Latest reporting from the Community desk.
Community
The Pirates, Parrots & Paradise Festival comes to Coachman Park on Nov. 7-8, and the Clearwater World Music Heritage Festival follows at the Clearwater Historical Society on Nov. 14, giving residents two weekends of live music and vendors in the downtown area.
Community
A free Halloween costume party featuring salsa and bachata dancing, live music by La Oferta and dance performances by Samba Conmigo takes over downtown Clearwater's District on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 11 p.m.
Community
Clearwater will release 10,000 eastern mosquitofish into four city lakes Friday as Florida's dengue case count reaches 190, with neighboring Hillsborough and Pasco counties declaring states of emergency.
Community
Dr. Anmari Álvarez-Alemán, a Cuban-born manatee researcher who first visited Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2011 after being inspired by Winter the dolphin, now leads the aquarium's research and conservation division as its new senior vice president.
Community
Clearwater's $25.7 million Osceola Parking Garage at 155 S. Osceola Ave. is rising rapidly using precast concrete construction, with 397 public spaces, EV charging and four retail storefronts targeted for completion by January 2027.
Community
Two years after Hurricane Helene's storm surge devastated Clearwater Beach, residents describe lasting anxiety heading into the 2026 hurricane season, while at least a dozen homes have been elevated and the city pursues $9.3 million in FEMA reimbursement.
Community
Tarpon Springs commissioners unanimously approved a three-year, $63,911-per-year contract extension with PSTA to keep the Jolley Trolley's coastal route running between the Sponge Docks and Clearwater Beach, with a 6.4% cost increase starting in October 2027.
Community
A two-week closure of the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail between Bayshore Boulevard and Kiran C. Patel Boulevard begins the week of Sept. 20 so crews can install a canopy and bike racks at the new pedestrian overpass over Gulf to Bay Boulevard.
Community
A power failure at Clearwater's Marshall Street Water Reclamation Facility sent an estimated 35,686 gallons of sewage toward Stevenson Creek on Sept. 19, less than 2,000 feet from the city's pending manatee protection zone, prompting environmental advocates to demand infrastructure upgrades at the aging plant.
Community
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside completed Longlake Preserve, a 54-home affordable housing development on the Clearwater-Largo border, welcoming the final five families during a Saturday, Sept. 19 celebration.
Community
The Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber's annual Taste of the Beaches festival runs Oct. 3-11 with more than 45 restaurants offering $10 signature dishes, including Clearwater Beach's SHOR at the Hyatt Regency, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside.
Community
The 58th Honor Flight landed at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport on Sept. 15 with 75 veterans aboard, pushing the program past 4,000 total veterans served since 2010.
Community
Clearwater Beach Marina Walk will unveil a public mosaic sculpture called "Ketch" on Sept. 24, while the Clearwater Free Clinic cuts the ribbon on its $7 million Ruth and J.O. Stone Wellness Center on Oct. 8.
Community
Clearwater will install 3D-printed coral reef structures and ecological tiles on seawalls at Mandalay East, Sand Key and Coachman parks using a $3 million state grant, with a hybrid living shoreline planned for Bayview Avenue and a target completion date of November 2027.
©2026 Clearwater Sentinel
Powered by Surround Sound Media
