How a Cluster of Islands Became 'The Island'
Plus, Florida orders pro-Palestinian groups to disband, and search is on for Ybor hit-and-run drivers.
Happy Thursday. Today we interview the executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, tell you whether it’s Davis Island or Davis Islands, and feature Hillsborough County’s most comprehensive local news summary. Now on to the news.
CURRENTS
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TOP NEWS
Florida orders pro-Palestinian USF group to disband. The Oracle
Search underway for drivers after 2 hit-and-runs in Ybor City in 2 weeks. ABC Action News
Vintage charm of Las Novedades restored in new event space at Hotel Haya in Ybor City. Fox 13 News
Parents like private school vouchers so much that demand is exceeding budgets. WUSF
New details on Moffitt Cancer Center's giant Pasco campus revealed. Tampa Bay Business Journal $
U.S. Supreme Court lifts stay on Florida sports betting case. Politico
Florida places Morningstar on its blacklist of companies alleged to be involved in boycotts of Israel. WMNF Morningstar disputes Florida’s determination that it supports efforts to boycott or sanction Israel. WMNF
Florida officials ask the US Supreme Court to block rulings limiting an anti-drag show law. WUSF
Seagrass die-off could impact how you enjoy Old Tampa Bay. 10 Tampa Bay
First ever 'Florida Man Games' will feature beer belly wrestling and 'evading arrest' obstacle course. ABC Action News
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WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?
Davis Islands or Davis Island?
By Judith M. Gallman
What’s the true name of the island home of Tampa General Hospital, Davis Island or Davis Islands? Google Maps calls it Davis Islands, but both spellings appear on its maps, and in addresses and civic organization names. There’s Davis Islands Beach but the Davis Island Dog Beach; the Davis Island Yacht Club but the Davis Islands Civic Association.
What’s up with that?
“I believe the whole island/islands thing is like the granted v. granite idea and it’s just people’s syntax,” said Selena Martinez, a friendly librarian with the Hillsborough County Public Library Association.
Martinez said the land mass is named after the man who helped develop it, D.P. Davis, “who was part of a prominent local Tampa family and made a fortune in real estate after World War I in Miami and tried to replicate that in Tampa with these islands. He purchased what was originally known as Little Grassy Island and Depot Key Island and sold the lots for subdivisions.
“As a local myself, when they say island they are simply referring to the main island where Tampa General Hospital is,” she said.
Martinez ventured an answer to our question but recommended author Rodney Kite-Powell as the definitive source. But the author was on sabbatical from the Tampa Bay History Center and could not be reached.
Malerie Dorman, curator of exhibitions for the Tampa Bay History Center, also referred a reporter to Kite-Powell. “Where is Rodney when you need him?!” she emailed. LOL.”
Dorman also went on to answer the question, pointing to one source of confusion.
“It doesn't help that Davis Islands is (or at least was) commonly referred to by its nickname — The Island — for a long time,” she said. “Many people don't realize that there are two islands, and fewer know that there were originally three.”
History buffs at the Tampa Historical Society offered an answer as well, suggesting that people ponder the question while studying a map. “If you look at a map, there are bridges that connect over the canals,” a society spokesperson wrote via Facebook. “Originally, it was two spoil islands, then dredged and filled by D.P. Davis in the 1920s, who started the development. There is one separate island on the northwest side.”
As for the developer himself, the society recommended www.tampapix.com/dpdavis.htm as an excellent source with photos. “When the building boom in Florida dried up, he lost almost everything and later disappeared while on a cruise with his family in 1926.”
Then Kite-Powell himself graciously endorsed the answer offered by Martinez, Dorman, and the society in an email exchange that interrupted his summer sabbatical.
“The question of Davis Islands vs. Davis Island has been around for a long time, but the answer is very easy,” wrote the author of the 2013 book, History of Davis Islands: David P. Davis and the Story of a Landmark Tampa Neighborhood.
“It is Davis Islands — plural. There were originally three islands that made up Davis Islands, and there are still two (Riviera Island is separate). The other island was attached to the main island when the airport expanded.”
