The Gabber: April 29, 2021

Digital subscriptions provided by the City of Gulfport THE GABBER.COM No. 2706

April 29 - May 5, 2021

Preserving the Colorful Past Former Caribbean fusion chef Vivia Barron has collected vintage Florida postcards and abandoned family photographs of African American people for over a decade.

The postcards beam with smiling, white faces in old-timey bathing suits, stripping away the history of the African American community.

Barron, a Jamaica native, flips that vintage portrait on its head with the creation of The Beach Series, an acrylic rendering of an alternative universe where people of color were portrayed positively in the media and marketing at the time.

She’s been creating period folk art full time, mainly with paper and India ink, since 2009, but she dreamed up The Beach Series in 2019 and began working with acrylics.

“I started thinking about what life was actually like in Florida at the time,” Barron said. “All the images of African American people were derogatory, picking crops and such.

I thought to myself ‘There’s something here.’”

Her work, painted in bright colors with muted edges, features the nameless people of the past, people

VIVIA BARRON

By Abby Baker

The First Florida Man P.8

Barron calls her latest work The Beach Series.

that Barron pulls from faded photographs.

Far from recreating “real” images, Barron’s series coveys a sort of dreamy emotion: a small girl clutching a teddy bear, a father resting his hand on his wife’s back.

“I ingested a different view from

the past,” Barron said. “I take care of these photos because it is an honor to have them.”

In a past life, she owned a restaurant in Tampa, Vivia’s Kitchen, before settling into her role as a fulltime artist 12 years ago.

Clam Bayou Hate Crime P.17

Vivia Barron continued on page 19

Cinco De Mayo P.24

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voices Not Everyone Excited for Pride Dear Editor: I have been reading the Gabber for six years now.

I have adjusted to the changes; I know that is one thing in life that happens, changes. I just wanted to let you know that I was disappointed in the article that you wrote regarding the Pride day that is coming up in May. This may seem like a small thing to you, but when I read the sentence that Suzie King was quoted saying that, “We’re so excited and so is everyone else.” I live here in Gulfport. There are many families, gay and straight. This is not a gay town only. I am not everyone else. How did she know that everyone else was excited?

Was there a poll taken that I was not aware of? The lineup that was written did give information about the day’s happenings. I think it will be fun for those that want to enjoy their lifestyle, I am happy for them.

The event that starts at 6 p.m. at Salty’s sounds like a Key West event. I certainly hope the vibrators are new and unused. Thanks for the warning! Yes, I am a Karen and proud of it. – Karen Thompson

The Gabber encourages letters and commentary. Be brief and sign your real name. Email letters to news@thegabber.com or mail them to us at 2908-B Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, FL 33707. Any email sent to the Gabber may be used in print.

If you do not want your letter published online or in print, you must let us know in the letter. Commentary posted on our social media channels may also appear in the paper.

Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers, staff or advertisers.

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

3

news Gulfport Makes Noise

Council Hears from Residents on Marina Redevelopment, Noise Ordinances

By Ryan McGahan

The April 20 Gulfport City Council meeting saw a return to normalcy following the staggering four-anda-half hour previous meeting, finishing in just over 90 minutes. However, residents were vocal about the marina redevelopment and noise complaints, while council discussed a better option to enforce the city’s Human Rights Ordinance.

Marina Development Discussion Continues The future of the Gulfport Marina redevelopment remains unclear following the council’s decision to revoke the eviction of Boca Ciega Yacht Club at the end of the April 6 city council meeting. However, one thing seems certain: People want more open discussion about any redevelopment plans.

Public comment at the April 20 meeting began with Brian Derr presenting a letter signed by 225 residents asking for more input from those who live in the Marina District on any future plans, and for the protection of the BCYC, Lions Club and Gulfport Yacht Club buildings from demolition, and a discussion with Gulfport residents to “evaluate whether marina improvements are the top priority as the next project to fund.”

A handful of other people also spoke about their desire to see more public meetings, public workshops and general discussion between city officials and the city before any big plans are set into motion.

City Manager Jim O’Reilly and City Attorney Andrew Salzman later explained that they had met with leaders at Boca Ciega Yacht Club last Thursday, April 15, and would meet again April 22 to negotiate a new lease agreement that lets BCYC continue to rent their current building on a month-to-month basis.

O’Reilly later said that the city is also looking into grants to fund a break-

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water park and living shoreline at the Marina that will be open to the public, and talking with BCYC about consolidating some of their storage space.

“I just want it on the record that we’re not building any buildings; we’re not tearing any buildings down,” he said at the meeting, later clarifying to the Gabber, “until the city council has an opportunity in the future to take additional community input and create a long-term plan and funding for such facilities.”

in the volume level allowed by the city’s noise ordinance, currently set at 65 decibels.

“A vacuum cleaner or hair dryer registers at 75 decibels. Normal conversation, ambient noise, in fact tonight, in this room, before the meeting began, was around 70 decibels,” she explained.

Later in the meeting, discussion turned to an application by the Sea Dog Cantina, just north of the courtyard, requesting closure of 29th Avenue for a Cinco De Mayo party ending at 10 p.m. Attached to the Citizens Tell Bands to Quiet Down application was a letter of no objection from local neighbors, prompt More than half a dozen peoing Mayor Sam Henderson to ask ple, most living along 29th Avenue why “some of the folks who spoke near Beach Boulevard, spoke to the [about noise] tonight were some of council about excessive noise comthe neighbors who signed off on this ing from bands performing at the event, correct?”

Village Courtyard, often late into “I can live with 10 o’clock,” anthe evening, they swered one resident said.

“I just want it on the in a later comment.

“I am just here record that we’re not “If you make it quito request that et at 10 p.m., we’re building any buildings; good.” the hours that music is played we’re not tearing any The vote on the in the courtyard buildings down.” event passed, with there by the Councilmember North End Taphouse are reduced, April Thanos dissenting due to the or at least the volume level is relack of a concrete COVID-19 safety duced.... The volume level and the plan. music being played until 11 p.m. or later several nights a week is a huge Resolutions and Discussion problem for me and my business as an Airbnb host,” Jeff Thompson, the Council also approved several resfirst of seven people to speak on the olutions, starting with reappointing topic, said.

James Thaler as “Special Master,” Eileen Clancy, who lives directly a designated attorney who asbehind the courtyard, played a resists with code enforcement on an cording on her phone that she said as-needed basis. was taken in her bedroom on a Sat Council also unanimously agreed urday night after 11 p.m., in which to shift control of Board of Adjustyou can clearly hear music and ment appeals. Until now, someone laughter from outside. wishing to appeal a BoA decision “That’s from inside the house!” would pay $109 to go before council, shouted several people in the audiand failing there, could appeal to the ence while the clip was playing. local circuit court. Now appeals will Kelly Wright, owner of the North go directly to the circuit court, with End Taphouse, spoke at the previthe applicant paying $400. ous meeting asking for an increase Council also unanimously passed

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

CITY OF GULFPORT

A concept drawing for the city’s original plan for Marina redevelopment. The city has withdrawn the eviction notice for the Boca Ciega Yacht Club and will seek more public input on the issue.

a pair of resolutions related to flood preparation in Gulfport. The first authorizes the continuing participation in a county-wide public information campaign to inform locals on how to prepare for emergency flooding; the second adopts an annual plan

Gulfport gathers

for flood protection policies recommended by Pinellas County. Participation in the county-wide effort reduces flood insurance costs by 20% for local residents.

