Weekly Tidbits August 24, 2023

NEW TIDBITS:

• CLICK HERE to see last week’s tidbits.
• The August/September Issue is NOW online. Read it here.
• The 2nd Annual Madeira Beach Nautical Flea Market is set for Saturday & Sunday, September 16-17th. If it’s nautical, you’ll find it there – all types of boating equipment, fishing gear, nautical antiques and artwork, scuba gear, beach attire, boat shoes, jewelry, motors, anchors, tackle, hard to find parts and manufacturer close-outs! Learn more at https://madeirabeachfl.gov/.
• Preserve the ‘Burg’s Saturday walking tours of downtown, Mirror Lake and more return this September. See their schedule and reserve a spot at https://ptb.wildapricot.org/.
• As Florida’s Coral Reef experienced record-breaking heat waves starting in July, with temperatures in adjacent backreef areas reaching temperatures above 100°F, Mote Marine Laboratory immediately began an unprecedented evacuation of thousands of stressed and dying coral from its four offshore coral nurseries. Read the full article at https://mote.org.
• Due to overwhelming demand, Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete announced that Tom Jones: Here We Stand, originally set to close on August 27, has been extended through September 10. Click here to learn more.
• The Protect St. Pete Beach PAC was relaunched in 2023. They envision St Pete Beach as a magnet for high-quality development and redevelopment projects that beautify the  community for the mutual benefit of residents and visitors alike, without increasing traffic, congestion, demands on infrastructure, or threatening wildlife and natural resources. To date, more than 1,000 residents have signed the petition. Learn more about their mission, values and upcoming events at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/opinion-protect-spb/.
• After canceling their original opening production, At Home with Ethel Waters, due to a medical emergency, freeFall Theatre Company will open their 2023/2024 season with an all-new musical revue that celebrates the hits of such legendary artists as The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and many others. Chester Gregory, noted singer and Broadway star, performs some of popular music’s greatest hits while sharing his own personal experiences. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/a-motown-celebration/.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• freeFall Theatre presents A Motown Celebration- Now through September 10 TICKETS
• Sunset Sips & Salsa at the Don CeSar Beach House Suites- August 26 INFO
• Gecko Ball- August 26th TICKETS
• Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday- August 26- September 8 INFO
• 2023 GECKOFEST- September 2nd INFO
• International Coastal Cleanup with Tampa Bay Watch- September 16 REGISTER
• Madeira Beach 2nd Annual Nautical Flea Market- September 16-17 INFO
• ZooTampa’s Kids Fun Run- September 23 REGISTER
• Taste of the Beaches- October 7-15 TICKETS

REMINDERS

• The August/September Issue is NOW online. Read it here. 
• Reach snowbirds, locals & tourists in 2023 with a print ad in Paradise News!  Email Peter Roos at sales@ParadiseNewsFL.com to place your ads in Paradise News in Print. 
• Pinellas County Sheriffs Offices wants you to please lock your car doors and stow valuables out of sight.
• CLICK HERE to signup for ALERT PINELLAS to get vital updates during hurricane season.
• Coyotes call Pinellas County home too! CLICK HERE for safety tips for you & your pets.
• Be among the first to step into the mesmerizing world of Salvador Dalí, as art comes to life like never before at Dalí 360° at The Dali, now open. Dalí Alive 360º Experience + Gallery Admission tickets include a timed showing of the Dalí Alive 360º Experience (+$15) and access to the permanent collection and art galleries, plus the cafe, store, community room and garden. CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS.
• The Florida Orchestra added SIX spectacular concerts to their 2023-24 season! Tickets are on sale now. Visit their full calendar online or call their Ticket Center at 727.892.3337. There’s still time to subscribe to their 2023-24 season! Mix and match Masterworks and Pops concerts for just $45/ticket – all fees included – when you buy 3+ concerts. Click to subscribe.
• Register Now for ZooTampa’s Kids Fun Run on September 23rd. This kid-friendly event features three exciting races; a Diaper Dash and Toddler Trot, a 1K Fun Run for kids ages 4-7, and a 2K run for children ages 8-14. Don’t miss this unique event that encourages a healthy lifestyle while enjoying wildlife! Register now at https://zootampa.org/.
• Clothes To Kids inventory on shoes is extremely low.  Sadly, they are out of many sizes starting at children size 12 all the way up to adult size 13 girls, boys, juniors, and young men.  Clothes to Kids asks that go through your closets and donate gently used shoes or purchase a pair or two and donate to Clothes To Kids.  All children deserve to have shoes that fit them.  Learn more about Clothes to Kids & how you can donate at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/ctk-needs-shoes/
• Florida Fish and Wildlife approved new restrictions for fishing on the Skyway Fishing Piers. Learn more at https://stpetecatalyst.com/fwc-approves-new-skyway-fishing-restrictions/.
• The City of Gulfport Senior Center’s Telephone Reassurance Program is a free service for Gulfport Residents 50 years of age or older. Volunteers provide daily phone calls to registered members and provide comfort, security, and peace of mind to members and families. Registration is simple and free. If you or someone you know could benefit from this service during this difficult time, please call (727) 893-2237 and register today.
• It is illegal in Pinellas County to fertilize lawns during the rainy season (June 1-September 30), and slow-release products are required the rest of the year. Fertilizers containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus cannot be applied to lawns or landscape plants, according to Pinellas County ordinance. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/skip-the-fertilizer/.
• Preserve the ‘Burg’s Twilights Tours return this summer! Reserve your spot for one of their upcoming tours now at https://ptb.wildapricot.org/.
• St. Pete Beach Launches Pedestrian Safety Campaign: S.A.F.E. Safety Awareness For Everyone.  Visitors to our beaches expect Gulf Boulevard to be a lazy beach road rather than a state thoroughfare. Four to five lanes of traffic moving at 35 miles/hour has meant injury and even death to more visitors than anyone likes to see. Learn more in our April Tidbits at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/tidbits-april-2023/.
• Rip currents provide visual cues for you to identify potential hazard zones before getting in the water. One of the best visual identifiers of a rip current is to look out for gaps between the waves. The calmer gap between waves may look safer for you to swim but a small patch of calm water in an otherwise choppy sea is often a rip current. One of these gaps is pictured below—the rip current is in between the two red arrows. Learn more about how to identify rip currents on local beaches & how to stay safe at paradisenewsfl.com/identifying-rip-currents-on-local-pinellas-beaches/.
• Sea turtle nesting season takes place from May 1-Oct. 31 on Southwest Florida beaches. See the tips below for how you can help keeping nesting seaturtles & hatchlings safe. See the dos & don’ts for when you are on the beach or in the water at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/sea-turtle-dos-and-donts/.
• Join The Florida Orchestra as they bring the best of America and the world to Tampa Bay LIVE in our new 2023-24 season. Music Director Michael Francis is featuring Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – celebrating 100 years! – Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” and many more. Full season and flexible series passes now available. Learn more at https://www.paradisenewsfl.com/tfo-season-pass-2023/.
• Reminder to our residents and visitors. No Dogs On The Beach! If you see something, say something. Contact Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency Line at 727-582-6200.
• Connect with the City of Gulfport through their app! CLICK HERE to learn more and download it.
• The City of St. Pete Beach is now using See Click Fix for residents to submit issues to the city. Click here to learn more.

October Issue