Tag: Pinellas County
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Pinellas County will close libraries, shrink park hours and trim nearly every other department before it touches public safety if voters approve the statewide property-tax reform, Amendment 3, in November, County Commissioner Chris Latvala told beach-city officials last week. “Any public safety cuts would be absolutely last,” Latvala said Aug. 26 at the Barrier Islands…
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FEMA is preparing new Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the Alligator Creek Watershed that covers parts of Clearwater, Safety Harbor, and unincorporated Pinellas County. The maps change both flood-zone boundaries and base flood elevations. The city asked FEMA to review the watershed in 2015 after stormwater conditions shifted. FEMA completed its study shortly before Hurricane…
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For the first time in more than 15 years, Pinellas County has confirmed local transmission of dengue fever — and instead of waiting on Washington or Tallahassee for direction, the county’s own mosquito control team has moved swiftly to contain it. The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County issued a mosquito-borne illness alert on…
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Pinellas County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to seek $15 million in state grant funding to upgrade a wastewater plant whose pumps have been running for three decades — well past their service life — as flooding risk from sea-level rise and storm surge threatens the aging facility. The South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility,…
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A flood-tracking network built on ordinary residents snapping photos with their phones has quietly become one of the most effective storm-response tools in Pinellas County, in contrast to the often slow-moving, taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects local governments typically rely on. The system, known as CRIS-HAZARD, was developed by University of South Florida St. Petersburg professor Barnali…
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Pinellas County commissioners voted Tuesday unanimously to seek $15 million in state grant money for aging pumps at the county’s main wastewater treatment plant — but the project’s own paperwork leaves an $11.8 million gap unaccounted for, and commissioners spent almost no time asking about it before signing off. The vote authorizes the county to…
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Beachgoers who have parked at some of Pinellas County’s most popular waterfront parks for years on a flat $6 daily fee may soon be asked to foot a much larger bill, as county commissioners weigh a fee restructuring that could push costs as high as $28 a day. Under the proposal, the county would scrap…
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Pinellas County is considering a significant increase in beach parking fees at some of its most popular locations as commissioners work to close a budget gap and find additional revenue. Under the proposal being considered for the county’s fiscal year 2027 budget, the current $6 daily parking fee at Fort De Soto Park, Sand Key…
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The Sirata Beach Resort unveiled a $25 million renovation Wednesday night during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a major transformation for the 65-year-old property. The overhaul included the addition of central air conditioning, hurricane impact windows, refurbished guest rooms, renovated restaurants, and an updated pool and beachfront bar. As part of the project, the resort also…
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Pinellas County collected more than $36 million in tourist development taxes this spring, marking a new record for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, the county’s tourism marketing organization. Tourism officials said 12% of visitors now travel specifically for special events, including sporting competitions such as the St. Pete Grand Prix and the Red Bull Cliff Diving Competition,…
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FEMA says it has provided nearly $24 million to the state for more than 50 Elevate Florida home elevation projects, marking progress on a long-delayed program meant to help homeowners raise flood-prone homes above future floodwaters as another hurricane season gets underway. The Elevate Florida program is operated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management,…
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City officials are hosting a free public seminar Thursday evening to explain Florida’s “customary use” doctrine and clarify where public beach access ends and private property begins. The seminar runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Pete Beach City Hall Commission Chambers. The event follows months of dispute over private property signs along the…
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Pinellas County School Board members are set to receive an update Tuesday on the district’s ongoing review of which schools could close or consolidate due to declining enrollment, with just weeks remaining before the new school year begins. The update follows the closures of Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy, which shut down for good…
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Pinellas County officials are warning residents to hang up on callers posing as emergency animal control officers who demand immediate payment over the phone. According to Pinellas County Animal Services Director Jennifer Renner, scammers are spoofing the county’s official caller ID so calls appear to come from a legitimate government number. The callers claim a…
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Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the district’s declining enrollment continues to shape long-term planning, but he does not expect sweeping changes to occur all at once. Speaking during a recent School Board workshop, Hendrick said enrollment trends have been clear for several years as fewer school-age children live in Pinellas County. District leaders…
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Pinellas County Schools is asking families to help decide which schools stay open, as district leaders weigh a new round of closures driven by years of declining enrollment. The district hosted three community meetings Wednesday, including one at Pinellas Park High School, where Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said officials are studying what works best for individual…
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Pinellas County is set to receive $29.4 million in federal funding to repair creeks damaged by Hurricane Milton. County commissioners unanimously approved an agreement last month with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to accept the grant through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program. Pinellas County Public Works Director Kelli Hammer Levy told commissioners the funding will…
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BayCare Health System announced this week it will launch a drone-based delivery network for medications, lab samples and medical supplies, in partnership with autonomous delivery company Zipline. The service, expected to launch in late 2027, will begin in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area before expanding into Hillsborough County and the broader Tampa Bay region, according to…
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Pinellas County commissioners this week approved a $29 million federal grant to repair five waterways left severely eroded by Hurricane Milton’s historic rainfall. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service under its Emergency Watershed Protection Program, will fully cover construction and oversight costs for repairs to Joe’s Creek, Curlew…
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Pinellas County has officially launched a 90-day bidding period for the redevelopment of 17 county-owned properties in downtown Clearwater, marking a major step in a plan that could reshape the city’s core for decades to come. The county is seeking proposals from developers interested in redeveloping approximately 25 acres of land that will become available…
