The Gabber: April 13, 2023

Reptile Recovery

By Cameron Healy

G. Gordon McFly Recovers From Cowboy Accident

On the morning of Mar. 30, the City of Gulfport and artist Ray Do-

mingo came to the rescue of G. Gordon McFly’s headphones.

Since the beginning of March, McFly – Domingo’s large gecko sculpture on Gulfport Beach – wore his

headphones lightly perched on his head after a reckless gecko cowboy damaged them.

Finally, he is in recovery. All it took

Gecko continued on page 18

Ray Domingo smiling next to his beloved G. Gordon McFly.

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Shared, Safe Access to Gulfport Waters a Must We

Can All Share the Waterfront

By David Kanter and Shaheen Mamawala

Many people say that you don’t find Gulfport; rather, Gulfport finds you. In our case, one of us (Dave), a third-generation Floridian who found Gulfport as a teenager, stepped away to explore the world, and was called back to home waters. The other (Shaheen), raised in the Midwest and Northeast, was sold on Gulfport’s whimsy, charming Tuesday market, and the feeling of that extra-deep breath you take while strolling Beach Boulevard and remembering, “I actually live here!”

Part of Gulfport finding us meant becoming part of a small welcoming community – of artists, pirates, native Floridians, transplants, and more – who want to live well, create together, and enjoy sunshine. For Dave, who had begun lessons through the 501(c)(3) sailing school TASCA before our 2018 move, it also included boat life and finding a sailing community. That’s why we were initially excited to become members of the Boca Ciega Yacht Club, enticed by its moniker, “Florida’s friendliest sailing club.” While we experienced a kind, welcoming environment in our initial engagement with BCYC as visitors, things quickly shifted after we joined.

Within weeks of becoming members, Dave was threatened by a member of BCYC leadership and told we were not allowed to speak directly with any City officials. The reason? A while before joining, we’d reached out to the city about issues getting a slip for our boat at the Gulfport Municipal Marina.

At Club events, we experienced an environment full of negative commentary and behaviors; this both eroded our hopes for finding community and contrasted significantly with our other early experiences of Gulfport. In spring 2019, we also read in the Club’s 1965 Articles of Incorporation a clause about membership eligibility that

used the language “[a]ny white person of good character, over 18 years of age.”

We recognized that outdated documents could exist – but were also shocked that these Articles were still in use, and insisted on more inclusive language. Six months later, nothing had changed. At that point, we had to vote with our feet and wallets; as individuals of Indian and Jewish heritage and leaders who have spent our careers in social change work, we knew the right decision was to terminate our membership.

We vulnerably share this with the discomfort that accompanies it – and regardless, we do not oppose BCYC staying in our community. Rather, we seek a path that moves us collectively forward into the future and ensures that everyone who seeks access to our beautiful municipal waters can have it, equitably, without having to join a club that doesn’t represent all of Gulfport.

We can all share.

We promptly urge council to consider the following points:

• Safely accessible bathrooms for all are a basic requirement. As marina slip renters (and the parents of a toddler), it’s unacceptable that the nearest bathroom is a 1.5-mile walk down an active road.

• Dinghy storage and boat ramp. Gulfport is a seaside community founded by sailors. Everyone should have access to storing and launching these types of vessels at our marina.

• Shared space for sailing enthusiasts. Multiple formal and informal entities should have a designated space to gather, not just a 501(c)(7) private club.

Let’s continue to build a Gulfport that serves everyone.

David Kanter is a sailor and local marine business owner, and Shaheen Mamawala works as a director at a national nonprofit. They rent a slip at the Gulfport Municipal Marina.

MAMAWALA KANTER FAMILY

"HER TREATMENTS GOT ME BACK ON THE GOLF COURSE."

“I hurt my back playing golf. I went to the chiropractor. I went to the pain institute. I went to the spine institute. Nothing helped. The pain was debilitating, I went six or seven months without playing.”

Chronic pain makes everyday life incredibly difficult It prevents you from participating in activities you once loved and simple daily tasks like grocery shopping become nearly impossible

This was the case with John R. of South Pasadena.

John would go on to explain that on a scale of one to ten his pain was well over a nine every single day Regardless of your age, back pain, whether caused by a sports injury, longstanding arthritis or even specific conditions like scoliosis, can severely impact the quality of your life In short, it stops you from doing the things you love with the people you love and that’s not a great way to live

On top of that, general practitioners, specialists and surgeons are all too eager to prescribe medications whose side effects are often detrimental to your recovery or recommend invasive surgeries that often have less than desirable outcomes.

Fortunately for the people of the St. Petersburg, Dr. Rebecca Gibbons and her team at Achieve Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine have pioneered non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical innovative medical solutions that actually treat your pain!

“My patients are also people who would normally require surgery but would either have a difficult time going under the knife or have simply decided that they would rather explore other options. There is more to healthcare than prescription pills, elimination diets and scalpels,” shares Dr. Gibbons. “By offering several integrative therapies we are able to combat your pain from several angles ensuring the best possible outcome.”

John easily attested to this claim, “I highly recommend her to anybody. I am very thankful that I met Dr. Gibbons and she was able to help me because I can play golf again!”

Each new patient that comes to AAIM receives a comprehensive consultation and then is prescribed a very personalized treatment program that is tailored to their specific needs and goals “While every treatment I perform is based on a framework cultivated from years of education and experience, no two cases are the same and so every person under my care is treated that way," tells Dr. Gibbons.

One of the modern medical solutions Dr. Gibbons offers is O3 Regenerative Therapy™ which uses prolozone, a technique that involves injecting a solution of natural anti-inflammatory medications, vitamins and ozone into degenerated or injured joints, and into areas of pain. It’s with these injections that John found himself back on the green.

"Unlike other solutions to chronic pain, O3 Regenerative Therapy™ corrects the pathology of the problem, allowing the body to heal itself naturally. This is a wonderful alternative to more traditional methods and incredibly safe and highly successful.”

Dr. Gibbons and the team at AAIM are using O3 Regenerative Therapy™ to treat a myriad of chronic pain issues including neck pain, arthritis, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, chronic injuries and so much more!

To schedule a consultation and evaluation call (727) 272-3587 or learn more at WWW.ACHIEVEACUIM.COM

Local First Responders Honored for Lifesaving Work

Bayfront Recognizes Gulfport, South Pasadena Fire & Police

By Monroe Roark

Bayfront Health officials traveled to Gulfport March 31 to see local emergency personnel recognized for their role in delivering a man from the brink of death.

They presented the Phoenix Award to three members of Gulfport Fire and Rescue, one Gulfport Police Department officer, two members of the South Pasadena Fire Department, and two crew members from Sunstar. It is the first time Bayfront has given out the award.

The impromptu morning ceremony outside the fire station in Gulfport was inspired by a Jan. 21 emergency in which the first responders’ quick response prevented a tragic ending. Bayfront patient care administrator Elizabeth Lavelle recounted the story of the incident:

Martin Fischer, who lives in Gulfport six months of the year, awoke around midnight with chest pains. He took some aspirin and went back to bed, only to awake the next morning with more pain. He collapsed in front of his wife, who began CPR and called 911.

Detective Christopher Priest of the Gulfport Police Department arrived first on the scene. He maintained CPR until the others arrived – Lt. Erick Fuchs and firefighter-paramedics Michael Barber and Sean Oldenburg from Gulfport; firefighter-paramedics Nick Moerch and Matt

Wilson from South Pasadena; and Sunstar paramedic Brad Rednour and EMT Cassandra Augustin.

