Tampa proclaims Sept. 20 as Bay of the Holy Spirit Day
TAMPA – The City of Tampa has agreed to make Sept. 20, 2025, Bay of the Holy Spirit Day.
That is also the day that 12,000 Catholics from across the region will attend a religious event at the Benchmark International Arena known as the Eucharistic Encounter. Organizers say this gathering represents an opportunity to honor the city’s historical roots and spiritual heritage while fostering unity and understanding among residents.
The Eucharistic Encounter, billed as the largest gathering of Catholics in the history of the Tampa Bay area, will take place from 1 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20 at Benchmark International Arena (formerly known as Amalie Arena), 401 Channelside Drive.
The city’s declaration raises awareness for the original name of Tampa Bay. Many people might not realize that Tampa Bay was first called Bay of the Holy Spirit or La Bahia de Espirito Santo. That was the name selected by Spanish missionaries and explorers who first came to this area in the 16th century.
Bay of the Holy Spirit was used until English map makers changed the name in the 1760s when Great Britain acquired Florida from Spain. At that time, the British began to Anglicize Florida place names and Espirito Santo became Tampa Bay.
Festival to bloom with gardening fun
WESLEY CHAPEL – Join UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County for its ninth annual UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County Master Gardener Volunteers’ Gardening 365 Festival & Plant Sale.
The free event includes a large selection of plants for sale, engaging seminars, educational resources and “Florida-friendly” gardening information.
The festival takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 at Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road, Wesley Chapel.
This event includes a variety of activities including butterfly walk-thru experience, food and drinks, garden decor, kids zone, ladybug sales, live demonstrations, retail vendors and touch-a-truck. Educational booths and hands-on activities for children will be available.
Organizers request that only ADA-compliant service animals attend.
On the web: mypas.co/2025FestivalPlantSale
Hillsborough transfers $13M to Tampa for intersection upgrades
TAMPA – Many of Hillsborough County’s busiest roads and intersections are inside Tampa city limits.
To improve safety at those intersections, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners transferred $13 million to the City of Tampa for design and construction improvements at more than a dozen intersections.
The projects range from redesigning intersections to signal improvement projects. The money was transferred at the end of August. The funding for these projects was collected from countywide ad valorem taxes to support intersection improvement projects on county-owned roads located within the city limits.
Three of the intersections will undergo design and construction for safety improvements.
The other 10 are designated for design and construction for pole replacement and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades that will make intersections safer for all users.
A full list of the intersections is as follows:
Design and construction for intersection safety improvements
- Columbus Drive at Rome Avenue
- Bayshore Boulevard at Swann Avenue
- Bayshore Boulevard at Euclid Avenue
Design and construction for pole replacements and ADA upgrades
- Manhattan Avenue at Bay to Bay Boulevard
- Howard Avenue at Cypress Street
- Armenia Avenue at Cypress Street
- Henderson Boulevard at San Rafael/Lois Avenue traffic signal upgrade
- Habana Avenue at Columbus Drive
- Lincoln Avenue at Columbus Drive
- Himes Avenue at Gandy Boulevard
- MacDill Avenue at Gandy Boulevard
- Manhattan Avenue at El Prado Boulevard traffic signal upgrade
- Church Avenue at Bay to Bay Boulevard
Scott leads Distirct 5 seat election
TAMPA – Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer posted unofficial Election Night results for the City of Tampa Special Municipal Election at VoteHillsborough.gov on Sept. 9.
Unofficial results for the City Council District 5 seat are as follows:
- Thomas Scott: 1,457 (27.07%)
- Naya Young: 715 (13.29%)
- Fran M. Tate: 545 (10.13%)
- Ariel Amirah Danley: 522 (9.70%)
- Thomas DeGeorge Jr: 522 (9.70%)
- Juawana Colbert: 440 (8.18%)
- Alison A. Hewitt: 405 (7.53%)
- Elvis Piggott: 266 (4.94%)
- Melony Williams: 178 (3.31%)
- Audette Bruce: 115 (2.14%)
- Carroll “Carrie” West: 105 (1.95%)
- Albert Cooke: 55 (1.02%)
- Darrell Ashley Dudney: 45 (0.84%)
- Write-in: 12 (0.22%)
In City of Tampa municipal elections, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote or that race will proceed to a runoff election.
Results included Vote By Mail, Early Voting and all Election Day precincts. Provisional ballots and mail ballots pending signature cure were not included. The 1st Unofficial Results were scheduled to be certified on Sept. 11.
On Sept. 12, Official Results were scheduled to be certified Sept. 12.
