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SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 (VOL.39, NO.36) • $FREE CREATIVE LOAFING • CLTAMPABAY.COM

Every pet deserves to feel safe, cared for, and loved. HELP THEM GET A SECOND CHANCE. This September, love can save a life. Friends of Strays is raising critical funds to save more cats and dogs in Tampa Bay and Florida – but we can’t do it without YOU!

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PUBLISHER James Howard CHAIRMAN Mike Trentalange EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

ACOB MONIZ

Editorial DEPUTY EDITOR/DIGITAL DIRECTOR Colin Wolf STAFF WRITER Valerie Smith FOOD & DRINK CRITIC Kyla Fields FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Carter Brantley, Jo Ellen Schilke, McKenna Schueler PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker, Phil DeSimone SUMMER INTERNS Leif Helland, Liam Oliver (apply for fall and spring by emailing clips and a resumes to rroa@cltampa.com) Creative Services CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Pavlovich POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson Advertising SALES DIRECTOR Anthony Carbone SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dan Winkler CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER Jerrica Schwartz

...getting a tattoo with Anberlin on the speakers is a core memory.

Tampa Bay Journalism Project DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR John T. Fox PARTNER NEWSROOMS Cigar City Sounds, The Gabber, San Pedro Gazette, Sapphic Sun, TB Arts Passport, WMNF News Events and Marketing MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Jessica Prieto MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman Circulation

cltampabay.com cldeals.com EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is a locally-and-employee-owned publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Creative Loafing Tampa is proudly published by Events & Media, LLC.

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Revered emo band meets fans at listening party, p. 41.

MUSIC ��39 MUSIC WEEK ��41 SAVAGE LOVE ��61 CROSSWORD ��62

The gays are taking over...

‘Hunky Jesus’ doc among queer film fest offerings, p. 8.

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ON THE COVER: Photo by Dave Decker. Design by Jack Spatafora.

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Letters: Elegy for the Hawk It’s 6:30 in the morning and inside my headphones is the calming sound of ocean waves. Outside, the sun is rising behind the apartment complex across the street. Swooping into view is an osprey, who lands atop an orange construction cone and stares intently into the pond below. It’s nest on the next telephone pole. In a few hours, I’ll drive to work and begin another lesson with my students at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus. As each school year has come and gone, the home of the Hawks feels less like the nest I once knew. Over the last five years, I’ve noticed my student’s reading comprehension start lower and lower; I’ve witnessed my colleagues grow more bitter and disheartened; I’ve begrudgingly sat through (countless) committee meetings on how to “integrate AI into my classroom.”

or 36 years, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has amplified the voices others overlook. Now we’re launching the Tampa Bay Journalism Project to strengthen independent, local reporting on issues that matter—housing, transportation, arts, food, and accountability. Your tax-deductible support helps fund nonpaywalled journalism for our community. Help the Creative Loafing newsroom grow.

Donating is easy, visit bit.ly/anfCLTampa

This year, while sitting through another faculty in-service watching the AI-generated videos of what “could be” our new (much much smaller) campus, I can’t help but feel like the conductor on the Titanic, hopelessly trying to convince my students that the music matters as the ship begins to slip into the icy unknown.

The short-term (and perhaps most obvious) answer to the low enrollment question is that Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus is set to be turned into a professional sports stadium, coffee shops, and high-rise apartments. To say HC’s redevelopment is an afterthought in those plans is easily proven by our forthcoming moniker: Innovation Edge Featuring Hillsborough College.

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For the first time since becoming a teacher, I found myself dreading the start of the Fall semester. Aside from the uncertainty of our campus’ future, my apprehension was in part due to the fact that a week before the semester started, I was informed my Intro to Creative Writing course would be cancelled due to low enrollment—a class I’ve been fighting tooth and nail to resurrect after being buried in the college’s course catalog. Now, you might think “low enrollment” means “low interest.” But the answer isn’t that simple. In fact, considering I ran the same course with 19 students last spring the reason for “low enrollment” becomes much more complicated. With each passing semester student’s time is further monopolized by general education courses, “first-year experience” requirements, not to mention Florida’s housing crisis, a stagnant job market, and exponential increases in living expenses that make “electives” seem “unnecessary.” Unfortunately, the problem of low enrollment has affected dozens of courses across the Humanities, which leaves eager faculty and students wilting on the vine. When I was a student in community college, my humanities courses were some

6 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

of my favorite. Learning about art, culture, and language in new ways with new people was exciting. What I remember most about those days now, though, is that the classrooms were always full. I was just one of 25 students excited to share their work, discuss that week’s reading, and (at our best) debate the merits of the Oxford comma.

As higher education becomes increasingly transactional, I see students who are apathetic; they want to “get-in-and-get-out” as quickly as possible. In a world that wants to leave them behind, why wouldn’t they microwave their education with ChatGPT and Gemini? I see professors burnt out from teaching six, seven, and eight courses a semester. For context, at most fouryear public universities, you’re considered to be “paying your dues” if you teach four classes a semester. The students and faculty of Hillsborough College deserve their time back. We deserve the space (literally and metaphorically) to explore art, culture, and language that deepen the educational experience and enrich our community, not commodify it.

I don’t blame my students for their apathy. I don’t blame my colleagues for their disillusionment. What scares me is that I’m starting to feel those things, too. It’s now 9 a.m. and the alarm on my phone cuts through the soft sound of waves washing ashore—it’s time to get ready for work. I close my laptop and glance back out my window. The orange traffic cone is silhouetted against the sky. I take off my headphones and listen for the highpitched chirp of an osprey, scanning the auburn colored roof of the apartments across the street. There’s rain clouds off in the distance. I wonder if the hawk has found better shelter, if it’s ready to weather the storm. Joshua Corson is an English instructor at the newly-rebranded Hillsborough College, formerly known as Hillsborough Community College.

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Tampa Bay's best things to do from Sept. 03 - 10. See more on pp. 31, 37 & 41

SCREAM-A-GEDDON

do this

CHRIS ACEVEDO

Happy holidays

America celebrates Halloween for two months, and if you need proof, look no further than this 60-acre patch of horror in Pasco County. Ahead of its 12th season, Scream-A-Geddon underwent a $2.5 million renovation on its midway, which has not only led to paved parking lots, but apparently opened the door for the attraction’s infamous “Bonzo” the clown to be all over the place. Per usual, Scream-A-Geddon is one place where guests can opt-in to literally be grabbed by actors inside the Breach and Ravenhill Asylum sections. There’s even zombie paintball available for an additional cost. Scream-A-Geddon operates on select weekends as it gets going, but expands hours as Oct. 31 gets closer. Parking is an additional charge, with different fast pass and VIP upgrades available.

Scream-A-Geddon: Sept. 4-Nov. 1. $29.95 & up. Scream-A-Geddon, 27839 Saint Joe Rd., Dade City. screamageddon.com—Ray Roa Odd world

Going into some of Tampa Bay’s most horrific haunted houses isn’t the only way to get freaked out this Halloween season. Ybor City’s most famous (and only??) oddities shop Dysfunctional Grace once again takes over the Cuban Club this weekend for another edition of its Tabernacle Of Oddities. The convention includes four floors of weirdness where more than 100 vendors—from tattoo artists, to entertainers, cosplayers, taxidermists, craftsmakers, and more—setup for two days. Highlights include Tampa’s own Trent Alyse of Kitty Bomb Curios (pictured), a separately-ticketed Kaiju Big Battel, and a visit from the Graveface Museum in Savannah, Georgia.

Legendary status

There can never be enough guitar stores in a town, and when one door closes, and another one opens then closes, that first door opens again. That’s kind of what happened with Legends. The shop on Hillsborough Avenue once had the finest and widest selection of vintage guitars in the Southeast until it closed in May 2011. Five years later Tampa got another place to noodle around in South Tampa’s Replay Guitar Exchange, but that shop closed last January. Well, Legends is back, this time inside an old tile shop just three miles away. Driven in part by Julie Fischer, who’s been supporting local guitar-driven concerts over the summer, Legends celebrates a grand opening this weekend complete with live music, lasers, art, a guitar raffle, giveaways, and more. Even Kent Sonenberg, who ran the original Legends, will be there.

Tabernacle 2026: Saturday-Sun-

Legends Guitar grand opening: Saturday, Sept. 5. 11 a.m. No cover. Legends Guitars, 3133 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. @legendsguitarstampa on Instagram—Ray Roa

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LISSA HATCHER

day, Sept. 5-6. Gates at noon. $16 & up. The Cuban Club, 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. dysfunctionalgrace.shop—Ray Roa

See more (and submit your event) @ cltampa.com Seeing queerly

The gays are taking over the silver screen this month, on both sides of the Bay. The Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (now just “TIGLFF”) paused in January St. Pete festival and is moving forward with a rebrand that will span seven days across two weekends in two area codes. St. Petersburg’s Green Light Cinema gets first licks this weekend that kicks off next Thursday with a night of shorts and a feature film, “Manok,” that takes place in South Korea. In it, the main character is a middle-aged lesbian running her own bar, the Lainbow, to its closure. She returns to her conservative, rural hometown, she runs into an ex-husband (there’s an emoji for that right??) and then decides to change the rules in her little villageThe 108-minute film, like many of the main screenings during TIGLFF, is preceded by a short. The Sunshine City gets screenings of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence-centered documentary “Hunky Jesus,” another doc about New College (“First They Came For My College”) and more before Tampa’s Sun-Ray Cinema gets three days of TIGLFF between Sept. 18-20. See a full schedule via cltampa.com/arts.

C/O CREATIVE PINELLAS

TIGLFF—37th annual queer film festival (weekend one): Next Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 10-13. $10-$15. Green Light Cinema, 221 2nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. tiglff.com —Ray Roa

PRODUCTION STILL

Untamed fun

Inspired in part by the United Kingdom’s Monster Raving Loony Party, Gulfport resident Marlene Shaw had a pretty simple vision for the seaside town’s Labor Day weekend party. She saw “music, color, costume, and characters who treated politics like performance art,” according to a new piece published in the town’s indie newspaper the Gabber. “omewhere between British eccentricity and American festival magic, an idea took root: a festival and parade that let Gulfport show off its downtown, its businesses, its whole delightfully whimsical self — with everyone, absolutely everyone, invited to walk in it,” she added. Now in its 26th year, Geckofest returns this weekend and is themed as a music awards show, encouraging locals and visitors to dress like their favorite musician as festivities unfurl for 10 hours across downtown.

Geckofest 2026: Saturday, Sept. 5. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. No cover. Downtown Gulfport. visitgulfportflorida.com—Ray Roa DEL HARPER/SHUTTERSTOCK

Turn up

Even after a quarrel with county commissioners over funding, Creative Pinellas is still loud. The arts nonprofit turns up this weekend for a fundraiser and exhibition featuring about 75 pieces across all mediums. Curated by pretty much lifelong Bay area scene supporter and journalist Maggie Duffy, this weekend’s opening includes live music (DJ Austen van der Bleek, Liz Glushko on cello loops, and soprano Jodi Karem), along with works in “film, painting, photography, glass, ceramics, mixed media sculpture, and assemblage.” Highlights on the lineup on display through Nov. 1 include multimedia artist Sarah Nakano, painter Patricia Moses, Argentine-American artist and sculptor Cecilia Lueza, fine art photographer Geoffrey Baris (his “Wired” photograph rear printed to plexiglass, pictured) and Creative Loafing Tampa Bay illustrator Cory Robinson. Access to the party is within reach for most folks, with a $100 VIP option out there for the newgen ballers.

