Author: TBO Digital Staff

Shane Baz spent nearly two years watching from the sidelines, a Tommy John surgery in September 2022 robbing him of precious development time just as his major league career was beginning to take shape. Now, the 25-year-old right-hander is making up for lost time, establishing himself as the cornerstone of Tampa Bay’s rotation with a string of dominant performances to open the 2025 campaign. Through his first month of action, Baz has been nothing short of spectacular. His early-season brilliance was perhaps best showcased on April 1st against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he struck out a career-high 10 batters over…

Tampa’s international food scene is poised for a significant upgrade as H Mart, the beloved Korean grocery chain with a devoted following across the United States, prepares to open its doors near Raymond James Stadium. The Korean grocery chain has filed work permits to begin construction at 3908 W. Hillsborough Ave., just north of Raymond James Stadium. This will mark only the second H Mart in Florida, following a long-anticipated Orlando location that has been in development for several years. H Mart’s arrival signals a major advancement for Tampa’s Asian food landscape. Founded in 1982 in Queens, New York, the…

The long-awaited Barnes and Noble Carrollwood reopened Wednesday to enthusiastic crowds, marking the bookstore’s return to the north Tampa neighborhood after an eight-month absence. Hundreds of people lined up outside the new location in the Palms of Carrollwood Shopping Center before the 10 a.m. ribbon cutting, eager to explore the bookstore that has been redesigned with a more open and modern layout. “We are very pleased to be back in Carrollwood only eight months after closing our previous bookstore,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble. “For 28 years we were a gathering place for this community, and our…

E.J. Roberts Inc. is transforming how commercial property owners navigate complex construction projects by serving as dedicated owner’s representatives who protect clients from unforeseen complications and costs. With over two decades of experience in the construction industry, the firm specializes in advocating for property owners throughout the entire building process. Their approach focuses on eliminating the knowledge gap that typically exists between contractors and property owners. “The main objective is to protect you – the owner – from many unfortunate and oftentimes unforeseen circumstances, in most cases actually saving you money far beyond the fee of an Owner’s Representative,” said…

The arrival of one of the world’s largest aircraft at Tampa International Airport turned the facility’s parking garage into an impromptu observation deck as aviation enthusiasts gathered to witness the massive Antonov An-124 in action. The Ukrainian-designed cargo aircraft, operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, is the second-largest cargo plane in operation worldwide, featuring a wingspan of nearly 240 feet — significantly larger than the 156-foot wingspan of a Boeing 767 that regularly services Tampa. “Just the physics. The weight of it and how big it is getting off the ground is just impressive,” said spectator Kyle Bauld who joined dozens of…

April is Distracted Driving awareness month and dangerous and distracted driving continues to be an issue nationally, and in Tampa, in 2025. There were an estimated 44,650 motor-vehicle deaths in the United States in 2024 with around 3,000 of these deaths occurring due to a distracted driver. According to the department for Florida Highway safety and motor vehicles 26,259 car crashes occurred in Hillsborough county alone last year in which 181 people lost their lives. The county averages 2,000 crashes a day. So far in 2025 44 people have needlessly lost their lives in Hillsborough County in crashes, with over…

Two months into his role as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay president, Jeff Davis has unveiled an ambitious $35 million investment initiative aimed at revitalizing the 66-year-old theme park and neighboring Adventure Island water park. “There has been a renewed sense of investment in this park and Wild Oasis is a great example of that,” Davis said during a recent hard-hat tour of the upcoming attraction. “We’re going to spend $35 million in investment between this park and Adventure Island this year alone.” A substantial portion of the funding will be allocated to complete Wild Oasis, a rainforest-themed realm scheduled to…

In December 2022, Tampa-area businessman Brad Galinson made a decision that many of his investment banking friends deemed questionable: purchasing a struggling English soccer team sitting at the bottom of League Two, the fourth tier of English football. “Investment banking friends of mine said there are better ways to get a return on your investment. They said ‘are you crazy – do you know anything about football and by the way, isn’t it called soccer?!'” the 53-year-old Florida-based property tycoon recalled when speaking to local media shortly after the acquisition. Today, Galinson stands as a prime example of the growing…

Tampa has cemented its position as one of America’s premier destinations for entrepreneurs, securing the fifth spot in a comprehensive national survey of cities most supportive of startups, according to a recent MarketBeat report. The survey, which evaluated 150 U.S. cities based on local government support, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneur-friendly policies, places Tampa in elite company alongside fellow Florida cities Orlando (#4) and Miami (#9). This strong showing establishes Florida as a dominant force in the national startup landscape, with three cities claiming spots in the top 10. The MarketBeat analysis highlighted how Tampa is strategically “building bridges between founders…

Tampa Bay residents experienced unprecedented heat yesterday as temperatures at Tampa International Airport climbed to a record-breaking 97 degrees Fahrenheit, shattering the previous April high mark. The National Weather Service in Ruskin confirmed the new record, which surpassed the former April high of 96 degrees set in 2019. St. Petersburg and Clearwater also reported exceptional heat, with readings of 95 degrees at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. “This is truly remarkable for early April,” said Dr. Monica Sanchez, a climate scientist at the University of South Florida. “While Tampa Bay typically experiences warm spring temperatures, yesterday’s reading was nearly 15 degrees…