The Gabber: November 24, 2022

2908-B Beach Blvd. S. Gulfport, FL 33707 727-321-6965

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Cathy Salustri Loper cathy@thegabber.com

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Barry Loper barry@thegabber.com

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Joey Neill joey@thegabber.com

News & Politics

Monroe Roark monroe@thegabber.com

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Cameron Healy cameron@thegabber.com

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Patrick Graney patrick@thegabber.com

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Mike Sunnucks, Crime Amanda Hagood, Books & Environment Jon Kile, Columnist Joe Opaleski, Columnist

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publisher’s note

Thanksgiving?

By Cathy Salustri

Thanksgiving isn’t my favorite holiday, and I’ve never pretended otherwise. Don’t get me wrong: My family always had wonderful Thanksgivings, filled with the tradi tional Thanksgiving lasagne, sau sages, and capon. Yes, I’m aware that Italian Thanksgiving doesn’t look quite like the Pilgrim one.

But, if we’re being fair, Thanksgiving doesn’t look like we think it does at all. The French cele brated the first one in North America in 1564, and the Span ish, the second, in 1565. The pilgrims came later, in 1621, and, if we’re being honest, none of these celebrations worked out well for the locals (the first Americans, whose Floridian de scendants today we call Seminole or Miccosukee).

I know a powerful Seminole woman who considers the day one of mourning, and that makes sense, because, to the locals, the arrival of Europeans signified the start of horrible things. But my family is only recently American –my dad’s dad arrived at Ellis Island as an 8-year-old – so I understand the American dream, too, and why EuroAmericans celebrate Thanks giving and the bounty it represents to them. America is the land of op portunity, of promise, and, just as the first Europeans landed in Flori da, I’m thankful for all I have at this moment.

America, as it turns out (and our elections show), is a conflicted na tion, with a divisive history. There’s never been a moment in the na tional consciousness where we all agreed, so it’s not shocking that different Americans see the holiday differently. I may have a bleaker per spective on the holiday, but I don’t want to stop anyone else from celebrating.

This year the holiday hits hard for me. The Friday after Hurricane Ian swept by us, my father went into the hospital. I’ll spare you the details, but he’s still in the hospital and no one knows exactly what’s next. Things have been rosier. I’m struggling with gratitude.

Thursday, instead of lasagne and capon and pie, Barry and I will head to Fort De Soto and watch the sun set. We’ll grill something along the beach and marvel at the sunset and how fine our life, aside from the oc casional tragedy, is.

But first, we’ll visit my dad in the hospital, wonder what his future holds – or for how long it holds it – and remember that this day can hold both the wonderful and the ter rible.

Conflicted? Absolutely. But it’s OK to feel both at the same time.

One doesn’t cancel the other.

However you celebrate – or don’t I wish you a day of peace and gratitude.

-Cathy

The views and opinions expressed in this publi cation are not necessarily those of the publish ers, advertisers, or employees of the Gabber. The Gabber is not liable for any errors in advertising beyond the cost of the first printing of any adver tisement. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced or copied without permission of the publisher.

voices of gratitude

Gratitude for Community

I run Hank’s Bark Box. I would like to give thanks to all the kind strangers who have donated dog and cat food to Hank’s Box this past year. Our free roadside pet food pantry has only been open for one year and in that year we have provided the following to those in need:

Dry dog food: 5,937 lbs.

Dry cat food: 4,251 lbs.

Total dry food: 10,188 lbs.

Canned cat food: 6,917 = 2,305.7 lbs

Canned dog food: 2,779 = 1,389.5 lbs.

Total canned food: 9,696 cans

Total pounds: 13,883, or almost 7 tons of food in 12 months

The lion’s share of this food was donated by total strangers who only wish to help. Without them, this would never have been possible.

Thank you, and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. –Mark James

Gratitude for an Amazing Job

I got a new job in April of this year at The Hive clay studio. It has been a learning curve, getting to know the members and students and building a wonderful, hardworking support staff. It is an ongoing endeavor, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with and guide such truly amaz ing and talented human beings. This is my dream job. It kicks my butt on the daily, but I am so grateful for it. Thanks for the opportunity to say so!

–Heather Tinnaro

Gratitude for Good News

Thank you for the uplifting story on Ja’tanaisha Thompson. In these neg ative, divisive, and violent times we all need stories that make our hearts sing. Also, thanks to the donors who

REMEMBER: Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

make special programs possible. Congratulations on all your accom plishments, Ja’tanaisha! Good work! Congratulations to your supportive family as well! –Catherine Porter, St. Pete Beach

The Gabber welcomes and encourages let ters and commentary. One letter per per son, 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 pri vate citizens, or that are intentionally mis leading 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 web site 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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Watermark Resident Helen,

“

connected when we’re playing. There’s beauty in making music together.”

Suzette played the piano at age 4 and plucked a mean ukulele in college. Then she played “Tiny Bubbles” at a Watermark luau. That’s how it started.

Gulfport Resident Spearheads Hurricane Relief Effort

Family, Other Gulfportians

By Monroe Roark

While it’s no longer something Pi nellas County residents think about daily, especially since Nicole just came through and left a slight mark, the cleanup and recovery from Hurri cane Ian continues to the south.

A Gulfport man decided to lend a hand to those in need, and others in town have joined that effort.

Shawn Hebert bought a used air port shuttle bus for his family to use for summer travel. As he considered the vehicle’s amenities, he thought of a way to help.

“It has numerous electrical outlets in it because we wanted to make it suitable for travel,” he said of the bus. “When the hurricane struck, I realized that a lot of people don’t have pow er down there. The bus is like a large diesel generator so I thought I could go down and provide power for them to charge their phones and run ex tension cords to use microwaves and other things we could bring down.”

Since he would make the trip in a large vehicle, he decided to see if any one wanted to donate items he could take with him. He posed the question on Facebook, and it didn’t take long to get responses.

Gulfport resident Julie Shaffer heard that Hebert planned to microwave and boil hot dogs for people without power or food. She decided it would be much better to grill them, so she had him take her to Home Depot and purchased a grill for the bus.

“We had hot dogs and cheeseburg ers and all kinds of stuff that was do nated,” said Hebert.

He connected online with some one in the Englewood area and who told him about mobile home parks hit particularly hard. One of them was inaccessible because of debris, but Hebert set up inside the other park across the road, and they started an impromptu cookout. He took down all the ice he could carry, thanks to a do nation from Key West Seafood.

