South Tampa Couple Fights to Save Trees

0:00It's April 30th. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Tampa Bay News today, your AI-powered local news. A South Tampa couple is battling Tampa Electric over three queen palms in front of their home on West Rogers Avenue. Alex and Donna Jim see these trees as family treasures, standing for over 40 years with deep memories attached. But Tampa Electric insists they threaten power lines in neighborhood safety, demanding they come down. The trees include two tall ones planted decades ago, and a smaller one, Donna got as a gift when her daughter was born in 1991. Alex, a retired Tampa electric worker with 38 years on the job, argues the nearby wire is low voltage and insulated, easy to replace instead of chopping the palms. Earlier this week, crews rolled up ready to cut, but neighbors jumped in, sitting in the driveway for hours to protest. Tampa police showed up too, suggesting the city might survey the spot to check if it's public right of way. Tampa Electric stands firm, saying trees like these spark

1:02most outages, especially after storms, so safety trumps sentiment. They're waiting on that city survey to confirm their authority. Right now, the gyms hold their ground while the palms they put, balancing chairs history against the push for reliable power in the neighborhood.