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Josh Solomon - St. Petersburg City Hall Reporter
Josh Solomon

St. Petersburg City Hall Reporter

I cover the city of St. Petersburg — its residents, leaders and issues. The dramatics of Washington and Tallahassee often overshadow the work of local government, but City Hall is where the decisions are made that have the greatest impact on people’s daily lives. It’s my job to keep it interesting so more people stay engaged with their community. I’m also on the Tampa Bay Times’ hurricane team, and have been deployed to report on the aftermaths of three storms: Hermine in 2016, Irma in 2017 and Michael in 2018. I find serenity in following recipes, the more complicated the better. I’m a bourbon fan, an amatuer pizza critic and a Pinellas Trail bike rider. Otherwise I like watching YouTube and talking on the phone. I’m proudly from New Jersey, don’t @ me for it — or do, it won’t matter. I came to the Times in 2014 after graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

  1. St. Petersburg’s election season begins. So who’s running?
    Jan. 22• St. Petersburg
    From top left to bottom right: Gina Driscoll, Wengay Newton, Darden Rice, Clifford Hobbs III, Wendy Wesley, Ken Welch, Brandi Gabbard, Richie Floyd, Michael Ingram
  2. St. Petersburg mayor and City Council spar over Tropicana Field project
    Jan. 22• St. Petersburg
    An issue related to the Tropicana Field redevelopment sparked a bitter conversation Thursday between City Council and the mayor.
  3. St. Petersburg makes a wish list amid tough budget year
    Jan. 21• St. Petersburg
    St. Petersburg City Hall. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
  5. Eight developers submit visions to St. Petersburg for Tropicana Field project
    Jan. 15• St. Petersburg
    Renderings from Orlando developer Unicorp National Developments show a reimagined vision of St. Petersburg's 87-acre Tropicana Field site, including new parks and retail areas built around an expanded Booker Creek. The design is by Zyscovich Architects; the rendering is by Imerza.
  6. County Commissioner Ken Welch announces St. Petersburg mayoral bid
    Jan. 15• The Buzz on Florida Politics
    Former Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch plans to announced Friday that he is running for mayor of St. Petersburg.
  7. Darden Rice files to run for St. Petersburg mayor
    Jan. 12• St. Petersburg
    St. Petersburg City Council member Darden Rice will file to run for mayor on Tuesday.
  8. St. Pete Council member accuses mayor of ‘illegal activity’ in bait house demolition
    Jan. 8• St. Petersburg
    The pier bait house was originally constructed on the 1926 Million Dollar Pier. It was removed in 2015 and placed into storage, where it remained until Mayor Rick Kriseman ordered it destroyed last week.
  9. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election, St. Petersburg declares
    Jan. 8• St. Petersburg
    St. Petersburg City Council declared on Thursday it recognizes Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will serve as president and vice president of the United States.
  10. With discussion looming, Kriseman ordered nearly century-old bait house destroyed
    Jan. 5• St. Petersburg
    Pelicans gather around Stefan Monojlovic, 13, of Clearwater where the Pier Bait House was on Friday, May 31, 2013. Monojlovic had come to the Pier Bait House, an attraction known for letting customers feed the Pelicans. Demolition of the hut, originally from the Million Dollar Pier, was ordered before a discussion this week on its fate.
  11. Pinellas leaders fight to put science back in the Science Center
    Jan. 4• St. Petersburg
    Local leaders are fighting to revitalize the Science Center of Pinellas County.
  12. Bernie McCabe, Pinellas-Pasco’s top prosecutor, dies at age 73
    Jan. 2• Pinellas
    Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe died Friday, according to Pinellas County Clerk and personal friend Ken Burke.
  13. Have you noticed the cracking concrete at the St. Pete Pier?
    Jan. 1• St. Petersburg
    Cracks are visible along the St. Pete Pier sidewalk.
  14. Barricaded man in Tampa police custody after exchange of gunfire
    Dec. 25, 2020• Crime
    A round fired by Renardo Bucklon, 44, struck a Tampa Police Department ballistic shield.
  15. Strong Christmas Eve weather tears through Largo mobile home community
    Dec. 25, 2020• Local Weather
    Trina Hoaks, 56, talks about the damage done to her home at Ranchero Village mobile home park.
  16. Tampa Bay bars and restaurants feel sting of coronavirus enforcement
    Dec. 19, 2020• Health
    Five Bucks Drinkery has been cited four times by St. Petersburg officials for flouting local coronavirus rules. Only Five Bucks' neighbor, Ringside Cafe, with its five violations, has been cited more.
  17. Artist chosen for Courageous 12 memorial in St. Petersburg
    Dec. 18, 2020• St. Petersburg
    "Badge of Justice," a concept from local artist Ya La'Ford, who was chosen by a committee to create artwork at the site of the old St. Petersburg police headquarters to honor the Courageous 12.
  18. St. Petersburg’s Black community searches for answers after shootings
    Dec. 15, 2020• St. Petersburg
    A St. Petersburg police officer and another person were wounded in a shooting that took place Wednesday. Officers can be seen here gathering at the scene of the shooting at in the 1400 block of 18th Avenue S.
  19. UPC Insurance abandons plan to expand St. Petersburg headquarters
    Dec. 12, 2020• St. Petersburg
    A rendering of the headquarters and hotel UPC Insurance had proposed for downtown in St. Petersburg. The company backed away from the plans this fall.
  20. Heads or tails? St. Petersburg picks its council leadership by coin flip
    Dec. 10, 2020• St. Petersburg
    St. Petersburg City Council members Ed Montanari and Gina Driscoll were selected to be the 2021 chair and vice chair, respectively. Both held those positions in 2020.
  21. St. Pete holds a rescheduled Veterans Day celebration
    Dec. 9, 2020• St. Petersburg
    Members of the honor guard, who did not wish to be identified individually, but only as a unit, present the colors, during a Veteran's Day ceremony rescheduled due to Hurricane Eta's threat to the area in November, at Williams Park, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 in St. Petersburg.
  22. St. Petersburg pushes to become safest COVID community in Florida
    Dec. 7, 2020• St. Petersburg
    St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman puts on his protective mask after announcing the Race to Safe Covid-19 program in the city, Monday, December 7, 2020.
  23. St. Pete leaders stress community input in choosing Tropicana Field future
    Dec. 4, 2020• St. Petersburg
    The deadline for developers to submit their visions for the 86-acre Tropicana Field site is Jan. 15.
  24. St. Petersburg sells final undesignated Commerce Park parcel
    Dec. 4, 2020• St. Petersburg
    Commerce Park promised jobs that never materialized. On Thursday, St. Petersburg City Council agreed to sell a portion of the land, closing the book on the Commerce Park saga.