When the daily forecast is for highs in the nineties with a chance of rain, summer has arrived. Paradise News’ June/July issue also marks the start of storm season. It is best to be prepared. Have a plan in place. Next time might be different.
This June/July issue is dedicated to your enjoyment of the summer, including some fun staycation ideas, some terrific short road trips, and lots of things to do locally: listen to some live music, take the SunRunner to a Rays game, visit one or more of the many museums, get out on the water, dolphin watching or sunset cruising. Our cover subject this issue is the TradeWinds Islands Resorts, the largest resort on Florida’s west coast, inviting you for a summer stay and reminding you to “Just Let Go!®”
One of the blessings we have here in Paradise is the opportunity to observe so much sea life and the great variety of shore birds. In January, we featured the 50-year-young Clearwater Marine Aquarium, helping dolphins, turtles and now manatees. If you are looking for a charity to support, the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores is an amazing, and needy, seabird hospital, rescue and rehabilitation facility in our neighborhood that invites the public to tour free daily. You can even get there on the PSTA trolley.
North Central Florida contains many treasures to be enjoyed in the summer. The Ocala Forest, old Florida towns like Cedar Key, Dunnellon and Micanopy, area historical museums and Florida’s natural springs, some which have been preserved as state parks.
Renee’s tie-dyed mesh tote bags have, up to now, only been available at the Corey Sunday Market. Her new Princess Rose Floral Collection, however, can now be seen at Pieces of a Dream, a great gift shop at 2430 Central Avenue. Tell Patti Paradise News sent you!
We welcome a new back cover advertiser with this issue, Melinda Pletcher of Smith & Associates, Realtors™. We have known Melinda personally for years, for the last decade, both as the city commissioner from Vina Del Mar and Pass-a-Grille and as a remarkable realtor who goes to amazing lengths for her clients. We were thrilled to feature a number of her amazing Pass-a-Grille listings on pages 32-34 in our May edition cover story and look forward to many more on our back cover starting now.
During the 2023 Florida Freedom Summer Sales Tax Holiday, from now through Sept. 4, you may purchase admissions to music events, sporting events, cultural events, state park annual passes, and fitness facilities, as well as certain boating and water activity supplies, camping supplies, fishing supplies, general outdoor supplies, residential pool supplies, children’s athletic equipment, even children’s toys exempt from sales tax.It is a great chance, but like most things, the devil is in the details.
Prices are limited on bigger ticket items. For example, if your bike is over $500 or your outdoor grill costs over $250, tax is due on the whole amount. Get the details from Florida Dept. of Revenue.
This is the first of our two, summer, bimonthly editions, designed to be effective the first of June when it goes online, until August, when the August/September issues arrives. You can subscribe to the print edition or the free weekly digital newsletter and a whole lot more online at www.paradisenewsfl.com.