LARGO - Watching from her bench during a recent trial, Pinellas Circuit Judge Chris Helinger noticed defense attorney Tobias Pardue's bizarre behavior.

Pardue, 47, was making snorting sounds and resting his head on the lectern while questioning witnesses. He also left the courthouse during jury deliberations.

"I am very concerned that you have conducted this trial high," Helinger told him in court on Feb. 14. "All of these things are abhorrent and bizarre and strange."

Helinger gave Pardue two options: Take a drug test, or spend 10 days in the Pinellas County jail.

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He took the test, which came back positive for two substances. But because Pardue is taking several medications, additional drug analysis will be discussed at a hearing next week.

Pardue, who handles criminal and traffic cases at his Largo firm, declined to comment. He is represented by Tampa attorney Scott Tozian.

"I'm satisfied that when we're able to explain Mr. Pardue's side of the situation, that he'll be exonerated," Tozian said.

Pardue was admitted to the Florida Bar in September 1997 and has had no disciplinary history in the last 10 years, state records show.

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But his behavior during the two-day trial has raised concerns that he provided ineffective counsel to his client, Derrick Floyd. A jury found Floyd guilty of several drug and traffic-related charges. He awaits sentencing.

Floyd's new attorney, Kelly McCabe, has requested another trial.

Helinger questioned Pardue about his behavior on Feb. 14. When he returned to the courthouse after leaving without her permission, the judge asked him to approach the lectern.

Helinger said she is aware Pardue has "a history of having an addiction problem."

"There's a lot of people with addiction problems," she added. "I'm not in any way minimizing you."

The judge listed her concerns.

Pardue was late to court both days. He engaged in a "very unprofessional, bizarre conversation" with one prospective juror. In front of another one, Pardue said his client needed to pick up his daughter from school because she had a fever. It's the kind of comment attorneys aren't supposed to make in front of jurors.

He also made remarks to the jury about evidence that was never submitted in the trial.

While the jury deliberated, Pardue left the courthouse to handle a traffic case in St. Petersburg. He didn't tell Helinger he was leaving.

"I was flabbergasted that a lawyer with your experience would just leave the courthouse," she told him.

Pardue told Helinger she had already left the bench, so he told bailiffs he was heading out.

"I got here and I ran as fast as I could to come up and be in the courtroom," he said.

When Helinger asked him to take a drug test, Pardue declined. It wasn't until the judge mentioned jail time that Pardue agreed to take the test.

A Pinellas Sheriff's Office lab technician told Helinger the test revealed the presence of amphetamine and benzodiazepine. Pardue said in court that he was prescribed several medications.

The technician couldn't say whether any of Pardue's prescriptions could cause a false positive without additional testing, so Helinger ordered Pardue to provide his prescriptions to the Sheriff's Office.

A hearing to discuss the results of additional testing is scheduled for March 8.

State records show Pardue was arrested on a charge of possession of alprazolam in July that was later dropped. He has a prescription for that drug, he told Helinger on Feb. 14.

This isn't the first time Pardue's courtroom behavior has come under scrutiny.

According to her order, Helinger wrote that a trial last year ended in a mistrial because Pardue "was under the influence."

During that May 16 trial, Pardue was representing a man charged with misdemeanor battery. After opening statements, Pinellas County judge Cathy McKyton declared a mistrial based on a "health emergency."

"I can't really comment further other than to say that your jury service is completed for this day," she told jurors.

The next month, his client pleaded no contest.

Contact Laura C. Morel at lmorel@tampabay.com. Follow @lauracmorel.

ST. PETERSBURG - They proudly march to a different drummer, holding whacky July 4th parades, trekking through wooded lanes on New Year's Eve to progressive dinners, and once upon a time, hanging bat houses from shady oaks to cut down on mosquitoes. None came. Bats, that is.

In Driftwood, a neighborhood of 47 houses on Big Bayou and cocooned in a tangle of towering trees and undergrowth, residents have cultivated an easy-going ambience. Until now.

As developers nip at the edge of their enclave and plans are announced to demolish their oldest and most historic home, Driftwood neighbors are caught up in unfamiliar discord.

One side is clamoring for local historic designation to protect the neighborhood. On the other are those like newcomers Timothy and Janna Ranney, who bought and plan to demolish the former home of the family who built the Gandy Bridge that bears their name.

The laid-back neighborhood has mulled historic designation before, but now appears motivated to follow through.

"It's what's happening in neighborhoods around the city," said Laurie Macdonald, who moved to Driftwood in 1989. "My primary motivation overall is that this is a very special place and I think it's wonderful to protect and to preserve the character and the feel and the look," she said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: St. Petersburg property owners seek historic status to protect traditional neighborhoods

Timothy Ranney, who paid $1.73 million for the waterfront Gandy property at 2700 Driftwood Road S, said he and his wife were drawn to Driftwood's beauty.

"When I bought the house, the hope was to be able to save the house ... and ultimately found out that the house could not be saved, which was unfortunate," he said.

The Ranneys have hired lawyers and a public relations firm and organized two "informational" programs for Driftwood homeowners at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

"The Driftwood community has a unique charm and the people have always had a live-and-let-live mindset," Ranney said. "It's fair to say that the people in the neighborhood have strong opinions, but in the spirit of live-and-let-live, a historic district is contrary to a live-and-let-live mindset."

But B.J. Sheffield, who has lived in Driftwood since 1984, wondered: "If you're really buying a historic house and a historic property, why was it such a big deal that we were going to include it in a historic district?"

Ranney's argument is that Driftwood's low-lying topography would present "unique challenges" for building and protecting homes under historic designation.

"It's a matter of the challenges of a historic district versus the challenges of a flood zone and the fact that the two don't necessarily coexist with each other,'' he said. "History is an important thing, but personal safety is more important."