“A lot of people were so glad to get cold drinks,” said Hebert. “I saw on TV

Get Involved

how many people are donating wa ter and I thought people are proba bly sick of water so I bought a whole bunch of sodas and other kinds of drinks besides water. That went over very well. We did have water, too.”

Hebert saw considerable damage that first day: debris scattered ev erywhere, and many residential units completely destroyed or marked for demolition.

“The residents were there going through things and trying to save what they could,” he said. “I think for some of them it hadn’t really sunk in yet.”

Hebert brought his girlfriend and their twin daughters along. He want ed the young girls to see how real the damage was — which, but for a slight turn in the weather, could have been their home – and how they could help others in need.

“When we evacuated here [in Gulf port] I was afraid I was going to lose everything,” he said. “Our blessing in this area was their misfortune down there. I figured we should do what we can to help.”

Hebert soon realized this would not be a one-time excursion. Do nations have continued, and he took his fourth trip down Nov. 6. A few local groups collecting do nations but had no way to deliver them contacted him, so he packed the bus as tightly as possible and

took everything he could.

A church in Englewood was do ing a great deal of work distrib uting goods and helping those in need, so on one trip he dropped most of the donations there and returned to the mobile home park for another cookout. Another vol unteer, Erin Carr, brought her SUV down so she and her family could take the cooked food around to area residents who couldn’t get to Hebert and his grill.

“Her vehicle allowed her to get into the mobile home park that had more devastation, so she was delivering a lot of the hot dogs and cheeseburg ers and ice and everything to the even harder hit areas than we could bring the bus into,” he said.

David Flack also made the trip, bringing gift cards collected in Gulf port for those affected by the devas tation.

Hebert’s work is not yet done. As of Nov. 15, his bus sat in his driveway, partially filled with supplies, awaiting for more before the next trip.

“I’m thinking that as long as peo ple continue to give things I would do like one trip every other weekend,” he said. “I’m not a nonprofit; we’re just people coming together and doing what we can to help. We’re not an official charity or anything like that. We’re just individuals helping with what we can.”

Shawn Hebert has used his family’s converted bus for multiple trips south to help Hurricane Ian victims.

MONROE ROARK

Seminole Tribe Gives Again

Through the Tribe’s Casinos, They Help Pinellas Nonprofits

By Cathy Salustri

Forget Thanksgiving. If you want an Indian to help you, look no further than the Seminole Tribe of Florida who, despite what one could gently describe as multiple setbacks, have recently helped 75 Tampa Bay non profits with $10,000 each.

On Nov. 15 – National Philanthropy Day – the Tribe, via Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, an nounced the recipients of $10,000 grants.

“The Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Hard Rock Tampa take pride in their ongoing support of the Tampa Bay community,” said Steve Bonner, President of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. “To that end, as we spotlight National Philanthropy Day, we wanted to honor 75 charities that do such critical and important work for so many people. But, more

importantly, we want to give back to show we are extremely grateful for the magnitude of support from Tampa Bay throughout all of these years.”

The Seminole Tribe of Florida won gaming rights for all Indian tribes. This is part of how the Seminole use the gains from that. In The Gabber’s readership area, the selected chari ties include:

• St. Pete Pride

• Skyway 10k

• Children’s Dream Fund

• Girls Rock St. Pete

• Mike Alstott Family Foundation

In the larger Tampa Bay area, those grants include:

• American Cancer Society

• Big Brothers Big Sisters Tampa Bay

• Boys & Girls Club

• Children’s Cancer Center

• Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida

• Easterseals of Florida

• Feeding Tampa Bay

• Habitat For Humanity

• Hands Across the BayLeukemia & Lymphoma Society

• Lupus Foundation of America

• MADD

• Make-A-Wish Southern Florida

• Meals On Wheels

• Metropolitan Ministries

• National MS Society

• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

• Paint Your Heart Out

• Project: Vet Relief

• Ronald McDonald House Charities

• Southeastern Guide Dogs

• Special Olympics Florida

Seminole Hard Rock Tampa President, Steve Bonner, announces $10,000 each to 75 local Tampa Bay charities.

SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA

Tampa Bay’s Indian Heritage Celebrating

By James Schnur

and Remembering Florida’s First People

On Thanksgiving, many Americans come together to express gratitude and reflect on the past. They often remember this autumnal feast in the context of the “First Thanksgiving” in New England in 1621. Even if they do not recall the details, they fill their plates thinking about food shared by Pilgrims and Indians.

Consider how this illusory tale of expressing thankfulness in a shared space was so strikingly different than a rebuttal Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed at the October 24 gubernatorial debate with Charlie Crist.

While discussing the need to portray American history accurately, DeSantis said, “You have people that are teaching — and actually his [Mr. Crist’s] running mate has said this in the past — that teaching the United States was built on stolen land. That is inappropriate for our schools. It’s not true.”

DeSantis is not the first Florida politician – or person with an undergraduate degree in history – to misrepresent the heritage and significance of people whose ancestors lived here for many dozens of generations before they were “discovered” as occupants of a “New World.”

A Heritage Lost in Translation and Decimation

The Pilgrims-and-Indians story of a friendly communal fall feast passed down across generations does not accurately represent the tense interactions between the Wampanoag Indians, the rival Narragansetts, and the Europeans who arrived and established the Plymouth Colony.

Similarly, the history of early, violent interactions between the First Floridians and Spanish conquistadors – followed by a second helping of diseases and massacres – differs

greatly from the romantic tales we often remember about Juan Ponce de León seeking a fictional Fountain of Youth.

Today, we know very little about people who lived in the Tampa Bay region for thousands of years before Americans began celebrating Thanksgiving. Most of what we have learned comes not from historians searching the archives, but from anthropologists and archaeologists who painstakingly analyze pottery sherds, shell tools, and other relics.

The Uzita, Tocobaga, Mocoso, and earlier cultures who lived in this area left no written records. Although

A large shell mound once existed in the Mound Park area, near the hospitals south of downtown St. Petersburg.

FLORIDA MEMORY

Florida’s aboriginal populations shared memories through oral tra ditions, we know little about their languages. Within 150 years of first contact, their populations dwindled and their stories went to the graves with them. Their ancestors live on in the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes, as well as other descendants of the first Floridians who are not part of a federally recognized tribe.

Surviving sources describing early contact in Florida prior to the 1600s are mostly in Spanish, and tell a bi ased and incomplete story. Pánfilo de Narváez, the first conquistador known to have visited the Pinellas Peninsula when he arrived in April 1528, had little interest in a friend ly meal during his encounter. He wanted gold. Violence and hostility defined Hernando DeSoto’s visit to Tampa Bay in 1539.

