Why it matters: Axios Tampa Bay, anchored by Ben Montgomery and Selene San Felice, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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Daniel Robertson of the Tampa Bay Rays shows off his Father's Day eye black at a 2017 game. Photo: Leon Halip/Getty Images
If you're looking for a Father's Day gift, look no further!
There are tons of Tampa Bay-centric gifts for every type of dad out there, and we've rounded up a bunch of great ideas for you.
A stern view of the fast passenger ferry Provincetown IV outbound to St. Pete from downtown Tampa. Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Tampa Bay's cross-bay ferry, which has been operating between Tampa and St. Pete from November to April since 2018, could expand to year-round service if local leaders agree to contribute.
What's happening: The ferry's three-year agreement expired last month, and Hillsborough County took the lead in negotiating an extension, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Demonstrators attempt to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Sunshine State is a hotspot for those who allegedly perpetrated the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
By the numbers: Florida is tied with Texas for the most individuals facing charges stemming from the event, with 47 arrests in each state out of the 484 total nationwide, per the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
As post-pandemic business travel comes back, experts say Florida's reopening policies should allow it to lock in a significant share of returning corporate events and meetings.
Why it matters: There's a lot of money to be made — with a lot of people itching to travel — after the sector lost $97 billion in spending last year, according to a new Tourism Economics analysis by the U.S. Travel Association.
724 Eldorado Ave., courtesy of Mark Middleton
Waterfront property can be hard to come by, but we found a few high-dollar homes in Clearwater, starting at $1.72M.
The state of play: The pandemic made Florida's laidback sunny lifestyle even more attractive, making Tampa Bay a top-tier market for luxury buyers. Derek Jeter's mansion, for example, sold for $22.5M within 6 months of being listed.
Photo courtesy of Golden Dinosaurs
I'm going to be honest: I think Chick-fil-A is boring. It's way too overhyped, and if you don't know about the chain's ever-growing anti-LGBTQ history, well, you do now.
My solution for your fried pickly, kinda-chickeny cravings can be found at Gulfport's Golden Dinosaurs.
Dead fish due to a red tide in January near Captiva Island. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
A growing bloom of the red tide organism Karenia brevis is spreading around Tampa Bay and other parts of Southwest Florida, prompting Pinellas County health officials to issue a warning to beachgoers late last week.
Why it matters: Beach businesses still recovering from the pandemic worry that a serious red tide could keep visitors away from a region that depends on tourism — and the bloom could spell disaster for the area’s marine ecosystems.