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Tag: Josh Rojas

  • Rays host ‘Here to Stay’ event at Tropicana Field today

    Rays host ‘Here to Stay’ event at Tropicana Field today

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, along with city leaders, are drumming up support ahead of Thursday’s vote on redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District.

    The team held a “We’re Here to Stay” press conference this morning.


    Rays’ officials said they wanted to hold this event on the eve of the final St. Pete city council vote to show the support they’ve got and their gratitude.

    The team’s principal owner Stu Sternberg said they’re on the cusp of getting a new ballpark, something the team has been trying to do for nearly 20 years.

    Sternberg acknowledged there were some missteps along the way but said he wants everyone to know the organization is committed to the Tampa Bay region.

    The St. Pete Chamber of Commerce and NAACP showed up in support of the $6.5-billion project.    

    Sternberg said he’s got his fingers crossed about tomorrow’s vote, where the city would spend $429 million and sell 65 acres of public land, to the Rays.

    Sternberg talked about garnering as much support as possible.

    “I would put it on each and every one of you and myself and our staff as well to convert those who have been naysayers to all of this,” Sternberg said. “They don’t have to be rah-rah supporters but you know what, if they can at least take a step back and just accept what we’re trying to do and be a part of it and feel rewarded as opposed to saying ‘I told you so, I told you so’ kind of a thing.

    “That would go a long way.”

    Sternberg did not want to speculate on the vote, which needs five votes to pass.

    During Tuesday’s meeting, city council members asked additional questions about the project. Mayor Ken Welch said he’s optimistic for tomorrow’s vote.

    “A day in St. Pete’s history will look back on it and see this is the next step in a very long journey in almost four decades to really realize the promises of the Historic Gas Plant,” Welch said. “Great feedback from council as many of them said we incorporate a lot of their suggestions, made the agreement stronger.”

    Even though Welch is hoping the deal goes through, there are community members speaking out against it.

    A protest was held last night, where residents voiced their concerns.

    Again, the city council will vote on this plan tomorrow.

    If they approve it, it then goes to Pinellas County commissioners for a vote.

    That is set for July 30.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Clearwater plans $100 million project to mitigate North Beach flooding

    Clearwater plans $100 million project to mitigate North Beach flooding

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city of Clearwater will spend up to $100 million to mitigate flooding in the North Beach neighborhood where about a dozen homes were inundated with stormwater twice last year, according to Public Works Director Marcus Williamson. 

    “We’re seeing more intense storms,” he said. “We’re seeing higher tides.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The North Beach master plan is expected to be complete in five to seven years

    • According to Clearwater officials, the flood mitigation plan will cost between $70-$100 million  

    • As part of the plan, five permanent pumps will be installed in the neighborhood 

    • The project will also include a new Clearwater Public Works website to increase communication with residents


    Public Works has added eight temporary pumps to the neighborhood since those back-to-back flood events, when Hurricane Idalia brushed by the area in August and a “no-name” storm hit in December.

    Previously, North Beach had one permanent stormwater pump, but Williamson said the master plan calls for five more permanent pumps to be added over the next few years.

    “We’ll keep leveraging the temporary pumps,” he said. “The goal is help us through these storms until we can build out the full network.”

    Less than two years ago, Williamson said the city began installing new Tideflex check valves on all nine stormwater laterals in the neighborhood. Currently, four more valves still need to be installed. It’s all part of the North Beach master plan, which was developed in 2022.

    “That master plan identified a bunch of pipe size increases that needed to happen,” said Williamson. “A well as putting those permanent pumps in.”

    Connecting and upsizing the old stormwater pipes beneath the streets will have to be done in phases. The construction work for the master plan, which is expected to cost between $70-$100 million, has been out to bid and will take five to seven years to complete, according to Williamson.

    “We have to very strategically work the system,” he said. “That’s why we’re saying it’s going take a number of years.”

    In the meantime, residents can help by making sure contractors keep debris away from the storm drains. Williamson said drains clogged with debris and a lack of maintenance contributed to the neighborhood draining slowly during the storms.

    “We’ve got concrete down in there, we’ve got all sorts of pool debris, as well as landscaping,” he said. “The Tideflex valve … the biggest way that they fail are usually limbs, twigs, branches.”

    Public works will also be increasing communication with residents to keep them updated about the project, Williamson said.

    “We’re going to establish a web page so we can help steer residents to the latest information that will be out there,” he said. “Provide a lot of these updates because we recognize everyone’s thirsty for what are you doing.”

    Williamson, who has only been on the job for a year, said the ultimate solution to the flooding problem will be to get low-lying residents to raise their homes.

    “We really need those homeowners to start elevating their homes so we can raise the roads and get more of that elevation that we need,” he said. “I think it’s the new norm that we’re going to start to see in all of these low-lying communities.”

    Regardless, Williamson said North Beach residents will be better off this season with the improvements already underway.

    “The system is definitely flowing much better,” he said. “It will help with the recovery, with all of these pumps out here.”

    Williamson said U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna secured a $1.75 million grant to help pay for the project.

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  • Pinellas County seeks resident input on flooding issues via survey

    Pinellas County seeks resident input on flooding issues via survey

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County is asking resident who have experienced flooding to complete a survey that could lead to millions in grant money to protect community assets.

    “We need the public’s input in order to make this assessment successful,” said Lauren Wolf, Pinellas County Sustainability & Resiliency coordinator. “The vulnerability assessment will help us determine what kind of solutions we need.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The flood impact survey could lead to millions in DEP grant money

    • Pinellas County wants to know which community assets to protect from flooding  

    • The grant money will help the county build permanent solutions to mitigate the growing flood threat 

    • The survey must be completed by July 31


    The county will use the information to map locations at risk of flooding in the future during high tides, heavy rain and storm surge. Wolf said the impact survey asks residents about their personal experiences with flooding and what community assets they want protected.  

    “Community assets can include things like the airport, hospitals, schools, parks,” she said. “We want to know what the community would like to see protected from future flooding.”

    Wolf said it takes less than 10 minutes to complete the survey which is funded by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. The same agency which will award the grant money based on the sea level rise and storm surge vulnerability assessment.

    “They are going to be releasing funds that will help us put together projects to address flooding,” she said. “The future flooding that we’re expecting and the current flooding that we’re already experiencing.”

    The deadline to complete the survey is July 31. Wolf said so far 250 residents have taken the survey, which is more than halfway to her goal.

    “We’re so grateful that folks are really chiming in with their input,” she said. “We would love to get at least 400 folks. As many as possible.”