Spanish records from that peri od often condemned the people who had lived here for millennia as “heathen” or “savage.” Spanish con quistadors also took issue with the important role that women played as leaders in many indigenous so cieties. As the First Floridians dis appeared, incomplete and incorrect narratives began to form.

Correcting the Record

Florida historians began to chal lenge the long-accepted “First Thanksgiving” narrative years ago. Initially, their efforts won few con verts in Massachusetts.

In time, historians here persuad ed their New England brethren that

A sign commemorating Odet Philippe at the original entrance to the park in Safety Harbor, with inaccurate historical information, as it appeared in 1951. The sign still sits near the mound today.

the true “First Thanksgiving” most likely occurred in 1565. After Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and hundreds of Spaniards who sailed along with him founded St. Augustine, some Timucuans participated in a com munal meal with these newcom ers. Other historians have looked for even earlier interactions be tween Indians and Spaniards in Florida as evidence of the original Thanksgiving.

Florida now has a relatively safe claim to being the first state where Indians and newly arrived Euro peans shared a meal expressing thankfulness. If Puerto Rico gains

statehood, however, that Caribbe an island will take the honor from Florida. Ponce de León served as that island’s governor three times, twice before he “discovered” Flori da.

Even if Florida can claim credit for putting itself at the front of the Thanksgiving line, our state has a long way to go before it can take pride in offering a more complete and accurate account of the indig enous people who have lived here for thousands of years.

Names Matter

In recent years, institutions at all levels – from schools and colleges to professional sports franchises – have removed offensive logos and mas cots. Here and throughout Florida, we have the opportunity to take an equally responsible step of amending or changing the names of some lo cations to offer gratitude for the First Floridians who came before us.

Many sites have vanished. The mounds once found along Bayboro Harbor and the large one that rose in St. Petersburg’s Mound Park dis trict have disappeared. Crews took shells from mounds and middens at

FLORIDA MEMORY

Big Bayou and near Abercrombie Park to pave roads. While we cannot undo these acts, there are still local, county, and state sites that could be renamed or rebranded to honor these early cul tures.

Located at Park Street and 38th Av enue North, Abercrombie Park hon ors John Abercrombie, an early settler who arrived in the 1880s. A plaque at the park notes that this site was dedicated to him “as a tribute to the memory of the Old South” after this early physician brought his family “and several of their former slaves.”

Within a tract of land added to Ab ercrombie Park in 2015, the Kuttler Mound recognizes the family that were the last owners of a home built on part of a mound site in 1939.

Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, the first county park established in Pi nellas, gives credit to a man known as the first white settler of Pinellas County, someone who remains an enigma with much of his life shrouded in mystery.

In Terra Ceia, just across the Sun shine Skyway, Florida State Parks maintains the Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site, named to recognize one of the donors of the land in 1948 where this ceremonial mound sits.

Those names do not have to dis appear. Perhaps, they could share space or define part of the terrain, with names that honor the Indians taking front-and-center billing. To be fair, interpretive signs at some of these locations – and at Weedon Island Preserve – now offer better context than in years past.

However, Florida can do more to honor these people by recognizing the spaces they once called “home.” Also, we should teach their history accurately, including the part about how the conquistadors and colo nists occupied their land, and how events in American history such as the Seminole War and the Trail of Tears amounted to others stealing their land.

Adding Context, Not “Canceling”

Some in the cancel-culture cho rus may read this and blurt out the

false falsetto about how such an effort will “cancel” the memories of Abercrombie, Kuttler, Philippe, and Bickel. There is no need to worry: Their history and contributions need not disappear the way that so many indigenous languages, cultures, and traditions did.

We can remember Abercrom bie’s significance as an early phy sician in lower Pinellas, while also acknowledging the curative Na tive practices of those who lived near the mound long before the Kuttler family bought a house that was once perched against it. Perhaps, we should even tell a bit more about Abercrombie’s reasons for bringing his “former slaves” to the area nearly 20 years after the Civil War had end ed.

Having Philippe share the hon or with the Tocobaga and oth ers who built the mound within the park honors the people who created and sustained vibrant communities along the Pinellas Peninsula long before Philippe

established a plantation – com plete with slaves – at that site.

Madira Bickel’s gift of land in Terra Ceia need not be forgotten, but if this mound truly represents one of many that once existed in the area, the site’s name should honor what little remains of a cul ture when so much of it has dis appeared.

Food for Thought

While expressing gratitude this Thanksgiving and making plans on how to survive Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consider those who gathered here for thousands of years.

Their autumn meals included fish and shellfish, perhaps collect ed while in dugout canoes. They ate berries, beans, fruits, squash, and nuts. Later, they added corn to their diets. Stews and roasted fish or game filled many bellies.

Let’s give thanks for their stew ardship of the land, and for leaving it for us to enjoy today.

‘At Home with the Family’ Means More Now Lessons in

Gratitude

By Monroe Roark

A common activity for me in the evening is to sit in the living room of our small apartment in direct view of the master bedroom, where my wife might be talking to one or both of our children. Just hanging out.

Our son is 24 and our daughter is 16. It is a blessing that we all get along, especially living in close quar ters. But when I hear them laughing and chit-chatting about everything or nothing, it hits home in a very dif ferent way.

Last spring, I was awakened at 2 a.m. one morning because my wife was in intense pain. We managed as best we could until about five o’clock, when we called an ambu lance and she was wheeled out of our home on a stretcher.

That was April 4, my daughter’s birthday. My wife spent the next 38 days in the hospital. An infection in her leg led to septic shock, which we found later has about a 15% survival rate.

“She is very, very sick,” the medi cal staff told me on more than one occasion.

She spent 10 days in ICU, and there was a period of three or four days during which I began to pre pare mentally for life as a widower. At the same time, I wondered about other possibilities, such as her re turning home unable to do anything for herself. To be honest, the latter scenario was more frightening than the former.

In either case, how our kids might

JOHN CUBAS

respond was totally unknown. As the Willie Nelson song says, there are things you never get over but you get through. I would have pushed through out of necessity if nothing else, and my grown son would have adapted somehow in a fairly short time. But a teenage girl without her mother? There was no way I could have navigated her through the next few years alone.