AMPED—Turn Up for the Arts opening reception: Saturday, Sept. 5. 6 p.m. $25-$100. FloridaRama, 2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Petersburg. creativepinellas.org

—Ray Roa

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“Honestly, it felt like a stab in the back.” POLITICS

ISSUES

OPINION

State of the union

Tampa International Airport will not move forward with privatized TSA Gold+ program. By McKenna Schueler

ampa International Airport has decided to drop its interest in the TSA Gold+ program—a controversial security program that would have put a private contractor in charge of passenger screening and screening equipment. The news, announced in a press release on Aug. 24, comes after the airport faced immense public pushback. The Transportation Security Administration also faced a Freedom Of Information Act lawsuit from the labor union that represents federal TSA officers. “The Airport conducted an extensive review and evaluation over several months, which resulted in its decision to keep screening operations exclusively with the TSA, and not adopt the Gold+ model,” a news release from TPA states. “We have worked closely with our TSA team through record passenger growth, severe weather, federal funding disruptions, and peak travel periods. We value their professionalism and commitment to security and service, and

look forward to continuing our strong partnership,” said TPA CEO Michael Stephens. The shift to TSA Gold+—a program allegedly developed in secrecy outside of the public eye—would have privatized the jobs of more than 700 TSA officers at TPA. Officers at the airport who stood to be directly affected by the move saw the shift as prioritizing “profit over security.” The TSA, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was created nearly 25 years ago in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and employs more than 700 security officers at TPA alone. On July 20, however, the Tampa airport announced it was one of three airports nationwide—along with Des Moines and Charleston—that would be rolling out TSA Gold +. It’s similar, but not identical to a program already in place in about 20 airports, where a private contractor is in charge of staffing only.

“To replace these federal officers with a private contractor is to risk public safety, place profit above people and jeopardize the livelihoods of those who have served us faithfully,” wrote U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor, in a letter to TSA officials earlier this month. “This proposal arrives as we approach the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks—a painful reminder of what happens when airport security is left to private firms with high turnover and inconsistent training.” Michael Gillis, a three-year TSA officer at TPA, criticized the threat. “Honestly, it felt like a stab in the back,” he told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “We’re here, we’re showing up, doing our job, doing what we need to do—and here’s their solution,” he stated. “Not, ‘Hey, let’s make sure Congress funds us … it’s, ‘no, we’re gonna get rid of you as federal workers.’ And that just is wrong to me.” A rep for TPA told CL that the airport has “called for congressional funding of this critical function several times,” including at a recent board meeting. According to TPA, the proposed shift to TSA Gold+ had been intended to help prevent disruptions to security screenings during government shutdowns, where federal TSA officers are left

unpaid as they are, nevertheless, expected to continue to show up to work and do their jobs. The last partial government shutdown, affecting DHS funding earlier this year, lasted more than 75 days. The Tampa airport had one of the lowest call-out rates by TSA officers in the U.S. The rep for TPA added that “voluntary departures by TSA officers nearly doubled after the last shutdown.” Citing TSA officials, CBS News recently said that the agency’s nationwide rate of unscheduled absences by frontline officers rose to an average of 6% during the shutdown, compared with about 2% before government funding lapsed. “The shutdown was a governmental funding problem,” argued Mark Harris, a longtime TSA officer at TPA. “That’s what you exposed—not a security issue.” Harris, a former police detective from New York, left retirement nearly a decade ago to work at the Tampa airport as a TSA officer. Initially, he began at the airport part-time because of medical bills—he needed a way to help pay for his son’s Type 1 diabetes treatment. “I went there because of the benefits at the time,” Harris told CL. “I was paying probably continued on page 13

LOCAL NEWS

DUES TIME: Members of the American Federation of Government Employees at Tampa International Airport on Aug. 6, 2026.

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TAKING SIDES: The shift to TSA Gold+ would have privatized the jobs of more than 700 TSA officers at TPA. continued from page 11 a little over $1,000 a month just for insulin.” The health benefits he received, even as a part-time officer at the time, was no generous gift from his employer, the federal government. His job, and that of roughly 700 other TSA officers at TPA, are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, a labor union that advocates for nearly one million government workers’ pay, benefits, and other rights on the job. Harris himself is a steward for his union, the AFGE Local 556, meaning he’s a union leader at TPA. Last week, he met with Tampa mayor Jane Castor—a member of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board that oversees TPA—to share his concerns about TSA Gold+. He also planned to meet with St. Pete mayor Ken Welch and State Sen. Brian Nathan, D-Tampa. “I’ve been the mouthpiece for everyone at Tampa airport because they’re scared to speak up,” Harris admitted. Chris Finlay, who serves as president of AFGE Local 556, told CL that TSA officers were merely informed of the TSA Gold+ program by email in late July. “There was no discussion. There was no vote done by the Aviation Authority’s board. We were told it was a business decision,” he said. The “business decision,” as Finlay described it, wasn’t final. Still, Tampa airport officials said they expected that TSA would choose its private security contractor by the end of September, with an expected launch of TSA Gold + next May. That’s obviously not happening anymore. Had Tampa airport privatized its TSA jobs, the federal benefits Harris and his coworkers received as union members—including health benefits—would have been lost.

“You have 700 officers that will lose all of their federal benefits,” Harris stated plainly. “There is no [union] contract, there is no AFGE. We are gone.” Blue-collar maintenance employees at the University of South Florida recently went through their own version of this privatization scheme after losing their union representation in 2024, as collateral damage of Florida’s controversial anti-union law, SB 256, passed the year before. Those workers at USF, now employed by Southeast Services Corporation, organized new unions at the university as private employees shortly after—but Harris believed that would be a difficult feat at TPA. “Could the private people unionize? Yeah, but they would never let that happen,” he predicted. His union, the AFGE, filed a lawsuit against TSA earlier this month over its secrecy surrounding the TSA Gold+ privatization plan, accusing TSA of secretly planning this transition outside of the public eye. The union also filed a Freedom Of Information Act Request (FOIA) with TSA about potential privatization plans in May, after a TSA-branded flyer touting a “new public-private partnership” was discovered at Orlando International Airport. The union believes that TSA has been making inquiries with vendors since August 2025. “AFGE’s members and the public have a right to everything TSA has spent months lavishing its vendors with about lucrative contracts while keeping its sworn officers in the dark,” said Kevin Bell of the Free Information Group, which is representing the AFGE in its lawsuit.

“A layer of Gold+ paint will not cover up the rust of privatization.” Harris similarly got the “business decision” justification from TPA on why the airport had opted into TSA Gold+. But its true intention, he believes, is a manifestation of Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda circulated during the 2024 presidential cycle that, in part, called for the privatization of TSA. Over half of the policy proposals in the 900page pamphlet have already been implemented, according to its publisher, the right-wing Heritage Foundation. “Privatizing TSA was a Project 2025 goal, and here we are, all of a sudden, with a major push to do it,” Gillis pointed out. Other Project 2025 policy proposals pursued by the Trump administration include the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; stripping federal employees of their union rights; downsizing the federal workforce; and abolishing the Department of Education. “I give the guy a lot of credit. He said he was going to do it, and he’s trying to do it,” Harris said of Trump. Before 9/11, U.S. airlines generally hired private contractors to handle security at airports, where measures were comparatively lax. “Before 9/11, security was almost invisible, and it was really designed to be that way,” aviation security expert Jeff Price told NPR in 2021. “It was designed to be something in the background that really wasn’t that noticeable and definitely did not interfere with aircraft or airport operations.” As federal employees, Harris said that TSA officers have the opportunity to build a career they can be proud of, instead of just feeling like

LOCAL NEWS

MARKUS MAINKA/SHUTTERSTOCK.

they have a job. He believed that would be lost if TPA privatized. “They’re making people think that, oh yeah, it’s just going to be this transition," Harris said. "But no, not only might you get less pay, but you’re also going to lose all the things that you acquired over your federal career.” TPA recently told the press that they wouldn’t eliminate jobs, and the AFGE’s lawsuit states that TSA officers would have had the option of “accepting employment” with the chosen contractor. But without union representation, or their union contract, the benefits and salaries that officers currently receive wouldn’t be guaranteed. According to federal documents obtained by CL, the private security contractor chosen by TSA would’ve been required to pay officers at least “minimum compensation.” Currently, that’s about $40,000 a year, according to Harris. “If I go down to $40,000, do you think I’m going to be able to do the things I do with my family? Go to the movies? Am I going to be able to go to a Bucs game, a [Tampa Bay] Lightning game, a concert?," he asked. "No, not on 40 grand, I’m not,” said Harris, who currently makes $65,000 annually. “If you have 700 officers going down to that, what is the economic effect, the trickle-down effect of the entire community?” he added. TPA was one of just three airports nationwide that would’ve opted into TSA Gold+ as part of an early pilot program. But the Trump administration ultimately wants to fully move TSA toward privatization through TSA Gold+ and an existing similar program, the Screening Partnership Program (SPP).

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BOBBY LAW: Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is billed by state authorities as a legal expert on local police collaboration with ICE.

Time after time

ProPublica: Pinellas sheriff re-booked migrants to bypass federal law. By Valerie Smith

fter allegedly being assaulted by her husband, Soumia Bensalah was taken into custody by police in Polk County. Despite having no local criminal charges, she spent the following weeks two counties over, being booked and re-booked into the Pinellas County Jail on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A ProPublica investigation released Aug. 27 found that the jail is discreetly violating limits on how long someone can be held without criminal charges. ICE was supposed to pick Bensalah up within 72 hours. If it didn’t, Pinellas County Jail was required to release her, in part due to the jail not meeting ICE’s own detention standards. Instead, ProPublica found, Bensalah was briefly released into federal custody, then rebooked her into the jail within hours. The process repeated three days later. Each time, officers shackled her before bringing her to a cramped hold room at an ICE office. Bensalah was ultimately rebooked five times. One Mexican woman was kept in Pinellas’ custody for 26 days, being re-booked into the jail 10 times.

Former ICE officials and legal experts told ProPublica this is a deliberate and secretive way to circumvent federal law. The Pinellas County Jail has rebooked at least 174 immigrants in this fashion in the last two years, ProPublica’s analysis found. “There’s no argument that this is a lawful detention,” Jennifer Chacón, a professor of law at Stanford University, told ProPublica of the repeat rebookings. From the report: Additionally, the Pinellas County Jail has held at least 157 immigrants for ICE for longer than three business days in a single booking since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in January 2025, according to a ProPublica analysis. In the two years prior, it held only five immigrants for longer than three days. After one woman — a Brazilian immigrant who had not been charged with a crime — challenged her nine-day detention in federal court this July, ICE released her, calling her jail stay a “procedural error.” ProPublica reported that the rebooking procedure ceased in July of this year. They also reported that single detentions over 72 hours— which are not legal—have been increasing.

LOCAL NEWS

The jail is overseen by Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who is billed by state authorities as a legal expert on local police collaboration with ICE. “Corporal Jamie Miller, a spokesperson for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, told ProPublica that the facility holds people for ICE for only up to 72 hours before releasing them. The sheriff’s office declined further comment after ProPublica shared the findings from its analysis and sent a list of questions. The office declined requests for an interview with the sheriff,” ProPublica’s investigation reads. PCSO did not respond to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s request for comment. Sheriff is an elected position in Florida. Gualtieri was re-elected without opposition in 2024. Gualtieri’s jail is an outlier in the state This isn’t Gualtieri’s first time getting creative with the law to keep immigrants jailed. Gualtieri has been pushing for greater integration between ICE and municipal police for nearly a decade. He helped design a model of 287(g) agreement—a formal agreement local police sign with ICE—that allows jails to legally hold immigrants on ICE’s behalf with a much lower administrative burden. In a 2025 email obtained by CL, Gualtieri told Pinellas police chiefs they were required to “do certain things” regarding immigration enforcement or face removal from office by the governor. Within days, all of them signed 287(g) agreements, even though they were not required to do

so. This has earned the police chiefs significant pushback from their communities. It’s unclear if Gualtieri knew that the agreements were not required, but he is widely regarded as one of the state’s top legal experts on local law enforcement’s collaboration with ICE. He is a member of the Florida State Immigration Enforcement Council, where he is their go-to source for information on 287(g) agreements. Last year, Gualtieri initiated a statewide effort to reduce the number of immigrants released from jails after the time limit is up. His plan involved having sheriffs, rather than ICE, transport detainees to ICE facilities. ICE rejected Gualtieri’s plan, citing legality concerns. Gualtieri voiced his frustration with this in a Florida State Immigration Enforcement Council meeting last year. “You’ve got to get to ‘yes,’” Gualtieri said to the council. “It’s never been done that way before. So what? Try. You got to step outside the box.” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell praised Gualtieri’s effort. “When he came up with the (transport agreement), I thought it was a phenomenal idea,” Prummell said at the meeting. “Unfortunately, … lawyers got involved and, like you stated before, cold feet.” Another council member asked what would happen if the 48 hours were up and ICE hadn’t come to pick up the detainee. “Unfortunately, we have to release them,” Gualtieri replied. “I can tell you that the sheriffs go to great pains to not do that.”

