Boat captain Jeff Brooks and Madeira Beach Commissioner Anne-Marie Brooks spotted a distressed flamingo Friday as they assessed beach erosion caused by Hurricane Idalia, according to a social media post Saturday. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay wrote that the flamingo was about 800 yards offshore and swimming away from land. The SPCA helped rescue the animal and secured temporary housing at the Seaside Bird Sanctuary in Indian Shores.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Sunday that it added Pinellas County to Florida’s Major Disaster Declaration. Residents throughout the area are now eligible for federal financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs and other disaster-related expenses. To apply, visit the website here or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
Mayor Ken Welch and St. Petersburg city officials have quickly organized two youth weekend camps to support families impacted by Hurricane Idalia. Shore Acres Recreation Center will offer the camps Saturday and Sunday and Sept. 9 and 10 at no cost. Youth in kindergarten through eighth grade are welcome. Parents must register children onsite and bring a non-refrigerated lunch.
Clearwater Beach officials have closed Pier 60’s fishing area due to structural integrity concerns, and dive teams will thoroughly assess the damage in the coming days. In addition, the Pinellas County Health Department has issued a public health advisory for Clearwater Beach, Mandalay Park and Sand Key due to elevated fecal pollution levels. Officials advise against swimming in those areas throughout Labor Day weekend.
Because of the Labor Day holiday, the St. Pete Catalyst will not publish Monday, Sept. 4. We will return Sept. 5.
The Club at Treasure Island, which recently and suddenly closed its doors, has sold in a roughly $15.1 million sale. St. Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards, who purchased the club in 2009, sold the 7.67-acre waterfront property to an LLC connected to Bank OZK. This was a deed given in lieu of a foreclosure of the property, according to the Pinellas County records. The 36,966-square-foot club, located at 400 Treasure Island Causeway, features a wraparound swimming pool with a sundeck, a tiki bar, a dining restaurant, a 47-slip marina, six tennis courts, a fitness center and a venue space for weddings and events. Edwards previously said the new owner plans to continue to operate the marina.
The St. Petersburg Police Department recently arrested a local woman for embezzling over $50,000 from a dental office. Angela L. Atherton-Nurczyk also allegedly stole and sold dental crowns and bridges from Dr. Vivian Quesada-Fox’s office, where she worked as a manager. According to police, Atherton-Nurczyk threatened Quesada-Fox and her husband after she learned of the investigation.
St. Petersburg city officials have shut down reclaimed water service due to saltwater intrusion from Hurricane Idalia’s storm surge. They expect to restore service “sometime next week.” For more information, call the 24-hour Water Resources Dispatch Line at (727) 893-7261.
Tampa-based UMA Education Inc., the parent organization that operates Ultimate Medical Academy, has acquired the American Institute, a career education school focused on health care training with five campuses in Connecticut and New Jersey. Through the acquisition, American Institute will bring new programs to UMA, such as Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) that trains ultrasound technicians. "Both our schools are focused on the overarching goal of helping transform the lives of our students and addressing the urgent shortage of healthcare and skilled trade workers in our country,” American Institute Senior Vice President of Ground Strategic Operations Christopher Coutts said in a statement. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Pinellas County Economic Development is urging business affected by Hurricane Idalia to fill out the Florida Business Damage Assessment Survey. Respondents should select “Hurricane Idalia” from the drop-down box and submit the survey online. Business owners can report an estimated cost of damages.
A two-story home in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood caught fire around noon Thursday, resulting in significant property damage. No residents or pets were present at the time. St. Pete Fire Rescue personnel are still investigating the cause of the blaze. Shore Acres suffered significant flooding in Hurricane Idalia’s aftermath.
The Big Guava is leading in certain economic measurements compared to peer cities in and outside of Florida, but there's some work left to do in other areas. The results of the annual "Tampa Scorecard” were presented to Tampa City Council Thursday, showing the region's economic performance to help policy makers and community leaders make informed decisions for the city's future. Some of the findings: Tampa’s per capita income ranks third among major Florida cities. St. Petersburg surpassed Tampa starting in 2018; Tampa’s poverty rate is No. 2 in the state at 17.2% compared to No. 6 ranked St. Petersburg at 12.4%; Tampa’s percentage of people earning more than $200,000 is second in the state with 16.1%.