Thankfully, the Lord had anoth er plan. My wife missed Easter, our anniversary, and Mother’s Day be fore coming home three days later. She could not go outside the house without a wheelchair at first, but in a few weeks she was moving around as well as before or better. By the fall

she was back at work, and thanks in part to a significant weight loss she is as healthy as she has been in years, with one exception.

The sickness damaged her kid neys and that appears to be perma nent; she now undergoes dialysis three times a week and we have had a preliminary conversation with a doctor about a transplant sometime in the future.

But she is here. Both of us have often said jokingly to each other over the years, “Don’t die on me and leave me alone with these kids.”

Now I see my family at home ev ery day and think about how good God is. We’ll see what His plan holds for the future.

Monroe Roark’s happy to have his wife, Kelly, at home for Thanksgiving.

Fishing You Happy Thanksgiving Celebrating the

By Amanda Hagood

Glory of Mullet

This Thanksgiving, keep your tur key. Keep your savory stuffing and tart cranberry sauce, keep your fra grant sweet potato pie, topped with a graceful wisp of whipped cream. Those festive foods are fine indeed, and they come with a vaguely his torical flavor that lends a little digni ty to us all just stuffing our faces on the fourth Thursday of November.

But when I think of gratitude – of that honest-to-goodness, deepdown-in-your-soul satisfied feeling that a great meal can give you – I dream of the humble mullet.

And I’m not talking about the hair do.

I mean that silly, silvery, doeeyed fish that shimmies through the peaceful mangroves and suddenly leaps right out of the water with a tremendous splash. Nobody knows what makes a mullet jump, but it looks for all the world like pure joy.

Mullet is an Old Florida staple. Plentiful and close at hand, mullet kept generations of Gulfportians fed.

“Fried mullet and grits,” recalls longtime fisherman and former Mul

let King Captain Charlie Williams. “My father and everybody here was raised on it. If it weren’t for mul let and grits, this town probably wouldn’t be here.”

It’s a food that’s sustaining and sustainable: low on the food chain (and thus low in mercury) and high in those coveted healthy fish oils. It’s as locally sourced as you can get, and was once the basis for a thriving fishery here in Florida.

Young mullets hide out in the brackish water of our bayous, for aging in the sea grass, fattening up, and dodging the many creatures, that prey upon them, such as hawks, herons, larger fish, and dolphins.

“Everything on this water eats a mullet,” says Capt. Charlie.

Then this jittery little fish does something rather brave: on a cool, stormy night in the late autumn – usually the “nastiest, coldest, blowingest night of the whole year,” says Williams – mullet school up and head for the ocean to spawn.

Picture acres of fish jostling and swimming hell-for-leather out to sea, their bodies packed with a salty,

pungent roe so highly sought after in parts of Asia and Europe that it’s sometimes called “Gulf of Mexico Gold.”

“The roe we have here is the best in the world,” says Williams. “The size is right, the taste is right, the texture is right.” He can remember one January run in Pine Island where he made a lucky strike of 10,000 roe fish.

This is the glory of the Florida mullet run.

As for me, when I dig into a good smoked mullet, skin and fins still attached, little bones still sunk into firm, juicy, red-gold flesh, I taste a little of this story. In the deep, earthy flavor of the fish, I partake in the sunlit days in the sea grass, the life-sustaining flow of fresh water into salt, and salt into fresh. In the sweet-sharp odor of smoke, I imag ine our tree-shaded town, a village of timber-framed bungalows and homemade smokers, and I think of the slow way Gulfport grew around the rhythms of the Gulf.

I imagine tens of thousands of massing fish following the call of moon and weather and the oldest imperative there is, of the wild and beautiful abundance of their jour ney. I am humbled. I am fed. I am grateful.

I don’t know why the mullet jumps, but each time I see one, my heart jumps with it.

Capt. Charlie “CW” Williams was crowned Gulfport’s Mullet King in 2013. “Fishing was something everybody in Gulfport did,” recalls Williams. “There was nothing but fishermen around here when we were kids.”

CATHY SALUSTRI

The US has lost 1800 newspapers since 2004. We are incredibly fortunate to live in a town with an active, vital paper engaged in real journalism

Thank you Gabber for all you do for Gulfport

I am thankful for

Gulfport Gratitude Here’s Why

By Andrew Hill

Some Gulfportians Have Gratitude

From the little things to the big, here’s what fills some of our neighbors with gratitude.

Thanksgiving and the 2022 holiday season are moments away, and with them come feelings of stress, anxi ety, financial worries, and memories of family debates involving cranberry sauce and who has to sit next to the “funny-smelling” uncle.

Oh…and gratitude. Plenty of it, too, for residents of Gulfport, who had several helpings of positive perspec tives to offer when asked what they have been thankful for this past year. Several gratitude lists included Gulf port being a safe and beautiful com munity.

“I love the small-townness of it,” said Jeanne Bower, a retired health care worker. “It’s walkable, there’s yoga on the beach…There’s just so much to do in this community.”

Many Gulfport residents, including Tony Jenkins of 50th Street South, agree they are thankful for how Gulf port residents look out for each other

and keep their yards manicured.

“People are always out cutting their grass, all about the same damn time, too,” laughed Jenkins, who has worked at O’Maddy’s for 10 years.

Some blessings being counted are quite simple.

“I’m thankful for having a roof over my head,” said Todd Morrison, a seven-year resident, while doing his laundry at Deb’s on Gulfport Boule vard.

“I’m thankful for having a job I like,” said Joey Vars, curator at the Gulfport History Museum. “I’ve al ways liked local history. There’s al ways something to learn, and help ing other people learn keeps the community heritage alive, and I’m grateful for that.”

Thanksgiving is tied with the his torical imagery of early settlers and survival. April Hornsleth can relate. Her family has six generations in

Gulfport dating back to her great grandfather, George A. Jarrell, who first had to survive the 1871 Peshti go, Wisconsin fire when he was 11 before reaching Florida.

“I’m thankful for having a won derful family,” said Hornsleth, the granddaughter of R.W. Caldwell, who began selling Gulfport real es tate in 1937 and the namesake of the town’s oldest business.

“If we have a slight disagreement, we will work it out and go out to din ner,” said Hornsleth, who will have family members from the ages of 94 to 7 at her Thanksgiving table.

The unfortunate truth: Having a meal under a roof would be a plus for some.

Paul is a 42-year-old homeless man who spends a good portion of his time by Pavilion #3 by the vol leyball courts off Shore Boulevard.

