ST. PETERSBURG — A leak involving the city’s automated license plate reader network has allegedly exposed an extramarital affair between two high-ranking St. Pete officials after records documenting months of late-night travel were obtained by TMZ. According to the leaked data, one official’s vehicle made at least 17 late-night visits to the home of the…

ST. PETERSBURG — City Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz, a well-known hothead at City Hall, has pledged to personally yell at anyone who does not support Charlie Crist in his campaign for mayor of St. Petersburg. “Charlie has the extensive experience necessary to lead this city,” Hanewicz said. “And if you disagree, you’re acting like children!”…

ST. PETERSBURG — City officials are considering fines for motorists who damage potholes while driving on St. Petersburg streets, citing the growing cost of repeated vehicle impacts throughout the city. Under the proposal, drivers could be held financially responsible for striking a pothole or causing deterioration to the surrounding roadway. “People tend to think that…

TAMPA — Former President Joe Biden’s campaign for mayor of Tampa has received more than $400,000 from donors affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The contributions come as the Rays seek support for a proposed $2.3 billion stadium at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College. Biden, who announced his campaign earlier this year, currently…

LARGO — Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is proposing proactive cavity searches for residents suspected of criminal behavior, warning that restrictions on routine police procedures could take crime fighting “back to the Stone Age.” The proposed Resident Evidence Assessment and Recovery program would allow deputies to conduct what the Sheriff’s Office calls “comprehensive internal screenings”…

ST. PETERSBURG — A controversial new St. Pete satire page is testing the limits of acceptable comedy with provocative stories about lovebugs, bad drivers and Jimmy Buffett fans. The publication has quickly established itself as the region’s boldest voice, transforming observations normally printed on souvenir T-shirts and novelty coffee mugs into professionally branded satire. The…

ST. PETERSBURG — St. Petersburg residents could soon have a new way to reduce their monthly water bills as the city considers a program offering discounts to homeowners who allow Flock Safety cameras to be installed on their property. Under the proposal, participating residents would receive an 8% reduction on their monthly water bill in…

ST. PETERSBURG — Mayor Ken Welch says his first term in office was complicated by a series of unforeseeable events that made governing St. Petersburg considerably more difficult than anticipated. Speaking after Tuesday’s election, Welch pointed to hurricanes, the collapse of the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal and an increasingly political environment among the challenges…

ST. PETERSBURG — A new residential development planned for St. Pete’s EDGE District will place security at the center of the resident experience, incorporating Flock Safety cameras throughout the building. The Sentry, a 20-story mixed-use development featuring 310 apartments and ground-floor retail, will use the increasingly popular camera technology to provide what developers describe as…

With Election Day less than a week away, St. Pete voters appear increasingly ready for change. Recent polling shows former Gov. Charlie Crist leading the field, with Council member Brandi Gabbard continuing to gain ground. Meanwhile, Mayor Ken Welch has struggled to retain support as voters increasingly look elsewhere. “People are ready for someone new,”…