Mail ballots down; nonbinding Rays’ stadium agreement; Aldi love

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Thursday, May 21, 2026

 
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Good Thursday morning. Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 92.

In today’s edition, read about Hillsborough County approving the nonbinding Rays stadium agreement; mail ballot requests being down across Tampa Bay; and columnist Stephanie Hayes explains the love for Aldi.

[DIRK SHADD | Times]

Man gets nearly 2 years in prison after ‘pizza doxing’ Tampa judges

A man was sentenced to nearly two years in prison this week after he admitted to sending large pizza orders to the homes of two Hillsborough County judges. 

The incident was deemed to be part of a phenomenon known as “pizza doxing,” wherein bad actors send large and erroneous food orders to the homes of public officials or other targets. It’s an “I know where you live” kind of threat.

Read the details.

 
 

AROUND THE BAY

The results are in: Hillsborough County approved the nonbinding Rays stadium agreement and Hillsborough College approved a lease for a team ballpark. The Rays want to relocate a Tampa police station to the new development and have fire and emergency medical services on site.

Who voted what? Here’s a look at what each commissioner had to say about the stadium deal.

Growing concerns: Pasco County appears to be growing fast. But the school district isn't. And that's causing angst for local officials. 

“Inappropriate and highly offensive”: The Hillsborough County school district fired an art teacher at Barrington Middle School after a video was widely circulated showing her wrapping a cord around the neck of a Black baby doll and hanging it over a classroom television screen.

The rank is blossom