    Wolf said the county wants to build more permanent solutions to flooding with any grant money received.

    “Pinellas County is constantly working to address flooding today. There are crews that will go out and maintain our storm water systems,” she said. “We’ve got several capital projects that are going on throughout the county and this assessment is going to help us do more of that in the future.”

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  • Tarpon Springs wants to extend protection time for manatees

    Tarpon Springs wants to extend protection time for manatees

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Tarpon Springs city leaders want to extend the time for the special exclusion zone in Spring Bayou by more than 2 months because manatees have been staying in the city longer.

    What You Need To Know

    • Residents asked for extended protection because manatees stay longer in the city 

    • Mayor wants special exclusion zone updated to Nov. 1 through June 1 

    • Commissioners authorized the city manager to ask the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the extension  

    • Watercraft related collisions with manatees have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths, according to FWC


    “They are here longer and longer every year,” said Mayor Costa Vatikiotis, 75. “We want to extend our time where we prohibit boats coming into the areas that they frequent.”

    Currently, the special exclusion zone in Spring Bayou prohibits motorized or self-propelled vessels from Nov. 15 to March 31. Mayor Costa Vatikiotis said he wants it updated to Nov. 1 through June 1.

    “We’re trying to make it as friendly as we can for the manatees,” he said. “I would say that we have probably between a half dozen to a dozen manatee at any one time.”

    Vatikiotis said he recently got a letter from a local environmentalist encouraging the city to further protect manatees which have been a large tourist draw. The mayor noted Spring Bayou is listed as one of the best springs in Florida to see manatees.

    “This is a special resident for us,” he said. “We’ve had manatees that have given birth in the bayou and you see a lot of thrashing going on.”

    Vatikiotis grew up one block away from Spring Bayou and said when he was a child there were no manatees.

    Watercraft-related collisions with manatees have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

    Researchers found one out of every four adult carcasses bore evidence of 10 or more watercraft strikes, according to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. It appears exceedingly rare for an adult manatee not to be struck multiple times in its life with only 4% devoid of scars.

    At the June 4 commission meeting, residents spoke out publicly in favor of protecting manatees. Some wanted to go even further, suggesting the use of drones to monitor waterways and banning snag hook fishing when manatees are present.

    Commissioner Michael Eisner proposed putting up signs requiring boats entering Spring Bayou to have a propeller cover which he said could protect manatees all year. Vatikiotis said he wants to provide manatees with a peaceful habitat.

    “The danger of the propeller to the manatees is one thing,” he said. “The noise and the fuss and the agitation of the water and not finding a peaceful corner to sit in the bayou would be another thing if boats were allowed into the bayou.”

    The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to try to secure the extended period of protection for the manatees.

    Due to property rights, waterfront homeowners with boats would be excluded from the new rules, according to the mayor. The city has also applied for a grant that would pay for manatee educational signs.

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  • Jailed Palmetto pastor faces additional child sex abuse charges

    Jailed Palmetto pastor faces additional child sex abuse charges

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — The Rev. Jonathan Elwing, 43, who is senior pastor at the Palm View Baptist Church in Palmetto, was charged Thursday with 14 felony counts related to child pornography and sexual assault, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

    He was already facing four counts of possession of child pornography after being arrested on June 21.

    What You Need To Know

    • Palm View Baptist Church Senior Pastor the Rev. Jonathan Elwing was charged on June 21 with four counts of possession of child pornography
    • On Thursday, he was charged with 14 additional counts of child pornography and sexual abuse

    • Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells called Elwing a “monster ” who was “professing to be a man of God”

    • Detectives say they found about 10 covert cameras Elwing had allegedly been using 

    • Wells said he is concerned that there may be additional victims who have not been identified


    “We have found images of Elwing sexually offending a child,” Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells alleged. “At this point, we have two counts of capital sexual battery charges, six counts of production of child sex abuse material and six counts of possession of child sex abuse material.”

    Elwing was first arrested and charged with four counts of possession of child pornography on June 21. Lt. Mark Moore said they found Elwing in possession of about 10 covert cameras. Moore said two of the cameras were found at Elwing’s home and the rest were on the desk in his church office.

    “There’s a school that’s at the church — the school is not in session right now,” Moore said. “There’s some concern that he may have been hiding those cameras inside the church.”

    Wells said investigators received a tip off from a cryptocurrency company that said Elwing had allegedly purchased child porn on the dark web. Deputies were able to execute a search warrant on Elwing’s home the next day. 

    “I can’t stress this enough: This is a monster,” Wells said. “This is a man who went to great lengths to hide his true identity. To use whatever resources he could to feed this deviant behavior that he has.”

    Spectrum Bay News 9 attempted to contact a member of the leadership at Palm View Baptist Church, but did not immediately get a response.

    Wells said he feels bad for the people associated with Elwing who have been caught up in his alleged misdeeds.

    “I really feel bad for his family — I feel bad for the congregation at Palm View Baptist Church,” Wells said. “He went into that church professing to be a man of God, but he’s really nothing more than a liar and sexual predator.” 

    Wells said his forensic team is still combing through the evidence and he expects more charges to be filed. The sheriff said he’s also worried there are more victims who have not yet been identified.

    “If anyone has had close contact with this monster, if anyone knows if their kids have been around him, I’m just requesting that they talk to their children,” Wells said.

    Elwing was being held without bond at the Manatee County Jail.

    Anyone with information about Elwing or potential victims in the case is asked to contact the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 941-747-3011, or to remain anonymous and to be eligible for a cash reward, contact Manatee County Crime Stoppers at (866) 634-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.ManateeCrimeStoppers.com.

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  • Water tanks in Clearwater get giant underwater murals

    Water tanks in Clearwater get giant underwater murals

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city of Clearwater has commissioned an artist to paint giant underwater mural scenes on two water tanks with half the cost of the project being covered by a federal grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

    What You Need To Know

    • City of Clearwater has commissioned an artist to paint 2 water tanks 

    • City won a federal grant from the National Endowment for the Arts which covers half the cost

    • Christian Stanley was chosen out of 50 professional artists who applied for the commission 

    • Stanley is painting underwater mural scenes with red drum fish and tarpon


    “We were only one-of-two in the Tampa Bay area with the other one going to the University of South Florida,” said Amber Brice, arts and cultural affairs manager. “We were the only one in Pinellas County. So, we were really, really happy.”

    Brice said the public utilities department wanted to beautify their water tanks located at 2709 State Road 580. The Clearwater public art and design board chose Christian Stanley to paint the murals out of 50 professional artists who applied for the commission.

