St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County,Florida,United States. As of the 2020 census,the population was 258,308,making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area,after Tampa. It is the largest city in the state that is not a county seat. Along with Clearwater,these cities are part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area,the second-largest in Florida with a population of around 2.8 million. St. Petersburg is on the Pinellas peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico,and is connected to mainland Florida to the north.
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County,Florida,United States,west of Tampa and north of St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2020 census,the city had a population of 117,292. Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County and is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater metropolitan area,most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area.
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus is a campus of the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg,Florida. Opened in 1965 as a satellite campus of the University of South Florida,it was consolidated with the other two USF campuses as of July 1,2020. USF's St. Petersburg campus is the only public university in Pinellas County. The campus enrolled 4,455 students during the fall 2019 semester.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is a 63-acre (25 ha) nonprofit zoo located in Tampa,Florida. In 2009,Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Parents Magazine,and is recognized by the State of Florida as the center for Florida wildlife conservation and biodiversity. The zoo is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society,an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The zoo also exists as a center for conservation of endangered wildlife both locally and around the globe. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as well as a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA),Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG),the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA) and the Florida Attractions Association (FAA).
Al Lang Stadium is a 7,500-seat sports stadium along the waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg,Florida,United States which was used almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. Since 2011,it has been the home pitch of the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship soccer league.
The Mahaffey Theater –Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts facility and concert hall located on the downtown waterfront in St. Petersburg,Florida. The facility first opened on May 6,1965. The 2,031-seat facility features European box-style seating,a ballroom space and views of Tampa Bay.
Richard David Kriseman is an American politician who served as the 53rd Mayor of St. Petersburg from 2014 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 53rd district from 2006 to 2012.
Grand Central is an arts-entertainment district in St. Petersburg,Florida,located on Central Avenue and 1st Avenue North and 1st Avenue South two miles west of Downtown. It is located within the boundaries of Kenwood Historic District,a neighborhood of St. Pete. This locale was voted among the 10 best "cottage communities" in America by Cottage Living. Many new businesses have opened in the area,with a large influx from the creative class. The area is also known as a bastion for St. Pete's LGBT community,including gay-friendly nightlife. The annual St. Pete Pride event is held here,which is the largest single-day event for the whole city as well as the largest gay pride parade in all of Florida. The event attracts tens of thousands of people to the area. Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner,the first openly gay elected official in the region,was named Grand Marshal for the 2009 parade. Besides Pride,the neighborhood also hosts a weekly "Peddler's Market",similar to a more elaborate Farmers' market. Some controversy is brewing in the neighborhood regarding the marginalization of existing social services centers,and over a flag-hanging ordinance.
Richard B. "Rich" Nugent is an American retired law enforcement officer and former United States Congressman. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Sheriff of Hernando County,Florida. On November 2,2010,Richard Nugent defeated Democratic nominee James Piccillo,to replace retiring Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite. Nugent was a member of the Tea Party Caucus. On November 2,2015,Nugent announced he would not seek reelection.
David William Foster is an American attorney and former mayor of St. Petersburg,Florida. He was elected in 2009. Before being elected mayor Foster served on the city council and worked as a lawyer.
John Constantine Williams,Sr. was the cofounder of St. Petersburg,Florida,with Captain Peter A. Demens. Williams Park is named for him.
St. Petersburg,Florida,held an election for mayor on August 27 and November 5,2013. A non-partisan primary election was held on August 27,2013. No candidate won a majority of the vote,so the top two finishers,incumbent Mayor Bill Foster and former State Representative Rick Kriseman,advanced to a runoff.
George N. Cretekos is an American politician from the state of Florida. A member of the Republican Party,Cretekos is the former mayor of Clearwater,Florida. Prior to his election as mayor,he served as a congressional aide to Bill Young for 36 years,and served on the Clearwater City Council.
A special election for Florida's 13th congressional district was held March 11,2014,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives,following the death of incumbent Republican Congressman Bill Young on October 18,2013. Primary elections were held on January 14,2014. Young,who had already announced that he would not be running for re-election in 2014,was re-elected in 2012 with 57 percent of the vote. With 100% of the precincts reporting,David Jolly was declared the winner.
There have been 54 mayors of St. Petersburg,Florida. David Moffett was the city's first mayor. The current mayor is Ken Welch,the city's first African American mayor.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County,Florida,United States.
St. Petersburg,Florida,held a general election for mayor on August 29 and November 7,2017,with a primary election which took place on August 29,2017. Incumbent mayor Rick Kriseman,a Democrat,opted to seek re-election. His opponent in the runoff was Republican former mayor Rick Baker (2001–2010). The election was officially non-partisan.
Peggy Mitchell Peterman was an African American journalist and columnist at the St. Petersburg Times in St. Petersburg,Florida,United States. She was known for initiating the integration of the news that had previously been on a page devoted to blacks throughout the newspaper. She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award both from the National Association of Black Journalists and the International Women's Media Foundation in 1999.
Sophia Wisniewska is a university administrator and a former chancellor of University of South Florida St. Petersburg and Pennsylvania State Brandywine. Earlier in her career,she worked for her alma mater,Pennsylvania State University,and later served as the dean of Temple University Ambler.
St. Petersburg,Florida,held an election for mayor on August 24,2021. Incumbent Democratic mayor Rick Kriseman was term-limited and could not seek a third term in office. Municipal elections in St. Petersburg are officially nonpartisan. All candidates appeared on the same primary ballot,and because no candidate garnered at least 50% of the vote,the top two vote-getters advanced to a runoff election on November 2,2021. Former Pinellas County commissioner Ken Welch easily defeated city councillor Robert Blackmon in the runoff and became the first black mayor of St. Petersburg.