Finally, at the prompting of Councilmember Paul Ray, council dis-

cussed the possibility of establishing a Human Rights Ordinance board to handle any claims of discrimination instead of directing all claims to the current hearing officer, City Manager Jim O’Reilly.

“I would only think we’d consider people who have a background in HR in companies, in legal backgrounds, social services, health, teaching, mental health – those are the kinds of people that we’d want to be on that board,” Ray said.

Henderson suggested, with Thanos later agreeing, that it would be better to appoint a single person, potentially the city attorney, to handle these matters instead of the city manager.

Councilmember Christine Brown suggested partnering with Stetson Law School to build the board out of law students, allowing them to gain real-world experience in exchange for some civil service, an idea council received positively.

Council did not hold an official vote on the matter, but a more concrete plan may emerge at a later meeting for a vote.

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Home Rule

Tallahassee BOGO: Elections Bill Constricts Democracy and Home Rule

By Jennifer Webb

Last week Senator Baxley (R-Ocala) described his Elections Bill (SB90) by referencing press coverage of Florida’s 2020 election: “Much has been written about our election process.” He’s correct: Our election process from last cycle made national news. The coverage came in two stages.

The first wave of press was immediate: Florida was held up as a shining example of a well-run election.

We had more people participate than ever before – more than 11 million according to Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee. An unprecedented 4.8 million Floridians voted by mail: 2.1 million Democrats, 1.5 million Republicans, and 1 million NPAs. Yet, our elections ran smoothly and securely.

During a recent meeting of the House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee, our own Supervisor of Elections, Julie Marcus, explained,

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“Florida was a resounding undisputed success. Why? Because Florida did not overhaul the election code or make sweeping changes at the last minute.” She explained that voters had faith in the process, especially vote-by-mail, known to be reliable and secure.

The second wave of press came earlier this year, after an FBI investigation and arrest: Frank Artiles, former state legislator and Republican operative, was arrested after an FBI investigation uncovered election fraud. Artiles might have gotten away with this crime but he couldn’t resist bragging about it. He allegedly paid $50,000 to recruit someone with same last name as the incumbent – and then made the mistake of using social media chat (preserved in perpetuity by a third party) to offer the guy money not only to run, but also to change from NPA to Republican. This was made possible by a loophole in election rules: party-affiliated candidates must wait a year before running as a candidate of their new party, while NPAs do not. NPAs can select a party affiliation the day before they submit their papers to run for office. And this was exactly what was done in South Florida and has been done in other Florida elections.

So, which of these two issues deserved immediate attention this session? Clearly it’s the second. Bad actors like Artiles threaten our democracy; voting by mail expands participation in our democracy. But where are elected officials in Tallahassee devoting attention? They are changing a well-functioning process and sowing unwarranted skepticism about the security of our elections.

I anticipate that the Elections Bill (SB90) will make no difference in the security of our elections with the exception of Brandes’ thoughtful amendment. It will make it slightly harder for folks to vote: there will be more hoops to jump through when voting by mail and likely fewer secure ballot drop boxes. But, it will be much more expensive to run elections and

this could in turn act to subdue voter turnout.

Lake County Election Supervisor Alan Hayes, a former Republican state senator and president of the Florida Association of Supervisors of Elections, estimated that proposed changes would cost his office $14 to 16 million in 2022. Lake County has a population of 367,118 – about onethird of Pinellas. If expenses are proportionate to Lake County, that adds up to $42 to 48 million. That’s money that could be spent increasing the number of secure ballot drop boxes, maintaining voter outreach programs or expanding early polling places, a long-sought priority for voting rights advocates.

Pinellas, after all, has significantly fewer early voting polling places than our much less populous neighbor Polk County. Exactly how counties will cover these rising costs is unclear.

What is clear is that the issues of legitimate concern are not being addressed by the legislature. Instead, the government is meting out the kind of wholesale upturning of our election processes that sow confusion and distrust.

In just one bill, Tallahassee further erodes home rule and democracy.

Find contacts and more for your local representatives at pinellascounty. org/delegation.

Jennifer Webb is a former member of the Florida State House, District 69, a founding partner of Omni Public, and an applied anthropologist. She lives in Gulfport with her wife, Cynthia, and their adopted pup, Bailey.

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

A Strip of Blue

New Retails Shops May Soon Replace Boarded Apartments on Shore Drive

By Abby Baker

ELENI FETFATZES

The boarded up apartments on Shore Boulevard South may become a trip of retail shops in Gulfport. “We are not operating any business of our own, that much I’m certain,” buyer Eleni Fetfatzes said. “We will be hiring a Realtor to find tenants.”

The former apartment units on Shore Boulevard South have been boarded up, but buyer Eleni Fetfatzes hopes they will soon be transformed into several retail spaces, painted a sky blue.

“We really are excited to get this project underway and clean up that terrible eyesore,” Fetfatzes told the Gabber.

Fetfatzes has shared the plans publically, but is still waiting on the City of Gulfport’s approval.

“We’ve just got a site plan,” Fred Metcalf, Director of

Community Development, said. “So far, those plans have yet to be approved.”

Because the property is privately owned, the city has no input on the space, renovated or not, but development plans will need to be approved before Fetfatzes moves forward.

“There is no current timeline on the construction,” Fetfatzes said. “I know that some people are happy about the space’s renovation.”

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The First Florida Man?

The 400th Anniversary of Spanish ‘Discovery’ and the Truth in Historical Fiction The story of Pánfilo de Narváez (1478-1528), the Spanish conquistador who landed in Tampa Bay nearly 400 years ago this April, has made headlines before. And some of them read like a sixteenth century Florida Man: “Great One-Eyed Explorer Makes Unsuccessful Conquest of Mexico and Meets Tragic End When Crude Boat is Driven Ashore by Storm.”

The part about the eye is true – Narváez lost an eye trying to overthrow another conquistador, Hernán Cortés, in Mexico in 1520 – and so is the tragic ending. In 1528, Narváez, with 300 men and 42 horses, trudged up the Nature Coast, searching for rich kingdoms to pillage and found nothing but swamp and native peoples who didn’t want them there.

Somewhere near the St. Marks River, they gave up the march. They ate their horses, fashioned simple rafts, and tried to float their way to Mexico, which was much farther away than they thought. Only four of them, not including Narváez, would survive.

But history isn’t always about the facts. Despite this evident failure, Tampanians celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Narváez mission in 1928 as, to quote Tampa Mayor Donald McKay, “an event of tremendous importance in the advance of civilization.” City boosters staged a

NEWSPAPERS.COM

By Amanda Hagood

It’s not a party until the debutantes in costumes arrive. Detail of a 1928 Tampa Tribune article describing the “Pageant of Progress” honoring the 300th anniversary of the Narváez landing.

week-long “Pageant of Progress” on the manicured riverbank of the old Tampa Bay Hotel (now the University of Tampa), where Narváez may or may not have actually landed, giving him pride of place next to the fabled De Soto Oak – an ancient giant under which De Soto may or may not have “parlayed with the Indians” in 1539. There were dedications, débutantes in costumes, a speech from the Spanish consul, and an extravagant 800-player reenactment of the

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reputed landing (and pretty much all American history after that point).