This team achieved ROSC, which Lavelle identified as “return to spontaneous circulation.” They transported him to Bayfront in record time and took him directly to the cardiac cath lab for treatment. First responders on the scene recognized that Fischer had suffered a massive heart attack and notified the hospital prior to his arrival, Lavelle said.

Doctors gave Fischer a three-vessel stent. Lavelle said he did very well and was discharged six days later. He sent a letter with a card to Bayfront’s chief nursing officer in late March. It contained a photograph taken out his back window showing a group of deer in his backyard.

“This is how grateful I am,” he wrote. “It is a sight that I never thought I’d see again, and now I still get to wake up to it every single morning.”

Fischer missed the award presentation because he is back in Tennessee, where he lives six months out of the year.

“I’m sure, upon his return this coming snowbird season, he will be stopping by to see everyone,” said Lavelle.

Phoenix Award winners from Gulfport include Lt. Erick Fuchs and firefighter-paramedics Michael Barber and Sean Oldenburg, plus Detective Christopher Priest (who was on vacation when the award was presented: Josh Stone accepted it for him).

MONROE ROARK

Charter Amendment Confusion Mad Beach Attorney Wrote Ballot Language He May Not Have Understood

By Lisa Leveroni

How many of us have stood in the voting booth checking our notes to remember how we planned to vote on a ballot question or proposed amendment? Many of us switched to a mail-in ballot to make certain of our voting choices in the comfort of our own living rooms.

Some Floridians may remember ballot language that asked if we were in favor of taller buildings or bullet trains, only to discover after that vote, another would follow to allow for budget changes or inaccurate language. On the second time around, voters had to vote “no” in favor of something and “yes” against it. Confused?

Madeira Beach voters faced these same kinds of questions at the March 14 elections. Of the two ballot questions, the second raised some controversy. Charter Amendment Two asked: “This charter amendment would amend Section 5.5 of the charter to provide the Board of Commissioners with the option to delegate to a contractor or firm to perform the services of the Director of Finance and City Treasurer. Should the charter be amended?”

Voters told the Board of Commissioners no, 537-427.

That vote means the City of Madeira Beach should not change its practices as stated in the charter. However, the City of Madeira Beach already employs an outside firm to handle the finance duties. The BOC

asked interim city attorney Trask what it should do, and Trask replied, “nothing.”

In a workshop meeting of the BOC on March 22, resident Bill Howell challenged this.

“What do you think the people just voted for? We don’t want a contractor in that job,” Howell said. The new mayor tried to clarify with his board of commissioners what they thought the amendment vote actually meant. He then asked Trask for guidance.

“The voters voted this amendment down. Does this mean they want a full-time employee in this position?” Rostek asked Trask, who did not answer. City Manager Robin Gomez did answer, though, say-

ing, “Yes, that can be inferred.” Staff estimates the City will pay between $125,000 and $160,000 for a staff finance director, as opposed to the $90,000 it currently pays a contractor.

According to the Madeira Beach City Clerk, Trask wrote the ballot language for Charter Amendment Two.

The Gabber Newspaper spoke to Rostek. He reiterated that he thought the voting results represented the will of the people and that if voters wanted a full-time employee as finance director, the BOC should comply.

“It may cost more money,” Rostek said, “but the voters should get what they want.”

In Madeira Beach, Charter Amendment Two caused a bit of a kerfuffle on the commission. Madeira Beach will get a full-time finance director, but the man who wrote the ballot language didn’t seem to know that’s what a “no” vote meant.

MONROE ROARK

Barber Named Firefighter of the Year

Gulfport Nominee for Annual Elks Lodge Event

By Monroe Roark

A member of Gulfport’s public safety team was honored recently by a local civic club for his service.

St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 hosted its annual Law and Order Night the last week of February, recognizing police and fire department professionals from several local cities. At that event, the Elks named firefighter-paramedic Michael Barber “Firefighter of the Year” for Gulfport.

His shift commander Lt. Erick Fuchs nominated him. In a recent interview with The Gabber Newspaper, Gulfport Fire and Rescue Chief Rene Fernandez said he directed Fuchs to nominate someone from the C shift. Fuchs works closely with the first responders in that group.

Introducing Barber at the event, Fuchs listed many of Barber’s career accomplishments during his seven years with the department. He has become certified as a pump operator, fire officer, fire instructor, fire inspector, paramedic and EMT preceptor, and AHA CPR instructor.

“Mike is a cleared driver-engineer, acting lieutenant, Marine Unit operator and deckhand,” said Fuchs. He added that Barber works as part of the vehicle inspection committee and has taken the initiative to apply for several grants for the department. “He is a real go-getter.”

Before joining the team in Gulfport in 2016, Barber worked briefly for Pinellas County in ambulance service. He also worked with Sunstar. He has a total of 11 years in public safety.

This was the first time Gulfport Fire and Rescue participated in the Elks Lodge event in nearly a decade, Fernandez said. The Elks recognized four firefighters at this year’s event. The other three firefighters work in St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, and Lealman.

Barber said he knew he would get the award before the event, although he was surprised when he first learned his supervisors planned to nominate him.

Fernandez was intentional with his plan to let Fuchs nominate a

member of his shift.

“Since I’m more behind the scenes now, I let the officer who is on the road with those guys on that shift pick a candidate from that shift,” he said. “Next year I’ll rotate it to the A or B shift.”

Michael Barber, the newly named “Firefighter of the Year,” surrounded by family and friends at Law and Order Night. Also pictured: Chief Rene Fernandez, Deputy Chief James Lundh, and Lt. Erick Fuchs.

MICHAEL BARBER

Gulfport Council Conducts Annual Review of Rules and Policies

Slight Change Ahead for Public Comment

By Monroe Roark

Future Gulfport City Council meetings should look slightly different from how they have been conducted of late.

Council reviewed its rules and policies, as is done at this time every year, at its March 21 meeting. One topic discussed in depth

involved how the council handles public comment on specific agenda items. Council members also addressed how they should keep each other informed about outside meetings where they represent Gulfport.

Section 307 (b) of the city’s charter mandates the council to determine its own rules and order of business. Each year the members review the current rules and policies. Then they provide staff with any amendments for an annual resolution. This will get presented at the April 18 meeting.

Mayor Sam Henderson asked the council members individually to share whatever changes they wanted to see made. Council member April Thanos (Ward I) began with an item she had shared several times at previous meetings.

Thanos routinely reports on

Gulfport City Council rules and policies get reviewed every year.

CATHY SALUSTRI

whatever meetings and workshops at the regional or state level she attended in the past two weeks. She also tells the council what she learned. She has repeatedly asked other council members to do the same.

“I go to the Suncoast League of Cities now [as the council’s representative],” she said. “If I don’t tell you what’s going on, you’ll never know because you weren’t there and we can’t both go.”

Thanos shared copies of a recent Largo City Council agenda, noting that it is standard practice for members of that body to report on outside meetings. She pointed out that if everyone followed this pattern, “everyone can learn what they learn when they go to whatever meetings they go to. I would really like to do this because if any of you go to a meeting, I want to know what you learned so I can learn. I’m happy to always share what I’ve learned with you.”

