Caitlin Johnston
@cljohnst
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Storyteller. Adventure seeker. Slow runner. Avid reader. Recovering journalist. Take me to the mountains, please. 🏔 🥃 📚
Joined March 2009
Fans are on their feet, cheering to the max. Sounds just as loud as any live game. #TBTBolts
http://t.co/vuNH1Vj51z.
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Some personal news: Friday is my last day at the Tampa Bay Times. I’m grateful to have worked my dream job, telling stories that matter and connecting with this community. Now, I'm thrilled to embrace a new challenge: I start on the communications team for Kforce Monday. (1/3)
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Friendly reminder: You can find the printed @TB_Times on your doorstop, at the store and in newspaper stands all over Tampa Bay.
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Thrilled to share a lifetime of adventures with this wonderful man.
Returned from Alaska trip with many amazing memories - and a fiancé! #shesaidyes #luckyman #nomove @cljohnst
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Overheard in the (virtual) newsroom: "People love to argue, but reading is hard." Ain't that the truth. @OHnewsroom.
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Jenny Jacobs, 56, was walking her dog, Bubba, when the crowd marched past and she decided to jump in. The crowd cheered as she joined. “I’ve never been in a march like this,” she said. “I’m very glad we stumbled on it.”
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Samaria Odom, 7, raises her fist as she rides her tricycle down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr St. as part of a protest in St. Pete. Her mom, Nicole, started crying as she watched her daughter. “I didn’t have to tell her. She did it on her own. I’m so proud.”
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Career update that might make some of you happy, others not so much: I'm back on the @TB_Times transportation beat. @ByJoshSolomon is taking over #StPete and City Hall. Transportation followers, what have I missed? Send me your ideas.
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t’s such a treat to actually be able to watch @TBLightning games with my husband. He probably hates it. I’m all flailing limbs, loud gasps and obvious commentary. But I bet our snacks here are better than the press box. @JoeSmithTB.
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One of my favorite parts of city council meetings are the awards and other recognitions they give. These don't make our newspaper a majority of the time, but they almost always make me smile. A lot of good people out there doing good work.
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It's a crazy time in the world, but I am so damn proud to be part of the @TB_Times newsroom right now. The work my colleagues are putting in to cover this coronavirus and its sprawling spiderweb of implications in our community is truly inspiring. Local journalism matters.
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.@OHnewsroom Editor trying to get reporter furiously scratching at bug bites to focus on story: "We can have an intern scratch your ankles.".
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The crowd chants “I can’t breathe,” three of George Floyd’s last words, as they lay down at the intersection near an I-275 ramp in St. Petersburg.
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So many people rave about how they love to support local businesses. How many subscribe to their local paper? There are hundreds of us here, just down the road, working tirelessly to keep our community informed. Doesn't get more local than that.
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Tampa Bay followers: Have you ventured out today or do you plan to later? If so, what are your feelings? Relief? Anxiety? Joy? And similarly, if you're not ready to stop by your favorite restaurant or catch the sunset at the beach, what emotions are holding you back?.
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More in love now than ever. Happy anniversary to the man who makes me laugh like none other, takes care of me at my worst and celebrates me at my best. Love you forever (which is a very long time). @JoeSmithTB.
Three years ago today, @cljohnst made me the luckiest man in the world. Best decision I’ve ever made. Nobody else I’d rather travel the world with, sing with, quarantine with or just be a damn fool with. Here’s to 50 more! #anniversary #cjsdoanythingforlove
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HART is considering a 15-mile bus rapid transit line between Tampa and USF. For much of the route, buses would have their own lane, separate from traffic. It would cost $120 million to build and could cut travel times in half. Would you ride it? Is it worth the money?.
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@TrentPhillips_ @TB_Times From the @TB_Times main account: An explicit push was recently sent out from our mobile app but not from Tampa Bay Times journalists. We are looking into this issue and apologize for the profanity.
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On my way to Vancouver to meet up with @JoeSmithTB at the #NHLdraft and then we’re off to Japan for a week to visit my family. Tampa Bay, please don’t get too crazy with your transportation news next week. Even if you do, I won’t be checking. See y’all back here in July!
