A new identity for a longtime Tampa shopping mecca, and get ready for 813 Day

This is Florida Matters Live and Local broadcasting from the Doctors Lorraine Rubus and Neil Frankel Studio at WSF in Tampa. I'm Matthew Petty. Well, big changes are finally coming to West Shore Plaza, at least we think so. A new owner has bought the shopping center with plans to redevelop it into a mixed-use space, but there's a little word on what happens next. What do you think about the plans for West Shore Plaza? What do you hope to see in the area? What stores do you want to stay? You can join the conversation by calling 813755. 6562 or emailing Florida Matters at WSF.org. And here to tell us more about what's going on is Ashley Kreitzer, editor at large of the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Ashley, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. So tell us about the plans for the shopping center. I mean, what is the vision to your understanding of this fairly valuable, I would say, piece of land? Sure. So listeners may recall several years ago, there were some really exciting renderings of a reimagined, redeveloped West Shore Plaza that represented the vision approved by Tampa City Council. And that is still the plan, even though that was the previous owner that pursued a rezoning request that would make way for this mixed use redevelopment. And when we say mixed use, we mean a mix of uses from hospitals and health care to what you may expect like hotels, retail, restaurants, office. space, it would be a true mixed use development like a Water Street, like a Midtown Tampa. That's still very much the vision. That hasn't changed under this new ownership group. When you say hospitals, are there some tenants already interested in that? Or is this, this is just like the kind of idea they have of almost like a business part, which may include some medical stuff too. But I mean, have you heard that there are some big hospitals interested in moving in there? I'm going to preface this with the fact that I don't have any insider knowledge, but it would be hard to think of a Tampa Bay health system that wouldn't want to be at that intersection because health care is just like a lot of other businesses. It's about visibility. And you're sitting right there at 275 and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Boulevard, West Shore Boulevard. You're also right next to some very affluent areas in Beach Park and West Shore. And it would be a home run for any kind of business, but especially a hospital that relies a lot on drive-by. traffic and since Florida got rid of the certificate of need program several years ago hospitals can build basically wherever they find land and we're seeing that most most frequently it takes the shape of standalone ERs right we have one on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Boulevard for Tampa General Hospital not that far from the main Tampa General Hospital so I think that you know it would I can't think of a health system in Tampa Bay that wouldn't be interested in going there. This may be getting a little bit too far into the weeds, but just remind me, what was the certificate of need? So previously when a hospital wanted to build a new location, you had to apply for the state or the state would make available a certificate of need. I'm losing the bureaucratic details because it's been so long. Well, thank you. But basically, the state had to agree with the hospital that there was a need for more hospital beds in that area. And that's no longer the case. The hospitals are no longer approved at a state level. Yeah, got it. Okay. So, I mean, back to the original plans, because this is going back.

couple years now. They got approval. This is the old owners, an Ohio-based firm. They got approval from the city in 2024 to redevelop the site. I mean, do we know why that just didn't go anywhere? Well, yeah, in one word, money. It is a very difficult capital markets environment. And You know, this was a group that had owned this mall, owned some other malls, and there's all kinds of reasons why it didn't go anywhere. But it really boils down to money. I think that they did look at some different capital partners, different ways to finance that. And, you know, no one thought they were going to do it on their own. They didn't have the capacity to do that. But it didn't work out in a partnership. There were a couple groups who took a look at it. And for whatever reason, as happens a lot in commercial real estate, it didn't come together. So this group, Tampa Base Third Lake Partners, has purchased the property. What more do we know about them besides the fact that they are local? So Third League is a very large investment firm and they have stakes in all sorts of things, all sorts of real estate projects all over the U.S. They're based in Ybor City. They're one of those companies that... flies somewhat beneath the radar because what they do is so big and so national and in so many things. But again, a big company with lots of real estate holdings across the U.S., and it seems like they're someone who is not only local and appreciates what that property is, they also have the financial wherewithal to pull off a redevelopment. Yeah, I mean, does that local knowledge, you know, familiarity with the area, does that... sort of mean the difference aside from the money which obviously is very important as you pointed out but is that one of the kind of key differences between them being able to actually realize a vision for this place It doesn't change their ability. What it changes is their local relationships with elected officials and regulatory staff at the city level. They're a known entity. They have local relationships. So it's not related to their financial ability to get it done. But the execution of these deals a lot of times comes down to local relationships and understanding the local market and what the market wants to see there. It's much easier to make that pitch if you are based in Ybor City. versus a New York developer that saw an opportunity. And that's not to discredit any New York developers. I just think there's a perception of any out-of-town developer versus a local firm. We're talking with Ashley Kreitzer, editor at large of the Tampa Bay Business Journal, talking about the West Shore Plaza plans. What do you think of the idea of redeveloping this plaza? Maybe you're a person who frequents the shops there already. What stores would you want to stay? What do you want to see come into that plaza? Join the conversation by calling 8137562 or emailing Florida Matters at WUSF.org. I mean, there has been chatter online about...

