08.31.2023

Today’s Forecast

Here’s your post Idalia update, TBAY

Hurricane Idalia aftermath in the Tampa Bay area + reopenings

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The Tampa Riverwalk submerged on Wednesday, Aug. 30. | Photo via the @cityoftampa

The Tampa Bay area was thankfully spared the brunt of Hurricane Idalia, which touched down in Florida’s Big Bend on Wednesday. But, our area did see wind damage, heavy rainfall, and severe flooding (here’s a peek), caused by storm surge and king tides.

Here’s a few updates for your Thursday:

Flooding

County leaders have advised residents to avoid flood waters, as they can contain debris, snakes, and hide exposed power lines. Check Tampa flooding in real time.

Search and rescue efforts are underway in Pinellas County to help those affected by the flooding. St. Pete reported Wednesday afternoon that so far, more than 75 people were rescued from high water.

Was your home flooded? The Tampa Bay Times put together some tips for residents.

IMG_3076 (1).jpg — A flooded street in St. Pete’s Old Northeast neighborhood on Wednesday morning after the storm.
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Photo by @thetbaytoday

Hillsborough + Pinellas County Schools

Both school districts reopen today. Hillsborough will excuse storm-related absences, saying “if any of our students can’t get to school due to damage/flooding at their homes, or roadways that are not passable, we ask you to contact your child’s school in the morning.”

Pinellas will also excuse absences due to weather-related circumstances.

Duke Energy and TECO

Thousands of people lost power during the storm — 23,000 Duke Energy customers reported outages in Pinellas County + 4,000 TECO customers reported outages mostly in the Lutz and Town ‘N County areas, according to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

A reminder: You can report outages with TECO and with Duke online.

Tampa International Airport

TPA began accepting arriving flights yesterday afternoon, and fully reopened at 3 a.m. this morning. The airport experienced some flooding, but that didn’t impact the runways, according to a release.

Leaders say they are expecting a high number of passengers, and urge travelers to arrive at least two hours before their scheduled departure.

Debris pickup

Tampa residents can place any storm debris at their curbside — the storm-related vegetative debris collection will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 5, according to the city. Make sure to either place your limbs, leaves and other debris in bundles, piles or in a container and not a plastic bag.

In St. Pete, residents can place any vegetative debris in your trash can. The city’s brush sites are also open (except for the 1000 62nd Ave. NE location, due to flooding) for those to wish to drop off theirs off. Residents can report downed trees and other storm-related issues to the Citizen Information Center by calling 727-893-7111 or online.

Events

Thursday, Aug. 31

Talent Within: The Dalí Staff Art Show | Thursday, Aug. 31-Monday, Sept. 4 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | The Dalí Museum, 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg | Free | Take in the work from the staff of the legendary museum includingfrom drawing, mixed media, pottery + sculpture.
Pilates in the Park | Thursday, Aug. 31 | 6 p.m. | Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa | Free | Bring your own mat and hand weights for this core-shaking workout courtesy of BODYBAR Pilates studio.
Tampa Tarpons | Thursday, Aug. 31-Sunday, Sept. 3 | Times vary | George M. Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Dr., Tampa | $8 | Watch our New York Yankees-affiliated team take on the St. Lucie Mets.

Friday, Sept. 1

Tampa Bay Theatre Festival | Friday, Sept. 1-Sunday, Sept. 3 | Times vary | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. MacInnes Pl., Tampa | Price varies | Enjoy three days of full-length plays, short plays, and theater events + workshops.

Saturday, Sept. 2

P1 Offshore St. Pete Grand Prix | Saturday, Sept. 2-Sunday, Sept. 3 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | St. Petersburg Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg | Free | Watch as powerboats race on a six-mile course + personal watercraft riders compete on a 1.7-mile course along the St. Pete Pier.

Sunday, Sept. 3

Vintage & Makers Market | Sunday, Sept. 3 | 4-9 p.m. | The Orpheum, 1915 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa | Free | Roam 30+ unique small businesses and vendors including food, drinks, and vintage finds.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Opening

Good news for Hyde Park Village shoppers. Women’s retailer Silvia Tcherassi is moving into the old Wine Exchange location. The Village also announced that Alice + Olivia and Veronica Beard will open up shop soon. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Sports

The final USF stadium approval is on hold. The Florida Board of Governors was scheduled to vote on USF’s $200-million debt issuance package this week, but the meetings were canceled due to Hurricane Idalia. The board said it will meet virtually in the coming weeks. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Development

Make it a venti. A drive-thru Starbucks could be coming to Kenwood. Plans were filed to revamp the vacant Exxon Mobile gas station (located at the corner of 9th Avenue North and 34th Street) into St. Pete’s newest Starbucks location. (St. Pete Rising)

Active

It’s almost running season, TBAY. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Treasure Chests 5K Fun Run is booked for Sunday, Oct. 22. Registration runs $30-$58 and benefits breast cancer research and patient services. (That’s So Tampa)

Transportation

🚆 All aboard

Public transportation updates in the Tampa Bay area

The SunRunner rides off into the sunset through midnight. | Photo by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority

The past month or so has been ablaze with local public transportation news, and it can be hard to keep up.

What’s going on with the TECO Streetcar? Do we have to pay for the SunRunner now? We’re breaking down the latest public transit announcements to keep you on track:

TECO Streetcar | We’re still waiting to see if the TECO Streetcar will remain fee-free. A pending application for funding will influence whether the streetcar begins implementing fares or not.
SunRunner | St. Pete’s currently fare-free SunRunner will begin implementing a $2.25 fare on Sunday, Oct. 1 due to complaints about unhoused riders.
Tampa MetroRapid | Several stops along Metro Rapid’s bus route on Nebraska Avenue recently had seats removed. Transportation advocates are calling for HART to reinstall seats.
Mobility Plan | In case you missed it, Tampa announced a 30-year plan which aims to make the city more bikeable + walkable.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Bailey

From the editor

I’m feeling very grateful that we weren’t hit by the worst of the storm. But I’m heartbroken for my favorite slice of Old Florida, Cedar Key. If you’re looking to give back, consider donating to Florida Disaster Fund.

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