Happy New Year! Our resolution is to deliver all the news and fun you need to know about to be a Paradise Insider! Resolve to DISCOVER PARADISE in Pinellas County in 2017 with Paradise News! Connect with Paradise News online to get the most up-to-date local tidbits and event reminders.
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AROUND THE BEACHES
Celebrate Local Business January 19, 2017: Join Paradise News at the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce [TBBCoC] as they host their 2017 Annual Dinner Jan. 19 at the Tradewinds Island Grand Resort (5500 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach). This prestigious dinner meeting is attended by Chamber members & non-members to celebrate 2016 successes and welcome new leadership for 2017. “Celebrating Local Business,” the exciting new theme to this year’s dinner, will present guests with 5 featured success stories from local businesses. Attendees are invited to witness the astounding impact that local businesses make here in the community.
Prior to dinner and ceremony, The TBBCoC will showcase a Business Expo at The Tradewinds Island Grand Resort from 4:30pm–6:00pm. The expo will feature 21 local businesses and is free to the public. Entry into the expo begins at 4:30pm and includes a cocktail reception for all attendees of the 2017 Annual Dinner. Dinner will begin promptly at 6 pm. Cost to attend the dinner is $65 / member or $75 / future member. To sign up, visit www.TampaBayBeaches.Com Julianne Wilhelm, Marketing & Membership Coordinator, at (727) 360-6957.
GULFPORT
Party & Pedal: Florida’s first cycleboat arrived in October at Tampa Riverwalk. Known as Kraken, this human-powered 32-foot Catamaran with a large paddlewheel in the back accommodates up to 15 guests. Like the pedal pub bar on wheels, you can party, sip beverages and play your favorite tunes. Kraken debuted in Gulfport, and now departs from the Gulfport Municipal Marina (4630 29th Avenue). Kraken offers public tours (21 and over) and tours that allow children age 13 and older to board. Private charters are available. Call 813-603-3117.
Gulfport Merchants Association Announces Grant Recipients: The Gulfport Merchants Association (GMA) announced its selection of recipients for 2017 Community Support Grants. The recipients chosen by the GMA Board of Directors are among non-profit organizations which are either based in Gulfport, or include Gulfport in their service area. One of the 2017 grant recipients is the Sonia Plotnick Health Fund, providing funding for women’s health and medical needs not covered by insurance. The other grant recipient is Creative Play Preschool which will use grant funding to create an “Edible School Yard” program, described as “an interactive outdoor learning lab” and “mini food forest.”
INDIAN SHORES & INDIAN ROCKS BEACH
Birds Win: Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is now officially a charitable organization with 501(c)(3) status. The status designates the organization as a public charity and allows donors to deduct contributions made under the IRS code. “We are thrilled to officially be named a charity and are thankful that the IRS approved our request so quickly. In fact, our attorney said this is the fastest turnaround in his 18 years of working on and submitting these types of applications,” said Andrew von Gontard, President of Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. “This solidifies our status as a successor organization to the previous entity and hopefully instills even more confidence in Seaside Seabird Sanctuary for our supporters and volunteers.”
MADEIRA BEACH
Luxury Real Estate Engel & Völkers Opens: On December 8, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the new Madeira Beach office of Engel & Völkers. Engel & Völkers Madeira Beach is represented by ten luxury real estate advisors. Ownership and management is represented by Cherie Pattishall, License Partner, Michael Wyckoff, Managing Broker and Jeannie Peterson, Team Assistant. Engel & Völkers Madeira Beach was formerly Vicinity Realty Services, Inc. which has been a Madeira Beach fixture since 1997. The location underwent a renovation & redecoration in the chic white style for which Engel & Völkers is known worldwide. The Madeira Beach shop is the 24th Engel & Völkers location in Florida. VIP Guests included: Mayor Travis Palladeno, City Manager Shane Crawford, Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Dennis Fagan and President Missy Hahn, Managing Partner of Engel & Völkers Florida Timo Khammash. The ribbon cutting was attended by over 70 guests and past clients, which was followed by a reception at the Double Tree Resort. Distinguished guests from Special Olympics Florida were also in attendance, which included Larry Daniells, Chief Development and Marketing Officer, along with three Athlete/Leaders. To kick off their association with the Special Olympics’ “Spirit of Giving” campaign, a donation of one-thousand dollars was made by Engel & Völkers Madeira Beach.