Failure or not, Narváez was put forward as “the city’s oldest historical character” in a way that both reinforced the city’s important Hispanic heritage and solidified an even earlier place in American history than St. Augustine’s famous founding in 1565.

Across the bay, St. Petersburg real estate developer Walter P. Fuller made ingenious use of the Narváez story to transform “the Jungle” – wil-

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FLORIDA MEMORY

AMANDA HAGOOD

Narváez landing monument at Jungle Prada site.

derness acreage his family owned along what is now Park Street – into a Spanish-themed vacationland for St. Pete’s early tourists.

Archaeological studies in the 1910s revealed an extensive Tocobaga settlement and some Spanish artifacts, including a sword which was supposedly hung from a tree (for “safekeeping”) and promptly stolen (that probably was the work of Florida Man). This led to the prevailing theory that Park Street was the site of the Narváez landing.

In 1925, Fuller capitalized on this evidence, building two gorgeous Mediterranean Revival buildings: the Jungle Country Club Hotel (now Admiral Farragut Academy) and the Jungle Prada complex. To remove any doubt, he planted a large marker on the site, honoring “the first exploration by white man of North America.”

Sometimes history sells (ahem, St. Augustine).

And sometimes, history is written not by the victors, but by the survivors. Much of what we know about the Narváez expedition comes from a 1555 account written by his crew mate, Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, who, as one reader put it, “has rather stolen the spotlight” from his captain. And how could he not?

His story picks up where Narváez disappears, telling how the two re-

Jungle Hotel circa 1925.

maining rafts shipwrecked, how the survivors were imprisoned by local tribes, and how he escaped to wander the deserts of Texas and Mexico for more than seven years in search of a Spanish settlement.

It is a wild tale full of soul-searching and reinvention, as Cabeza de Vaca (yes, that does mean “cow head”) transforms from a wretched castaway into a kind of traveling

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

faith healer who survives not by brutalizing, but by adapting to the native cultures he finds.

Now, on the 400th anniversary of the landing, Cabeza de Vaca’s story seems to better capture the spirit of the 21st century, and maybe of Florida itself: cross-cultural, politically canny, and adaptive in the face of catastrophe.

Florida Man at his best.

Amanda Hagood lives in Gulfport and is the current secretary of the Gulfport Historical Society. Florida is her adopted home and she loves exploring its unique history, culture and environment through writing. Her work has appeared in Salt Creek Journal, Bay Soundings and Creative Loafing. She teaches courses in Environmental Humanities at Eckerd College.

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SPB Library Makes it Official

Ribbon Cutting Marks the Official Reopening of Library The St. Pete Beach Public Library marked its official reopening after the recent $2.1 million renovation in a grand ribbon cutting ceremony on April 26 at 9:30 a.m.

The crowd of city staff and members of the community cheered when Library Director Betcinda Kettells and St. Pete Beach Mayor Alan Johnson cut the ribbon in front of the library entrance with giant shears.

“This was my first ribbon-cutting and I think it went very well and I’m just so grateful for all of the people who put so much effort in,” Kettells said. “This is a great moment in the history of the community and the library. So many people came out to show how important this is.”

The architects who reconstructed and redesigned the library were present at the event. Mason Brown of Mason Brown Associates Architects spoke of the journey to get to the finished product, one that honors the original mid-century aesthetic.

“It’s been a four-year process to get to today and so, we’re very happy. With older buildings you find that there’s things that need to be upgraded. The more we got into it, the more we turned it into a total renovation project,” Mason said.

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GABRIELLE REEDER

By Gabrielle Reeder

Library Director Betcinda Kettells and Mayor Alan Johnson cut the ribbon in front of the St. Pete Beach Public Library.

St. Pete Beach Vice Mayor Ward Friszolowski, whose mother was one of the founding donors to the original library, praised the architects and team behind the gutting and reshaping of the building.

“You can tell he took care of the designs,” Friszolowski said. “Nice and clean and bright – cheerful inside.”

The library celebrates its official

re-opening with events throughout the week. Tuesday April, 27 was Kids’ Day; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are district days and Saturday is a Bookend celebration day.

“Virtually it is a brand new building,” Mason said, adding that they were “more than happy with the outcome.”

More at spblibrary.com.

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

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things to do Harry Potter Drag, Pancakes & Puppy Love

By Abby Baker

Find links for these events — and many other things to do — online at thegabber.com/events.

Thursday, April 29 Dine Out for Life Eat at some of your favorite Pinellas and Hillsborough County restaurants and know that your money will go to more than just tapas. Supporting businesses donate a portion of dining funds to EPIC, for HIV and AIDS services and programs.

Want to donate but not comfortable with indoor dining? Take out options are available and EPIC encourages direct donations. Gulfport hotspots like The Comfort Cafe and Pia’s Trattoria will participate. Full list of tasty options at diningoutforlife.com/city/ tampa. All Day Event Friday, April 30 Crea Egan Book Signing at Qi Crystal Energy Green-friendly Gulfport community leader, artist, founder of the Gulfport Food Forest and now published author, Crea Egan will sign her book, “What The Tree Whispered” at Qi Crystal Energy. The signing will commence amongst a guided meditation and celebration of the trees, along with a fruit tree giveaway. Qi Crystal Energy, 3125 Beach Blvd S. 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 1 Lions Club Pancake Breakfast It’s pancake time! There’s also orange juice, scrambled eggs, bacon, and other morning-time gems on offer, to benefit Lions Club charities. Kids under 12 eat for half price, and seating is at 50% capacity. Lions Club Gulfport, 4630 Tifton Dr. S. 8 a.m.

Pinups in Paradise Twenty contestants compete in a flashback to the 50s style pinup contest. All are welcome, and all are welcome to match their pumps with their mask. Proceeds will go to a local Gulfport charity. The North End Taphouse, 2908 Beach Blvd. S. 5 p.m.

Good Folk Follies Silent Auction Folks, follies and supporting the local arts. St. Petersburg’s Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center hosts a silent auction, kicking off with a virtual fundraiser. A series of acts, including Zubrick Magic Theatre, Tenor Chris Romeo of the St. Petersburg Opera Company, Keep St. Pete Lit with Gios Typos, and special performances by Creative Clay student dancers unfold throughout the night. cbo.io/bidapp 7 p.m.

Puppy Love For the 19th year, Pet Pal Animal Shelter will raise money for rescue animals with a pet supply auction. For the first time, it will be held online. Browse pet supplies while supporting a paw-friendly cause, all through your computer.

Want to donate? Visit petpalanimalshelter.com, 7 p.m.