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 15

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16 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

Crash landing

Pasco sheriff will begrudgingly end Flock, license plate detection systems. By Leif Helland

asco County Sheriff Chris Nocco announced last Wednesday that his department will terminate its agreement to use Automated License Plate Recognition cameras (ALPRs), as well as Flock cameras, in public areas. In a letter to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, Nocco said the agency will end the interlocal agreement that was passed in 2024 after feeling the Board of County Commissioners were no longer supportive of Flock camera use. “It is clear to me from the discussion at the last two meetings that I have listened to of the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 that a majority of the Board of County Commissioners no longer support this agreement which you passed unanimously on December 10, 2024,” said Sheriff Nocco in the letter. “Please know that the majority of the Board of County Commissioner’s lack of support for this agreement will impact the solvability of crimes and our ability to locate missing and endangered children and adults, including the victims of human trafficking. This will also cause a strain on the Sheriff’s Office already limited resources.” Pasco County Sheriff’s Office currently leases roughly 70 Flock cameras. The sheriff’s department, after hearing County Board of Commissioners concerns over

Flock cameras, decided to cancel its contract on Sept. 30. Although the interlocal agreement between the two agencies will be dissolved, the cancellation would not stop private residences or companies from being able to use this technology on their property. The Pasco County Board of Commissioners convened to hear residents’ concerns over a partnership between ALPR software being used by the sheriff’s office. The Pasco County Board wanted to set up a committee to further review, deciding to move forward with its partnership. “I think taking our time on this and getting it right is critical, and like the moratorium on data centers was well respected and well received by our citizens,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano in the Aug. 25 commissioner meeting. “I think if we take our time and look at this and make the right decision, then I think it’s the right way to go.” Privacy concerns over Flock cameras, which use AI technology to track and store information in a massive database that allows access by policing agencies, have been a talking point across the country. Some residents across Florida have taken responsibility into their own hands to protest the use of Flock cameras, like 77-year-old Carl

Gunn, who gained national attention after holding up a pool skimmer attached with a sign that read, “Down With Flock Cameras,” facing the makeshift sign in front of the camera. Gov. Ron DeSantis came out earlier this week to say he draws a line with Flock camera systems being used to automatically ticket individuals without a police officer’s presence. “I’m all about having law enforcement have tools to be able to hold criminals accountable, “ Gov. DeSantis said at a press event at Florida International University. “I think that’s important that we do that. And no one’s been stronger on law enforcement than me. But I don’t want to have this become a surveillance state.” Concerns over privacy have stemmed from law enforcement agencies’ misuses of Flock databases, resulting in cities nationwide cancelling their contract with the license plate reading company. Last month, a Haines City police officer was arrested for misuse of the Flock camera database after being caught tracking his estranged wife’s car with over 700 inquiries between Sept. 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026. So far this year, 100 cities have cancelled or deactivated Flock camera contracts, according to the DeFlock advocacy group. The news in Pasco follows nationwide pushback against Flock cameras. Last month, a 77-year-old Republican man went viral for staging a solo protest against St. Pete’s Flock cameras.

Carl Gunn, 77, was concerned for his privacy when he spotted a camera outside his St. Petersburg neighborhood of Coquina Key, mounted on a 12-foot tall black pole. Gunn later learned that the device was operated by a private, for-profit company, and that it automatically loads license plates and AI-generated profiles of each passing car into a massive database. The only 12-foot pole Gunn had was his pool skimmer. He taped a sign to it, grabbed a camping chair, and sat himself in front of the camera. This Saturday, all the camera saw was Gunn’s sign: “DOWN WITH FLOCK CAMERAS.” “This is just another thing to take our information and to spy on us,” Gunn told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I have a constitutional right to my privacy. I’m a lawabiding citizen, and I don’t need anyone sticking their nose in my business. And if they do, I’m going to chop it off.” This was Gunn’s second protest against Flock cameras, his first being a week prior at a camera a few blocks away. CL interviewed Gunn as he sat under the sun with his sign and watched the public reaction to his protest. Gunn was eventually joined by a supportive stranger who brought him a shade umbrella and a cold soda. Passing drivers honked in support, and one even dropped off cold drinks and snacks out of her passenger window. Reporting from Valerie Smith appears in this story.

LOCAL NEWS

RELEASE: Pasco County Sheriff’s Office currently leases roughly 70 Flock cameras.

PASCOSHERIFF/FACEBOOK

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 17

“I haven’t let it stop me from doing the work for the people, and it won’t stop me now.”

Keep fighting

LYNN ON ME: Tampa’s District 3 councilwoman says she’s surrounded by a great team.

Tampa City Councilwoman says she has breast cancer. By Ray Roa

ast Thursday was another long day at Tampa City Hall, as the community came together to discuss another proposal that uses public money to help build a stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. District 3 Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak, who is running in the Tampa mayoral election that wraps in March, has been the tip of the spear in the push against the stadium proposals presented so far—even posting a five-minute opposition explainer the night before the 4-3 vote to approve a new set of definitive documents— but she’s started another battle this week. During new business of the Aug. 27 Tampa City Council meeting, Hurtak, 49, told councilmembers and the public that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer and will start treatment on Aug. 31. The night before, Hurtak told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she was diagnosed this month and has been on a fast path to the 12-week treatment. “My doctor found a lump on July 31,” Hurtak said. “I have been poked and prodded, and had

tons of blood taken. MRIs, and EKGs, and PET scans, and biopsies, and all these words I didn’t know before, but now do.” She said that that treatment will not keep her from doing the work constituents citywide elected her to do, including taking crucial votes on the many issues that affect Tampeños. “I haven’t let it stop me from doing the work for the people, and it won’t stop me now. I’m just gonna do what I do, and I have a great team around me,” she added. “I have a really positive attitude about it, and I’m just gonna fight it the way I fight everything else.” Hurtak told CL that her treatment will not affect the campaign for mayor, which she launched last February, nearly a year ahead of Election Day in the Tampa Municipal Election set for March 2, 2027. “The good news is my chemo will be done before Thanksgiving,” she said. “I’m still going to be able to have conversations. I’m still going to be able to do some Lynn Listens sessions. It will just simply depend on if I have to go get a mask or not, based on my doctor’s directives.”

LOCAL NEWS

18 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

After the announcement, fellow councilmembers were understandably somber. Hurtak told CL that she’s doing OK, as much as anyone who’s just received the diagnosis can be. “It hasn’t really settled in yet. Maybe it will when I start my first chemo treatment,” she told CL, adding that it’s kind of a relief to finally share the news with the public. “Now, it doesn’t feel like I’m doing it by myself.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ends Tampa event when asked about kratom ties Last Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly ended a press gaggle with local media when asked about his ties to a kratom company. The incident occurred while Kennedy and Senator Ashley Moody promoted the Harvest to Hallways initiative at a Tampa elementary school. The new federal initiative encourages schools to use local meat and produce in their lunches, but it doesn’t increase their food budgets. The initiative does include $25 million in Farm to School grants. That’s less than 4% of the $660 million the Trump administration slashed by eliminating the Local Food for Schools program last year. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association told KWQC that this initiative is a drop in the bucket compared to the funding lost last year. The Florida Cattlemen’s Association was not immediately available for comment. “The programs

CITY OF TAMPA MEETINGS/YOUTUBE

that were canceled were programs that were not functioning,” Kennedy said. Last year, Ernesto Ruiz with the Farmworkers Association of Florida told WFLA the cuts would result in less work and lower wages for Florida’s farmworkers. At least 1.5 million children have lost access to Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits under the Trump administration. Kennedy told WMNF he wasn’t worried about the cuts affecting kids’ nutrition. “The only people kicked off of SNAP were people who were not eligible for it,” Kennedy said. “They were not eligible because their income is too high or because they were illegal aliens.” One reporter questioned Kennedy over his ties to Botanic Tonics, the maker of a kratom drink called Feel Free. The Department of Justice dropped a product safety lawsuit against the company earlier this year. In the weeks following, Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again PAC received $1 million from the company. A Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee opened an investigation into Kennedy for the connection. When a Sky News reporter asked him about the money, Moody quickly stepped in to end the press gaggle. “Thank you very much for joining us today to talk about our kids and their healthy futures,” Moody said, cutting off the reporter mid-sentence. The press gaggle ended after less than 12 minutes.—Valerie Smith

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New state law to protect consumers from data center costs faces its first test. By Kate Payne/Florida Trib

ne of the country’s largest energy holding companies is probing just how closely Florida will regulate data centers and the massive costs they could pass down to electric customers, in a key first test of what advocates have called a “historic” consumer protection law. The case before Florida’s Public Service Commission is weighing whether Duke Energy plans to do enough to shield customers from the costs of data centers—probing how state regulators will enforce a law intended to ensure that the energy-intensive facilities and not regular ratepayers are the ones covering the data center costs. Duke was the first investor-owned utility to submit a proposal under the new Florida legislation known as Senate Bill 484, which went into effect last month, giving the PSC the chance to set guardrails for massive electric consumers known as large load customers. “Hopefully out of all of this we will get a template for what does meet the requirements,” said Walt Trierweiler, the statutorily authorized consumer advocate for Florida’s millions of public utility customers. “What does prevent the cost-shifting from data centers to the current body of ratepayers? And what protects those customers from subsidizing loads that don’t show up?” he added. Data centers have become a political lightning rod across the country, galvanizing a bipartisan outpouring of opposition from residents alarmed by the sheer scale of the energy and water needed to run the facilities, which are used to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing. In calls with investors, utility company executives have touted

the state as a prime market for data center expansion, with Duke anticipating billions of dollars in new investments in Florida and Indiana over the next five years, driven by the data center boom. Under SB 484, public utilities must “reasonably ensure that each large load customer bears its own full cost of service and that such cost is not shifted to the general body of ratepayers.” That cost of service includes: connection, operations, and maintenance expenses, incremental transmission, incremental generation, and other infrastructure costs, and “any other costs required to serve a large load customer.” The PSC, which regulates public utilities, heard about five hours of testimony last Tuesday from utility representatives and expert witnesses, with commissioners largely remaining mum on Duke’s proposal for how to support large load consumers. The board did not take a formal vote, although a written order is expected after the parties submit post-hearing briefs. Some commissioners had previously voiced concerns about the plan, with one saying Duke appeared to be on “real shaky ground,” and another—a former legislator—saying the proposal doesn’t comply with the new law. “In my view, the petition appears facially noncompliant with the mandatory statutory requirements of Senate Bill 484 and falls outside the intended scope of the mechanism contemplated under Senate Bill 484,” Commissioner Mike La Rosa wrote in an order issued by the panel. Attorneys for Duke have defended the proposal, saying its consumer protections ensure large load consumers will bear their full cost of service.

