Digital subscriptions provided by the City of Gulfport THE GABBER.COM No. 2767
June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
A Good Kid’s Life Cut Short Gulfport’s opioid crisis is personal. Reading the statistics is one thing. More than 8,100 people died of fatal drug overdoses in Florida between January 2021 and January 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, up 6.7% compared to a year ago. Nationally, drug overdose deaths are up 12.5% compared to last year with many of the 107,375 fatalities linked to fentanyl. The synthetic opioid can be 100 times more potent than morphine and can be deadly. Those numbers pale in comparison to knowing just one person who has died because of an opioid addiction. The mother of a 26-year-old man who fatally overdosed in Gulfport this past March spoke with The Gabber about the loss and her son’s struggles with addiction. Meet Mitchel “He was a good kid,” his mom says of her son, Mitchel, who succumbed to his addiction this past March. “He was kind. He always wanted to feel important, needed to feel im-
MARGO WALKER
By Mike Sunnucks & Cathy Salustri
“The hard part for me, is that I get so worked up,” Mitchel’s mom says, “because it was so much and it went on for so long, and he got so sick, and they gave him Oxys when he left the hospital.”
portant,” she said. She asked that we not identify her, pointing to stigmas that still accompany substance use,
mental illness, and that they could negatively impact her business. “He loves animals,” she says,
Mitchel continued on page 10
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The Gabber & Pride 2908-B Beach Blvd. S. Gulfport, FL 33707 727-321-6965 Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Cathy Salustri Loper cathy@thegabber.com
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Mike Sunnucks, Crime Amanda Hagood, Books Nano Riley, Environment Jon Kile, Columnist Resie Waechter, Outdoors & Fitness Serving Gulfport, South Pasadena, St. Petersburg West, Downtown St. Petersburg, Kenneth City, Tyrone, Tierra Verde, St. Pete Beach, Pass-A-Grille, Treasure Island, Pinellas Point, Madeira Beach, Pinellas Park Owners Barry Loper and Cathy Salustri Loper Deadlines Friday at 5 p.m.
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Anyone who doesn’t laugh at this is a real pissant and is very rarely stable. –David Barrett, via Facebook I cracked up when I saw this the other day. I think I even sent a picture to my friends. –Deana Ali, via Facebook Hilarious! As a new resident I appreciate you all so much! —Alayne Justicia, via Facebook Ironically, the drop below 2.1 births is a legit problem. —Keith W. Koehler, via Facebook
Overcoming Doubts: ‘Defund’ the Police? I am upset with the photo of the front page of the Gabber. It’s nice to report about another avenue to take for behavioral/mental illness issues but did you have to plaster a homeless man down on his luck onto your front page? Really? Hope you never have to walk in his shoes and get humiliated that way. –Mary O’Malley, Gulfport
Trump Flag Destroyed I agree 100% with Mr. Diorio. Yes, it is wrong to destroy someone’s property, but people should be wiser about what they display from their door. When you insult your neighbors, they let you know, usually in no uncertain terms, they are insulted and you have insulted them and their values. What ever happened to “Love your neighbor, as you love yourself”? A lot of people feel like Mr. Diorio, and their number is growing everyday – hopefully enough to keep the tyrant
from taking office again; our democracy is in danger by those dumb enough to believe the ‘big lie’. I can only hope people will use their eyes, brains, and hearts before choosing a dictator over democracy. There is so much hate and discontent and violence in our world today. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could love our neighbors as we love ourselves no matter what color, lifestyle or beliefs they are? When you advertise hate from your doorstep, just like the Nazi flag, you put your flag in jeopardy of others who believe another way. Sorry the property was destroyed, but my gracious, don’t start a war over a dumb two-bit flag that advertises hate and discontent; there is enough of that in the world without flags waving it in the wind. –Mrs. Dearldean Hall, South Pasadena The Gabber welcomes and encourages letters and commentary. One letter per person, per month. All letters must be signed with your real name and city, and should be as brief as possible (ideally <250 words). We may edit letters for content, clarity and length. We will not print letters that incite violence, include personal attacks on private citizens, or that are intentionally misleading or inaccurate. Letters sent to the Gabber for print will also appear online and on the Gabber’s social media pages. Commentary posted to the Gabber’s website and social media pages may also be used in print. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Gabber owners, advertisers, or staff. Send letters to news@thegabber. com or mail them to 2908-B Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, FL, 33707.
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news Once Upon a Beach
Before Pride. Before Acceptance. Before Understanding. By James Schnur
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA TAMPA LIBRARY
Madeira Beach and Johns Pass have offered many positive memories, including for these men who came to the beach to escape and relax.
When Izzy Schuster arrived on the north end of Johns Pass in 1934, the area had few amenities. A fish camp occupied nearby land and a few wooden cottages sat along the waterfront near the original 1927 bridge. A small barn-like structure offered a place where the bridgetender could pass time during the slow afternoons along the Pass. Schuster soon set up a store, lunch counter, and gas station. The Little House restaurant opened in 1937, and a couple of shops and bars appeared before America entered World War II in December 1941. Aside from fishing fleets, this coastal oasis remained a quiet, largely undeveloped area. Business increased after the war. In December 1946, Schuster moved into his new $50,000 building – quite a structure at the time – that had apartments and a market. In January 1947, the first post office between Pass-a-Grille and Indian Rocks Beach opened at Johns Pass. When areas north of 140th Avenue
incorporated into Madeira Beach in May 1947, much of the sandy acreage around Johns Pass remained a sparsely settled area, where the tall Australian pines along the shoreline outnumbered the people strolling upon the beach. A Quiet Place to Gather This remote area began to attract a new crowd by the early 1950s. Mostly twenty- and thirty-somethings, these young adults congregated along the wooden groins near Johns Pass. They purchased beers and sodas from Jack’s Place, a local watering hole that gladly accepted their patronage. The off-the-beaten-path beaches of southern Madeira offered a quiet and discrete place to meet. A location to share hugs, stories, and friendships, this shoreline became the preferred destination to have a few drinks, watch sunsets, and escape from the unwelcoming and often-intolerant world that they
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
would return to after leaving Madeira Beach. As the rising tides washed their footprints from the sand, they put away an identity that the larger world almost unanimously would fail to accept. In addition to their time at Jack’s Place and along Johns Pass almost seven decades ago, these people had few other Pinellas destinations where they could safely gather. Some traveled across the Gandy Bridge to enjoy drinks and dancing at Tampa bars such as the Brass Rail, the Knotty Pine, and Jimmie White’s Tavern. At those Tampa locations, all of them knew the routine. Some places required a code word to enter. All of these establishments kept somebody near the door, ready to send a signal if any police approached the building. When a signal was sent at those bars, dancing partners quickly paired up with someone of the opposite gender. Police raids of so-called “gay bars” were commonplace in Florida long before the Stonewall uprising of June 1969 in New York City brought national attention to the challenges faced by the gay community. Those gatherings at Johns Pass provided a refuge from this hate. Even after they came to an end, they offered memories of a beach destination where friends had enjoyed safety, camaraderie, and tranquility during a turbulent time. What were these people doing that had them so fearful of a visit from law enforcement? After all, they simply were being themselves. Indeed, that is why they often felt a sense of fear. Creating Safe Places Amidst Intolerance During the 1950s, much hate washed upon the shores of the Sunshine State. Florida remained
Beach continued on page 6
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a segregated state, clutching its Deep South roots. After those trying to end racial segregation launched the Tallahassee bus boycott in May 1956, legislators went into special session and passed a bill to create the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee. Commonly known as the Johns Committee for its chair – former acting governor and state Senator Charley E. Johns – this body sought to connect civil rights groups to a supposed communist conspiracy. However, for most of its history from 1956 though its abolition in 1965, the Johns Committee focused its wrath on another group: Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Floridians. The Johns Committee targeted many LGBTQ teachers and public employees, along with an unknown number of private citizens. In 1964, legislators on the Johns Committee even used taxpayer dollars to fund the publication of “Homosexuality and Citizenship in Florida,” an example of state-sponsored homophobia. When a signal was sent at those bars, dancing partners quickly paired up with someone of the opposite gender. Police raids of socalled “gay bars” were commonplace in Florida long before the Stonewall uprising of June 1969 in New York City brought national attention to the challenges faced by the gay community. Those gatherings at Johns Pass provided a refuge from this hate. Even after they came to an end, they offered memories of a beach destination where friends had enjoyed safety, camaraderie, and tranquility during a turbulent time.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA TAMPA
Beach continued from page 5
Sharing a moment along Madeira Beach a little north of Johns Pass in the early 1950s.