ANDREW HILL

City of Gulfport, Florida

Notice of 2023 Municipal General Election and Qualifying Period

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Charter provisions, the City of Gulf port will hold a Municipal General Election on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, for the elec tion of two Councilmembers – Ward II and Ward IV. Qualifying begins at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, December 5, 2022 and ends at Noon, Monday, December 12, 2022. Can didates for Councilmember shall be a res ident of their Ward for at least one (1) year prior to the date of qualification. Please contact the Office of the City Clerk for fur ther qualifying information and paperwork, 893-1012.

Ciudad de Gulfport, Florida Notificación del Periodo de Calificación y Elección General Municipal 2023

Por medio de la presente se notifica que de conformidad con las disposiciones de los Es tatutos, la Ciudad de Gulfport celebrará una Elección General Municipal el martes 14 de marzo de 2023, para la elección de dos Con sejales (Distrito II y Distrito IV). La calificación iniciará a las 8:30 a. m. el lunes 5 de diciembre de 2022, y finalizará al mediodía del lunes 12 de diciembre de 2022. Los candidatos para Consejal deberán ser residentes de su Dis trito al menos durante un (1) año previo a la fecha de calificación. Comuníquese a la Ofi cina del Secretario de la Ciudad para recibir mayor información sobre la calificación y doc umentación requerida, 893-1012.

He does not have any plans for Thanksgiving as of yet, but he spoke with ease of having gratitude for his place in a much larger world.

“I’m thankful for God and knowing He’s here,” Paul said leaning back in a lounge chair by the waterfront. “(On Thanksgiving), I’ll just be sitting

here, waiting.”

Paul said he is waiting on the out come of a court case involving a property dispute which would grant his family the rights to land in Gulf port rich in minerals.

Christy has been living on a boat in Gulfport for the past year and a

half. The 20-something was taking a barefoot stroll through town with Cocoa, a friend’s friendly terrier, when she said she is not really ready for Thanksgiving, but is excited at the same time .

“Living on a boat can be magical, but at the same time stressful and exhausting,” Christy said of her Eric son boat.

Bower recalls reading in the book “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne how it is wise to find thankfulness even in the worst of situations.

“My mother passed away on my second daughter’s birthday,” Bower said. “But I told my kids now they have another angel watching.”

While to some the ideal of hav ing an “attitude of gratitude” yearround might be as corny as Thanks giving pudding, Jenkins said there is virtue in teaching family values such as thankfulness.

“I spend time with my grandkids,” said Jenkins. “I teach them the same things my mama taught me, like how to share, say thank you, yes ma’am and no ma’am…just the basics.”

ANDREW HILL

Flicks with Finley Gulf Beaches Elementary Raises Almost $20,000

By Amanda Hagood

Most Friday afternoons, parents, teachers, and students head out of Gulf Beaches Elementary Magnet School to begin their weekends. But on the evening of Friday, Nov. 4, a crowd of more than 300 people gath ered at the St. Pete Beach school in order to start their weekend – with popcorn, sandwiches, and a movie under the stars.

While the school is well known for its annual fish broil, outdoor movies (playfully dubbed “Flicks with Finley” after the school’s aloha-shirt-sporting shark mascot) are a newer tradition. It started with COVID, explains GBEMS PTA Vice President Tiffany Crosson. When the pandemic made the fish broil impossible, the PTA began host ing films in the park at nearby St. Pete Beach Community Center.

Under a beautiful sunset, the younger kiddos ran around and played, and families settled in for a picnic and enjoyed a showing of the Thanksgiving-themed film “Free Birds.”

Meanwhile, parents and faculty browsed an impressive silent auction that had been set up in the school’s cafeteria. Bidders thoughtfully pe rused 140 different items, including everything from gift certificates to

local restaurants and stores, to a va riety of well-equipped gift baskets, to luxury hotel stays, to tickets for a South African safari. A crowd favorite was framed “stick quilts,” a colorful collection of popsicle sticks paint ed by students in each grade, then artfully arranged into geometric pat terns.

Between $8,800 from 18 local sponsors and $10,700 from the auc tion, the PTA raised approximately $19,000. The priority for these funds, explains Crosson, will be supplying

classroom grants that enable teach ers to purchase supplies without coming out of their own pockets. The funds may also be used to support additional needs for instruction. Pro ceeds from last year’s auction helped to secure a much-needed printer.

As important as raising these funds is, says Crosson, now in her second year in the PTA, there is something to be said for this very special GBEMS way of doing so.

“I just love opportunity to come to gether as a school and do something,” she said. “I love the way we make it a community thing.”

GBEMS Principal Robert Kalach (left) and Magnet Coordinator / Media Tech Mitchell Carney handed out popcorn – a must for any movie night.

TIFFANY CROSSON

“I love the way we make it a community thing.”

business beat

Commission on Aging and Solar Businesses

Explore Solutions to Issues in Pinellas.

By Cameron Healy and Monroe Roark

Among its functions, the commission works to identify the needs of seniors, their families, and their caregivers while exploring solutions for the issues they face.

Pete Seeks Volunteers for Commission on Aging

Officials at City Hall in St. Peters burg are looking for citizens to par ticipate in its Advisory Commission on Aging.

According to a Nov. 9 press re lease, the city is seeking four or five volunteer community leaders to join the commission, a group that “sup ports, leverages, and advocates for programs and resources that pro tect and ensure the highest possi ble quality of life for St. Pete’s aging community.”

Among its various functions, the commission works to identify the needs of seniors, their families, and their caregivers while explor ing solutions for the problems and issues they face. The group also serves as a resource and advocate for seniors by promoting a positive aging experience and by informing the mayor and city council of major issues and changing needs facing St. Petersburg’s senior population.

The commission will identify fund ing sources that might assist the city in implementing senior-focused services and also partner with elder

service providers in the city and sur rounding communities.

Those interested in serving on the Advisory Commission on Aging can find more information and apply at stpete.org/GetInvolved. Members of the commission must live within St. Petersburg city limits.

Questions can be directed to Car ole Ware at Carole.ware@stpete.org or 727-893-7102.

How Florida Businesses Can Get Solar

Duke Energy’s Clean Energy Con nection program encourages busi nesses to join a community-wide solar co-op that will promote a clean energy solution at a low cost. By choosing to join their program, your business will support solar centers and in return will receive long-term savings benefits through bill credits.

Here’s how it works: there’s no on-site solar panels, no application fees, and no long-term commitment (because you can cancel your sub scription whenever you want.) You will receive bill credit for your partic ipation and, Duke says, the program will pay for itself in seven years.

CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG

St.