Trish Moore, a developer who is renovating her Driftwood home, supports designation.

"There's been a lot of fear mongering," she said. "Anybody who is living on the water is taking a risk."

Historic designation does not prevent property owners from upgrading their properties, said Derek Kilborn, a manager in the city's urban planning and historic preservation division. Homes can be elevated to satisfy flood zone requirements, but residents have to get a certificate of appropriateness to do that and other exterior modifications involving new construction or additions.

Peter Pav, a 46-year Driftwood resident, is among those who oppose historic designation. His neighbors "mean well, but they are just idealistic," he said.

Elizabeth Schuh, who grew up in Driftwood and whose father and brother still live there, said her family is also against the idea.

"Our thoughts are that people have their own property rights that they are entitled to and we really don't think that additional restrictions are necessary based on the fear of change," she said.

The Gandy Home, also known as the Mullet Farm, is seen as the centerpiece of Driftwood, which is steeped in such history as being the only area in Pinellas County to see armed conflict during the Civil War. The home was built in 1910 by shipbuilder Barney Williams, son of St. Petersburg's co-founder, Gen. John Constantine Williams. George "Gidge" Gandy Jr., who worked with his father and brother to built the Gandy Bridge, bought the house in 1921 and lived there with his family. Later, it was also the home of his daughter, Helen O'Brien and her family.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: After 40 years, a question: What would the city look like if St. Pete Preservation never existed?

But the historic home was riddled with structural, asbestos, mold and other problems, and, said Ranney, engineers, architects and builders have said it can't be saved.

"It wasn't a conclusion we came to lightly," he said.

David Lesser of Windstar Homes in Tampa said he is designing a "a modest, one-story, Florida Cracker-inspired, single family home," to replace the Gandy house.

"The problem is, the superstructure of that home is in disrepair," Lesser said. "That house needs to come down as quickly as possible. It's a life safety issue."

"We knew there were issues. We sold it as is," said Kim O'Brien, who inherited the house with her brother and sister.

They waited two years after their mother's death in 2015 to put it on the market, O'Brien said, adding that she even approached the University of South Florida and the city of St. Petersburg about taking the historic house.

"The last thing we wanted was to have it destroyed," said O'Brien, who learned of the Ranneys' decision a day after the closing. "We had been told that they were going to restore it."

But O'Brien, who lives nearby with her husband, Robert Morey, on property lush with native Florida plants, is most upset "by the cutting of the trees, the denuding of the landscape" at her family's former home.

"Why anyone would buy in Driftwood and proceed to take the Driftwood out of it? They were espousing how much they loved Driftwood and the feel of Driftwood," she said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Saving trees a passion for some St. Petersburg neighborhood leaders

City regulations require the Ranneys' demolition application be put on a 30-day hold. Though the Gandy house is not a designated local landmark, Kilborn said it's recognized as being potentially eligible for listing in the St. Petersburg Register of Historic Places. If an application for local landmark designation is received during the 30-day period, the demolition request will be put on further hold until the City Council makes a decision about landmarking, or the application is withdrawn, Kilborn said.

There is a March 23 deadline to submit its application to save the house. As to the district designation, city regulations require an assenting vote of 50 percent plus one of its tax parcels before an application can be filed.

Macdonald said they will pursue historic designation, even if the Ranneys get permission to demolish the Mullet Farm.

"It's certainly not about the Mullet Farm, but the Mullet Farm is a cautionary tale," O'Brien said. "Our priorities for many of us is to create a habitat, as well as a pleasing, peaceful environment for ourselves."

Contact Waveney Ann Moore at wmoore@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2283. Follow @wmooretimes.

St. Petersburg General Hospital Selects New COO

Kevin Navas was named Chief Operating Officer at St. Petersburg General Hospital. He was previously associate administrator with operational oversight of all non-nursing departments at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton. Navas led the hospital's effort for metabolic and bariatric surgery accreditation, led the construction of a new outpatient lab and GME IM residency clinic, recruited physicians and served as the logistics chief during the evacuation and reopening of the hospital during Hurricane Irma.

Prior to coming to Florida, he was the chief financial officer at Davita Healthcare Partners in Maryland, overseeing the Mid-Atlantic and Hospital Services Groups. He also worked on Wall Street as an investment banker and private equity investor.

Navas began his career with the Marine Corps, where he served as a captain and company commander leading Marines throughout the Pacific Rim. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis and received his master's degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Relatives of Pinellas residents graduates basic training

U.S. Air Force Airmen 1st Class Kevin M. Cajas and Nicholas Chase graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio. The airman completed an eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Cajas is the son of Lupe and Craig S. Eickhoff of St. Petersburg. Chase is the son of Cheri and the late John R. Chase, Jr. (deceased) nd brother of Andrew M. Chase of Palm Harbor. Chase graduated from Dunedin High School in 2011.

Seminole Santos Soccer Club advances at GYSA Cup

The Seminole Santos Soccer Club had a successful season with four of its six teams eligible to move on in the Gulfcoast Youth Soccer Association Cup advancing to at least the semifinal round. The U12 girls team finished second in the finals, and the U12 Boys and U14 boys teams won their championship games.

3.3.18

The two big takeaways from the Free Clinic's Battle of the Minds annual fundraiser are: the organization changes lives on a daily basis, and many of its supporters aren't as smart as they thought.

Some of this year's 30 questions stumped a lot of us.

What group was originally known as Starfish? Black Sabbath, Cold Play, OneRepublic or Imagine Dragons? Coldplay. They seem way too cool to ever name themselves Starfish.

