Change is in the air across Tampa Bay communities, from universities to neighborhoods to, yes, the roller derby track.
At USF, Moez Limayem has been chosen as the next president, but state approval is on hold. With the Board of Governors citing a packed agenda and the next vote months away, experts wonder whether other forces may be at play.
Meanwhile, neighborhoods are grappling with a change of a different kind. Progress Village is turning 65, and residents are celebrating their shared history, but the community is fighting to preserve its identity amid new developments. Can historic recognition help?
In Sarasota, another neighborhood has already taken that step and is celebrating its listing on the National Register of Historic Places at a community event this weekend.
And for those who like their history with a side of adrenaline, Tampa Roller Derby is deciding a championship. With 20 years of skating, hitting and punk-fueled chaos behind these skaters, this isn’t your average Saturday night.
Leadership limbo at USF
(0:00) Moez Limayem was chosen weeks ago to become the university’s next president, but state approval is on hold. The state Board of Governors cited a packed agenda — but the next chance to vote isn’t until January. Higher ed experts aren’t so sure that’s the whole story.
GUEST:
- Eric Kelderman, reporter with the Chronicle of Higher Education
Will progress threaten the Village?
(12:02) As Progress Village turns 65, residents are celebrating their shared history. But new development is crowding in, and a neighborhood that once symbolized opportunity is fighting to preserve its identity. Can gaining historic recognition keep its story alive?
GUEST:
- Twanda Bradley, Progress Village Civic Council president
Historic designation secured
(21:00) While one community fights to preserve its past, Sarasota’s Newtown neighborhood is now officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The milestone celebrates its vibrant African American heritage and provides tax and preservation benefits.
GUEST:
- Vickie Oldham, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition president and CEO
Ready to roll and rock
(36:01) The Switchblades slice and Cigar City Mafia maul while the oval track turns into a legal free-for-all for this Saturday’s Tampa Roller Derby Home Team Championship. Expect elbows, laughs and nicknames that pack more punch than your average street brawl. Twenty years in, this league is still skating hard and hitting harder.
GUESTS:
- Kim “Two Thurms Up” Thurman
- Alexis “Axle Greaser” Morales-Doherty