Provider may also contract with other Plans/Part D sponsors. Tampa area. CarePlus is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in CarePlus depends on contract renewal. Other providers are available in our network. 1From a preferred cost-sharing retail pharmacy. Important: At CarePlus, it is important you are treated fairly. CarePlus Health Plans, Inc. complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, religion, or language in their programs and activities, including in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, their programs and activities. The following department has been designated to handle inquiries regarding CarePlus’ non-discrimination policies: Member Services, PO Box 277810, Miramar, FL 33027, 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711). Auxiliary aids and services, free of charge, are available to you. 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711) CarePlus provides free auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified sign language interpreters, video remote interpretation, and written information in other formats to people with disabilities when such auxiliary aids and services are necessary to ensure an equal opportunity to participate. This information is available for free in other languages. Please call our Member Services number at 1-800-794-5907. Hours of operation: October 1 – March 31, 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 1 – September 30, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You may leave a voicemail after hours, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays and we will return your call within one business day. Español (Spanish): Esta información está disponible de forma gratuita en otros idiomas. Favor de llamar a Servicios para Afiliados al número que aparece anteriormente. Kreyòl Ayisyen (French Creole): Enfòmasyon sa a disponib gratis nan lòt lang. Tanpri rele nimewo Sèvis pou Manm nou yo ki nan

Review: Margaritas and Tacos in Gulfport

Gulfport’s New Mexican Restaurant has 301 tequilas and “World-Famous” Tacos

By Cameron Healy

Sea Dog Cantina is no longer in Gulfport; however, the space is now occupied by a new Mexican restau rant, The Drunken Taco. I went to check out what they had to offer on a Tuesday night.

The Fort Lauderdale-native restaurant officially opened in Gulf port on Nov. 4 with a menu full of speciality tacos, 301 tequilas, and a variety of other Mexican dishes.

The night started off with one fro zen passionfruit margarita and their queso dip appetizer.

These margaritas are not to be messed with. They are served in a large cup, possibly half the size of the average person’s head. And with The Drunken Taco’s all-day, every day happy hour (spoiler alert...), the night ended with two large, frozen margaritas for the price of one.

I have an expectation when it comes to queso. It must have such a thick, creamy consistency that my tortilla is drenched in the cheese with just one dip in. I’ve been fooled one too many times by queso at other Mexican restaurants that slips off and leaves just a thin layer. Es sentially, the chip’s left queso-less.

But at The Drunken Taco, I felt satisfied with this appetizer. This queso had a lot to offer. The melt ed cheese actually came out quite thick and I enjoyed the addition of fresh pico to the mix. I highly recommend the queso if you are thinking of trying out something from here.

Since it was Tuesday, the night continued with an order of their supposedly famous two Baja chicken tacos. The tacos definitely intrigued me because they includ ed bacon bits. The two Baja chick en tacos consist of “chicken, queso fresco, cheddar, bacon, cabbage, tomatoes,” and topped with their “famous cilantro cream sauce.”

A small bowl of white rice, black beans, and pico are served on the side.

The tacos came out on a silver taco holder stand on top of a rect angular plate. I must say the flour tortillas at this place are pretty stur dy because none of the components of my taco fell out due to the tortilla.

I can see why the Baja chicken ta cos are considerably famous now, because they really were delicious. I enjoyed the combination of chicken and bacon bits. The rest of the taco did not hide the taste of bacon at all, but I did not mind this since I had

never put bacon bits on a taco be fore. I could most definitely taste the creamy cilantro sauce, and it was a great addition to the taco. It helped level out the different textures and flavors within the taco.

Oddly enough, though, they don’t offer a “Taco Tuesday” special.

The Drunken Taco’s a great ad dition to Beach Boulevard South. Their margaritas and tacos are worth checking out, if you haven’t yet done so.

CAMERON HEALY

Photos by Patrick Graney

Liz

Anne Cramer, St Pete Beach: “They do a great job. Pub lic restrooms for events like night markets and the fresh market, maybe? Maybe a cute, small dog park?”

Maria Schimple, St Pete Beach: “Dog beach. A little area for dogs by the water.” Enid Mirkin, Gulfport: “From my point of view, nothing.”

Ruling Class

gabber on vacation

Last month, Christine Goldsberry took her nephews Anthony, Tino, Isaiah, and Santos Romero along with us to visit Bron ner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

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.

CHRISTINE GOLDSBERRY

things to do

Thanksgiving Dinners, Beach Yoga + a Christmas Comedy

Thursday, November 24

Free Thanksgiving Meals. Not sure what you’re doing for Thanksgiving? Visit Paradise Lutheran Church as they hold their annual Thanksgiving dinner. All are welcome so no one has to celebrate this holiday alone. Bring your own plate and utensils and you’ll be all set. Free cooked meals, desserts, and beverages will be provided. Sit down inside their fellowship hall or enjoy a table set up outside with a view of the water.

Paradise Lutheran Church, 10255 Paradise Blvd, Treasure Island. 12:30 p.m. 727-360-5739.

Potluck Thanksgiving. Want to try something new for Thanksgiving? Join Ka’Tiki this year for their annual Friends + Family Potluck. They pro vide free main courses with a vari ety of side dishes. Anyone can join and all are welcome to bring a dish, but it is perfectly fine if you don’t bring anything at all. After dinner, the music group, Big Bang Theo ry, performs for everyone to dance off the new Thanksgiving pounds. Ka’Tiki, 8803 W. Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island. 1 p.m. 727-360-2272.

Friday, November 25

A Month of Holiday Lights.  Let’s get into the holiday spirit with Lar go’s annual holiday lights display. This event features more than two

million LED festive lights, a carous al, and a ferris wheel. Enjoy free ad missions for anyone to observe the dazzling lights. Bring money for food and rides. The festivities last through Jan. 2. Don’t miss out on these spec tacular light displays. Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Dr., Largo. 6 p.m. $6-30. 727-587-6720.

The Night Before Musical Returns to St. Pete. Check out freeFall’s must-see holiday musical, The Night Before. This musical tells the story of a group of friends and a house cat in Florida for the holidays where they have a “night of fun, music, and games.” They’ve added plenty of new jokes and songs to the mu sical comedy. The Night Before puts a modern twist on classic holiday TV specials for everyone to enjoy. Buy

tickets online for showtimes be tween Nov. 25 and Dec. 24. freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave, St. Pe tersburg. 7 p.m. $45-55. 727-4985205, freefalltheatre.com

Saturday, November 26

Morning Beach Yoga. Get into a refreshing workout by joining The Salty Yogis for an energizing yoga class on the beach. Classes incor porate breath work and poses that help build more muscles, increase flexibility and mobility for your body. All are welcome no matter your yoga level experience. Yoga mats are not provided so don’t forget to bring a towel and yoga mat.  Upham Beach Park, 6850 Beach Plaza, St. Pete Beach. 10 a.m. thesaltyyogis.com

Paradise Lutheran Church invites you to their Thanksgiving dinner. No one deserves to celebrate the holidays alone.

