Digital subscriptions provided by the City of Gulfport THE GABBER.COM No. 2716
July 8 - July 14, 2021
Faces of Change: REVERBERATIONS The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum now exists in more places than one, with REVERBERATIONS, an exhibit of art exclusively by Black artists – a meditation on progress and oppression – in St. Petersburg’s James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art. While the Woodson Museum, at 2240 9th Ave. S., is currently in the middle of a $20-million fundraising campaign to open a new facility, the James Museum provides the space for REVERBERATIONS, which opened on Juneteenth (June 19) and will last through August 29. “We are proud to host this exhibition by the Woodson Museum, as they amplify the voices of artists not often found at the forefront of American art and demonstrate the strength of an African American museum in our region,” said Laura Hine, Executive Director of The James Museum. The James typically features art from Western America’s landscape and history, but the opportunity to pair with the Woodson provided some content wiggle room. Curator Desmond Clark, a for-
PRINCESS SMITH
By Abby Baker
“My Divine” by Princess Smith.
mer trustee for the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, chose the artists, all of whom
Bogie, Bradley and Busing (Part Two) P.4
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Reverberations continued on page 18
New Horizons Celebrates 30 Years P.11
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Reporters & Contributors Abby Baker, News & Events Jeff Donnelly, Theater Sheree Greer, Advice June Johns, Photographer Jon Kile, Columnist Ryan McGahan, News Gabrielle Reeder, Gabs & News Nano Riley, Environment Jen Ring, Food & Culture Morgan Banno, Food
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A year ago this week, we published our first issue as the new owners of the paper. The Gabber, which went dormant during the pandemic, had returned. It doesn’t seem like a year to us, but indeed it has been – the loan payments from those of you who helped us buy the paper start repayment this month. While a lot has changed – from the staff (except for our editor), to the way we look, to where we work – one thing hasn’t, and that’s at the forefront of what we do and why we do it: You. The Gabber is still here to serve the community. In 2003, I showed up at the Gabber office, applying to freelance. Ken Reichart told me, “You’re going to lose your anonymity.” I all but laughed in his face; I’d grown up in Clearwater, where the weekly paper was essentially a driveway rag, and to me, a new Gulfportian, the Gabber differed little. Eighteen years later, the joke’s on me. My husband and I bought the paper because Gulfport didn’t seem right without it. We knew it would be a rough road – who buys a newspaper? In a digital age? In a pandemic? The community this paper serves came through for us, though. We asked for help, and you willingly gave it. We raised $8,000-ish on Indiegogo to resurrect the paper, and many of you offered loans or donations or, in the case of artists Ray Domingo and Monika Watson, donated art for an auction to benefit the paper. Your faith in the power of the Gabber kept us going through some pretty rough weeks. Even if we felt like we’d opened a proverbial vein and bled money into the paper for a few months, we knew our community would carry us through. And you did. You are.
The Fourth Estate is an integral part of this country’s political structure, but – unlike the three branches of government – the press is not obligated to be transparent. It’s our belief, however, that our readers should have more insight into how we operate. With that in mind, here’s where your donations go: $40 puts gas in our delivery van for one week. $50 pays for a month’s worth of printer ink for our office computer. $100 pays for a reporter to sit through city council meetings. $400 pays for one week of paper delivery. $500 pays our freelancers for one week or buys one newspaper box. $600 pays for one page of production in the paper. $2000 covers one week of printing expenses. We love and need your donations. But, whether or not you donate, you can do us a huge favor by sharing this information with everyone who cares about the future of the paper. Read the article online at thegabber. com and share it on your social media platforms (@gabbernews on Facebook and Twitter.) Tell our advertisers you saw their ad in the Gabber so they know advertising with us works. Pick up your paper every week and make sure to check thegabber.com everyday, and subscribe to our newsletter (email me to get on the list). Most importantly, remember this: After more than 50 years and four sets of owners, this paper remains your community resource, your voice and your friend. We’re here for you, just like you’ve always been here for us. Happy Gabber-versary! – Cathy Cathy@thegabber.com
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
A Note on Elsa: The Gabber now goes to press on Tuesdays, and our paper is distributed on Thursdays. You will find coverage and photos of Elsa’s impact in our area online now at thegabber.com and also in next week’s print issue.
announcements Donate Your Vehicle for the Senior Center Have a vehicle you don’t need? Donate it for a good cause! The Gulfport Senior Center Foundation is making vehicle donations easy. They handle everything from the free pick-up and sale, to getting you donation tax receipts. They accept many kinds of vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles and even RVs. Donate your vehicle and know that you helped support programs like the Gulfport Senior Center Fitness Center and the Gulfport Senior Center Food Pantry. Call 727-8931244 (9 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday though Friday) or visit donatecarsforseniors.org.
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Don’t Miss Your Shot According to the CDC, vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19. If you still haven’t been vaccinated, it’s not too late. Stop by your many local pharmacies for your shot, or contact the Florida Department of Health. Register at patientportalfl. com/s/login/SelfRegister or at 844770-8548.
Drivers Wanted Meals on Wheels needs you…to drive. The Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center, as part of the Neighborly Dining & Meals on Wheels program, delivers meals to those who need it, provided they’re at least 60 years old. Little problem: They don’t have enough drivers. People who can volunteer to deliver meals should visit neighborly.org.