She asked that the council hear from the Senior Center Advisory Committee and Teen Council from time to time.

“We don’t hear anything from them so we don’t know what they’re talking about or what they’d like to see from us,” she said.

City Manager Jim O’Reilly said later in the meeting that the Teen Council no longer falls under the council’s purview. It currently operates as a Recreation Department program. He said he would ask if they would like to come in quarterly and brief the council . He will also extend an invitation to the senior advisory members, still council appointees.

Council member Christine Brown (Ward II) said she is satisfied with the rules and policies as they are now. Vice Mayor Paul Ray (Ward (III) said he had only one change request, and it pertains to how public comment is solicited for specific agenda items.

Council hears general public comments unrelated to the agenda at the beginning of each meeting. City Clerk Lesley DeMuth said that for an individual agenda item, the council’s stated order is a motion,

a second, council debate, public comment, and a call for the vote.

“We don’t really adhere to that,” said Ray, noting that public comment has been coming before council discussion. He added that a number of residents have made it clear that they prefer to give their opinions after the council discussion.  “We’ve heard enough people say it gives them the idea of where we stand, and they can give feedback.”

“Let’s do it. That’s fine with me,” said Henderson. “I don’t really care which side it’s on.”

As far as not using the proper order at recent meetings, Henderson took responsibility.

“That’s on me,” he said. “We’ve switched it so many times. I’ll take the blame on that.”

Council member Ian O’Hara (Ward IV), taking part in his first official meeting since his election, said he favors the idea brought forth by Thanos regarding council members giving reports from outside meetings.

Brown said the agenda covers this  during the council comments portion of the agenda. Thanos countered that she never hears reports from anyone else.

“When I go to a conference, I go to at least four or five different workshops. I’ll make a report on every workshop I go to,” she said. “Sometimes you may think everybody al-

ready knows about it, and sometimes there is a lot of new stuff. It just depends on what the topic is and how new the information is.”

Thanos added that she has no problem with continuing to do this as part of regular council comments as long as it is done.

“I don’t know if you can force another member to do something, but it hopefully promotes the conversation,” said O’Reilly.

Henderson tied all of these issues together. He expressed his desire to “get squared away and do things by the book” during council meetings.

“When we have city manager and city attorney reports; I’d like us to stop jumping in during the middle of those. Let them complete their reports. Any specific questions can be addressed at that time as opposed to topic by topic during a report,” said Henderson. “First of all, it’s disrespectful to those folks trying to give their reports. I’d prefer to see them finish it as they present it and then we can ask a question if we need to.”

Along those lines, Ray added that the council should pay attention to the speaking order.

Henderson agreed.

“Sometimes those things are because of me dropping the ball and sometimes it is people interrupting,” he said. “We can all do a little better, I think.”

Ron Jeremy: One Tampa Bay Woman's Story

The #1 porn star is a serial rapist. No one told the new girls.

April 21 – 7 p.m. (6:30 doors)

$10 admission Reservations Highly Suggested. Talk, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Jenny Brown, an unguarded exotic dancer in Beaverton, Oregon, seeks financial legitimacy for her and her family through higher channels of adult entertainment. In December, 1997, she meets porn star Ron Jeremy in a strip club and he o ers to introduce her to contacts in Los Angeles. She flies down for a modeling shoot for Hustler Magazine, and Ron rapes her.

Shakeup at Gulfport Police Chief Vincent Changes Top Command Roles

By Mike Sunnucks

Officers in the Gulfport Police Department have recently seen a change in what their commanders do as part of their daily jobs. Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent has reorganized the municipal law enforcement agency, shifting commanding officers duties, and changing some responsibilities.

Commanders Mary Farrand and Joshua Stone have new responsibilities under the changes. The pair essentially swapped roles under Vincent’s reorganization.

Gulfport Commander

Joshua Stone

Stone, who started with GPD in 2001, takes over as operations commander for Farrand. He has

some priorities in his new post with Gulfport and other Pinellas County departments seeing frequent car break-ins and thefts.

“Right now, there are three distinct problems we would like to solve: Reduce the frequency of auto thefts in our city, reduce the frequency of vehicle burglaries, and we want to try and reduce the number of traffic crashes on Gulfport Boulevard. These are some immediate issues that we need to focus on,” Stone told The Gabber Newspaper

Stone said his new post will put him in contact with the public more than his previous community resources command post did.

“In my former role, I was responsible for the review of policy, the

coordination of training, the investigation of internal affairs investigations assigned to me, the supervision of school resource officers, and overseeing our efforts related to neighborhood watch. Oh, and I was the accreditation manager for our accreditation process through the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. There was a lot of paper involved, but not as much ‘people’ interaction, truth be told,” Stone said.

“In my new role, there is far more person-on-person interaction with our staff, and citizens. I need to make sure our folks have what they need, and the support they need to fulfill our mission. Commander Farrand did this well. I hope I can do as well as she did in this role.”

Commander Joshua Stone now has more public-facing interaction.

GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Commander Mary Farrand will run the newly named professional standards division.

GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT

Gulfport Commander Mary Farrand

Farrand moves from operations commander to the newly named professional standards division, taking over many of the duties previously held by Stone.

“My current assignment is coordinating in-service and specialized training, policy review and development, internal affairs investigations, and accreditation,” Farrand told The Gabber Newspaper

She’s been with the Gulfport police force since 2001. Chief Vincent promoted both Farrand and Stone to commander status in 2012.

About the Changes in Command

GPD has 33 sworn officer positions, with seven current openings.

Vincent’s changes also move GPD Detective Christopher Priest to the criminal investigative section. He will report to Sergeant Thomas Woodman in that role, according to the reorganization order.

School resource officers (SROs) stationed at Boca Ciega High School and other schools now report to GPD’s special operations unit, led by Sergeant Rob Burkhart.

The department will work to free up time for Burkhart to work with SROs.

Vincent told The Gabber News-

paper that the change will help get “a fresh look” at the department’s operations.

“Both commanders have broad expertise, education, and qualifications, but they naturally have different perspectives,” Vincent said. “This change will allow for new ideas in both operations and accountability while making sure the commanders stay up to date and completely familiar with the full spectrum of running a police department. After all, either of them needs to be ready to take over in the event something happens to me.”

The changes also remove Farrand from any daily oversight of officers and other “operational personnel.”

“I also changed the structure to eliminate any day-to-day oversight of operational personnel by the professional standards commander. This is important because this is the person responsible for audits and internal investigations, and this type of structure eliminates any potential conflict of interest that may be perceived as a result,” Vincent said.

The chief — who has been at GPD’s helm since 2010 — said he wants to rotate responsibilities on a regular basis.

“This rotation of responsibilities,” he said, “is something I think should occur more frequently moving forward.”

Future Artists in the Making

Plein-Air Painting at ArtWalk

By Cameron Healy

On April 7, the Gulfport Merchants Chamber and Ray Domingo set up plein-air painting for kids at the First Friday ArtWalk.

With a large variety of colored pencils, crayons, and markers, young artists recreated their view of Gulfport’s giant gecko statue, G. Gordon McFly.

Plein-air painting refers to the act of painting or drawing outdoor landscapes subjective to the artist’s view.

Ray Domingo and young Gulfort artists plein-air painting McFly.

RAY DOMINGO

McFly is the muse for this plein-air painting session.

RAY DOMINGO

Happy faces after drawing McFly and face paintings!