Market Time: Mid-Week Madeira Beach Open Air Market (Wed’s 9 am – 2 pm) and the Indian Shores Sunday Morning Market (9 am – 1 pm) run weekly through May 2017. www.TheBeachMarkets.com
Water Taxi: The Tampa Bay ferry and taxi by Hubbard’s Marina travels Upper Boca Ciega Bay and takes guests to Madeira Beach, Treasure Island and Western St. Petersburg. For a full route map, schedule, fares and to buy tickets visit www.tampabayferry.com.
PINELLAS COUNTY
Trade Deal & Dominican Republic: Tampa Bay Export Alliance (TBEA), a cooperative effort of Pinellas County Economic Development, Tampa / Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation & the Pasco Economic Development Council, said today that the companies participating in this months trade mission to the Dominican Republic have projected future sales of approximately $6.8 million as a result of the trip. Thirteen local companies participated in the U.S. Commercial Service’s Gold Key Service (GKS) Matchmaker program, which provided customized one-on-one meetings with companies in the Dominican Republic. These Gold Key companies conducted approximately 140 meetings with potential clients that resulted in the nearly $6.8 million in actual and expected export sales.
Forward Pinellas: The transportation and land use planning agency for Pinellas County, has new board leadership and several new members going into 2017. By a unanimous vote of the Forward Pinellas Board, County Comm. John Morroni will be serving as the board’s chair, Clearwater Commissioner Doreen Caudell as vice chair, Indian Rocks Beach Commissioner Cookie Kennedy as treasurer, and County Commissioner Dave Eggers as secretary. A professional realtor, Commissioner Morroni has personal experience on the land use side of the Forward Pinellas mission, and served on the Pinellas Planning Council from 2005 on. He joined the Forward Pinellas Board when the planning council merged with the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization in 2014 to form the new organization. However, his interest in the transportation side of planning goes back much further than that, with his past membership on the MPO’s Citizen Advisory Committee beginning in the late 1980s.
Homeless Count: Volunteers are needed for the January 24 annual homeless count. The survey helps identify gaps in services and helps countywide efforts toward ending homelessness. The data collected will help ensure funding is available to provide critical services. To comprehensively cover this very densely populated community, the Point-In-Time Planning Committee has identified the need for more than 350 volunteers and 90 team leads. Volunteers can visit www.pinellashomeless.org and look for “2017 Point -in-Time Count” registration, or call (727) 582-7922 for more information.
Graduation Rate Improves: The Pinellas County Schools high school graduation rate increased for the 2015-16 school year, according to information released today by the Florida Department of Education. The school district’s graduation rate climbed to 80.1 percent, a 1.8% increase over the previous year and an 8.2%increase since 2012-13. The 8.2% increase since 2012-13 is the highest among the seven largest districts and is higher than the state’s 5.1% increase since 2012-13. “We are pleased to see how our strategic initiatives to increase academic progress for students have led to a substantial increase in our graduation rate, especially when we examine our momentum during the last several years,” said superintendent Michael A. Grego. “This is a shared success for all our schools and educators. We are determined to continue our effective strategies and seek new approaches that will continue our upward trend”.
Pinellas: Sunstar FirstCare: Ambulance Membership Program Available: Enrollment opened Dec. 1; coverage goes into effect Jan. 1 – Pinellas County continues to offer the Sunstar FirstCare Ambulance Membership Program to assist residents with the out-of-pocket expenses associated with ambulance transportation. The Sunstar FirstCare Ambulance Membership Program is not an insurance plan. It is a Pinellas County government program that works with an individual’s insurance company to cover 100 percent of eligible expenses associated with deductibles and co-payments. The membership plan will also cover 50 percent of the cost for any trips denied by the insurance company. It is estimated that the average cost of a single transport is $707. Annual membership fees are $63 for an individual and $98 for a family. If plan members are uninsured, they receive a 20 percent discount on ambulance transportation services. This is an average savings of $140 per transport. The family plan covers those related by blood, marriage or adoption who reside in the same household. Call (727) 582-2008 www.pinellascounty.org/firstcare for more information.
