Cathy Salustri
With all the positive Idalia updates for Gulfport and the beaches, here’s one that isn’t so great: The lift station that services everyone south of the Bayway (Pass-a-Grille, Vina del Mar, and the Don CeSar) isn’t able to keep up with the sewage. The City of St. Pete Beach says these areas have a real possibility of a sewage backup over the next few hours. In light of that, St. Pete Beach is asking anyone who lives south of the Bayway not to use any water that goes down a drain. That includes toilets, showers, washing machines, and dishwashers.
It’s not all bad news.
With the brunt of Idalia passed Tampa Bay, here’s a final update on all the things that are open and working that weren’t a few hours ago:
- The mandatory evacuation zone (Zone A) has ben lifted.
- The bridges to all Pinellas beaches have reopened. That doesn’t mean it’s OK to drive through storm surge. Be safe, please.
- City of Gulfport buildings will reopen tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 31.
- St. Pete parks and recreational facilities will reopen tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 31.
- The Sunshine Skyway has reopened.
- North St. Pete Beach lift stations have power once again, so flush away, SPB! (Note: Not south of the Bayway; see above.)
- PSTA will resume service Thursday, Aug. 31.
- School is back in session Thursday, Aug. 31 (sorry, kids!).
Read all The Gabber Newspaper’s Idalia updates.
Both Pinellas County and The Gabber Newspaper encourage residents and visitors to get their forecast updates at the National Hurricane Center. The NHC releases updated forecasts and advisories at 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m., and 11 p.m. We strongly discourage readers from taking weather advice from any other models.
Timely Holiday
Florida’s annual “Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday” will run through Friday, Sept. 8. That means Floridians can buy things such as generators, dish soap, and batteries without paying the state sales tax. Here’s the list of items included in the Disastar Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.