Sunday, May 2 Broadway in Clymer Park Enjoy your favorite Broadway tunes performed by The New Horizons Band of Gulfport under the shady pavilion of Clymer Park. With a jazzy intermission, the band will accept donations to keep this little piece of Gulfport going. Bring your own blankets, lawn chairs and dancing shoes and get transported to the land of show tunes. Clymer Park, 5501 27th Ave. S. 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 6 Magical Drag Show A magical combination: drag and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,™ all at the St. Pete Shuffle. Drag artists and performers will interpret the concept all night, and the proceeds go to Wordier Than Thou’s literary arts programming. Even the House of Slytherin is welcome. St. Pete Shuffle, 559 Mirror Lake Dr. N. 7 p.m.

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crime Police Identify Human Head Found Under Overpass

By Abby Baker

VIA ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT

In the early morning hours of July 7, 2020, a jogger found a severed human head under an overpass on 38th Avenue South.

Months of testing revealed the remains to be 80-year-old Donald Coston.

St. Petersburg Police have identified the severed and badly decomposed human head that was found at an overpass by a jogger in July of 2020 as Donald Edward Coston, 80.

Due to the nature of the remains, the SPPD used DNA to identify Coston’s gender and identity.

The cause of death and a solid timeline of death remain unknown.

“The best we can do is ask if anyone knows anything, so that we can find out what really happened to him,” said SPPD Public Information Officer Yolanda Fernandez.

A jogger found the remains in a bike lane near the intersection of 38th Avenue South and 31st Street and alerted authorities at 7 a.m. on July 7 “It was very difficult to identify him. We had to get a forensics anthropologist involved and send the tissue to multiple testing sites,” Fernandez said.

A Man Unknown After several genealogical tests, police determined that Coston was adopted and had seven half siblings in Alabama and Florida.

Coston did have one son, who was adopted at birth and never met his biological parents.

“We know he (Coston) was in weak health, but we have not been able to locate where he was in those final weeks of his life,” Fernandez said.

None of the family located had seen him in 25 years.

“He was living with a woman and left home in July, and she never saw him again,” Fernandez said. “This case is going off of a lot of strong possibilities; it’s a lot of digging.”

The St. Petersburg Police Department asks anyone with information to please contact detectives at 727893-7780.

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Lunch Rush Crush

Driver Crashes into The Floridian Sandwich Shop on Treasure Island

TED DILAR

TED DILAR

By Abby Baker

A customer crashed into The Floridian, a Cuban cafe on Thursday, April 15.

The shop is still open for business; no one was hurt, but the patio suffered damage.

A Treasure Island institution, The Floridian at 230 107th Ave., got an unwelcome delivery on Thursday, April 15.

A car crashed into the patio of the building at 12:15 p.m.

No one was injured in the crash, according to Floridian owner Ted Dilar, but the cafe’s outdoor seating area took a serious hit.

“It was kind of a shock, which made the whole building shake during our lunch hour,” Dilar said. “The driver was just in a hurry to get home to eat her Cuban sandwich.”

The Treasure Island Police Department and Treasure Island Fire Rescue responded to the scene, but aside from a shuffling of insurance information, the incident remains between the driver and business. The Floridian suffered

no structural damage and is open for business.

“If it happened last week there probably would have been injuries because we were absolutely slammed with spring breakers,” Dilar said.

“This is still an open investigation, so I’m only able to release certain information,” Lisa Richardson, Records Coordinator with the Treasure Island Police Department, told the Gabber. However, according to Dilar, the driver is a regular customer who frequented the shop for years.

Repair costs will likely be covered by the driver’s insurance company.

“The only thing that got hurt was the lady’s ego,” Dilar said.

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theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

Police Charge Clam Bayou Shooter with Hate Crime

By Abby Baker

ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT

Four Black women were enjoying a peaceful Saturday afternoon at Clam Bayou Park when a man shouted racial slurs and shot at them with an air rifle on February 20.

Months later, the St. Petersburg Police Department charged Joshua Rousseau, 36, with six counts of aggravated assault, five of which were upgraded to a hate crime on April 6.

One of the six counts is aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, as Rousseau shot at a St. Petersburg Police Sergeant prior to his arrest.

Police said Rousseau fired shots from the water while steering a kayak.

Police were aware that Rousseau lived on a nearby sailboat, and arrested him on February 25; he walked away from the Pinellas County jail after posting $30,000 bail on March 7.

Rousseau faces a maximum of 90 years in prison.

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the gabs What is one book you think everyone should read?

Photos by Gabrielle Reeder

Donna Dowden, St. Pete Beach: “Well I just love books so I read all kinds, but I just finished a Preston & Child book and it is wild. They have an imagination you wouldn’t believe.”

Betcinda Kettels, St. Petersburg: “I think my answer would be ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ It’s an American classic and it still has lessons for today’s environment as well.”

Ward Friszolowski, St Pete Beach: “The City Commission Agenda for St. Pete Beach since I’m the Vice Mayor. It’s always good reading.”

Ananda Bergeron, Tallahassee: “One of my favorites that has some national history as it also ties to Florida history is a book called ‘Devil in the Grove’ by Gilbert King and it kind of tells about a big chunk of Thurgood Marshall’s life and his effort before he got on the Supreme Court to fight for social justice and justice all around.”

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arts

VIVIA BARRON

It came naturally.

“My aunts, who raised me, were all artists in their own way,” Barron said. “Growing my life was filled with art, crafts, food, music.”

She moved to the Northeastern U.S. from Jamaica 30 years ago, but sunny Florida called to her.

“When I first moved to Tampa, I used to visit St Petersburg and I felt a connection to the energy here,” Barron said. “I knew I wanted to live here, and I knew I would.”

Vivia Barron continued from cover

Forgotten Faces Years later, Barron drives through her neighborhood, a historically Black neighborhood in South St. Petersburg, and uncovers forgotten faces in yesterday’s trash.

She usually has a partner, her teen-aged daughter, who is sometimes wary to be seen going through side-of-the-road rubbish.

Next to the work of artist Kehinde Wiley and photographs of tumbling Florida clouds, Barron cites her daughter, with her postcard-perfect smile, as her inspiration.

“She comes with me still,” Barron said. “All of these people’s belongings from historically Black homes, all just on the side of the road.”

Barron finds brightly painted postcards of 1950s beach scenes online or in antique shops, but her real treasures come in a less pretty box.

“It’s being gentrified here; investors are coming in and gutting the place,” Barron said. “You wouldn’t believe all these people’s things, just left out on the side of businesses on Central Avenue.”

Her collection of antique photographs typically range from the late 1800s to the end of the Civil Rights movement. She features them online as well, and they play a vital role in her creations.

“I was never a formally trained chef, I cooked as an art form,” Barron said. “I’m still using my hands, and my eyes, and working with color.”

“These photos are from two different family homes that have been gutted,” Barron said. “These images are incredibly social to me. It’s a project from my heart.”

In addition to her culinary creativity, Barron also studied at the International Academy of The Arts in Florida.

“I just have to let out what’s inside of me,” Barron said. “I find these mediums so that I can create.”

In the Present Until a pandemic pushed Barron out from behind her computer – she originally conducted most of her sales online – the St. Ann Parish native never once sold her work in Florida.

“I had the same customers for 12 years,” Barron said. “From the first moment I put my work out in the world, these people reached out and said ‘You’ve got something here.”

However, a lull in online sales pushed her out into the community, and for the month of May, the Brenda McMahon Gallery in Gulfport will spotlight Barron as a featured artist.

