Michael Van SicklerMetro Editor
As the Tampa Bay Times metro editor, I oversee more than three dozen talented reporters and editors covering our metro area on topics ranging from education, health, environment, law enforcement, courts, economy & growth, politics and local government. This bustling region of more than 3 million has changed dramatically since I covered it more than a decade ago as a growth and development reporter. Back then, our local economy was so badly shaken by the Great Recession, it would have been difficult to imagine the teeming downtowns and rising property values of today. I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland and moved to the Sunshine State to attend the University of Florida. Since then, I’ve called Lakeland, West Palm Beach, Tampa, and Tallahassee home. I'm now in St. Petersburg, where I live with my wife, Kat, son Robert, and beagle Susan.
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/823c3ff5-1384-4901-9b6b-f42d199d0595.png "Michael Van Sickler - Metro Editor")
![The 2022 winners of the R.F. “Red” Pittman Tribune essay contest, left to right: Andrea Rodriguez, Newsome High School; Rowan O'Flanagan, Plant High School; Suhani M. Shah, Carrollwood Day School; and Ryan R. Kelly, Tampa Preparatory School.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 562 316"/%3E "The 2022 winners of the R.F. “Red” Pittman Tribune essay contest, left to right: Andrea Rodriguez, Newsome High School; Rowan O'Flanagan, Plant High School; Suhani M. Shah, Carrollwood Day School; and Ryan R. Kelly, Tampa Preparatory School.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/BQ2DQJFVC5E2LHM4EXJDRAD3BM.jpg "The 2022 winners of the R.F. “Red” Pittman Tribune essay contest, left to right: Andrea Rodriguez, Newsome High School; Rowan O'Flanagan, Plant High School; Suhani M. Shah, Carrollwood Day School; and Ryan R. Kelly, Tampa Preparatory School.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/K6D7H2CGKSJOZHNWKTGSXDRHOU.jpg "A crowd of people gather outside the Supreme Court, Monday night, May 2, 2022, in Washington. A draft opinion circulated among Supreme Court justices suggests that earlier this year a majority of them had thrown support behind overturning the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a report published Monday night in Politico. It’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/IDTAHFQVJ5FCRP7OZAVAS7UDLQ.JPG "President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter during a meeting with newly elected governors in the Cabinet Room of the White House in 2018. From left, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., Governor-elect Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and Trump.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/OJLRP5HODFBRTMGOHKAKIEBRCQ.jpg "Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., is going to run for the U.S. Senate against Marco Rubio, according to a Politico story.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/WLGM526RSBHS3CUTEJRXVXZHBY.jpg "Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SSKPANZZNVA6ZHJB6EXMVSCQCA.jpg "Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., goes back to her office after speaking on the floor of the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4XJ2IV36KJB45G4735EZTSLKIU.jpg "The view from the podium where Joe Biden will speak after being sworn-in during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/I3GE73M76JHBJK4RWBYNDJYYNU.jpg "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, right, watches as Ramon Docobo, Asst. Director of the Pharmacy at Tampa General Hospital, removes the COVID-19 vaccine from boxes Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)")
:format(webP)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/WBAVKHPFT5DHNKYZ356JU6TGLI.jpg "Alexander McGreevy, 44, of St. Petersburg, celebrates with Biden Supports at the intersection of Tyrone Blvd N and Park St N Saturday, November 7, 2020.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/O7X3DBPNSZFEDLAZKD55VS66KU.PNG "Gov. Ron DeSantis and Barbara Lagoa, who is the first Hispanic nominated by President Donald Trump to be confirmed for a U.S. Court of Appeals vacancy out of 48 judges.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4U6TB4DCNRCDVNSQX4J5NREAUY.JPG "President Donald Trump speaks to supporters in October at The Villages retirement community.")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ZVHSFQGB6MI6TNV2IBWI6S7HAY.jpg "President Donald Trump, shown greeting Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey at a campaign rally in Fort Myers on Oct. 31, in 2018.")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/CZWV2SG2UNEVBMWBYTXWHTUDMI.jpg "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attends a protocolary meeting of the Permanent Council at the Organization of the American States, Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Michael A. McCoy)")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/TFWAIIYS4JGKHF73GFM4EZHAWA.JPG "Gov. Ron DeSantis, right, laughs in 2019 with U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz, left. Both were popular subjects with Buzz readers.")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/26DWC5O26BGCFGDPGX5WSKSPYY.jpg "Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks during a House Judiciary Committee markup of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/IZA6VBIIY5BSJALMTDAUMBNFYQ.PNG "Charlie Crist, seen here in 2008 when he was Florida governor, throws out the first pitch for game at Tropicana Field.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/Z5QAR2XMZJHRVKKAPCGGAHSPRY.jpg "Rep. Kathy Castor speaks with members of the Tampa Bay Times editorial board Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019 in St. Petersburg.")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/QZXF7IFN5FGIBAI2PACSQCR24I.jpg "Florida Supreme Court Justices Barbara Lagoa, left, and Robert Luck, right, were appointed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta by President Trump.")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RV24J3GSMJDQHP2DOFDWQARD5E.PNG "Rick Scott's Navy cap.")
![Marion Hammer, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association. [News Service of Florida]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//oWJGCjjmxJM-rScmMJz_uwkYMCA=/200x112/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/OKAVREYDWRFCBKRTG5Q3KIJTIY.jpg "Marion Hammer, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association. [News Service of Florida]")
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/T4K2DKCIVNCU3LLFJV4366SRDY.JPG "A shopper walks past a few cases of water that remain on the shelves at Walmart on 34th St S and 38th Ave S ahead of Hurricane Dorian in St. Petersburg.")
![A dump truck emerges from behind a pile of dirt and sand Wednesday (3/27/13) at the Lago Verde sand mine in Spring Hill where cattle feed in open pastures surrounding the site. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//QFLcpmgzOB_En0R0KSPQ04QP6G0=/200x112/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/HGK25SWLC5DE5LZAIWBOH54MRE.JPG "A dump truck emerges from behind a pile of dirt and sand Wednesday (3/27/13) at the Lago Verde sand mine in Spring Hill where cattle feed in open pastures surrounding the site. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/H6UQRZMTZBENHKYEEHCVBLY3SA.JPG "Casey DeSantis. TAILYR IRVINE | Times")