Treasured Tomes and Times on the Beach St. Petersburg native Edie Daly returned to Pinellas in 1981, 16 years after the Johns Committee’s demise. Aside from some bars such as Gulfport’s Cheshire Cat (that later became Sharp A’s and Pepperz Cabaret), few gathering places for the south Pinellas LGBTQ community existed at that time. As Daly recalled in a May 19, 2016 Gabber article, she wanted to create a quiet and safe place for women to gather. During the early 1980s, Daly was involved in the opening of a bookstore a little north of Johns Pass known as The Well of Happiness. Located along Gulf Boulevard, the store’s name paid honor to the popular lesbian novel penned by British author Radclyffe Hall in 1928, The Well of Loneliness. It was near The Other End, a lesbian bar. At The Well of Happiness, Daly
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and other women used a black book located behind the counter of the bookstore as a way to build a safe social network years before the internet. Women who quietly shared their names and addresses learned about groups such as the St. Petersburg Salon, co-founded by Daly nearly 40 years ago, on October 1, 1982. The Salon offered a safe place for feminists and women who identified as bisexual or lesbian to gather. After meeting in St. Petersburg, the group Daly remembered as a “radical feminist collective” moved its meetings to Madeira Beach. The Salon briefly met at Madeira’s former city hall, before locating to other venues. Jack’s Place, The Well of Happiness bookstore, and The Other End lounge no longer exist. Tall condos occupy the shoreline near where members of the LGBTQ community gathered away from the crowds decades ago. Jack’s Place disappeared. The Madeira Bay Resort and Marina soars above the grounds where the bookstore and lounge once operated. Even if the names of those who gathered at Johns Pass long ago have largely been forgotten, these locations that offered them a coastal oasis during a different era are places certainly worth remembering.
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Park and Pay... Or Else
Those Who Fail to Pay the Meters on St. Pete Beach Face Raised Parking Rates By Abby Baker
LARRY BUSBY
Thinking about skipping the meters on St. Pete Beach? That’ll cost you $40 – every two hours.
Parking fines in St. Pete Beach have been slowly climbing for years. This June, the City bumped up parking fines to $40. Drivers who do not pay the City’s meters after parking can be ticket-
ed $40 – every two hours until the car is moved or the meter is paid. “The fine was raised to $40, but we have always had the ability to ticket every two hours,” St. Pete Beach Mayor Al Johnson wrote to the Gabber via email.
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In addition to the raised fines for the parking lots, the City raised the fine for parking in a residential area without a permit to $90. Those cited can pay their tickets online at stpetebeach.org/564/ Parking-Ticket
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The Art of Noise
Gulfport Has No Noise Ordinance Changes Planned By Monroe Roark
CATHY SALUSTRI
Repeated complaints about the Village Courtyard prompted multiple Gulfport City Council discussions about its noise ordinance.
No changes are planned for Gulfport’s ordinance with regard to outdoor entertainment, but the City will take a harder look at applications in the future. That was the message sent at the end of the discussion during the City Council’s June 7 regular meeting. Council took no official action. “This is not in any way changing things for people who have outdoor permits,” said Councilmember Paul Ray (Ward III), who brought the matter before the council after convening a town hall meeting a few months ago to hear input from citizens. “We need to be more proactive to work with the businesses and the residents who live around them.”
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The standard procedure for such applications, according to City Manager Jim O’Reilly, is that they get reviewed by staff, who brings any concerns to the applicant. Ultimate approval lies with the council, or the Community Redevelopment Agency. According to City staff documents, Council has discussed its noise ordinance at various times over the past six or eight months, in the wake of repeated complaints from residents living adjacent to the “Art Village” and in close proximity to commercial properties within the Waterfront Redevelopment Area. Attendees were invited to speak on the issue during the public comment time, and Debbie Amis of The Tiki Bar & Grill was the only one who
did so. She said her establishment had been the subject of relatively few complaints over the past few years, probably because the speakers that project the live music face the Gulf and away from homes in the area. “The whole time we’ve been there, which will be nine years in November, we never received any kind of complaint until the whole thing started maybe a year ago,” she said. “Then we received several because I think some people were jumping on the bandwagon. Since it was happening in other places in town it started happening for us.” She recounted one incident in particular during which the police arrived in response to a neighborhood complaint – but the restaurant
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
was not playing music that night. She pointed out to the officers that night how their time was being wasted when they could be focusing on more important matters. “I feel as though folks who are within a certain distance to any establishment – that either has music or could potentially have music in the future if they so decide – anyone in that particular area has to understand that [outdoor entertainment] is a business decision for that business owner,” she said. “It has to be realistic. There are people over at the volleyball courts that play music and have boomboxes. Cars running, buses running, will reach that level. So we have to be super-realistic to make sense of any of it.” Ray said nothing is in the works that would affect any current permit holders, but more attention would be paid to future applicants. “We don’t currently review site plans or anything else, as far as the council goes,” he said. “They ask for an outdoor entertainment permit and we just give it to them. We haven’t really reviewed it or worked with the business that requested it or the neighbors that live around it. “This is a better way of dealing with it going forward instead of just handing them out like candy.” All three Councilmembers involved in the discussion (Michael Fridovich, Ward IV, and Mayor Sam Henderson were absent from the meeting) were on the same page as far as Ray’s remarks were concerned. “I totally agree that we should be careful and thoughtful about what we are doing so the businesses have success and the neighbors don’t get upset,” said Councilmember April Thanos (Ward I). Vice-mayor Christine Brown (Ward II) noted that a great deal of time was devoted to the plans for the new Dunkin’ Donuts on the western end of Gulfport, which has none of these kinds of issues. She said that similar attention should be granted to future permit applications. “I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “Moving forward, every application will be looked at in a more mindful way, keeping in mind every aspect of who is affected.”
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talking in the present tense. Mitchel especially loved dogs. His obituary asked people to donate in his name to a local animal charity. As a kid, Mitchel loved math and the solar system. He played T-ball. As an adult, he worked as a bartender, and helped set up local festivals like GeckoFest and Gulfport’s Get Rescued. He loved video games. “He would beat every game,” his mom recalls. Mitchel was more than his addiction, but in the end, the opioids took his life. He was 26.
FAMILY PHOTO
Mitchel continued from cover
“He Didn’t Have a Chance in Hell” “My son struggled with addiction for a long time and he got really sick last year,” said his mom. After a car accident, a doctor prescribed him OxyContin®, and he became addicted. He went to the hospital for a heart valve replacement 11 months before he died, where doctors gave him OxyContin® and fentanyl. Upon his release, doctors sent him home with a prescription for OxyContin®. The doctors knew, she said, that her son had an opioid addiction but was in recovery. “He went in an addict and came out an addict,” she says. “There should be something in place when a known addict isn’t released on opiates. Why would they do that? He didn’t have a chance in hell.” Those prescriptions, she told The Gabber, sparked a return to drug use, including fentanyl and heroin. She has twice written Governor DeSantis, first to thank him for passing HB 95, a law that put in place tougher penalties for selling opioids, including fentanyl. The law passed two months after Mitchel died. “I told him my son’s situation,” she said. “I thanked him for passing HB 95.” But then she wrote a second letter. “[I] asked him why there wasn’t something in place” about addicts being released from the hospital with opiates. To stay on the pain meds, though, Mitchel would have to go to pain management.
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“He was a good kid,” his mom remembers. He grew up playing T-ball, loved math, and was fascinated by the solar system.
“They gave him the opiates, and said ‘If you want to stay on it you have to go to [a] pain management [clinic]’.” He didn’t have a car, so instead, he turned to a local drug dealer. “He didn’t go anywhere to get his stuff. They delivered it to him,” his mom said. Every day at 5:30 p.m., his dealer would show up with fentanyl at her son’s door. “It’s Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better” Outside of California, more people die from overdoses in Florida than anywhere else in the country: Last year, 8,182 Floridians died from a drug overdose. The number of deadly drug overdoses linked to fentanyl comes in the midst of the social, public health, and economic stresses of the coronavirus pandemic. Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent said his agency has responded to 19 overdose calls so far this year, compared to 10 for the same time frame a year ago. Gulfport police officers can use Narcan to help revive overdose victims.