What was first awarded in 1893? The Nobel Prize, Academy Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom or Stanley Cup. Few guessed hockey held the oldest distinction of honor.

Where was President Gerald Ford born? You'd think Grand Rapids, Mich. since he played football for Michigan and his presidential library is in Ann Arbor. But that option was just to throw us off. Omaha, Neb. was correct.

What is the top grossing mafia movie between The Godfather, Untouchables, Goodfellas and Casino? This seemed like another trick question since The Godfather was the obvious answer so many thought it was Goodfellas. Wrong again. It was The Godfather.

What term did Henry V. Porter first coin in a 1939 essay? Domino Theory, Oscar, March Madness or Bull Pen? Would you believe "March Madness"? The only help I gave my table was knowing Fala was the dog of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

There were also some serious questions thrown in the mix.

How many people are food insecure in Pinellas County? One in four children and one in seven adults lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food.

"It's easy for us to forget that our neighbors struggle to put food on the table," said Beth Houghton, executive director of the Free Clinic, which distributed 4.7 million pounds of food last year. "We hear every day 'Thank you. Thank God I found you,' and 'Thank God for the Free Clinic.' "

The clinic offers free medical care as well as transitional shelters for the homeless.

I asked Milly Taylor, director of Beacon House men's shelter, if she ever felt overwhelmed at all the needs she sees.

"When I'm at a low point, I'll hear from someone we helped. In fact it just happened not long ago," she said, explaining a former resident stopped by to say hello. Taylor recalled that he didn't last long at Beacon House his first time there because he couldn't abide by the rules, but came back about a year later and was ready to commit to beating his addictions and improving his life. He worked at the Free Clinic's food bank, finished school then left Beacon House to live on his own. It's been about 18 months since she saw him last.

"Now he's living in a house. He's bought his own truck and works for the Salvation Army," Taylor said.

Beacon House will soon move from its location on Central Avenue where clients sleep in barracks style dorms to a facility with apartments and semiprivate living.

Houghton told the packed room at the Tradewinds Island Grand Resort that the clinic offers more than housing, food and medical care. It offers second, or third chances and it gives adults, and children, hope.

"It was once said that hope is the only thing stronger than fear," she said.

2.22.18

Bishop emeritus Robert Lynch of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg was presented the Roy G. Harrell Jr. Leadership Award and also was the keynote speaker at St. Anthony's Hospital Foundation's annual Legacy Dinner and Awards.

Bishop Lynch was praised for being a promoter of social justice who has worked for decades to support programs that help those who are marginalized in society, including the poor, homeless, migrants and refugees. He injected his voice into issues unrelated to the church, including the importance of childhood vaccines and spending local tax dollars to help the poor.

Other community leaders were honored as well. Paula Blenda, who has volunteered and supported the Boys-&-Girls Club, the Science Center, Queen of Hearts and the Florida Orchestra Guild received the Helen D. Roberts Philanthropy Award.

The Hippocrates Award went to pulmonologist Warren Abel, who is a member of many organizations including the Florida Medical Association, the Pinellas County Medical Association, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the American Medical Association.

Andrew and Jennifer Seidl received the Future Leaders in Philanthropy Award because of their involvement with various arts organizations in Houston, service on the junior board of the Alabama Ballet and her work with the Junior League of St. Petersburg.

The event drew more than 220 people including Scott Smith, president of St. Anthony's Hospital; James McClintic, the hospital's vice president of medical affairs; foundation board chairman Emery Ellinger and his wife Burchie; and board members David Punzak, Travis Brown, Michael Pounders, Daniel Masi, Rachael Russell, James Shatz and Vince and Lenda Naimoli.

Katherine Snow Smith can be contacted at kssmith@tampabay.com. Follow @snowsmith.

ST. PETERSBURG - Police said they will not seek criminal charges against Dr. Michael Reilly, the former Tampa Bay Rays physician who was fired in January after a woman accused him of sexual abuse nearly a decade ago.

Police started their investigation after Brianna Holzerland, 26, posted a 10-minute video to YouTube on Jan. 17 detailing allegations that she said occurred while she worked as a teenager at Reilly's St. Petersburg clinic. That led the Rays to fire the doctor on Jan. 30.

The decision not to pursue charges against the doctor is contained within a heavily redacted four-page investigative report released by St. Petersburg police on Monday.

Citing privacy laws, police withheld the identity of the victim mentioned in the report. "The victim does want to press charges," the report said.

But Detective Karen Lofton wrote that investigators could not establish the probable cause against Reilly necessary to make an arrest on charges of simple battery or sexual battery.

Also, Lofton wrote, since the victim was an adult at the time of the allegations, the statute of limitations for those charges have already expired.

"Only having the victim's statements, no independent witnesses to the offenses, and the medical records not matching the original (victim's) statements," the detective wrote, "I was unable to develop probable cause to go forward with charges of simple battery and/or sexual battery."

In January, Reilly denied the allegations in a statement issued through his attorney. The doctor said he had engaged in a consensual relationship with Holzerland when she was an adult. He also said he was "deeply troubled" by the allegations and called the tarnishing of his reputation "disturbing."

The doctor's attorney, Cathleen Bell Bremmer, did not respond to phone calls and emails requesting comment Monday.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Rays sever ties with team physician Michael Reilly after video alleging inappropriate conduct

Reilly, 67, spent 20 years affiliated with the Rays and had also served as a team doctor for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 1992-2002.

He has a private practice near downtown St. Petersburg and served as chief of staff at St. Anthony's Hospital from 2000-2001. He has worked with several charities and served on the board of the Alpha House. He was married in 1999 and has six sons.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fired Rays physician denies allegations of sexual abuse in statement

When the Tampa Bay Times contacted Holzerland about her allegations in January, she stood by them.

