What happened to the shorelines?

• Last August’s storm washed away about five feet of sand from Pinellas County’s 35-mile stretch of beaches.
• Then, December’s winter storm slowed down the restoration process by sweeping away almost half of the renourishment progress at some beaches, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

What was done?

• Trucks brought in sand and workers shaped it into five-ft-high dunes. Leaders hope this will protect the dunes for at least a couple of hurricane seasons.
• Beaches were closed to public while the work was finished.
• The new dunes were planted with vegetation — which will help fortify the sand against future storms.
• As of April 15, Pinellas County has finished restoration efforts in Belleair Beach, Sunset Beach, Upham Beach, Pass-a-Grille, Madeira Beach, Indian Shores, and Indian Rocks Beach.

What’s next?

• In a couple years, the second phase of the project will bring the dunes up to 10 ft, according to the county.
• In the meantime, Pinellas County officials will design + acquire the permits for the next phase.

What I can do to help?

• Pinellas County doles out sea oats to volunteer groups to plant on the beach in late May through July. Reach out via email.
• The Tampa Bay Estuary Program hosts a range of volunteer days aimed at keeping our beaches beautiful and waters clean, including Give-A-Days. Get involved.

• Four by Four 2024 | Friday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | Palladium Theater, 253 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg | $45+ | Jam out to this tribute performance featuring hits from The Beatles, the Bee Gees, and The Beach Boys.

• Innovation Labs: Introduction to Creative Problem Solving | Saturday, April 20 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | The Dalí Museum, 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg | $150+ | Delve into the creative problem-solving process + learn tools and techniques for honing your creativity.
• Mid-Century Driving Tour | Saturday, April 20 | 10-11 a.m. | Coffee Pot Park, 1st St. NE & 31st Ave. NE., St. Petersburg | $20 | Pack up the car with the pals and join the curated Mid-Century Modern Driving Tour past the iconic ‘birdcage’ homes of Pinellas Point to the estates of Snell Isle.
• Ecofest 2023 | Saturday, April 20 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa | Free | Check out live music, browse vendors selling fresh produce and other green living products, and check out alternative health practitioners.
• 30th Annual Pesto Festo Celebration | Saturday, April 20 | 5-8 p.m. | Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, 6942 W. Comanche Ave., Tampa | $5+ | Celebrate the end of the harvest season with live music, tons of pesto-themed dishes, crafts, and a drum circle with fire.

• House of Yoga and Sound Bath Meditation | Sunday, April 21 | 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Lucky Cat Yoga and Wellness Center, 2740 N. Florida Ave., Tampa | $22 | Focus on staying in the moment with this guided moving meditation through yoga postures to a variety of genres of music.
• Lightning Watch Party | Sunday, April 21 | 12:30-5:30 p.m. | Top Shelf Sports Lounge, 401 E. Jackson St., Ste. 101, Tampa | Free | Enjoy drink specials and team spirit as you watch the Lightning’s first playoff game.

• We can hear music... sweet, sweet music. Water Street Tampa’s new music-forward cocktail lounge, Alter Ego, opens today. Take a peek at the moody downtown spot before you hit the town.

• Congratulations are in order. Kahwa just celebrated its 18th anniversary by debuting its new shipping container drive-thru on St. Pete’s Fourth Street. Located at 6601 4th St N., the java joint serves the TBAY spot’s signature coffees, teas, and pastries. (I Love the Burg)

• 100. That’s how many assists the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov picked up this NHL season, making him only the fifth player ever to do so. The Bolts winger hit the milestone during Wednesday night’s win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. (NHL)

• They’re here to stay. A new poll found that 78% of St. Petersburg residents think it’s important to keep the Rays in the Burg for several decades. That percentage increased to 82% among county voters. (St. Pete Catalyst)

• No. 4. That’s where the Tampa Riverwalk ranked in the nation according to USA Today readers. Only parks in Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Louisville bested our beloved 2.6-mile path. (That’s So Tampa)

• Hop on, hop off. The St. Petersburg Museum of History is launching a guided tour exploring Thrill Hill, Roser Park, Old Northeast, Coffee Pot, and Mirror Lake. Plus, there’s plans for tours about Spaniards and Natives of West St. Pete + the Civil Rights Movement. (St. Pete Catalyst)

• Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy just bought an $8.5 million Ballast Point home. In addition to quick access to Bayshore, the 5,000-sqft pad features five bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, and an additional cottage. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

• Relive Nikita Kucherov’s historic moment. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Lightning with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

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