Michael Paluska

Tampa

Special Projects Reporter at WFTS-TV (Tampa, FL)

Special projects Reporter at ABC Action News.

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Articles

Musician, Soldier, Filmmaker: Why one Ukrainian traded his gun for a camera

1 week ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Dozens gathered last month at a local Ukrainian Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, to watch the premiere of People of Steel, a film produced and filmed by Serhiy Fomenko, the frontman of the Ukrainian band Mandry. The movie (watch trailer) is narrated in English and chronicles the Russian invasion, which started in 2014 when Russia annexed theCrimean Peninsula. Russia launched a full-blown assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
Shopping at local farms could be the solution to avoiding tariffs

2 weeks ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

TAMPA, Fla. — If you want quality produce that hasn't been picked and shipped from overseas (and hit with tariffs), look no further than your local produce and fruit farm. Tucked in a corner of Downtown Tampa near the I-4 and I-275 interchange. Meacham Urban Farm is a hidden gem that is quickly gaining popularity.
Boycotting Paradise over Politics: Where have all the Canadians gone?

2 weeks ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

SUNSET BEACH, Fla. — A local real estate management company is feeling the impact of Canadians not traveling to Florida. It is hard to track how many Canadians are boycotting the Sunshine State, but some data is supporting a drop in tourists from our neighbor to the North.
Movie and an Arcade: A mom and pop cinema is going all in on family entertainment

3 weeks ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

At the height of pandemic lockdowns, the owners of Cinema 6 in Port Richey were ready to lose everything. Through sheer will and hard work, they survived and are now expanding into a one-stop shop for family entertainment. ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska profiled the family-run movie theater in Port Richey in 2020. The theaters were empty, and the screens were silent. Fast-forward to 2025, and Cinema 6 is louder than ever, with a full arcade. "We always wanted to have an arcade.
In the Shadow of ‘The Trop’: Why some historic communities feel forgotten

4 weeks ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For several years, major players in the community, from artists to business owners to concerned citizens, worked on ways to make the Warehouse Arts District, Deuces Live, and the Gas Plant District, where Tropicana Field was built. "We do not even have a single sign in the Warehouse Arts District. So you're not really sure when you come into it, and you're not really sure when you leave," Gina Foti, owner of Gina's Warehouse, told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska.
Coffee and tea prices set to skyrocket following Trump tariff turmoil

1 month ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

TAMPA, Fla. — The United States of America can make many products, but there are two items we can't grow to scale domestically: coffee and tea. ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska sat down with the owners of Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters and TeBella Tea Company. Both businesses rely on imports from countries across the globe to operate, and both owners tell Paluska there is no way they can absorb the cost of President Donald Trump's tariffs without raising prices.
Seagrass success and Failure in Tampa Bay

1 month ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

TAMPA, Fla. — Record-breaking seagrass covers nearly every other part of Tampa Bay. One section is in the midst of collapse, and non-profits and environmentalists know how to fix it. Old Tampa Bay has the lowest seagrass since record-keeping began in 1988. For nearly a decade, ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska has covered environmental issues about water quality in Tampa Bay, from pollution spilling into our natural springs to red tide blooms fueled by water discharges at Piney Point.
Millions of Meals Gone: DOGE cuts hit families, farmers, & Florida food banks

1 month ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

TAMPA, Fla. — The news for Feeding Tampa Bay a few weeks ago wasn't good; then they learned cuts from the federal government were getting even worse. Feeding Tampa Bay's goal of providing 100 million meals to families and neighbors is now in jeopardy. This week, the non-profit learned that more deliveries through the USDA were canceled. Feeding Tampa Bay's Shannon Hannon Olivero states, "32 previously expected CCC (Commodity Credit Corporation) bonus loads have been canceled.
Outwitting the Market: How a mom and daughter cupcake duo are navigating the egg crisis

1 month ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — For the mom-and-daughter business owners at Mmmm Delicious Cupcakes in New Port Richey, the hunt for eggs is a full-time job if they can find any eggs. "It's a struggle every day. And we call it going on an egg hunt. I spend my weekends going on egg hunts," Jennifer Franks, co-owner of Mmmm Delicious Cupcakes, told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska.
Crystal-clear water & more manatees anticipated in Little Sarasota Bay

2 months ago | abcactionnews.com | Michael Paluska

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Last hurricane season, Helene and Milton struck a one-two punch, slicing open Midnight Pass and creating a shortcut into Little Sarasota Bay. The pass now separates Siesta Key and Casey Key for the first time in 40 years. ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska profiled the pass just days after Hurricane Milton landed on Siesta Key. Paluska returned to Midnight Pass this month to see how it is changing the ecosystem.