11.13.2024

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86º | 10% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 6:50 a.m. | Sunset 5:37 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 1:28 p.m. | Low: 6:51 a.m. + 6:31 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 9:52 a.m. + 9:09 p.m. | Low: 3:19 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

🎁 Grab your gift tags + wrapping paper

A wintry background with snowflakes that reads "TBAYtoday's 2024 Gift Guide."

Embrace the holiday giving season with this guide that’s got something for everyone, including local finds. | Graphic by 6AM City

Season’s greetings, Tampa Bay. Holiday shopping time is upon us — look no further than these 90+ gift ideas, including unique local treasures and the season’s hottest items.

Gifts for young people

Local pick: Chill Bros. Scoop Shop gift card | $5-$100 | Whether they like Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk or Milk and Cookies-flavored scoops, a gift card for a future ice cream run is sure to be a winner.

Spikeball set | $67.99 | A popular yard game they’ll want to play immediately after unwrapping.

Blank Slate game | $24.99 | Get the whole family laughing together during holiday gatherings with this highly-rated word association party game.

Gifts for your significant other

Local pick: Chicken and Grill Korean BBQ gift card | $25+ | Take care of the next date night’s bill — and make it a good one — with a gift card to this local spot.

TheraGun Mini Massage Gun | $199.00 | A compact and travel-sized deep tissue massager that can relieve sore muscles and speed up recovery in between workouts.

Local pick: SOHO Wellness Med Spa gift card | $1+ | The best facial or massage is the one you don’t pay for.

“From the library of” book embosser | $18.99+ | For the partner who loves to read, this personalized gift will add flair to their home library.

Gifts for the proud Tampanian

Local pick: Mike Evans creamsicle jersey | $129.99 | Show some Bucs pride with the throwback uniforms honoring our Hall of Fame-bound star.

Local pick: Monopoly: Tampa Edition | $44.99 | Collect your way to glory with Tampa Bay’s iconic sights, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the Riverwalk, and Gaspar’s pirate ship.

Local pick: “Tampa Bay: The Story of an Estuary and its People” | $17.99 | This popular book tells 2,000 years of our area’s history, and how our waters paved the way.

90+ gifts for everyone on your list

Asked

Who are you shopping for this holiday season?

A. My significant other
B. My kids
C. My parents
D. Friends and neighbors

Show us your giving spirit

Events

Wednesday, Nov. 13

Brides Night Out | 6-8:30 p.m. | White Closet Bridal, Tampa | $10+ | Catch a wedding dress runway show featuring new bridal designs and take home a swag bag — VIP tickets get you a permanent bracelet and a front row seat.

Thursday, Nov. 14

Circuit Class with The LAB Athletics | 5:30 p.m. | Armature Works | Free | Get ready to sweat in this outdoor class combining athletics training with circuit workouts — bring a yoga mat and towel.

Our Bay, Our Future | 6-9 p.m. | Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Petersburg | Free | Local environmental experts discuss the implications of the recent sewage spills and environmental degradation on water quality, public health, and marine life.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Winnipeg Jets | 7 p.m. | Amalie Arena | $34+ | Pack Amalie to watch the Bolts take on the red-hot Winnipeg Jets.

Friday, Nov. 15

Winter Wonder Wharf | 5-9 p.m. | Sparkman Wharf | Free | Prepare to be dazzled as the neighborhood is transformed for the holiday season with a 30-ft tree, DJ, LED drummers, an ice-skating act, and a Rockettes-style performance.

Bert Kreischer & Mike Calta | 7 p.m. | Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater | $63.50+ | Enjoy a well-needed laugh from the TBAY-born comedian’s “Bert Aid” show — all proceeds go to Metropolitan Ministries to aid relief for those affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton.

Saturday, Nov. 16

KPB Gandy Beach Cleanup Monthly Series | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Gandy Beach | Free | Join Keep Pinellas Beautiful to assist with a shoreline and mangrove cleanup — make sure to register.

The Midtown Tampa Craft Festival | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Midtown Tampa | Free entry | Shop for artisan goods, pick up treats, and enjoy public art displays.

“The Subversive Eye: Surrealist & Experimental Photography” | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg | $32 | It’s the opening weekend of the renowned museum’s latest exhibit, featuring 100+ surrealist works created by more than 50 artists.

