The City of St. Petersburg will host a public meeting Aug. 27 to discuss planned improvements for the Cosme Water Treatment Plant, the city’s sole water treatment facility. It will be held at the Maureen B. Gauzza Public Library (11211 Countryway Blvd.) in Tampa at 6 p.m.
The St. Pete Sunday Market will relocate from Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill to the St. Petersburg Museum of History for the remainder of 2025. This is due to the football season, market organizer Kody Roussert told the Catalyst. “It wasn’t going to be feasible to keep the market and not impede on Ferguson’s customer base,” he explained. However, there will be a St. Pete Night Market every first Wednesday at Ferg’s starting Oct. 1.
St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation will host a free Healthy Food Demos event from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Bay Vista Adult Center. A chef will teach residents how to prepare recipes using ingredients from Fresh Rec Stops, which are found at 10 recreation centers citywide and Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. The Fresh Rec Stop program increases access to affordable fresh produce. For more information, visit the website here.
Linda Olson, CEO of Tampa Bay Wave, recently announced that the nonprofit tech accelerator's startups have collectively raised $1.6 billion in investor capital. She made the announcement Aug. 11 during a discussion on the future of the region's blue economy at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus. In October 2024, Tampa Bay Wave announced that its portfolio of over 550 startups reached the $1 billion benchmark, a "testament to the power of grassroots entrepreneurship and community-driven innovation."
The Sirata Beach Resort has completed the first of two renovation projects, with guest rooms, suites, the lobby and fitness center receiving $25 million worth of upgrades. Kentucky-based Columbia Sussex, which purchased the 382-key resort at 5300 Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach for $207 million in late 2022, is now further enhancing guest amenities and public spaces. Once complete, the hotel will transition into a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property.
A record 294 Burmese pythons were removed during the 2025 Florida Python Challenge, sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. During the 10-day competition, 934 participants from 30 states and Canada scoured the Everglades in search of the invasive snake, which is secretive and not easily located. The Grand Prize winner was awarded $10,000 for removing 60 pythons. “The record number of pythons removed highlights the importance of citizen engagement,” said Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park, “as we tackle one of the toughest conservation challenges of our time, invasive exotic species of animals and plants.”
Boujee Pet Boutique recently opened at 1626 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg's EDGE District. According to its website, the boutique offers luxury pet merchandise and is the only Tampa Bay shop to carry the Tommy Bahama line of dog apparel. Boujee also features locally baked dog treats and twice-monthly "Yappy Hours," with "dog beer."
The Pinellas County Property Appraiser will host a virtual and in-person educational event for area homeowners to answer pertinent questions regarding their Truth-in-Millage (TRIM) Notice. Officials will discuss market values, tax rates, exemptions and other pertinent questions. The event is Aug. 21, from noon to 1 p.m., at 2500 34th St. N. in St. Petersburg. To register, visit the website here.
Tampa-based Suncoast Credit Union has donated $250,000 to support the Fuse Scholarship Program at St. Petersburg College and the University of South Florida. The Helios Education Foundation will match the donation, enabling 50 SPC students to pursue a four-year degree at USF. The Fuse program, established by LEAP Tampa Bay, provides a streamlined and affordable avenue for students to pursue a bachelor's degree.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is moving closer towards potentially creating a new taxiway to the nearby Airco site, which was once a golf course. The airport is currently accepting contractor bids. A pre-conference and site visit is scheduled for Friday. The submission deadline for bids is Sept. 9. According to a spokesperson for the airport, “we will determine if the project is going forward to contract review after the bid documents are opened based on project cost."
Kentucky Fried Chicken's most requested discontinued item, seasoned potato wedges, will return to locations nationwide Aug. 18, thanks to four Tampa Bay locations. The KFC at 770 34th St. N. in St. Petersburg was one of the local stores to carry the wedges for two weeks in March, and the chain said the return could become permanent if the test launch exceeded expectations. "Wedge-lovers, we heard you - and we agree it's been five long years without wedges. But the wait is over," said President Catherine Tan-Gillespie five months later.
St. Petersburg-based Jabil has received a top score of 100 and designation as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" on the Disability Index for the fifth consecutive year. The electronic component manufacturing behemoth has established 25 programs that support employees with disabilities across its global sites, including at least two in St. Petersburg, and is on pace to reach its goal of 40 by the end of fiscal year 2026. The Disability Index is the nation's most comprehensive benchmarking tool for corporations.
