Jeff Butera

1 week ago | baynews9.com | Jeff Butera

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. -- The lawyer who represents the boat driver who hit the Clearwater ferry last month is trying to turn the focus of the investigation onto the ferry. Jeff Knight was driving the boat April 27 near the Memorial Causeway Bridge that rammed into the ferry, killing one person and hurting several others. He's not currently facing charges. Normally, Spectrum Bay News 9 would not name someone who has been arrested or charged with a crime. But through his attorney J.

2 weeks ago | baynews9.com | Jeff Butera

Tarpon Springs will host its first book festival on Saturday. The Gilded Page bookstore is teaming up with the Tarpon Springs Merchant Association to organize the event. More than 100 authors and artists will attend the gathering, which will include panel discussions and opportunities to meet the writers. “We love books and we love bringing the community together over a shared love of books,” said Julie Bodwell, owner of The Gilded Page bookstore.

1 month ago | baynews9.com | Jeff Butera

The Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival has returned on Clearwater Beach. Running from April 11-27, the festival features the work of 17 professional sand sculptors. The theme for this year’s event, the 11th in the festival’s history, is “DinoShores: A Prehistoric Adventure in Sand.”The event drew 200,000 people last year. Organizers are touting a new augmented-reality experience as an improvement this year. General admission costs $14 per person. Children three years old and younger get in front.

1 month ago | baynews9.com | Jeff Butera

Organizers will hold the third annual Tampa Bay Empanada Festival on Saturday. They’re promising more than 100 types of empanadas from more than 25 different vendors. Co-organizer Stephen McFarlane told Spectrum Bay News 9 that every country has its own kind of an empanada. He says the festival is a celebration of that, where you can try versions you’ve never tried before. “My idea was, if you bring a fusion of all those different countries at one event, it’s going to be unique,” McFarlane said.

1 month ago | mynews13.com | Saundra Weathers |Melissa Eichman |Jeff Allen |Jeff Butera |Fallon Silcox |Asher Wildman | +2 more

Floridians will not soon forget October 2024, when two powerful hurricanes cut through the state in just two weeks. Then, Hurricane Milton caused widespread damage over the Bay area, Central Florida and beyond. Both storms claimed lives, obliterated buildings, flooded neighborhoods and left millions powerless. But, as we’ve seen in the wake of every storm to hit Florida before them, neighbors and strangers united to persevere.