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Pinellas County commissioners have approved a $29 million federal grant to repair and stabilize five waterways damaged by Hurricane Milton, addressing erosion and drainage issues that officials say could increase future flooding risks if left unresolved. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program and…
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Drivers traveling through school zones in Venice will soon face automated enforcement as the city prepares to activate new speed cameras before the start of the 2026-27 school year. The Venice City Council unanimously approved the installation of school zone speed cameras near Venice Elementary School, Venice High School and Epiphany Cathedral School. The cameras…
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The Pinellas County School Board has approved new principals at six schools for the coming school year, with the changes driven primarily by retirements and internal transfers. At the middle school level, Karen Huzar will move from East Lake Middle School to Carwise Middle School, where she will replace retiring principal Chad Eiben. Huzar has…
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Local governments across the Tampa Bay region are raising concerns about a state property tax relief plan being debated in a special legislative session in Tallahassee, warning that cuts to property tax revenue could force reductions to city services beyond public safety. Florida lawmakers convened a special session to consider major changes to the state’s…
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The Pinellas County School Board is set to vote on whether to purchase advanced weapons detection systems following a brief pilot program that ended after just nine days — well short of its originally planned run through the end of the school year. Safety officials say the nine-day data collection period was sufficient to reach…
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Pinellas County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a landmark agreement Friday, ending a nearly eight-year standoff over federal funding for beach renourishment projects along the county’s coastline. The dispute dates to 2018, when the Army Corps began requiring all affected coastal homeowners to sign perpetual easements as a condition of federal cost-sharing.…
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Pinellas County residents may notice a slight change in the taste or smell of their tap water over the coming weeks — but officials say there is no cause for alarm. Pinellas County Utilities switched its water disinfection method from chloramine to chlorine on Monday, May 18, a change that will remain in effect through…
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Scientists from the Southwest Florida Water Management District have completed the first seagrass survey of Boca Ciega Bay since the 2024 hurricanes, finding the underwater grass beds in that part of southern Pinellas County are in excellent shape — and the data could be used to help restore seagrass elsewhere in the bay system. Seagrass…
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The city will host its third annual Bluffs Hurricane Expo on Saturday, June 6, ahead of the start of Atlantic hurricane season. The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Belleair Bluffs Community Center auditorium, 2747 Sunset Blvd., and is presented in conjunction with Largo Fire Rescue and Pinellas County Emergency…
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Pinellas County has completed its first home repair project under the People First Hurricane Recovery Program, a federally funded initiative aimed at helping residents still rebuilding from the 2024 hurricane season. The program is backed by $813 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, targeting residents affected by Hurricanes Idalia,…
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A new St. Pete Beach ordinance banning signs and posts on the sand near the waterline took effect Tuesday night, following a dispute over property markers placed by a local hotel that residents said posed a danger to beachgoers. City commissioners passed the emergency ordinance last week, giving property owners seven days to comply. The…
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Pinellas County commissioners heard public feedback Wednesday night on plans to vacate and redevelop nearly 25 acres of county-owned property in downtown Clearwater. The county is consolidating 17 properties in downtown Clearwater into a single facility near US 19 and Ulmerton Road, citing the existing buildings as old and oversized. Officials estimate the move will…
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Pinellas County government is preparing to leave nearly 25 acres of downtown Clearwater real estate, consolidating 17 properties into a new government center at US-19 and Ulmerton Road. County officials say the move is driven by aging buildings and operational inefficiencies, and they project the consolidation will save approximately $150 million in upkeep costs over…
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As rental fraud schemes become increasingly common, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office is pointing residents to a new way to verify who actually owns a rental property before signing a lease or paying rent. The office has added a direct link to Florida’s official Division of Corporations database, known as Sunbiz, to its online…
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Five Pinellas County beach community mayors gathered Thursday evening for the fourth annual “State of the Beaches” panel, tackling two issues dominating local government across the Tampa Bay area: proposed elimination of property taxes and ongoing hurricane recovery. The event was organized by St. Petersburg College’s Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions and the Pinellas Beaches…
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Pinellas County Schools is signaling that more school closures are on the horizon, driven by falling enrollment and ongoing budget pressures. The school board voted in February to shut down or repurpose several schools in order to save the district more than $7 million in recurring annual expenses. Two schools are already set to close…
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The Philadelphia Phillies moved a significant step closer Thursday to a sweeping renovation of their Clearwater spring training complex after Pinellas County commissioners voted to commit public funding to the project. In a 6-1 vote, the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners approved a term sheet directing $85 million in tourism dollars toward the $205 million…
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As Florida’s rainy season approaches, Pinellas County officials are calling on residents to take steps now to reduce mosquito breeding around their homes. County Mosquito Control officials warn that mosquitoes can breed in surprisingly small amounts of standing water — as little as a quarter of an inch, roughly the volume of a bottle cap,…
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A weapon detection pilot program at two Pinellas County high schools is being shut down today, just 10 days after it launched, following operational problems and concerns about upcoming standardized testing. The pass-through detectors were installed at school entrances on April 7, with administrators initially saying they would remain in place through May 29. Instead,…
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The city of Clearwater is underway with a major stormwater infrastructure upgrade at North Beach, replacing a system that officials say is no longer adequate for today’s tidal conditions and storm events. The project centers on installing six new pump stations to address flooding from heavy rain, rising sea levels, and high tides in low-lying…
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The Pinellas County School Board voted Tuesday evening on a proposal to shift start times earlier at three high schools and one middle school, with the most dramatic change affecting Largo Middle School. Under the proposal, St. Pete High School and Dunedin High School would both begin the school day at 7:45 a.m., while Largo…
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