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
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The Story of Pinellas County School Integration A nine-part series exclusive to the Gabber
Part 2: Separate and Increasingly Unequal Last week, we remembered a brief moment more than 130 years ago when the first and only integrated classroom on the Pinellas peninsula existed in what would become Gulfport. This week, we revisit the customs and traditions that reaffirmed racial segregation long before officials approved the creation of a place provisionally known as “58th Street High School” in early 1952. Dixie M. Hollins, the first superintendent of Pinellas public schools, made school facilities improvement a priority when he took office in 1912. Students attending the county’s four Black schools witnessed marginal improvements, but nowhere near those offered to their counterparts at other schools. White schools received more funding than Black schools; Black schools taught students for six months or less while white schools offered classes for eight months. Hollins embraced the views of Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Washington, whose father was a white man and mother was a slave, grew up as the Ku Klux Klan terrorized the South and white supremacy surged. In that environment, Washington believed that Black people should focus on industrial education and eschew activism, placing moderate economic gains above political engagement. Hollins corresponded with Washington, accepting his focus on domestic science and manual training. The superintendent hired graduates from Tuskegee to teach in Pinellas schools. In an expanding local economy with strong agricultural and hospitality-based roots, Hollins wanted Black students in Pinellas schools to become literate laborers
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HERITAGE VILLAGE ARCHIVES
By James A. Schnur
Gibbs High School, early 1930s rather than intellectuals. County leaders did require all Pinellas teachers to have some training or education, a standard higher than that demanded by the state’s superintendent of public instruction, William Sheats. However, segregated public schools in Pinellas offered Black students – who sat in secondhand desks and read used textbooks – no education beyond the ninth grade. Even if Hollins had wanted to improve Jim Crow schools, he would have faced stiff opposition. A January 1915 editorial from the now-defunct Largo Sentinel painted a sad-but-accurate image of the majority mindset at that time, stating that offering advanced educational opportunities to Black students denied them time “that could be used with far greater profit in teaching them to use tools and implements of the farm, the shop and the kitchen. . . . Not one in a hundred thousand of them is ever going to have any use for algebra, geometry, Latin, Greek and similarly advanced studies.” These harsh words defined segregated education in the Sunshine State. Hollins tried to take his relatively progressive platform statewide, resigning from his county position in a bid to unseat Sheats. The incumbent’s supporters circulated
handbills showing and telling rural Floridians about the improvements Hollins had made to Black schools in Pinellas. The race-baiting worked. On November 2, 1920 Sheats was re-elected, ending Hollins’s political aspirations. Riding ‘The Blue Goose’ to Gibbs Pinellas had no school buses in the 1910s. Children walked to school, rode horses or sometimes hitched a wagon ride. Private “jitney” services offered occasional, unreliable service, but never to Black pupils. The county purchased its first fleet of five buses for $11,240 in August 1923. None of them served Black schools. Black students attending Pinellas Junior-Senior High in Clearwater boarded their first bus in August 1946. Pupils riding that bus from their homes in the groves south of Largo or as far north as Tarpon Springs passed many neighborhood schools they couldn’t legally attend. No such vehicle existed for Gibbs Junior-Senior High School in St. Petersburg, opened in 1927 in a structure built as a white elementary school. These inequalities forced educators to find alternatives. Lack-
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS
ing county support, Gibbs Principal George W. Perkins, two teachers, and a business leader in the African American community said they’d use their salaries to offset costs, if necessary, to secure a bus for Blacks in south county. They encouraged students who could afford it to pay a few pennies to ride the bus. The bus that served Gibbs High School stood out. As a way of making a statement and showing pride, community members painted their bus with a vibrant blue hue, rather than the uniform yellow. They called this bus “The Blue Goose.” Old Rivalries and New Residents An on-again, off-again organization lobbied for white residents who lived south of Central Avenue since at least the mid-1920s. Known as the Southside Improvement and Protective Association (SIPA), this body demanded St. Petersburg leaders offer equal resources for
their neighborhoods to keep them on par with places north of Central Avenue. SIPA’s leaders howled about areas such as Old Northeast and Snell Isle receiving preferential treatment. These southsiders embraced segregation. In September 1929, SIPA condemned plans to open a narrow sliver of sand along the shore of Bayboro Harbor as a beach for Black people. Leaders called for the relocation of Black communities to areas north of Central Avenue as a way to preserve their neighborhoods. By the 1940s, SIPA members vigorously protested against any Black people who tried to move south of Jordan Park or west of 34th Street. Newcomers flocked to Florida in growing numbers after World War II ended. White residents filled ever-expanding subdivisions of St. Petersburg, including neighborhoods such as Childs Park, Fairmount Park and Lakeview, areas where Black people could not live.
In 1952, aside from St. Petersburg High School, the closest public secondary school for white students was in Largo. To meet a growing demand, the school district selected nearly 37 acres in Gulfport, south of Lincoln Cemetery, as the site of a new campus and allocated $1.56 million to build classrooms. Next week, we examine Boca Ciega High School’s early years and retrace how segregationists spurned a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. James A. Schnur graduated from Boca Ciega High as a member of the inaugural class that experienced Pinellas school desegregation from first through twelfth grades. To comply with court-ordered busing, he rode the bus for four of those years. He’s written five books about Pinellas communities and has also lectured and published about Florida and Florida education history.
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Summer Is for the Birds
Peace, Love and Conservation for Local Skimmer Colonies What is black, white and red all over...its beak? Nope, it’s not an embarrassed penguin, but something just as wonderful: the black skimmer, an extraordinary Florida seabird with elegant tuxedo plumage and a giant candy corn-colored beak. Scientifically known as Rynchops niger, the skimmer also has some delightful vernacular names: “Scissorbill” reflects its unique foraging style of zooming low over the water while running its outsized lower mandible just below the surface and snapping up small fish. This tactic allows the skimmer to follow its “nose” to feed at night. “Stormgull” recalls that skimmers, who roost and nest in large groups on open beaches, are sometimes displaced by large storms, descending on new shores in the wake. But do not let its reputation fool you: Skimmers follow their hearts. After summer breeding season, individual mates go their separate ways, but the same lovebirds always find their partners when summer returns — even as Florida’s 50 or so nesting colonies move each year. Then there is “Sea Dog,” a moniker that speaks to the cacophonous “bark” skimmers make in nesting colonies, day and night. This may explain the rather ungenerous nature of their collective nouns, which include an “embezzlement” or a “conspiracy” – I prefer a “scoop” of skimmers. Remarkable as they are, Florida’s skimmers are a threatened species. As Dr. Beth Forys, who teaches biology at Eckerd College, explains, beachfront development has giv-
BETH FORYS
By Amanda Hagood
Seabird stewards on the job at a local beach.