“I’m still learning, but working with this series gives me the opportunity to say more,” Barron said.

See more of Barron’s work and antique photograph collection at viviabarron.com.

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Come Celebrate Our 2nd Anniversary With Us! May 7, 2021 - 5-9pm Brenda McMahon Gallery would like to thank the artists and our community for your support.

Enjoy 10% off jewelry, 15% off all artwork May 7, 8, & 9.

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4/19/21 8:25 PM theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

City of Poets

In ‘Longtime Dream,’ Gulfport Writers Release New Volume of Poetry National Poetry Month ends with the announcement of “Gateway: Gulfport Poets,” featuring the work of 12 hometown poets, edited by Gulfport Poet Laureate Peter Hargitai.

Hargitai, a retired professor of English, who lectured at Miami University and Florida International University, became Gulfport’s first poet laureate in 2015, chosen from a field of 19 candidates by the Circle of Friends of the Gulfport Public Library. They chose him again after a blind reading, this time for a three-year term after a rule change that allowed poets laureate more time to achieve their goals. While his tenure has ended, his plans for the book have been in place for some time.

“This book has been a longtime dream of mine,” says Hargitai, who wrote the forward to “Gateway,” but did not include his own poetry in the volume. “COVID-19 made me prioritize and put aside my own work in order to get it done.”

Hargitai invited local poets to submit their previously unpublished work; each contributed multiple poems to the 200-page collection and include: Vincent Spina, Stone Handy, Molly Ellowis, Michael Fridovich, Jude Bagatti, Nadine Miller, Rob McCabe, Michael Arthur Taylor, Ellen Noto, Sam Henderson, Dianne Marlene Kress and Bob Bates.

The book’s cover features a quintessential Gulfport scene by photographer Larry Busby. Many of the poems included in “Gateway” have a strong Florida theme, but the styles, influences and subjects vary. Hargitai calls the book a rich and diverse poetic terrain.

Henderson, who served as Gulfport Poet Laureate from 2017-2018, contributes seven poems including “Comango Pond”; Spina visits one of Gulfport’s most popular locations in “In Clam Bayou”; Michael Arthur Taylor explores Florida politics in “A Lawton Chiles Eulogy”; Ellen Noto dips into popular cul-

PETER HARGITAI

By Lynn Taylor

ture, dedicating her poem, “Like the Color When Spring is Born” to “Joni M.” “Gateway: Gulfport Poets” is

expected to be published next month. All proceeds will benefit the Circle of Friends of the Gulfport Public Library.

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Neon Heart

New Adam Fujita Mural Lights Up St. Pete

By Abby Baker

ADAM FUJITA

Artist Adam Fujita is known for his neon murals in New York City, but in January the artist left his mark on Central St. Petersburg.

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Brooklyn-based muralist Adam Fujita took a break from the concrete jungle in January to work on a private commission in St. Petersburg.

The San Francisco native couldn’t leave St. Petersburg without leaving his mark, so he reached out to SHINE with a request to paint one of his signature, neon-look murals in the city.

“I like the brightness of the neon,” Fujita said. “Humans love the shiny things.”

The permanent fixture, paired with electric orange drips on the sidewalk, glows on the side of Strive Nutrition at 2734 Central Ave. “My process usually starts with current events and what’s happening in the world socially,” Fujita said. “I let that inform my work.”

Has he done any other neon murals in St. Petersburg?

“No,” Fujita said. “But I hope to one day.”

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food Cinco de Mayo at Home

A Crash Course on History and Food for the Fifth

By Morgan Banno

24

Mexican Street Corn (Elote) For herbivores, Mexican street corn is an easy appetizer or side dish that’s both quick to prepare and full of flavor. If you can’t find cotija cheese, substituting with Parmesan or crumbled feta will give you a flavor profile similar to the real deal.

Serves six Six ears of corn, husks removed ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream ½ cup mayo 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ tsp ground chipotle powder 2 tsp freshly grated lime zest 2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime) ½ cup cotija cheese

Method: Grill corn over high heat. If husks on: Soak for 30 minutes before grilling to ensure no burning.

Turn every five minutes for even cooking. If husks off: Spray corn with nonstick spray or wipe with oil to ensure no sticking. Grill on high heat until desired char.

Combine crema, mayo and garlic.

Remove corn from grill and slather with crema mix. Combine cotija cheese and chipotle powder. Roll corn in cotija cheese and sprinkle with lime zest, cilantro and salt as desired.

MORGAN BANNO

MORGAN BANNO

It’s time to prep your stomach (and liver) for Cinco de Mayo – perhaps the most misunderstood holiday in the states. Despite popular belief, the May 5 party is not a celebration of Mexican Independence. Instead, it’s a day that commemorates Mexican victory over the French in the May 1862 Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. It’s a relatively minor historic footnote for a country with Mexico’s storied past, but nonetheless, every year millions of Americans find it a welcome excuse to consume Mexican favorites.

Cinco de Mayo was popularized in the 1930s, partly due to President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Good Neighbor Policy” with Central and Latin America that encouraged friendly relations beyond our southern borders. In the 1960s, Mexican-Americans and Latinos across the country adopted the holiday as a way to showcase their cultures and food. Cinco de Mayo celebrations are thrown around the states, with some of the best bashes in Chicago and Houston. Cities like Chandler, Arizona, even hold annual Chihuahua-racing events. But Los Angeles claims the title for the premiere, most “authentic” Cinco festivities in the United States – celebrated, oddly enough, on the last Sunday of April. Known as Fiesta Broadway, LA’s Cinco de Mayo party boasts entertainment and vendors galore, with loads of Mexican-inspired nosh and plenty of tequila.

Because of its roots in Puebla, Mexico, the official dish of Cinco de Mayo is the regional favorite, Mole Poblano de Guajolote: braised turkey legs in a rich sauce of blended chilies and Mexican chocolate.

You can find the recipe for Mole Poblano de Guajolote by reading this article online, but I’m sharing some of my other Cinco de Mayo favorites you can easily recreate for your own celebration.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Step up your Cinco de Mayo game with a Mexican-inspired shrimp cocktail! For this recipe, I

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used fresh Key West Pinks ­– available at stores like Gulf Coast Seafood and Key West Seafood in Gulfport – and doctored up homemade red enchilada sauce as the base to keep with the Mexican flavors.

Want to enhance your experience and impress your guests? Pour a floater of your favorite tequila or Mezcal over the shrimp right before serving!

Serves four 1-lb raw shrimp (peeled and deveined) 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced 16 oz red enchilada sauce ½ cup onion, small dice ½ cup Clamato juice Juice and zest from one lime Hot sauce, to taste 2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped Salt/pepper to taste

it hot? Try using fresh serrano pepper or Thai chilies instead. For ultimate flavor and little hangover, nix the sugary, pre-made sour mix and use agave. You, and your body, will thank me tomorrow. Regardless of your tolerance for heat, the salty lime flavor of a classic margarita combined with sweet watermelon and spicy pepper will make it a refreshing Florida Cinco de Mayo. Hit up Gulfport Liquors for your favorite tequila and Funky Flamingo Produce and Deli for watermelon, jalapeños and limes!