SHARON KOELSCH

Santa Parade. Santa is already com ing to town! You can find him at St. Pete’s annual Santa Parade and Tree Lighting. Enjoy an evening of holiday cheer with your friends and fami ly as Santa helps Mayor Ken Welch light up the downtown waterfront with a tree lighting. Check out the parade full of festive light displays and special performances from lo cal dance groups and bands.  North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. 6 p.m. 727-893-7441. stpeteparksrec.org

Sunday, November 29

Ostomy Support Group. Learn about ostomy procedures at St. Pete’s Ostomy support group’s next meeting. The UOAA invites everyone to their free support group meeting where you can learn more about this surgery. Bring any questions or concerns you may have on the topic and members will help answer them for you.  Pinellas Park Church of Christ, 6045 Park Blvd. N., Pinellas Park. 2 p.m. 727-657-0998.

Monday, November 28

Family Movie Night. Stop by the St Pete Beach Library as they present DC League of Super-Pets for the whole family to enjoy. Krypto the “super-dog” and a group of shelter animals such as a hound, a pig, a tur tle, and a squirrel are on a mission. These super pets must master their inner powers to help rescue the Jus tice League. St. Pete Beach Library, 365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach. 2 p.m. 727-363-9238, spblibrary.com

Wednesday, November 30

Free Mental Health Lecture. Learn about bipolar disorder at DBSA Tam pa Bay’s Aiken Series Lecture and Workshop. This free mental health lecture presents “Breaking Down Bipolar” led by three psychiatrists from USF Morsani School of Medi cine. This lecture is open to all, and they’ll have hors d’oeuvres and bev erages. Allendale United Methodist Church, 3803 Haines Road N., St. Petersburg. 7 p.m. 727-410-1569, db satampabay.org

worship

17th St. & 29th Ave N St. Petersburg 345-7777

Friday 7PM

Beth-El Shalom

Messianic Congregation

ShalomAdventure.com JewishHeritage.net Rabbi@JewishHeritage.net

330 85th Avenue • St. Pete Beach

Reverend Omar Reyes

Good Shepherd Old Catholic Church

2728 53rd St. S. Gulfport, FL 33707 (Entrance on 28th Ave.)

Where ALL are welcome at the Lord’s table. Come and See... Sunday Mass 9:30am www.goodshepherdocc.net 727-403-7178

St. Vincent’s Thrift Shop

5124 Gulfport Ave S. 33707

Hours 10 AM to 2PM Wednesday to Saturday

Paradise Lutheran Church on Treasure Island

10255 Paradise Blvd, Treasure Island Sunday Service 10am with Holy Communion 727-360-5739 paradiseluth102@gmail.com paradiselutheran.com

Unitarian Universalist United Fellowship

During the pandemic join us Sundays on Zoom.

Discussion -10:30 Program - 11:00

“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.”

Sundays 10:00am Holy Eucharist Wednesdays 11:00am Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing 727-360-8406 • www.StAlbanStPeteBeach.org

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

Sunday Services 10AM Misa en Español: Domingos 12PM

For Zoom directions email us at uuunited@earthlink.net

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

To the moon! This 1 1/2-year-old husky mix is an all-around good boy. Apollo wants to shoot for the stars, and he’s just smart enough that he might get there. You must own your home to adopt this outgoing boy, who loves to run, chase toys, and be with you.

Shirley you must adopt her because she says so. Trust us, Shirley has lots of feelings and isn’t shy about expressing them. She’s also curious, so expect lots of vocal questions. If you find yourself talking to yourself a lot, adopt this 5-year-old tabby, because she talks back!

Henry the VIII, I am, I am! Well, OK, maybe he’s not royalty, but he’s wearing such a spiffy tuxedo, this 3 1/2 month kitten is dressed to impress.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS – AND SAVINGS ADD UP

Trixie’s a kid She’s only 1, but she’s been at the shelter for part of that year. She has plenty of spunk, loves people, adventures, and other dogs. So much so that Friends of Strays staff say she needs a home with a doggy sibling, as well as daily exercise and mental stimulation She’s a joy, volunteers tell us. She’s currently being fostered, so if you and your dog would like to meet her to see if she can grow up with you, submit an adoption application at friendsofstrays.org/adopt.

Find a Penny, pick her up... Penny’s ready for luck to break her way. This 26-pound, All-American girl is only a year old, but she’s already has puppies. She took good care of them, but she needs someone to take care of her now.

All pets spayed, vaccinated, micro-chipped and dewormed. Pet Pal Animal Shelter, 405 22nd Ave. S., St. Pete. Dogs, $200; cats, $40. 727328-7738; petpalanimalshelter.com.

FRIENDS OF STRAYS

PET PAL ANIMAL SHELTER

PET PAL ANIMAL SHELTER

PET PAL ANIMAL SHELTER

PET PAL ANIMAL SHELTER

& administration at rea sonable

Contact at 727-692-6807 or landrews1947@gmail.com. FL Bar No. 171761.

MIRACULOUS ANGELS COMPANION SER

available. Camille Harper: 727-723-5563, MMCom panionServices@gmail.com.

Handy Person

CLEAN UP CLEAN UP CLEAN UP Handy helpers. 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 experi ence. Locally St. Pete /Gulfport: 407-2446045. James: 407-244-6045.

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

PROFESSIONAL LOCAL HANDYMAN Bath rooms, kitchens. drywall, painting, custom high-end finishing. Any job undertaken, hon est pricing. Insured, reliable. 347-973-0814.

Heating & Air

Serving the greater St. Petersburg area. Family owned and local business. Provid ing in-home personal aid companion care, after surgery care, 24-hour care, demen tia care, postpartum support,

PATIOS, WALKWAYS, CUSTOM STEPS, & REPAIRS

Custom concrete patios, driveway exten sions, walkways, small slabs & all types of repairs. 35 years experience. Call Mark for a free estimate: 813-859-2023.

AMERICAN BUILDERS GROUP LLC

Residential/Commercial. All phases of remod eling 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. 727-410-7323.