“Every officer is issued Narcan and receives classroom and written instruction on how to use it,” Vincent said. Narcan is a prescription nasal spray that delivers naloxone, which can counteract opioid overdoses. Yolanda Fernandez, community awareness division manager for the St. Petersburg Police Department, said SPPD responded to almost 500 overdose calls for service through
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June 9, 2022. That compares to 497 last year, 441 in 2020, and 354 during the same time frame in 2019 – before the pandemic and its isolations and shutdowns. Fernandez said that number doesn’t include some of the overdose calls that might be handled primarily by local firefighters and paramedics. Jennifer Webb, executive director of Live Tampa Bay (which highlights the challenges of opioid addiction and overdoses), says fentanyl is often manufactured in China and smuggled into the U.S. via Mexico before landing on Florida streets. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Webb says. The fatal potency of fentanyl, mixed with a mental and behavioral health issues arising from the social, economic, and family impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, has intensified the crisis. “It’s really this insidious cycle,” Webb says. “It’s unforgiving.” The Tampa Bay region has an opioid overdose rate of 23.3 per 100,000 population, 50.5% higher than the national average. Opioids have a $25 billion economic hit in on the region with lost wages and work hours as well as medical criminal justice, according research from Live Tampa Bay. Webb says fentanyl shows up in all kinds of substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit pills, and – in some instances in Hill-
sborough – dusted on marijuana. “It’s all fentanyl,” she says, adding that the strength of fentanyl can be dangerous for sober users who relapse. She’s also seen research that heroin shortages result in drug dealing syndicates using the synthetic fentanyl instead. Pandemic shutdowns — including coffee shops, kava bars, and 12-step programs — magnified challenges for those battling addiction and substance use, she says, adding that virtual 12-step meetings worked for some, but not all, during the stresses of the pandemic. “It’s hard to recreate casual communities of love,” Webb says. “That’s important to feeling connected and feeling part of the community.” “People Need To Talk About It” When Mitchel got his new heart valve, doctors gave him a temporary one. “Addicts don’t get the same care,” his mom says. Mitchel’s heart valve would only last five years, doctors said. The cardiologist told Mitchel and his mom, “If he’s good, he’ll get another one.” But Mitchel dreaded the idea of going back for surgery. “Within a month,” his mom says, “he was dead.” “He struggled for a long time,”
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she says. His addiction was her nightmare, too, and she didn’t tell many people. “You’re living in this hell and you can’t share it with anybody. It’s a hell, to live with an addict. It’s not a life people talk about.” Once she started talking, though, she realized she wasn’t alone. “It’s not just my son,” she says she realized. “When I started talking about it, people started coming clean: ‘my son’s an addict’. People need to talk about it. It’s happening, and it’s not just happening to me.” She loved her son. She tried to take him everywhere with her, all to keep Mitchel away from using or finding drugs. It wasn’t possible to stay with him every second of every day. “I found him on my kitchen floor,” she says. She wasn’t home when her Mitchel overdosed and died. No one was there to call 911 so GPD or the fire department could administer Narcan. Mitchel’s death certificate lists his cause of death as fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and alcohol, as well as valvular heart disease. A few days later, Mitchel’s drug dealer couldn’t get a hold of Mitchel, so he texted another number Mitchel had once used to contact his dealer: Mitchel’s mother. The dealer asked where Mitchel was. “He’s in the funeral home,” she told him.
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Scout Hall has roof and other structural Issues, but Gulfport Council approved more than $115,000 for repairs, which should start next month.
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Scout Hall is getting some much-needed repairs. The Gulfport City Council voted at its June 7 regular meeting to approve a contract with Caladesi Construction Company for a restoration and waterproofing project at the facility at a cost of $117,820. The work is needed due to “aging, moisture intrusion, and long exposure to environmental conditions,” according to a City staff report. City officials had previously tasked Halff Engineering, its structural engineering firm of record, to conduct a structural evaluation of the building and foundation to provide repair recommendations. A request was then made to Caladesi through the Pinellas County Job Order Contracting program. The work is expected to include removal and replacement of the existing roofing system as well as the shifted column and foundation on the south elevation. Also included is repair of the south load-bearing wall and replacement of facia boards, window trim, window framing, and deteriorated wall siding. Councilmember April Thanos asked City staff whether the new roof could support a solar panel installation, and staff said they would confer with the contractors about that. Gulfport Public Works Director
Tom Nicholls told The Gabber on June 17 that he expects the work to begin in mid-July and take approximately six weeks. According to the City’s website, the facility was renovated in 2008 and can accommodate 63 people. It offers a stage and small kitchen, brick patio, fire pit, and benches in a shaded area. It is used by multiple scout troops as well as meeting space, church services, private parties, showers, funerals, town hall meetings, and community events. Scout Hall has been closed for nearly a year, since late last summer, according to Gulfport’s Cultural Facilities Event Supervisor Justin Shea, who programs community and cultural events for four separate facilities across Gulfport. The building has been designated a local historical landmark by Gulfport’s historic preservation board. Because of this, Gulfport received a $300,000 state grant more than a decade ago for previous renovations. Shea plans to oversee a thorough cleaning of Scout Hall as soon as the renovation work is done to get it back into “rentable shape,” and he is looking forward to having it available again for use by local residents. “I already have a list of interested clients that would like to get the call as soon as we can open.”
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
THE CITY OF GULFPORT'S
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GULFPORT MARINA’S KID’S FISHING DERBY Michael J. Yakes Recreation Complex 5730 Shore Blvd. S. (Seawall) 8 - 10:30 a.m. (Free registration starts at 7:30 a.m.) All anglers must provide fishing pole and tackle Bait will be provided
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GULFPORT RECREATION FAMILY SAND SCULPTURE CONTEST Gulfport Beach, Shore Blvd. S. 10 a.m. - noon (Free registration starts at 9:30 a.m.) “Patriotic” Theme Sculptors must bring own tools and imagination Winners will be announced at 12:15 p.m.
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PARADE ON BEACH BOULEVARD featuring local businesses, organizations, family & friends 6:00 p.m. WELCOME BY THE MAYOR & CITY COUNCILMEMBER’S Northwest Casino steps Immediately following the parade MUSIC BY THE NEW HORIZONS BAND 7:00 p.m.
Fireworks Show at 9:00 PM
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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Recreation Beach Complex 5730 Shore Blvd. S. Ted Phillips Wood Ibis Park 58th St. S. and 28th Ave. S. Hoyt Field 2306 56th St. S. Tomlinson Park Complex 19th Ave. & 55th St. Gulfport City Hall 2401 53rd St. S. Multipurpose Senior Center 5501 27th Ave. S. Gulfport Public Library 5501 28th Ave. S. Chase Park / Museum 54th St. S. and 28th Ave. S. Gulfport Municipal Marina 4630 29th Ave. S.
The Gulfport GEMS vehicle will be available at 4 p.m. until the start of the parade and then immediately following the parade until 10 P.M. for free transport. For more information, call 727-893-1118 or visit mygulfport.us/july_4th_celebration
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Gulfport Senior Center 5501 27th Ave. S. • 727-893-5657 •
/gulfportseniorcenter
Annual registration required. Free, residents; $50, non-residents. All programs subject to change without notice. Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Fri, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Stop by, join our weekly newsletter, or like us on Facebook for a full calendar of events. Fitness Center now open! To provide physical distancing, we’ve limited capacity, so call to register for a spot. Supplemental food assistance for qualifying Gulfport Seniors in need is available at the Senior Center. Pantry is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Proper verification required prior to use of the pantry. GEMS (Gulfport Extended Mobility Service) provides affordable Door-to-Door transportation service, rides to medical appointments, shopping, and much more for Gulfport residents, 55 years of age or older or disabled. 727-893-2242. Medical Equipment Lending Program provides gently used wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches and other medical equipment to seniors who need it. Supplies limited.