When reached by phone on Monday, she declined to comment.

She posted the video online entitled "The Importance Of Sharing My Story Of Sexual Abuse." In the video, she said she was 16 when she started working at the doctor's office and that Reilly would "put his hand on my hand," and "put his hand on my shoulder and lightly rub my back."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman stands by allegations of abuse against ex-Tampa Bay Rays doctor

She said she quit "shortly after I noticed he was touching me in exam rooms." She said Reilly invited her to return to work eight months later and "the same thing started happening, and this time it did progress." She said her experiences left her with anxiety attacks and dealing with other issues.

After Rays executives let the doctor go, he also resigned from a medical position at St. Petersburg Catholic High School.

A Rays spokeswoman also declined to comment.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ex-Rays doctor has spent years serving his hometown

Times staff writers Laura C. Morel and Marc Topkin contributed to this report. Contact Josh Solomon at (813) 909-4613 or jsolomon@tampabay.com. Follow @ByJoshSolomon.

ST. PETERSBURG - An eighth-grade student at Tyrone Middle School was arrested Monday after police said she made threats at the school last week.

The girl, 14, wrote threatening messages on bathroom walls in the school on Wednesday, according to police.

She was arrested with the with the cooperation of her parents and faces second-degree felony charges of making a false report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner.

The day after the message was found, she posted a photo on Snapchat of a young boy holding a weapon that began circulating around social media, causing nearly half of the school's students to miss classes on Friday, police said.

Police say the photo was not credible, but showed the suspect in a string of robberies in Michigan.

A 14-year-old student at Tyrone Middle is facing a 2nd degree felony charge for a false report concerning use of firearm in a violent manner.

The 8th grader is responsible for this photo of a man circulated on social media, she also wrote a threat on the school's bathroom wall pic.twitter.com/WwvWzEdrgE

- St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) March 6, 2018

e_SClB

Going east on Gandy Boulevard and exiting at 94th Avenue to continue east, there was a permanent "No Turn on Red" sign put in at the intersection not long ago. Now that is gone and there is a new lighted "No Turn on Red" sign hanging next to the traffic signal. It is lighted only some of the time when the light is red. Can we turn right on red when the sign is not on?

Debora Raszetnik, Largo

Yes. We asked Kris Carson of the state Department of Transportation.

"The (new) 'No Right Turn' is a less restrictive regulatory sign rather than the static," she said. "Right turn movements can be made when not illuminated."

Email Dr. Delay at docdelay@gmail.com to share your traffic concerns, comments and questions or follow Dr. Delay on Twitter @AskDrDelay.

2018 Leadership Institute opens for registration

The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce is seeking applications for its 2018 Institute for Leadership Certificate Program, a series of learning experiences (workshops, meetings and tours) designed to develop leadership talent in individuals representing the community. An ideal candidate for the program should aspire to become an effective leader. Candidates may be newcomers, prospective leaders in the community, future managers in a company, or staff members that have a strong desire to excel and make necessary connections. Anyone interested in learning more about this program may attend an information session on March 15 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Pete Beach Community Center (7701 Boca Ciega Drive). Registration closes June 1 at 5 p.m. For information or to register, visit www.web.tampabaybeaches.com/events or contact Doug Izzo at (727) 360-6957.

Gulfport Merchants Association seeks applicants for 2018-19 community support grant

The Gulfport Merchants Association is seeking applicants for its 2018-19 community support grant program. Local nonprofit organizations that target or include Gulfport in their activities are invited to apply. Applicants must be certified tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, government entities requesting funds for public purposes or schools and colleges at any level. For more details and to apply, visit www.GulfportMA.com. Applications must be received in writing and must be postmarked no later than March 31. Decisions on recipients are scheduled to be announced by April 27. A maximum of two organizations will be awarded grants. Special consideration will be given to organizations that are able to help promote and provide volunteers for Gulfport Merchants Association events that raise the funds for these grants. Grant amounts will be determined and funds distributed to grantees after these events have concluded for 2018. For information, contact Gulfport Merchants Association board member John Haugen at JHaugen@GulfportMA.com.

Tampa Bay Watch hosts summer day camps

Tampa Bay Watch is hosting weeklong summer day camps for students to learn marine science topics through species collection, boating and snorkeling trips and science labs. The Sea Monkey Camp is for kids ages 6-8 and offers an introduction to the marine environment. Full-day sessions are offered from June 4-8, June 18-22, July 16-20 and July 30-Aug. 3, and half-day sessions are offered from June 25-29. The Discovery Camp is for kids ages 9-12 and offers an in-depth look at Tampa Bay's estuaries. The camp is offered June 11-15, June 25-29 and July 23-27. The Ocean Expedition Camp is for kids ages 13-15 and offers a more complex look at Tampa Bay through marine science labs and activities. The camp is offered July 9-13. To register online, visit tampabaywatch.org/camps.

St. Anthony's Triathlon calls for volunteers for race weekend

St. Anthony's Triathlon is seeking volunteers to support athletes and staff at the 35th annual St. Anthony's Triathlon weekend, to be held April 27-29. Approximately 1,000 volunteers are needed to assist the 3,500 athletes who will swim, bike and run along St. Petersburg's waterfront course. Volunteer duties include: athlete check-in, finish-line duty, athlete body marking, water stations, transition areas and merchandise sales. Volunteers will receive a commemorative race T-shirt, access to the volunteer hospitality tent and the opportunity to watch talented professional and amateur triathletes compete at this popular race. Volunteer schedules, directions and parking instructions will be distributed before the race. Sign up to volunteer online by visiting satriathlon.com/Volunteers.

LARGO - A Clearwater man will get a new trial after he was represented by a lawyer whose behavior in court last month caught the attention of a judge who ordered him to take a drug test.