RAY DOMINGO

city whys

Jazz Festivals and Boat Races

Question: Can you tell me if the jazz festival or the boat races at the beach will ever resume?

–Thomas Hetherington

Answer: We asked the City of Gulfport’s Cultural Facilities Events Supervisor, Justin Shea.

“The city has not been approached by any promoters or citybased organizations to conduct a jazz festival or boat race,” Shea said. “The most recent blues music festival was the SO49 Tangerine Bluesfest in Fiscal Year 2020 prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. This annual event took place at Trolley Market Square and was organized by the 49th Street South Business Association, a city-based non-profit organization. In addition, the ProSisters Radio, Inc. Gulfport Pride, Peace, & Love Festival Festival just took place at the Historic Gulfport Casino Ball-

room on Mar. 12. This event featured nine of Gulfport’s own home-grown bands on a temporary stage on the Casino Pad. Both of these events were free to attend, family friendly, and open to everyone. There are no plans for the Grand Prix Boat Race to return to the Municipal Beach in Downtown Gulfport.”

Your City Questions, Answered

Do you have a question about something in your community? Send it to The Gabber Newspaper, and we’ll do our best to get you the answer. Email your questions to news@thegabber.com or drop them off at our office (2908-B Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport – right across from Stella’s). If you don’t want us to use your name in the newspaper, let us know when you submit your question. We edit the questions for clarity, syntax, and

grammar, so the question you read may differ slightly from what someone submitted. The Gabber Newspaper will not alter the intent of the question.

ProjectFree is celebrating its 10th anniversary and unveiling opportunities for our adults to find gainful ,meaningful employment.

Gulfport nonprofit ProjectFree is fundraising to open a first adult training restaurant and providing hands-on training in restaurant careers, including a management training program.

Please Support this endeavor. It creates numerous jobs in both the community and for adults with diverse abilities.

ProjectFree is growing. Many Thanks to the support from the community over the last 10 years.

For all details on ProjectFREE Programs and Gulfport Pasta visit myprojectfree.org or email projectfree@gmail.com. If

Bands, Birds, and Singers What’s on Gulfport Minds

By Chris Shablak

“We will be releasing 66 cormorants alone today, most of which had red tide issues. Apparently, they didn’t get the memo like the pelicans.” –Dave Boulay, a Seaside Seabird Sanctuary volunteer, talking about the birds they rescued

“We all pitched in to take every bird out of here before hurricane Ian blew through.” –Mikey Bevacqua, a three-year volunteer at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, talking about the work and passion

“We are banding these pelicans to track them and learn.” –Jeff Liechty, with Audubon Florida, as he measures, records, and bands the legs of the rescued pelicans

“It’s Spring Equinox and the Pink Moon is out.” –Leah MacIsaac, watching from the pier, as the giant pink ball slowly creeps up over the horizon

“The new Thursday night showcases local performers’ original music and is a really special calm night.” –Singer/songwriter Ben Rodgers seconds before he walked onto the Taphouse stage

–Morgan Miller explaining how the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary works to save our Tampa Bay seabirds

Parking Meters in

Grand Central District?

St. Pete Officials, Business Owners Looking Into It

By Monroe Roark

Discussions are underway between St. Petersburg officials and local stakeholders regarding the possible addition of parking meters in the Grand Central District.

Grand Central District officials say they hope to improve the availability of parking spaces in the area. The District is currently circulating a survey intended to gather feedback.

The proposal under consideration calls for the city to commit to completing a streetscape and safety project in the district,. This project carries and estimated $1 million cost, covered by parking revenue. That funding would also provide immediate revenue to pay for improved, shortened crosswalks throughout the district and curbing vacated driveways to add more parking and other traffic improvements.

An association spokesperson pointed out that meters increase vehicle turnover and provide more availability for customers who expect a close place to park for shortterm and mid-term stays in the district. The organization maintains that meters encourage employees and others with long-term parking

needs to park on side streets and other locations off the main street, which means every space on Central Avenue serves more people on average per day.

Meters would operate seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight.

Drivers will pay the same to park as they do downtown: $1 for each of the first three hours with $2 for the fourth hour, $4 for the fifth hour and $8 for the sixth hour. The District would use ParkMobile, which drivers can manage on a smartphone app or by inserting coins.

The city’s policy allows one loading zone space per block per side of the street. Locations for those

have not yet been determined.

Part of the full-scale streetscape project proposes to close abandoned driveways. This would create additional parking for those who do it correctly.

Grand Central will also host this year’s St. Pete Pride Kickoff Block Party, scheduled for June 2. St. Pete Pride will close the 2200 and 2300 blocks for five hours to celebrate the start of Pride Month.

An annual street festival happens Sunday, June 25, and the proposed location this year runs from 28th Street to 20th Street along Central Avenue.

For more about events and news in the Grand Central District, visit grandcentraldistrict.org.

Will St. Petersburg install parking meters in Grand Central?

JOEY NEILL

City of Poets

Celebrate National Poetry Month in St. Pete

By Amanda Hagood

April is National Poetry Month. This year, St. Petersburg is celebrating as never before with a monthlong City of Writers Poetry Festival, organized by its poet laureate, Gloria Muñoz.

“It’s a poetry takeover of the entire city!” said Muñoz, who was appointed in 2022. And she’s not kidding: with fourteen events co-organized with more than 20 community partners, there’s something for everyone at the City of Writers festival. “I wanted to focus on access and creating programs that include a lot more voices, featuring poetry in an experiential way,” she said.

Poetry is for Everyone

The festival’s opening event, a reading with National Book Award-winning poet Ross Gay April 1, set the tone for the month to come. On the beautiful spring evening, the courtyard at Tombolo books filled to standing-room only as a Youth Ambassador from St. Pete Youth Farm opened with a poem he had written in a workshop earlier that week. Then Gay – “a gracious, illuminating writer and being,” as Muñoz described him – engaged the crowd with his work on joy, energy, plants, struggle, and loss. Even better, someone thought to bring mulberries (a tribute to Gay’s memorable poem, “To the Mulberry Tree”).

Likewise, other festival events look to bring the whole city into the transformative work of making and enjoying poetry. The calendar includes readings, writing workshops, open mics, book releases, and poetry hangouts, all featuring local poets and writing-oriented organizations.

Muñoz is particularly excited about the Youth Poetry Showcase scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 21 at Studio@620. Teen and tween poets are invited to bring one to three

poems to share at this free event. Attendees will have the chance to donate to Cultured Books Literacy Foundation, Inc. and the Barbershop Book Club, two local organizations that support literacy among BIPOC youth.

that promotes women in film, and writes music with her partner, Mark Feinman, as part of their company Moonlit Música. She also loves being outside, especially in the company of her 3-year-old daughter, Luna, who currently enjoys making various “plant soups” out of the things they find together.

For Muñoz this work is more than professional – it’s also deeply personal. She is the city’s first Latina poet laureate: “An honor,” she says, “as well as a responsibility.”

“Like a lot of my first-generation friends and immigrant children,” she said, “I feel the need to outdo, to over-perform.”

Muñoz, whose family is Colombian, explores some of these nuances of the American dream for Latinx people in her bilingual poetry collection Danzirly, which won both the Academy of American Poets Ambroggio Prize and a Gold Medal Florida Book Award.