SPECIAL EVENTS Veterans Coffee Connection Veterans of all service eras, let’s gather for coffee, support, friendship, and to learn about available community resources. July 1, 10 a.m. Gulfport ROCKS! Create some fun rock art. All supplies provided. July 1, 12 p.m.; registration required. Stars & Stripes BBQ Celebration A fun BBQ celebration kicks off the 4th of July weekend. July 1, 5 p.m. $10; tickets at Foundation office, Gulfport Beach Bazaar, or gulfportseniorfoundation.org. Medicare & Health Insurance Assistance Frustrated trying to navigate the insurance world? We have you covered! Appointment only. The Girls’ Club This new group of senior single lesbians just wanna have fun! Meet for a cup of coffee, chit-chat, and planning monthly social events. July 5, 3 p.m. Pencil Drawing Jay Lynch teaches a threeweek drawing class. Please bring 11x14” drawing pad, pencils, and sharpener. July 11-25, Mondays, 10 a.m. Limited space; pre-registration required. Memory Screenings Worried about your memory? St. Anthony’s Memory Disorder Clinic offers free and confidential memory screenings. July 11; call to make the required appointment. Reverse Mortgage Is the Boomer generation’s $10 trillion in housing equity the answer to retirement financial anxiety? Learn reverse mortgage facts – and fallacies, including a discussion of the pros and cons of the FHA HECM versus the newer non-FHA
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reverse mortgage options. July 12, 2 p.m. Fresh Market Bring your tote bags and help yourself to some fresh and healthy fruits and veggies. July 13, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. How Nutrition Changes as You Age In this health talk with Labrador Primary, learn how our bodies need different foods and nutrients to function optimally as we age. Join Dr. Graham and learn tips for adapting your diet as your metabolism, taste buds, and digestion change. July 14, 12 p.m. Rhythm & Groove Jam Session Let’s make music together at our monthly hootenanny. Bring your instrument and join this casual jamming group. Open to all instruments, all levels of experience and, of course, all listeners. July 14, 3 p.m. Clubhouse Chatter Open discussion about the MLB season and your hometown Rays. July 15, 10:30 a.m.
GEMS GETAWAYS Out-to-Lunch Bunch: Grand Hacienda Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine where friends and family celebrate fresh cooking from scratch. Get some shopping in while you’re at Tyrone Square Mall. July 14. $8; $4, members. Seminole Hard Rock Casino Amp up your fun with an exciting array of slot machines and table games, including blackjack, baccarat and more – plus live-action poker. July 21. $20; $15, members. The James Museum and Hawkers Asian Street Food Experience a guided tour of the paintings, sculptures, and jewelry from the American West. Next, eat lunch where the food mesmerizes all five senses. July 28. $27; $21, members. Join the Adventure Club! Step out of your comfort zone, try something new, and check it off your bucket list. Parasailing July 13. $89; $85, members. Helicopter Ride Sept. 6. $58; $54, members. iFly Tampa Nov. 17. $99; $94, members.
MONDAYS Chair Exercise/Yoga 9:30 a.m., Theater lobby Spanish for Beginners 10 a.m., Room 107 Wisdom Healing Qigong 11 a.m., Theater lobby Mahjong 12 p.m., Room 107 Dominos 1 p.m., Theater lobby Chair Yoga 1 p.m., Casino Strength Training & Aerobics 1:30 p.m., Dining Hall
Chair Volleyball 3 p.m., Dining Hall
TUESDAYS Gulfport Senior Citizens Harmonica Club 9 a.m., Room 107 Line Dancing for Beginners 10 a.m., Neighborhood Center Tai Chi 10 a.m., Casino Continuing Level 1 Spanish 10:30 a.m., Zoom Texas Hold ‘Em 11 a.m., Theater lobby Contract Bridge 1:30 p.m., Theater lobby New Horizons Band of Gulfport Jazz Practice 4:30 p.m., Room 107 New Horizons Band of Gulfport Concert Practice 6 p.m., Dining Hall
WEDNESDAYS Gentle Mindful Yoga 9:30 a.m., Neighborhood Center Bunco 10:30 a.m., Room 106 Investment Discussion Group 10 a.m., Room 107 Canasta 1 p.m., Theater lobby Watercolor Painting 1 p.m., Room 106 Bingo 1:30 p.m., Dining Hall Cardio Drumming 4:30 p.m., Dining Hall Cardio Drumming 5:30 p.m., Dining Hall Intermediate Spanish 6 p.m., Room 106
THURSDAYS Art Summer Open Workshop 9:30 a.m., Room 106 Guided Meditation 10 a.m., Room 107 Tai Chi 10 a.m., Casino Texas Hold ‘Em 11 a.m., Theater lobby Acrylic Painting 1 p.m., Room 106 Contract Bridge 1:30 p.m., Theater lobby
FRIDAYS Wellness Movement 9 a.m., Room 106 Gulfport Writers’ Workshop 9:30 a.m., Room 107 Knitting & Crocheting 10 a.m., Theater lobby Healing Yoga Therapy 11 a.m., Casino Bridge Instruction 12:30 p.m., Room 107 Dominos 1 p.m., Theater lobby Chair Volleyball 1:30 p.m., Dining Hall
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Gulfport Casino Ballroom 727-893-1070 • 5500 Shore Blvd. S. Disco Party with Swing Time Dance to funky disco grooves and beats. No partner needed. July 8: 7 p.m., hustle lesson; 8 p.m., dance. $10. swingtime.info.
Casino Weekly Dances Ballroom Lessons: Tues., 12 p.m. $10 Argentine Tango: Tues., 6:30 p.m., $10 Swing: Weds., 7 p.m. $10 Latin Night: Thurs., 7 p.m. $10
Catherine Hickman Theater 727-893-1070 • 5501 27th Ave. S. Rising From the Ashes Opening Art Reception & Exhibit The opening reception for the exhibit Featuring DianneMarlene and other artists. July 1, 6-8 p.m.; exhibit runs through July 27.
Gulfport Public Library 5501 28th Ave. S. • 727-893-1074 • /gulfportlibraryfl Mygulfport.us/gpl • Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All programs free and subject to change. Murder in the Afternoon Mystery Series Do you love a whodunit? Join this weekly mini-series. Weds., except July 20, 12 p.m. SHINE Presentation Information and counseling about Medicare Parts A, B, C, & D. July 20, 1 p.m. Call 727-893-1073 for individual appointment. Storytime Join us for stories, rhymes, music. Thursdays, 10:15 & 11 a.m. Ocean Commotion Crafts Make jellyfish, starfish, and a seahorse. You may even get to take your picture in the mouth of a shark! July 5, 3 p.m. Best for grades K-5
Monogram Letter Paint Pour Use oversized cardboard cut-out letters and paint pouring to create monogram letters to hang on your wall. July 7, 4 p.m.; registration required. Best for grades 6-12. Grown-up Movie Series: Ready for teenage turmoil? This teen turns into a giant red panda when her mother – and life! – harasses her. PG. Call for title. July 9, 1 p.m. Wonders of Nature Wildlife Show Animal expert Matt Edmonds presents an educational show featuring live animals that exhibit behaviors that help them survive in
the wild. See raptors, parrots, toucans, and more. July 12, 2 p.m. Best for grades K-5. Sharpie Coffee Mugs & Cookies Use markers to decorate mugs and enjoy yummy cookies. July 14, 4 p.m. Best for grades 6-12 LGBTQ Film Series Call for this month’s title. July 14, 7 p.m. Gulfport Library Book Club Discuss The Source of Self Regard by Toni Morrison. Get a copy from the library or audiobook from Overdrive/Libby. July 21, 2 p.m.
Recreation Center 5730 Shore Blvd S. • 727-893-1068 • mygulfport.us/recreation/rec Annual registration: $3 residents, $6 nonresidents Basketball Adult: Thurs. 6-8:30 p.m. Pickleball All levels: Tues., 6-8:30 p.m.
PROGRAMS Summer Program Registrations continue for our 2022 Summer Program, open to children who’ve completed kindergarten through age 14. The 10-week program runs from May 31-Aug. 5, from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. (for an extra fee). The program has 25 spots for the discounted rate for Gulfport residents in need of assistance; verify eligibility with either a letter from the child’s school verifying the acceptance of free or reduced lunch or a letter acceptance of assistance from financial aid or a related program. Register Mon.-Fri., from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Teen Night Registrations Continue! Available for middle and high school students 17
and younger. Recreation, social activities, field trips, cooking projects, guest speakers and service projects. Teens can use the gymnasium, game room and outdoor area. Mon., Wed., & Fri.: 6-9 p.m. Rec Center membership required: $3, residents; $6, nonresidents. Tot Time Pre-register for the 2022-2023 Tot Time Program, a pre-school, handson program for ages 3-5. Tot Time makes learning fun for children and helps prepare them for kindergarten. Two, three and fiveday monthly options available. Program runs 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., starting Sept. 6. Pre-registration runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. $25 deposit holds a spot and gets applied to first month’s tuition. Gulfport residents must provide proof of residency. VPK Program We are currently accepting VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) Vouchers for the 2022-2023 School Year. VPK is free for all Florida children who turn 4 by Sept. 1. VPK runs from 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., start-
ing Sept. 6. Apply only at elcpinellas.net; after applying, bring the certificate of eligibility to pre-registration, which takes place Mon.-Fri., from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
CLASSES Call instructor for more information. Want to teach a class? Call John: 727893-1079. F.I.T Tennis Fri., 6 p.m. Free for beginners, ages 21 and up. Chase Park, 5313 27th Ave. S. Mo: 727-515-1454. Hatha Yoga 6:15 p.m. $12/class or $50/ month. Denise: 727-251-8868. Holistic Health July 21, 6:30 p.m. $20/class. Jennifer: 813-263-3919. Hula Hoop Fitness Second & fourth Thursday, 6:30 p.m.; $10/class. Maria: mestrada1987@gmail.com. Tennis Tues., 6 p.m. Adult lessons. Chase Park, 28th Ave. and 53rd St. S. $15. Mo: 727-515-1454.
