Growing up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, Girl Scout camp was the highlight of my summer. Two weeks away from home living in the woods was a dream come true. It’s where I learned to sail a Sunfish, paddle a canoe, and never leave my sleeping bag unzipped after finding daddy longlegs taking a nap inside. Camp is also where I landed my first journalism “job” as a reporter for the little newspaper we published each week.

When an invitation came from the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida to visit Camp Wai Lani in Palm Harbor, enjoy some of the activities and sample this year’s lineup of Girl Scout Cookies, I jumped at the chance. … Read More

Before St. Petersburg was the Sunshine City, some early promoters tested a less beachy moniker: The City of Mounds. It might be surprising to learn that the area was dotted with Native American mounds of all sizes and shapes, most notably a complex of a least a dozen mounds close to the Tampa Bay shoreline around the vicinity of Booker Creek, Bayboro Harbor, and Mound Park Hospital, better known today as Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

According to Robert J. Austin in an article published by the Florida Anthropological Society, the Shell Mound at Mound Park Hospital –  estimated to be about 20-25-feet tall with a diameter of 90-feet – was one of the most photographed mounds in Florida and a prominent tourist attraction for the growing City of St.… Read More

There is a love and obsession for dogs on Snell Isle, and in St. Petersburg in general. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love dogs, too. In fact, I am the proud owner of a pair of adorable Newfoundland’s (‘Newfies’ to those familiar with the breed). They are large, hairy, and slobbery creatures often mistaken for bears; wonderful dogs who are not very popular in the heat of St. Petersburg and more suited to the cold of the North.

But I digress. The real point of this article – and the idea that spawned it – came to me as I jogged by the beach along the path through the Old Northeast and down past Vinoy Park.… Read More

Thomas Maloney and fiancée Sonya Sarkar left New York City in the midst of the pandemic to create a new life in St. Petersburg. Young and ambitious millennials, they caught the city’s entrepreneurial vibe and recently opened their own business, Paradeco Coffee Roasters, St. Pete’s newest coffee shop and cool place to hang out. The venue, at 111 2nd Avenue NE, adds new life to the Plaza Tower & Courtyard Shops downtown.

Over the last decade St. Pete’s demographics have changed considerably, with the average age dropping significantly. The pandemic seems to have further accelerated that trend, with more young people than ever moving here to start over, drawn by the sunshine and opportunity.… Read More

My mom went to work at the CIA in the late 1950s, beginning her career in what was commonly referred to as the secretarial pool. After a few years, she left to start a family, then returned to work at the CIA about 10 years later. By then, she had my brother, three sisters, and me. I was two years old. With five little ones to feed and clothe, both she and my dad worked.

Growing up, the best part for me was being able to reply to the near daily jibes I got regarding my family last name, Bond. Good jibes to be sure, as my response became the fun part.… Read More

Not long after I arrived at Michelle Passoff and Andre Kupfermunz’s home in the Old Northeast, Andre informed me that although he was born in 1943, he’d just received the first copy of his actual birth certificate. The reason that Andre was born with a false birth record and the harrowing circumstances of his birth were just one of the many reasons I was there to talk to this fascinating, creative couple. 

Both Andre and Michelle see obstacles as opportunities. And in Andre’s case, it might just be in his genes. He was born in Nazi-occupied France during World War II to Polish-Jewish parents who were Resistance fighters in the French “M.O.I.”… Read More

I once met the esteemed author, Jack Kerouac, at Haslam’s Bookstore. It was an exciting experience for me, especially since he had been dead for several decades. This meeting took place during a ghost hunt performed by the SPIRITS of St. Petersburg. I was there as a paranormal investigator and he was a mysterious mist that manifested on film. This was my first photographic evidence of the spirit world, setting the stage for what has now become a 23-year career as a paranormalist.

After reading about my interest in the paranormal, many people might shake their head in wonder. But SPIRITS of St.… Read More

My husband Mark and I weren’t sure what to expect when we attended the media preview of the new St. Pete Pier on behalf of the Northeast Journal. I wasn’t convinced the old pier needed to be replaced with something new. But when we saw the amazing transformation of our downtown waterfront, we were astounded. It took creative vision to make this new venue possible.

As Mayor Rick Kriseman noted, the new pier is so much more than a building that stretches out over the water. “This is one of the biggest projects the city will undertake. It’s an entirely new 26-acre development for the community, for everyone to enjoy,” said Kriseman.… Read More

One of the things that defines St. Petersburg is its museums. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit our shores, the thought of closing down these landmark institutions seemed incredible, but what was impossible to imagine in early March soon became the new reality. Even so, as these cornerstones of our community sat dark, the creative people at the helm were busy.

One local couple keeping the pulse alive was Laura and Hank Hine. The two are powerhouses in the museum scene. Hank has been the director of  The Dali Museum since 2002, leading it from its days on 3rd Street S.… Read More

There are remarkable people in St. Petersburg, and one of them is Dr. Anna Loyd. Not only is she multi-talented with a wide range of achievements, she is a world traveler, physician, athlete, and humanitarian. She also speaks four languages.

Anna was born in Oklahoma, where her father was an emergency-room doctor. When she was nine, the family moved to Belgium so her dad could study in a one-year tropical medicine program. He had a deep desire to bring healing to people in impoverished areas of Africa, and when his program was completed, the family moved to Zaire in Central Africa.… Read More