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28 hours after my second Pfizer shot, my body consists almost entirely of Cool Blue Gatorade, Easter candy and saltine crackers.
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The kick-ass @stacymiche11e talks about life as the tour manager for @ThirdEyeBlind. And yes, she's a young female.
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The crowd in front of St. Pete Police Headquarters takes a moment of silence, while many lay on the ground, for all lives ended by police brutality.
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The group from 5th Ave N turned South on MLK and met up with another group that had started marching from police headquarters. I counted at least 200. They’re walking East down central now toward the waterfront chanting, “No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA.”
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So damn thankful for the last two weeks, exploring this beautiful country with the man I love. Ready to get back to my bed, my kitchen and the transportation beat.
Heading home after an amazing, two-week vacation. The annniversary road trip took us more than 1,700 miles, from Portland and hikes up Mt Hood + St Helens, then down Oregon/Cali coast and wine country. Coming back with eight bottles of wine + countless memories with @cljohnst
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(3/3) I’ve reported from bus stops, board rooms and Bonnaroo. I detailed complex policies and chronicled the quiet moments of life. More than anything, I’m thankful for the people who let me into their lives and trusted me with their stories. It’s been an honor. -- 30 --.
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Major props to @JoeSmithTB: Yes, he’s doing great work, but when he came home on deadline to a broken AC, he immediately went to problem solve. He then set up a fan pointed directly at me, because I’m a baby if I’m hot at night. He also brought home Taco Bell. #husbandoftheyear.
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Find yourself a man who, at 1 a.m., runs out and surprises you with a fresh slice of New York style pepperoni pizza because that's all you're craving on deadline after a 6-hour public meeting. @JoeSmithTB wins again.
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“I am a protester,” Sen. Darryl Rouson tells the crowd. “Peaceful protest is what America was built on. I thank you and I congratulate you.”
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The crowd at restaurants along Beach Drive was more engaged and supportive of protesters than I’ve seen past nights. Usually they get more of that reaction in the Grand Central District.
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You know that maddening part of the Howard Frankland near the airport, where it drops from four lanes to two and traffic backs up for ages? A third lane northbound and a third exit lane should open this summer, weeks ahead of schedule.
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St. Pete Council voted to spend $150,000 on a seasonal ferry to downtown Tampa. St. Pete is the first government to approve the ferry. Tampa and Pinellas and Hillsborough counties must vote, too.
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A crowd of just under 100 people, from what I can count, left St. Pete City Hall and marched down Central Ave to Beach Drive. The route tonight will take them past the Vinoy, through Snell Isle and Old Northeast and back to City Hall.
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“Do not start violence. do you understand? Keep it peaceful,” Tiffany Taylor tells the crowd after someone threw a water bottle at a car trying to get through the intersection.
Protestors have blocked a busy intersection at 5th Ave N and 34th St N in St. Petersburg. They are chanting “Black Lives Matter” while cars turn around behind them.
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The crowd is significantly louder than the afternoon crew. Lots more honking cars, plus a drum keeping beat for the chants.
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"I want to find out all the things the chaos brings." Thank you for a perfect night @ThirdEyeBlind, @stephanjenkins.
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Sarah Cornacchione, 31, of Palm Harbor holds a “Black Lives Matter” sign as the crowd marches past Vinoy Park. “Until I see things starting to happen locally, I’m not going to stop applying pressure.”
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My husband is relentless. And a damn good reporter. #TBLightning.
#tblightning this week @TheAthleticTB: Catching “bucket-list” fish w/ @thehollandnativ Behind Gemel Smith’s mental health battle How Brayden Point deal got done Dan Girardi memories
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BREAKING: The Cross-Bay Ferry is here to stay. Locals and tourists will be able to ride the boat between downtown Tampa and St. Pete all year round.
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Unlike Tuesday where people at businesses along Central Avenue came outside to cheer and raise fists as people marched past, those outside restaurants on Beach Drive mostly sat quietly in their seats as protesters yelled, “Silence is compliance.”