Method: Remove the rind from a seedless watermelon and cut into large chunks. Put watermelon in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain watermelon juice to remove pulp. (I like mine with pulp, but it’s up to you.) With ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, mix tequila, watermelon juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, jalapeño slices and agave. Shake until well combined. Rim a rocks glass with salt – I also added some fresh lime zest to my rim salt – and serve margarita garnished with jalapeño rings and watermelon wedge.

Serves four Ice cubes 1 cup silver tequila 1 cup watermelon juice 6 tbsp fresh lime juice 2 jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings 4 tsp agave nectar Coarse salt for rimming glass

Method: Cook shrimp in boiling water until pink and place in an ice bath. Combine cucumber, jalapeño, enchilada sauce and onion in a bowl and stir together. Add shrimp. Toss lightly. Pour Clamato juice, lime zest/juice and hot sauce over shrimp mixture. Fold in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

However you choose to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, may you surround yourself with fun, socially-distanced company, fantastic food and strong cocktails.

And thank our Mexican neighbors for defeating the French Army so we may continue to celebrate this delicious holiday!

Morgan Banno is a culinary student at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Former head chef at Gulfport restaurant Stella’s, she’s owner of the meal-prep service, Nun on the Run. Morgan holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of South Florida. As a ballerinaturned-chef, Morgan’s studies have brought her across the globe in pursuit of all things adventure and food.

MORGAN BANNO

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Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita

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It wouldn’t be a proper Mexican celebration without refreshing libations. For a spin on a classic lime margarita, try making a watermelon jalapeño margarita!

Don’t like spice? Make your marg stirred, not shaken. You’ll get the essence of fresh jalapeño pepper without the heat and sniffles by keeping the pepper intact. Want

Let's get back to the simple things, like a hot dog and soda at a Little League game.

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

5/1 10 a.m. Walter Fuller Park 2950 75th St. N., St. Pete 5/1 11 a.m. Egan Park 9101 Blind Pass Rd., St. Pete Beach

Player Pitch: 5/1 10 a.m. Walter Fuller Park 2950 75th St. N., St. Pete 5/6 6:30 p.m. Hurley Park 1500 Pass-A-Grille Way, Pass-A-Grille

Junior Little League: 5/1 10 a.m., Hoyt Field 2306 56th St. S., Gulfport

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crossword

Solution on page 31

At The Lanes

gabber on vacation

Solution on page 31

BONNIE BRAY

sudoku

Jim Greenwald and Bonnie Bray adventured to the Inca ruins in Ingapirca, Ecuador and brought along their favorite reading material – the Gabber!

Have you taken the Gabber somewhere? Or maybe stayed at home? We want to see your pictures! Please send a high-resolution photo and a brief description to news@ thegabber.com.

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theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

TRAVEL IS FUN TOURS

Licensed FL Seller of Travel #ST12255

727-347-1600

• • • •

Tours Designed with you in mind!

Full Brochures available on all trips!

Over 38 years in business Expert Drivers, Luxury Coaches!

www.tiftours.com

919 Tyrone Blvd, St. Pete, FL 33710

BRANSON! Live Entertainment!

JUNE 8-15, 2021—8 DAY

Includes: 13 Meals (7B, 6D) 5 Great Show’s in America’s Live Entertainment Capital!, 2 Nights at Drury Inns enroute, 3 Nights in Branson! 5 Great Shows including the Sight & Sound Theater!

COST: $1169* per person double or $1519 single

SMOKY MOUNTAIN 4th of JULY JUL 1-6, 2021—6 DAY

Includes: 10 meals (5B, 5D), Great Smoky Mountain National Park & scenic stops at Newfound Gap, Sugarland Visitors Center & more, 3 nights in Sevierville at the Comfort Inn Apple Valley, enjoy The Lumberjack Feud Show & delicious dinner at Harpoon Harry’s, visit nearby Gatlinburg with free time in town with time for lunch on your own.

Full day at Dollywood, with many great shows included and a meal voucher for your dinner. Dollywood has won for Friendliest Park & Best Shows from Amusement Today many times!

COST: $1089* per person double or $1495 single

SEMINOLE CASINO IMMOKALEE GETAWAY!

JUL 25-26, 2021—2 DAY

1 Night at the fabulous Drury Inn Ft Myers, Includes, Cocktail Party, Drury Dinner, Great Breakfast, Two 4-hr visits to the casino & more!!!

COST: $199* per person double or $249 single

BEST OF THE WEST—GRAND CANYON SEP 1-16, 2021—16 DAY

Includes: 26 Meals(15B, 2L, 9D) Full Day at the Grand Canyon with IMAX Movie and local Step-On Guide. Step on Guides in Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, Dallas! See The Nat’l Cowboy Museum, Petrified Forest, Southfork Ranch (From TVs “Dallas”) & More!

COST: $2369* per person double or $3079 single More Great 2021 Multi-Day Tours

•

ZAIYA HIGH VIBES “FINDING YOURSELF”

Is not really how it works.

You aren’t a ten dollar bill in last winter’s coat pocket.

YOU ARE ALSO NOT LOST.

Your True Self is right there, buried under cultural conditioning, other peoples’ opinions, and inaccurate conclusions that you drew as a kid that became your beliefs about who you are.

Finding Yourself is actually

RETURNING TO YOURSELF.

It is an unlearning, an excavation, a remembering who you were before the world got its hands on you.

-Emily McDowell

Unique Art & Gifts from 35 Local Artists in the Gallery!

Linen, Silk, Tie Dye, & Boho Styles in the Boutique!

OCT 16-22, 7 DAYS—SMOKY MOUNTAINS FALL FOLIAGE, NC—$1019*/$1317 *Price is Per Person for Double Occupancy

Plus Dozens of Great Day Trips! Here are just a few!

• • • • • • •

MAY 1, SAT—FLORIDA STATE FAIR, Food Rides & Shows— Transp only…$39 MAY 5, WED—IMMOKALEE CASINO—Cinco De Mayo, 1400 Slots!!!!...$59 MAY 15, SAT—RED BARN FLEA MARKET in Bradenton! Over 600 Shops!...$39 MAY 19, WED—AIRBOAT RIDE & LUNCH at CATFISH JOHNNY’S…$99 MAY 20, THU—CAPONES Speakeasy—Matinee Show & Buffet, Super Fun!...$85 MAY 22, SAT—KENNEDY SPACE CENTER—Transportation Only…$59 MAY 28, FRI—Lunch at HELLA’S with the the Magic of James Songster…$79

FREE TRAVEL CLUB MEETINGS! - Prizes & Excitement!!!

WEDNESDAY MAY 12th, 1:30PM at Big Apple Buf fet in Tyrone Gardens or on Youtube live!! theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

3119 Beach Blvd S, Gulfport

678-665-4988

ZaiyaArtizenMarket@gmail.com Open 10-5 Monday - Sunday

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CLASSIFIEDS

Accounting

If you have questions about advertising, please email us at advertising@thegabber.com or call 727-321-6965! Deadline: Friday 5 p.m.

PROFESSIONAL CARPET AND GROUT CLEANING

CLEAR NUMBERS BOOKKEEPING

Specializing in spot removal and sanitizing your carpets. Ask about our $99 special.

