By Peter Roos
ST. PETE BEACH
St. Pete Beach (sunset capital) toast to 65th Anniversary
The Friends of the St. Pete Beach Library are trying to start a new tradition, publishing an annual Sunset Calendar for St. Pete Beach, the Sunset Capital of Florida, A Sunset Photo Contest is underway, and a committee will select 12-13 for the 2023 calendar. The SPB Library website should soon have a link to reserve one or more for just $10 each. They will be available by Thanksgiving and will make great holiday gifts.
Outer Banks Boil Company is offering $50, $100, and $250 in gift certificates towards your next seafood boil. Their “Best Shot of the Best Pot” Photo Contest runs until Oct. 17. Three winners will be announced on 10/24/22. Just visit www.outerbanksboilcompany.com/photocontest to upload your best shot of the “Best Pot On The Beach!”
The city of St. Pete Beach celebrated the 65th Anniversary of its consolidation with a champagne toast and display of the contents of a 25-year-old time capsule at the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum on 10th Ave. in Pass-a-Grille. The original church for the island, the museum houses artifacts and displays, showing the pioneering days, (before air conditioning) on the barrier islands. Unfortunately, the time capsule had been cracked and it leaked. Any paper contents were damaged or destroyed. The city commissioned a series of video taped interviews of people who were involved in the 40th Anniversary committee, which are posted on the city’s website and shared on social media. As of this writing, we are aware of one by Sarah “Renee” Roos on the porch of the museum, Peter Roos in the museum courtyard, and restauranteur Rick Falkenstein of the Legendary Hurricane Seafood Restaurant, across from the museum speaking from an Adirondack style chair on Pass-a-Grille Beach. The videos are available on the city of St. Pete Beach Facebook www.fb.watch/ednrrtJ4zp
ST PETERSBURG
Located at the historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, Cocktails on the Courts is an annual fundraising event benefiting the Museum of History and its mission to preserve, protect and share the city’s history.
Guests will enjoy dancing under the stars with live music from The Black Honkeys, unlimited Florida cuisine & cocktails, a 1950s fashion show, a live art demonstration and “guest appearances” from Elvis Presly and Marlyn Monroe. A silent auction featuring St. Pete products and experiences will be bid on. Tickets $100, 2/$175.
Get tickets at www.conta.cc/3c7BGLk or call 727-894-1052. Museum of History members get 10% off. For info on VIP Court Sponsorships, contact Macey at macey@spmoh.org West Central Ave. infrastructure project A long-awaited $11 million street-scaping and infrastructure project is finally on its way to the west end of Central Ave.from Park Street east to 58th Street. Brejesh Prayman, capital improvements director for St. Pete, said the city developed the project through extensive collaboration with residents. “We will improve pedestrian safety, roadway safety, the aesthetics of the environment as well as infrastructure upgrades and accessibility while adding new signage and pavement striping are coming to the area, and the intersections with Park, 66th and 58th Streets will receive new mast arm traffic signals. A dedicated bike lane will span the project’s limits, and the city is adding pedestrian crosswalks at 73rd Street, 71st Street, Pinellas Way, 65th Street, between 63rd and 62nd Streets, 61st Street and east of 60th Street. In addition to beautification and safety improvements, the city is also replacing water mains, hydrants, service connections and meters throughout the route. Expect the work to span 540 days, although that could extend based on weather and material availability.”
TIERRA VERDE
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to participate in the Great Bay Scallop Search by snorkeling selected sites within Boca Ciega and Lower Tampa Bay for elusive bay scallops. The goal of the event is to monitor and document the health and status of the bay scallop population. It sounds like a cool way to spend a hot day. They mainly recruit volunteers with shallow draft boats, but have limited spots for canoes and kayaks. We also accept registrations from snorkelers without boats, but participation depends on a boater having room for you aboard their vessel. Sign up fast for this popular event and help them tally up the bay scallop population in Tampa Bay!
TREASURE ISLAND
Sea Dog Brewery at St. Pete Beach/Treasure Island Bridge is trying to help out with the breakfast and brunch rush on the weekends. The favorite breakfast spots in SPB and TI have long been Skidders, La Croisette, The Frog Pond and Chill on Corey Ave, Waffle House, Foxy’s and Caddy’s on the Beach. Sea Dog Brewery has hit a grand slam at the old Captain K’s on the northwest (TI) side of the bridge. They are open Friday-Sunday at 8am just to serve breakfast. You can go by boat, car, Free Beach Ride, foot or PSTA trolley. The creative menu includes Steak and Eggs, Shrimp & Grits, homemade Corned Beef Hash, and Lobster Benedict. Kids Waffles or Scramble $5-6. Full Liquor starts 10am. Tell them you read about it in Paradise NEWS. Mug Club members get discounts too.
PINELLAS COUNTY
Community Foundation Tampa Bay does a great deal of good in our area. Their founding sponsorship of www.artsaxisfl.com has made local performing art far more accessible. Community Foundation has provided grants to local nonprofits for community vibrancy projects that increase access to and appreciation of arts and culture; support resources to help our local environment flourish; and foster collaboration. These types of projects may include arts and culture; resiliency and environmental sustainability; and community-based projects with widespread impact. Of the 11 grant recipients, the beaches and St. Pete projects include:- IDEAS For Us received $6,000 for Tampa Bay ecological shoreline restoration projects in St. Pete Beach and Tampa’s Ulele Springs.- Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg received $23,220 for its “Picture of Health: Art for Well-Being” series of programs that will use the arts to create a positive impact on mental health and well-being.- Reach Services, Inc. was granted $20,000 to support a mobile grocery store that provides fresh and healthy food to people who live in Pinellas County’s food deserts with a bus donated by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA).- Seaside Seabird Sanctuary received $12,000 to enhance its education center and expand on the educational experience for its visitors who learn about the ecosystem and how coastal birds, fish, and plants are being affected by humans.– University of South Florida St. Petersburg received $14,500 for its “Growing More Vibrant Communities through Conversations: A Pilot Project to Reignite the Power of Neighborhood Associations in St. Petersburg,” to increase civic participation, commitments to collective action, and neighborhood vibrancy.The grants are part of this 2022’s competitive grant cycle, which provided a total of $1,041,646 to 47 local nonprofits, a record number. Nonprofits selected for grants focus on five areas–community vibrancy, economic mobility, empowering women and girls, mental wellbeing, and positive education.
STATE OF FLORIDA
Local governments can now ban smoking on beachesDirector of the of Florida Conservation at the Ocean Conservancy, J.P. Brooker, called the new law a “major victory for the health of our beaches” in a statement. Cigarette butts have been the most commonly found form of litter on Florida’s beaches.
TAMPA
Virgin Atlantic is connecting Heathrow to Tampa Bay! The airline announced new year-round service with plans to initially fly four times a week before increasing to daily flights year-round beginning Nov. 28. Tickets went on sale in July at www.virginatlantic.com with return Economy fares starting around $524 per person.