When she’s not busy writing, she teaches, helps run a nonprofit

A City of Writers

Ultimately, Muñoz hopes the partnerships she’s building through the City of Writers festival will last long after April has come and gone. She would like to see St. Pete become a city that celebrates not just the visual arts, but its rich literary culture as well.

After all, she says, poetry is an essential part of the human experience. Even if we don’t commit it to the page, she explains, “We sometimes speak in iambic pentameter. Our breaths area like line breaks. And we make metaphors all the time! Everyone is a poet in some way.”

St. Pete’s Poet Laureate

St. Pete Poet Laureate Gloria Muñoz (right) interviews National Book Award winning poet, Ross Gay at the opening event of the City of Writers Festival April 1, 2023.

CARLA BRISTOL

Everyone is a poet in some way

Back to Reality

VR Therapy, Soldiers, and Live Theater in Sarasota

By David Warner

As tough as it is to go to war, it’s even harder to come back.

That may seem a truism, given all that we’ve heard or seen about the struggles of returning combat vets. But that struggle is rarely conveyed as viscerally as it is in Backwards Forwards Back , a one-person play currently receiving its world premiere in a riveting production at Sarasota’s Urbanite Theatre.

Jacqueline Goldfinger’s protagonist gets identified simply as “The Soldier.” His memories of war have intruded dangerously into his everyday life, and he has been forced to begin Visual Reality therapy.

“I’m learning to live in the real world,” he explains, “by interacting with a fake one.”

But he’s none too happy about it. He doesn’t want to go back to the field of battle, though that’s where the virtual treatment takes him at first. And he’s plagued by the sense that he’s a failure, one who wasn’t strong enough to conquer his demons with pills or talk therapy.

But he knows this is his last resort. Because if it doesn’t work, he can’t go back to his family. (VR therapy, by the way, is not science fiction; it’s a decades-old technique now in common use.)

Urbanite’s intimate space is ideally suited to Goldfinger’s play. Jeff Weber’s set — described simply in the script as a “VR Therapy Studio” — is austere, with one beige armchair at center stage where The Soldier sits when he dons his VR headset. Behind him, a white oval serves as a screen, showing us what the Soldier sees during his therapy sessions — a desert, a burning building, a bucolic park — so that we’re right with him as he confronts his fears.

But it’s not just the screen that helps accomplish this. Director Brendan Ragan, a past master of one-man shows, gets aided here by Sean Ragan’s evocative soundscape, Lyndell McDonald’s pinpoint

lighting, Kristy Iris’s apt costume choices and, above all, by the bravura performance of L. James as the Soldier.

Goldfinger stipulates in her script that The Soldier can be played by an actor of any race or gender identity. James (he/him, Black) served in the US Army. He also has an MFA from FSU/ Asolo Conservatory, and his performance reflects the rigorous training he received at both. He fully embodies a drill sergeant (“the biggest mouth in the army”);  the Soldier’s brusque sister; his sweet, frightened niece; his no-nonsense therapist; and every aspect of The Soldier’s divided self, whether he’s reliving the terrifying death of a comrade, losing control at a Fourth of July celebration, or braving his re-entry into the real world.

Toward the end of the play, the Soldier describes the process of recovery as “a tango of the will” — the dance of Backwards Forwards Back evoked in the title. Goldfinger’s play serves as a wrenching reminder that for most (if not all) combat veterans, war is never over. But it also contains a message of hope — that there can be a way back from trauma, and, as the Soldier can finally concede, it’s “a dance worth doing.”

Backwards Forwards Back Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St., Sarasota. Through Apr. 30: Wed.-Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sat.Sun., 2 p.m. $5-$41. Post-show talkbacks on Thursdays with the cast and CEO of Operation Warrior Resolution. Run time: 65 minutes, no intermission. 941-321-1397; urbanitetheatre.com

Recovery is “a tango of the will,” says The Soldier.

DYLAN JON WADE COX

“I’m learning to live in the real world,” he explains, “by interacting with a fake one.”

Gecko continued from cover

was a little bit of big gap-filler, tape, and two or three people on ladders to do the trick – for now. As far as future protection for the sculpture, the artist has his opinions.

“To the talk about fencing, I’m dead against that,” Domingo said.

Domingo also believes the caution sign about five feet to the left does not stop anything. He hopes for better signage soon to stop the climbing and allow McFly to skate on for years.

Arts Center Donation

The late Larry Enlow commissioned this work from Ray Domingo, and when Domingo found himself in possession of it after Enlow died from COVID, he approached the Gulfport Historical Society (who runs the Gulfport Arts Center) and said he wished to donate the work to the Center.

Thanks to Gulfport employee Erik Nelson, this reptilian art now welcomes people to the Gulfport Arts Center. Domingo has plans to add a “Gulfport Arts Center” sign to the top of the work.

Big gap filler and tape from Home Depot seemed to be the solution for McFly’s headphones.

Must-Try Dishes on the Beach

The Gabber Tastes Boulevard Burgers’ Best Eats

By Cameron Healy

Want to know the best places to eat at along St. Pete Beach? We have you covered. The Gabber staff recently took a lunch trip to Boulevard Burgers & Tap House to taste some of its “must try dishes.”

The St. Pete Beach restaurant highlighted its top five appetizers, burgers, and entrées to try this spring. With only four people, each of us tested four from their top five.

This “must-try” list features an appetizer of sautéed mussels, New England- or Connecticut-style lobster roll, the “Boulevard Shrimp” dinner entrée, the “Haystack” burger, and “The Ghost Rider” burger.

The Gabber’s Patrick Graney ordered the mussels. This appetizer prepares sautéed mussels with “white wine, garlic, butter tomatoes, and capers” and includes four slices of toasted Cuban bread.

“The mussels weren’t over-garlicked, and the toast wasn’t over-buttered,” Graney said. “It was overall a delicious meal and fantastic service.”

Although the “Boulevard Shrimp” is exclusively for dinner, reporter Monroe Roark took one for the team to try it out. This dish includes eight large, grilled shrimp over garlic cream sauced linguini served with

four slices of Cuban bread and a side salad.

Roark’s meal was very filling. The portion was large enough that he took much of it home and shared it with his wife. He said she loved it as well.

Joey Neill and I tasted the two best burgers the menu offers.

Neill is a spicy guy, which led him to “The Ghost Rider” burger – so called because, in addition to cheddar cheese and barbecue pulled pork on a medium-sized patty, this burger features a spicy ghost pepper aioli – with a side of tater tots.

Other side options include fries, coleslaw, chili cheese fries, sweet

potato fries, garden salad, and onion rings.

After mowing down that large burger, Neill declared his patty masterpiece to have the “perfect amount of heat.”

“[The ghost pepper aioli] was not overpowering,” Neill said. “Excellent portions, I’m overly full. The pulled pork was really tasty.”

I tried the restaurant’s “Haystack” burger. This dish involves a patty with “American cheese, applewood bacon, and crispy onion straws” on top and – because vegetables are also important – a piece of lettuce below. I chose the restaurant’s freshly cut fries as my side.

I’m a big fan of onion rings on my burgers, so this was quite yummy, but a little barbecue sauce would have made it even better. With all the meat and fried rings, the lettuce actually did make the burger feel lighter.

Although our team didn’t try all five “must-try” meals, our four dishes were delicious. Check out more options as well as the two kinds of lobster rolls Boulevard Burgers has to offer next time you’re on St. Pete Beach.