the shopping mall closing people are really hoping their favorite places stick around like the amc movie theater the magianos the besitos even some of the stores in the mall do we know anything about the future of some of those those locations it's far too soon to know anything about the future of those locations including probably are if you are one of those locations you're probably still in conversations and negotiations as to what your future presence on that property might look like, you know, Bacito is also under local ownership. The business journal office used to be across the street from there. We're all big Bacito fans. So I would like to see that stay. But I think it's just so early. And frankly, the inside of the mall, outside of that restaurant corridor, if you go there, it's become a pretty depressing place. Most shops are closed. It's not a lively, vibrant shopping destination by... by any means, which is to say what's there on that property now is not by any stretch the highest and best use of what that property could support. Yeah, it's always interesting seeing what springs up in malls that have sort of passed their prime in some ways. I was at a shocking mall. I can't actually remember the exact location of this, but this was in Orange County a couple years back. And on the outside, the mall looked pretty rundown. But on the inside, it had an amazing food court, which is just like really... you know, very popular. So sometimes you see something new coming in a little bit unexpected maybe beside just the anchor stores. You know, that's a good point. And there is a similar dynamic at West Shore Plaza. Curry leaves is an Indian restaurant that has been, it's been adjacent to the gas station right there at Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and West Shore for years. And I do know they recently expanded into the mall. And that's something a lot of folks are looking at. Is it going to stay in the mall? Is it going to have a bigger location in that future redevelopment? And I think that's the question is like, how do these tenants fit in to the future redevelopment? And I hope curry leaves stay. too. It's delicious. Yeah. Well, here's a quote from one of the store owners who spoke to Bay News 9. Eric Swope Wass, who is the owner of Urban Native Store, said, quote, the loss of anchor stores has hurt the foot traffic and now the misinformation on what's taking place at the mall because Third Lake Partners have made zero announcements about it. So assumptions have been made and the story is we're closed and we're not, end quote. So that's one store owner's perspective, but... I mean, Ashley, as you say, there isn't a huge amount of kind of information about what's happening. There may be some negotiations behind the scenes, but those kind of anchor stores, I mean, they are still very important, right? Like big brands, big names that are going to attract people there and then they may stick around and shop at one of these local stores while they're there. Anchors are important, but anchor, what is an anchor to a retail center has changed drastically, not just in the last 20 years, frankly, in the last five to 10 years, you know, where we used to see Sears and Macy's and Dillards as anchors, and they certainly are in some properties. You're now more likely to see something like a gym, maybe a movie theater, a large destination restaurant. That's what we consider anchors now. If you look at a restaurant,

development like Hyde Park Village, you know, who are the anchors there? I think there's a lot of, you could probably debate that depending on what your own preferences are, but they have things that repeatedly draw people there and then you stop in the smaller shops on the way. But none of them are large-scale department stores like we used to see at West Shore Plaza. Even if you look down the street at International Plaza, their newest anchor is Dick's House of Sport. It's a multi-level athletic store. It's nothing like the department stores of yesteryear. Yeah, quite specialised. And the point about cinemas, too, is interesting because there's been so much written about the demise of the cinema experience. But when you go see a blockbuster, like, I don't know, if you saw The Odyssey recently, one of those movies, I mean, some of them are pretty popular. They do attract a lot of people. And if you have a good location, then a lot of people are going to go see a movie and then maybe stick around, get a bite tweet at the same time. I think the movie theater conversation is an interesting one because it's a lot like what we see in bookstores and with readers. There may not be as many people reading or as many people going to the movie theater these days, but the people who are into those things are extremely into them. And they're... going multiple times in a week. You know, there's a reporter on our team who is a movie buff and is at the movie theater at least once a week has a membership, which I didn't know one could purchase to a movie theater. Yeah. So, but what one always wonders, like, how deep is the pull of these enthusiasts? You know, is it enough to support an operation like that? And that's what any developer has to figure out. Yeah, okay, so lots to keep an eye on there at West Shore Plaza. I mean, it has been a landmark for so many people since 1967, I believe. So it'll be interesting to see what goes in there, how that development shapes up, and whether there are some big sort of changes there in terms of healthcare and the like coming in. Ashley Kreitzer, editor-at-large of the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Thank you so much for your insights, as always. Thanks for having me. Well, coming up later in the show, 813 Day is a couple of days away. How do you like to show love to your city? Maybe you're on the lookout for some 813 themed deals, but maybe you've got some other ideas about what makes the 813 special. Love to hear from you on that. And we're also going to talk about how to protect beloved shorebirds, but first, the importance of voting for judges. That's when Florida Matters Live and Local continues. Stay with us.