“[Duke Energy Florida’s] proposal protects customers today, preserves the commission’s authority tomorrow, and satisfies the Legislature’s directive,” said Dianne Triplett, an attorney for Duke. Duke does not currently have any large load data center customers, though the utility is slated to power what could become the state’s first hyperscale facility, in Fort Meade, though that project faces further regulatory hurdles before it’s officially greenlit. While Duke’s large load proposal sets a minimum 20-year contract term, minimum monthly bill provisions, and mandatory fees for early termination of contracts, the plan did not set specific new rates for large load customers like data centers, which advocates argued was a violation of the state law. In Trierweiler’s view, Duke’s proposal “doesn’t attempt to comply with the most basic provisions of SB 484,” and leaves the commission—and customers—in the dark about the full projected costs of data centers, which can consume as much energy as a city. “The potential for prosperity, economic development that uplifts the small, rural communities where they target these data centers is great. However, the converse is also great,” Trierweiler said. “The risk of devastating economic loss in subsidization is huge should any one of these data centers fail to materialize, or fail to be used throughout its life.” Attorneys for Duke have maintained that the company wouldn’t be able to set new rates for large loads now because of the terms of its current PSC-approved rate agreement, which runs

through the end of 2027. At that point, Duke said, it would be able to set new rates for large loads, with far more information about what the actual needs of the massive customers would be. “We have committed to filing a large load customer rate at a future rate proceeding, supported by a complete cost-of-service study. At that time, all parties, including the commission, will have the full opportunity to address cost allocation, rate design and cost recovery on the complete evidentiary record,” Triplett said. But consumer advocates found those claims unpersuasive. A staff attorney for the PSC also pointed to a provision in Duke’s current rate agreement stating that the company can recoup costs if it has to make changes to comply with new government regulations. Backgrounding all the legal arguments and technical jargon are Floridians’ concerns that the artificial intelligence and data-center booms could go bust, leaving regular ratepayers on the hook if state regulators don’t adequately enforce consumer protections. “If there is a bubble and it bursts, the general body of customers will be left holding the bag for billions and billions of dollars in infrastructure,” said attorney Bradley Marshall, representing the advocacy group Florida Rising, which is challenging Duke’s proposal. “This is a case of first impression and the commission must get this right.” Kate Payne is Florida Trib’s state government reporter. She can be reached at kate.payne@floridatrib.org. This article is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

DEL HARPER/SHUTTERSTOCK

OUT OF THE GATE: Duke was the first investor-owned utility to submit a proposal under the new Florida legislation known as Senate Bill 484.

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Big beers at Bahama Breeze site, and more local food news. By Colin Wolf

Armature Works staple Graze will open a third location in South Tampa Popular brunch and salad spot Graze will soon open a new location in Tampa’s Ballast Point neighborhood. The restaurant took to social media last weekend, writing “Graze 3 coming soon to Ballast Point! We are so excited to join this neighborhood and serve up delicious brunch, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.” The new post will debut a few blocks south of the new Mad Dogs & Englishmen at 5232 S MacDill Ave., which is the former Arirang Korean spot. The original location, Graze 1910, first opened in early 2018 inside Armature Works food hall in

Tampa Heights, and about a year later a second location debuted across the street from Plant High School at 2217/2219 S Dale Mabry Hwy. No exact opening date was announced, but according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, which first broke this story, the new Graze hopes to open sometime before the end of 2026. Taste of Pinellas to return in 2027, following 13-year hiatus It’s been 13 years since Taste of Pinellas last brought thousands to downtown St. Petersburg. But now the beloved food festival is back, sort of. Taste, as it’s often referred to, was a multiday event with roots in Straub Park. It was last held at Albert Whitted Park in 2014. It had

KC and the Sunshine Band, and the Blues Brothers, starring Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd on opening night. Tickets started at $25. It had nearly two dozen local food vendors, though a decade earlier there were more than 40 food stalls. Back in 2011 and 2012, Edwards, local entertainment and business impresario who died last month, had transformed the Taste of Pinellas festival into a huge live music happening, bringing in acts like Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Colbie Caillat, Chris Isaak, Dashboard Confessional, Third Eye Blind and Buddy Guy to headline the main stage in Vinoy Park. The festival took a break in 2013. Then in 2014, it moved to Albert Whitted Park, located across from the Mahaffey Theater and Dali Museum, was chosen as a much smaller venue, but one that perhaps better fit the crowd size. Ticket details for Taste of Pinellas happening Saturday, Feb. 6 at St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field have not yet been announced.

SHUTERSTOCK/YINGNA CAI

ard-long beers are coming to Tampa’s Rocky Point neighborhood. According to building plans filed with the City of Tampa on Aug. 24, Darden Restaurants Inc. will convert the existing Bahama Breeze in Rocky Point into a Yard House. The plans, which call for a complete remodel of the current 12,200-square-foot space (located at 3045 N Rocky Point Dr. E.), come after Darden announced last February that it would close roughly half of its Caribbean-themed Bahama Breeze concepts, and convert the rest into other Darden properties. The Orlando-based parent company currently owns a variety of chain restaurants, including Olive Garden, Cheddars, Eddie V’s, Longhorn Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris, Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52 and Yard House. No exact opening date was available for the Rocky Point location, or a Bahama Breeze closing date for that matter. A representative with Darden could not be reached. The new Rocky Point Yard House will be Tampa’s second location, after the 16,400-square-foot downtown outpost opened at 450 Channelside Dr. in December of 2023. If you’re unfamiliar with Yard House, the chain is known as a higher-end sports bar with 100s of beers on tap, including a beer glass size option that is literally a yard tall, as well as a menu spanning everything from burgers, pizzas, poke bowls, vegan options and more.

been held for 26 years at the much larger Vinoy Park. Now it’s set to return for one day only on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027 inside Tropicana Field. As part of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital’s 100th anniversary, this year’s event will feature 20-30 restaurants, as well as live music, says a press release. A “show-stopping” national headliner is supposed to be named later. A rep for the festival told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that since the event is indoors on the playing field, it’ll be unlike any past Taste of Pinellas. The once annual event was canceled in 2013, citing low attendance in previous years and what organizers described as the “changing landscape” of the local entertainment industry. At the time, businessman Bill Edwards helped bring back the concert and food experience that donated proceeds to All Children’s Hospital. The 2014 edition had ‘80s hitmakers Pat Benatar and Loverboy as the headliners with

ROCKY TOP OFF: Darden is bringing a familiar concept to Courtney Campbell Causeway.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 27

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Cauliflower power It’s time to plant your vegetable garden. By Vicky Parsons/Bay Soundings

f you’re new to Florida vegetable gardening, you probably don’t understand why your friends are so excited about cooler weather. It might be time to start winding down vegetable crops in most of the country, but it’s time to start planting them here, or at least planning where to plant them. “The thing about vegetable gardening in Florida is that most people don’t really get the concept of planting with the seasons,” said Kitty Wallace, co-founder of the Coalition of Community Gardens in Tampa. “They’re asking me if they can plant something now, and of course they can, but it might not do well.” While some crops, like English peas, should wait for cooler weather, many vegetables can be planted in September to be harvested later this year. “Now is the time to put green beans in the ground for Thanksgiving, or you can plant broccoli for Christmas,” she said. Other plants that can be started now include tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, lettuce, onions and peppers. And although timing is critical, it’s not enough to just put seeds in Florida’s sandy soil and expect a bumper crop. You’ll need to develop a plan and prepare the soil before you start actually digging holes for your vegetable crops. Most new growers, however, will probably opt for container gardening or join a community garden, where they can rent a space with highly amended soil and an irrigation system.

Even better, if you’re a newbie, community gardens come with built-in experts who are glad to share their knowledge and resources. The Coalition has grown from just six community gardens in 2015 to 60 gardens across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco counties, Wallace notes. “Most of them still have some available spaces, so there’s probably a nearby spot where you can learn to garden from people who have been doing it for years.” Local offices of the University of Florida/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences all have community garden specialists on staff to add their professional expertise, Wallace said. Even downtown dwellers can join the fun this year at the newest community garden located outside the Whiting Street Garage, Wallace adds. “It’s right on the street in the middle of downtown Tampa.” To find a garden near you, visit coalitionofcommunitygardens.org. If you’d like to learn more about starting a community garden in your neighborhood, visit ifas-hillsborough.catalog.instructure.com. From field to fork: UF scientists uncover tricks to growing artichokes Florida gardeners who love artichokes have been told for years that the tasty flowers don’t grow here. Native to the Mediterranean region, artichokes prefer cool winters and dry summers, so nearly all artichokes sold in the US come

from a small region in coastal California. More recently, though, researchers at the University of Florida (UF) are unlocking the secrets to growing the vegetable here. For Florida farmers, faced with record cold and drought linked to climate change as well as ongoing pressure from diseases like citrus greening, artichokes could become a highly profitable crop. The flower buds, which are the edible portion of the plant, typically retail for more than $3 each and, since they’ve traveled across the country to get to Florida, they’ve lost some of their nutrients. “Artichokes are not only a tasty vegetable, but they are also rich in nutrients that are good for our bodies,” said Tie Liu, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). They contain fiber, antioxidants and bioactive compounds that may help support heart health, digestion and overall wellness. “Because of these health benefits, artichokes can play an important role in healthy diets.” Liu and Shinsuke Agehara, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Wimauma, are looking for ways to grow artichokes here, as well as identifying how to extend artichokes’ shelf life while maintaining the stability of healthy compounds. Agehara hosted an Artichoke Field Day in March, which he expects to repeat in February 2027. Growing artichokes in Florida isn’t as easy as planting just any food crop but it’s doable, as Agehara has proven. As a cool-season crop adapted to the Mediterranean climate, artichokes require a certain amount of winter

TOPS CROP: Cauliflower is among the Florida vegetables to plant now.

chilling to produce flower buds. “The major challenge is that Florida’s warm winters often don’t provide enough chilling,” said Agehara. To overcome that obstacle, you need to start with the right varieties – he recommends Imperial Star for high productivity or the hybrids Green Queen or Green Globe Improved for better quality fruit, although the hybrid seeds are more expensive. Plant the seeds in late August or mid-September in small pots or a seedling tray in a partially shaded location protected from heavy rainfall. In about six weeks, they’ll be ready to transplant to a full sun location outside. In approximately another six weeks, it will be time to add Agehara’s secret sauce – gibberellic acid, a naturally occurring plant hormone that stimulates flower bud development, bypassing the need for winter chilling by fooling the artichoke into thinking it’s cold and therefore time to bloom. Agehara’s team incorporated this treatment into a production system tailored to Florida’s growing conditions., When combined with the right varieties, planting dates, fertilization, and irrigation management, this approach can produce up to 15,420 pounds of artichokes per acre — more than 90% of the average commercial yield in California. Agehara recently published a production guide to artichokes with detailed information on planting and caring for the crop. He’s planning another Artichoke Field Day at UF/IFAS/ GCREC in February 2027, – including taste tests on the newest crop. Follow @UFHortLab on Facebook for the latest information. This post first appeared at Bay Soundings.

FOOD NEWS

LUIZA KAMALOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 29

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RAY ROA

There’s a lot you could roast Greg Spadaccini about. Like how for 10 years, he’s made his extremely loyal customers in Seminole Heights sit outside to enjoy the very good coffee that he’s been making for over a decade. The guy even opened an indoor country club before cooling down that cozy courtyard. And what about that golf game? The 37-year-old claims to be a scratch golfer and is always posting from the course as if he’s some kind of influencer. Someone’s bound to call Spaddy out on that at this roast of the roaster, and maybe rip on his creepy van, or mountain bike skills, too. More than that though, this night of unfiltered call-outs should also be a celebration of local business, turning an 8’ x 12’ from Craigslist into a much bigger one, and what it takes to make one work for over a decade in Seminole Heights. Expect food from The Brisket Shoppe, coffee, and insults as the neighborhood hangs out in the sketchy alley behind Heights Country Club on Saturday night. There’s no cover for Spaddy’s 10-year celebration happening Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. behind Heights Country Club in Tampa. Tampa Bay Beer Week hosts its ‘Halfway There’ celebration this weekend Across the nation’s media landscape, food & drink writers seem eager to declare the death of craft beer. Some of those bylines actually make a good argument. As Tampa Bay Business Journal reported last Monday, a dozen local breweries have

closed over the last year, with just five (including the extremely popular Late Start Brewing) opening in the same time frame. “However, the area is still home to just over 100 breweries,” TBBJ added, “which sold a combined 29,000 barrels, or 900,000 gallons, in retail sales last year.” And while nearly everyone is drinking less these days, Tampa Bay Beer Week is taking a beat to toast to the good stuff at this halfway-to-beer-week fundraiser where dozens of those local brewers come together to pour a few out and take a deep breath together. “Every ticket purchased helps support TBBW and our mission to celebrate, promote, and strengthen the local craft beer community. Your participation directly helps us make TBBW bigger and better each year,” organizers wrote. “Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or simply looking for a fun afternoon with friends, this is the perfect opportunity to discover new favorites while supporting a great cause.” Tickets for Tampa Bay Beer Week’s Halfway There 2026 festival happening Saturday, Sept. 5 at 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg are still available and start at $55 (designated drivers get in for $20). See a couple more food & drink events happening below.—Ray Roa The Art of Coffee: A Tasting Journey featuring Mission Grounds Coffee Friday, Sept. 4. 10 a.m. $10. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com Cuban Cuisine with Chef Warren Caterson Wednesday, Sept. 9. 6 p.m. No cover with registration. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 31