40yrs experience ,Excellent references and attn to detail. Satisfaction guaranteed. 727743-0701

Virtual bookkeeping for small businesses and nonprofits. Monthly packages customized to your needs or one time cleanups. Payroll available. QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor.

10+ years experience.

PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE CLEANING The pollen has finally subsided. Make your home beautiful again. We pressure clean fences, driveways, homes, sidewalks, pavers, stepping stones, pool cages, pool area, you name it we can make it look new again.

40 yrs exp. Excellent references, call 727743-0701 for a free estimate.

Call/text to 727-248-0714 or email to nspence@clearnumbers.biz

Caregivers

HOMEWATCH CAREGIVERS OF ST PETE BEACH

Computer Service JS COMPUTER REPAIR Mobile Computer Repair – 40.00 per visit/hr – 727-643-0697 – www.jmswebservices.com

Computer Problems?

No Problem!

In-Home Service FREE Phone Consultation Virus/Malware Removal Setup • Repair • Tutoring Courteous, Competent, Reliable Service

Serving the greater St. Petersburg area.

Family owned and local business. Providing in home personal aid companion care, after surgery care, 24-hour care, dementia care, postpartum support, childcare, to name a few. 727-914-7472 www.hwcg.com/ St-Pete-Beach AHCA #299995153

SEMI RETIRED CARPENTER

At Discount Prices! Free Estimates. Frame and Finish Work. Gulfport and Pinellas Park Areas. Call the Door Doctor. Gus, 727-6446194.

Electrical AC ELECTRIC 727-345-3108 Over 30 years experience. Residential & commercial. New or remodel work, service upgrades, lightning arrestors. Fans and lighting installed.

State License #ER0007653.

MAYNARD ELECTRIC • Room Additions • Lightning Protection • Fuses to Breakers • Mobile Homes • Circuits Added • Phone Wiring • Ceiling Fans • Security Lighting & More 24 Hour Service

FREE ESTIMATES

525-0677

Licensed Bonded Insured St. Lic. #EC0002881

SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT! Home & Condo Maintenance

D.C. STRONG

Home & condo maintenance • Interior & Exterior • Experienced in all work, A-Z • Call Dennis Strong 727-301-4530 • Licensed & Insured

perfectworldllc.com

Miscellaneous Service

Gulfport Computer Repair Fast Friendly Service

727-388-3493

Moving / Hauling

2321 49th St S

CERTIFIED AND VACCINATED HOME HEALTH AIDE. Exp. caregiver with excellent references, offering assitance with personal care, homemaking, errands, safety supervision, & companionship. Over 30 yrs experience in hospitality. 4 yrs exp as caregiver, I can meet any need you might have. Please call 727-282-2320.

Cleaning / Housekeeping GIVES ATTENTION TO DETAIL 30 yrs experience. Free Estimates.Call 615-840-3662.

For local client reference, call Larry (Townshores) 727-432-2499.

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Mon-Thu 10am-5pm

15 Years in Gulfport 45 Years Experience

THE TRASH QUEEN Overwhelmed with the mess? Clean up/clean out, inside and out, recycling and organizing, and we do mulching and weeding! Free estimate from Kathy, Trashologist, licensed/insured, with truck/ trailer. Call/text 845-866-3867. Responsible, reasonable, and ready!

Computer Sales

Fax, Copy, Print

CHARLES JUNK HAULING & DEMOLITION Junk & Trash Removal. Low, Low Prices Guaranteed, Daily Specials. Kitchen, Bath, Shed, Fencing, etc. Demolition. 727-831-0507.

Painting

Handy Person HANDYMAN SEMI-RETIRED All types of repairs • small jobs welcome • Quality work at reasonable prices • Honest • Reliable • Free estimates • John, 727-410-2201 CARPENTER DEPENDABLE! Have Tools Will Travel Trustworthy. Doors, Decks/Eaves/ Rotted Wood, Etc. 30 Year Gabber Advertiser.

Free Estimates, Lic. C-5754. 727-821-9973.

PINNIX PAINTING Interior, Exterior. In Business Locally Since 1980. Free Estimates.

Commercial, Residential. References Upon Request. Lic. #C4334. 727-641-1888.

CHRISTIANSON PAINTING Interior and Exterior work done right ,Old School. 30 years experience .Strong customer service . Excellent references. Call or text Mark 727-4524938 LIC #C11520

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

Heat / Air Conditioning

EXPERT SPRINKLER REPAIR

Rich Moseley, Irrigation Contractor. 25 Years Experience. Reasonable Rates. Well & Pumps. 727-439-0792. Lic.#C8312. BBB Accredited.

“Same rates seven days a week”

NO SERVICE CHARGE EVER! CAC1815513

727

709-7979 www.AirPhillips.com

QUALITY AT WORK

Luke Phillips

3914 6th St S St. Petersburg

Card of Thanks O 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. 4 E.T. For Sale

KEITH URBAN BLACK ELECTRIC GUITAR

AFFORDABLE PROMPT • RELIABLE Licensed & Insured

Lee Claxton, I.S.A. Certified Arborist

Planting • Trimming Tree & Stump Removal Cabling/Bracing • Pruning/Shaping Home Improvement SHOP LOCAL. COASTAL DISCOUNT FLOORING Visit our warehouse in Gulfport! Just had a truckload of SPC (luxury vinyl plank) arrive in Gulfport to server our local community.

Many colors and prices to meet all budgets.

Residential and commercial. Available for pick up. 727-501-5886.

ROOFING LEAK SPECIALIST Bryan “The Roof Whisperer”. 727-277-9502. Residential/Commercial, Repairs/Reroof. Shingles, Tile, Flat. Quick Response. Quality Work at Reasonable Rates. References. Insured/Licensed. #CCC1330056.

Plumbing

PROFLO PLUMBING 727-902-7077

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

BEACH CONST & PLUMBING SERVICES #CFC1428945 Senior Discounts, $25 with ad.

All Plumbing Needs. No Overtime Charges.

40+ yrs. Experience. 727-421-4903.

727-220-0226 AnAffordableArborist@gmail.com

Professional Services NEED A GREAT REALTOR? Whether buying or selling a home, please call me for all of your Real Estate needs. I will work hard to earn your trust and confidence. Greg Graham, Realtor, Charles Rutenberg Realty 727-698-9017. https://gregorygraham.gocrr.com

RON DENNISON INSURANCE

• Homeowners FREE • Condo • Flood QUOTES

727-202-7258 10641 1st St E #205 • Treasure Island RLD0002@aol.com • RonDennisonins.com

Lawn / Landscape TREE PRUNING & DEBRIS CLEANUP Serving South St. Petersburg • Free Estimates • 727-308-8650

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

Like new, with amp and hardcase. $300.

BIKE, male Huffy coaster, $75. BIKE, female Schwinn coaster, $60. 727-776-9739 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE. Oak File Cabinet c.1900 $675. Antique Vellum Music Sheet framed $200. LGBTQ Hawaiian Kukui Nut Lei case of 75 $150.

Headboard Full Size $100. Zuru Bunch o Balloons Qty.100 case of 80 $100. Call 727-667-3271.