Welcome back to Florida Matters Live and Local. I'm Matthew Petty. Well, the primary election is just one week away, early voting underway for that. And in the following days, we're going to have a couple of conversations about the different aspects of this year's voting for this election. We're calling it our election corner, and we're kicking it all off talking about a section of the ballot that may not get as much attention as it should, and that is voting for judges. And here to give us an explainer is WSF's own Megad Bowman. who is a reporter with the Your Florida team breaking down everything that goes on in Tallahassee and how it affects everyone, you and your neighbours across the state of Florida. Megan, welcome back to Florida Matters Live and Local. Well, hello. Now, we want to hear from you as well. What do you want to know about a judge before voting for them? Maybe you have even skipped a section of your ballast in the past because you didn't feel fully informed. You can join the conversation by calling 813755652. That's 813. 755662 or emailing Florida Matters at WUSF.org. So Megan, what should voters expect to see when they get to the judicial section of their ballot? Yeah, so there's going to be two types of decisions. The first is the judicial elections. So that's where voters can choose between two or more. candidates for trial judge based on their experience. And then there's merit retention, where voters decide whether an appellate judge or Supreme Court justice, who was appointed by the governor, should remain in office. So a yes vote for those means you want the judge to stay. A no means you don't. Yeah, okay. Florida has a closed primary system. We have talked about that in the past, and it can be a bit of a challenge for people who may be, you know, registered as a Republican or Democrat or no party affiliation when they, you know, they can only vote for certain candidates. But when it comes to judges, what does that all mean? Yeah, so that's a great question. So all registered voters can choose a judge. And that's because these races are all nonpartisan. So judges can't make promises like other politicians because they're supposed to remain impartial to politics and make their decisions based solely on how the law is written. in each case. So it doesn't matter what political party you belong to or don't. You can make your voice hurt on this. Yeah, I mean, to that point, there isn't always a lot of information about judicial candidates on the ballot. I mean, one thing I've noticed, I mean, it's probably true of other candidates and other races, too, but judges often seem to have some kind of pun on their... on their yard sign, right? And sometimes that's the only thing that you really know about a judge is just like if they have a certain name and they've got like a logo associated with that, like, oh, okay, that maybe I'll vote for them. But there's much more to judges that you probably want to know, but there are some rules about how they can campaign, not the way that other politicians do.

Definitely. Yeah, so since a judge can't claim a political party, it can make it a little bit more difficult to, you know, make your decision, right? In fact, a 2024 SACS media voter survey found fewer than half of Floridians felt confident in choosing a judge on the ballot. So what ends up happening is a lot of people will skip over. these choices on their ballot. And you shouldn't because it actually makes a difference to your life. Well, I mean, yeah, these are some of the most important races you'll choose. This is directly where, you know, you actually get to have a voice in making a change in the legal system and its effectiveness. So how many judges are on the ballot this cycle? So there's 40 circuit in county court races statewide. And there's 250 uncontested seats, which basically means those judges will automatically get or retain a spot on the bench. We're talking about judges on the ballot. Do you know which judicial races you'll be voting on? What would you want to know about a judge before deciding whether to vote for them? You can give us a call. The number is...

813756262. That's 813755652. Or email us. We're at Florida Matters at WUSF.org. So, I mean, we do actually have some tools to help people, right, Megan. There's a voter guide on WUSF.org, which journalists from WSF worked on to make it easier for voters to figure out what they need to know before they make that decision. What can people find in that guide when it comes to judges? So much, Matt, seriously so much. Voters can get information directly from the candidates on the voter guide, at least the ones that answered. I mean, we're talking from the governor's race to U.S. Senate all the way to school boards and, you know, what we're talking about now, judges. So we reached out to candidates and asked them important questions about how they'll rule the bench. So we asked. you know, what professional experience they have, what role their personal values will play in decision making, how they'll avoid conflicts of interest, how they balance precedent with evolving societal standards, and what barriers to justice they see in the current system and how they would address those. Those are pretty in-depth questions. Did we get some detailed responses from those judges? We actually did. All 16 county and circuit judicial candidates in the Tampa Bay Area you know, responded. Those are the trial judges. And for those that didn't answer, we pulled their info from other sources. So take Carlos Munoz, who's up for merit retention for the state Supreme Court. He didn't answer, but we did find all of his information from the Florida bar. And so we put that into the voter guide. So you still will get some information on him. So, you know, we found out he served on the staff of former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. He also served as Deputy General Counsel to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Now, the candidates for like the 13th, 10th, 5th, and 6th circuit judges who will be on Tampa residence ballots and also those in Pinellas will vote for a county judge. In the 13th district, Sarah Peacock and Luis Aguilla, they both filled out the questionnaire. So when asked about, you know, what role personal values should play in judicial decision making, both had very similar answers that a judge's own beliefs should not shape their ruling. And that really is the goal. A judge isn't meant to play the partisan politics game like politicians. They're meant to interpret the law as it's written. So for listeners who get their ballot and they see maybe a couple names, they know nothing about, what is the first thing you would tell them they should do? You should go to WUSF.org, of course, and go through our voter guide that we worked so hard on. I actually used it a few days ago to help me fill out my ballot. Yeah, I mean, as a consumer or as a voter, not a consumer, but as a