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32 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

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MOVIES

THEATER

ART

CULTURE

Healing power

Friends rally for Commodore co-founder Justin Peters. By Ray Roa

DAVE DECKER

hen Justin Peters is staring someone Since mid-May, Peters said he’s been takdead in the eyes, everything else kind of ing it easy and letting himself not worry about stops. The 45-year-old journalist, come- a publishing career. He went back home to New dian, and author, apparently, has always had a York City, where just one surgeon, Dr. John gift for listening and for holding an audience’s Boockvar, agreed to do surgery. attention. Since December 2023, his wit, curi“All the other doctors I talked to around here osity, and compassion have been a driving force were like, ‘No, we would not even risk cutting you of the “Salud and Happy Days” series at the open to try to debulk the tumor because of its placeCommodore in Ybor City, a space he co-founded ment across both frontal lobes,’” Peters explained. earlier that year. The show’s title is a nod to a “He was like ‘I’ll go in. I’ll do it tomorrow.’” commercial for Tampa’s long-shuttered Valencia Peters, along with his family and partner in Garden restaurant. During the performance, comedy, Kelly Buttermore, asked Boockvar for a Peters interviews notable Tampeños before couple weeks to get ready. On June 8, Boockvar, unleashing improv comedians to act out what who appears in the Netflix documentary “Lenox comes out in the onstage chat. The presenta- Hill,” ended up taking out 75% of the growth. tion is one-of-a-kind in the Radiation and cheBay area and has become motherapy followed, and a staple for natives and are on the agenda in the newcomers alike. weeks ahead, but last A benefit for Justin About 100 days ago, Monday, Peters looked at w/MW Walker/Yung Groan/Abortion Twins/ Peters had to stop in his Axehandle Hound/Have Spirit/Bad, Bad Things/ ease. The taste of food, more. Saturday, Sept. 5. 7:30 p.m. $7. tracks, too. he added, is a lot better, American Legion Seminole Post 111. During a “Salud” much like everything else 6918 N Florida Ave., Tampa interview with Karen in his life. Kress, the then outgoing Senior Director of “Everything’s a fucking gift. Everything Transportation & Planning at the Tampa feels better, is better. I feel better,” he said, Downtown Partnership, castmates noticed admitting that he might think differently after that their leader wasn’t totally himself. They the next round of treatment. “But as of now, forced him to get checked out at Tampa General I’m feeling great. I’m optimistic. I got nothing Hospital. That’s when he was bad to say about my treatment diagnosed with a grade four out here. I’m doing good.” glioblastoma, the most dangerButtermore, a Commodore ous and aggressive type of brain co-founder, attributes Peters’ cancer, with an average survival attitude to the improv they’ve time of 12-18 months. been practicing for more than a Peters, a Slate contributor and the author decade-and-a-half now. “What does that teach of “The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of you except all you have is right now—it sounds Free Culture on the Internet,” told Creative really corny, but it is actually true,” she added. Loafing Tampa Bay that the news kind of just It’s natural to want to reach for answers from rolled off his back, leaving friends and family a doctor, but improv teaches someone to be in more stricken than he was. In fact, the diagnosis a scene, think about who they are to the others almost immediately left him relieved. on stage, and what the stakes are for everyone. “The moment that I learned that there was The cast in a show has to let go, accept what is a pretty significant percentage that I won’t sur- going to happen next, and adjust. vive through the end of Donald Trump’s current Despite the devastating prognosis, Buttermore presidential term, that took a lot of the pressure said, the last three months have been filled with off of me,” Peters added. “Pressure I’ve been feel- countless moments of joy and laughter. Peters ing with respect to getting another book out or obviously had no clue that his practice, work, and establishing myself as a regular contributor to effort in improv would lead him here, but did surSlate and so on and so forth.” render that “it’s come in very handy.”

INTERVIEW

“Everything’s a fucking gift.”

SALUD DAYS: Justin Peters at The Commodore in Ybor City on Jan. 9, 2026. Everything he’s put in for others has apparently boomeranged for Peters, too. A GoFundMe launched three months ago to help with expenses has surpassed its goal, and this weekend a bunch of Peters’ friends and collaborators are throwing a benefit at their unofficial clubhouse: Tampa’s American Legion Seminole Post 111. MW Walker, a songwriter, actor and fellow Commodore co-founder, told CL the Legion is where he really got to know Peters. Walker will play music there, and so will the rarely seen electro-experimental act Yung Groan, Have Spirit, rock outfits Abortion Twins, Bad, Bad Things, and others. Raffle prizes and food from Taco Dale are on the menu. Bartenders are giving their tips to Peters, too. “That place is a good hang,” Walker said. “The hang is where you really get to meet people and understand them, bond and become true friends.” Walker said that it was a karaoke night at the Legion—after Countdown Improv Festival, the first time Peters got to hang post-surgery— where friends got to kind of grieve together. For Peters, the fact that his people over at the Legion are throwing this benefit concert is really touching. “I’m really grateful,” he said.

He’s not spent the last decade trying to cork or manifest this kind of support, but most of his days have been devoted to trying to create opportunities for others. “Then the moment comes where you need help, and just to see the people for whom you created all those opportunities stand up and try to help you out and lift the burden from your shoulder, it feels great,” Peters said. “It’s really a humbling experience, but a good one.” Peters can't fly down for the benefit, but friends will likely send video. In fact, he encourages anyone who has his contact to reach out, regardless of whether they know what to say or not. “Just reach out, say, ‘Hi,’” he added. And while it’s true that for right now, Peters is letting time stop, and just taking it moment to moment, he does know what the first order of business will be if this all ends with the doctor telling him he’s beat the brain cancer. “I’ll go out and drink like 20 beers,” he said, specifying a preference for Coors Banquet and tapping into his improv mind when it comes to the aftermath. “Just go get completely fucking hammered that night, and then deal with the consequences of that for the next three days.” Salud indeed, and here’s to hoping that Peters has many happy days ahead.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 33

ARTISTIC INNOVATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

ON VIEW NOW New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art, in partnership with Musée des Civilisations noires in Dakar, Senegal, and received generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Hervé Youmbi, Cameroonian (active in Douala), Tso Scream Mask, Visages de masques (IX) series, 2015–2023. Wood, pigment, fiber, beads, textile, glue, velvet and cotton fabric, silk embroidery, horse-hair. Collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, museum purchase, Robert P. Gordy Fund, 2023.38.1-.7.

ART AFTER DARK THURSDAY, SEPT 3 | 5-8 PM DJ Brian’s summer sessions create the perfect soundtrack for an evening of atmospheric energy and after-hours discovery in the galleries. Pair your visit with Café Clementine’s L’Apéro hours, featuring organic wines, beer, and a lineup of savory and sweet delights. Plus, enjoy a raw bar pop-up from Lost Coast Oyster Co.

BANNED BOOKS

JOURNALING SESSION SUNDAY, SEPT 6 | 11 AM-1 PM

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MAGGIE DUFFY

NEW AFRICAN MASQUERADES

RAINBOW COALITION: Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Lakewood Trail Connector.

Colorful connections

$5K grant brings new mural, safety, to Lakewood Trail. By Maggie Duffy/Gulfport Gabber

n an August afternoon in St. Petersburg, as rain loomed overhead, groups of Maximo Elementary students frolicked with cans of spray paint to add the finishing touches to a new mural on a 400-foot long wall. They were there to celebrate the unveiling of the vibrant mural at the Lakewood Trail Connector, a previously neglected pedestrian-only connection across Interstate-275 between 31st Street S and US 19. The mural was a group effort involving transit non-profit Connect Pinellas, youth empowerment organization All the World’s Kids, the Lakewood Estates Civic Association, and Oak Park Villas, the apartment complex adjacent to the connector that owns the wall. The Vitale Bros. spearheaded the mural’s artist team. It was made possible by a $5,000 art grant All the World’s Kids received from the City of St. Petersburg. Artists Johnny Vitale, Derek Donnelly, Nick Kekllas, Sionna “Sio” MacLeish, Taylor “Dreamweaver” Smith, and Arturo Romero used their skills to create the mural. It features plants and animals that live around the nearby Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, including a raccoon, blue jay, turtle, alligator, and an armadillo. Maximo students filled in outlines and painted their own flowers. “Now it’s just a big community mural,” said Johnny Vitale. “This is something that everybody in the neighborhood can take ownership of.” “Art beautifies and revitalizes spaces, and also kids can create what they can’t communicate. So through visuals, they can come and throw something up on the wall and feel invested,” said Lauren Hubbard, founder and CEO of All the World’s Kids. Hubbard tapped Vitale to lead the project.

What comes next Hubbard said they will continue to maintain the area through monthly cleanups, and that this is the first phase of upgrades for the Lakewood Trail Connector. “It’s an artery of our ecosystem because it essentially connects the Lakewood Estates area with the Skyway Marina District,” said Hubbard. “If that artery isn’t flowing, then that’s not good for the ecosystem. So we came to breathe life into that, and we’re pumping the artery back to life by connecting this corridor. That gives youth who attend Maximo Elementary School safe access to get there.” At the end of the ceremony, each student received an award for participating in the mural and a coloring page of the mural. There was also free pizza. The Lakewood Connector Trail Community Mural is located near the 31st Street Sports Complex, where you can park, 4801 31st St. S., St. Petersburg. For more information, visit connectpinellas.org and alltheworldskidsinc.org. This post first appeared at The Gulfport Gabber, which is part of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project (TBJP), a nascent Creative Loafing Tampa Bay effort supported by grants and a coalition of donors who make specific contributions via the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation. If you are a non-paywalled Bay area publication interested in TBJP, please email rroa@cltampa.com. Help the Gabber keep publishing by making a donation at thegabber.com.

LOCAL ARTS

A safer route to school Aesthetics aside, the mural is meant to establish safety in an area previously riddled with trash, including drug paraphernalia.

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“It’s the first step towards a safer route to Maximo Elementary for students and for neighbors alike,” said Kristen Ehrlich, president of Connect Pinellas, during the ceremony before the ribbon cutting. “I urge everyone, particularly city council members … to take a look at the actual trail connector and its condition. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Yo, ho

Five storylines to watch before the Bucs season opening. By Carter Brantley

he NFL preseason is in full swing (as much as it can be, at least), which means the regular season is just around the corner. That means Sundays (and a Monday and Thursday and maybe sometimes Saturdays?) will soon be occupied with cannons being fired, unhealthy food being eaten, and ugly football jerseys getting worn by people who think a curl route has something to do with hair. That’s alright, I still don’t really know what the hell a 4 tech is and cite statistics whose calculations, to me, remain a mystery. But here are some storylines to potentially monitor throughout the rest of the preseason and into the regular season, which kicks off for the Bucs on Sunday, Sept. 13 when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals.

McMillan, and Ted Hurst all figure to be contributors at the wide receiver spot. But the health of Godwin and J-Mac (even Egbuka) is a massive question mark. Luckily, Tez Johnson (the assumed WR5) proved to at least be capable of filling in last season. It’s still something to look for, as the offense looked lost without its top pass catchers and ultimately was at least part of the reason for the unit’s epic collapse in the second half of last season. Speaking of that collapse… Todd Bowles’ job security Yawn, another NFL team with fans that hate the head coach. It’s not unfounded; a team can’t go 2-7 to finish out a season without there being some serious questions about the people in charge. And if the Bucs have another difficult season where they miss the postseason, it’ll be difficult to justify bringing Todd Bowles back for the next era of Bucs football. Evans and Lavonte David are gone, and Bowles could be next if the Bucs are sitting at home watching playoff games from the couch.