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A smaller group of about 75 protestors are marching through downtown St. Pete this afternoon. They’ve stopped in an intersection near the Trop, backing traffic up down First Avenue South.
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Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for reading the Tampa Bay Times and following our transportation coverage.
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There is little shade on this route as the crowd marches down 1st Avenue S back toward downtown. Some carry umbrellas, others sweat through their shirts and chug water. It’s 90 degrees.
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Three CVS stores in Tampa Bay will start offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing tomorrow. The big difference between other sites: you insert the nasal swab yourself to collect the specimen. Tampa Bay followers: would you feel more or less comfortable swabbing yourself?.
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Last weekend, I foolishly delighted over the slightly cooler weather and breeze. “Summer has broken! Time for Florida fall!” I naively proclaimed. It’s 87 today and humid AF. I seriously should know better after a decade in Florida 🙄.
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Discussions of a transit line linking downtown Tampa and the airport are back on the table. This time, a private company wants in.
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People from Golden Dinosaurs Vegan Deli hand out bags with sandwiches and snacks for protesters.
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Temika Vaughn, center, stands with sisters Lacey and Hailey Cotton, at a protest in front of St. Pete Police Department. Vaughn called them sisters of color. Vaughn said she appreciates how the sisters, who are students at USF SP, are invested in the local community here.
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The crowd of at least 200 is now marching down 5th Ave N near 22nd St, taking up both sides of the road. They part to let a driver who said she is a nurse get to work.
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St. Pete's deputy mayor tells council just now that the city has decided to go with bike lanes instead of parking along First Avenues N and S once a car lane is converted to a bus lane.
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I never expected transportation to become such a passion of mine, but I'm proud of the work I did on the beat. Thank you for those who took the time to help me understand this intricate industry. The work being done on our roads and in our neighborhoods matters. (2/3).
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Cooper for 2nd time today says every hometown reporter wants or expects a team to go 82-0. That’s not how this works. Journalists ask tough questions about injuries, grit, mistakes and lessons learned b/c it’s their job to help fans understand. It’s not their job to root for you.
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Tampa Bay likes to compare itself with Denver and Charlotte. Really, it's more like Boise or Sheboygan.
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Spencer Cook, 44, told the crowd they’re trying to organize music performances, yoga and speeches to keep protestors engaged/coming back. “If we’re going to remain peaceful, we have to do more than scream and holler.” Several people say they’ll be in front of St. Pete PD daily.
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"People who say folks who ride the bus aren't working, that's bull. The bus is full of people trying to get to work," said @MarkSharpeFL on the negative association with riding the bus.
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People stood and cheered, clapped and raised their fists in the air as the crowd marched past.
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Tampa Bay residents, what are your thoughts on the new texting while driving law? How strictly do you think it should be enforced? How often do you see people on their phones while you're driving? #itsforastory.
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About 60 people are gathered outside St. Pete City Hall for the 7 pm march against police brutality. The steady rain has people sheltering under nearby awnings and arches until the group is ready to depart. Someone is playing Baby Shark loudly from their car.
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Scanned agenda for upcoming Florida Transportation Commission meetings. Got excited about some items. Who have I become? #nerd #transportion.
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After blocking an intersection at 5th Ave N and 34th St for 30 min, the crowd of about 200 is now marching south down US 19 as Tiffany Taylor, 24, of St. Pete leads a chant of “silence is compliance.”
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My @TB_Times travel story about hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. http://t.co/TpIe2b4HfR.
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President Trump's announcement secures the last piece of money needed to pay for the $44 million project. The new bus lanes are expected to open in late 2021 or early 2022.
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Big news on Hillsborough's transportation tax: A circuit court ruled the tax will stay in place, but he also made changes, such as removing HART's guaranteed funding, eliminating spending categories and the altering the role of the oversight committee.
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Rounded out a great night, got some bourbon on hand and really just wish my signed copy of @Pierce_Brown’s Red Rising trilogy had already arrived so I could drink and read. What’s your favorite bourbon or beverage of choice to compliment a good book?.