As a voter, like somebody who is, you're going through this process like all of us. So what has been the most kind of, I guess, baffling thing about, for you about voting for judges and how has this process helped you kind of figure out? Well, I think I was just like everybody else at the beginning. You know, it's like one of those things. It's like, I don't know who to pick. I don't know how to pick. I don't know even what to look at. So honestly, that voter guide was super helpful. I think also just understanding the importance of these races and really the impacts they have. That was very surprising too. And the fact that most of these are, you know, these races happen in the primary. So, you know, not very many of these will ever go to the general election in November unless there's a runoff, right? Yeah. So most of these are always, you know, done here. So if you're one of those voters who are like, oh, I'm not going to do the primary. I'll just do the general. You might not get a say in some of these. Yeah. So it's important to make sure. your voice is heard and vote in that primary, especially when it comes to judges. WSF Megan Bowman is with the Your Florida team, breaking down things in Tallahassee and how that impacts everyone across the state of Florida. We've been talking about judges on the ballot. It's part of our election corner series this week. You can find that voter guide on WSF.org. And Megan will be back later in the week to talk more about this primary election. Thank you so much for joining us, Megan. Thanks. It's time to get judgy, Matt. Time to get judgy. That sounds like a line from one of your Instagram reels. Still to come, we're going to be talking about 813 Day. Our people around Tampa Bay are celebrating everything that makes the 813 special. That's when Florida Matters, live and local continues. Stay with us.

Welcome back to Florida Matters Live and Local. I'm Matthew Petty. Thursday, August 13th is 813 Day, like other places using their area code to celebrate what makes them unique. Cities around Tampa Bay are leaning into 813 Day to draw attention to local businesses and attractions and events. I want to hear from you. What do you think makes our region worth celebrating? Are you on the lookout for some 813-themed deals? Maybe you're seeking out local attractions and businesses. You can call and join the conversation 813. 7556562 or email Florida Matters at WSF.org and with us to talk more. Maggie Weber is the Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement with a visit Tampa Bay. Maggie, thank you so much for stopping by. Thanks for having me. Also joined by Camila Zadier and Sorrelia Batson with the Rolling Proud Run Club. Camila and Sorrelia, thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you. And we're also joined by Gerylund Rumbaga, President and CEO of Plant City Chamber. Gerald, thank you as well. Yeah, thank you so much for having us. And we want to hear from you. What do you think about when you think about the area code 813? What do you think is worth celebrating? What do you love about the 813? Let us know by calling 813-7562 or emailing Florida Matters at WSF.org. Okay, so Maggie, how did this thing get started? A few years back, our team was seeing that a lot of different communities across the country and even locally, our partners across the bay, were doing these area code celebrations. And we really wanted to show our Tampa Pride, 813 Pride, and started this event last year. So this is our second annual bash this year, this Thursday on August 13. Okay, so the bash is actually a specific thing, right? So tell me more about that. Absolutely. So it's a huge event, free, open to the public, family friendly. It's downtown. in our Unlocked Tampa Visitor Center and right outside in Poe Plaza. We have over 38 partners. We have a live DJ. DJ Keys will be there. It's presented by Suncoast Credit Union this year, so we're excited to have their support. But there'll be food and bites, drinks from keel farms, samples from Berryhouse Brewing. We have a photo booth experience of a 1970s VW bus that's retrofitted into a cool photo booth from Good Times Roll. We have a lot of mascots that are coming out. Thunderbug, Soleil from Tampa Bay Sun. It's just a really fun event. We also have really cool, new color changing in the sun t-shirts this year. 8-1-3 shirts. So the first 50 people that come to our event will get a free t-shirt, but they'll be available for sale after that too. How does it change? What does it change to? So we have a great design of a lot of different landmarks of Tampa that you'll see. A bit of a pirate theme going there too. We do have, of course. We love the pirate theme, yes. Okay. But when you go in the sun just to kind of showcase sunny Tampa, Florida, it changes color. So it'll be the actual graphic changes color when you're in the sun. So the bash, though, is that indoors or outdoors? It's outdoors. Oh, okay. And it'll showcase sunny Tampa, Florida. Is there some shade, though, for folks who are a little sun adverse? Absolutely, yes. Okay. All right, so Camilla and Sirelia, talk about the Rolling Proud 813-day community event. What is it and where is it this year?