Of course, had the Navigator merely turned to Wikipedia to answer the not-so-pressing question, our answer might have come more quickly:
“Davis Islands is a Tampa neighborhood and archipelago on two (formerly three) islands in Hillsborough County, Florida. Its proximity to Downtown Tampa and its views of the Port of Tampa have made it a popular area to live. The area's population was 5,474 at the 2010 census.
“With a canal fully separating a portion of the island from the rest of it, Davis Islands is technically an archipelago, hence the plural form ‘Islands’ in its name. Originally, Davis Islands consisted of three islands. With the construction of the airport, however, the end of one canal was filled in to make enough land area for a runway, connecting the two largest islands at their southern ends and reducing the archipelago's island count to two.”
Perplexed by something? What’s up with that investigates.
4 QUESTIONS WITH JUSTIN TRAMBLE
Water Quality Transcends Politics
Justin Tramble is the executive director Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a grassroots nonprofit that advocates for clean water in the Tampa Bay watershed. It’s part of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a global network of 350 grassroots water leaders from around the world, including 15 affiliates in Florida, which started in the 1970s. Tampa Bay Waterkeeper was established in 2017, and its jurisdiction includes Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. “We represent Tampa Bay, the state’s largest open water estuary,” Tramble said. The organization is run by what he described as a diverse board with members representing extremely varied water-oriented interests. “The one thing we all have in common is that we recreate here in the water. We all love the water, and that’s why they volunteer their time. We hope to grow to better protect, improve and preserve Tampa Bay.” Find out more at TampaBayWaterkeeper.org. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is unique about Tampa Bay Waterkeeper?
Statewide, it’s our job to drill down to Tampa Bay water. Water quality is essential to the sustainability of our lifestyle in Florida and in the economy in Florida. A Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council study found that one out of every 10 jobs in the Tampa Bay region are tied to the health of the Tampa Bay estuary. There certainly is a need to prioritize water quality beyond just the well; we need clean water for swimming, fishing, and recreating. The vitality of tourism in the region depends on our water being protected long term, and our focus on building a grassroots movement does that. That’s why as we grow, the stronger our fight will be, and the better we’ll advocate for water. We really focus on people and people’s love for the water and the estuary. If you fall in love with something, you protect it. Our job as an advocacy organization is to connect our folks with the issues. We do what we can to really connect those folks that love this estuary to how they can better play a role in protecting it.
What is the most important thing people can do to preserve the Tampa Bay watershed?
The single biggest issue is our nutrients that we’re putting into our bay — the nitrogen load going into the bay. The single largest source is from stormwater runoff, about 60 percent. There are a lot of common sense ways we can significantly limit our stormwater pollution, but the simplest thing people can do to limit impact is by paying attention to fertilizer ordinances, picking up dog waste, and making sure you have stormwater-friendly property. Beyond that, significant environmental issues like the Piney Point debacle and wastewater spills need a different solution. We need as a community to do a better job of investing in our water and wastewater systems to prevent these things from happening in the first place. We need to be more engaged and participate in local government. There can be significant meaning when someone is advocating for clean water and people show up in support during the public comment period and clap or applaud infrastructure investments or even type a quick email about legislation. In this past legislative session, we contributed hundreds of letters to the governor’s office to veto the rainy-season fertilizer intervention legislation. Counting other groups, there were probably 1,000 or so requesting a veto. The governor didn’t sign it. So we did not win that inning, but involvement shows we could potentially win that game. People need to engage and connect and be part of this decision-making process and part of the advocacy.
Who are your constituencies?
Our organization is made up of recreators here in Tampa Bay that are politically diverse. They support the use of the water, no matter what political affiliation or industry they come from. This transcends politics; it’s common sense stuff, and our member and supporter base eclipses politics. They fish, paddleboard, kayak. They enjoy being on the water. We have close to 10,000 social media users following or supporting us. We’re trying to grow our network, taking our argument beyond marinas and boat ramps and kayak stores to tourism bureaus and the economic force that is the Tampa Bay region. If we can tap into that — historically environmental groups and business and growth haven’t been on on the same page, so it’s been a versus situation — and push this idea that if we develop here in Florida, we need to do it smarter and with water quality in mind, then we can lift up the whole Tampa Bay region. We need to be able to engage the communities we haven’t been able to engage in the past and have a more collaborative approach.
