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Tracey McManus - Pinellas County Commission, Scientology and Clearwater Reporter
Tracey McManus

Pinellas County Commission, Scientology and Clearwater Reporter

I cover Pinellas County with a focus on the workings and impacts of government, environmental issues, the City of Clearwater, the Church of Scientology, animal welfare and other topics. Before joining the Times in 2015, I spent five years with The Augusta Chronicle in Georgia. I've wanted to be a journalist pretty much since I was old enough to read the newspapers my dad kept stacked near the kitchen table every day. That's never changed. I was born in Brooklyn but grew up in south Florida and graduated from University of Florida in 2010 with degrees in journalism and Spanish. When not on deadline, I'm usually out running with my two dogs Tiger and Ollie, both strays I found in Georgia.

  1. How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years
    Yesterday• Investigations
    Scientology’s international spiritual headquarters in downtown Clearwater is anchored by the Flag Building, on left. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the church’s first purchase in the city in 1975.
    The mysterious deals could reshape downtown Clearwater.
  2. What Clearwater’s City Council thinks about Scientology’s downtown takeover
    Yesterday• Clearwater
    Clearwater City Council members react to Tampa Bay Times reporting showing companies tied to members of Scientology bought 101 acres of downtown commercial property in three years. Times | (2017)
    We showed the politicians a map of the land now owned by buyers tied to Scientology. Here’s what they said.
  3. Scientology’s 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped
    Yesterday• Clearwater
    About 400 demonstrators protest the Church of Scientology in front of City Hall in April 1980. The church has a complicated history with the city, from its secret arrival in 1975 to its recent flood of downtown property purchases.
    The church arrived in secret in 1975. Here’s what happened next.
  4. Scientologists win majority on downtown Clearwater board
    Oct. 8• Clearwater
    A Church of Scientology staff member, left, crosses Cleveland Street while Miami tourists Elena Norma, left, and Martha Suarez, center, explore downtown on May 4 2017. A majority of candidates associated with the Church of Scientology were elected to the Downtown Development Board on Tuesday, a body tasked with setting culture and promoting downtown. The church established its international spiritual headquarters downtown in 1975 and is the largest property owner.
    The results are believed to be the first time the church has had a majority presence on an elected city body.
  5. Pool service worker in hospital after near drowning in Clearwater
    Oct. 5• Breaking News
    Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and updates.
    The 30-year-old man remained in critical condition on Saturday
  6. Election could put majority Scientologists on Clearwater downtown board
    Sep. 30• Clearwater
    A Church of Scientology staff member, left, crosses Cleveland Street while Miami tourists Elena Norma, left, and Martha Suarez, center, explore downtown in 2017. Three of the five candidates for Downtown Development Board are business owners who are also members of Scientology, bringing the potential that a majority of parishioners will fill the board tasked with supporting downtown revitalization.
    Though it has little power, the Downtown Development Board shapes culture downtown, where Scientology has its international spiritual headquarters
  7. Scientology policy enabled years of child sexual abuse, lawsuit says
    Sep. 19• Clearwater
    A team of a dozen victims' rights attorneys on Wednesday filed the third lawsuit in three months against the Church of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige. The complaint states a woman was repeatedly sexually abused as a child in Scientology's care and that church policy enabled the abuse.
    The third lawsuit filed against Scientology and leader David Miscavige in three months accuses the church of sexual battery, racketeering and conspiracy
  8. Dade City’s Wild Things owner arrested on fraud charges
    Aug. 26• Pasco
    Kathy Stearns, Dade City’s Wild Things owner, was arrested on fraud charges
    The criminal charges come amid an ongoing civil lawsuit with PETA, which alleges Wild Things’ cub petting business is abusive for pulling cubs from mothers and confining adults to barren cages.
  9. Scientology stalked, threatened women who accused actor Danny Masterson of assault, according to lawsuit
    Aug. 16• Archive
    Actor Danny Masterson arrives at the Youth for Human Rights International Celebrity Benefit in Los Angeles in 2014. He called a lawsuit filed Wednesday against him and Scientology “beyond ridiculous.” Associated Press (2014)
  10. Judge's ruling brings Dade City's Wild Things closer to losing tigers and cub encounters
    Aug. 1• Environment
    Director of Dade City’s Wild Things Kathy Stearns holds a 2 week-old baby tiger after bottle feeding in 2015. Wild Things’ cub petting business is at the center of a federal lawsuit brought by PETA [CHRIS URSO | Times (2015)]

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