PINELLAS PARK
Arts Fans: Pinellas Park transforms a once blighted urban area of the city into an eclectic arts village with affordable studio space and housing for working artists and entrepreneurs from bookstores to bakeshops, even Wordier Than Thou events. Art Walk is the 4th Saturday of every month at Pinellas Park Arts Village, 5600 Park Blvd. http://bit.ly/2eaHNi6
REDINGTON BEACH, SHORES
New Park In The Works: Two new parks are in the works thanks to the green space the Town of Redington Shore acquired as part of a development deal. Space fronts the La Vistana building, 17720-17730 Gulf Blvd.
SEMINOLE
Seminole City Centre: Mattress Firm, Rack Room Shoes are now open, with Miller’s Ale House, LA Fitness, Hand & Stone Massage, Petco, movie theaters and others opening this winter.
ST.PETE BEACH
Saturday, January 21st – Yard Sale – St. Pete Beach Community Center – 8 am-12 pm. Over 50 vendors at the St. Pete Beach Community Center Yard Sale. Vendors will be located inside and outside at the beautiful water front facility, 7701 Boca Ciega Dr. Cos: 10’ x 10’ space is $15/SPB Residents and $17.50/Non Residents. For information call Community Center (727) 363-9245 www.spbrec.com.
Set Sail: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 78 in St. Pete Beach launches its 12-week repeating cycle of safe boating pgrams beginning Jan. 3. Call 727-360-4846. Travel Winner: Expedia.com® today announced Alden Suites Beachfront Resort is a 2016 Best of +VIP Access property. Chosen from a curated collection of more than 3,000 +VIP Access hotels, winners must earn the highest guest satisfaction rankings and must be top market performers to be considered for the award. “There is no greater seal of approval then being recognized by our guests,” said Tony Satterfield, Vice President of Operations of Alden Suites. “This award is a testament to our continued commitment to exemplary customer service.”
ST. PETERSBURG DOWNTOWN
- Nueva Cantina’s Bloody Mary bar and Sunday brunch adds a little salsa to the weekend.
- An addition to spirit craft distillers, St. Pete Distillery and Kozuba & Sons, we welcome American Freedom Distillery.
- Feed your inner barista at Déjà Vu for espresso and tea, another newcomer to the 400 block of Central Ave.
- Could a NYC-type rooftop garden be in the works with developer changes at St. Pete’s Station House and renovations to the Green-Richman Arcade?
- Cold fusion coffee is all the rage with St. Pete’s Made Coffee Brewery
- Thursday is Yappy Hour at Pinellas Ale Works Brewery & Taproom while Wednesday is trivia night. I love their vanilla bean porter.
- Check out Red Mesa’s sunset menu Mon.-Fri. 4-6 pm at the 4th St. location; www.RedMesaRestaurant.com
- ONE St. Petersburg, the 41-story mixed-use development in the heart of downtown St. Peters-burg, has sold its ground-floor retail condominiums to two separate buyers.
- With 2,000 rental units in the market, comes another player, The Relaxed Group with an eight-story, 384 unit Hermitage Apartments and a future site at 930 Central Flats (218 unit, five story building).
- Don’t miss the Hideaway Blues Jam Wednesdays; doors open at 6 for dinner and drinks,music ramps up 7:30-10:30pm. Free admission. (1756 Central Ave.)
- Love Maryland jumbo crab cakes? Check out Blake’s Crab Cakes (7224 Central Avenue).
- St. Petersburg Saturday Market is the place to nosh, walk your dog and enjoy live music.
- Hollander Hotel/Tap Room offers yoga Saturday morning pool-side and indie music on Sundays. Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas and on Sun. $10 all you can eat breakfast special.
ST. PETERSBURG
Bike Sharing: Thanks in part to a settlement from BP, $250,000 of that money has helped launch a downtown Bike Share program with hubs at 10 locations including the St. Petersburg Museum of Art.
Rowdies Ramps Up: Rowdies announced #MLS2StPete effort seeking MLS franchise & present a world class stadim expansion plan to be privately financed and that fits within the current boundaries of the existing parcel. The response to the announcement has been positive and overwhelming, both locally & globally. TheChamber is committed to economic growth and quality of life and this effort fits squarely with both of those goals. Our chances of success here are better than you might expect, given the strength of our media market (we are #11 in the country and the top 10 are already in MLS), stadium plan and ownership group.