    “Christian rose to the top as the favorite pretty quickly,” said Brice. “We had the budget for one tank.”

    Once the city received the one-to-one matching federal grant it could afford to paint both tanks which cost a total of $60,000, according to Brice.

    “Given their prominent location on a well-traveled commuter road, we saw this as a fantastic opportunity for public art,” she said. ”We wanted these murals to focus on water conservation and wildlife.”

    Earlier this month, Stanley completed the first mural titled “Tailing” which feature two red drum fish in a mangrove flat. 

    “We’re really happy with how it turned out,” he said. “I think the colors and everything really show through.”

    The second mural, titled “Silver Kings” features tarpon and it’s expected to be complete in early July.

    “We really just wanted to highlight the local ecosystem,” said Stanley. “Really just be bringing this type of nature out of the water and just kind of onto the street for the people of Clearwater.”

    The murals are 23-feet tall and 140-feet wide.

    Stanley is from Winter Springs, works on murals with his wife and bills himself as the essential Florida artist for the southeast region. He said public art can play a powerful role in developing community identity and showcase what residents value.

    “We love just visiting new locations and bringing just art and vibrancy to the street,” said Stanley. “Kind of the uplifting and just general well-being that it brings to the community.”

    Brice has been on a mission to bring more public art to Clearwater which she said has been lacking. Last October, she commissioned artists to paint murals in Coachman Park. In March, Brice got businesses in the Gateway neighborhood to agree to have murals painted on their exterior walls.

    “I’m trying to bring as much public art to Clearwater as possible,” she said. “A lot of our concentration has been downtown so far. So, this was an opportunity to bring something to the Countryside neighborhood.”



     

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  • Pinellas retirees team up to offer stormproofing tips for free

    Pinellas retirees team up to offer stormproofing tips for free

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    REDINGTON BEACH, Fla. — A couple of Redington Beach retirees who have a passion for stormproofing homes have teamed up to offer free advice to Pinellas County residents who need their help.

    “I like helping people and it’s fun,” said Jeff Fuller, 64. “I hope everybody uses our ideas and mitigates their homes from these floodwaters.”

    Fuller and Bob Kyle, 76, began exchanging ideas two years ago on how to best mitigate their homes.

    What You Need To Know

    • The retirees began exchanging ideas two years ago on how to best mitigate their homes.

    • Jeff Fuller, 64 and Bob Kyle, 76, offer their home stormproofing tips for free  

    • The retirees recommend using Seal ‘N Peel caulk to seal doors

    • Their next presentation is at the Shore Acres Rec Center on June 27 at 6:30 p.m.


    “Bob and I made a pact, an informal pact when we started, we were not going to make a penny,” Fuller said. “We don’t want to make any money. You start making money it becomes a job.”

    In March, the retirees were asked to share their ideas at Redington Beach city hall because both of their homes stayed dry when Hurricane Idalia brushed by the area last August.

    “I got talked into doing a seminar after my barriers worked,” said Fuller. “A bunch of people in town said you need to share your ideas. So, Bob and I got together and we’re sharing ideas.”

    Fuller’s garage door barriers are made up from PVC boards with neoprene which is anchored to the wall and caulked around the edge with crystal clear Seal ‘N Peel. He also uses a 2×4 brace with notches and PVC panels to protect his glass sliding doors at the rear of his waterfront home which sits only 4.8 feet above sea level.

    “We’re so well prepared,” he said. “It takes us 3 ½ hours to completely water proof this house.”

    Fuller estimates he has walked around 150 homes looking for entry points where water can seep in and has personally caulked about 30. He said it’s vital to pull out low outlets and seal the wire opening.

    “They typically drill a three-quarter inch hose right through the wall and they don’t cover it,” he said. “They don’t close it up. So, you literally have a three-quarter inch hose going into your house.”

    The retiree’s biggest piece of advice is using Seal ‘N Peel caulk along door seams and hinges.

    “Put it on thick. When you get to a hinge cover the entire hinge,” he said. “Once this hardens there’s no water going behind it.”

    Fuller recommends using an electric caulk gun when applying because it’s very thick and letting the product sit for at least 24 hours before peeling it off the door

    “It comes off in a long strip. It doesn’t take the paint off,” he said. “It doesn’t take anything off and it leaves virtually no residue.”

    About 110 people showed up to the retirees first presentation and more than 175 showed up for the following one at Madeira Beach city hall in April, according to Fuller. The next low lying neighborhood which has asked for their help is Shore Acres in St. Petersburg.

    “I told the president of the civics association to take me to the worst house in that town. I want to see if I can waterproof it,” said Fuller. “I want to walk around the house.”  

    The retirees are scheduled to host a seminar at the Shore Acres Recreation Center on June 27 at 6:30 p.m. during the monthly civic association meeting. They’ll distribute handouts with all their recommendations and the best tested products to use.

    “We have no financial interest in any of this,” said Fuller. “We don’t own the stock of these companies.”

    Fuller is a former stock broker from Maryland who moved to Redington Beach in 2018. Kyle built a website, created a Facebook group and email account, rbpoa44@gmail.com, for homeowners who need to reach out for help.

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  • St. Pete resident says pump cleared floodwater on Shore Acres street

    St. Pete resident says pump cleared floodwater on Shore Acres street

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Longtime Shore Acres resident Eric Lanctot, 49, said for the first time in decades he did not see standing water on his street after a heavy rainstorm thanks to a temporary pump which St. Petersburg public works deployed earlier this month.

    What You Need To Know

    • Public works has deployed temporary pumps for 3 storms so far this year

    • Administrator Claude Tankersley said they’re experimenting to find the best locations

    • Shore Acres resident Eric Lanctot said thanks to a pump his street was dry after a storm on June 11 

    • The city plans to install a permanent pump in Shore Acres in 2026


    “That was a first for me to see that theory, that application, work,” he said. “It kept the three intersections that were on the that storm line dry.”

    For the past 21 years, Lanctot has lived in a home at the entrance of Ponderosa Shores located at the intersection of 54th Avenue NE and Denver Street NE. The commercial general contractor said on June 11, while driving home after a heavy rain storm he was surprised to see 54th Avenue NE was dry.

    “My intersection was dry and that is unusual,” he said. “I pulled in my driveway and backed out because I just didn’t understand why the intersection was dry. I drove down the street and I noticed the intersection to the east was also dry.”

    Lanctot said 54th Avenue NE, which turns into North Dakota Avenue NE, was dry all the way east until it dead ends at Dover Street NE, where he saw a temporary pump set up by public works.

