The Tampa Bay Innovation Center is now accepting applications for its IdeaSprint Bootcamp through Jan. 10. The abbreviated but intensive program will facilitate expert-led workshops, peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities for aspiring founders and new innovators. The initiative begins Jan. 15, and organizers will accept up to 30 participants. For more information, visit the website here.
Scientists will soon have a better understanding of the Gulf of Mexico’s seafloor thanks to a local company’s uncrewed floating ocean drones. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has awarded Saildrone a $1.66 million contract to provide “accessible, high-quality and high-resolution seafloor data” as part of its mapping initiative. Saildrone’s ocean mapping headquarters and operations center opened at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub in St. Petersburg’s Innovation District in 2022. Mapping will occur about 130 kilometers northwest of the city.
Pinellas County has accepted a $2.25 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to clean up waste tires placed in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay as artificial reefs in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early '90s the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission determined tires are harmful to the environment, and do not make efficient or stable reef materials.
The third-annual Putt the Pier: Holiday Edition begins Friday and runs through Jan. 5 at the St. Petersburg Pier. Event organizers will convert the Majeed Foundation Nature Walkway into an 18-hole mini golf course with holiday-themed obstacles, decorations, and seasonal music. The waterfront course will remain open during the upcoming holidays. For more information, visit the website here.
Three-day tickets to the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg go on sale Friday at 10 a.m., with pricing starting at $135 for reserved grandstand seating and $75 for general admission. The event, now in its 21st year, begins Feb. 28 and kicks off the NTT IndyCar Series season March 2. Green Savory Racing Promotions will release single-day tickets in January. To purchase tickets, visit the website here.
Researchers at GOBankingRates analyzed travel data from various sources and expenditure costs from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to compile its report on “America’s 20 Best Places to Visit During the Holidays - On a Budget.” St. Petersburg placed second nationally, behind Portland, Maine. St. Petersburg’s livability score topped the list, and researchers praised the city's outdoor activities and food options.
Researchers at Take Command, a health insurance technology company, analyzed government data and found the average premium for individual coverage in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area reached $8,377. The report states that healthcare costs will increase by an estimated 8% in 2025. Tampa Bay employees contributed $8,502 for annual family coverage, and employers covered the remaining $15,893.
An eight-inch water main break has caused the closure of all northbound lanes of 66th Street North, between Tyrone Boulevard and 26th Avenue North, in St. Petersburg. While there are no water service disruptions, repairs could take days and motorists should expect road closures to persist through Thursday. Southbound lanes remain open; however, motorists should expect delays in the area and seek an alternative route.
A long-planned Sweetgreen location has opened in St. Petersburg’s Edge District. The Los Angeles-based salad chain now occupies a 1,975-square-foot space at 1114 Central Avenue that seats 40 diners inside and 16 outside. Sweetgreen is open daily from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., and, in addition to its popular salads, offers warm bowls, protein plates and sides.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday that President Joe Biden has made additional disaster assistance available for Florida to bolster recovery efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Milton. The federal cost-share for debris removal and other emergency measures, including direct assistance, is now 100% for 120 days “of the state’s choosing within the first 180 days from the start of the incident period.”
The University of South Florida announced today that it received a record-breaking $738 million in research funding during fiscal year 2024. That represents a 7% year-over-year increase and a 35% spike since 2022. The windfall coincides with USF’s first full fiscal year as a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities.
L.J. Govoni has stepped down as president of Clearwater-based Big Storm Brewing after his father and co-owner, Leo Govoni, was accused in court of embezzling $100 million in trust fund money for people with severe disabilities. The elder Govoni founded the St. Petersburg-based Center for Special Needs Trust Administration, which has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. L.J. Govoni announced his resignation in a Friday afternoon LinkedIn post that did not mention his father.
