The City of St. Petersburg will reinstate permitting fees Monday, June 30, after waiving the charges after the 2024 hurricane season. Homeowners who sustained storm damage, including those who filed a flood insurance claim and received a reimbursement, can also avoid inspection fees by applying for permits by June 30. Those who need to file permits for home repairs or improvements can visit the office at the Municipal Services Center between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, visit the website here.
Florida's House and Senate agreed Monday that the FY 2025-26 budget will include $20,825,297 for Cultural and Museum Grants. The final, full budget will be submitted to Governor Ron DeSantis by June 16, for his approval or line-item veto. In 2024, DeSantis vetoed the legislature's entire recommendation for Cultural and Museum Grants ($32 million), from which arts organizations statewide are still reeling. The governor has 15 days from the day he receives the budget to exercise his authority to pass or veto lines. There is no modifying amounts; his mandate is only to accept or not accept.
Pinellas County will host self-serve sandbag distribution events at two parks Friday and Saturday to help residents prepare for the 2025 Hurricane Season and avoid long lines as storms approach the area. The temporary sandbag sites are open from noon until 6 p.m. at John Chesnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor and Walsingham Park in Seminole. The City of St. Petersburg will also offer sandbags to residents Saturday, and the second Saturday of every month, from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Pavement and Traffic Operations Building at 1744 9th Ave. N.
The City of St. Petersburg will comply with a new state law and stop adding fluoride to its public drinking water system the week of June 16. However, Senate Bill 700 does not require the removal of naturally occurring fluoride in St. Petersburg's drinking water source. Mayor Ken Welch pledged that his administration will "work with community partners to explore ways that help impacted residents maintain their dental health," and provide updates and resources.
Former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher and longtime team broadcaster Doug Waechter has joined global commercial real estate firm JLL. The Rays drafted Waechter, a St. Petersburg native, after he graduated from Northeast High School. Waechter previously worked as a realtor for the DMK Group, where he specialized in luxury real estate sales throughout Tampa and St. Petersburg.
The Treasure Island Causeway Bridge will temporarily close for repairs. According to the Treasure Island Police Department, the bridge will close to all traffic between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Wednesday, June 11. Construction crews will reinstall a repaired cylinder.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 14 tickets remained for comedian Nikki Glaser's 9:30 p.m. Thursday show at the Mahaffey Theater. Her Friday night 9:30 performance had 18 tickets left. On both days, Glaser's early shows (7 p.m.) at the Mahaffey have been sold out for months. The theater seats approximately 2,000. A good amount of tickets remain for Glaser's Sunday concert, at 7:30 p.m. at the 9,000-seat BayCare Sound amphitheater.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park announced Sunday that Lucifer, the African hippopotamus that had resided there since since the age of 4, has died. Born in 1960 at the San Diego Zoo, the animal was used in several of filmmaker Ivan Tors' film and TV series in the early '60s, and was donated to Homosassa - then one of the most popular tourist attractions on Florida's West Coast - in 1964. In 1989, when the state purchased the aging attraction and the focus was turned to the display of indigenous Florida wildlife, Lucifer - his name then shortened to Lu - was almost relocated out of state. Due to a public outcry, he was allowed to remain at the Homosassa, essentially the only home he'd even known. Then-governor Lawton Chiles made the hippo an honorary Florida citizen. The cause of death has not been made public.
For the fourth consecutive year, John's Pass-based Hubbard's Marina has been named Best Fishing Charter in the Country in the USA Today Readers’ Choice poll. The company also took home the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater’s "Bestie" award for Best Boat Experience in Pinellas County, for the second consecutive year.
Pete's Bagels at 2439 4th Street S., St. Petersburg, officially opens Saturday at 8 a.m. This drive-thru only location is the former site of what is believed to be the city's first gasoline station, circa 1924.
Tiki Docks restaurant's new location at 15015 Madeira Way, in Madeira Beach, will officially open June 23. The restaurant's other St. Pete location is in the Maximo area of the Skyway Marina District.
Admission is free for Saturday's World Oceans Day event (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Keep Pinellas Beautiful and the Tampa Bay Roots & Shoots Alliance will discuss how citizens can help keep the oceans clean (plus there's a 20 percent aquarium discount for attendees).