    “It was pumping water out of the inlet… and it was discharging on the canal side of the backflow preventer,” he said. “For the first time, in a long time, I’m seeing some positive steps in the right direction.”


    Public works administrator Claude Tankersley said earlier this year the city began experimenting with 5 portable trailer-mounted pumps to find locations for optimum efficiency and effectiveness.

    “It takes pre-planning to deploy the pumps,” he stated. “Therefore, we can only deploy them if we have advanced warning of impending heavy rain.”

    The pumps are intended to reduce rainfall-derived flooding, not tidal or sunny day flooding and would not be effective against a storm that dumps more than seven inches of water, according to Tankersley. So far this year, the temporary pumps have been deployed 3 times on January 9, April 11 and June 11.

    “They can only be deployed in the street in front of a home,” stated Tankersley. “Therefore, we acknowledge that they are unattractive and may be noisy for a short period of time. However, we believe their benefits will justify the inconvenience.”

    Lanctot said the temporary fix gives residents who live in the lowest lying neighborhood in the city some hope and he called public works to give them his feedback.

    “They were thrilled to hear from me. They appreciated it,” he said. “This isn’t the final solution by any means but it is letting the people that are trying know that that particular thing that they tried worked.”

    Tankersley said it’s still an experiment to see if the process will work and he appreciated the feedback from residents.

    “We are pleased to hear that our residents see benefits from this experimental program,” he stated. “We hope it will lead to a permanent program once we iron out all the kinks.”

    In March, the St. Petersburg city council approved a $7.8 million grant that will cover half the cost of a permanent stormwater pump which public works hopes to install in Shore Acres by 2026.

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  • St. Pete Beach homeowner calls flooding a “health hazard”

    St. Pete Beach homeowner calls flooding a “health hazard”

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    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — A St. Pete Beach resident whose home flooded twice last year has been urging the city to take more action on stormwater mitigation plans as the Tampa Bay area faces an above average hurricane season. 

    “I’m very worried because of what happened last year,” said homeowner Mary McReynolds, 74. “We need the city to do its part.”  

    What You Need To Know

    • Mary McReynolds said her St. Pete Beach home flooded twice in 2023 

    • Four generations live in the home with ages ranging from 14 to 96  

    • McReynolds said the putrid chocolate brown floodwater is a health hazard 

    • She has shown up to city commission meetings urging leaders to take more action for the Don CeSar neighborhood

    McReynolds said she had lived in Pass-a-Grille for 11 years and was forced to move in April 2023, when her landlord raised the rent.

    She ended up buying a home in the Don CeSar neighborhood, which is the lowest lying on the island, where four generations, including a 96-year-old grandma, all live under the same roof.

    “We knew it was a flood zone. However, we also knew that the city had promised to do certain things to alleviate the flooding,” she said. “That has not been done.”

    In 2020, a city study offered solutions to the flooding problem which have largely not been implemented. About two years ago, the city built new outfall structures with tide flex valves to prevent sunny day flooding but the valves have been failing due to marine growth and debris, according to public works.

    At the June 11 city commission meeting, public works director Mike Clarke got funding approved for a few stormwater related measures in the neighborhood. A temporary seawall patch will be done at the 36th Avenue outfall before the peak of hurricane season arrives. The other two measures were for designing the location footprint for the first stormwater pump and designing five new tide check valves.     

    “It’s not enough. We need (an) immediate response,” said McReynolds. “I can only keep praying and hope that the city follows through with their commitments.”

    McReynolds said 4 months after she purchased her home, Hurricane Idalia sent 8 inches of floodwater inside. She woke up at 3 a.m. to her daughter screaming the sewing machine was on fire.

    “I ran down the stairs. I stood in the water and I unplugged it. Which is very scary,” said McReynolds. “You just do what you need to do. My daughter’s holding a sewing machine on fire.”

    A few months later, a no-name December storm sent another 7 inches of floodwater into McReynold’s home. She said during both floods the putrid water was chocolate brown.

    “It is a health hazard every time that water comes into my house. It’s a huge health hazard,” she said. “We’ve got feces. I mean, that’s disgusting and the formation of mold.”

    McReynolds lives right across the street from Lazarillo Park. She said trash and dog feces from the park was washed into her home. McReynolds has since shown up to city council meetings in March, May and June to voice her concerns during public comment.

    “This is our forever home,” she said at the June 11 meeting. “We need the city to do all measures and maintenance to remedy the flooding because of the hazards of health.”

    St. Pete Beach city commissioner Betty Rzewnicki began representing District 3 in January. Rzewnicki said she shares some of McReynolds concerns.

    “I absolutely feel the same as far as infrastructure in this particular neighborhood of Don CeSar on infrastructure not being addressed or fixed,” she said. “Having a plan that we’ve been working on slowly and then having changes that haven’t been addressed yet to the community.”

    Rzewnicki said she’d like to see better communication coming from the public works department. The city commissioner also wants to hire a chief resiliency officer to oversee and expand the flood mitigation plan.

    “Our current public works director obviously has more than just this project. So, with the need of the city I would look to push to have someone in charge of resiliency for the city overall,” she said. “I want to push for the city to have a resiliency comprehensive plan for the whole city and to prioritize in the city the areas of greatest concern first.”

    At recent city commission meeting, public works director Mike Clarke has said he’s listening to complaints from residents and plans to take aggressive action. Clarke said the ultimate solution to the flooding problem is raising all the seawalls to 5 feet, while at the same time adding pump stations.

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  • St. Pete Beach public works director designs new tide check valve

    St. Pete Beach public works director designs new tide check valve

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    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — St. Pete Beach Public Works Director Mike Clarke said he came up with a new tide check valve design which allows debris to be easily cleaned out and prevents marine growth from clogging the sunny day flooding mitigation device.

    What You Need To Know

    • The new tide check valve design is expected to be complete in six months 

    • Tide check valves are used to try and control sunny day flooding in St. Pete Beach

    • Public Works Director Mike Clarke said he wants to double his stormwater workers from two to four

    • Clarke said he hopes to install the new device in the Don CeSar neighborhood in February 

    “We’re doing that as a learning organization,” he said. “We’re sharing our observations with all the other public works directors in the county.”

    Residents have complained the current tide check valves installed on the edge of seawalls in the Don CeSar neighborhood don’t work because they get stuck in the open or closed position. Clarke’s design calls for the device to be installed under the street, in a baffle box cradle, with quick disconnections which allow maintenance workers to easily clean it out. 