Baker Mayfield’s contract There have been a lot of conflicting reports about what’s been offered and discussed between the two sides. Did the Bucs actually offer a two-year, $100+ million deal? How much of that was guaranteed? Did Baker Mayfield really want a longer term deal? Should an average NFL QB be getting more than $50 million a year? I don’t know the Tampa Bay Buccaneers answers to any of those at Cincinnati Bengals questions, but there seems

SPORTS

Rueben Bain Jr. and the new-look defense Considered the steal to be a lingering belief Next Sunday, Sept. 13. 1 p.m. Fox Sports of the draft, Rueben Bain that an agreement will be Jr. was a monster at the University of Miami. His short arms caused reached at some point. If not, Mayfield, who’s just 31 years old, has him to fall into the Bucs’ laps in the middle of committed to playing through the contract. the first round with the 15th overall pick. No sitting or holding out, and rightfully so; if They also drafted off-ball linebacker Josiah Mayfield has an excellent season, he can increase Trotter and slot cornerback Keionte Scott, his asking price by quite a bit. And he’s certainly and brought in some veteran free agents to not one to ever lack confidence. fill out the group. For the Bucs, if they wait and he has another That free agency class was headlined by mixed-bag-season like last year, they can reeval- linebacker Alex Anzalone, but other signings uate their options after the season and make a such as defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson more informed decision. and Al-Quadin Muhammad bring a real edge But it’d be fine if Tampa Bay manages to to the group that has been missing for a few re-sign him during the season. Mayfield is a years now. likable player capable of leading them to diviSo, the Bucs have a bunch of new guys on sion titles, and trying to find his replacement the defensive side of the ball, with Bain being could send them back to the dark ages of top the potential star. Could this be a potential five picks and wasted careers. strength of the team? Obviously the secondary is still a question mark, as Jamel Dean leaving Who’s going to be running routes for in free agency leaves a vacancy at CB1 that’s being “filled” by Zyon McCollum. the Bucs? The departure of Mike Evans was one of The second corner and slot roles are also the more disheartening developments of the potential issues, as Scott has been featured offseason, and now the Bucs have to figure prominently in the latter role throughout preout the future for their group of pass catchers. season. But is second year man Jacob Parrish, There isn’t much doubt as to who the main guys who spent over 80% of his snaps last year in the are: Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen slot, ready to kick outside?

V FOR VENDETTA: Nose tackle Vita Vea is part of a solid front-seven for the pewter pirates. The front seven is solid, with Bain, YaYa Diaby, recently extended Vita Vea, and those new linebackers anchoring what could be a sneakygood group. But the backside could be just as bad as ever. The hope is that the pass rush is so good that it won’t matter, and the expectation is that the group will be stout against the run. We’ll see. Is Bucky Irving a one-season wonder? Running back Bucky Irving had one of the more magical rookie seasons in Bucs history, helping lead what was one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in 2024. Last year was a step back for the former Oregon Duck. He missed time to injury and when

on the field was seemingly unable to make up for the Bucs having a skeleton crew at offensive line due to a litany of injuries. He no longer has running mate Rachaad White in the backfield to sub in for obvious passing situations, but the team did bring in free agent Kenneth Gainwell, who was a solid pass catcher for the Steelers last year. There are also discussions surrounding Sean Tucker’s future, whether he will be on the team as RB3 or if he’ll be cut in favor of second-year man Josh Williams. Regardless, the Bucs’ running game will likely begin and end with Irving. It’ll be up to him (and the offensive line) to see if it’s any good.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 35

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LIV(IN)G Estuary: A Space Between (Opening reception) w/Ashley Rivers Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. No cover. Brenda McMahon Gallery, Gulfport. brendamcmahongallery.com Tampa Bay Comic Convention Multiple times Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-6. $35 & up. Tampa Convention Center, Tampa. tampabaycomicconvention.com Dance Social with Danse Konpa Tuesday, Sept. 8. 5:30 p.m. $10. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com Fall Bouquet Workshop with The Roaming Petal Wednesday, Sept. 9. 6:30 p.m. $49.87. 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg. theroamingpetal.com Brims & Brews Hat Workshop Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. $85. 3 Daughters Brewing, St. Petersburg Heidi Kay Art Reception Thursday, Sept. 10. 2 p.m. No cover. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org Loud In Fashion hosted by Imani Battle Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $13.45 & up. Showbar, Ybor City

Richard J. Girard II Every family has recipes. For some, that includes molotov cocktails and pipe bombs. That’s on paper, at least, for the writer and spoken word artist Richard J. Girard II. This weekend, the 20-year literary and poetry scene veteran celebrates the release of a new book “Molotov Cocktails, Pipe Bombs & Other Family Recipes” by bringing some of it to the stage. Across about 100 pages, the 42-year-old takes readers on his path from a certain naive innocence, across cynicism, and to a fully activated citizen of the world. The work is personal, a call-toarms, and, yes, a cookbook of sorts (the ingredients for “Slow Roasted” call for a “... sustainable and locally-sourced landlord”). “…the collection presents what Girard describes as a manifesto disguised as a poetry collection, tempered throughout by dark humor and an eye toward the absurd,” a press release says. “By the end, readers have traveled through where Girard came from, where he stands today, and the darkly absurd vision he sees for the future.” Florida poet and educator Lizz Straight, who wrote the foreword, will do a special reading for this engagement that includes a reading from Girard, along with host and Growhouse founder Denis Amadeus. Tickets for the Richard J. Girard II “Molotov Cocktails, Pipe Bombs & Other Family Recipes” book release happening Saturday, Sept. 5 inside Kress Contemporary’s Fringe Theater in Ybor City are still available and start at $12.51.—Ray Roa

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Fall 2026 Exhibition Opening Reception Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. No cover for members; $10 for everyone else. Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin. dfac.org

BOOKISH

Book Club Performance and Participation: ‘Open Water” by Caleb Azumah Nelson Thursday, Sept. 3. 6 p.m. $25 & up. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. bookandbottlestpete.com Bottom Feeders: An Evening with Arielle Hebert Thursday, Sept. 3. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com Deidra Duncan (book signing) Saturday, Sept. 5. 12 p.m. No cover with RSVP. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com EC Book Club: ‘Wake Now In The Fire’ by by Jarrett Dapier and AJ Dungo Sunday, Sept. 6. 4:30 p.m. No cover. Emerald City Comics, Pinellas Park. emeraldcitycomics.com Horror Book Club: ‘Monstrillo’ by Gerardo Sámano Córdova Sunday, Sept. 6. 9 a.m. No cover to attend. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com Bodega Stories: An Evening with Amaris Castillo Tuesday, Sept. 8. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com Book Bedazzling Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6 p.m. $25. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com Book Discussion: ‘The God of the Woods’ by Liz Moore Tuesday, Sept. 8. 11 a.m. No cover. Lutz Branch Library, Lutz OE Book Club: The Midnight Train Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park Virtual Author Talks: Daniel Kraus Tuesday, Sept. 8. 7 p.m. No cover with registration. Dunedin Public Library, Dunedin Jono Miller ‘The Palmetto Book’ talk Wednesday, Sept. 9. 5 p.m. No cover. Wild Space Gallery at The Factory, St. Petersburg. floridawildlifecorridor.org Vulture Gold: An Evening with Micah Dean Hicks Wednesday, Sept. 9. 7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com Ales & Tales Book Club: ‘The Ride:

Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America’ by Kostya Kennedy Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Stilt House Brewery, Palm Harbor. palmharborlibrary.org Crime Travel Book Club: ‘The Secret Dinner’ by Raphael Montes Thursday, Sept. 10. 6:30 p.m. No cover to attend. Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com

COMEDY

April Macie Select times Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 3-6. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa Jay Legend Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 3-5. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers Grill, Palm Harbor Ginger Kelly Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8:30 p.m. $23.58. Sunshine City Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach Jake Polin Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8:30 p.m. $23.58. Clearwater Comedy Club, Clearwater Marcus D. Wiley Multiple times FridaySaturday, Sept. 4-5. $29. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa Rio Paris Friday, Sept. 4. 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. $23.80. Side Splitters, Wesley Chapel Tom Wise Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $20. Coconuts Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach Nick Giasullo Saturday, Sept. 5. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $23.80. Side Slitters, Wesley Chapel Kevin James Thornton Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $37. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa Josh Wolf Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 10-12. 7 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday. $29 and up. Side Splitters, Tampa Renard Hirsch Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 10-12. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers Grill, Palm Harbor

FILM & TV

Be Kind, Rewind! An ‘80s Movie History Celebration with Hector Sotomayor Thursday, Sept. 3. 1 p.m. No cover. East Lake Community Library, Palm Harbor. eastlakelibrary.org Mode Saturday, Sept. 5. 4 p.m. No cover. Xzanthia’s Art Asylum Studio, Gulfport. tampabayscreams.com The Green Flash Anniversary Screening w/Filmmaker Q&A Sunday, Sept. 6. 7 p.m. $20. The Beach Theatre, St. Pete Beach. thebeachtheatre.org Sunshine Skyway Bridge Disaster Documentary Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. No cover. Safety Harbor Public Library, Safety Harbor. safetyharborlibrary.org Second Quarterly Micro Film Festival Thursday, Sept. 10. 7 p.m. $12.51. Russian American Club, Gulfport

LEARN

St. Petersburg City Council: FY27 Budget Public Hearing No. 1 Thursday, Sept. 3. 6 p.m. No cover. City Hall Council Chambers, 175 5th St. N., St. Petersburg

Florida Air Museum Grand Re-Opening Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-6. 10 a.m. No cover. Florida Air Museum, Lakeland. floridaairmuseum.org Science After Dark Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. $35 & up. Mosi, Tampa. mosi.org Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz Saturday, Sept. 5. 10 a.m.-noon. No cover. Raymond H. Neri Park, St. Petersburg Panel Discussion: Art, Conscience and the Public Square Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6 p.m. No cover. Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg. thedali.org Solar United Neighbors (SUN) - Switch Together Informational Session Wednesday, Sept. 9. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Dunedin Public Library, Dunedin Revolutionary Impressions: Create Your Own Stamps Workshop Thursday, Sept. 10. 6 p.m. $15. Dunedin History Museum, Dunedin. dunedinmuseum.org

PRIDE

Attic Cat & Sun City Sapphics: Matchmaking Mixer Friday, Sept. 4. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Donation suggested. Corner Club, Seminole Heights DIY Movie Review Journal: TIGLFF Fundraiser Finale w/Jumpsuit Giant Saturday, Sept. 5. 6-9 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Check @tiglff on Instagram Lubor Day 2026: Queer Wrestling & Performances Monday, Sept. 7. 3-6 p.m. (wrestling 3:30 p.m.). $5-$15 suggested donation. 18+. Allendale United Methodist Church, St. Petersburg

SPORTS

Tampa Tarpons vs. Dunedin Blue Jays Select times Tuesday-Sunday, Sept. 1-6. $2.25 & up. George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. Gates 4:30 p.m.; rodeo 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, Tampa. tamparodeo. com South Florida Bulls Football vs. Florida International University Football Saturday, Sept. 5. 7 p.m. $20 & up. Raymond James Stadium, Tampa South Atlantic Pro Wrestling: Tangle In Tampa Sunday, Sept. 6. 6 p.m. $20. Brass Mug, Tampa

THEATER

Arsenic and Old Lace Select performances Sept. 3-13. $32.50 & up. Bradenton Kiwanis Theater at Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton Jobsite Theater: Penelope Select times and dates through Sunday, Sept. 6. $71.40 & up. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Eight O’ Clock Theater: Come From Away Select times and dates Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-13. $47. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo Interested in advertising around this listing? Contact jhoward@cltampa.com and acarbone@cltampa.com for details.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 37