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Organizers are trying to keep the layers clear here as they march north up 16th Street past the Trop: bike crew in front, a line of car, protesters, followed by the rest of the cars.
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The crowd is chanting “Chief Holloway” and asking police to come out and talk. “what are you scared of? . ain’t nobody gonna hurt y’all. You got guns, we ain’t got shit.” Transitioned to a “hands up, don’t shoot” chant.
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Transit advocates like Pat Kemp hope to strike a similar deal with CSX to run commuter rail along a 10-mile stretch of tracks between downtown Tampa and USF. The idea has been floated for decades.
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Other drivers not at the protest have also gone "offline." There are currently no Ubers available downtown.
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Employees of the Cider Press Cafe jump up and down and cheer as the crowd marches down Central Ave. A woman at the Lure pumps her first in the air and shouts. Diners at Brick and Mortar joined a chant.
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A group of at least 100 protestors marches east down 5th Avenue near MLK Jr St in St. Pete. One protestor said he’s been marching with them since he got off work at 6 pm.
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"Our lives are compendiums of loss and change and what we make of it." The Late, Great Stephen Colbert @GQMagazine
http://t.co/9ISK0Cd16t.
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All public busses in Hillsborough and Pinellas will have safety barriers separating drivers from riders by the end of the year. Installation started this week.
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Breaking news, day before Howard Frankland Bridge hearing: DOT reverses course, says it won't take away free lane
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The crowd ends the 6.3 mile march with the Cupid Shuffle in front of St. Pete City Hall. Another group will leave from here tomorrow at 2 pm.
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There are few things I love more than mountains and local breweries & wineries. Looking forward to decompressing these next couple weeks with my husband as we roadtrip along the Oregon and California coasts. I’ll be back at transportation coverage in November. ✌🏻.
Signing off for couple weeks of vacation, as my wife @cljohnst and I are taking our annnivesary road trip through the mountains and Pacific Coast highway. If it’s anything like our first day at Mt St. Helen’s + Rainier, we may not come back. No more cap crunch, just wine corks.
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The crowd paused at 17th Ave S and 16th St. to let those in back catch up. A small group each march helps coordinate logistics, such as the route, the pace, blocking streets with bicycles and handing out water. They also make sure the march doesn’t get too spread out.
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“The difference between good and cheap.” How Tampa Bay’s limited transit system hurts those who rely on the bus.
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I love my new team, but man, did it feel good to hang with the Funpod again. <3.
Soooo great seeing these wonderful folks today for the Fully Vaccinated @TB_Times Funpod Reunion Lunch! L to R: @mareevs, @cljohnst, me, @allisonsross & @langstonitaylor.
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A little tale of goodness to ease you into the Thanksgiving spirit.
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Tell people you love them. It’s impossible to hear it enough.
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Floridians: have you been tested for COVID-19 and then contacted after and told you need to be retested? If so, I want to hear from you. In the last week, more than 35,000 COVID-19 tests in Florida have faced issues, either due to damage in transit or problems with a lab.
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Crowds at businesses along Central Avenue, including Punky’s (seen here), Steep Station and Casita Taquiera cheer, raise their fists and take photos as the protesters march by.
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Local journalism matters, but we can’t do it without your support.
If you love our newspaper and this community as much as we do, we need your support. Subscribe, so we can keep working for you. Thank you.
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About a dozen police vehicles with their lights on wait on nearby streets while protestors speak about personal situations getting stopped by police.
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Protestors outside St. Pete PD are chanting at journalists and TV crews to “just go home” because reporters won’t hold signs or answer the crowd’s questions about George Floyd and others.
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Who decided long ago that cats get to use litter boxes in cozy homes but dogs have to brave the rain, heat, cold and storms just to poop?.
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Will Breeze, 29, of St. Pete addresses the crowd as they pause on Beach Drive by North Straub Park and calls out local Instagram influencers, like models and rappers, who have large followings but are not out here protesting and rallying their social media followers.
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