Boulevard Burgers & Tap House, 5905 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. 727201-4906, blvdburgers.com

Boulevard Burgers has five must-try dishes including “The Ghost Rider” burger.

CAMERON HEALY

the gabs

What is Your Favorite Taylor Swift Song?

Photos by Cameron Healy

Melisa Sadler, St. Pete: “‘Lavender Haze’.”

Hayden Gallagher, Gulfport: “‘Our Song’.”

Rachel Givens, Gulfport: “‘All Too Well’ regular version.”

Noreen Smith, Gulfport: “‘You Need To Calm Down’.”

Solution on page 26

Solution

Seasonal gabber on vacation

Have you taken The Gabber Newspaper somewhere? We want to see your pictures! Please send a high-resolution photo and a brief description to news@thegabber.com.

TED LEE

Heidi Nelson took The Gabber Newspaper to Cypress Glen campground in Brooksville. She took us along on her camping adventure through the Withlacoochee State Forest.

things to do

Tampa Bay Blues Fest, SPCA Pet Walk, and Floridania Fest

Friday, April 14Sunday, April 16

Tampa Bay Blues Fest Blues enthusiasts, you won’t want to miss this big event! Listen to some of the biggest names in blues music at the 28th annual Tampa Bay Blues Festival. Enjoy three days of great music, warm weather, and a waterfront view. Try some food, drinks, and more from local vendors. Buy tickets ahead of time online. Vinoy Waterfront Park, 701 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. 12-10 p.m. $60-800. 727-893-7441, tampabaybluesfest. com

Friday, April 14

Adult Spelling Bee Show off your un-bee-lievable spelling skills at the Literacy Council of St. Pete’s adult spelling bee fundraiser. Ten pre-registered teams of two to four adults attempt to spell words with varying degrees of difficulty. Register your team online ($120 registration fee) or buy a ticket ($15) if you’d prefer to watch for fun. Coastal Creative,

2201 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 6 p.m. 727-452-9799, givebutter.com

Musical Entertainment Who doesn’t love a good dinner and a show? Good thing The Club at Treasure Island hosts Tampa Bay musicians weekly for guests. Enjoy singer-songwriter and guitarist Matt Walker as he performs his original music and unique covers to your favorite songs. The Club at Treasure Island, 400 Treasure Island Causeway, Treasure Island. 6-10 p.m. 727-367-4511, theclubti.com

Saturday, April 15Sunday, April 16

Paper Shredding Fundraiser Shred paper and raise money! Bring paper to recycle and donate to the Louise Graham Regeneration Center which is a nonprofit organization providing employment to developmentally disabled adults. Help others in your community all with the simple act of shredding paper.  Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church, 107 16th Ave., St. Pete Beach. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. 727-360-5508, pagchurch.org

Saturday, April 15

Yard Sale  Saturdays are all about yard sales! Spend your morning at the Lopez Community Yard Sale. This indoor and outdoor event features second-hand finds for sale such as household items, decorations, knick-knacks, and more. Buy your next favorite item here.  Lopez Hall, 7177 58th St. N., Pinellas Park. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. 727-244-1341.

SPCA Pet Walk Get your furry friend’s leashes and start walking! Sign up to be a part of SPCA’s 32nd annual Pet Walk. All pets are welcome. Join on your own, or create teams with co-workers, friends, family, and/or neighbors. Help raise money for all the animals in Tampa Bay. All participants who raise more than $25 receive a T-shirt and a goodie bag. North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. 727-324-4999, spcatampabay.org

Floridania Fest  Do you love Florida memorabilia? Stop by Florida-

Lots of free things to do including SPCA’s 32nd annual Pet Walk on April 15.

SPCA TAMPA BAY

nia Fest to see the best Floridian collectors items. Check out items from 25 dealers of Florida vintage showcasing art, books, decor, postcards, and other souvenirs. Stay to hear from several Floridian authors selling and signing their books, including Bill DeYoung, Rick Kilby, and Cathy Salustri. Free admission for children 12 and under. Many vendors inside will only accept cash. Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. $5. 727-893-1070, floridaattractionshistory.com

Arthritis Foundation  Help fund research for arthritis by joining the Soiree by the Bay. This nautical-themed evening is a social event to raise money for Tampa Bay’s Arthritis Foundation. Hear stories from local Arthritis Foundation members, taste food from local eateries, and enjoy a waterfront view of Coffee Pot Bayou. St. Petersburg Woman’s Club, 40 Snell Isle Blvd. N.E., St. Petersburg. 6 p.m. 813-336-5435, my.onecause. com

Sunday, April 16

Gardens by the Sea Tour gardens, patios, and decks full of beautiful plants and flowers at the Gardens by the Sea Tour by the Pass-aGrille Woman’s Club. Visit vendors showcasing awesome arts and

crafts, plants, and flowers. Enjoy pulled pork sandwiches, desserts, live music, and dancing as well. Buy tickets online or at the event. Vina del Mar, 302 South Isle Dr., St. Pete Beach. 1-5 p.m. $10-15. eventbrite.com

Estrangement Support Group You are not alone if you feel family estrangement. No matter how they treat you, how you feel, and how you treat yourself, you are not alone in this situation. Talk with others in your position about your situation and learn how to cope at this family estrangement support group. 6161 9th St. N., Suite 102, St. Petersburg. 3 p.m. 727-798-5948

Spring Concert Spend your Sunday evening with some live music. As part of Gulfport’s Spring concert, sit back and relax to sensational music from The New Horizons Concert Band and Jazz Bands of Gulfport. Bring all your friends, family, and neighbors for a lovely performance. Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 3 p.m. 727-893-1070

Benefit Concert One City Chorus hosts a concert to benefit the Woodson Warriors Scholarship Fund. This scholarship focuses on sending Black St. Petersburg students to colleges. By attending, you can help send someone to further their edu-

cation. Two of the scholars from last year will speak at the concert. Allendale United Methodist Church, 3803 Haines Road N., St. Petersburg. 4 p.m. 727-527-6694, onecitychorus. org

Monday, April 17

Death Cafe Conversations Join the first annual Death Cafe presented by Eckerd College students. Professor Shovali and students in a “death and dying” class invite you to talk about death, with no agenda. Eat cake, drink coffee, and have an open-ended conversation about death with others. Email Professor Shovali to sign up (shovalte@eckerd.edu) Eckerd College, President’s Dining Room, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 3:30-4:30 p.m. 727864-7515.

Wednesday, April 19Friday, April 21

Anastasia the Musical  Watch the spectacular performance of Anastasia the musical. This student-led production by the PCCA tells the story of a brave young woman set on uncovering her past. This musical showcases the discovery of who you are and meant to be. Purchase tickets ahead of time. PCCA Gibbs High School Grande Theatre, 850 34th St. S., St. Petersburg. 7 p.m. $20. 727893-5452, showtix4u.com

Lou Ann (Kube) Scherer, was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 5, 1931. Daughter of Allene D. Hazelrigg and Preston Patterson Heck. As a child, she moved to and grew up in North Dakota and became daughter of Allene D. and L. W. Kube. Student at Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo, North Dakota. Graduated with honors from North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), Wahpeton, North Dakota, Valley City State Teachers College, Valley City, North Dakota – and earned her master’s degree in education at Mankato State University (Mankato, Minnesota). Lou taught most of her career at West Junior High School in Hopkins, Minnesota. She lit up a room. Every person she met, whether it was a student,

grocery store cashier, server in a restaurant, or car mechanic... they were all touched by this beautiful, gentle, and generous soul.