On Feb. 13, Derrick Floyd, 32, was on trial for several felony charges, including trafficking in oxycodone and hydromorphone, cocaine possession, marijuana possession, and fleeing and eluding police.

JUDGE TO LAWYER: 'I am very concerned that you have conducted this trial high'

After the jury found Floyd guilty, Pinellas Circuit judge Chris Helinger questioned his lawyer, Tobias Pardue, about what she called "bizarre" behavior in the courtroom. In court records, Helinger noted that Pardue was making snorting sounds and resting his head on the lectern while questioning witnesses. He also made remarks to the jury about evidence that was never submitted in the trial and left the courthouse during jury deliberations without the judge's permission.

Helinger ordered Pardue to take a drug test, which revealed the presence of two substances. Since Pardue is on several prescribed medications, additional drug analysis will be discussed at a hearing next month.

Floyd's new lawyer, Kelly McCabe, requested that her client get a new trial due to Pardue's ineffective counsel. Helinger granted her motion. The new trial is scheduled for Aug. 8.

ST. PETERSBURG - Former mayoral candidate and Midtown resident Deveron Gibbons says he has long dreamed of seeing businesses and services other areas take for granted take root in his neighborhood.

Over the years, he's seen Midtown get and fight to keep a post office, lose a national chain drug store and welcome and mourn the loss of two supermarkets.

Now Gibbons, 45, says he has secured 2 million to open Tangerine Plaza in 2005 and in 2017 took back control from operator Larry Newsome after the shopping center lost its second grocery store in three years.

"It's a priority to move that forward this year," DeLisle said of the moribund shopping center. Wheeler-Bowman is hopeful for Gibbons' project across the street.

"If it happens, I see it as hopefully bringing more jobs to the area. When a development like that comes in, maybe it will be a ripple effect and other developers will keep coming in and see it's not a bad idea to invest in South St. Petersburg," she said.

"I want it to work....I do want it to work."

Contact Waveney Ann Moore at wmoore@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2283. Follow @wmooretimes.

LARGO - Shelby Willis' career in the fire service started more than two decades ago, volunteering in the 1-square-mile town of Redington Beach.

She joined Largo Fire Rescue a few years later, making history in the male-dominated field several times over as the agency's first female SWAT paramedic, then division chief, then, in 2013, fire chief.

Now, Willis, 50, is taking her career to Utah, where she will serve as deputy fire chief of the Ogden City Fire Department north of Salt Lake City. The decision is personal for Willis and her family, who spend weeks out of each year snowboarding, skiing and mountain biking in the very not-Florida terrain.

"We've dreamed about this," Willis said.

Deputy Chief Joseph Pennino, who was promoted to the post last year, will take over as interim chief after Willis' last day Friday. City Manager Henry Schubert will conduct a nationwide search for a permanent replacement, a process he expects to take three to four months.

"Shelby is an excellent fire chief," Schubert said. "I hate to see her go, but I also want her and her family to be happy."

Willis moved to Clearwater as a child from Niagara Falls, N.Y. She graduated from Countryside High School, then joined the Air Force and was stationed at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo. She returned to Florida in the early 1990s and, after her volunteer gig, worked as a paramedic for Sunstar Paramedics, Pinellas County's ambulance provider.

She joined Largo in 1997 as a firefighter-paramedic. During those days, she came to appreciate the camaraderie in the department. She and two colleagues used to play jokes on each other: they'd put live frogs in her boots, she would sneak dead bugs into their beds.

"We talk about how they become your second family, and they truly do," she said.

She was promoted to lieutenant in 2005, then division chief of emergency medical services the next year. For the next six years, she ran Largo's portion of the county's elaborate EMS system, including during several years of brewing tension between fire departments and county officials over funding and territory.

In 2012, she took on the role of deputy fire chief. A year later, after her predecessor resigned amid an investigation into his leadership style, Willis became acting chief. After beating out 53 applicants, the post stuck.

Along with being Largo's first female fire chief, Willis was only the second ever in Pinellas County. Seminole Fire Chief Heather Burford joined her soon after.

"Every step of the way, it didn't matter if I was male or female," Willis said. "If you can do the job, you can fit in."

She furthered her education during her career, too. In 2003, she graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She earned her master's degree in emergency management in 2016 from Eastern Kentucky University.

Willis pointed to several accomplishments she's proud of. She still wears her SWAT paramedic pin years after becoming the first woman to be part of the team. She worked with the county to solidify much-needed EMS funding and, with other local fire chiefs, helped shift the focus to reducing call volume. She also worked to bring her department up to the top rating by an organization that assesses insurance risk.

She's enjoyed her career with Largo, she said, but she's looking forward to her new adventure with her husband, Victor, and 10-year-old son, Brody.

"I'm both very scared and excited," she said. "It's an amazing experience to be 50 years old and start again."

Contact Kathryn Varn at kvarn@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8913. Follow @kathrynvarn.

Tampa Bay jobs chief Edward Peachey is not fired after all.

Board members for the two agencies he headed in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties have effectively rescinded votes taken last week to terminate him, throwing the centers into further disarray.

In separate actions, individual members of the executive committees for CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay have called for a do-over. They have invoked a rule that would require the full boards of both agencies, for which Peachey has served as president and CEO, to decide his fate.

The executive committees, subsets of the larger governing boards, voted to fire him last week amid allegations that the agencies inflated their job placement numbers in reports to the state.

CareerSource jobs chief Edward Peachey now out of work on both sides of Tampa Bay (Feb. 28, 2018)

CareerSource Tampa Bay votes to fire CEO Edward Peachey (Feb. 26, 2018)

Pinellas board member Lenne' Nicklaus has sought a vote by the full board over concerns about a threat from Peachey's lawyer to sue the agency after his dismissal and fears that other board members do not trust the executive committee.