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REVIEWS

PROFILES

MUSIC WEEK

Smiling down

Scott Elliott, Tampa artist and WMNF DJ, has died at age 66. By Jo Ellen Schilke

IN MEMORIAM

SCOTT.ELLIOTT.18041092/FACEBOOK

cott Elliott, singer, performer, DJ, vinyl “He didn’t know if the Festival would be any enthusiast (putting it mildly), activist, and good, or a shit show—he just knew I was protherapist, died on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, of ducing it, and he wanted to support me. That’s pancreatic cancer. Elliott, who was 66 years old, the kind of friend he was. I already miss him,” leaves behind his husband, Stephen Gaudette, Strauss noted. “If you were Scott Elliott’s friend, two brothers, Melvin and Wayne, and two you’d hit the jackpot.” beloved pups, Duke and Gracie. He was fiercely Marcie Finkelstein, who now hosts “Words & talented and deeply righteous. Music” on Saturdays, wrote, “He laughed louder, Music and social justice were Elliott’s two felt deeper, and made our lives better, dedicatbig passions, and there were a slew of others. He ing himself to us all, body and soul,” and also started DJ-ing and performing in clubs in New alluded to Elliott’s vocal prowess. York City in the 1980s. He made his way down“ …that man could sing!,” she added. town from the McKinley Projects in the Bronx “Whether paying tribute to David Bowie to selling antiques at or Raul Malo, Joe Dullsville, the influenCocker or his beloved tial shop in Greenwich Prince, he embodied Village in the 1990s. them as he celeScott Elliott celebration of life He met Gaudette brated them.” w/Talk To Mark in 1993, and after an As a singer, he Next Sunday, Sept. 13. 5 p.m. Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Rd., Tampa ice storm in NYC, they worked with some of Additional details to come the best in the busimoved to Florida in 1995, eventually setness, touring the tling in Gulfport. Elliott got involved in St. Pete world as a singer and backup dancer with Pride right at the beginning, and as entertain- Lionel Hampton, Ryo Kawasaki, Jocelyn ment chair, was able to gather local musicians Brown, Taka Boom, Sharon Redd, Carrie Ann to volunteer. He also was instrumental in Inaba, Robin Hatchett, and John Ambrosini. Tampa Museum’s Pride He fronted the 90’s and Passion events. NY indie funk/rock Scott Elliott started band Absolute Zero and volunteering at WMNF Sarasota-based party band, PFM, and was a Community Radio in 2002. His popular music show, featured lead vocalist for All Souls, showcased his omnivorous taste in local indie band, Talk To Mark. Elliott was music and deep appreciation of adventurous also a solo artist in his own right. He was a vocalists. familiar and engaging artist at almost every He was a leader at WMNF, helming the tribute show WMNF produced. station’s Juneteenth celebrations for years, servIn 2008, he left the corporate world and ing on and leading the Volunteer Committee, studied to be a massage therapist, quickly and serving on the board. Elliott was a famil- also becoming an instructor for the Sanford iar, joyous face at many Tropical Heatwaves Brown Institute. While work and healing and other WMNF events. He received WMNF’s people was important, Scott Elliott’s passion Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, among was for music. He was a fantastic supporter other accolades. to other DJs at WMNF and could be found Tributes from his WMNF family poured in at local shows and concerts, big and small, as the news of his passing spread. almost every week. “Talking Animals” host Duncan Strauss “His knowledge of music, his personal said Elliott always supported his show and that energy, his energetic conversations," said CenElliott always volunteered to help events sup- Flo, aka Darryl Ross, host of The Saturday porting the program, including the first ever Night House Party on WMNF. “I always knew Talking Animals Festival. I could count on him.”

“He had the gift of making you feel that you mattered.”

GREAT SCOTT: Scott Elliott was the kind of friend who always showed up. His YouTube channel, DJ Vinyl Vertigo, is made up of reviews and discussions of a wide array of vinyl records, creating another community. What Elliott will be most remembered for though, is how he made you feel. Maybe you got his dazzling smile, or he had a song that you had to hear because it was perfect for you (and it always was). “What joy and passion Scott radiated, putting his all into every endeavor,” Finkelstein noted. His friend, Joe Polubinski said that “He made you feel like you were one of his most

important friends. He had the gift of making you feel that you mattered.” Legendary WMNF DJ Cheryl Mogul, a friend and neighbor in Gulfport, cherishes her many memories of Elliott. They include Gulfport strolls, dancing at concerts, floating in the Gulf of Mexico while he deployed his terrifyingly accurate and funny impersonations of terrible government leaders. Scott Elliott touched so many different communities with grace, determination, and humor. We were lucky to have him for 66 years.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 39

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40 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

THU SEPTEMBER 03–THU SEPTEMBER 10 By Ray Roa C CL Recommends

THU 03

C Rock the Park 16th anniversary: Saints of Saturn w/Sunde/Maryn Alyse First Thursdays in downtown Tampa have been a sweet treat for 16 years now, thanks to Rock the Park. The locally-grown concert series is a bonafide staple of life in the 813 (even if you have a 656 number), and this week it is locked on the future (new band Maryn Alyse), ready to rock (Saints of Saturn), and tapping in with one of the most soulful songwriters in the Bay area (Sunde). There’s no cover, so bring your kids, pets, and blankets. We’re sure there’ll be cake. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa

FRI 04

97X Next Big Thing Legends: Yellowcard w/Waterparks/Dylan Cotrone Your waistband is always there to remind you that Yellowcard’s breakout LP, Ocean Avenue, is 23 years old. While the Jacksonville pop-punk hero has a new album to share (Better Days, released last year), expect frontman Ryan Key, fiddler Sean Mackin & co. to lean into the nostalgia for this throwback edition of 97X’s Next Big Thing. In classic NBT fashion, the lineup includes bands that play into the series’ 25-year history which started at Coachman Park. 6 p.m. $60 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater Anberlin ‘Currency’ listening party For many elder millennials, getting a tattoo with Anberlin on the speakers is a core memory. Mom and dad will get a chance to do it again this weekend when the band takes over the 900 Block of 1st Avenue N for a listening party. The Winter Haven emo forefathers will be in attendance and spin test vinyl for a brand new album, Currency, which is the band’s ninth and Anberlin’s first with Memphis May Fire’s Matty Mullins on the microphone. Two spins (6 p.m., 9 p.m.) happen inside Easy Tiger Hi-Fi Lounge while artists at Amulet Tattoos next door do designs off an Anberlin flash sheet. An Unfun emo night party happens at The Bends to close out the night. 6 p.m. No cover. Easy Tiger Hi-Fi Lounge, St. Petersburg C Soft Cuff (album release) w/The Jackettes The perfect soundtrack for life in Florida is Thick Heat, the debut LP from this homegrown instrumental quartet. Soft Cuff was listed among the Bay area’s best instrumental bands in the summer of 2024, just ahead of a self-titled debut EP, which was followed by the July 2025 single “Dennis Quaalude.” Those records quickly drew in fans prone to spending too much money on Daptone and Linear Labs releases. The 10-track LP spans 37-minutes, and finds the band— made up of scene lifers Christina Sanchez,

Shane Shuch, Brian Schanck, and Michael Bostinto—letting itself stretch out, especially on the title track where almost Dilla-esque off-beat drumming floats along layers of synth, trippy guitars and omnichord texture. 7 p.m. $18.46. St. Pete Shuffleboard Club, St. Petersburg Tampa Death Fest: Grave Filth w/Syndicate/Ramtha/Eroguro Phantasmagore/Gouted Corpse/ Homicyde/Coathanger Abortion/Unholy Disciple/Sapraemia/Leprosy/more Tampa is the undisputed death metal capital of the world and for nearly a decade, this festival has showcased why. Returning for its eighth anniversary, the lineup includes bands from across the U.S. (and even Puerto Rico). Legendary, homegrown, outfit Nasty Savage is at the heart of the lineup, which is so much more than nostalgia thanks to Ramtha, Gangrenesia, Phantasmagore and others who’ll take the stage over two nights. Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. 5 p.m. $22.34 & up. Brass Mug, Tampa

SAT 05

C Chance The Rapper Chancelor Johnathan Bennett could probably pack an arena, but is choosing clubs for this tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of his breakout release, Coloring Book. The then23-year-old’s third mixtape was the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy (Best Rap Album, 2017) and is punctuated by the hyper-posi, sterling production Chance has become famous for. Expect Bennett to fully celebrate the album and play stuff from Star Line a 2025 comeback album of shorts, which followed the Chicago rapper’s largely-panned 2019 studio debut The Big Day. 6 p.m. $257.60 & up (resale and VIP only). The Ritz, Ybor City C Geri X w/Charles Walston Right out of the gate, the world was listening to Geri X. The St. Pete songwriter was on a 2011 cover of Bulgarian Rolling Stone, and never faded away, delivering snarky, sometimes downtrodden and always jaw-dropping anthems locals should be proud of. To mark 15 years of collaboration with drummer Charlie Douglas, Geri X takes to the nest after an opening set by Charles Walston, who fronted revered, short-lived Atlanta country-rock outfit The Vidalias. 7 p.m. $16. The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg Noser w/Create Control/Swamp Scum Rock and roll is rife with legendary duos (The White Stripes, Black Keys, even Tears for Fears come to mind), and Noser is throwing its hat into the ring. Channeling Page and Plant before it, the duo returns to the place they met (The Bends) for a show celebrating a new single “Release the Hounds.” 8 p.m. No cover. The Bends, St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Soul Fest: Big Daddy Kane w/Raheem DeVaughn/Wayne Wonder/ Kwamé Some people get the job done and never move through life half-stepping. Those folks probably listen to Big Daddy Kane.

Soft Cuff TAYLOR PRATER/RAREFOLKS

The Juice Crew rapper is a touchstone for countless emcees, and he’s part of a Tampa Heights festival that includes a set from Grammy-nominated R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn (“Woman”) along with reggae and dancehall one-hit, um, wonder, Wayne Wonder. 12 p.m. $39.19 & up. Water Works Park, Tampa

SUN 06

C Dikembe w/I.liedtomyself/Bad Dog/ Discord Theory For half-a-decade starting around 2013, Dikembe was straight up royalty not just in the Florida emo scene, but nationwide. Driven by a 2011 debut EP, Chicago Bowls, the Gainesville outfit became Fest darlings and released a breakout full-length, Broad Shoulders, a year later. Still active despite band members moving away from Florida, Dikembe—now with Scott Carr from Wavelets and Prawn on guitar—is back with a new EP, King, released last fall. Still midwest at its core, the band added a layer of grunge to its emo sound to great effect. I.liedtomyself, the emo-pop project of Orlando songwriter Nico Bacigalupo, opens alongside genrejumping Tampa party-starter Discord Theory. 5 p.m. $15. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa C The Hub 77th anniversary party: Low Season w/The Urbane Cowboys/ Big Sad Jr. In September, Tampa punk band Low Season does a Green Day tribute. Locals might hear some of that set when guitarist Jeremy Runkle & co. hit the checkerboard floor at downtown Tampa’s favorite dive bar, which celebrates its 77th anniversary this weekend. Country-rock trio Urbane Cowboys, featuring Hub bartender Kamran Mir, opens along with “Big Sad Jr.” The latter is an outfit fronted by Creative Loafing Tampa Bay senior photographer Dave Decker

who’ll play songs that cover a wide swath of his dynamic recording career with outfits like Big Sad, Vaginasore Jr., and Clairmel. There’s no cover, and no hiding from the hangover. 8 p.m. No cover. The Hub, Tampa Loud on 7th Music Festival and Conference Since its inception, Loud On 7th has had Crowbar at the center of its orbit. For the first time ever, Aych’s annual music festival and conference won’t have that room, which closed over the summer. Loud kicks off Sunday with a barbecue at MacFarlane Park and karaoke at Geo’s in Ybor City before it heads to new venues (Benton Media Lounge near Carrollwood, New World Tampa in Sulphur Springs) and mainstays like The Bricks. 1920 in Ybor City also hosts a panel where producers for the likes of NBA Youngboy, Rod Wave and Wale (Gitt Fai), join Wild 94.1-FM hosts (Babs), managers and other industry insiders drop knowledge and answer questions for attendees. Sunday-next Saturday, Sept. 6-12. Multiple venues and ticket prices. Ybor City and Tampa. More information via @loudonseventh on Instagram C USF Faculty Jazz Ensemble: Birth of the Cool Since 1999, trombonist Tom Brantley has been a staple of the University of South Florida School of Music’s jazz ensemble. Now its director, Brantley brings faculty and students off campus for a series of fall concerts that kicks off this weekend with a tribute to Miles Davis (Derek Ganong takes trumpet duties). Brantley and other members of USF’s jazz orchestra, jazztet and Latin jazztet return to the music hall at New World three more times before the Thanksgiving holiday, to play homage to the Blue Note, Cuban artists, the Duke and more. 6 p.m. $17.49. New World Brewery, Tampa See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.

