The City of Clearwater is planning to host four public information sessions about the redevelopment of the Bluff properties, which will be on the Nov. 8 referendum. Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard will provide an overview of the ballot question, the financial aspects and answer questions. The first session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at the Morningside Recreation Complex. The next meeting will be held Sept. 27 at the North Greenwood Recreation Center at 7 p.m. Two additional meetings will be held before the end of the month. The planned meeting dates may change due to Hurricane Ian.
The Seminole boat ramp and trailer parking will remain closed through Sunday to accommodate the Baystar Clearwater Offshore Nationals. Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater is presenting the boat races. According to the release, residents should seek alternative locations to launch their boats or park trailers, although limited parking remains available to those visiting the marina or bait shop. For more information about the event, visit the website here.
In addition to the year-round location at the Pavement and Traffic Operations Building at 1744 9th Ave. N., city officials opened three more sandbag sites in preparation for what is now Tropical Storm Ian. However, the city website states that sandbags are “a temporary solution to minor flooding.” Residents can now pick up the bags at the following locations: Northeast Park, 875 62nd Ave. NE.; Lake Maggiore, 3501 Dr. MLK Jr. St. S.; and Northwest Pool, 2331 60th St. N. The city limits households to 10 sandbags, and staff will assist seniors and others with difficulties. The website recommends using commercially available impervious bags of landscape material or expandable foam for major flooding. For more information on hurricane preparation, visit the website here.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 24 counties as Tropical Depression 9 strengthens. The counties include Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Sarasota, according to the governor's Friday announcement. As of Friday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Tropical Depression 9 could reach South Florida by Monday. DeSantis has also requested a federal emergency declaration be declared ahead of landfall to free up resources as local governments prepare for the storm, according to a release from his office.
BayCare announced it will pause all new elective surgeries and procedures at its hospitals for Florida Blue health insurance patients due to contract negotiations. The measure began Thursday and follows the healthcare provider notifying patients that they could become out-of-network if talks stall. The current agreement between the two entities ends Sept. 30. If a new contract is not signed before that date, Florida Blue’s network will no longer include BayCare’s hospitals, laboratories or medical group physicians. Emergency care, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care and outpatient imaging centers would not be affected by contract termination.
Despite remaining in a close wildcard race with MLB regular season coming to a close, the Tampa Bay Rays will begin selling postseason tickets Friday, Sept. 30. The Rays currently occupy the second of three AL wildcard playoff spots after dropping six of their last 10 games. At 83-67, they are just a half-game ahead of the Seattle Mariners, who sit in the third spot. Despite the uncertainty of Tampa Bay securing a fourth straight postseason berth, the team will put tickets for potential wildcard and divisional home playoff games on sale Sept. 30. For more information, visit the website here.
General contractor Skanska will spearhead the construction for the $111 million Marina Club Apartments project, Skanska announced Friday. The 400-unit, mixed-use development near St. Petersburg's Skyway Marina, which was also referred to as Marina Beach, will be completed in December 2024. The project will total 610,000 square feet with first-floor retail space, a two-story parking garage and it will offer one- and two-bedroom apartments. The amenities include a sky lounge, expansive pool deck with a grilling area, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a dog park. “The rise of mixed-use developments has gained a foothold over the last decade as demand for communities with live-work-play environments has grown,” Michael Brown, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska Florida, said in a news release. “As a builder active in St. Petersburg for decades, our team is thrilled to bring to life Marina Club Apartments, which will set a new standard for multifamily development in the area and further enhance the waterfront community.” The project is being designed by Architectonics Studio Inc.
Preserve the ‘Burg’s Movies in the Park returns to North Straub Park in time for Halloween. The Oct. 20 event will feature live music by The Wandering Hours at 6 p.m., followed by a showing of The Goonies. Boho Sideshow will kick off the Oct. 27 event at 6 p.m., followed by Beetlejuice. Organizers encourage attendees to bring picnic blankets to the free series, which will also feature beverage, food and retail vendors.
Longtime philanthropists Drs. Kiran and Pallavi Patel plan to relocate and expand its International Dental Program from Fort Lauderdale to the Nova Southeastern University’s Tampa Bay Regional Campus in Clearwater. The international dental program at the campus means the university is the only one in Florida with a “stand-alone” program. A celebratory event is scheduled for Sept. 29 at the campus. “Providing a second opportunity for international dental students is something I’ve wanted to do for many, many years,” Kiran said in a news release. “Health care and education are two of my biggest passions and being part of the NSU family gives me the opportunity change both in a positive way. This program’s expansion will help change the lives of so many more international dentists.”
Pinellas County Tax Collector Charles W. Thomas, and his finance team, recently received their 11th consecutive Legacy Award from the Florida Tax Collector’s Association. According to the release, the award is one of the most prestigious honors awarded to tax collectors and their organizations. Recipients meet the criteria of an error-free annual audit report and an organizational focus on utilizing innovative technology, exceptional customer service and budgeting skills.
St. Petersburg-based BayFirst Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: BAFN), parent company of BayFirst National Bank, will discontinue its nationwide network of residential mortgage loan production offices. The bank will continue to originate mortgage loans in its local Florida market areas, BayFirst announced Wednesday. “This decision allows the bank to focus our resources on building a premier community banking franchise and capitalizing on our expertise in SBA lending. We opened our eighth banking center in West Bradenton this week as we continue to expand our network of bank offices throughout the Tampa Bay region. At the same time, SBA lending through our CreditBench division has grown to record levels and we continue to add new team members to that division," CEO Anthony Leo said in the news release.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport hosted its 41st Honor Flight Tuesday, with 68 Tampa Bay area veterans receiving a free, one-day trip to Washington D.C. The group included two WWII veterans, and despite their service to the country, many have never seen the national monuments erected in their honor. According to the Honor Flight of West Central Florida website, organizers give priority to WWII veterans and the terminally ill. Officials are also moving those scheduled for flights during the pandemic to the top of the waiting list, which they called "ever-growing." For more information, visit the website here.
