Officials are scheduled Friday to officially recognize Senator Geraldine F. Thompson Way — a renamed portion of South Street in downtown Orlando honoring the late Senator who died this year.

Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer are expected to attend the 10:30 a.m. ceremony to unveil the new road sign.

Bracy Davis, who won a Special Election to finish the remainder of Thompson’s term, said on social media that the event is paying tribute to Thompson to “honor her decades of leadership, her dedication to preserving African American history, and her unwavering service to the people of Florida.”

Thompson died at age 76 in February from knee replacement surgery complications.

Thompson was the Director of the Wells’Built Museum of American-American History in Orlando’s Parramore district. Fittingly, Senator Geraldine F. Thompson Way will be renamed on West South Street between South Division Avenue and U.S. 441, which passes by the museum.

“Sen. Geraldine Thompson was a force — a trailblazer, a historian, a fierce advocate, and a devoted mother and grandmother who worked every day to uplift all Floridians, ensuring that no one was left behind,” U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost said in a statement at the time of her death.

Other lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, put out statements of support and tributes after her death.

Thompson, a Democrat, had represented Orlando in the Legislature for two decades. At one point, the Orlando Sentinel described her as the “epicenter of Black history in Orlando.”

She took people on bus tours of the city’s Black history, wrote a book on Orlando’s African American community, hosted Juneteenth events and helped launch Orlando’s early celebrations to honor Martin Luther King Jr. 

Last month, officials gathered to open Harris Rosen Way, the honorary roadway on International Drive between State Road 528 and Sand Lake Road.

Rosen, the CEO of the largest independent hotel chain in Florida, died at age 85 in 2024.

Architect David Glenn Jr. has filed to challenge longtime incumbent Kathleen Peters for the Pinellas County Commission District 6 seat, setting up a contested race for a post that has often drawn no opposition.

Glenn’s entry ensures voters will have a contested race for the District 6 seat in the upcoming election cycle. Peters, who filed in April, has run unopposed during recent election cycles, but has already raised $63,650 for her re-election campaign nonetheless.

Glenn filed his candidacy paperwork with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections on Dec. 10. While his campaign website is still listed as “coming soon,” Glenn has launched a Facebook page and used the platform to publicly announce his run, sharing photos and outlining his priorities for county government.

Glenn describes himself as a registered Florida architect and interior designer who has lived in Pinellas County since 2000. He said his decision to run is driven by frustration with entrenched county leadership and a desire to bring new ideas to local government.

Glenn’s platform places a heavy emphasis on land use and development policy, arguing that Pinellas County’s limited remaining land requires a shift toward denser, more carefully planned growth. He calls for creation of high-density overlay districts in non-flood and non-evacuation areas to concentrate future development in key sectors, balanced with surrounding lower-density neighborhoods to preserve their character.

Under his proposal, homeowners could sell transferable development rights, or “air rights,” to higher-density projects. Glenn argues that increased density would expand the county’s tax base, support job creation and ease pressure on property tax rates.

Glenn is also calling for increased investment in county services. His platform highlights public transit funding for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, expanded support for county parks and recreation, and longer operating hours for county libraries.

He also advocates for streamlined county building and zoning departments to reduce development delays, and for increased support for county-operated animal services and rescue organizations.

Glenn also emphasizes a need for affordable housing. He proposes the creation of dedicated housing developments for teachers and first responders near their workplaces, as well as expanded housing options for veterans and seniors. 

He also supports adopting a countywide nuisance ordinance aimed at addressing problematic short-term rental properties, drug houses and chronic code violators. He said such an ordinance would give county staff and law enforcement additional tools to address properties that disturb their neighborhoods.

Glenn pledged to model part of his public service approach after former Gov. Bob Graham’s “Workdays” initiative, committing to spend time working alongside residents in different jobs and settings to better understand day-to-day challenges.