Get the city app by visiting MyGulfport.us/cityapp theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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arts The Ballerina and the Artist
Meet Toni, an Artist with Down Syndrome and Her Ex-Ballerina Mother, Rosie By Abby Baker
CATHY SALUSTRI
“She’s my life,” Green said of her mother.
Most mornings, Toni Green wakes up and makes a shake for herself. Her art supplies clutter the counter of her sun-splashed St. Pete home, and the house is alive with the Green family women. Toni is a 48-year-old artist who lives with her mother, Rosie Marie Green, and her older sister Gwen Thomas. Rosie-Marie is a retired ballerina who raised a family of artists, health care professionals, and musicians. Toni’s signature style is bright stilllife paintings, created with markers. Toni creates series of subjects, sketching coffee cups, flowers, the sun, anything she feels like bringing to life on the page. Rosie-Marie says Green has always been an artist, but she began creating with Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center in 2007.
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That is, until her 89-year-old mother began showing signs of dementia. One second, Rosie-Marie recalls her past days as a professional dancer, and the next she forgets basic facts. Thomas is the primary caretaker of her mother; the St. Pete acupuncturist moved in after her mother’s health declined. Toni has completely rearranged her life to be with her mother at all times. She still creates art, but she’s stopped attending Creative Clay, where she was formerly a member artist. “She’s been a little isolated since COVID hit, but at the same time, she’s gotten the chance to work on her dream of working in home health care,” Thomas says. Toni attended Nina Harris School in Pinellas Park. She wanted to be a
nurse, but it never panned out. “Toni has been reluctant to return, because she’s worried about leaving her mother,” Thomas says. Her mother urges her to return, but for now, the two are inseparable. “She’s my life,” Toni says, adding color to a drawing of a coffee mug. Rosie Marie began studying ballet at the age of 6. When she was 16, she lied about her age and began working as a professional ballerina in New York City. She’s worked in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City as a ballerina and make-up artist. Her resume includes “Swan Lake” for the American Ballet Theatre. During her time as a performer and makeup artist in Los Angeles, she accidentally claimed the wrong dressing room during a show. It was
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
ABBY BAKER
Toni Green is a St. Pete artist with Down Syndrome who lives with her mother - former professional ballerina, Rosie-Marie Green.
The full-length mirrors and the studio has reverted back to a living room, but Rosie-Marie remembers when it was full of dance. Nowadays, the family is there to fill it, but things have slowed down. Rosie-Marie and Toni have always been close. Their family says that her mother’s illness has brought them closer. “Toni, she wants this to be her life right now,” Thomas says. Though Rosie-Marie cherishes their time, it’s an adjustment for her. “Her [Green’s] memory is fading, and it’s humbling for her,” Thomas said. “Mom is not used to other people taking control.” Just like her mother, Toni loves to dance. She dances when she goes out to bars and restaurants. She does it so often that the owners and staff know her. “All my children are very creative,” Rosie-Marie says. “I’m lucky in that way.” Toni has no plans to return to Creative Clay, but she is still pouring out her heart on the page from her home, always near her “favorite ballerina.”
meant for Liberace, a famed piano player and she says he walked into the room unknowingly. “We became quick friends – with me in my underwear,” Rose-Marie says. “He was gay and that was the scene.” Rosie-Marie says she remembers feeling on top of the world during her performance days. “I was arrogant,” Rosie-Marie says. “I miss being arrogant the most.” After a long career, Rosie Marie moved to St. Pete to be closer to her mother. She quickly realized that Florida didn’t have as lucrative of a ballet scene as New York or Los Angeles, so she decided to try her hand at house painting. “My mom realized she was afraid of heights, so the painting thing wasn’t going to work out,” Thomas says. “She also realized that she can’t do anything but be a ballerina. She was just born into it.” Rose-Marie eventually worked as an independent performer in hotels and clubs, and owned a home studio, where she worked as a teacher.
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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Introducing: St. Pete’s John Gascot
Punchy, Pop Art-Inspired Artist the Founder of Pinellas Park Pride By Abby Baker
have in the community now,” Gascot said. So, when a mutual friend recently forwarded him an email with the contact of a South Carolina trans woman living in her car and dealing with mental health issues, he
URBAN DOG STUDIO
John Gascot isn’t afraid to be loud, in life and on the canvas. The St. Petersburg artist grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to the U.S. when he was 12 years old. Today, he exhibits his work all over Pinellas, including at the St. Pete Fairgrounds and the Brenda McMahon Gallery in downtown Gulfport. His work uses hard lines to create strong people, with ties from his own mother to representation in the LGBTQ+ community. In the McMahon Gallery, his piece “Trans is Beautiful” features a trans woman drinking from a lily pad. “It’s important for everybody to be able to find themselves in the world,” Gascot said. “Art isn’t just Ruben-esque white ladies frolicking in the woods.” As the founder of Diversity Arts, a Pinellas nonprofit responsible for the first ever Pinellas Park Pride [Pride in the Village] Gascot has found himself as a leader for LGBTQ+ people in the area. It’s a role he loves, but didn’t expect as a young gay child in the Caribbean. “No, I never thought I’d be organizing whole festivals, having people come to me as a mentor; I never thought I’d have the place I
Latin pop artist John Gascot is a working artist who got his start as a painter in Milford, Pennsylvania. Today, he’s the founder of Pinellas Park Pride and a representational artist in Pinellas.
felt compelled to step in and find local resources for her. “I don’t know South Carolina, but I said ‘I can do some research and see what’s available for a woman in a position like that’,” Gascot said. Before becoming a full time painter, Gascot began his nearly 20-year art
career in playwriting and performing. For years, he was a makeup artist. “It’s been a trip,” Gascot laughed. “I went from Pennsylvania to Philly to DC, and now we’re here. Been here eight years.” In 2004, Gascot sold a few paintings at APA Fine Art Gallery in Milford, Pennsylvania. He was hooked, but those early days in rural Pennsylvania were not always ideal for a Latin-American gay man. “There was not much diversity,” Gascot said. “When a person of color came into the gallery, I’d be excited. But then I would think about it, and it’s like ‘that’s not even something I should notice’.” When he’s not painting, Gascot is the manager of The Studios at 5663 in Pinellas Park. He’s currently exhibiting in the MIZE Gallery, at The Fairgrounds, and at his Pinellas Park gallery. He also has several murals in St. Petersburg. “I have many influences: pop art, folk art, cubism, Aboriginal art,” Gascot said. “I think my love of color is a staple.” His next subject? The recent overturning of the United States Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. “I’m horrified and I will be painting about it,” Gascot said.
EVERY SUNDAY 10AM - 2PM ON COREY AVENUE & BLIND PASS www.tampabaymarkets.com
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EVERY SUNDAY 10AM - 2PM
theGabber.com | JuneAVENUE 30, 2022 & - July 6, 2022 ON COREY BLIND PASS
Friendship is Agele
At 19, John D. (high school football star!) bought his first small plane, which leaked in the rain. He still likes to fly gliders and try new things. You could say he’s drawn to the unusual.
), John (cent Now he’s set aside his golf clubs and plays bocce ball alongside a retired nurse, scientist, artist, and other fun-first athletes — new friends who feel like old buddies.
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Explore More Please call 727-202-3474 today for a virtual tour or to plan an in-person private consultation. Learn about our many amenities and supportive expert team. Meet residents who are thriving in a positive environment that brings out the best in everyone.
“It’s easy to make new friends here. Knock on any door and an interesting person will answer.”
John ,
Watermark Resident
To learn more, hover phone camera over the QR Code or visit whatisageless.com/BCB
1255 Pasadena Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33707 INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE Skilled Nursing at The Springs, Operated by Summit Care Inc. FLORIDA ASSISTED LIVING LICENSE #0083
22-BCB-8466
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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the gabs Would you rather have $300,000 today or $1 million in 10 years? Photos by Abby Baker
Brooklyn Hunt, Gulfport: “The money right now. You could add it to your savings.”