Lou is survived by her four children: Erin Buelt (Dave), Grant Scherer (Gayle), Leigh Platt (David), and Lynne White (Gary Soebbing); 10 grandchildren: Lara (Rico), Chad, Colin, Jacquie, Chandra (Dave), Quenton (Steph), Matt (Beth), Ben, Michael, and Ciara (Ben); 16 great-grandchildren: Brynn, Cobin, Raymond, Bodie, Cara, Devon, Dylan, Dayton, Tenley, Marshall, Cameron, Addie, Weston, Natalie, Etta Lou, and Daniel; siblings: Geni, John (Tuula), Peter (Jane) and Sam (Barbara); grand-dogs: Skye, Obi, Frida, and Cricket; and many beautiful and loving nieces, nephews, stepchildren and step grandchildren, and cousins. Her friends and very special people in the world are too many to list. We all share her extraordinary love. Lou left us peacefully and gracefully on April 5, 2023, while proudly wearing her “Live Free” (Stephen Oliver, Gulfport Market) t-Shirt. Look for a bench in her honor soon in Gulfport, where you can sit and enjoy a Bloody Mary and listen to the birds and business all around.

Memorials in Lou’s honor could go to Boys Town (Omaha, Nebraska), Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Chanhassen, Minnesota), or Hopkins Education Foundation (Hopkins, Minnesota). Celebrations will be held in Gulfport (May) and in the Twin Cities (June). Details will be shared via Facebook or word of mouth.

Live Free, Mom. Much love.

LYNN WHITE

worship

17th St. & 29th Ave N

St. Petersburg 345-7777

Friday 7PM

Beth-El Shalom

Messianic Congregation

AN

330 85th Avenue • St. Pete Beach

Reverend Omar Reyes

Sundays 10:00am Holy Eucharist

Wednesdays 11:00am Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing

Unitarian Universalist United Fellowship

During the pandemic join us Sundays on Zoom.

Discussion -10:30 Program - 11:00

ShalomAdventure.com

JewishHeritage.net

Rabbi@JewishHeritage.net

Good Shepherd Old Catholic Church

2728 53rd St. S. Gulfport, FL 33707

(Entrance on 28th Ave.)

Where ALL are welcome at the Lord’s table. Come and See...

Sunday Mass 9:30am

www.goodshepherdocc.net 727-403-7178

727-360-8406 • www.StAlbanStPeteBeach.org

St. Vincent’s Thrift Shop

5124 Gulfport Ave S. 33707

Hours 10 AM to 2PM

Wednesday to Saturday

Affiliated with St Vincent’s Episcopal Church 5441 9 th Ave N. • St. Petersburg, FL 33710

Sunday Services 10AM

“St. Alban's is an inviting faith community striving to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.” Paradise

Misa en Español: Domingos 12PM

For Zoom directions email us at uuunited@earthlink.net

“You need not think alike to love alike.” - Francis David, 1534 uuunited.org

ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR NEXT THURSDAY’S ISSUE IS FRIDAY BY 5 p.m.

Ms. Sweet Face Ember is a 1-year-old, 55-pound Great Pyrenees mix. She is incredibly outgoing and playful. She will steal your heart with love at first sight.

Axel the Hunk This 2-year-old, 60-pound pit mix named Axel is ready to charm his way into your heart. His outgoing energy makes him easily entertaining. He is great on a leash and loves being around his people. His adoption fee is $75. You must own your home to adopt Axel.

Lover Boy Yes, that’s his name. Lover Boy is a 1-yearold, domestic shorthair, and is all about love. He prefers to not share you with other cats and always needs long cuddle sessions.

My Man Stevie This 4-year-old, domestic shorthair is named Stevie. He is a handsome and chill furry friend. He is ready for a loving family.

All pets spayed, vaccinated, micro-chipped and dewormed. Pet Pal Animal Shelter, 405 22nd Ave. S., St. Pete. 727328-7738; petpalanimalshelter.com.

Happy Hearts Senior Care is dedicated to providing quality, empathetic senior care. Services we provide are: Companion Care, Personal Care, Transitional Care, Respite Care, Medication Management, and Meal Preparation. Contact us today to schedule a personalized consultation! 727-342-0176. Website: https://happyheartsseniorcare.com/

If you have questions about advertising, please email us at advertising@thegabber.com or call 727-321-6965! Deadline: Friday 3 p.m.

JS COMPUTER REPAIR Mobile computer repair – $40 per visit/hour – 727-643-0697; jscomputerrepair.com

Home watch service while you are on vacation or if you are a seasonal resident. Weekly, bi weekly,

Over 30 years experience. Residential & commercial, new or remodel work, service upgrades, lightning arrestors, fans and lighting installed. State license #ER0007653.

HANDYMAN

All types of repairs. Small jobs welcome. Quality work at reasonable prices. Honest. Reliable. Free estimates. John: 727-410-2201.

CLEAN UP CLEAN UP CLEAN UP ZERO SCAPING/PLANTS/ MULCH

Skilled labor, anything around the house from A-Z. Weeding, rock gardens cleaned, lawn maintanence, leaves removed, mulch, sod, and plants installed. Small trees planted and removed. Pressure washing. Electrical consults available. Free estimates. 30 years experience. Locally St. Pete /Gulfport: 407-244-6045. James: 407244-6045.

DAVE’S TILE & BATHROOM REMODELS & FLOORING INSTALLATIONS Specializing in bathroom remodels, marble tile, flooring, etc. 36 years mechanical experience, competitive rates. Call anytime, day or night: 727-798-2075.

AMERICAN BUILDERS GROUP LLC

Residential/Commercial. All phases of remodeling or renovations. Roofs, kitchens, baths, room additions, new construction, doors, windows, stone or concrete work, flooring, and much, much more. Free estimates. CCC 1333727 CGC 059964. 727410-7323.

DARCY ROOFING LLC

Residential/Commercial. All roofing typesT.P.O., tapered systems, shingle, metal, tile, & flat roofs. Great prices, best warranties. Our general contracting division also does kitchens, baths, additions, new construction, and much, much more. Free estimates. CCC 1333727 CGC 059964. 727-410-7323.

THE TRASH QUEEN

Overwhelmed with the mess? Clean up/ clean out, inside and out. Recycling, organizing, and yard work. Free estimate from Kathy, Trashologist, licensed/insured, with truck/trailer. Call/text 845-866-3867. Responsible, reasonable, and ready!

AFFORDABLE CONCRETE PATIOS, WALKWAYS, DRIVEWAY EXTENSIONS, & REPAIRS

Custom concrete patios, driveway extensions,custom steps, & all types of concrete repairs. Storage Building slabs. Over 35 years experience. Call Mark for a free estimate: 813-859-2023.