"I feel that if we're getting sued, I want the whole board to be a part of that," Nicklaus said Monday. "I don't want it to be just the executive board making that decision."

Last week, another Pinellas board member, Kim Marston, exercised a similar option to stop the executive committee's decision to give Peachey five months pay in a settlement.

In Hillsborough, County Commissioner Sandy Murman has expressed concern that her fellow executive committee members also voted to pay Peachey five months of severance. She said she feels the decision should face a wider vote.

"It needs to go to the full board so everyone is held accountable," said Murman, who still supports Peachey's firing.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity also is reviewing whether Peachey is subject to a state law that limits public employees to six weeks of severance.

The Pinellas board is set to meet March 21. Hillsborough is set to meet March 22.

Pinellas board chair Jack Geller said he respected Nicklaus' decision to seek a full board vote but was in "total shock" because she supported the firing last week as a member of the executive committee.

"She voted for it at the meeting," Geller said.

Peachey is now back on paid leave in Pinellas, Geller said. In Hillsborough, he reverts to unpaid leave until a final decision is made. Both executive committees had put him on leave before firing him.

Nicklaus said she has not spoken to Peachey but would like to hear from him, not his attorney, about numerous allegations of mismanagement and what a state inspector general has called possible criminal activity.

"I think he should speak to the board and address some of the issues and explain it because we have not heard from him," Nicklaus said. She said she stands by her vote to fire him.

CareerSource leader Ed Peachey, once considered Mr. Fix It, now under scrutiny (Jan. 19, 2018)

Both local CareerSource agencies receive millions in tax dollars each year to train and connect people to work. Last month, the Tampa Bay Times reported that the jobs centers took credit for finding work for thousands of people who did not seek their help.

Current and former employees have said Peachey also had a romantic relationship with a top administrator, Haley Loeun, whose pay rose dramatically as three of her relatives joined the agencies. Loeun was fired two weeks ago.

The state DEO launched an investigation in January when the Times asked questions about CareerSource hiring figures. The U.S. Department of Labor and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have since joined the inquiry.

Contact Mark Puente at mpuente@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2996. Contact Zachary T. Sampson at zsampson@tampabay.com.

TAMPA BAY TIMES COVERAGE: CAREERSOURCE

CareerSource centers took credit for thousands of hires they had nothing to do with (Feb. 14, 2018)

Amid CareerSource controversy, allegations of a love affair, big raises and family favoritism at the top (Feb. 16, 2018)

Sheriff says someone at CareerSource forged his signature (Feb. 16, 2018)

Inspector General launches investigation into Tampa Bay's local career centers (Jan. 19, 2018)

MADEIRA BEACH - More than enough voters here signed petitions to recall Commissioners John Douthirt and Nancy Oakley from office 29 days ago, but a date for the recall election has yet to be set.

City officials were scrambling this week to discover why.

For weeks, City Attorney Ralf Brookes has been telling City Clerk Clara VanBlargan that he "is on top of it" and that he had requested a date from Chief Circuit Court Judge Anthony Rondolino.

However, Rondolino said Tuesday that he was unaware of the recall election and no one from the city has contacted his office requesting a date, according to court spokesman Stephen Thompson.

Thompson said he was unable to find any other judge who might have spoken with Brookes.

Under state law, the chief judge is responsible for setting an election date no less than 30 days and not more than 60 days from end of a five-day period the two commissioners have to resign their posts or face recall.

According to a timeline given by VanBlargan that date was February 17 and would put the earliest date for the recall election at March 19 and the latest date at April 18.

VanBlargan said she has an official notice ready to be advertised setting the qualification period for candidates for the two seats, but cannot run it until she has an election date.

"The city attorney told me he is checking with the chief judge every day but no date has been set yet," said VanBlargan.

Resident Bob Preston, who led the recall effort, said Tuesday that he was unaware that candidates for the two seats would appear on the recall ballot.

State law provides that if a majority of voters recall one or both commissioners, the other candidate or candidates with the highest number of votes would assume their seats and serve for the balance of their terms.

Normally Douthirt and Oakley would be up for re-election in 2019.

Complicating the recall process even further, Douthirt and Oakley hired Brookes as their personal attorney to file a lawsuit to block the recall election.

That lawsuit, filed against Preston, the recall petition committee and the Supervisor of Elections, seeks a declaratory judgment that the grounds for the recall are "legally insufficient" and an injunction against the recall election itself.

The original recall petition cited both commissioners for "malfeasance" in their vote to appoint a budget director. The petition claims this action violated the city's charter by usurping the duties of the city manager.

At the time, the city had no manager or interim manager and no finance director and needed someone to guide creation of a new budget.

A former city attorney recommended they not appoint a finance director, which the charter says must be named by the city manager, but instead create a new position and appoint a "budget director."

However, the charter does stipulate that the city manager is responsible for selecting and appointing all city employees, with the exception of the city clerk and city attorney.

The charter also specifically prohibits the commission from appointing any employees that the charter says should be appointed by the city manager.

It is not clear why the lawsuit also names the Supervisor of Elections as a defendant. Under state law, the city clerk operates as the elections supervisor for all municipal elections and contracts with the county supervisor's office to conduct the elections.

Ironically, when the two commissioners and Mayor Maggi Black successfully ran for office last year, one of their critiques of the prior commission was that it had ignored a citizen petition for a referendum on redevelopment issues.

In January, the three had asked Brookes if there was any legal action the commission could take to block the recall.

He told them the commission could not, but that the individual commissioners could.