I think to start, not a lot of people know that Rowland Proud is a nonprofit organization. This is going to be our third year having this event. I think we're centering this event kind of around the things that we've been doing that focus on health and wellness, educational opportunity. And of course we do these things through running, but also our service and inclusive programs. This event, I think... the bright idea behind it was removing barriers to access to other health and wellness resources throughout Tampa and bringing those right to the community. This will be our second year having this event at Farrell Middle School. So we're really excited to bring some local businesses there. Again, some different health and wellness organizations. I think I'm going to struggle to name some, really. So just go back to the school. It's Farrow Middle School? Farrow Preparatory Academy. It's a girls' academy. Okay. And why that's school? I think that's where it's a big part of Roland Proud's roots. We started with some track days there across the track. It was a central meeting spot for us. Yeah, and not just being an essential meeting spot for us. Franklin, Middleton, we work with those schools a lot in that area. That is a bit of a lower income area of Tampa Bay. And, of course, with our event, when we're trying to remove the barriers of health and wellness, we have people like Walgreens coming out for free vaccinations. We have Hillsborough Health Department coming out. So, you know, specifically that area, why we choose this area is because we're... specifically trying to remove those barriers for those lower income families. Great. Yeah, we'll talk a little more about that, but let me bring Geraldine into this conversation. How long has 813-day been an event for plant city businesses? So same as Visit Tampa Bay. This will be our second year celebrating the 813 Area Code. We're strong partners with Visit Tampa Bay. And so when we saw that they were doing it for the Tampa Bay region, we kind of piggybacked off of them to be able to represent and bring more exposure to Eastern Hillsborough County. And what about the buy-in from businesses? Like who's part of it? Has it been difficult to get people to kind of take part? Or as soon as you said you were doing it, they're like, okay, yeah, we want in on this? Yeah, year after year we get more interest. We get more involvement. You know, as a chamber, we always want to shine light and give our businesses as much exposure as possible. And so this is just a fun way to not just celebrate our grassroots business here in Plant City, but to also bring tourism over to East County too. And so this year we have over 20 businesses that have submitted different deals. And it's not just on 813 day for us. We promote all week long. And so we do have businesses that started doing some of these specials. as of yesterday, and then some that are really pushing promotions for Thursday. All right. I've got a call coming in from Mia in St. Pete. Mia, you are on the air. What's on your mind?

Well, I celebrate 813 Day. It's my birthday, and then my first birthday up in Pittsburgh. But I lived in Tampa for 14 years, and I still have many, many friends over there. So I get to Tampa frequently. And just a little caveat in my younger years. I'm in my 70s now, but it's also Alfred Hitchcock's birthday. And every year for 813, we would have an Alfred Hitchcock caution party. for 813 day. But no, I love the bargains. Shop is one of my favorite four-letter words as well. Food. So I know what you're covering shopping and food. So, yeah, I will definitely participate. Any particular favorites when it comes to those deals you're on the lookout for? Well, I've been looking. In fact, a dear friend of mine sent me in Texas morning and say, let's do 813 day. And so I've been reviewing the different sites that have them and doing my compare and contrast. Yeah, okay. Well, that sounds good. Thanks for you call, Mia. If you want to join the conversation, the number is 813-55-6562. That's 813-755-6-2. We're talking about 813-day. What do you think is worth celebrating about the Tampa Bay region, the 8-13? So... Maggie, I mean, a lot of places do have these 813 themed deals, whether it's taking $8.13 off a price or selling something for $8.13 or whatever it may be. So tell us more about that. Exactly. Yeah. So if you can't come participate in person, there are so many other ways that you can experience and help support our local businesses on 813 Day. So there's plenty of deals that Mia and everybody else listening can go to, but it's at Visittampabay.com, and you'll see... Tons of different things. As an example, some highlights the Florida Aquarium. You can save $8.13 off of admission. Tampa Bay Sun is scoring $8.13 tickets, $8.13 tickets to watch their amazing professional women's soccer team in action. Predelina, you can sip on the restaurant's signature Sunset on Bay Shore cocktail, also for $8.13. And Ursula's History Shop, you can save 8.13% on Tampa Bay memorabilia this whole week long. Plenty of different deals that you can experience in. And hopefully bring some business back to Tampa and 813, obviously the area code and all of our local businesses. That's really the reason we wanted to do this. Help support these businesses, especially we were just talking about kind of this back-to-school week. It's a busy time for a lot of people. It's also a hot, sunny time for a lot of people. So this is a good boost to business right during a time where they might need it. Yeah. Gerald, you know. Aside from kind of like bringing people into plant city, do you find this event is more for locals or is it more about showcasing what's on offer for folks who may not be so familiar with Plant City? For us, I think it's a little bit of both. We definitely want to give our businesses exposure locally, but we also serve as Eastern Hillsborough's Tourist Information Center. And so we're always trying to attract more tourism, more foot traffic from all over the state, especially Hillsborough County, Central Florida. And so I think it's a happy medium, honestly.