    “They’ll be able to lift it up onto the street level and be able to maintenance at waist high,” he said. “We’re taking care of the maintenance, we’re taking care of the marine growth and we’re taking care of the debris situation.”

    Clarke has partnered with the engineering firm Halff and hopes to have the design complete in about six months. Halff project manager Sydney Luzier believes the new design will become popular with other coastal communities.

    “This system allows them to change the check valves out from the convenience of the side of the road,” he said. “Just by hopping out of the truck.”

    Clarke said he hopes to begin installation of the new tide check valves in February. 

    Halff project manager Sydney Luzier believes the new design will become popular with other coastal communities. (Photo provided)

    It can’t come soon enough for water logged residents who have been dealing with sea level rise flooding for years and have grown weary of Clarke’s management. Last month, 40 people sent emails and more than a dozen showed up at a city commission meeting to complain about endless studies and not enough action.

    Clarke said he welcomes being pressed and applauds residents for bringing their concerns to elected leaders.

    “It’s getting to the point where it’s becoming less tolerable or intolerable and the elected officials are listening,” he said. “I am absolutely paying attention and I’m listening too.”

    The public works director said he wants to double his stormwater workers from two to four. He also wants to add more workers in sanitary sewer and street maintenance.

    Clarke said the ultimate solution to the flooding problems is to install pump stations, while at the same time, raising all the seawalls to five feet.

    “We have somewhere around 3,000 privately owned seawalls…  All of the neighbors have to come to the same conclusion pretty much at the same time,” he said. “If we have this parallel effort coming out on the other side of this thing (then) three, four, five years from now we could be looking pretty good.”

    In the meantime, Clarke will be asking the city commission to approve funding the installation of his new tide flex valves, constructing new outfalls, building a temporary seawall at 36th Avenue for protection from 2024 hurricanes and designing a stormwater pump station for the Don CeSar neighborhood.

    “At the year 2100, if the science of the worst case scenario or even the medium case scenario plays out,” he said. “Unless we do something beginning now then three-quarters to 80 percent of the island will be under water.”

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  • Madeira Beach begins $3.8M groin restoration project

    Madeira Beach begins $3.8M groin restoration project

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    MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — Madeira Beach recently started a $3.8 million project to restore most of the groins on the city’s two mile long stretch of beach to preserve the valuable white powdery sand for visitors.

    What You Need To Know

    • Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez said 22 of 37 beach groins need to be restored

    • The groins preserve the city’s two-mile long stretch of beach 

    • The project began on May 6 at 155th Avenue and will work its way south 

    • The beach groin restoration project is expected to be completed by February

    “So, (we’re) making sure that the groins continue to do their job and will keep the sand here,” said Robin Gomez, city manager. “It’ll keep it from being eroded out into the Gulf.”

    Gomez said 22 of the city’s 37 beach groins need to be restored. The last time any work on the groins took place was in 2013. A contractor began the current beach groin improvement project on May 6.

    “The majority of the groins are actually buried under the sand. So, they will be uncovered and the casting will be removed,” said Gomez. “They will pour cement and then cover the cement to clean up and further strengthen the groin.”     

    The beach groins look like a seawall, which extends out into the Gulf of Mexico. The length of each groin is 200 feet, but only the last 50 feet is visible. The groins have been spaced about 300 feet apart.

    The restoration project began at 155th Avenue and will work its way south.

    “The beach will remain open. The parking lots will remain open,” said Gomez. “There will be times where folks will have to walk around the barricades.”

    Beach groins trap and hold the sand in place which preserves the beach. Gomez said the nearly $4 million project, which half the cost is matched by a state grant, will be worth every penny, because the sand draws millions of victors every year to Madeira Beach.  

    “This is our economy. This is what drives the few million people to visit,” he said. “It has driven literally tens of thousands of people to invest.” 

    Gomez pointed out that because of the groins, the city doesn’t need any bed tax money from Pinellas County for beach restoration and it makes the entire beach renourishment simpler.

    “This does make it easier,” he said. “We don’t have to deal with the Army Corps and their requirements.”

    The city has been using beach groins since 1948. Gomez said the Madeira Beach forefathers deserve a lot of credit.

    “Over 70 years ago, several individuals had that idea,” he said. “Let’s see how we can keep the sand and we’re just continuing with that into the future.”

    Gomez said the beach groins have a 15 year lifespan. The contractor will work around sea turtle nests which will be monitored daily by staff from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, according to Gomez.

    “They will mark and identify,” he said. “We provide the contractor the go ahead to begin the work.”

    The beach groin restoration project is expected to wrap up in February.

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  • Don CeSar residents want more flood control action from city

    Don CeSar residents want more flood control action from city

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    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — St. Pete Beach residents who live in the lowest lying neighborhood on the island plan to voice their concerns at a city commission meeting on Tuesday about frequent tidal street flooding which remains unaddressed, according to Don CeSar Property Owners Corporation board member Kathy Garchow. 

    “Our message really is simple,” she said. “We just want to have passable roads on an everyday basis.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Residents plan to voice their concerns at Tuesday’s city commission meeting 

    • Don CeSar Property Owners Corporation board member Kathy Garchow said they want passable roads on an everyday basis

    • FDOT will be replacing backflow preventers at the bottom of the Bayway Bridge

    • Public Works director Mike Clarke said his agency has been actively engaged in a dozen flood mitigation projects

    Garchow said she wants to see fewer studies and more action. Last week, she wrote a letter to city leaders outlining her concerns for the Don CeSar neighborhood which include flex valve maintenance, repairing spillway seawalls and working with the Florida Department of Transportation to address street flooding issues caused by the Bayway Bridge.

    “I have personally experienced severe flooding, with impassable roadways 4 times in the last 8 months… We MUST insist you address our neighborhood immediately,” she stated. “This cannot wait. It is not a luxury to maintain infrastructure and roads, but a basic necessity of living in this city.”

    Other residents plan to write letters and speak out during the public comment section of the city commission meeting, according to Garchow. The DCPOC board member pointed out the city completed a study 4 years ago which called for many of the same flood mitigation ideas which have not yet been fully implemented.

    “We’re in 2024 and there has been no implementation or action plans,” she said. “Turn it into some action plans that we can start implementing in a phased approach based on affordability.”

    Garchow said residents are upset they’re entering into another hurricane season with a leaky spillway which fills the intersection at E. Maritana Dr. and 36th Ave. with seawater during high tide. Resident Roger Steel wrote an email to Public Works Director Mike Clarke about the spillway.

    “Can we have a honest answer of when construction will actually start and what the hold-up really is?” he asked. “We have been waiting for these fixes for many years and there always seems to be something that holds things up and it’s not the budget.”

