/hall_of_fame/lucy-morgan/" target="_blank">about how she got into journalism to begin with</a>: a newspaper editor had heard from a local librarian that she read more books than anyone else in town.</li></ul>

A group of seven people, six women and one man, smiling and posing for a photo at a restaurant. In the background, a poster says "Burgers and buckets $5"

Tampa Bay Rays announce deal for new St. Petersburg stadium

The Rays are officially staying in St. Petersburg, for the price  of $1.3 billion.

The Tampa Bay Rays are officially staying in St. Petersburg, for the price of $1.3 billion.Driving the news: The team announced Tuesday that it reached an agreement with the city and Pinellas County to move forward with building a new stadium as part of the Hines Historic Gas Plant Partnership.

Advocacy groups file civil rights complaint against Florida over Medicaid terminations

Hundreds of thousands of Floridians lost Medicaid since the state began dropping some enrollees in May.

UnidosUS, a Hispanic civil rights advocacy organization, and a dozen other groups filed a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="civil rights complaint" data-vars-click-url="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/60/c5/5728fa594647b95ddf9d1ced060b/ocr-complaint-fl.pdf" data-vars-content-id="66d77573-c598-462f-a940-c456539e7c38" data-vars-headline="Advocacy groups file civil rights complaint against Florida over Medicaid terminations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/60/c5/5728fa594647b95ddf9d1ced060b/ocr-complaint-fl.pdf" target="_blank">civil rights complaint</a> against Florida, alleging the state&#x27;s Medicaid redetermination process discriminates against minorities.Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of Floridians lost Medicaid since the state began <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="dropping some enrollees" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pro/health-care-policy/2023/06/13/biden-officials-states-medicaid" data-vars-content-id="66d77573-c598-462f-a940-c456539e7c38" data-vars-headline="Advocacy groups file civil rights complaint against Florida over Medicaid terminations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/health-care-policy/2023/06/13/biden-officials-states-medicaid" target="_self">dropping some enrollees</a> in May after the end of a pandemic-era policy that protected coverage.

Illustration of the state of Florida covered in bandages.

Tampa Bay and Florida get richer and more popular, census data shows

The state's population increased by more than 463,000 residents to over 2.2 million people.

<div><figure><iframe frameborder="0" height="485" id="datawrapper-chart-bQiKz" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bQiKz/1/" title="Change in estimated population, 2021–2022"></iframe><figcaption>Data: U.S. Census; Map: Alice Feng/Axios</figcaption></figure></div>Despite being a hotbed for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="controversy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/19/desantis-2024-trump-biden-florida" data-vars-content-id="4b6ea95b-5791-48fc-a840-c31db48c4dd3" data-vars-headline="Tampa Bay and Florida get richer and more popular, census data shows" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/19/desantis-2024-trump-biden-florida" target="_self">controversy</a> — and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="just plain hot" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/09/14/climate-change-extreme-heat-tampa-bay" data-vars-content-id="4b6ea95b-5791-48fc-a840-c31db48c4dd3" data-vars-headline="Tampa Bay and Florida get richer and more popular, census data shows" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/09/14/climate-change-extreme-heat-tampa-bay" target="_self">just plain hot</a> — Florida is still a top state to move to, according to census data released last week.State of play: Florida saw the nation&#x27;s highest population percentage increase, with Tampa Bay fueling that move. The median income also rose statewide.

New College president Richard Corcoran faces skeptical public at Tampa luncheon

Corcoran, a former state education commissioner, dismissed concerns a "ridiculously high" level of faculty turnover.

New College interim president Richard Corcoran addressed faculty turnover, student enrollment and his vision for the college during an at-times contentious luncheon Friday in Tampa.Why it matters: The event, hosted by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tampa Tiger Bay Club" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tigerbayclub.com/" data-vars-content-id="d0dc0b00-b9b0-40cb-8cc0-7cf592ae6dfc" data-vars-headline="New College president Richard Corcoran faces skeptical public at Tampa luncheon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tigerbayclub.com/" target="_blank">Tampa Tiger Bay Club</a> professional organization, featured a rare back-and-forth between Corcoran and members of the public, some of whom were alumni and parents of students at the public liberal arts college in Sarasota.

A man surrounded by reporters holding microphones and cameras. In the background, a red poster says "Tampa Tiger Bay Club."

Florida's post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick

Florida has long been a refuge for people living in southern states with abortion bans.

States near those that banned <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="abortion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/health/axios-explains-abortion" data-vars-content-id="1199d5de-7a5b-48b7-b7c2-1e899f0f9eab" data-vars-headline="Florida&#x27;s post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/health/axios-explains-abortion" target="_self">abortion</a> after Roe v. Wade <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="was overturned" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/blue-states-abortion-protection-roe-supreme-court" data-vars-content-id="1199d5de-7a5b-48b7-b7c2-1e899f0f9eab" data-vars-headline="Florida&#x27;s post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/blue-states-abortion-protection-roe-supreme-court" target="_self">was overturned</a> saw <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sharp increases in the number of procedures performed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/abortions-surged-state-bans" data-vars-content-id="1199d5de-7a5b-48b7-b7c2-1e899f0f9eab" data-vars-headline="Florida&#x27;s post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/abortions-surged-state-bans" target="_self">sharp increases in the number of procedures performed</a>, likely due to an influx of out-of-state patients, according to a new analysis from the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Guttmacher Institute" data-vars-click-url="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" data-vars-content-id="1199d5de-7a5b-48b7-b7c2-1e899f0f9eab" data-vars-headline="Florida&#x27;s post-Roe v. Wade abortion uptick" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">Guttmacher Institute</a>.Why it matters: Patients are proving highly motivated to travel to get the care they need, according to Guttmacher, a research organization that supports abortion rights. But for some, that involves overcoming logistical and financial challenges.

A map of the United States showing the estimated change in the number of abortions provided by the formal health care system comparing 6-month period of 2020 to January to June, 2023. Four states have seen increases of more than 100%, including New Mexico with change of +220% and Wyoming with 202%.

Pinellas County gym gives locals a chance to chase their ninja dreams

After watching "American Ninja Warrior," the Bergstrom family started building obstacles in the backyard of their Seminole home in 2016.

Things to Do

&quot;American Ninja Warrior&quot; just wrapped up its 15th season, but some of the show&#x27;s most successful ninjas are battling obstacles year round in Tampa Bay — and you can, too.Driving the news: Two local contestants found themselves competing in last week&#x27;s season finale, with 18-year-old Vance Walker from Pinellas Park taking home the $1 million prize.

Jason Bergstrom moves through an obstacle as his son Caleb watches

Test Drive: Selene tries her hand at becoming an American Ninja Warrior

I have the upper body strength of a wet noodle and the endurance of Eeyore.

I love watching &quot;American Ninja Warrior&quot; and felt inspired by Season 15 finalist Caleb Bergstrom&#x27;s words about &quot;being capable of more than you ever thought you were.&quot;<ul><li>So I decided to dip my toe into the waters with the adult beginners class at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jungle Gym in Pinellas Park" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/09/17/pinellas-county-gym-training-american-ninja-warrior" data-vars-content-id="ac1347c2-4171-4d80-a10b-5da65fd8e9fe" data-vars-headline="Test Drive: Selene tries her hand at becoming an American Ninja Warrior" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/09/17/pinellas-county-gym-training-american-ninja-warrior" target="_self">Jungle Gym in Pinellas Park</a>.</li></ul>

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