Shelly Fuldoer, Gulfport: “I’d take the million. I’d be set for life.”
Marissa Stewart-Dix, Gulfport: “$300,000 now. I could turn that into more than $1 million in less than 10 years. Where do I report for my check?”
Anna Radojevic, Gulfport: “A million in 10 years. That’s how I’d pay for my college. I want to go into the medical field.”
K.F.M., KFMM.D. MD • 727-300-0933 info@kfmmd.com KAREN KARENMONROE, MONROE M.D. 401 33rd St N., #F #F • St. Petersburg 33713 karenformarijuana.com “...we will help you through the entire process.” No fee if you do not qualify.
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Submit your events online at thegabber.com theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
crossword
Solution on page 27
Duck
gabber on vacation
Solution on page 27
SAVERY FAMILY
sudoku
Double the fun! Marilyn and Rex Savery took two copies of The Gabber to share with their twin granddaughters, whose team won the Neptune City Classic Basketball Championship held in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We’re a good luck charm!
Have you taken the Gabber somewhere? We want to see your pictures! Please send a high-resolution photo and a brief description to news@thegabber.com.
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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GULFPORT
North End Taphouse
2908 1/2 Beach Blvd. S. Thursday, June 30 Gabe Whitney, 7 p.m. Friday, July 1 Jessica Rose, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 2 George Wright, 3 p.m.; Check’rd Past, 7 p.m. Sunday, July 3 Rob Pienak’s One Man Jame Band, 3 p.m.
ST. PETE BEACH
Chill Restaurant and Bar 357 Corey Ave. Thursday, June 30: Farley Compton, 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 1 Carlos & Joe, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 2 Ellie & Company, 6:30 p.m.
TREASURE ISLAND Ka’Tiki Beach Bar and Grille
8803 W. Gulf Blvd. Thursday, June 30 Green Light Go, 6:30 p.m.
MADEIRA BEACH
Lucky Lizard Taphouse 14953 Gulf Blvd. Thursday, June 30 DJ Trivia of Tampa, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 2 Ryan Marchand, 6 p.m. Sunday, July 3 Jamie Crabtree, 2 p.m. Monday, July 4 Louie, 4 p.m.
Submit your events online at thegabber.com 22
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
things to do
Free
Vegan Options
Dog-Friendly
Virtual
Tiki Party, Open Mic + Yoga with Rescue Dogs
ADOBE STOCK IMAGES
3 Daughters Brewing is hosting a doggy attended rescue yoga class for humans.
Find links for these events — and many other things to do — online at thegabber.com/events. Thursday, June 30 Last Chance for ArtOut “Queering the Pandemic,” the 5th annual ArtOut exhibit at the The LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Library is showing for the last day on Thursday. This internationally juried exhibit was created by LGBTQ+ artists and allies inspired by experiences of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is uplifting work, and there is painful work, but it’s all important. See it before it’s gone. Gulfport Public Library, 5501 28th Ave. S., Gulfport. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. artoutlgbtqgulfport.org Surf’s Up Community radio station WMNF is throwing an aloha-themed event on Central. Thursday is international mai-tai day, and St. Pete is celebrating with live surf rock by The Wrenchers, island hits by WMNF DJ Laura Taylor, free rum punch, and a “Best Aloha Shirt” Contest. This event
is open-toe shoe friendly. Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails, 1111 Central Ave., St. Pete. 7 p.m. wmnf.org Friday, July 1 Summertime Studio See the summery world of Creative Clay artists, in the studio’s the virtual gallery: ‘Sum-
mertime’ starting July 1. Online viewers are invited to browse a playground of powerful art inspired by Florida summers. See it through July 31. Want to bring something home? Half the purchase price goes directly to into the pockets of Creative Clay artists. creativeclay.org/upcoming-events Through July 31. Healing Yoga Meet for an hour of healing yoga, meditation, sound bowls, and breath techniques. This is a class for beginners looking to unwind and stretch the body – as well as the spirit. Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 11 a.m. 727-893-1070. Every body! It’s not just any First Friday Gulfport Art Walk, it’s a themed one. July’s Art Walk is Body Beautiful and marks the event’s second year. The art walk celebrates the human form and will feature a downtown full of body-themed work, as well as living models hitting the street in an effort to show their skin. Body Beautiful is a juried event hosted by the Gulfport Merchants Chamber. Beach Boulevard South, Gulfport. 5-9 p.m. visitgulfportflorida.com
Things To Do continued on page 24
CITY OF GULFPORT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Sanitation, Recycling, and Yard Waste Changes for the 4th of July Holiday:
No Garbage or Recycling Pick-up Services on Monday, July 4, 2022 Monday’s pickup will be on ������������Tuesday, July 5, 2022 Tuesday’s pickup will be on ���� Wednesday, July 6, 2022 No Wednesday yard waste pickup this week�
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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Things To Do continued from page 23 Mic Me Itching for a chance on the stage? The Blueberry Patch hosts an everyone-is-invited hodgepodge-style open mic night on the first and seventh of every month. Want to take the stage? Show up early to sign up. Blueberry Patch, 4923 20th Ave S., Gulfport. 7:30 p.m. $5. 727-914-0226.
Natural Hair Chat Is your hair your crown? Attend a workshop on the best practices for embracing the natural look, protecting your style, proper products, and more. Led by the owner of My Shade & Texture in Tampa. Replenish Thyself, 4357 1st Ave N., St. Petersburg. 4:15 p.m. jessica@replenishthyself.com Wednesday, July 6
Saturday, July 2 Walk It Take a stroll through Weedon Island Preserve before the mangroves melt in the summer sun. Walkers can meet their docent at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center and end up deep in the Florida jungle. You’ll learn the basics of Weedon Island Preserve’s ecosystems, take in the osprey’s-eye view from the 45-foot-tall observation tower, and (hopefully, and likely) see wildlife. Recommended for adults and youth ages 6 and older. Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Drive NE. St. Petersburg. 8 a.m. $3. 727453-6500. Sunday, July 3 Server Steals Attention hospitality workers: On Sundays, grab your shades and beach chair and head over to Caddy’s on Mad Beach for a weekly hospitality beach party. Drinks and apps are 50% off from 3-8 p.m. and live music will sound off on the beach all day. Proof of hospitality employment required for a discount. Caddy’s Madeira Beach, 14080 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach. 3-8 p.m. eventvesta.com/events/18574/t/tickets
Kids Corner Summer is here, and so are the learning possibilities. Young scholars K-2 can attend the Oceans of Possibilities summer program. For one hour, kids will play games, learn, make crafts, and anything else that piques their interest. Enoch D. Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave., St. Petersburg. 1:30 p.m. splibraries.libcal.com/ event/9237693 Swingers Slip on your dancing shoes, Gulfport. The Gulfport Casino Ballroom is back with swing classes, an open dance floor and a cash bar. The prohibition is over, it’s time to groove. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. and close at a smooth 11 p.m. Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 7-11 p.m. $10. 813-840-3715 Crime Watchers Wednesdays, we watch Gulfport Crime Watch. The Gulfport Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch Program streams on Facebook every Wednesday. Whether the meetings are live or rerecorded (it varies) this is the weekly spot to stay informed on incidents related to
vehicle and residential burglaries, BOLO’s and stolen vehicles in the Gulfport area. Post your questions under the video and they will be answered the next business day. Gulfport, FL Community Crime Watch Facebook page. 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 7 Seeking Council Join The City of Gulfport and fellow residents either in person or through recorded video on the city website. On July 7, the LGBTQ Resource Center will present a “big” check to BranchOut Scholarship recipient Nathalie Marcelin, She’s a first-generation Caribbean-American pursuing a career in social work from Stetson. Aside from this, catch other current local news. This is the best way to stay up-to-date on happenings in your town. Those who would like to avoid the crowds are welcome to attend and comment via Zoom. Gulfport City Hall, 2401 53rd St. S., Gulfport. 6 p.m. mygulfport.us Puppy Stretch 3 Daughters Brewing is giving a new meaning to “down dog”. Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses invites yogis to practice in the outdoor brewery space amongst rescue puppies. All the roaming dogs are in the care of Fluff Animal Rescue. Be prepared to get doggy kisses while you stretch to the instructions of instructor Emily Zaunbrecher. Participants get a free pint after class. This is a fundraising event for Fluff. 3 Daughters Brewing, 222 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg. 7 p.m. 3dbrewing. com/events
EXPERIENCE COUNTS – AND SAVINGS ADD UP Find out about the Competitive Rates and Special Benefits available through our agency for all your insurance needs! Ready to learn more? Contact our agency now! Call today for your FREE, no obligation quote. HOME • FLOOD AUTO • BUSINESS COMMERCIAL
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727-344-4500 6524 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33710
Submit your events online at thegabber.com
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Plans for the Fourth?