DARCY ROOFING LLC

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

TREE SERVICE

BY PAYLESS

Tree removal, trimming, stump grinding. Also do yard work, mulching, weeding, and yard clean up. Call for estimate: 727-6419033.

IRRIGATION STAIN

REMOVAL

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

Miscellaneous Service

DEPRESSION

BIPOLAR

SUPPORT GROUP MEETS THURSDAYS

Pasadena Community Church / Life Enrichment Building / Classroom 3c, 227 70th St. S., St. Petersburg, Fl 33707. Free, no registration, 7 p.m. Call 727410-1569 for more information. Website: https://dbsatampabay.org

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

NOTARY SERVICES - $10

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

Moving / Hauling

ARRON’S HAULINGONE CALL HAULS IT ALL

Full service removal of junk/trash for your home or business. Appliances, furniture, TV, carpet, concrete, yard debris, paints/chemicals, overgrown lawns, etc. Hoarding, eviction, foreclosure clean outs. 727-623-7219.

SKIP’S MOVING & PICK-UP DELIVERY

Have 14 foot box truck, willing to help. I’m the guy who moves everybody in and out of Town Shores. Available Monday thru Sunday. Call: 727-320-3297.

ARNEY’S PAINTING INC.

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

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

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

Plumbing

Help Wanted

FOR LMT HEALTH CARE INDIVIDUAL

Established 20-year Day Spa looking to rent a room to a positive, profession-

Lawn & Landscape

SEEKING REAL ESTATE ADMINISTRATOR

Are you an experienced professional who understands the real estate market, with an eye for detail and great communica tion skills? We need an organized team player with fabulous customer service skills, marketing know-how, and who can think on their feet. Send an email intro ducing yourself along with your resume to gulfportconnection@gmail.com

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF FICTITIOUS NAME REGISTRATION Six Sixteen Holdings LLC, owner, desiring to conduct business in multiple counties of Florida under the fictitious name “Home Buyers of Florida”, intends to register said name with Division of Corpo rations, Florida Department of State, pur suant to Florida Statutes section 865.09.

Pets / Animals

LOST CAT

Lost female gray calico. Very skinny and skittish. Last seen around Gulfport Marina and possibly spotted at 9th Ave N. & 49th St. N. Spayed in October. Call/text 727-5993355 or 727-557-6600 if found.

Wanted

WANTED: KARAOKE CD'S Prefer older mu sic. Call Don: 727-422-5394.

Yard / Garage Sale

YARD SALE 1836 59th St. S., Gulfport. Nov. 25-26-27. Books, clothes, tools, other as sorted items.

2BR/2BA condo for sale. $264,900. End unit with lots of natural light. View of the recre ation center and gulf beyond. For further in formation call or text 727-403-1714.

HELP WANTED Very part-time, light groundskeeping/housekeeping posi tion in Pass-A-Grille. Great for retir ees or students. $15/hr. Contact 727360-8844 or email resume to info@ innonbeach.com.

MULTI FAMILY YARD SALE Fri., 11/25 and Sat., 11/26 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. (maybe Sunday). Bear Creek Estates: 6217 4th S. PLEASE NO EARLY BIRDS. Antique furniture, antique dolls, white 3-piece bedroom set, pressure washer, tons of nice womens clothing, and much more. Sale is in alley - look for signs.

Furnished

For Sale

LOVE SEAT FOR SALE

Beige loveseat, practically new. You pick it up in Gulfport. $50. Call or text Lesley at 716-909-1899.

NEW TOTAL GYM XLS

Moved to condo with gym; no longer need ed. Includes Ab, Wing, Squat Stand and Leg Pull Attachments. 3 months old. Like new. Originally ~$1000; for sale $400. Folds up for easy storage. See example at: https:// totalgymdirect.com/shop/total-gym-xls/. Call or text 214-930-5683.

KIA AMANTI 2008 2nd owner, Florida ve hicle, ice cold A/C, 159k miles, strong motor and drivetrain, comfortable, reliable, safe vehicle. $2,950. 727-748-9117.

Real Estate Snapshots

Here’s What Sold in Gulfport Last Week

Other Gulfport Home Sales Last Week

4914 29th Ave. S. (Waterfront District)

This 1,290-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home, built in 1949, listed for $565,000 and sold for $500,000.

5144 13th Ave. S. (Tangerine)

This 914-square-foot home, built in 1957, has three bedrooms and one bath. It listed for $329,000 and sold for $329,100.

Beach Home Sales Last Week

13000 Gulf Blvd., #405 (Madeira Beach)

This 940-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath condo, built in 1975, listed for $925,000 and sold for $890,000.

107 146th Ave. E. (Madeira Beach)

This 1,198-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home, built in 1952, listed for $699,000 and sold for $647,000.

120 140th Ave. E. (Madeira Beach)

6218 10th Ave. S. (Stetson)

Although listed for $799,000, this 2,029-square-foot, three-bedroom, twobath home, built in 1924, sold for $860,000.

This 1989 condo has 1,1844 square feet, two bedrooms, and two baths. It listed for $699,000 and sold for $605,000.

500 Treasure Island Causeway, #611 (Treasure Island)

This 1,308-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath condo, built in 1974, listed for $550,000 but sold for $500,000.

JOEY NEILL

You Worked Hard For Your Medicare

Is it working for you?

We started BayCarePlus® Medicare Advantage (HMO) in 2019 because we believed our Medicare community deserved better. And we’re working hard to make that happen.

Ways BayCarePlus makes Medicare better for you:*

We pay $123 per month of your Part B premium with our BayCarePlus Rewards (HMO) plan. That’s up to $1,476 per year in savings!

It’s easy to stay healthy. You pay $0 copay every time you see your primary care doctor and $0 copay for preventive care and lab work.

Getting your medications is affordable. We offer thousands of prescription medications for $0 copay and an allowance for over-the-counter (OTC) items on two of our plans.

You get free fitness benefits. Join multiple fitness facilities, get a home fitness kit, access thousands of online workouts, get virtual coaching and more with our fitness benefit.

If you have an emergency, you’re covered. No matter where in the world you are.

*Benefits vary by plan. Consult the Evidence of Coverage for full plan details. †You may reach a messaging service on weekends from April 1 through September 30 and holidays. Please leave a message, and your call will be returned the next business day.

BayCare Select Health Plans is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in BayCare Select Health Plans depends on contract renewal. BayCare Select Health Plans complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.