Flooding continues to impact parts of Tampa Bay. | Photo via City of Clearwater
Unfortunately, while Helene and Milton have passed, their impacts remain in Tampa Bay.
We understand that disaster fatigue is affecting many of us, namely through the barrage of stories which emerge each day. To help reduce the constant reminders of both Milton and Helene, we’re here to provide the need-to-know info in one burst.
Standing floodwaters
Parts of Tampa Bay are still inundated with standing water almost two weeks after Milton made landfall. In Hillsborough County, some Seffner + Valrico residents are still dealing with feet of water in places.
The issue? “What we’ve got is a water traffic jam,” said Josh Bellotti, Hillsborough County Public Works engineering and operations director. Officials are working on pumping the water from impacted areas.
Similar issues are impacting counties to the north, including Pasco and Hernando, where the Withlacoochee River has risen to unprecedented levels.
No injuries were reported from either fire.
Photo by St. Pete Fire Rescue
Scrapyard fires
Despite the best efforts of local officials to remove all the debris post-Hurricane Helene, much of the waste was piled into scrapyards across Tampa Bay.
Last week, a fire broke out at a scrap metal yard in St. Pete, and a similar incident occurred in Tampa. Exact causes for the fires have not been revealed.
Collection efforts will continue for months across TBAY, but you don’t have to wait. You could take it to a waste site yourself to help speed the process up.
Tampa water bills
The City of Tampa announced temporary changes to residents’ water bills. The reason? Staff members are unable to read water meters due to Milton-related damage.
Those impacted will be billed based on households’ average daily usage over the past 12 months. Amendments will be made once meters are readable again.
In the meantime, all late fees are being waived, and anyone with questions can contact the City of Tampa Utilities Call Center at 813-274-8811. Phone lines are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Black & White Photography Class | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 5-7 p.m. | Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Tampa | $82 | Join award-winning photographer Scott Bolendz for a crash course in the world of digital black and white photography.
Eddie Izzard: “The Remix: The First 35 Years” | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 8 p.m. | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts | $47+ | Laugh at decades of comedic hits from the storied British comedian + actor.
Thursday, Oct. 24
Skyway Artist Talk: The Sculptures of David Mack | Thursday, Oct. 24 | 6-6:30 p.m. | Tampa Museum of Art | $25 | Hear from featured artist David Mack as he discusses his sculptures and artistic journey.
Ghost Buildings: Places That Haunt St. Pete’s Past | Thursday, Oct. 24 | 6-7 p.m. | University of South Florida Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, St. Petersburg | $10 | “Morbid” Manny Leto shares tales of since vanished St. Pete builds that still haunt our collective imagination.
Weird in St. Pete | Thursday, Oct. 24-Sunday, Nov. 3 | Times vary | FloridaRAMA, St. Petersburg | $40+ | Theater meets immersive art as quirks and mysteries lead the audience on a journey through the Burg.
Friday, Oct. 25
Asian Mega Night Street Food Market & Music Fest | Friday, Oct. 25 | 5-11:30 p.m. | 855 28th St. S., St. Petersburg | Price of purchase | Show up hungry to eat from a host of local vendors + food trucks serve up delectable eats in the Burg — parking is $10.
Sabrina Carpenter | Friday, Oct. 25 | 7 p.m. | Amalie Arena | $263+ | The pop sensation is lighting up the Cigar City stage as her “Short n’ Sweet Tour” comes to TBAY.
The West Tampa Library is no longer an early voting site due to storm damage. Voters can head to the nearby David M. Barksdale Center which has been added as a site as voting continues across TBAY. Get ready for the polls with our handy guide.
Quoted
“The easiest thing is always to stay in the market where the clubs are anchored,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. He was discussing ongoing rumors that the Rays may temporarily leave the Tampa Bay area because of damage to the Trop. (Tampa Bay Times)
Announced
St. Pete’s decades-long New Year’s Eve tradition is not running this year. First Night is canceled for 2024 after 30 years of hosting family-friendly fun in North and South Straub Parks. Officials say they do not have the financial backing to support the $170,000 event. (St. Pete Catalyst)
Cause
Here’s an opportunity to assist in ongoing storm cleanup. Officials are looking for volunteers at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve on Saturday, Oct. 26. Volunteers will rake leaves and clear debris from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Active
EoS Fitness is opening its first St. Pete location, but don’t start stretching yet. The ~40,000-sqft fitness center isn’t expected to open until 2026. The facility will live near the Skyway Marina District, where it will be open 24 hours per day. (St. Pete Rising)
Giveaway
The Venice of the North beckons. Tampa International is giving away two free roundtrip tickets to Amsterdam in honor of the upcoming launch of Delta’s direct routes. Submissions close on Monday, Nov. 4.
Coming Soon
The Dalí Museum is getting a rock and roll makeover. “Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon” is a new multisensory experience combining sights and sounds in the Dalí Dome. It opens Friday, Nov. 1 in honor of the 1973 album. Tickets are on sale. (I Love the Burg)
Watch
Looking for a new hidden gem for a bite? Subs-n-Such has been serving up comforting eats for 40 years near USF, and boasts a ridiculous soda collection.
Listen
Monday night was a bad one for the Bucs. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Number
Five minutes. That’s how quick it is to start advertising with TBAYtoday using our self-service ad portal. Explore your options.
Finance
It’s time to take a break from your high-interest debt. For one of the longest no-interest periods on a balance transfer card experts have seen in a while, check this out.*
Culture
Culture
Things that go bump in the night
Busch Gardens is offering thrills and frights. | Photo via Busch Gardens
Tampa Bay is one of the best places to spend Halloween in the entire country. But don’t take our word for it, WalletHub agrees.
While Helene and Milton already offered scares aplenty this fall, if you want some more, here are few ideas:
Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream runs through Saturday, Nov. 2, offering a seasonal theme park experience without the Orlando-esque pricing. Or the I-4 drive.Tickets start as low as $45.
For some serious frights, Scream-A-Geddon only opens for the scariest time of year, with five haunted houses, actors aplenty walking around, eats and drinks, axe throwing, and zombie paintball.
In Largo, DK Farms & Gardens transforms into Fearville for Halloween. Scares await in the woods, along with other activities like mini golf, a scare zone, and mechanical bull rides.
For more family-friendly fun, there’s also a host of pumpkin patches across TBAY.
The Buy
The Buy
The only thing we love more than a trendy find is a timeless one. Check out these five fall and winter fashion must-haves you’ll be wearing for years to come:
The slight weather dip over the past couple of weeks has been dreamy.
I’m curious, what are your favorite spots to stretch your legs around Tampa Bay? Personally, I’m a fan of a run around downtown Tampa (see the picture I took below) or a dog walk along the Riverwalk.
Let me know so I can switch up my repertoire and I’ll share the best tips in a future newsletter.