cltampabay.com | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | 41

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42 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

PHIL DESIMONE

After watching Chromeo get rained out during Gasparilla Music Festival 2023, downtown Tampa is getting another chance to dance with the Canadian electro-duo. Water Street Tampa says that David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel will do a DJ set this fall for the fourth annual “Beats on the Street.” The no-cover festival happens on seven main stages scattered throughout the neighborhood. The rest of the lineup includes about two dozen homegrown artists including Florida jazz-pop outfit Prizilla, soulful Bay area songwriter Kristopher James, a duo set from songwriters Ari Chi and Javier Solaris, plus jazz trio La Lucha with special guests. Multi-instrumentalist Joe Cosas (touring musician for Jon Anderson from Yes) is also part of a trio that includes Chris Flowers and Chris Barbosa DJs are a huge part of the lineup, with sets by Kevinkon, Deacon, DJ Ku, Frikidonya, Fader and others on the bill. Some of the Bay area’s up-and-comingest young bands (Chaunces Trio, Aliqua, Tries

FEM&M x Astrid - Emo Girls Vs Rave Girls w/milkypossum/Charloux Friday, Sept. 11. 6 p.m. $24.06. New World Music Hall, Tampa The Venus & Deadborns (opening for W.I.T.C.H.) Wednesday, Sept. 16. 7 p.m. $29.67. Oscura, Bradenton Eddie 9V Sunday, Oct. 11. 7 p.m. $31.45. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg Aleandra Queen & Grupo Mania: Juntos y con Ritmo Saturday, Oct. 17. 7 p.m. $70.65 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa Camping In Alaska w/Novely/Deep Bite/Pale Gold Wednesday, Oct. 21. 6 p.m. $24.06. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa Alex Amen (opening for Dana And Alden) Thursday, Nov. 5. 7 p.m. $26.31 & up. New World Music Hall, Tampa

& Friends) are also playing Beats On The Street. Hector Mayoral comes out of hibernation to bring his Latin folk project Acho Brother to the stage, too. See a full lineup via cltampa.com/music. Beats on the Streets’ biggest stages are at the corner of Water Street and E Cumberland Avenue, the Sparkman Wharf parking lot, and the Columbia stage outside of the Tampa Bay History Center. Other venues like the Tampa Edition, Alter Ego, Predalina, and even Publix will have music, too, according to the Beats on the Street stage chart. The festival is safe for all ages and hosted in collaboration with Gasparilla Music Festival, and proceeds benefit GMF’s Recycled Tunes program, which refurbishes gently-used musical instruments before placing them back in Hillsborough public schools. There’s no-cover for Beats on the Street happening Saturday, Sept. 26 across Water Street Tampa. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa

AJJ w/Greet Death Tuesday, Nov. 10. 7 p.m. $37.60. Orpheum, Tampa Ghostbells Friday, Nov. 13. 7 p.m. $20.22. New World Music Hall, Tampa Pain of Truth w/Madball/Rotting Out/ Contention/xforever warx Saturday, Nov. 14. 6 p.m. $40.80. Orpheum, Tampa George Clanton w/Vulgar Tuesday, Nov. 17. 7 p.m. $41.70. Orpheum, Tampa BEAT: Belew/Vai/Levin/Bozzio: Performing the music of King Crimson Tuesday, Nov. 24. 8 p.m. $59.30 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg Home For The Holidays w/Sheena Easton/All-4-One/Ruben Studdard/ Lindsey Webster Monday, Nov. 30. 7 p.m. $49.75 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

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44 | SEPTEMBER 03-09, 2026 | cltampabay.com

Flagging By Dan Savage

i female here. I’ve been seeing an ENM M/F couple for almost four months. The F was an acquaintance of mine for about two years. We are all close in age (late-30s, early40s). This is my first ethically non-monogamous relationship. Here are the pros: they are charming and attractive; the sex is great; we get along very well as friends; they are affectionate with me in public and introduce me to their friends as someone they are dating; they invite me to sleepover at their place, they cook for me, and show other acts of care; they have come over to care for me when I am sick; we have many friends in common. And here are the cons: they have said they want to keep things light; anything close to a “define the relationship” talk only happens when we are intoxicated; they started dating someone else around the same time as me, which I only found out when I arrived at their place for a scheduled visit and their other partner hadn’t yet left; they flirt with other women in front of me when they’re intoxicated; their other partner—the one they started seeing at the same time they started seeing me—is in her early-20s, as are most of the other women they flirt with. I also believe there’s a worrying power dynamic in play where these younger women are concerned. This couple often flirts with these women by proposing modeling/photoshoots, and these younger women often seem starstruck. They both have significant social media followings (she’s a model, he’s a photographer), so the young women often seem starstruck. Since I am new to ENM I am not sure what parts of these stresses are just learning curves for me, what parts I should talk to the couple about, and what parts are simply beyond my boundaries/red flags.—Fretting Lately About Getting Serious You’re fucking your first couple—achievement unlocked—and they enjoy your company outside the bedroom, they’re open about you being a part of their lives, and they show up for you when you need them. As pros go, FLAGS, that’s not a bad list. God knows there are too many open couples who think “we want to keep things casual” is a magical incantation that frees them from having to treat their casual sex partners like human beings with feelings and needs of their own. So, you could’ve done a lot worse where your first experience with ENM is concerned. Now, the way you learned this couple was seeing another woman—running into her when you arrived for your shift—was far from ideal, of course, but I wouldn’t classify it as a betrayal. If you’d already had your first DTR convo, FLAGS,

then you knew this couple wanted to keep things casual. While they shouldn’t have allowed you to assume you were the only other woman they were seeing, FLAGS, you also shouldn’t have made that assumption. Still, given that you were new to ENM and therefore likely to be carrying monogamous assumptions and autopilot settings into this relationship (“If we’re fucking and seeing a lot of each other that must mean we’re exclusive!”), FLAGS, this couple should’ve made it clear to you that they were still seeing/ dating/fucking other women. And while it sounds this couple is giving you a lot—a lot more than some “keep it casual” couples give their secondary partners—it also sounds like you want more. I have a hunch that you’re the one who initiates those drunken “define the relationship” conversations, FLAGS, in the hope of getting a different answer out of them at some point. And that’s not an entirely irrational hope, FLAGS, as proven by the huge number of people in committed relationships who said they wanted to “keep it light” at the outset. (I was pretty adamant about “keeping things casual” when I met my husband three decades ago.) So, you can keep shaking that Magic 8 Ball, FLAGS, but if you don’t get the answer you want in the next eight months—or if you don’t realize before your first hookup anniversary that their brand of not-socasual casual is exactly what you want—then you’ll need to chuck that Magic 8 Ball in the trash and (hopefully) end this relationship on a positive note. As for the younger women this couple pursues… Dangling professional opportunities in front of young women they wanna fuck is a red flag. A professional photographer and a model with significant followings on social media have the ability to confer professional opportunities on others. They have clout, FLAGS, and if these two are leveraging that clout to get women who wouldn’t wanna fuck them into their bed… yeah, that’s not great. But is that what they’re doing? While the world is disinclined to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone who dangles a professional opportunity in front of someone they wanna fuck—and quite rightly so—you’re in a better position to judge what this couple is doing, FLAGS, given that they’re doing it in front of you. If a young woman is interested in fucking this couple and this couple is interested in fucking that young woman and if that young woman knows what this couple does for a living (so many ifs!) then the offer of a photoshoot—once mutual attraction has been established—will most likely be received as a flirty, sexy, and obvious value-add. But if

SAVAGE LOVE

a woman has no interest in fucking this couple until they toss out the idea of photoshoot… yeah, that’s creepy and manipulative. That said, FLAGS, if a young adult wants to fuck a photographer and his model girlfriend because she wants to advance her career… or if she wants to fuck a photographer and his model girlfriend because she’s them… or she wants to fuck them because she’s into them and wants to advance her career… that’s her choice. Adults are capable of consenting to sex, and adults consent to sex for all sorts of reasons. Still, FLAGS, if what you’re seeing is making you uncomfortable, address it the next time you have one of those drunken heart-to-hearts: “I know you guys would never wanna fuck anyone who didn’t wanna fuck you… and there’s clearly no shortage of people who wanna fuck you… but do you guys ever worry that one of these aspiring models might fuck you for the wrong reason?” I married my beloved college boyfriend twenty years ago. I’ll call him Alfred. I (mostly) still adore him. We can talk for hours about art, film, and politics—and it’s actually fun and productive when we disagree. We have a variegated and satisfying sex life. When you’re married to Alfred, you tag along with him on the passionate interests he takes on every few years. Some of them fade away completely, but many linger in the background, often quite pleasingly: gourmet cooking, vinyl records, Scotch whisky. To this day, years away from his all-consuming initial infatuations, I can still occasionally be presented at dinner with an expertly crafted cassoulet and a dram of old Caperdonich with The Clash raging on the hi-fi speakers. (We’ll not discuss the mountain of dirty dishes or the coffee-sloshed countertops.) It’s his latest obsession that’s driving me insane. Alfred, you see, has been bitten by the “fibermaxxing” bug. Now, I can tolerate—and probably benefit from—joining him in consuming various chia puddings and pungent homemade fermentation projects (again, the guy can cook). I can deal with the lectures on “resistant fiber” and the benefits of something called butyrate. But increasingly, the man has become fixated on the triumphant result of his fibermaxxing exploits: his bowel movements. I’m happy to listen to him hash out the differences between mole poblano

and mole negro; I have, at his behest, learned to distinguish between north and east Highland whiskies. But I do not want to hear him describe what takes place for him behind the bathroom door, Dan, and I flatly refuse to divulge my own such information, despite his pleas. This attitude drives him nuts! Recently, out of the blue, in a state of joyous excitement, he urged me to follow him—he had something for me to see. When he led me into the bedroom, I thought he might have something fun in mind. But he led me through the bedroom and the bathroom, where he delightedly showed me the contents of the unflushed toilet. (He didn’t seem to consider how I’d receive the stench.) I screamed. I have not recovered from this. I cannot see him in a sexual way when I think about this foul incident. He is not a toddler; I am not his mommy. There is now an icy chill between us. Do I wait for this phase, too, to pass? Or is this development a sign that the romantic part of our relationship has run its course.—Tired Of This Shit I was tired of Alfred’s shit before I got to the end of your letter, TOTS, and, if I’m going to be perfectly frank, I was tired of your shit by the time I got to the end of your letter, too. My advice: You don’t need my permiss i o n to tell your idiot husband you never want to see another one of his fibermaxxed turds ever again. As for your sex life: If you can’t see your husband in a sexual way when you think about this foul incident, TOTS, try your best not to think about this foul incident. If you can’t help yourself—if you can’t not think about it—a few CBT sessions with a skilled provider might help. P.S. Your husband’s turds might be variegated—“varied in appearance or color; marked with patches or spots of different colors”— but unless you’re wearing a cheetah fursuit to bed and/or you have an untreated sexually transmitted infection, TOTS, your sex life isn’t variegated. Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love.

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Storage 3000 Mulford Rd. Mulberry Fl, 33860 Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase. Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sales are subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. 2169- Saphyre Tinsley 2150- Sandra Stevenson 2005Christine Berg 3010- Danielle Pinson 1015- Victoria Yzquierdo 7038- Cachet Mclendon 1187- Meggan Price 1168Jonathan Moreno 4102- Michael John Torres Rodriguez Run dates 8/27/2026 and 9/03/2026. Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures. com ending on September 11th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage 2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida 33563 Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase. Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 2160 Michelle Granger Unit 2210 Sharon Goodman. Run dates 8/27/2026 and 9/03/2026.

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