    Director Clarke responded, stating the design permit was not approved by the State Department of Environmental Protection. Modifications are being done and it will take at least 8 months to go through the state permitting process.  

    “We have absolutely no control over their timelines,” he stated. “Bottom line, we are going through another hurricane season without the wall being replaced.”

    FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson said the agency will be replacing backflow preventers at the bottom of the Bayway Bridge and moving them further inland. Carson said the current backflow preventers have been likely stuck in the open position.

    “The plans are about ready to be implemented for Barcelona and Granada. These streets are lower in elevation than the mean high tide,” she stated. “We have been designing this project with the City of St. Pete Beach. It should start late summer.”  

    Clarke said Public Works has been actively engaged in a dozen flood mitigation projects which he plans to reveal during a District 3 town hall meeting on May 22.

    “We’ll have some graphics and we’ll have some explanations and we’ll have some timelines and we’ll have the total picture,” he said. “Twelve different projects that are actually going on simultaneously and where we are with all of those projects and how they come together to raise the elevation of protection for the entire neighborhood.”

    Clarke said the Don CeSar neighborhood will continue to flood until all of the seawalls have been raised up to 5 feet.

    “Seawalls are the key, getting them up to 5 feet. There’s no way around it,” he said. “Our elected officials have great challenges to face. We’re looking at $100 million. Across the city just to start.”

    The Public Works director said some items the department is working on for the Don CeSar neighborhood include new flex valves, modifying existing structures, building new outfalls, a living shoreline and designing the first storm water pump station.

    “We are actively engaged every single day,” he said. “We are actively building next year’s budget right now. So, the conversation, it’s the perfect time to have it.”

    Clarke did warn the budget is limited.

    “Where are we going to find $50 million for the design of the Don CeSar neighborhood? Well, we’re not going to do that anytime soon,” he said. “So, we have to have this conversation about what are our other options? And that’s where our elected officials and our citizens need to be engaged and work with the city government to try and figure out what those solutions are.”

    Clarke also happens to be a Don CeSar Place resident whose home was flooded by Hurricane Idalia.

    “I got flooded out in August and I am still not back in my house,” he said. “So, I’m engaged.”

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  • Pasco County nurse calls for ceasefire after 2nd trip to Gaza treating injured

    Pasco County nurse calls for ceasefire after 2nd trip to Gaza treating injured

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    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A critical care registered nurse who works at a Wesley Chapel med spa recently got back from her second trip to Gaza where she helped treat wounded patients.

    What You Need To Know

    • Registered critical care nurse Rana Mahmoud returned from Gaza on April 10 

    • It was her second trip this year with the Palestinian American Medical Association 

    • Mahmoud said most of the wounded she treated were women and children 

    • The nurse has called for a ceasefire to protect the lives of the children

    In October 2023, the terrorist group Hamas crossed Gaza’s border and into Israel, killing more than a 1,200 people and kidnapping others. Israel followed with a campaign of air strikes on targets in Gaza, killing both Hamas members and civilians.

    Many civilians in both Israel and Gaza have been caught in the middle of this war.

    “I felt the need to go,” said Rana Mahmoud, 47. “It’s such a humanitarian call.”

    Mahmoud said both of her 14-day trips this year were with the Palestinian American Medical Association. She got back from her last trip on April 10. Mahmoud said because she had been to Gaza before she was the “facilitator” for the group of 11 doctors traveling with her.

    “I was the only nurse with them,” she said. “I feel like all the medical providers should go and help out.” 

    Mahmoud’s heritage is Palestinian, but she has lived in the United States for 37 years. She brought 30 suitcases full of medical supplies with her to Gaza. She said most of the wounded she treated were women and children.

    “Every single night, when we had a mass casualty, there would be children without parents,” she said. “Those are orphans automatically.”

    Mahmoud said she feared for her life the entire time due to the frequent bombing. The nurse said she stayed at a hospital with 15,000 refugees and started a wounded care team.

    “Just trained some nurses there because that’s my specialty in the hospital, is that I’ve done wound care,” she said. “I’m a critical care nurse. So, I trained local nurses there to help to facilitate with wound care in Gaza.”

    After seeing so many injured and orphaned children, Mahmoud said she felt the need to speak out.

    “I just want (a) ceasefire because I want to save these children’s lives,” she said. “When I first started this mission, my whole goal was just to be medical. I’m non-political.”    

    Mahmoud plans to go back to Gaza in June. She wants to support the wounded care team she created.

    “Just seeing all those people being displaced and all of these children getting sick,” she said. “I know that I helped out twice before and I know that I can help out again.”

    Mahmoud wants to return with books and puzzles for the children in Gaza and has started a fundraiser called HEAL Palestine.

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  • Lealman’s Raymond H. Neri Community Park to get $10M in upgrades

    Lealman’s Raymond H. Neri Community Park to get $10M in upgrades

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    LEALMAN, Fla. — The Pinellas County Commission recently approved a plan to spend more than $10 million to improve Raymond H. Neri Community Park in Lealman over the next two years.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Pinellas County commissioners recently approved a $10.2 million project to improve Raymond H. Neri Community Park in Lealman

    • The project includes sports fields, a dog park, trail improvements, restrooms, picnic shelters and playgrounds 

    • Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice said Lealman has been historically underserved when it comes to traditional government services 

    • The groundbreaking has been scheduled for May 21 and the project is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026

    Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice said the project would be an important improvement for the historically underserved community of Lealman.

    “This shows a continued focus on improving the quality of life in Lealman,” Justice said. “We’re spending millions of dollars on infrastructure.”

    On April 9, commissioners approved the $10.2 million project, which includes sports fields, a dog park, trail improvements, restrooms, picnic shelters and playgrounds for Neri Park.

    Justice said the Lealman Community, located in unincorporated Pinellas County, has been lacking when it comes to traditional government services and amenities like a first-class community park.

    “This is an area of high poverty,” he said. “So, a lot of things happening, a lot of focus and things are just getting better every day in Lealman.”

    Resident Laura Simkanich, 69, who lives a few blocks west of Neri Park, was born and raised in Lealman. She said community leaders have been pushing for park upgrades for years.

    “It’s something that’s been wanted for a long time,” she said. “A lot of people have fought for it and whatever money we get will be used wisely.”

    In 2005, the County purchased 38 acres of land and established the park. In 2018, it was officially named after Raymond Neri, a community activist who unofficially called the “Mayor of Lealman” and championed the need for green space.

