Gallagher's Pumpkin Patch opened Monday at 7401 4th St. N. The family-owned pumpkin patch has operated in the city for over 30 years and now features food, games, a bounce house, animal encounters and a petting zoo. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
While St. Petersburg’s seven pedestrian fatalities match the total received through September 2023, its bicyclist deaths (four) have doubled year-over-year. The St. Pete Police Department recently launched a high-visibility campaign to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety. The agency received a $67,629 grant to bolster education and enforcement efforts on major thoroughfares throughout the city over the next several months as part of a statewide initiative.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is again competing for multiple Readers’ Choice Awards in USA Today’s annual contest. A panel of industry experts and editors nominated the facility in the Best Large Airport and four dining categories. While TPA held the top spot for best airport last week, the rankings are now hidden until USA Today announces the winners Oct. 2.
President Rhea Law believes the University of South Florida can soon join the nation’s top 25 public institutions. USF became the state’s first in 40 years to receive an Association of American Universities (AAU) invitation in 2023, and multiple publications now include the school in their top 50 lists. Law also reiterated USF’s goal of raising $1 billion in research funding by 2030 at her Fall Address event Thursday.
Pinellas County officials and community leaders ceremoniously broke ground Friday on a long-anticipated park in an underserved community founded by an African American sharecropper in 1946. The 12-acre park in the Greater Ridgecrest area of unincorporated Largo will feature a multi-use path, picnic shelters, benches and restrooms. Dansville Community Park should open in the fall of 2025.
Strengthening campus synergy across Pinellas County is a focal point of St. Petersburg College's updated multiyear Facilities Master Plan. One project highlight is a new advanced manufacturing lab at the Midtown Campus in South St. Pete. The master plan also includes expanding SPC’s nursing program at its Clearwater and Midtown Campuses, which will foster new partnerships.
WalletHub recently compared over 180 cities across 23 metrics to determine the best business ecosystems for Hispanic entrepreneurs. St. Petersburg placed 9th for its high Hispanic entrepreneurship rate and business friendliness. The personal finance platform ranked Tampa 11th.
St. Petersburg residents can help neighbors in need and beautify communities this fall as CareFest returns to the city. Officials partnered with Somebody Cares Tampa Bay on the initiative, which runs through Oct. 31. Residents can adopt or initiate local projects, like painting, repairing fences, landscaping and community cleanups. For more information, visit the website here.
Mint House, a tech-focused hospitality brand offering apartment-style short-term rentals, is celebrating a new partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays with a free public barbeque event Friday evening. The team’s website now lists Mint House as a preferred place to stay near Tropicana Field, and the stadium features the brand's signage. The event runs from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friday at 77 11th Street N. in the Edge District and features catered food, beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks and photo opportunities with team mascot Raymond.
The City of St. Petersburg announced Thursday afternoon that Samantha Bequer will serve as its new public information officer. She replaces Eric Riggins, who resigned in April. Bequer currently serves as the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s communications director and previously held a PIO role with the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Mayor Ken Welch’s City Hall on Tour event series will return Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. The initiative allows constituents to speak with city administrators, department directors, staff and law enforcement officials. The family-friendly event will feature light refreshments and runs from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
The last remaining Howard Seltzers Steakhouse will shutter Sept. 29 after 29 years. The restaurant opened in 1995 in Tampa as Sam Seltzers Steakhouse before undergoing a name change in 2010. The announcement states that its owner is retiring, and the establishment at 3500 Tyrone Blvd. N. in St. Petersburg will become a “Dignity Memorial-branded celebration of life center.”