en critters such as fish crows, feral cats, and coyotes new opportunities to prey on skimmer colonies, while human (and canine) traffic on the beach can frighten chicks away
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from their parents or even result in crushed nests and eggs. Climate change brings stronger storms and higher seas that can wash out nesting sites, and sewage spills and algal blooms can endanger the birds’ fish supply. “Sometimes we lose whole colonies at once,” she said. “That’s really hard.” But Forys is also hopeful. She helps to oversee a small army of Audubon seabird stewards who work each summer to survey local beaches for nests, mark and monitor active sites, and educate
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
BETH FORYS
BETH FORYS
Eckerd College biology major Andrew Golub and Dr. Beth Forys tagging a local skimmer to track its migration.
BETH FORYS
beachgoers about the birds. She sees something special in skimmers. “Here’s a species that is threatened, but could be stabilized – one that is easy to access and study, easy to get people interested in.” A gateway bird, perhaps? You can discover skimmers for yourself at Gulfport Beach in the evening, as well as on the Gulf beaches — just keep a respectful distance from any marked nests and don’t let your dog (or human) children chase or scare them. Interested in stewarding opportunities? Contact Audubon Florida’s Holley Short at Holley.Short@ audubon.org to learn more.
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
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From Drab to Gecko Fab! By Gabber Staff
ESTER VENOUZIOU
Gulfport artist Denise Keegan O’Hara with the finished gecko shed, right.
LocalShops1 founder Ester Venouziou recently got into the gecko spirit with a fresh new backyard shed makeover by local artist Denise Keegan O’Hara. “She did a fabulous job!” Venouziou told the Gabber. “I just told her what colors I liked.”
O’Hara painted Venouziou’s shed in vibrant green and blue, with a twin geckos on the doors. “Just in time for Gecko Season!” Venouziou posted on Facebook.
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You Are Worth It
LGBTQ Nonoprofit Offers Low Cost Therapy for All Typically, $30 to $50 for a therapy session is unheard of, but with mental health issues at an all time high following the pandemic, Project No Labels is providing low cost counseling for all. The program, “Dear Self You Are Worth It,” offers one hour of mental health therapy through Cypress Wellness Center, 4244 Central Ave. The woman behind the wellness center, Dr. Katie Schubert, worked with PNL Founder Claire Elisan to pair therapy seekers with psychology masters students. “We definitely slowed down on events after COVID, and really realized what the community needs,” Elisan said. “It boils down to mental health.” Following the program’s launch in January 2020, they exceeded their goals and provided over 1,000 sessions in a year. “We really haven’t done much advertising even. There’s just a need for low-cost, high-quality services,” Elisan said. Learn more at projectnolabels. org/mental-health-program. Rainbow for Everyone Made up of volunteers, allies and friends, the organization works to
CLAIRE ELISAN
By Abby Baker
Project No Labels founder Clair Elisan and partner Nina Koegler at Paddle for Pulse, the nonprofit’s memorial event for victims of the Orlando Pulse mass shooting.
serve the gay community, as well as anyone in need. “An organization like Project No Labels is needed because there are not enough resources available,” said volunteer William Johnson. “In high school, we had straight & gay alliances, but in the adult world, resources are not well known for the LGBTQ community.” PNL’s rainbow labels can be spotted at many LGBTQ events and
spaces, and with more people getting vaccinated, the organization is looking forward to a revamp on their calendar. “Pride month really proved that people in this community are ready to get things going again,” Elisan said. “It’s hard for the gay community to meet people outside of the bar scene.” Stay up to date on PNL’s happenings at fb.com/ProjectNoLabels.
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theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
New Horizons Celebrates 30 Years
Elsa Scuttled the Season Finale, But the Band’s Spirit Lives On “When I started the New Horizons program in 1991,” says Dr. Roy Ernst, founder of the New Horizons Music Association, “it was widely believed that older people could not learn to read music and play an instrument. The thought was that if you missed the opportunity in childhood, you wouldn’t be able to do it.” Thirty years after Ernst founded New Horizons at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, there are 187 New Horizons instrumental groups featuring musicians 55 years old and older in the U.S., Canada and abroad, including a chapter in Gulfport. Under Ernst’s direction, The New Horizons Band of Gulfport was to give a concert at the Gulfport Casino on July 11 to celebrate the movement’s 30th anniversary. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Elsa scrapped those plans – the group had to cancel practices ahead of the event – and brought the season to an early close, but the founder says the group will carry on well into the future. “The special mission of New Horizons is to create an entry point to music making for people with no musical background,” Ernst says. “I intended the New Horizons program as a model to show that retired people with no musical background could successfully learn music and that many of them would choose to do so if given the opportunity.” Ernst taught at Eastman for 25 years, serving as chair of the music education department for 12 years. Interested in proving the value music adds to the lives of older adults – be they new to the practice or returning to an instrument – he started the first New Horizons Band at Eastman. “I created the New Horizons program because I felt that retired people would benefit in many ways: the joy of making music with other people,” he says, pointing out that diving into an instrument and a musical group can pay off big for adults on a number physical, mental and social levels. “Playing music gives the brain a good workout,” Ernst says. “Our band will be playing music that sometimes requires playing eight or more notes per second. The brain needs to do a lot of processing to do that and make it fit all the other music. I like to say that a musical instrument is a bicycle for the brain.”
NEW HORIZONS BAND OF GULFPORT
By Jeff Donnelly
In 1991, Dr. Roy Ernst started the first New Horizons Band for older adults and later, he became the founding director of the New Horizons Music Project.