When, you know, we were talking a little bit before we got on air, and you were telling me that the run club essentially started as kind of like a meetup, right? And now it's this much bigger thing. How did it go from a bunch of people just wanting to run to what it is now, this nonprofit doing all this sort of work for charity and for schools and other places? Well, we started off. I believe the first meetup was about like 11 to 20 people somewhere around there. During that summer is when run clubs got super popular. And we had just blew up. I'm talking we have 300, 500 people coming out every single week. So this was back in 2024? Yes, this is back in 2024. Yeah. So we had all these people coming out. And we were like, oh my gosh, this is a lot. There's a lot going on. But we were like, oh, my gosh, this is a lot. But we started throwing like social events for everybody to come out, more of the adults to come out and whatnot. We weren't too focused on like the community aspect of it. But, you know, we were just getting everybody in the run club together. But once we realized how much. of an impact we could actually make and how many partnerships that we could make, we decided, hey, you know, it wouldn't be a bad idea if we became a nonprofit. And we... like helped our community in a better way. Yeah, okay, so you just saw an opportunity and jumped on it. Absolutely. Camila, I'm just thinking about running and the fact that it's so hot in summertime, right? Do you have to take a break from some of the running activities over the summer? Like, is this a good place to run? I've lived in a lot of cities, and I think Tampa's a great place to run, not just because of the scenery, but because of the access to all of these communities, these running communities. We've had the chance to partner with even other run clubs. I think there's a high level of motivation to get out and enjoy Tampa in general. I think this has also been one of the fastest cities that I've found community, whether it's been in this fitness or athletic space or anything other than that. I definitely suggest timing your runs properly because if you go out a little too late into the morning, you're going to run into that heat. There is a sweet spot, but it fluctuates through the year. So it gets a little tricky. Like even for us, like during daylight savings, we've had to like move our runs a little bit just to give us a little bit more sunlight. But we do appreciate those cooler runs. Yeah. And in terms of the community day, do you find these events? Does that help grow your run club as well? People come along and they're like, okay, I want to join in the running as well? I think so. I think, too, people just think. All we do is run. We have a very competitive, I will say, walking group. I struggle to keep up with them. They will tell you I have to hit a little jog to keep up with our walking group. But I think we're inclusive. I think that's really what we've been trying to focus on. Like everyone that comes feels welcome. And as people come to these community events, they get to connect with us outside of just like a fitness space and they see it's something they may want to be a part of. Because I think.

to running in general can be intimidating for some people but when you don't have to do it alone um you're more inclined to try it and then you have a good time so then you stick with it and then now you're invested in the community as well and bringing more people in yeah strength and numbers um maggie what do you think makes tampa bay a good place to live work and do business like what is worth celebrating the eight one three in your book Sure. So I think 813 Day just lets us honor kind of all the things that make Tampa Bay amazing. And we've mentioned some of them here, that sunny Tampa weather, beautiful destination, fantastic restaurants and really just amazing cultural landmarks. There's so many things to experience and whether it's running with these ladies at Roland Proud or going to plant city to any of their businesses or anything that we kind of have been able to offer. It's just a great place to live and work. And obviously because we all get to call it home, it's such a special. special place, but it also is a great place for visitors. It's welcoming and it's inclusive and we're just happy to be able to kind of spread the word about all the great things that are here in Tampa. And Gerald, in the last 30 seconds or so here, beyond strawberries, what's a uniquely plant city thing from people who may not be so familiar with the place? So we have a historic downtown district that continues to grow. And so that's one of our highlights and focal points that we try to shine some light on anytime we're, you know, helping businesses with economic vitality. And so it's a great place to grab a coffee, chop out of boutique, grab a, you know, a cocktail to finish off your day. So our historic downtown district is definitely a place to visit. All right. So we're going to leave the conversation there, but I want to thank our guests very much, Gerald Rumberbaga. Gerald Rumbagh, I'll get that right the third time. President and CEO of Plant City Chamber, Gerland, thank you so much for being with us. Thank you so much for having me. We're also joined by Camilla Zayday and Cyrilia Batson with the Rolling Proud Run Club. Camilla and Sorrelia, thank you so much. And Maggie Webb, Director of Partnership and Community Engagement with Visit Tampa Bay. Maggie, thank you as well. Thank you so much. I hope people can come out and celebrate with us. Indeed. Well, coming up next, Shorebirds may not be everyone's cup of sea. In fact, a couple of people last month ruffled some feathers after allegedly spreading mothballs on the beach to drive away the birds. But we are going to talk about why our feathered friends need your help. Even if you'd rather not share your patch of sand. And with them, that's when Florida matters. Live and local continues. Stay with us.