The Ultimate List of Fourth of July Events in South Pinellas By Abby Baker
The Fourth of July is on a Monday this year, but you can still celebrate like it’s the weekend (your boss is giving you Tuesday off, right?). Here’s a list of BBQs, beach parties, parades, and – of course – fireworks from Gulfport to a Tampa Bay beach near you.
Marina’s Fishing Derby invites families to a fishing competition for the books. Participants must bring their own gear, but Gulfport Marina staff will be handy with bait. Register at the seawall; winners will be presented prizes. Michael J. Yakes Recreation Complex, 5730 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 8 a.m. mygulfport.us
Friday, July 1 Gulfport BBQ What’s Independence Day without a good old fashioned BBQ? Enjoy an afternoon of fun, entertainment, hot dogs, hamburgers (including veggie burgers) with all the traditional fixins. Bonus: Baked beans, potato salad, apple pie, watermelon, lemonade, and iced tea. Proceeds benefit the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation’s new building fund. Order online at Eventbrite. To pay with cash, check, or credit card, visit the Foundation Office from 9:30 a.m.– 1 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Gulfport Senior Center, 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport. 5-7 p.m. $10. 727-893-1244. Sunday, July 3-Monday, July 4 Beach Weekend Spend a day at the beach, or two, on Treasure Island. Enjoy music and beach games all day (think corn hole), face painters from 1-4 p.m., and drink specials at the bar. Caddy’s Treasure Island, 9000 West Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. 8 a.m.-11 p.m. caddys.com
Sandy Feet How good are you with a shovel and bucket? Gulfport’s Family Sand Contest tests the community’s sandcastle skills with a patriotic-themed sand contest. Bring your supplies (go as big as you’d like) and work until they announce the winners at 12:15 p.m. Michael J. Yakes Recreation Complex, 5730 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 9:30 a.m. mygulfport.us. Paddle Party Celebrate Independence Day on the water in St. Pete. Chuck & Debbi’s Fourth of July Kayak Party is a free paddle below the City’s fireworks. Bring a kayak, a flashlight, and – by the event coordinators’ request – a mask if you’re not vaccinated! This is a free event, but if you don’t own a kayak, email dhietala@tampabay.rr.com. 7524 15th St. N., St. Petersburg. 3 p.m., BBQ; 6 p.m. kayak. 727-515-2105; event info. You Love a Parade Ready for a Fourth of July parade for the books? The City of Gulfport Independence Day Parade invites the
community to watch a red, white, and blue parade starting at the Gulfport Public Library and ending at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom. The prime viewing spot is by the Casino, where you can hear the welcome from the Gulfport mayor and councilmembers. Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S. 6 p.m. mygulfport.us Gulfport’s Fireworks Show End the Fourth of July with a fireworks celebration from the City. Revelers can watch from Gulfport Beach as fireworks launch from Williams Pier. Arrive at 7 p.m. for live music from the New Horizons Band of Gulfport. Gulfport Beach, 5598 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport. 9 p.m. mygulfport.us Fire Island Watch fireworks on the island. The City of Treasure Island holds its annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration by the beach. Gulf Front Park Lot, 10400 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. 9 p.m. timbchamber.org You Glow, Girl CJ’s on the Island will become a full-blown UV-lit beach party after the fireworks on the Fourth. Enjoy drink specials, DJs, and more than $5,000 in glow sticks and lighting equipment. The event kicks off at 8 p.m., and attendees are encouraged to wear white for the ultimate glow. CJ’s on the Island, 115 107th Ave., Treasure Island. 8 p.m.-3 p.m. facebook.com/CJsOnTI
Sunday, July 3 Mad Beach ‘Works Bonus event: Got plans for the Fourth of July? Celebrate a day early at the Madeira Beach fireworks show. Watch from the Mad Beach Rec Center or ROC Park. Don’t forget a lawn chair. ROC Park, 200 Rex Pl., Madeira Beach. 8 p.m. timbchamber.org
PVC FENCE PANELS CLEANED FROM $11 A PANEL
Monday, July 4 Gone Fishin’ Anglers, mini-anglers: Get your poles ready. The Gulfport
free quote & DEMO (727) 360-7070
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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worship St. Vincent’s Thrift Shop
Paradise Lutheran Church
on Treasure Island
5124 Gulfport Ave S. 33707
10255 Paradise Blvd, Treasure Island
Hours 10 AM to 2PM Wednesday to Saturday
Sunday Service
Affiliated with
St Vincent’s Episcopal Church
10am with Holy Communion
Sunday Services 10AM Misa en Español: Domingos 12PM
paradiseluth102@gmail.com paradiselutheran.com
5441 9 th Ave N. • St. Petersburg, FL 33710
727-360-5739
Good Shepherd Old Catholic Church
Unitarian Universalist United Fellowship
During the pandemic join us Sundays on Zoom.
Discussion -10:30 Program - 11:00 For Zoom directions email us at uuunited@earthlink.net “You need not think alike to love alike.” - Francis David, 1534
uuunited.org
AN EPISCOPAL CONGREGATION 330 85th Avenue • St. Pete Beach Reverend Omar Reyes
Sundays 10:00am Holy Eucharist Wednesdays 11:00am Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing “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.” 727-360-8406 • www.StAlbanStPeteBeach.org
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
17th St. & 29th Ave N St. Petersburg 345-7777 Friday 7PM
Beth-El Shalom Messianic Congregation
ShalomAdventure.com JewishHeritage.net Rabbi@JewishHeritage.net
Their life deserves more than five lines. We make sharing it affordable.
Stories live on. Tell theirs. • Free obituaries available; prices range from $10-$300 • Obituary on Legacy included In partnership with
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Special worship rates starting as low as $25/week.
Send an email to: advertising@thegabber.com
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
solution
ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR NEXT THURSDAY’S ISSUE IS FRIDAY BY 5 p.m.
1/2 price Clothing Sale EVERY Thursday
SUPERHERO & STAR WARS INVENTORY Clothing • Magazines Collectible Comics
We carry Kitchenware Jewelry • Shoes • Linens Household Treasures
CD’S & Games including PS-3
Donations greatly appreciated. Please call during Thrift Shop store hours to schedule a drop off of your donations.
Thank you for your patronage!
Hours 10am to 2pm • Wed. through Sat. • 5124 22nd Ave. S., Gulfport, FL, #727-321-7215 theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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CLASSIFIEDS
Accounting
CLEAR NUMBERS BOOKKEEPING 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. Call/text to 727-248-0714 or email to nspence@clearnumbers.biz
Caregivers
HOMEWATCH CAREGIVERS OF ST. PETE BEACH
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. hwcg.com/StPete-Beach AHCA #299995153 Cleaning / Housekeeping
Window Cleaning, Pressure Washing, Soft Washing, and more! Licensed and Insured
727-698-1213 Abccleanexteriors.com
If you have questions about advertising, please email us at advertising@thegabber.com or call 727-321-6965! Deadline: Friday 3 p.m. Computer Service
Handy Person
COMPUTER SERVICES 727-343-2838
SEMI-RETIRED CARPENTER At discount prices! Free estimates. Frame and finish work. Gulfport and Pinellas Park areas. Call the Door Doctor. Gus: 727-644-6194.
In-Home services: Internet security, training, virus & spyware removal, maintenance and repair, data recovery. (PC & Mac) JS COMPUTER REPAIR Mobile computer repair – $40 per visit/hour – 727-643-0697; jscomputerrepair.com
HANDYMAN SEMI-RETIRED All types of repairs. Small jobs welcome. Quality work at reasonable prices. Honest. Reliable. Free estimates. John: 727-410-2201.
Gulfport Computer Repair
CLEAN UP CLEAN UP CLEAN UP Handy helper. Skilled labor, anything around the house from A-Z. Weeding, rock gardens cleaned, mulch, sod, and plants installed. Small trees planted and removed. Pressure washing. Free estimates. 30 years experience. Start the New Year off right. St. Pete / Gulfport area. James: 407-244-6045.
727-388-3493
Heating & Air Conditioning
Fast Friendly Service 2321 49th St S
Mon-Thu 10am-5pm
15 Years in Gulfport 45 Years Experience
Computer Sales
Fax, Copy, Print
Electrical
ST PETE DUCT CLEANING & SANITIZING
Kill COVID, mold, & viruses in A/C system or home. Hospital safe, purifies air. Office: 727-341-1217. Cell: 727-251-5151. www.stpeteductcleaning.com
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.