Beyond keeping the brain sharp, Ernst says music has a way of keeping humans emotionally grounded. “In our Gulfport band, we are connected to our past when we play music we love from the past,” he says. “We are connected to the present by music that we are learning right now, and we are connected to the future by goals in the future.” Even though he intended the first New Horizons program to serve as a model for others three decades ago, Ernst says he never imagined how his program would grow and spread. “The growth of New Horizons Music was beyond my wildest expectations,” he says. “We have New Horizons camps in many parts of North America where people come together from all over. We will have a New Horizons tour of Ireland next June.” The founder is quick to note that the New Horizons Band of Gulfport is always welcoming to new players. “No audition needed – drop in and give it a try,” he says. “A class for absolute beginners will be offered next year.” For updates and more on New Horizons, find the Gulfport band on Facebook or visit newhorizonsbandgulfport.org.
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theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
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Furry Godparents to the Rescue
A Pilot Program Looks to Help Seniors Re-Home Pets Many elder pet owners face challenges when it comes to re-homing their pet. An owner’s death, illness or other issues can cause an animal to be displaced or abandoned, but the Furry Godparents Pet Program hopes to keep seniors’ pets safe, even after the worst has happened. The program, run under the nonprofit Caregiver PAWS Connection, sprung up over the pandemic and is launching its first six-month pilot trial for residents at assisted living center Westminster Suncoast, from June 1 to December 31. “For some people, opening a can of wet food can be hard enough,” said Candy Porter, a marketing coordinator with Furry Godparents. “Once seniors can no longer take care of the animal, this is a permanent commitment to surrender the animal.” In the event of death, illness or
CANDY PORTER
By Abby Baker
The Furry Godparents Pet Program provides seniors the option of releasing their pets to find a safe, new home in the event of an emergency.
inability to care for the animal, the seniors’ pet will be transported to the Friends of Strays “wait-
ing room” where the shelter then posts the animal’s photo and story on social media.
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the fee, we will make up the difference,” Porter said. Postercat
CANDY PORTER
It’s a fast track to finding a new forever home, with no cages and less trauma for the animal.
Securing a spot costs $300, and $500 for a pet suffering an illness. “If the pet owner cannot afford
The concept started with an overwhelming response following a Friends of Strays Facebook post featuring a brown-and-white cat, Laurel. Laurel’s owner, a resident at Westminster Suncoast, was forced to surrender her after being diagnosed with dementia. After just one post by Friends of Strays, Laurel was quickly re-homed with a loving family. “Personally, I have a cat and I know my kids can’t take her, so this would be a peace of mind that [my cat] Cleopatra is taken care of,” Porter said. Currently, the program is only open to residents at Westminster Suncoast; the next six months will determine if and how Furry Godparents will continue. “We need to find out if there is a need,” Porter said, “and work the kinks out if so.”
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Fighting for Home Rule
South Pasadena Vice Mayor Appointed to Florida League of Cities South Pasadena’s Vice Mayor Tom Reid will serve his second year on the Florida League of Cities, where he will continue to specialize in land use and economic development. “The number-one goal of the Florida League of Cities is to preserve home rule,” Reid said. “It’s imperative that the local counties maintain that home rule that the state gave them constitutionally.” “Home rule,” as defined by the League, is, “Local decision-making. Self-government. Citizen-centered solutions.” According to the organization’s website, “The most precious power a city in Florida has is its home rule. The ability to establish its form of government through its charter and to then enact ordinances, codes, plans and resolutions without prior state approval is a tremendous authority.” Reid says that South Pasadena has different needs than its larger neighbors of Gulfport and St. Petersburg, but that advocating for home rule is no less important. Reid started in the 1980s as an entry level staffer in South Pasadena, and first joined the league in 2020, serving on the Land Use Economic Advisory Committee and on the Advocacy Committee.
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA
By Gabrielle Reeder
“You see how government’s done and you just realize, hey, somebody’s gotta do it, and it was really something I was always interested
in,” Reid said. “It takes citizen involvement to make it work and I’m just honored that I’m able to do my part here at the local level.”
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What’s in the Box?
Clymer Park’s SPACEcraft Full of Surprises ABBY BAKER
By Abby Baker
ABBY BAKER
Frankie Avalies adds his own spin to SPACEcraft’s LEGO wall on Thursday, July 1.
ABBY BAKER
Dominic Nicolas plays a classic game of “the floor is lava.”
With the opening of SPACEcraft, a traveling art project run by Tampa Bay area artists, for four hours a week, Clymer Park becomes a Mecca for the imagination. The Make and Play-themed shipping container-turned art experience will remain until August,
ABBY BAKER
Maya and Calvin Rabaut.
The range of leading artists and creators shuffles weekly. On Thursday, artist Avery Moore and facilitator Mitzi Gordon ran the show. “It’s a lot of fun what we do here,” Moore said.
opening to the public on Thursdays and Saturdays, 6 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, July 1, Clymer Park’s space was full of children and adults toying with SPACEcraft’s props, instruments and creation tools, right before the rain.
“It’s great to do some unstructured play and just let everyone’s imaginations fly,” said Mitzi Gordon, a facilitator of the project. SPACEcraft is a county-funded project brought to life by Creative Pinellas and in partnership with the Gulfport Arts Center.
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ZAIYA HIGH VIBES
crime Police Suspect Medical Episode in Death of South Pasadena Driver By Abby Baker
THE MEANING OF REPEATING NUMBERS
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Get ready to release all negativity to clear out all that no longer serves you.
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Your Angels are guiding you into a new awakening and awareness.
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Your Angels are surrounding you and your dreams are being manifested.