Welcome back to Florida Matters, live and local. I'm Matthew Petty. Head to your nearest beach or lake or even a pond, and you'll definitely see some shorebirds. And whether it's a great white igret, a little blue heron or an Anhinga, they deserve the right to live, hunt, and nest in their habitats without harm. But apparently a couple of businessmen in St. Pete do not agree. Our officers arrested Robert Sazon and Christopher Monroe of St. Petersburg. on felony commercial littering charges and misdemeanor attempted take of a state listed imperiled species by harassment. This is a result of an extensive months-long investigation that began behind the Plaza Beach Hotel on St. Pete Beach. Well, they were recently charged for throwing mothballs onto the beach in an attempt to disturb the black skimmer colony nesting outside of their businesses. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found the men spent 60 bucks on moth balls and threw them out on the beach overnight at least two nights in a row. Black skimmers are pretty low in population in Florida out of the 6,800 said to be here 10% of them. do live in Pinellas County on the beaches. The head to tell us more is Melissa Edwards, Executive Director of the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. Melissa, thank you so much for being with us. Absolutely, I'm happy to be here. Also joined by Beth Forrest, Environmental Science and Biology Professor at Eckard College. Beth, I hope I'm pronouncing your last name correctly there, but thank you as well. Thank you so much for having me. Okay, so Melissa, let me start with you. Mothballs are toxic, right? So they're not good things to be sprinkling around on the beach, but what kind of harm would they cause to a shorebird if it came in contact with them? So, you know, typically, especially with the black scummers, they wouldn't necessarily be eating them, but they are full of chemicals and which could really, you know, impact the food resources in the area. And it really could, you know, have a negative impact, not on just the birds, but people's pets, people's children, you know, anybody picking those up. It's just not good to introduce things that aren't supposed to be in the environment. A lot of negative consequences definitely could have come from recklessly spreading chemicals like these mothballs. Yeah, I mean, Beth, there is some inconvenience, obviously, for human beachgoers when a section gets fenced off for birds or maybe turtles, for that matter. But how do you persuade those humans that it's worth it to protect these birds? We have a lot of people out on the beach that educate the public. And so we try to work with business owners and with people visiting. And we show them the birds. They get to see the chicks. They get to see them feeding. Usually the birds are on the upper beach. And in Florida, when the birds are nesting in the summer, it's so hot. Most of the people are going down to the water. So usually it's a compatible thing with a lot of education, I think.

Now, when you say the upper beach, you're talking about like the sort of dune area further away from the actual water. Exactly. Yeah, they don't want their nests to be overwashed and they lay their eggs directly on the sand. And so usually they're not at that area right near the water where most people set up. Okay, so Melissa, I'm wondering if this sort of thing happens on a regular basis. I don't think I've heard of mothballs being spread on a beach, but are there other instances that you could point to where people have said, I'm going to get rid of these birds one way or the other. I'd rather not have them around. You know, unfortunately, there have been some cases, like a lot of our local shorebirds, like the lease turns, they've had to resort to nesting on the gravel rooftops that we have here in Florida. And sometimes business owners can be a little, you know, upset that they're nesting there. There have been some cases, not locally, but in other areas in Florida where... you know, they were doing work on the rooftop and they just kind of recklessly collected the eggs and the chicks that were there and brought them to a facility without even, you know, contacting anybody, which can really do a lot of damage. So, you know, they're really not that inconvenient. We have to share our spaces. And unfortunately, the birds have to make a lot of changes, you know, in response to our disturbances and the urbanization of the areas they rely on for nesting. If you're just joining us on Florida Matters Live and local, we're talking about shorebirds and the need to protect them after a recent case where a couple of people were charged with spreading mothballs on the beach to disturb a colony of black skimmers. You can join the conversation. Maybe you are a shorebird aficionado or have some interest in these or questions about the shorebirds. Give us a call. 813756-6-2 is the number. That's 813755. 6562 or you can email Florida Matters at WUSF.org. Beth, tell us a little more, I should say, about the black skimmer. Why is it important to try and protect this bird? Yeah, so as you started off, we have about 6,000 to 7,000 black skimmers left in the state. It used to be a very common bird. It's a very unique bird. There's only three species like this where they're the ones that you see that are dark and they forge mainly at night. They have a longer bill on the bottom and so they go over the water until they feel a fish. And that's how they get their food. Now, in Tampa Bay, the largest colony, and I think it was the second largest colony in the state. was on St. Pete Beach, and it's been there since about 2013. So we have about 600 birds at that colony. It's 10% of the skimmers, but they actually do great in this location in most years. So it's actually a really neat thing. Are they migratory? Like, do they go somewhere else at some time of the year, or do they stick around year round?