    Justice asked for the park to be renamed after Neri, who passed away in 2017.

    “He’s the one who kind of discovered the space, came to the county, got first access to it,” said Justice. “We thought it’s appropriate that we honor his memory by naming it after him.”  

    Neri’s widow, Laura, said her late husband would be thrilled to see the county and residents continuing on with his dream. Simkanich said her parents worked with Neri, and she gets emotional when talking about his legacy.

    “I know he’s looking down,” she said. “It took a little time, but it’s ours.”

    Most of the funding for the Lealman park upgrades comes from the federal American Rescue Plant Act with a smaller portion coming from the Penny for Pinellas sales tax and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

    “It’s just an overall positive improvement to the area — something this area needs,” said Simkanich. “I’ve lived here all my life and we’ve never had anything like this, and I welcome the change.”

    The project’s groundbreaking has been scheduled for May 21. It is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026.

    “Really looking forward to when families can have a picnic,” said Justice. “Really make some of those treasured family memories that I remember growing up and going to parks at.”

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  • St. Pete neighborhood advocacy group looks to expand

    St. Pete neighborhood advocacy group looks to expand

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) in St. Petersburg wants to expand its footprint across the city and work to bring south side neighborhoods back into the organization, according to CONA President Aron Bryce.

    What You Need To Know

    • There are more than 110 neighborhoods in St. Petersburg 

    • CONA doubled its paid membership this year to 30

    • CONA has elected its youngest president ever, Aron Bryce, 28 

    • Bryce wants to bring south side neighborhoods back into CONA

    “Moving forward with CONA, I have a vision to truly be a more representative body of the neighborhoods,” he said. “Working towards increasing our overall membership and finding new and creative ways to re-engage with our neighborhoods.”

    Bryce, 28, was elected in January as the youngest CONA president in the group’s history, which was first formed in 1955. It also has a younger and more diverse board than ever before, according to Bryce.

    “This is a new day in St. Pete and it’s a new day in CONA,” he said. “CONA historically was a neighborhood advocacy organization. It was the premier organization in the city that was the voice of the neighborhoods.”

    There are more than 110 neighborhoods in St. Petersburg. Bryce said CONA has already doubled its paid membership from 15 last year to 30 in April. The Campbell Park Neighborhood Association in south St. Pete was the newest member to join after being out for more than a decade, according to President Brian Peret, 43.

    “Amongst the south side, there’s historically been reluctance surrounding CONA and pretty much every establishment in St. Petersburg,” he said. “I understand that historically and I’m sensitive to that. What I ask is that we keep an open mind. The new leadership we have has new ideas.”

    Under Bryce’s leadership, CONA has created a district affairs committee, which mirrors the St. Petersburg City Council districts, and will act as a conduit between the residents and city leaders. Peret said he and Bryce have parallel missions.

    “We both see St. Petersburg as a place that has tremendous potential,” he said. “One of the ways we can really capitalize on that potential is bringing together many of the separate groups to speak as one voice.”

    Bryce said south side neighborhoods left CONA due to racial tension, political and social issues, along with requests for help being ignored. The young CONA president said he plans make amends.

    “My goal as president is to acknowledge the history that’s there, not ignore it,” he said. “To acknowledge it and move forward in a productive way. So, our neighborhoods can heal from the sins of the past.”

    CONA has teamed up with the N-Team to paint a Campbell Park home for volunteer day. The group will also host the inaugural CONA CommUNITY Conference, which is a collaborative event with Justice Over Everything.

    “Participants will have the opportunity to share their perspectives, experiences, and ideas for positive change,” said Bryce. “Through open dialogue and active listening, we aim to foster understanding, empathy, and collaboration across diverse neighborhoods and backgrounds.”

    CONA has been reaching out to the other neighborhoods in St. Petersburg. The West St. Pete CommUNITY Festival is scheduled for Sept. 28 along with a south St. Pete CommUNITY celebration at Lake Vista Park on Nov. 9.

    Bryce said he has made appearances at the Eagle Crest, Azalea, Yacht Club Estates, Campbell Park, Central Oak Park, Westminster Heights and Historic Kenwood neighborhood meetings.

    “I firmly believe that if we work together on issues, we can accomplish anything together,” he said. “So, to that end, I invite all neighborhoods throughout the city to get involved, to reach out to CONA. We want to work with you, we want to support you.”

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  • Safety Harbor family center received $1.4M for expansion project

    Safety Harbor family center received $1.4M for expansion project

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    SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — The Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center has received $1.4 million from Pinellas County and the City of Safety Harbor for a much needed expansion project, according to executive director David Hale.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County and Safety Harbor donated $1.4M for center expansion  

    • Mattie Williams Center needs extra space for food pantry 

    • The need for food more than doubled during the pandemic   

    • The project is expected to be complete by late summer

    “We are so grateful to Pinellas County. They are the largest funder of this project at nearly $1 million,” he said. “This project would not have happened without Janet Hooper. This is her will and vision.”

    Janet Hooper, 73, has been with the center for 16 years and was its longest serving executive director. Hooper volunteered to chair the committee for expansion and said it was her vision two years ago to see the project happen before she retired.

    “I’m ecstatic. I can’t even tell you,” she said. “I almost cried when the county came through with extra funding.”

    Hooper said during the pandemic the need for food more than doubled from 10,000 to 23,000 people, and that number has not come down. Storing all of that extra food in the small facility at 1003 Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. has become overwhelming, according to Hooper.

    “It’s an incredible amount of food that you process through,” she said. “Everybody’s office wasn’t an office anymore. It became this storage area.”

    The 27-year-old center, which has been at its current location since 2000, added a big storage shed to the property during the pandemic but it too filled up quickly, according to Hooper.

    “By the time it was built it was already obsolete, so to speak,” she said. “We needed even more space.”

    County and city leaders gathered at the Mattie Williams Center on Feb. 28 for a groundbreaking ceremony. The project is expected to be complete by late summer and will add 1,545 square-feet of new building, which includes a multi-purpose room that can hold more than 100 people.

    “We are going to make sure this facility grows for the folks who are depending on us,” said Hale. “You can see where our current reception area becomes a much nicer welcome area for folks.”

    The center serves Safety Harbor, Oldsmar and eastern Clearwater. Last year, the center delivered 77,000 pounds of food to approximately 7,660 households where 7,400 kids live. The center also provides family services and utility assistance.

    “We are the lifeline for a lot of people in the community,” said Hooper. “We’re about feeding people, we’re about trying to give people an opportunity and give them hope.”