Furniture / Appliances

HOOKER ENTERTAINMENT CABINET

71in by 23in, 2 glass doors, 3 wooden drawers. $250 Also, Hooker dining table, 52in diameter, 4 chairs, $350. Call 727225-4312.

General SAM’S SELF-DEFENSE FOR WOMEN Self-Defense for Women. Specializing in Anti-Rape Procedures and Prevention.

One-on-One. Simple. Very Helpful. Two Sessions. $150.00 Over 50-Years Experience. Email: skarswel@tampabay.com Sam: 727-641-6535. South Pasadena GULFPORT LIONS CLUB Available for parties, weddings, meetings. Great waterfront location with full facilities. Call Jean for info and dates. 727-366-6341.

Pets / Animals LOST DOG April 18 she escaped from 23rd Ave S between 46th and 47th Ave S. Female white w/black spots small Rat Terrier. 12 pounds with a long tail the curves upwards. Not friendly. Please keep an eye out contact me text me email me: 646964-8455 vfigols@gmail.com Please notify of place and time seen. Thank you Veronica

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Wanted WANTED: SPACE TO PARK SMALL CAR FOR FIVE MONTHS. Can be carport or garage.

812-369-1186. Call/text.

BUYING VINTAGE COSTUME JEWELRY WATCHES AND PARTS

Buying vintage Costume Jewelry. Old mechanical watches and parts. I make house calls. Call Kaye 239-560-2816 anytime. Bring to Farmers Market on Sunday Space 19NF Farmers Market England Brothers Park Pinellas Park 8am-1pm Yard / Garage Sale BETA SIGMA PHI SORORITY Multi family yard sale. Sat May 1, 8-3. 6380 6th Ave S., St. Pete.

RECREATION LEADER - City of Gulfport.

Summer seasonal full-time positions available from June 14 th thru July 30 th . Education/experience preferred in education, physical education or child care. Knowledge of recreational activities including games, arts & crafts and sports. Minimum qualifications include high school diploma or equivalency.

Entry $12.702/hr. Level II Background check, drug screening and physical will be conducted. Applications accepted from 3/15/21 thru 3/31/21 at Gulfport Recreation Center, 5730 Shore Blvd. S. or City Hall, 2401 - 53rd St. S., E.O.E.

ing for affordable studio or 1BD apt or duplex, in or near Gulfport. Text or call 727-772-3136.

FAMILY OF 4 LOOKING FOR RENTAL HOME Need 3/2 home w/garage under $1800 between beach and Wesley Chapel. Good income, great family, not perfect credit. No smoking. No criminal.

No drama. Have a Siamese cat and Harley and Daughter 12, son 9. Please call 682-386-2361 Amanda Real Estate for Rent FOR RENT OFFICE/STUDIO Commercial space on Gulfport Blvd. Approx. 400 sq ft. Two Rooms: includes utilities, parking, private access $700 mont. For info call 727-592-2386.

1BD/1BA

Unfurnished apt. in owner occupied duplex. North Gulfport. Yearly lease.

Credit/income verification. Non-smoker only. Best for one person. Senior preferred. Small (15 lbs) dog considered. All amenities. Very clean with attractive, easy to clean tile floor throughout. Private, quiet, sense of security. You pay electric. Water ($80 value) included. $950/month. First/last, security. Earliest availability June. Call Mon-Thurs between 12-4pm to see. By appointment.

727-350-5609. Final offering. Thank you.

BACKUP DELIVERY DRIVER We need a delivery driver to occasionally deliver the Gabber. Occasional Wednesday overnights. $250/night. Work typically lasts 6-8 hours.

Clean driving record, background. Familiarity with South Pinellas a plus. Our vehicle. Easier with a friend. Call/Text 727-360-7070.

Accommodations Wanted LOOKING FOR ACCOMODATIONS Retired, quiet 65 year old single male, look-

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theGabber.com Real Estate for Sale

TOWNSHORES CONDO FOR SALE

Windsor Bldg. 6020 Shore Blvd S, Unit 308.

Beautiful Bayview, 1 BR 1 1/2 Bath, Servpro clean, all new paint, flooring, light fixtures, ceiling fans, toilets, and Central AC unit. $249,900. Must see! Call Marilyn for appointment. 727-623-1016.

OPEN5/2 HOUSE 2-4P 8743 95TH AVE N. • $285,000 TENANT PAYS $1725/MO

727-418-8948

neldasellsfla@gmail.com

Nelda Hamm

3037 Beach Blvd. S.

C ity O f G ulfpOr t M eetinGs City Clerk’s Office • May 2021

JUNIOR COUNSELOR - City of Gulfport.

Summer seasonal part-time positions available for Gulfport resident’s ages 15-17 years old from June 14 th thru July 30th. Experience working with children preferred. Entry $8.56/hr. Level II Background check and drug screening will be conducted. Applications are being accepted from 3/15/21 thru 3/31/21 at Gulfport Recreation Center, 5730 Shore Blvd. S. or City Hall, 2401 - 53rd St. S., E.O.E.

PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED LINE ADS ONLINE!

May 4, 2021

Council Meeting – 6:00 pm (In-person and Zoom – City Hall)

May 5, 2021

Planning and Zoning Board – No Meeting

May 11, 2021

Senior Citizens Advisor y Committee – 8:00 am Catherine Hickman Theater – 5501 27th Avenue South (In-person)

May 12, 2021

Board of Adjustment – 6:00 pm (In-person - new meeting time – City Hall)

May 18, 2021

Council Meeting – 6:00 pm (In-person and Zoom – City Hall)

All meetings are open to the public and will be held in the CITY HALL, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 2401 53 rd Street South unless otherwise noted. Meetings may occasionally be added, cancelled or rescheduled after this list is published; please check the city’s website mygulfport.us for updated information and login information for Meetings.

theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

solutions

Chip Hall

Jodi Jenco

Chris Brady

Marie Drew

Hilary DeBlasio

Destiny Khamphanh

Daniela Nankova

Steve Michalski

Mona Petrou

Lisa Bambace

Need to buy or sell ? Call a Local Expert TODAY! 6641 Central Avenue • St. Petersburg, FL 33710

727-440-1000 • LOCALEXPERTHOMES.COM theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021

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There’s No Better Time To Move!

Your health and well-being remain our top priority. From universal screening to on-site testing, enhanced cleaning protocols and maximized safety precautions, enjoy peace of mind in an extraordinary wellness setting.

Discover a community with unparalleled amenities and services PLUS a limited-time offer to make a smooth transition to our community.

NOW THROUGH MAY 30, 2021 Save up to $4,000 when you move in by May 30, 2021.

To Take Advantage of This Exceptional Offer: Call 727-381-5411 or visit bocaciegabay.watermarkcommunities.com.

Stay Safe, Be Well And Save – Today!

1255 Pasadena Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33707 727-381-5411 • bocaciegabay.watermarkcommunities.com INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE SKILLED NURSING AT THE SPRINGS, OPERATED BY SUMMIT CARE INC. FLORIDA ASSISTED LIVING LICENSE #0083

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theGabber.com | April 29, 2021 - May 5, 2021