727-687-7999 CourtesyElectricFL@gmail.com
5030 78th Ave. N. Suite 12, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTOR LICENSED AND INSURED EC-13008313
MAYNARD ELECTRIC Specializing in AirBnb/VRBO, vacation rentals, and condos. Glenda 863-205-0944 Leslie 863-512-3445 28
• Room Additions • Lightning Protection • Fuses to Breakers • Mobile Homes • Phone Wiring • Circuits Added • Ceiling Fans • Security Lighting & More 24 Hour Service
FREE ESTIMATES
525-0677
“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
Licensed Bonded Insured St. Lic. #EC0002881
SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT! theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Home Improvement
AFFORDABLE PROMPT • RELIABLE Licensed & Insured
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 types - T.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.
LED SOLAR LIGHTING FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT
Come see our new solar LED lights that will enhance your yard, garden, pool, and dock! We have a wide range of lights that do not require wiring. We are located at 3215 Tyrone Blvd N. in St. Petersburg or give us a call at 727-509-7830. 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.
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. Email: ruststainremoval@icloud.com
Lee Claxton, I.S.A. Certified Arborist
Planting • Trimming Tree & Stump Removal Cabling/Bracing • Pruning/Shaping
727-220-0226 AnAffordableArborist@gmail.com
Miscellaneous Service 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 845-8663867. Responsible, reasonable, and ready! Moving / Hauling CHARLES JUNK HAULING & DEMOLITION Junk & trash removal. Low, low prices guaranteed. Daily specials. Kitchen, bath, shed, fencing, etc. Demolition. 727-831-0507. Painting
MASTERS PAINTING * WHEN QUALITY COUNTS
Trust Masters Painting. Making Happy Customers for 42 yrs. Pressure Cleaning, Waterproofing, Honest, Reliable. 727-344-1674 or 727-510-6804. References, Guaranteed. Lic.#C4749.
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.
ARNEY’S PAINTING INC.
30 years experience. Painting expert plus wallpaper hanging and removing. Lic. #C9579. Call Arney 727-900-3459.
Help Wanted
WEEKEND GRILL COOK AND SERVERS NEEDED Popular BBQ Morning Market Vendor seeking reliable and experienced grill cook and servers for St. Petersburg Saturday and Sunday Morning Markets. Pay negotiable. Must have transportation and a valid drivers license. If interested, call Brady at 727-688-6221.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS GULFPORT MERCHANTS CHAMBER
Gulfport Merchants Chamber is seeking a full-time Director of Operations to foster relationships among the business community, advocate on their behalf, and support economic growth in Gulfport. A job description and application are available at visitgulfportflorida.com/careers. Submit resumes to Careers@visitgulfportflorida.com
LADIES FASHION ACCESSORY SHOP LOOKING FOR HELP
Bobbles & Bags in John’s Pass needs parttime help in the evenings, 4-9 p.m. Great pay, great atmosphere. Call 727-430-0276.
General
WE MIGHT HAVE YOUR PHOTO
We found a bunch of physical photos from our Take the Gabber on Vacation feature. We don’t want to trash your photos, so call 727321-6965 and give Patrick your name. He’ll check for your photo and get it back to you. GULFPORT LIONS CLUB Available for parties, weddings, meetings. Great waterfront location with full facilities. Call Jean for info and dates. 727-366-6341.
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 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.
theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Let us share your good news! Photos printed as space allows. Free – email goodnews@thegabber.com. New Baby • Engaged Save The Date • Graduation Student of the Month • Dean's List
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Furnished Rentals 2BD/1BA WATERFRONT UPPER UNIT ON SHORE BLVD. Fully furnished. Large balcony with magnificent views. Two parking spaces, cable, utilities included. Laundry on-site. Small non-shedding dog welcome. $2600/month. Available: 8/1/22 - 1/3/23. 60 day minimum. Contact JenM@hjmholdings.com; Text 619-458-0022. 1BD/1BA WATERFRONT LOWER UNIT ON SHORE BLVD. Cozy, fully furnished. Private patio with water view. 1 parking space, cable, utilities included. Laundry. Small non-shedding dog welcome. $2100/month. Available: 9/15/22- 1/3/23. 60 day minimum. Contact JenM@hjmholdings.com; Text 619-458-0022. 2BD/2BA HOUSE WITH SMALL OFFICE Two parking spaces. Hardwood/tile floors, W/D, nice patio. Quiet neighborhood, 2 blocks to Art District, 5 blocks to beach, near Stetson Law. Good for small family or roommates. Unfurnished. $3300/month. Contact JenM@hjmholdings.com; Text 619458-0022. Real Estate For Rent CONDO FOR RENT 1 Bedroom/1 Bath condo for rent in South Pasadena, partially furnished. Application/Condo Association approval required. $1,500.00/mo. Contact Charlie at 727-331-3324.
Open House 1320 56th St So • $419,000
Fri & Sat 12-3
1410 Freeman St. So • $419,000
Sunday 12-3
I LIVE and SPECIALIZE in Town Shores with EXPLOSIVE RESULTS! DIPLOMAT 805 • OPEN HOUSE 7/2 11am-2pm • SPARKLING VIEWS FROM THIS OUTSTANDING PROPERTY! GROTON 304• OPEN HOUSE 7/3 11am-2pm • TONS OF BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!
Dina Gamma Realtor®
727-410-5035
gammadina10@gmail.com
Thinking of Selling? Call me!
Place your classified line ads online! Deadline for classified ads is 3 p.m. Friday for the following week’s issue.
theGabber.com
Real Estate Wanted
SLR MOBILE HOME RESALES
We specialize in sales in Mobile Homes on Lease Land (Mobile Home Parks). Thinking of selling? Exposure is everything - our experience and marketing tools will sell your home. Will list your mobile home today. Call Thomas Morrow 727-859-6500. Real Estate For Sale CHATEAU TOWER, WATERFRONT, 7TH FLOOR, S. PASADENA Waterfront, open balcony, 1 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath, open floor plan. Walk to Shopping Center, few minutes drive to Stetson Law, Gulfport & beaches. Amenities: on-site gym, steam room, sauna, pool, hot tub, kayak racks/ water access. $369,900. MAX: 727-4586087 owner/realtor.
C ity O f G ulfpOr t M eetinGs City Clerk’s Office • July 2022
July 4, 2022
Holiday - City Hall Closed
July 5, 2022
Council Meeting – Cancelled
July 6, 2022
Planning and Zoning Board/LPA – No Meeting
July 7, 2022
Council Meeting – 6:00 pm (rescheduled June 21, 2022 Meeting - In-person and Zoom)
July 13, 2022
Board of Adjustment – 6:00 pm Council Meeting – 6:00 pm (In-person and Zoom)
July 19, 2022
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Meeting Immediately Following (In-person and Zoom)
All meetings are open to the public and are held in the City Hall, City Council Chambers, 2401 53 rd Street South, In Person, 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 log in instructions to participate in the Council Meetings through Zoom.
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theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
Real Estate Snapshots
Here’s What Sold in Gulfport Last Week Other Gulfport Home Sales Last Week 6202 8th Ave. S. (Stetson) This 1949 home has 935 square feet, two bedrooms, and one bath. It listed and sold for $367,000.
CATHY SALUSTRI
3128 59th St. S. (Town Shores) This 1972 condo has 1,250 square feet, two bedrooms, and two baths. It listed for $365,000 and sold for $315,000. 3010 59th St. S. (Town Shores) This 1,250-square-foot home, built in 1971, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It listed for $314,000 and sold for $308,000. 5313 16th Ave. S. (Tangerine) This 624-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bath home, built in 1949, listed for $315,000 and sold for $300,000.
5402 8th Ave. S. (Tangerine) This 1,235-square-foot, three-bedroom, twobath home, built in 1953, listed for $590,000 and sold for $560,000.
800 51st St. S. (Tangerine) This 1955 home has 858 square feet, two bedrooms, and one bath. It listed for $260,000 and sold for $252,000.
WE 4TH OF JULY! WANT YOUR HOUSE !!! HAVE A HAPPY & SAFE
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT GULFPORT REALTY
2902 Beach Blvd S.
www.GulfportRealty.com
(727) 289-5500
#1 Listing Agency in Gulfport! theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022
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theGabber.com | June 30, 2022 - July 6, 2022