St. Petersburg leaders are headed back to the drawing board in search of a new management group to run the Mahaffey Theater.

Why it matters: Officials rejected the sole proposal submitted through a competitive bid process, leaving the city to take over theater operations for the first time in two decades.

State of play: After contract extension negotiations fell apart last year, 15-year operator Bill Edwards is set to depart May 10.

• Edwards declined to put his name in the ring to continue running the theater, instead opting to terminate his contract five months early.
• City officials turned their attention to the sole pitch, from St. Petersburg Arts Partners, a group helmed by St. Pete Catalyst publisher Joe Hamilton and his firm, the St. Petersburg Group.
• It listed Vinik Sports Group, Live Nation and venue management firm Oak View Group as partners but lacked formalized agreements with those collaborators.

Friction point: That was ultimately why members of a city evaluation committee rejected the proposal during a meeting on Monday.

• "I am concerned, as others have said, about what feels like a loose arrangement at this point," director of asset management Philip Lazzara said.

The intrigue: That didn't sit right with Hamilton, who told Axios he asked Mayor Ken Welch's office to review the evaluation process.

• "It would be very hard to look at this group who came together to lift up our Mahaffey — you'd have to try hard to tear it apart, and I think that's exactly what they did," he said.
• He emphasized his pitch brought together the region's biggest names in entertainment, including David Harb, who formerly held leadership positions with Live Nation and the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater in Tampa.
• Harb confirmed his involvement to Axios and said the city's decision "doesn't just miss the moment. It shows the process is broken."

The other side: City spokesperson Samantha Bequer said in a statement that committee members gave the group multiple opportunities to address their concerns.

• "Under the current proposal, there was no guarantee" that negotiations between the parties would lead to formal partnerships, she said.

What's next: City staff will seek feedback from industry leaders, then issue a new request for proposals, Bequer said.

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It's National Hurricane Preparedness Week — which unfortunately, means this year's storm season is not far behind.

Why it matters: Scouting for supplies now can save you headaches later.

Flashback: For a century, Tampa Bay had avoided a direct hit from a major hurricane — luck that, experts said, left the region and its residents unprepared and therefore vulnerable.

• Then came the 2024 season, a massive wake-up call. Millions lost power, and in St. Petersburg, some residents couldn't use the bathroom.
• Think of those days, and remember what you once wished for: a flashlight, maybe, or a battery-powered fan. Then, buy it.

The big picture: The Florida Division of Emergency Management created a disaster supplies kit checklist that includes food and water, first aid supplies, insurance documents, flashlights, batteries and medicine.

• You don't have to wait for a sales tax holiday this year — the Legislature permanently exempted several supplies, including batteries, portable generators, tarps, gas cans and smoke detectors.
• Many of these you can find at your local Walmart. You can use the store's app to see the most cost-effective options and where to find them.

💭 Yacob's thought bubble: I lost power after Hurricane Milton tore through the state, and among the things I wished I had then are: A rechargeable headlamp, a portable power station and a camping fan.

📬 What's on your hurricane wish list? Let us know at [email protected]!

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🔬 The Marine Science Laboratory on the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus may be a "total loss" after a fire broke out Saturday; no injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation. (WTSP)

🏟️ The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners has again delayed a vote on the planned Rays stadium at Hillsborough College, leaving May 20 as the final meeting before the team's deadline. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

🚔 The St. Petersburg Police Department is deploying a rooftop "Drone Hive" to respond to calls in real time, sending drones ahead of officers to help them navigate crime scenes safely. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Racial and ethnic health disparities exist in every U.S. state, including Florida, per a new Commonwealth Fund report out Wednesday.

Why it matters: No state has eliminated gaps in health care access, quality or outcomes between racial and ethnic groups — and researchers warn recent federal policy shifts are likely to widen them.

• Florida ranks 27th of 39 states for health system performance for Black residents, worse than the national average.

Zoom in: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders had the best health system experience in Florida, scoring in the 74th percentile nationally, while Black residents had the worst, in the 31st percentile.

• Over 20% of Hispanic adults ages 19–64 in Florida lack coverage, vs. 11% of white adults, according to the report. The state also saw 357 deaths per 100,000 from preventable causes among Black residents.
• About 26% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults in Florida went without care because of cost, compared to 10% of white adults.

The big picture: Nationally, rates of people skipping needed care because of cost are rising again after hitting record lows in 2021 and 2022, per the report.

• Black Americans continue to die from avoidable causes at higher rates than white, Hispanic, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Americans.

Go deeper: Read the full report.

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Why it matters: Your support keeps our coverage focused on the stories that shape your community, from major decisions to the moments that define daily life.

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