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Deputies on the Major Accident Investigation Team responded to a call of a vehicle that crashed into a row of bushes in South Pasadena overnight on Monday, June 28. Investigators identified the driver, Todd Garner, 54, after he slowly came to a stop along 1238 Pasadena Ave. S. “It appears Garner suffered a medical episode while driving,” read a press release from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. “The vehicle traveled slowly across the northbound
lanes where it came to a stop against a row of hedges.” Garner was reported to be slumped over the steering wheel, unresponsive, when his 2004 Ford Taurus stopped. Witnesses attempted life-saving techniques on Garner before Pasadena Fire Rescue arrived and transported him to Palms of Pasadena Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Speed and impairment do not appear to be factors in the crash, investigators said.
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Gulfport Police Arrest Man for Shooting Threat By Abby Baker
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Gulfport Police made an arrest following a video posted on social media platform Snapchat featuring the recorder threatening to shoot into a public roadway and parking lot with an “AR-15-style pistol,” according to a report on Thursday, July 1. On June 26, police allege that Ter’on Jerome Forrester, 20, uploaded the video he recorded from his backyard at 15th Ave. S. “Forrester pointed the firearm at a busy roadway and parking lot, where two fully marked Gulfport Police Department vehicles were parked and where civilian vehicles and two PSTA buses passed through the barrel and scopes line of sight,” the Gulfport Police Department release stated. On Wednesday, June 30, Gulfport detectives, with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies, located and arrested Forrester on charges for written threats to kill or
According to police, Forrester wielded an “AR-15-style pistol,” similar to the one seen here.
conduct a mass shooting, a second degree felony. “The way Snapchat works, the person that reported this had to be a friend or a follower of his account,” said Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent. According to police, the firearm, which was not Forrester’s but was purchased legally, was equipped with an extended magazine and scope and the safety was off in the video. Forrester was issued a Risk Protection Order, “which is designed to enhance public safety by restricting
firearm and ammunition possession by a person who poses a danger to himself/herself or others.” The firearm was recovered by law enforcement during the investigation. “The video was captioned ‘bored af’‘ ‘got 40 fa dey ass’ followed by a laughing with tears of joy emoji face,” read the release. “There is an amendment now that allows us to prosecute when there is a publicly posted threat, it doesn’t have to be a direct tag,” Vincent said. Forrester was taken to Pinellas County Jail with a $10,000 bond.
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arts Reverberations continued from cover
“The rich history passed down for generations displayed in the images in this exhibition do not just echo; they reverberate,” Clark said.
The Woodson’s exhibit fills the steel-gray back room of the James, and its impacts are immediate. The subjects span more than a century, with people in H&M jeans, pre-Civil War slavery garb, and much in between: It’s a reminder that unspeakable wrongs aren’t that far away. Paintings like Shannon Elyse Curry’s nearly floor-length acrylic “Adebowale Return of the Crown/Bellezza Nera” draws wanderers in with a nude woman smoking a cigarette, pictured in three angles of quiet human behavior. “Seeing a woman of color in a moment of silence and clarity is a scene of beauty,” said Curry, who is Tampa based. “There are three profiles of the same person because I believe that symmetry is the root of beauty.” Curry’s work, characterized by rich colors and candid subjects, is featured multiple times in the exhibit, notably with “Girl in Blue,” a mixed media piece of a young girl that stares forever with huge, wonder-filled eyes. The work was created from a photograph of a friend’s family member. “When I looked at her all I could think was, ‘What are you thinking”’
SHANNON ELYSE CURRY
Highs and Lows
“Girl in Blue” by Shannon Elyse Curry.
Curry said. “I wanted to capture that young beauty.” On a different spectrum, Tampa artist Nneka Jones’s work focuses less on visual grace, and more on
Black victory and crisis through ultra-realistic portraits. Jones created her acrylic head shot of Kamala Harris after a commission from the Washington Post. In REVERBERATIONS, Harris’s face is paired next to startling protest pieces of young Black children with targets on their young noses. Woodson’s Future
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The Woodson Museum has big plans for their future space, but the current museum is small and inappropriate for exhibiting art. “We had this empty space, and so we got in contact with Terri [Lipsey-Scott, executive director at the Woodson],” said Victoria Doyle, Director of Marketing for the
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
NNEKA JONES VICTORIA DOYLE
“Kamala Harris-The Washington Post” by Nneka Jones.
NNEKA JONES
Nneka Jones poses by her work in REVEREBRATIONS.
“Destroy the Myth” by Nneka Jones.
James Museum. “It unfolded and we couldn’t be more proud and excited to display this work.” Lipsey-Scott is the prime warrior in Woodson’s battle for expansion to a 29,000-square-foot facility with multiple exhibit spaces, an outdoor venue and sculpture garden. “We are always looking to grow, and while this museum holds our history, we need more,” LipseyScott previously told the Gabber. While the Woodson awaits funds for their new home, showing at the James Museum keeps things fresh. “Our new location, this exhibition and partnership with the James Museum is a representation of the unlimited opportunities we have to serve and honor our African American Community,” Lipsey-Scott said. See REVERBERATIONS daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art at 150 Central Ave. through August 29. More at woodsonmuseum.org.
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theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
World’s Greatest Podharp Player
Gulfport Musician Invents New Instrument with Palm Pod “I am the world’s greatest podharp player,” says Berkeley Grimball. This, as it turns out, is almost certain to be true. Gulfport musician Grimball is also the inventor of the podharp. Grimball moved to Florida in 2019. While he was settling in, a pod from a queen palm tree fell in his front yard, drawing him to explore the unique shape and texture of the material. Grimball thought, “I wonder if these have any sonic potential?” Two years later, poised outside of SumitrA in Gulfport, melodically plucking and tapping his 21-stringed, five-foot-tall podharp, Grimball has his answer. He freestyles a melodic tune, inviting passersby to stop and listen. “You can kind of make an instrument out of almost anything, it just may not have a great sound or a great kind of musicality to it,” he said. “But what was really wonderful about this was how resonant these pods are.” Combining elements of traditional stringed instruments and percussion, Grimball modeled his podharp after a West African harp, the Kora. The seed pod is the body of the instrument; fishing line and classical guitar strings supply the sound. “I’m most amazed and proud that it really sounds like an instrument,” he said. Grimball’s podharp is tuned to the F-major scale, the same scale as a Kora, and his favorite. He says it took four hours to tune the podharp for the first time. “The beauty of it is, when you’ve got the strings alternating, the scale goes one side to the other. Every three strings together are a harmonized chord of the key,” Grimball said, plucking away. “All the chords are sort of right there at your disposal. I mean, it’s really fun. You can just easily pluck three strings that are one after another on either side, and you’ve got a chord.”
