BELLEAIR BEACH — Aging, inadequate fire stations and budget issues prompted Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District commissioners to take the initial steps to ask their constituents to approve a ballot measure calling for a new property tax of 0.67 mills.
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BELLEAIR BEACH — Aging, inadequate fire stations and budget issues prompted Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District commissioners to take the initial steps to ask their constituents to approve a ballot measure calling for a new property tax of 0.67 mills.
To kick off the Fourth of July holiday weekend, firefighters from St. Petersburg, Seminole, and Madeira Beach will be handing out free life jackets for children Friday, July 1, at Archibald Beach Park in Madeira Beach while supplies last.
INDIAN SHORES — In order to maintain the Indian Shores Police Officers’ Pension Trust Fund tax qualified status, changes were made to the town ordinance regarding the police officers’ retirement system.
INDIAN SHORES — On the sweltering morning of June 16 in Tiki Gardens, the Town of Indian Shores came together for the long-anticipated unveiling of the monument that honors the indigenous residents of the town and the dedication of the park in memory of former Mayor James J. Lawrence.
A multi-year effort to save John’s Pass from silting in with beach sand is moving forward, now that the state included more than $1.5 million in next year’s budget to address the issue.
TREASURE ISLAND — A vision to redesign the Treasure Bay Golf Course, removing its deteriorating concrete seawall and replacing it with an ecologically-friendly living shoreline, along with installing an educational walking trail, has moved closer to becoming reality.
REDINGTON SHORES — Longtime Town Clerk Mary Palmer is leaving her post after serving the town for 38 years.
Gulfport PD to host fraud forum
ST. PETE BEACH — A citywide streetlight conversion program, designed to install new LED fixtures on existing Duke Energy poles, will be a shocker for some residents, city officials told commissioners at a recent meeting.
REDINGTON BEACH — All birds, now including starlings, can feel safe fluttering around and landing in this town after a tweak of the animal ordinance.
MADEIRA BEACH — The mayor’s suggestion that voters be given a chance to change the city’s charter so that commissioners are only voted on by electors from their district, rather than at-large citywide, was soundly rejected by fellow commissioners after a lively debate.
Located off Gulf Boulevard between 9th and 10th avenues, the 9.3-acre Indian Rocks Beach Nature Preserve features an educational boardwalk through mangroves leading to an observation pier for views of the Intracoastal Waterway. A dog park and community garden also are part of the amenities. …
INDIAN SHORES — On May 23, Officers Alexandra Holt and Kevyn Andrews drove two Indian Shores police cruisers stuffed with 526 boxes of breakfast foods from the Indian Shores Municipal Center to St. Jerome’s Lifeline Food Pantry in Largo.
An idea to declare John’s Pass a “wet zone,” where people could stroll along the street or boardwalk with a beer or alcoholic beverage, was scrapped after staff reported on the problems it could potentially create for the city’s main tourist district.
TREASURE ISLAND — A search is underway to fill the position of Treasure Island city clerk, which became vacant on May 2.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — Leaders from several Pinellas County communities, including Clearwater, Largo and Madeira Beach, and from nonprofit organizations such as the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Oceana, recently converged on Indian Rocks Beach for the annual Hands Across the Sand event.
Most Pinellas County commencement ceremonies were held this past week, and now graduates are moving on to the next chapter of their lives.
Homes for homeless
ST. PETE BEACH — Should St. Pete Beach join other barrier island cities in welcoming a remote-control robot on its beach to clean cigarette butts and other items, as part of a Keep Pinellas Beautiful demonstration this summer?
Library schedule
ST. PETE BEACH — The city of St. Pete Beach — in collaboration with the Beach Theatre — will hold an outdoor summer film series for June. This will mark the first film screenings hosted under the Theatre’s name since its closing a decade ago.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — The owners of Slyce, the popular Indian Rocks Beach pizza joint, recently announced plans to open WYNE, a wine bar next door in the same strip plaza at 311 Gulf Blvd.
ST. PETE BEACH — Commissioners have updated the city’s parking fine ordinance, with changes designed to help parking agents fine more violators — sometimes more than once.
ST. PETE BEACH — Will certain vehicles be permitted to drive along a transportation corridor on the island’s sandy beach?
NORTH REDINGTON BEACH — The old public works building adjacent to North Redington Beach Town Hall was demolished the end of March. Now 173rd Avenue is blocked off for the next three to six months while a Pinellas County sewer lift station is built in its place. Mayor Bill Queen gave updates …
REDINGTON SHORES — The Town Commission has chosen a replacement for Michael Robinson, the District 3 commissioner who recently resigned after being reelected with no opposition.