Calendar events here

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News Notes

Weather

The National Hurricane Center is watching a system that has an 80% chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm, as of Tuesday. Forecasters say the system will likely develop later this week, moving into Caribbean Sea over the weekend and northwestward, by early next week. (Tampa Bay Times)

Sports

Construction began on USF’s long-awaited football stadium late last week. The $340 million facility should be finished for the Bulls to take the field in 2027. What can we expect? The stadium will seat 35,000 fans, and host festivals, concerts, and other games. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Transit

Meet TPA’s new top boss. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority selected Michael Stephens as the new CEO of the international airport. The airport’s current general counsel and executive vice president will shift to his new role at TPA’s helm after longtime CEO Joe Lopano retires in April. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Announced

They can make your hands clap. Indie fave, Fitz and the Tantrums, are booked to headline the 13th annual OnBikes Winter Wonder Ride show. The charity concert — which follows a festive seven-mile bike ride — is booked for Saturday, Dec. 14. Tickets start at $40. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Biz

The Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast and the Boys & Girl Clubs of Tampa Bay are merging. Leaders say once complete, the new club will be one of the largest nonprofit after-school providers in the state. Cutting down on administrative costs will help the nonprofit serve more kids and families across TBAY. (Tampa Bay Times)

Community

So far, Tampa workers have cleared about half of the city’s storm debris. Leaders estimate Helene + Milton left more than 1 million cubic yards of debris on city streets. Officials hope to have it all picked up within a 90-day window. (Tampa Bay Times)

Number

7,000+. That’s how many people are projected to lace up their sneaks at this weekend’s St. Pete Run Fest. And it’s more than just a jog in the park. The weekend’s lineup features the “Good Sweat” Festival and Expo, Rollin’ Oats 10K, Regenexx Half Marathon, and VEG PeliPaws Doggie Dash. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Plan Ahead

It’s okay, we already have the holidays on the brain too. St. Pete Parks & Rec just announced its “Holiday Movies in the Park” series. So far, you can plan to see “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at Huggins-Stengel Field on Saturday, Dec. 7 and “The Grinch” at Vinoy Park on Saturday, Dec. 14. (I Love the Burg)

Sports

Break down the first month of the Bolts’ season, and award potential of some Lightning stars. 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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Shop

Unwrap the season’s best audience exposure with us. Our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide is the perfect place for your product to be seen by 57,655+ potential shoppers looking for gifts. Secure your spot just in time for the season’s festivities.

Sports

What’s next for the Rays?

A drone shot of the overhead of the tattered Tropicana Field roof after Hurricane Milton.

The 100+ mph winds tore up the Trop’s roof.| Photo by City of St. Petersburg

And the price tag comes in at more than $55 million.

That’s how much it will cost to repair Tropicana Field after Hurricane Milton tore off its roof, according to a preliminary estimate. AECOM Hunt and Hennessy Construction evaluated the damage between Oct. 21 and Nov. 8 and found that “the primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof.”

While the damage can be repaired, the Rays will still need to find somewhere to play the 2025 season while the work is done. The report also recommends the city install a temporary roof + install temperature control to prevent any more damage to the Trop.

So far, St. Pete already committed to spending ~$6.5 million on remediation and cleanup work on the facility. St. Pete officials are still waiting to see how much of the cost will covered by insurance.

What’s next? St. Petersburg City Council members will discuss the report at the Thursday, Nov. 21 meeting.

The Buy

A long-sleeve tunic top to wear with leggings — it even has thumb holes.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

What’s your favorite wintery tradition? Mine’s a toss up between picking out a tree and hosting some sort of holiday shindig. Let me know what kinds of events to share in our upcoming plan ahead.

Answered

Yesterday we asked, “What is the most littered item in the world?”

Three men carry an old wood pallet along the road in Tampa, with the Bay in the background. — There’s plenty of rubbish to clean up from our waterways.

Our readers know their trash.

Yes, ~59% of folks correctly guessed cigarette butts. The second highest number of people, ~26%, guessed water bottles — which makes sense, as they’re seemingly everywhere.

Sadly, 9% of our beloved readers guessed wrappers. And a slim 6% of folks guessed straws.

Send us a scoop, question, or feedback

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