IRRIGATION STAIN REMOVAL

Remove ugly rust-colored irrigation stains from vinyl fencing and most surfaces around your house or business, including signage. Free estimate and demonstration. Call/text 727-360-7070. ruststainremoval@icloud.com

specializing in tropical, rare & exotic plants

We plant,

wash,

your shrubs and trees. Servicing Gulfport, Pasadena and St Petersburg Areas. Contact JungleGirlTropicals@gmail.com Ph. 815-980-2759

James Fox Tree Service

Owner/Operator for over 25 years “We make your trees feel beautiful”

DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP MEETS

THURSDAYS

Pasadena Community Church / Life Enrichment Building / Classroom 3c, 227 70th St. S., St. Petersburg, Fl 33707. Free, no registration, 7 p.m. Call 727-410-1569 for more information. Website: https:// dbsatampabay.org

NOTARY SERVICES - $10

The Gabber now provides Notary Services (in office only) at 2908-B Beach Blvd S., Gulfport. Our Notary Public is not an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, and may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice.

Moving / Hauling

HB HAULING SERVICES Hauling Services

Available. We do everything from junk removal, demo, debris removal, estate clean out, and so much more. 12ft. dump trailer. Mention The Gabber and get a discount. Call or text Kenny Baschuk at 727-793-5816 for free estimates.

Painting

ARNEY’S PAINTING INC.

30 years experience. Painting expert plus wallpaper hanging and removing. Lic. #C9579. Call Arney: 727-900-3459.

BYRON JOHNSON PAINTING PLUS, INC.

Time to refresh the interior/exterior of your house or business? High quality, professional painting. Free estimates. Lic.#9894. Insured. 727-365-1088.

Heating & Air Conditioning

Trees Cleaned • Bobcat Services Stump Grinding • Hazardous Limb Removal Storm and Roof Protection • Insured 727-322-1849 or 727-215-8601

LIC#0700008985

Marine Repair

HURRICANE SEASON SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

WE'LL PREP YOUR BOAT FOR THE STORM ALL SEASON LONG LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE

SEASONS BEST PAINTING & CONTRACTING, LLC Interior/exterior painting and power washing services. Over 25 years of experience. 727-506-3677. Licensed/insured. Lic. #C-11623”

PINNIX PAINTING, INC. In business locally since 1980. Interior, exterior, commercial, residential. Free Estimates. Lic. #C4334. Call 727-504-1508.

YELLOWSTONE PAINTING Yellowstone

Painting is a new name and business in Seminole Florida. Handyman services are also available. Honesty, responsibility, & trustworthiness are the cowboy way. Hourly or contract rates available. Hourly rates are the cheapest. Licensed and insured. Call 727-666-2429.

Plumbing

PROFLO PLUMBING

Lawn & Landscape

TREE SERVICE BY PAYLESS

Tree removal, trimming, stump grinding. Also do yard work, mulching, weeding, and yard clean up. Call for estimate: 727-641-9033.

727-238-5683

Miscellaneous Service

ATTENTION TOWN SHORES SNOWBIRDS

Let us watch your place while you’re gone. Call for details. Peter & Donna603-918-6016.

727-902-7077

#CFC1430429 State-certified, residential/ commercial service. Senior and military discount. $25 off service with ad. Locally owned and operated.

mulch, pressure

trim

RENEW YOUR MARRIAGE VOWS!

Anywhere in Gulfport, Pasadena, Madeira, and St. Pete area. At your home, park, garden, or on the beach. Schedule now with Florida’s respected Chaplin, Rich L. Kemp. Half hour ceremony only $77.77. Book at 702-577-6777.

KITCHEN HELP NEEDED ALL POSITIONS

American Legion Post 125, St. Pete, is seeking waitress staff and cook assistant. Seniors encouraged to apply. Call or text 727326-7756 for details.

Positions Wanted

GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Barre Central is a beautiful, unique boutique studio looking to add some classes to our schedule. Looking for enthusiastic, energetic group fitness instructors that love teaching! Evening preferred. Come join our amazing team. Call 727-344-6641 or email barrecentral@yahoo.com.

General

GULFPORT LIONS CLUB Available for parties, weddings, meetings. Great waterfront location with full facilities. Call Jean for info and dates. 727-366-6341.

CARPETS AND TILE CLEANING

Carpets cleaned and sanitized. 3 rooms and hallway: $150. 2 rooms and hallway: $125. Sofa/loveseat: $150. Tile and grout steam cleaning, wood floor sanitation, refinish vinyl & marble floors. Full janitorial services available. Call 727-623-7948 or 813-750-9851.

Legal Notices

FICTITIOUS NAME ADVERTISEMENT Chiropractor, Dr. Karen L. Reese, is hereby advertising the following fictitious name with the intent to do business under “The Joint Spinal Center” at 5301 Gulfport Blvd, Gulfport, FL. Name registered with Florida Department of State, DBA sole proprietor.

NOTICE OF FICTITIOUS NAME REGISTRATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name kinsho intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee FL, pursuant to section 865.09 of the Florida Statutes . [Aston Plus Inc. 7901 4th Street, STE 13280 St. Petersburg, FL 33702 ]

Pets / Animals

BIG BUNNY NEEDS A GOOD HOME

Floppy ear bunny, totally trained and lovable, needs a fenced in backyard home. He promises to help trim your long grasses and drop fertilizer pellets in your yard. Just don't let him be eaten. Food, travel cage included. Call 727-614-5066.

Yard / Garage Sale

CLEARVIEW OAKS CLUB House Multi-Family Yard Sale Fri, 4/14 & Sat., 4/15 - 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. 5745 40th Ave N, Kenneth City.

5713 13TH AVE S. Yard Sale Friday, 4/14 & Saturday, 4/15, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Household, vintage, and collectable items.

Card of Thanks

POWERFUL PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Spirit, you who solves all problems, who lights all roads so that I can attain my goal, you who give me the divine gifts to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances of my life you are with me, I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things and confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you, even in spite of all material illusions. I wish to be with you, in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. The person must say this prayer for 3 consecutive days. After 3 days the favor requested will be granted, even if it may appear difficult. This prayer must be published immediately after the favor is granted, without mentioning the favor, only your initials should appear at the bottom. 4MD

Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church

THRIFT SHOP

17th Ave & Pass-a-Grille Way

Regular Hours: Tues., Thurs., Sat. 9 a.m. - 12

Donations Welcome

September thru May 15, 2023

Real Estate Sales

Find All the Listings, Along with Beach Sales, at thegabber.com. Here’s what homes sold in South Pinellas Mar. 31-Apr. 6.

Other Gulfport Home Sales

6321 Pasadena Point Blvd. S. (Pasadena Yacht & Country Club)

This three-bedroom, two-and-two-half bath home, built in 1996, has 2,898 square feet. It listed and sold for $2,225,000.

1707 55th St. S. (Tangerine)

This 1954 home has two bedrooms, one bath, and 1,056 square feet. It listed and sold for $365,000.

1628 55th St. S. (Tangerine)

This 1952 home has three bedrooms, two baths, and 1,056 square feet. It listed and sold for $349,500.

1514 55th St. S. (Tangerine)

This two-bedroom, one-bath home, built in 1949, has 816 square feet. It listed for $319,900 and sold for $325,000.

702 Gray St. S. (Stetson)

This two-bedroom, two-bath home, built in 1950, has 1,308 square feet. It listed for $399,000 and sold for $380,000.

Madeira Beach Home Sales

14950 Gulf Blvd., #701 (Ocean Sands)

This 1980 condo has two bedrooms, two baths, and 1,225 square feet. It listed and sold for $1,295,000.

CATHY SALUSTRI

Hiring an EXPERIENCED REALTOR is as close as you’ll get to having a crystal ball.