The Skyway 10K will start taking registrations this Monday at 8 am for the 8,000 available spots, but the won’t be using the lottery system any longer. General admission will cost runners $125 per person, and for VIP registration is $300, but only open to for the first 500 who register. The old lottery system won’t be used this year, so when those spots are gone, they’re gone. 100% of the proceeds from the Skyway 10K benefit the Armed Forces Family Foundation.
Pinellas County school teachers will receive a 4.5% raise after Board approved the increase last night by a vote of 6-0. The state had proposed a 1.41% raise. That will mean an extra $1,000 to $2,600 in paychecks starting next year.
Sunset Beach on Treasure Island remained closed, but may reopen this week, as dune restoration wraps up. City officials are continuing asking you to stay out of the area. Plants are being added to the dunes to keep the sand in place and that work is wrapping up.
The popular Sylvan Ramble Lights show in South Tampa has become a victim of its own success. The Johnson family in South Tampa said their home’s light show has drawn large weekend crowds, and not all the neighbors are happy about that. This year will be the last after seven years, with charitable contributions reaching $40,000. The full story is in the Tampa Bay Times.
Hillsborough County School buses will be the first in the state to have cameras to record drivers that aren’t following the rules for buses that are stopped with lights flashing and arms extended. Those cameras are being payed for the the people who violate the law with a $200 per violation fine. The cameras will be in operation as of January 8, 2024. For the first 30 days, you’ll get a warning but after Feb. 8, 2024, you could get that $200 fine.
It’s become dangerous to drive on the Gandy Bridge. The Florida Highway Patrol and local law enforcement from St. Pete, Tampa, and Hillsborough have issued more than 1,200 speeding tickets already this year, and in the past week stopped two drivers, both allegedly speeding at more than 100 miles per hour.
A smartphone update is triggering a lot of accidental calls to 911. Hitting the side button five times on Android and iPhones can automatically dial 911, and every one of those calls must be checked out, even if you hang up. You can go into the settings on your phone to adjust that feature and prevent misdials.