GABRIELLE REEDER
By Gabrielle Reeder
Berkeley Grimball plays the podharp, an instrument he built from the seed pod of a palm tree, outside SumitrA in Gulfport.
The podharp cost approximately $50 for materials and took a week to build, he said. If you’re looking to build your own, Grimball says the pod must be symmetrical, with an adequate width and curve. “You can’t just go to any old tree and pick up one and make a pod[harp] because it’s really kind of a certain criteria that it needs to meet to work as an instrument,”
Grimball said. “I had to invent the instrument and teach myself how to play it, too. So, it’s quite a learning curve.” Grimball also constructed a 14-string podharp and, for his next project, he hopes to create an instrument similar to a cello that can be bowed. Find Grimball playing his podharp on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside SumitrA, 2838 Beach Blvd. S.
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GULFPORT
North End Taphouse
STAY, DINE at Gulfport’s Peninsula Inn
Gulfport’s Historic Peninsula Inn is a cozy retreat ready for travelers who are ready to dip their toes back into travel. The quiet beach on the north shore of Boca Ciega Bay is a five-minute walk from the front door. There is a market on Tuesdays year-round and art everywhere.
2908 1/2 Beach Blvd. S. Saturday, July 10: Jennifer Real 7-10 p.m. Sunday July 11: Deadhead Duo w/ John Zias & Christian Walker 2-5 p.m.
Neptune Grill
5501 Shore Blvd. S. Friday, July 9: Paul Anthony Trio 6-9 p.m. Saturday, July 10: Brittany Baldwin 6-9 p.m.
ST. PETE BEACH
Jimmy B’s Beach Bar
The sun is shining, the inn’s owners are ready to welcome you with their warm Southern hospitality, and their in-house restaurant, Isabelle’s, features delicious Southern cuisine, including some of your old favorites in their new menu. ISABELLE’S SERVES: Wednesday - Sunday 4-9pm for dinner Thursday - Burger and a Beer Friday, Saturday & Sunday - Live Music 6-9pm THEY CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO THE HIGHEST SAFETY PROTOCOLS: · All AHLA Stay Safe guidelines · No one enters your room unless you request housekeeping · They frequently sanitize all high-contact surfaces · Staff is required to wear masks WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Book your stay – choose your room today and pick a special! • Dine & Stay package. Stay any two nights in a King or Queen Suite and enjoy dinner for 2 at Isabelle’s. • The Gabber Special: Reserve 3 or more nights and if your stay includes a Tuesday, then it is free. Special runs July 5 to Oct 15 (only Tuesdays are free) Use promocode “Gabber” when booking online to get the free Tuesday night, or you can call directly and ask for it when booking.
The Peninsula Inn, 2937 Beach Blvd., Gulfport 33707 727-346-9800 • www.HistoricPeninsulaInn.com 22
6200 Gulf Blvd. Friday, July 9: Nation 8:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Saturday, July 10: Mixed Signal 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m.
The Toasted Monkey
678 75th Ave. Friday, July 9: Hurricane Shane 6-10 p.m. Saturday, July 10: Billy Agans 6-10 p.m.
Woody’s Waterfront
7308 Sunset Way Friday, July 9: J.D. Early 7-10 p.m. Saturday, July 10: J.D. Early 7-10 p.m.
Chill Restaurant and Bar
357 Corey Ave. Friday, July 9: Janie Richards and Motel Funk! 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10: Magic 6:30 p.m.
TREASURE ISLAND Ka’Tiki
8803 W Gulf Blvd. Friday, July 9: Razed by Wolves 7-11 p.m. Saturday, July 10: 2 Lane Blacktop 7-11 p.m.
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14995 Gulf Blvd. Friday, July 9: Kevin Toon 5-9 p.m. Saturday, July 10” Jeff Gurney 6-10 p.m.
Find more Beach Music at thegabber.com.
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
things to do
Masks Recommended
Social Distancing Observed
Vegan Options
Dog-Friendly
Virtual
Volleyball, Sharks & St. Pete’s Next Mayor
All Weekend Long We Are Feminine Coastal Creative is hosting yet another pop up art show, and this collection’s theme is centered around all forms feminine and female. Curator Stephanie Agudelo celebrates with all women artists. Coastal Creative, 2201 1st Ave S. 6-9:30 p.m. Yogis on the Edge Make it a weekend tradition at the Edge District’s most restorative yoga classes, every Saturday and Sunday. Bring a mat and choose between soothing Vinyasa on Saturday and restorative sessions on Sunday. Upgrade your ticket to $25 for bottomless mimosas – you’ve earned it. 1234 Central Ave. 10-11 a.m. Thursday, July 8 Hurricane Donations for Seniors The Gulfport Senior Center is asking your help in donating emergency supplies for seniors in need. This is predicted to be an ultra-active storm season, and with a loss of some funding for survival kits, the older community needs help. Find a list of items is posted on the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Foundation’s website. Friday, July 9 Veterans Art Workshop Breaking Barriers is bringing two five-week photography and videography programs to Tampa Bay veterans at no cost. “Still Life, Memory and Place” and “Moments in Motion” are two contrasting programs grounded in technique and an eye for capturing real life. Led virtually by artist Selina Román. More at usfcam.usf.edu, 8 a.m.
