Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How St. Pete’s new Firefly bus is changing homeless outreach

And check out Kids and Kubs set season start Thursday, October 29 on the St. Petersburg Patch calendar

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Greetings St. Petersburg! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How St. Pete's new Firefly bus is changing homeless outreach
  • How a new Central Avenue café lets you pay what you can
  • How to catch the new daily St. Pete-to-Atlanta bus line

Also on today's calendar: Kids and Kubs set season start Thursday, October 29 and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is full of holes but still holds water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: An afternoon thunderstorm, with a high of 90 and low of 82 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Saturday: A t-storm around in the p.m., temps: high: 89, low: 81.
  • Sunday: A shower and thunderstorm, with a high of 88 and low of 81 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. St. Pete's 'Firefly Project' brings showers, behavioral health services to people experiencing homelessness (wtsp.com) — St. Petersburg is funding a new mobile "Firefly Project" van that brings showers, food, and behavioral health services directly to people experiencing homelessness around the city four days a week. Operated by Boley Centers, the retrofitted bus focuses on meeting residents where they are, with hopes of expanding beyond city limits if more funding becomes available.
   

2. St. Petersburg cafe: Pay-what-you-can venue opens on Central Avenue (fox13news.com) — A new pay-what-you-can Beloved Community Café on Central Avenue is opening in St. Petersburg to offer affordable meals, recovery support, and Sunday worship in one shared space. Run by Good Samaritan Church and local partners, it aims to be a welcoming hub where neighbors can eat, talk, and connect regardless of income or background, with volunteers ready to sit and share coffee.
   

3. New bus service connects Tampa Bay with 4 cities along I-75 (wfla.com) — St. Petersburg residents now have a new budget-friendly way to reach Atlanta and several I-75 cities, with FlixBus adding a daily stop at 860 Central Ave. The new route links Tampa Bay to Gainesville, Valdosta, Warner Robins/Byron, and downtown Atlanta, offering students, families, and travelers more affordable long-distance options starting today.
   

4. Places This Week: An Intracoastal and Gulf-front estate (stpetecatalyst.com) — Several high-profile real estate moves are reshaping parts of St. Petersburg, including the Holiday Inn St. Petersburg West hitting the market for $19 million and a turnkey commercial building on busy 4th Street N listed for $2.25 million. The roundup also highlights luxury residential sales and investment properties in nearby Indian Rocks Beach, Clearwater, and Tarpon Springs that signal an active regional market.
   

5. Students Make Waves on Florida Marine Science Cruise (stockton.edu) — Marine research based out of St. Petersburg's Florida Institute of Oceanography is giving Stockton University students hands-on experience studying mysterious "blue holes" in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite rough seas and equipment issues, the Peerside program cruise still yielded samples, lab tours around St. Petersburg, and eye-opening career insights for the visiting students.
   

📸 Around St. Petersburg

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🗓 Upcoming Events in St. Petersburg

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📣 St. Petersburg Shout Outs!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Diversified Maintenance Systems, LLC posted a job opening for Janitor in Pinellas Park. Apply here.
  • Domino's Pizza posted a job opening for Customer Service Rep (04929) - 7064 US 19 N in Pinellas Park. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near St. Petersburg here.

Ok St. Petersburg! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A sponge (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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