Hurricane expo on tap
INDIAN SHORES — For as long as anyone can remember, Art Newsome has been a fixture at Indian Shores. At a May 10 meeting, the Town Council recognized Newsome’s contributions over the 24 years he was a resident of Indian Shores.
TREASURE ISLAND — Residents in three areas of this island city face two disruptive months of roadway construction to alleviate street flooding, with the brunt of the annoyance felt by those living along West Gulf Boulevard this fall.
REDINGTON BEACH — The town has taken steps to ban emotional support dogs from its parks, while Mayor David Will plans a big change to a nuisance-bird ordinance when it comes up before a second and final reading.
With an array of natural and man-made disturbances facing them, shorebirds and sea turtles again are attempting to nest on open beaches here in Pinellas County. Nesting season for Florida’s shoreline and sea birds runs from early March to Aug. 31.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — IRB Beach Fest — a daylong party on the sand featuring food, music, games and beverages — returned to Indian Rocks Beach on April 30 following a two-year pandemic hiatus.
ST. PETE BEACH — The city’s first attempt to approve outdoor dining on a permanent basis, at The Brass Monkey Restaurant in Pass-a-Grille, ran into roadblocks and dissention that sent the request back to the Historic Preservation Board for a vote.
INDIAN SHORES — A developer that had applied to build three single-family residences on 2nd Street in the Town Square area revised the plans to build the units as a condominium, which appeased members of the town’s Planning and Zoning Board and the Town Council.
INDIAN SHORES — Terry E. Hughes, who worked his way up from patrolman to chief of the Indian Shores Police Department during a 28-year career here, died Friday, April 22, 2022. He was 69.
ST. PETE BEACH — A federal court has ordered the city to pay Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church more than $250,000 in attorney fees, which the church spent to defend its right to allow the public to park in its parking lot.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — The Rotary Club of Indian Rocks Beach has introduced its inaugural Flags for Service event. From Memorial Day, May 30, until Flag Day on June 14, hundreds of U.S. flags and accompanying personalized banners will be displayed in Chic-A-Si Park on Indian Rocks Beach to sho…
TREASURE ISLAND — What seemed like an easy conditional use request to authorize a temporary parking area for bar and restaurant employees at 9701 1st Street E became a balancing act for city commissioners who wanted to address concerns of residents while meeting the needs of area eateries.
Bird stewardship training
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — Mishelle Hargett can’t help getting emotional when describing how she and her family reacted when they received her son, Zachary’s, autism diagnosis soon after he turned three.
REDINGTON SHORES — Town Commissioner and Vice Mayor Michael Robinson has resigned. Robinson had been considered a leader on the commission and was reelected without opposition in the March 15 election to serve a third 2-year term as District 3 commissioner.
MADEIRA BEACH — The city will celebrate its 75th anniversary with the Grouper Gala, a community gathering with live music and grouper on Saturday, May 7.
NORTH REDINGTON BEACH — North Redington Beach is the latest beach town in what is expected to be a long line of municipalities to change ordinance codes to prohibit the renting of residential amenities. NRB’s Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on first reading April 14 to prohibit the …
MADEIRA BEACH — In their first city commission meeting since the March 15 election, newly elected commissioners Ray Kerr and David Tagliarini were already having an impact.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — A trio of local lawmakers took office April 12, as Indian Rocks Beach Mayor Joanne “Cookie” Kennedy and commissioners Joe McCall and Jude Bond were sworn in a month after their Election Day victories.
INDIAN SHORES — The April 12 Town Council meeting opened with smiling faces as Indian Shores Police Chief Rick Swann received unanimous council consent on a new hire and two promotions of officers in the department. The council gathered in front of the dais to welcome the new hire and suppor…
MADEIRA BEACH — The state legislature is eroding the home rule powers of Pinellas County beach communities as they deal with effects of short-term rentals in their neighborhoods.
ST. PETE BEACH — The city’s inability to hire a building official and building inspector since last November has now forced it to spend a total of $164,000 to hire two outside firms to provide inspection and plan review services through the end of the year.
TREASURE ISLAND — Justin Tramble only recently started his new job as executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, but he already has a vision of where he would like to take the growing nonprofit environmental group.
TREASURE ISLAND — An abundance of frolicking miniature pooches motivated the Isle of Capri Civic Association and city to expand the small-dog play area in Rosselli Park at 11650 Capri Circle S.
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