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  • Clearwater hosts its first mural festival in downtown area

    Clearwater hosts its first mural festival in downtown area

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater hosted the city’s very first art mural festival in the Gateway neighborhood near downtown in March and hopes to make it an annual event.

    What You Need To Know

    • Clearwater hosted its first mural festival in March 2024 

    • It’s called the Art Oasis Mural Festival 

    • A half-dozen businesses participated by donating a wall for the mural festival

    • The city pays artists with $90,000 from the Community Redevelopment Agency fund

    “We really are lacking art in Clearwater,” said Amber Brice, Clearwater Arts and Cultural Affairs Manager. “The easiest way to get a bunch of art in the city at one time is murals.”

    Brice said a half-dozen businesses participated by donating a wall for the Art Oasis Mural Festival. The city is paying the artists with $90,000 from the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency.

    “We wanted to establish the mural festival to where people want this on their building,” said Brice. “It brings people here to take pictures in front of it.”

    The owner of Senor Bubbles, Brenda Baez, 47, agreed to have artist Naomi Haverland paint a mural on her laundry center wall. Baez said it’s a “win-win” for everybody.

    “Supporting the artist… I think we all will benefit from it. Residents, people working around here, tourism,” she said. “I’m really excited about it.”

    Art events can have a big economic impact in the community. In the 2022 fiscal year, Clearwater generated $125.6 million in economic activity surrounding art events, which brought in $24.6 million in taxes, according to an Americans for the Arts study.

    Artist Francisco Gonzalez, 36, who goes by Frankie G., painted a mural on the side of the El Ranchito De Pepe supermarket and said he’s honored to be a part of the inaugural event.

    “To do a wall this size for the first one and also pay homage to my heritage, the heritage here in the area, it’s surreal,” he said. “So, really, to help kind of kick things off, there’s a great artist roster.”

    Gonzalez is half-Cuban and lives in Tampa. He wanted to make sure his mural reflects the Mexican culture and heritage of the people who live in the Gateway neighborhood.

    “We really wanted to bring in a sense of the community to this mural,” he said. “It’s kind of like a cycle of the family heritage and the strength.”

    Gonzalez mural features colors and the snake from the Mexican flag, along with a wolf from the Aztec culture. The artists must finish their murals by March 31, which will be displayed for at least one year.

    The city shared a list of the participating locations and artists in the Art Oasis Mural Fest 2024:

    Business

    Artist

    El Ranchito de Pepe

    Frankie G

    Clear Track Studios

    C. Lueza

    Señor Bubbles                          

    Naomi Haverland

    Señor Subs and Gyros

    Rei Ramirez

    Charlie’s Sushi and Japanese

    Evoca1

    Fraternal Order of the Eagles

    Zulu Painter

    MSB Parking Garage* – South Wall

    Dreamweaver

    Coachman Park Mural Wall – Art in the Park*

    Carlos Pons

    Brice said she hired the same consulting company that puts on the popular Shine Mural Festival in St. Petersburg and hopes to grow the festival in Clearwater.

    “We’re just really excited for the direction Clearwater is headed with art,” she said. “We’re hoping that we have a lot of community buy in after an event like this and more neighborhoods will want to participate in the future.”

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  • Storm severely erodes new $26M beach sand dunes in Pinellas

    Storm severely erodes new $26M beach sand dunes in Pinellas

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    TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — The storm that hit Pinellas County last weekend severely eroded new beach sand dunes which cost more than $26 million to reconstruct after Hurricane Idalia brushed by the coast in August.

    What You Need To Know

    • The new sand dunes were eroded by weekend storms; officials say it appears half of the new dune washed away

    • It was the first time waves directly hit dunes because the beaches have become so narrow  

    • County hopes to salvage what’s left of the sand dunes and only rebuild if necessary

    • Previous story here

    “There’s a little part of me that wanted to cry,” Pinellas Public Works director Kelli Levy said. “I’m not going to lie.”

    For the past few months, the county has been paying for sand to be trucked in from Davenport to rebuild the dune system from the Sand Key area of Clearwater to Pass-a-Grille in St. Pete Beach. Levy said in some areas near Sunset Beach, the dunes were nearly completely washed away.

    “There’s dunes down at the south end of Treasure Island on Sunset Beach that were really hit hard, that area probably more than the other areas,” she said. “The rest of the dunes pretty much from Sunset through Indian Rocks all the way up into Belleair Beach, where visually it appears that they’re about half gone.”

    The county will know exactly how much sand was lost during the storm once surveyors complete their work. Levy said they were hoping the new dunes would last for at least two years because that’s how long it takes to get a federal beach renourishment permit.

    “While it’s sad to see 4 months’ worth of hard work be damaged that way,” she said. “I also am incredibly appreciative that the protection that it provided those residents because without it I think we would’ve seen a lot more damage.”

    Levy said the sand dunes are the only thing standing between the Gulf and homeowners. Still, more than 60 residents in Treasure Island reported flooding, according to Jason Beisel, Treasure Island spokesman.  

    Michelle Gowland, 51, records videos for her YouTube channel, Echoue Bijoux, while collecting shells on Bay area beaches. Gowland said she travels from Bradenton to Sunset Beach at least twice a month to record videos.

    “These are giant Atlantic cockles,” she said. “There’s lots of those washed up here.”

    The sheller said right after a big storm hits is the best time to look and she was sad to see the beach erosion

    “I just saw part of that dune fall… it’s surreal to be out here right now,” she said. “It’s sad to see that all of this work that has just been done is going to have to be done again.”

    Levy said the county hopes to salvage what’s left of the sand dunes and only rebuild if necessary with tourist tax dollars.

    “If we can in some areas just kind of grade it down a little further, grade down the accesses, so people will have access and leave the existing dune in place,” she said. “In areas where it’s completely gone, we may have to bring in more sand.”

    The severely damaged dune system is connected to an ongoing battle between Pinellas County and the Army Corps of Engineers over beach renourishment and the lack of required perpetual easements from all beachfront property owners. Levy said this was the first storm where the waves directly hit the sand dunes because the beaches have become so narrow.

    “We haven’t had storms hit the dune because we’ve always had a significant berm in front of it,” she said. “Well, we don’t have a berm now. So, all we had was the dune.”

    Levy said it’s important people stay off the dunes over the holidays for their safety and to protect the remaining sand.

    “A lot of the access points have a very sharp drop off. If you step too close to the edge, it will collapse on you,” she said. “We don’t want anyone getting hurt. Generally, stay off the dunes that are still there. We do want those areas that did not get damaged, those plants to continue to get established.”

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