They are the kind of bird that's in between being migratory and not being migratory. They're called a partial migrant. So some of them will stay about third stay in our Tampa Bay region. A third go south. A lot of them go to Marco. And then some of them go north even to like Cedar Key. I do put bands on them with unique numbers. And I've had people report seeing them in Mexico, Key West. even north in New Jersey. So they are only though nesting really from like the last week in April until through July. Are you actually asking people to call in if they spot one of their birds? Like if they see a bird and they're able to get close enough to read the number on it or is it just random when you get the sort of details about a bird that's far afield? Oh, no, absolutely. Bird banding is a great citizen science way to get data. And so people can post something. We even have a Facebook page, Florida banded birds, or there is the federal bird banding laboratory. It's really easy. You just get on. You don't need to make an account. You say, I saw this bird. The band was green. Maybe the combination was AO2. And then you would find out that that bird was hatched on St. Pete Beach in 2015. and has been nesting there ever since. Okay, so this is something for the real sort of bird nerds out there. And I'm sure there's lots of people who are into this kind of level of fine detail. Yes, and it's important for their conservation. I've been amazed. People who didn't even know it was a black skimmer, they said I saw a bird and I saw this green thing on it. And so I actually get recordings from people who know nothing about birds. They're just kind of curious. Melissa, you work at an animal hospital, right? So I'm wondering how often are you seeing shorebirds come into the hospital? It does fluctuate every year. Usually we'll see them more at the peak like spring and fall times when there's more of the migratory shorebirds coming through. This year we actually have gotten quite a few black skimmers in for a variety of reasons. We don't normally get a ton in, but this year we've seen more, and we've also gotten a few lease terms this year as well. A lot of times, depending on the time of year, we'll see during the fall time, especially we get younger shorebirds that are still learning the ropes. They're kind of dealing with the exhaustion and stress and not really feeding themselves well enough. So we get really exhausted shorebirds during that time of year. And we've also had shorebirds unfortunately impacted when we have red tide blooms in the area as well. Yeah, and I imagine hurricanes would probably cause some consternation for these birds too. It certainly doesn't help, yeah. That can definitely, especially if you already have a bird that's debilitated for one reason or another, those storms can really, really bring them down as well. Sorry, what was the other bird you mentioned? You said a turn of some sort?

Least turn, yes, which is another imperiled shorebird that we have here in Florida. Both the black skimmers and least turns are state threatened. Unfortunately, seeing population declines as a result of habitat degradation. What should people do if they see a shorebird in distress? I mean, you did mention sometimes folks will bring in a bunch of eggs from a rooftop or something which isn't necessarily very helpful. They should probably just leave them alone. But if somebody sees a shorebird that needs help, what should they do? So if you do see a bird that's, you know, not able to fly away or looks, you know, obviously injured, you see blood, you see a hook in line, anything like that, you can definitely give the sanctuary a call. We have a rescue team of volunteers that go out and respond. If you're also able to safely contain the bird, if you have, you know, a towel, a t-shirt, you can put them in a box that's ventilated and drive them straight to the sanctuary. We're in Indian shores. you know, to try to get that bird help as soon as possible. But a big thing too, unfortunately, you know, a lot of the shorebirds, they do need time to rest, especially during those migratory periods. So if you see, you know, congregations of shorebirds on the beach, it's tempting to want to run at them, let your dogs run through there, your children. Just leave those birds alone. Give them space. They need that time to rest. And Beth, you were talking about the sort of citizen science aspect of the bird banding, but what other things can people do if they're interested in helping out and they want to volunteer maybe or do something to help the livelihoods of these animals? In the summer, we need anyone who's interested in being a bird steward. We have colonies where you educate the public. You stand in front of the colony and you count the birds, but you also just talk to people about why these birds are here and interest them in their biology. Other areas, we have areas close to the public, like at Fort DeSoto, where there's maybe a couple little plovers nesting. Same thing. We just need people out there to educate the public. Most of it's in the spring and summer. And they can contact Audubon, Florida, and they will give them a list of places not just in our region, but other regions where they can help out. How do people find out about that? Is there a website to go to? Yeah, the Audubon, Florida website. If they just Google, you know, Bird, Steward, Audubon, Florida, it would be there and they'd be able to find it. We've been speaking with Beth Forrest, who's an environmental science and biology professor at Eckerd College and Melissa, Executive Director of the Avian Animal Hospital Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. Beth and Melissa, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks for having us.

Well, coming up next on Florida about it, next time on Florida matters, I should say. Flock cameras, what do you think of these devices? Are they useful law enforcement tools or just another example of intrusive surveillance? You can join the conversation on Flock cameras. Let us know what you think. That's Wednesday tomorrow at noon. Our executive producer is Grace and Doctor. Our producer is Quincy Walters. Our engineers are Jackson Harp, Geogarvin, Blake Bass. And Jackson composed our theme song. Natalie Jaron handled the video today. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcast. You can watch on WSF's YouTube channel. I'm Matthew Petty. Thanks so much for listening and watching. We'll see you tomorrow.