When asked by Douthirt and Oakley if he could represent them, he said he could and that there would be no conflict with his role as the city's attorney.

"I definitely think there is a conflict of interest. Everybody on our side thinks so. And if he is dragging his feet on getting a date that confirms it," Preston said.

City Manager Jonathan Evans met with Brookes and VanBlargan on Wednesday morning to find out why no date has been set for the recall election.

PINELLAS PARK - Voters here have two choices for the city's next mayor: incumbent Sandra Bradbury, who says the city needs an experienced leader, and challenger Donna Saxer, who says it's time for a change.

Bradbury is running for her fourth term as mayor. Saxer, a retired Pinellas Park police officer, would be a newcomer to the council.

Here are the candidates' views on issues the city will continue to address over the next two years.

Sandra Bradbury

You are running for your fourth term as mayor. Do you think term limits for city public servants should be employed at a particular point?

I think that experience on City Council is very important. All of our council members, including myself, have volunteered on boards prior to becoming council members. I've noticed over the years that people who are newer to the servant community as elected officials have a learning curve. I believe experience is a big help when it comes to serving the community.

Are you satisfied with the city's current police and fire response time? If so, at what point would staffing need to be addressed?

Staffing is reviewed every year when department heads bring their budgets forward. Not long ago, council member (Rick) Butler asked the police chief in a workshop if we could add five more officers and the chief said yes, so we agreed to do that. The response time of our fire department is excellent, although there are some areas that are a little slower than others. We've recently bought a piece of property for a new fire station, which will further reduce response times.

Are you satisfied with the city's nuisance abatement ordinance and its ability to solve persistent code violations?

I'm always open to new ideas and ways we can improve our ordinances. I believe we have an opportunity to possibly increase the nuisance abatement and I would be happy to work with staff and allow my fellow council members to help me vote on something that would help us do that. Throughout the years I've been on the city council we've adjusted and tweaked existing ordinances. We're now in the middle of working with a company to review our ordinances. It's been about 20 years since we've done that.

What is your philosophy on expanding the city's Community Redevelopment Area beyond its current boundaries?

It would be nice for us to be able to expand the boundaries. We would have to go before not just the county, but also Tallahassee. Unfortunately, if we do that, we could lose the community redevelopment area we have now. They could decide that our CRA has reached its potential. Tallahassee is trying to do away with CRAs because there have been a few bad apples in the state, so now they want to get rid of them all. I feel the Community Redevelopment Area is very important. CRAs were created so the cities can concentrate tax dollars on blighted areas to improve them, and that's what our city council has done.

Do you feel Pinellas Park is a diverse city? What steps do you think city government could take to make it more diverse?

I believe our city is very diverse. Believe it or not, we have a large Asian community. If you walk around at some of our city functions, if you drive through the neighborhoods, you'll see we have citizens from all over the world. We have business owners from all over the world. I'm glad for that because it brings a wonderful mix to the community.

Donna Saxer

Both you and your opponent have spoken about the importance of communication and transparency in local government. Are there any topics that you think are off-limits when it comes to disclosure to the public?

I don't think any issues should be off-limits. I think there could be a lot more transparency in our government in Pinellas Park. One area I'd like to address is what's going on with our Community Redevelopment Area. It's very difficult for anyone to know which projects are slated, what contracts are going out and who is being awarded contracts - basically how money is being spent. Citizens should be able to go online and easily follow what's happening with their tax money.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest, how safe would you rate Pinellas Park? Are there any steps the city could take to further ensure citizen safety?

The most important aspect is how safe people perceive they are. What people are telling me is that they don't feel safe in their homes and in our parks. I would have to give safety a 2 based on the shortage of police officers, firefighters and paramedics. We've had a significant increase in the number of housing units in the city as well as an increase in traffic. If you look at national averages, our staffing is woefully inadequate. It's not only unsafe for the citizens, it's unsafe for our officers because understaffing can lead to stress and burnout.

What issues would you like the city's newly established Leisure Services Department to address?

I hear a lot of complaints from citizens about our parks. Some people feel the parks are unsafe at various times, such as during their lunch breaks. We do have some regulations in place, but the rules aren't being followed. People come to our parks from other counties and they can do whatever they want. We have no idea who they are. Part of the problem is that the parks aren't being staffed on the weekends. We need more accountability, but that won't happen until we change the way we monitor the parks.

With the proliferation of condos and apartment complexes in and around the city, what are your thoughts on managing traffic flow, especially along the main corridor?

Transportation has been a problem for years, not just in Pinellas Park but also across the state. Our road system has not kept up with population growth. There are no plans on the books at this time to alleviate the traffic problem in the city. One thing we have to do is be more thoughtful with housing plans. We also need to focus on a multimodal transportation system that will serve diverse needs. We need bike lanes, more medians and devices to control traffic flow. I'd also like to see us become a more walkable community.

How will you ensure that the city's tax base will increase while continuing to provide housing for lower-income individuals?

For years, we've received a portion of our funding through a Community Development Block Grant, which funds local community development activities including affordable housing. That funding could only be used in our Community Redevelopment Area. More areas will be able to receive help as of Oct. 1 when the city will become what is known as an entitlement city. We will be able to apply for SHIP (State Housing Initiative Program) funding, which will enable us to steer funding to the most needed areas outside the CRA. We also will be able to use 15 percent of the funding for public services, such as free summer camps for children, funding for Girls Inc. and Vincent House. This will be a big step for assisting low- and middle-income citizens.

ST. PETERSBURG - A 43-year-old woman was found in a public park on March 1 badly injured. Now St. Petersburg police are asking for the public to help detectives figure out what happened to her.

Christie L. New was found by a city worker at Lake Maggiore Park on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street S and 40th Avenue S just after 11:30 a.m., police said.