How can people get involved?
Our latest project is the Patrol Program. It’s an easy way for folks to get active and to get engaged. It’s a community-led pollution detection and reporting initiative that has consolidated all agency resources onto one page. The whole idea of this project is to make reporting easy. When I was with a government agency, folks would call the office and tell me somebody was dumping sediment into a canal or there were dead fish on a beach or an abandoned vessel. It would take me a good bit of time to figure out who to connect those residents to. We’ve introduced QR stickers that we’re giving away that people can put on their kayaks, paddleboard, or boats, and if they see something, they can scan it and make an immediate report by choosing the appropriate section. We’ve hand-delivered this awesome resource to make reporting easy. We rely on individual support. We’re not funded by any government organization. We’re funded by individuals and small, local businesses that turn to us to fight for clean water. We also do some high-profile litigation to mitigate for clean water, like the plant on Piney Point.
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OTHER NEWS
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BAY AREA
Tampa man receives 2 life sentences for killing girlfriend's 17-month-old child in 2019. Fox 13 News
Large crowd marches to front gates of USF for 'Emergency Rally for Gaza'. 10 Tampa Bay
Rays stadium, Gas Plant District redevelopment plan to be presented to St. Pete city council. Fox 13 News
Tampa's planned BRT line projected to achieve higher ridership than the SunRunner. Tampa Bay Business Journal $
Tampa General Hospital, USF partner to expand medical training and strengthen health care workforce. Florida Politics
Boxing out of trouble: How Tampa police officers inspire kids to stay out of trouble. ABC Action News
Tampa-based software company acquires Colorado learning platform. Tampa Bay Business Journal $
Nonprofit breaks ground on Westchase housing complex for those with disabilities. Tampa Beacon
Hillsborough property appraiser appeals Tampa airport case. Tampa Bay Business Journal $
Tampa International Airport to Gulfport-Biloxi starting at $29. News Channel 8
Tampa Bay loses out on millions in potential funding from federal tech hub initiative. Tampa Bay Business Journal $
Meet Olds: The carmaker behind the city of Oldsmar. 10 Tampa Bay
50 organizations to hand out treats at 7th Riverwalk halloween event. Patch
USF needs only two more football wins to become bowl-eligible. Tampa Bay Times $
Florida College men’s basketball hoping to remain on national stage. Tampa Beacon
Bucs' Winfield Jr. rallies defense ahead of tonight’s showdown against Bills. 10 Tampa Bay
FLORIDA
Record-breaking numbers of Cuban migrants entered the U.S. in 2022-23. Politico
‘Modern day mafia’: $20M Florida retail theft ring busted; 14 arrested. News Channel 8
Hurricane Otis’ explosive intensification is a symptom of the climate crisis, scientists say. ABC Action News
Feeling the pinch of high home insurance rates? It's not getting better anytime soon. WUSF
Mosaic investigating another potential liner tear at Mulberry phosphate plant. Spectrum Bay News 9
Elderly population in Florida prisons on the rise, report finds. Axios
Florida CFO threatens to sue NCAA over FSU football player’s eligibility. Tampa Bay Times $
Health report: More dengue infections in South Florida; another case of West Nile virus in Panhandle. Florida Phoenix
2 men arrested after stealing over $15k in items from multiple Florida Home Depot stores using trash cans. Fox 13 News
Gov. DeSantis reappoints embattled police chief to criminal justice standards panel. Florida Politics
POLITICS
Chad Chronister backs Suzy Lopez for Hillsborough State Attorney. Florida Politics
DeSantis adds conservative mini-stars, former staffer to Florida Polytechnic board of trustees. Florida Phoenix
Florida Dems blast GOP selection of Louisiana’s Mike Johnson as next U.S. House Speaker. Florida Phoenix
Florida Chamber poll: Floridians say U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction,’ Biden to blame. Florida Politics
Republican supermajorities in Florida Legislature are probably here to stay. Florida Politics
ABOUT US
Editors: Judith M. Gallman and Stephen Buel
Contributing editors: The Navigator is seeking contributors