PIXABAY
Find links for these events — and many other things to do — online at thegabber.com/events.
“jaw-some” shark facts just in time for their dedicated week. Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, July 11 Cynthia Barnett Book Signing Discuss Cynthia Barnett’s new book, “The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans” at an in-person reading by the author. Held at Tampa Bay Watch’s new and improved Community Center, this is an exploration of what one of Florida’s seashells have to tell us. Registration required. Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S. 4-6 p.m. Monday, July 12 Mixer with the GMC Time to mingle and mix, all with fellow business owners. Meet and greet with other Gulf-
Saturday, July 10 Shark Saturdays Sink your teeth into this Tampa Bay Watch seminar on the ocean’s scariest predator, sharks. They aren’t just fascinating – they’re vital to our watery ecosystems. Learn
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
port entrepreneurs at this local mixer at the Beach House 5317. 5317 Gulfport Blvd. S. 2:30-4 p.m. Tuesday, July 13 Tuesday Night Volleying Have a ball at this regular pickup game on Gulfport Beach, no experience needed. All that’s required is a love for the sandy sport. Gulfport Beach, 6-8 p.m. Who is St. Pete’s Next Mayor? Election time is coming up. Meet the candidates for the next mayor of St. Petersburg. This is the public’s time to ask the questions. Doors open at 6:15 and guests must be seated by 6:45. Seats are limited to the first 50 to sign up at stpe.co/mayor714 or call 727-394-6942. SPC Allstate Center Florida Room, 3200 34th Street S. 6:30-8 p.m.
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the gabs When you’re having a bad day, what advice do you give yourself to get through it? Photos by Gabrielle Reeder
Jayden Simelda-Longe, Boulder, Colorado: “It’s all a learning experience and this is your first time doing everything. Everything is always new. It’s not like there’s precedent for anything, so keep going.”
Ashleigh Durocher, St. Petersburg: “I tell myself that I can restart tomorrow and only I can control my emotions and what happens to me, so everything else around me is whatever as long as I can get through it. And tomorrow I can restart and it will all be better.”
Tyler Rowe, St. Petersburg: “I have a lot of notebooks so I usually draw or see how long I can hold my breath. Sometimes I’ll just lay down and try to meditate or fall asleep for a little power nap.”
Pamela Durocher, Largo: “I don’t give myself much advice, but what I do when I’m having a bad day is think about all the people I love and know that I’m going to be there for them because tomorrow is gonna be a better day. What goes up must come down. Not every day is going to be a bowl of cherries. So I persevere and just put one step in front of the other and next thing you know, I’m on top of it again.”
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obituaries Francis Davis, Arthur, 70, a life-long resident of Gulfport, passed away June 26, 2021. The only time Art ever left Gulfport was to serve 23 years in the Air Force. After receiving his discharge, he moved back to Gulfport to be with his family. Art is survived by his loving widow, Patricia Despigno Davis, his beloved Shihtzues; Ziva Marie Davis and Gema Rose Davis and many, many friends. Private Celebration of Life at a later date. The old Italian Scrapper wants to tell T Sargent Davis: Fly High my darling, Fly High until we meet again.
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theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
crossword
GABBER ON vaCATION
Solution on page 30
TOM BIXLER
sudoku
Solution on page 30
Town Shores residents Kathy and Tom Bixler recently made the trip to Wyoming and Sinks Canyon State Park – but they didn’t forget their Gabber!
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.
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• 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
Health & Fitness
2321 49th St S
15 Years in Gulfport 45 Years Experience
MAYNARD ELECTRIC
SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT!
727-388-3493
Mon-Thu 10am-5pm
ning arrestors. Fans and lighting installed. State License #ER0007653.
Computer Sales
Detoxify Your Life • Natural Nutritional Supplements • Non-Toxic Household Cleaners • Vegan Beauty Products
Fax, Copy, Print
Computer Problems? No Problem! In-Home Service FREE Phone Consultation Virus/Malware Removal Setup • Repair • Tutoring Courteous, Competent, Reliable Service
Carla Clayton Certified Health Coach
Your Local Wellness Lady • 28 years experience
727-342-0411 CARLACLAYTON.COM 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 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
Cleaning / Housekeeping
PROFESSIONAL CARPET, GROUT & 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 727-7430701 for a free estimate. SHINE DESIGN Accepting new clients immediately. All inclusive housekeeping and
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Lawn / Landscape TREE PRUNING & DEBRIS CLEANUP Serving South St. Petersburg • Free Estimates • 727-308-8650
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.
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. Electrical AC ELECTRIC 727-345-3108 Over 30 years experience. Residential & commercial. New or remodel work, service upgrades, light-
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
EXPERT SPRINKLER REPAIR
ANGEL ERRANDS LLC Need Someone For Errands, Home Check-Ins, or Deliveries? Call Joan! 727-256-4526. Angelerrandsllc.com
Rich Moseley, Irrigation Contractor. 25 Years Experience. Reasonable Rates. Well & Pumps. 727-439-0792. Lic.#C8312. BBB Accredited.
AFFORDABLE PROMPT • RELIABLE Licensed & Insured
Lee Claxton, I.S.A.
Moving / Hauling CHARLES JUNK HAULING & DEMOLITION Junk & Trash Removal. Low, Low Prices Guaranteed, Daily Specials. Kitchen, Bath, Shed, Fencing, etc. Demolition. 727831-0507.
