Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Lightning Strikes Gym, Sparks Fire At St. Pete Catholic High School: Officials

And on the St. Petersburg Patch calendar - 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday September 9th Patch AM
Wednesday September 9th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Coffee in hand, St. Petersburg? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Lightning strike ignites fire at St. Pete Catholic High School gym
  • Police investigate after man's body found near St. Pete Pier
  • How the Looking Glass project could reshape South St. Pete's MLK corridor

Also on today's calendar: 9/11 Memorial Ceremony and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the burglar wear blue gloves? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: A heavy t-storm in the p.m., with a high of 89 and low of 79 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Thursday: A p.m. t-storm in spots, temps: high: 90, low: 80.
  • Friday: Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm, with a high of 89 and low of 80 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Lightning Strikes Gym, Sparks Fire At St. Pete Catholic High School: Officials (patch.com) — St. Petersburg residents learned that lightning struck the gym at St. Petersburg Catholic High School Tuesday afternoon, sparking a fire but causing no injuries to students or staff. Fire crews quickly responded as smoke rose from the roof, and officials say the junior varsity volleyball team was inside practicing when the strike hit. Authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage.
   

2. Body Found Floating Near St. Pete Pier: Reports (patch.com) — People around downtown St. Petersburg were shaken after a man's body was found floating near the St. Pete Pier Tuesday afternoon, prompting a response from the police Marine Patrol Unit. Officers recovered the body and brought it to the marina, while detectives and the medical examiner work to identify the man and determine how he died.
   

3. South St. Pete corridor the focus of economic initiative (stpetecatalyst.com) — A major redevelopment called the Looking Glass Initiative is transforming long-neglected blocks of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street S. in South St. Petersburg with new neighborhood businesses, a teaching garden and a community center. Backed by $3.5 million in private investment and a proposed $325,000 city incentive, the project aims to support Black-owned enterprises, keep rents below nearby market rates, and add safer crosswalks and services that directly benefit surrounding residents.
   

4. Water transportation between St. Pete and Tampa to resume once again (wfla.com) — Year-round ferry service between St. Petersburg and Tampa is set to return, with two refurbished vessels carrying 150 to 250 passengers and fares of $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, while kids under 8 ride free. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority leaders say the boats, funded by a federal grant, should ease bridge congestion and give locals another way to reach jobs and events across the bay once Coast Guard inspections are complete.
   

5. Prison kitchen documentary comes to St. Pete (stpetecatalyst.com) — St. Petersburg residents can attend a free Sept. 15 screening of the award‑winning prison culinary documentary "Coldwater Kitchen" at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg's Center for Health Equity. The evening includes food, networking, and a discussion featuring the program's chef, a formerly incarcerated graduate, and local chef Marques Clark, connecting incarceration, job skills, and community opportunity.
   

📸 Around St. Petersburg

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in St. Petersburg

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 St. Petersburg Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making St. Petersburg PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Government Jobs posted a job opening for Emergency Communications Dispatcher in Largo. Apply here.
  • Hubbell Incorporated posted a job opening for PCB Assembler - Largo, FL in Largo. 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: So he wouldn't get caught red handed. (Thank you Vicki B. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from St. Pete