She had suffered life-threatening injuries, police said, and on Tuesday remained in critical condition in a local hospital.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling (727) 893-7780 or sending a text using SPPD to TIP-411.

ST. PETERSBURG - It was just about lunch time and Jerome Hopkins was on his way to wash up at the maintenance shed. The 56-year-old city worker was riding a green John Deere cart around Lake Maggiore Park.

That's when Hopkins said he heard the moans. He said they came from a woman lying at the base of a cluster of thick tree trunks.

"Ma'am," he called out. "Do you need medical assistance?"

Nothing. He called out again, he said, and this time she moaned and raised a bloody leg. He dialed 911.

St. Petersburg police identified the woman found March 1 as Christie Lynn New, 43. The mother of one suffered "severe trauma," investigators said, and was taken to a hospital.

Police revealed the discovery of the injured woman on Tuesday and asked for the public's help solving this case. She died at about 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to New and who left her in the southeast corner of the park with life-threatening injuries.

She was found at 11:30 a.m. Hopkins believes she was left there sometime after 7:30 a.m. because he didn't notice her when he made his morning round through the park, picking up trash.

Among the questions police are trying to answer: Why was she in St. Petersburg? Police believe New was visiting from South Florida.

Police said she was also seen Feb. 28 in the area around 54th Avenue N and Haines Road, which is about 8 or so miles away from the park where she was found.

Christie New was the youngest of five children. She came of age in Chambersburg, Penn., a small town north of the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, said her older sister Deanna New, 53, who lives in Birmingham, Ala.

Christie New became a stay-at-home mom, the sister said, splitting time with her family in homes they own in Key West and Morganton, N.C. She had been living in Key West for more than 20 years.

Christie New loved animals, and made it a habit of rescuing them, including dogs, cats, a potbelly pig, even possums. The sister said she owned horses in Ocala and was an equestrian, traveling all over the southeastern U.S. to compete in hunter/jumper competitions.

And Christie New also taught her 9-year-old daughter how to ride.

"It's a passion they shared," Deanna New said.

Her sister and friend Christy Hamby both described Christie New as vivacious and energetic.

"She controlled a room when she walked in," her sister said.

"There was never a dull moment with Christie," said Hamby, who lives near Christie New's North Carolina home and said the two had been friends for nearly seven years.

By Wednesday afternoon there were no signs of last week's violence at Lake Maggiore Park. The crime scene tape had come down and a group of retired men played dominos in the shade on a covered picnic table, just like they always do, they said. Older kids pushed younger kids on the swings. A steady flow of pickup trucks kicked up dust as they visited a nearby city dump.

From underneath an aluminum awning on the front of a small cinder block shed, city worker Sylvester Stephens monitors the dump, where landscapers leave branches and trimmings. That's where he was the morning of March 1.

Stephens, 78, said he saw nothing that day. He said he's told his supervisors that a row of tall bushes that separates the dump from the park should be removed.

It blocks his view of the corner of the park where the woman was found. It's also a safety concern for him, he said, because nobody in the park can see his office.

"I was here, but I couldn't see anything," Stephens said. "If the place was clean, we could see."

Contact Josh Solomon at (813) 909-4613 or jsolomon@tampabay.com. Follow @ByJoshSolomon.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport has opened its first privacy room for mothers in Gates 2-6 post-security. Located next to the restrooms, the room has a recliner, table, electrical outlet, sanitary wipes, a bench for additional family seating and a few toys. The room is operated by calling a number for a secure access code. Airport Director Tom Jewsbury said in a statement that the airport will add another room in Gates 7-10.

MADEIRA BEACH - Florida Scenic Tours, a tour boat operator in Madeira Beach, has added the JP CAT to its fleet of tour boats. The JP CAT is a 52-foot day sail catamaran, capable of carrying up to 75 passengers for sightseeing, water sports, sunset cruises and private charters. The JP CAT began operating in December 2017 and is Coast Guard certified and inspected. For information on Florida Scenic Tours, contact co-owner Shawn Damkoehler at (727) 686-1598 or shawnd@tampabay.rr.com, or visit the website at www.boattoursjohnspass.com.

Sand nourishment for the beaches from Indian Rocks Beach northward will likely not happen until the late fall, according to the latest schedule from Pinellas County.

Two factors have caused the beach nourishment to be delayed. One, the proposed start was pushed back from late November 2017 until this spring for to the county to deal with issues from Hurricane Irma.

The other factor that will affect the timing of the beach nourishment from Indian Rocks Beach to Sand Key/Clearwater is the project's starting location. For the first time, it will begin in the southern part of the Pinellas beach strip at Treasure Island, and work northward. Previous beach nourishments have begun at Sand Key and progressed south.

The latest schedule for beach nourishment from the county's website shows the project starting in Treasure Island in mid-April and finishing at the Ultimar condo in Clearwater/Sand Key the first of December. The Treasure Island project is scheduled to last a month and a half, wrapping up at the end of May.

The nourishment project will jump to Redington Beach around June 1, skipping Madeira Beach, which uses groins to control erosion and does not need sand.

ST. PETERSBURG - The Women's Chamber of Commerce of St. Petersburg will host a luncheon, "Celebrating our City: Recognizing the Powerful Women of St. Petersburg" on Thursday .

The event will highlight Tonjua Williams, president of St. Petersburg College, Alizza Punzalan-Randle, community relations director for Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, and Cynthia Johnson of the Pinellas County Economic Development Council.

Chris Steinocher, president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, will be the master of ceremonies. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri will speak about the changing role of women in the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.

The luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Club at Treasure Island, 400 Treasure Island Causeway. Tickets are $60. Go to wccstpete.com for more information.