The Chamber is organizing a #MLS2StPete Alliance that will help to bolster already strong business and community support for the team – the fourth metric used by MLS to award new franchises. You can help!
- Purchase Season Tickets: Buy season tickets and encourage others to do the same. There are only 16 home games and ticket prices start around $20 per game. You can call 727-222-2000 or follow this link: www.rowdiessoccer.com/season-tickets
- Become a Sponsor: Become a Rowdies sponsor and encourage others to do the same. Attached is a document describing the sponsorship opportunities.
- Social Media: Use #MLS2StPete and spread the word on social media. We hope everyone will take a moment to help with this as MLS is paying attention to the level of activity that our campaign generates.
TAMPA BAY
Brew-Ha Ha: The craft beer explosion continues downtown and in Tampa Bay, highlighted by December’s Tampa Bay beer week with 80 craft brewers in the Tampa Bay area, an increase from five years ago when there were only 36 open in Florida! Thirsty Pelican Tours offers tours of numerous breweries with samples and transportation from beach hotels. See their ad on page 69.
Tell The Truth: Thanks to Tampa Bay Times intrepid food reporter Laura Reilly’s provocative series on food claims, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has launched a wave of restaurant inspections around the state. Titled “Farm to Fable,” the series took on menu assertions such as “farm to table” and “locally grown.” A December follow-up revealed that some John’s Pass Seafood Festival vendors offer Florida fresh seafood that turned out to be from Indonesian and other Asian countries.
Bring It Here: UberRUSH is eyeing Tampa Bay after its successful launch of UberEATS. It’s not the only delivery game in town. Instacart works with Publix, Total Wine & More and Whole Food Market. Google Express delivers from Kohl’s, PetSmart and Walgreen’s. Add to that Shipt, Dirzly and of course Amazon. Couch potatoes never had it this good.
Repurposed Architecture at Rally’s & Checkers: The Tampa-based chain of quick-service restaurants last revamped its look in 2012, when it began to phase out its signature double-drive-thru layout. This time around, the changes are more subtle. The most significant tweak is the use of repurposed shipping containers as the structural basis for new restaurant.
TREASURE ISLAND
Purple Haze smoke shop was the 1st business relocated due to the future rebirth of downtown Madeira Beach. They are now open on 107th Avenue, in Treasure Island, just north of the clock tower and next door to Foxy’s restaurant. Leo has lowered many prices to try to make up for losing the holiday sales in his beach location. If your valentine needs something, stop in and tell them you read about them in Paradise NEWS. See ad, page 67.
Flying High: The 20th Annual Kite Competition takes to the air Jan. 14-15 behind the Thunderbird Beach Resort. Music, food booths and flying demos makes this a popular event. See ad on Page 7.
Volunteer Ambassadors Wanted: The Treasure Island & Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce seeks volunteers for its Welcome Center at 245 – 107th Avenue, and for its Kiosk west of Gulf Blvd. and 107th Avenue, both in Treasure Island. Volunteers are the first point of contact for visitors to the Chamber and Kiosk, providing information about area resources. They assist with event management; office tasks like answering phones, filing, or preparing mailings; distribution of posters for upcoming events; and light office administration. Most volunteer shifts are for three hours a day, one day per week. Call the Chamber office (10 am – 4 pm M-F) 727-360-4121
SKYWAY MARINA DISTRICT
Publix opened their rebuilt Maximo Plaza store last month. They eliminated the troubled western ‘Breezeway; and expanding the grocery store.
Gator Jims Tackle Outpost is open at Pinellas Point. (62nd Ave S.) between 31st St. and I-275 near ONeal’s Marina.
WaWa just announced the acquisition of the old Bank of America Building at US19 and 38th Avenue S. in the burgeoning Skyway Marina District. Plans will be displayed at a public meeting, Jan. 3rd at 5 pm in the SPC Allstate Campus Desoto Room, 3200 34th St. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33711. The meeting is open to the public and all with questions or who would like more information are encouraged to attend. If you have any questions please contact the Skyway Marina District Office at 727-866-2696 keri@skywaymarina.com
–Compiled by Nanette Wiser