Certified Arborist
Heat / Air Conditioning
Planting • Trimming Tree & Stump Removal Cabling/Bracing • Pruning/Shaping
727-220-0226 AnAffordableArborist@gmail.com
IRRIGATION STAIN REMOVAL
Remove ugly rust-colored irrigation stains from PVC fence, siding - stucco - wood, pavers, railings, windows and most other surfaces around your house or business including signage. Cars too. Free estimate and demonstration. Surprisingly low prices. Call/text 727-3607070 Email RustStainRemoval@icloud. com
“Same rates seven days a week”
NO SERVICE CHARGE EVER! CAC1815513
727
709-7979 www.AirPhillips.com
QUALITY AT WORK
For Artists
GULFPORT LIONS CLUB Available for parties, weddings, meetings. Great waterfront location with full facilities. Call Jean for info and dates. 727-366-6341.
ANTIRACISM SIGNS AND BOOK RENTALS
We offer a variety of antiracism yard signs, over 50 books to borrow, and community and educational resources. All offered for free or donation. Pop-up locations and delivery. Contact us to learn more at hello@ promoteantiracismstpete.org or Instagram promoteantiracismstpete.
3914 6th St S St. Petersburg
ROCKOUT WHILE YOU WORKOUT Cardio Drumming classes at Gulfport Nutrition. Any fitness level. Cost $8 which includes a shake. A fun way to get your body moving! Come join a great community! Call Marlene for information 305-619-9734. 5022 Gulfport Blvd S. 6 classes a week. Musical Instruments WANTED: USED ACCORDIONS Good conditions, all sizes Call 727-481-5300 Wanted
We offer Wedding Packages: Elopement/ Quick Ceremony, Minimony, Beach Weddings, Micro Weddings, Full Wedding with Rehearsal, Marriage License by Mail (authorized coordinator), Website: www.lizsweddingofficiant.com, Contact: 727-350-6115
and their friends
General
Health & Fitness
LIZ’S WEDDING OFFICIANT
By Artists
SALON PROFESSIONAL Portable Hair Dryers and Roller Caddies. New and used. Call 727-798-9006.
Luke Phillips
Professional Services
Gulfpug Printing Services
tires for our Xterra. No rot, great condition. Call/text 727-360-7070.
Plumbing
PROFLO PLUMBING 727-902-7077
BUYING VINTAGE COSTUME JEWELRY I MAKE HOUSECALLS
Call Kaye anytime 239-560-2816. Buying old mechanical watches and parts. Sundays I set up at Farmers Market Pinellas Park Booth 19NF Kaye’s Vintage Jewelry
#CFC1430429 State certified, residential/commercial service. Senior and military discount. $25 off service with ad. Locally owned and operated. Help Wanted
Your Art or Photography Printed on Canvas, Paper, Coasters, Name Tags, Glass Cutting Boards, and Mousepads
GulfportArtStudio.com 727-504-0541
Miscellaneous Service 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!
Collectibles ESTATE & MOVING OUT SALE Furniture, Collectibles plus misc items. Don’t miss this unusual sale. Town Shores of Gulfport. Diplomat Building, Unit 205. Saturday, July 10th, 2021. 8-12pm For Sale
COOPER DISCOVERER 265/70R16 TIRES
WASTEWATER MAINTENANCE WORKER
The City of St. Pete Beach is hiring! Duties include the installation, construction, repair and maintenance of water and wastewater lines. $12.65-19.15/hr. For details and to apply see www.stpetebeach.org/431/Job-Openings or call 727-363-9233 for more information. LOCAL ARTIST NEEDS HELP FROM SEAMSTRESS/TAILOR Part time, occasional. Work at your home. Call Carol 727-384-8050.
Used but excellent condition w/ 23,207 miles. $350 OBO for set. Replaced with different
theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
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Real Estate For Sale
Real Estate Wanted
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 RENTAL APARTMENT 1/1 BB (depending on price) in surrounding Gulfport, St Pete, S. Pasadena areas. No stairs. A/C. Parking. Utility consideration. Unfurnished. Clean. wydrafringie2@yahoo.com.
Call today for the best rates!
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED LINE ADS ONLINE!
727-418-8948
neldasellsfla@gmail.com
Nelda Hamm
3037 Beach Blvd. S.
solution
M/THEGABBER CO U. SU IS ! NE LI ON E SU IS LL FU E TH READ
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theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
After the Storm
Resources to Help Businesses and Residents Recover By Gabber Staff
SHELLY WILSON
neighborhood in an unmarked van or truck. Insist on a written estimate, get estimates from several companies, and be sure the contract or business card has an address, telephone number and license numbers. Ask for references and check them out, and do not pay the final balance for work performed until it is completed to your satisfaction. Contact the Pinellas County Department of Justice and Consumer Services for more at 727-464-6200. Assistance from Relief Agencies
After a storm passes, businesses and residents may not know where to turn for help. Here are resources to get you started on the path to recovery.
agent. If you make temporary repairs, document them. Keep all receipts and take photographs, before and after an emergency repair, to submit your claim.
Filing Insurance Claims
Avoid Scammers
You may need to access the coverage of both your homeowners and automobile policies to put things back together. Be sure to immediately report property damage to your insurance
Criminals prey on vulnerability. The county advises businesses and residents to be cautious of anyone coming to you uninvited to do repairs, and to be alert to individuals canvassing your
After a storm, FEMA may set up Disaster Recovery Centers in the county. Depending on the storm’s severity, assistance may include temporary housing, low-interest small business loans, unemployment assistance, individual and family grants and crisis counseling. Learn more at fema.gov/ disaster. Find these resources and more at pinellascounty.org/emergency/afterthestorm.htm.
Marie Drew
Licensed Broker
727-440-1000
YOUR GULFPORT LOCAL EXPERT! ERT!! ERT theGabber.com | July 8, 2021 - July 14, 2021
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Float on by!
B O A T & J E T S K I S L I P S A VA I L A B L E *BRING THIS AD IN FOR 10% OFF YOUR BILL
MAKE YOUR RESERVATION TODAY ON O P E N W E D N E S D AY - S U N D AY A T 1 1 A M • T H E C L U B T I . C O M 400 TREASURE ISLAND C AUSEWAY
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