What’s up, my fellow ‘Burgers? The latest edition of the Sunny St. Pete Scoop is hot off the press, and this time with election results. Let’s dive in!

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m no political reporter, but the preliminary election results for many of the races came in last night, so I thought I’d share them here. Numbers are as of 9pm last night when these races were already called, but there may be some changes to the final numbers.

In the mayoral race, there will be a runoff (as expected) on November 3rd. Charlie Crist led with 35% of the vote and will run off against incumbent Ken Welch, who received 21% of the vote. Jim Large and Brandi Gabbard followed closely with 18% and 17% of the vote, respectively. Maria Scruggs received 5%, and Kevin Batdorf received 3%.

For Governor, Byron Donalds won the GOP nomination with almost 48%, while David Jolly won for the Dems with 61%.

For U.S. Senate, incumbent Ashley Moody won the GOP nomination nearly 80% of the vote, while Angie Nixon won the Dems nomination with 55.9%.

For U.S. House District 16, Sydney Gruters got the GOP nomination with 63%, and Kelly Kirschner won the nomination for the Dems with 43%. In District 13, incumbent Anna Paulina Luna was uncontested for the GOP, and Leela Gray got the nomination for the Dems with 65% of the vote.

To see the results rest of the results, including the absolute numbers and State Senate/House results for your district, I recommend Fox 13s results page here.

A robotic arm is building affordable housing on a city-owned lot in St. Pete, and since I just finished reading Project Hail Mary, the futuristic story jumped out at me.

Bright Community Trust broke ground on the city's first 3D-printed home this month, with construction moving forward through the city's Affordable Lot Disposition Program. The process: a robotic arm extrudes layer upon layer of high-density cement (denser than traditional concrete block) to form the exterior walls. Workers still handle the interior the old-fashioned way, but the robotic printing cuts total construction time in half.

The city leases vacant lots to nonprofit developers at minimal cost. The resulting homes go to buyers earning at or below 120% of the area median income, which is around $96,300 for a single person. Bright Community Trust CEO Frank Wells plans to build five more 3D-printed homes in St. Pete, with the first one expected to wrap by the end of 2026.

St. Pete has its eye on 150 single-family homes on city-owned land through the Housing Opportunities for All program. This robot may just be getting started. See it in action.

You've probably spotted one crossing the trail at Boyd Hill or slowly making its way around Fort De Soto with that unhurried shuffle and ancient stare. The gopher tortoise is one of Florida's most beloved locals, but it just got some very bad news.

This summer, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the gopher tortoise from "vulnerable" to "critically endangered." Researchers estimate the population has already dropped 80% over the past 120 years and warn it could shrink by as much as 98% over the next 80. Habitat loss is the main driver: longleaf pine forests, the tortoise's preferred home, now cover less than 3% of their original range. Here in Pinellas, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve hosts the largest gopher tortoise population in the county.

The timing is rough. The Trump administration removed federal habitat protections for endangered species this year, leaving Florida's tortoises with fewer guardrails than they've had in decades.

Gopher tortoises are considered a keystone species: an organism that has a massive impact on its ecosystem compared to its low population size.

Here’s what you can do: don’t disturb or move them, and log your local encounters with the FWC. Logging helps biologists with tracking and conservation mapping.

Thank you to everyone who filled out the Dinner Club survey last week! Tons of submissions and so much great feedback. A few things jumped out right away:

Singles, couples, and interest-based dinners came up too, so those are on my radar! But I'm starting with the most requested feedback first.

With that, a few updates! Two new dinners are open: one for guests in their 20s and 30s, and one classic for all ages. You can also now choose whether you want to be matched by age when you fill out your questionnaire.

I'm also looking to add more ambassadors to help keep things running smoothly at each restaurant and the afterparty. In exchange, ambassadors get their dinner ticket free. There's now a link at the top of the page to apply!

If you want to jump on the new dates before they fill up, learn more, or apply to be an ambassador, you can do that here.

🎼 City Council voted unanimously Thursday to pursue a historic designation for the Williams Park Bandshell, the 1954 structure where Nixon, Ford, and Reagan all gave speeches. The request, put forward by Councilmember Gina Driscoll, heads next to the Housing, Land Use and Transportation Committee.

✈️ Pinellas County approved another $575,000 this week for European tourism marketing, bringing its total overseas contracts to nearly $4 million, all funded by bed-tax dollars. Results have been mixed: UK visits rose 5.1% in 2025 and Brazil jumped 21.9%, while Germany fell 16.4% and Canada dropped 17.8%.

💧 The utility rate hike cleared its first vote Thursday, and the argument has shifted from "how much" to "who pays." The package adds roughly 7% to a typical bill, about $8 to $10 a month for an average single-family home, and would be the sixth straight year of increases. Corey Givens voted no on the stormwater and sanitation pieces and says he needs it under 2–3% to flip; Richie Floyd wants developers carrying more via a higher "water closet" fee (currently $1,000 per toilet added to the system). Final vote and public hearing are Aug. 27, rates take effect Oct. 1.

Want to spread the word about your business, a project you’re working on, an exciting event, or just want to say hi to 12,000+ neighbors? Partner with us.

SUNNY SAVINGS: Tampa Bay Rays Back to School Special! Tickets to the game, meals for each family member, and parking all starting at just $27 per person!

And don’t forget - Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday ends August 20!

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Spanky the dog or Lightning the cat. See them here.

CORDUROY CAP: Show your love for manatees and look cool doing it- one made it all the way to Ireland! Get yours.

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: Stargazer

FLIGHT DEAL: Double the deals! TPA → Wilmington, DE and TPA → Wilmington, NC, both 60% less than usual!

‘BURG ABODES: Crescent Heights Colonial $1,050,000 | 3bd 2ba | 2,376 sqft. A cozy property full of character on an oversized lot!

Follow @ashleymarbetnuccio to see more historic to modern homes or contact her to set up a showing!

Unleash your inner designer at the Apron Block Printing Workshop, hosted in the Craft Cafe with Bethany of More Love Studio! Customize your own hand-dyed apron using a wide variety of stamps and inks to craft a unique piece that is perfect for cooking, baking, or crafting.

Enjoy complimentary allergen-friendly treats from Trust Your Gut Cookies (gluten-free & dairy-free!), along with complimentary wine, sparkling water, and snacks. Plus, attendees get private shopping access with a 10% discount across the entire Coastal House shop.

Space is limited and workshops sell out fast! Get tickets.

Anime Movie House | Coastal Creative | Aug 20, 7:30 PM | Free
Anime fans gather for big-screen movies

Surreal Summer Nights At The Dalí | The Dalí | Aug 20, 5-8 PM | Free
Evening art, DJ beats, gallery access

Asian Water Lanterns Summer Food & Music Festival | Coachman Park | Aug 21–23, hours vary | Free
Three-day Asian food, music, lantern festival

Unprompted: A Live Comedy Game Show | Spitfire Comedy | Aug 21, 8:30 PM | $17 🎟️
Comedians tackle surprise prompts live

Clam Bayou Hike | Clam Bayou Nature Preserve | Aug 22, 10 AM | $5 🎟️
Explore waterfront habitats with park rangers

Butterflies for Beginners | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Aug 22, 1 PM | Free
Learn butterfly identification, then hike

2026 FloridaRAMA Literary Festival | FloridaRAMA | Aug 22, 12-6 PM | $25 🎟️
Literary gathering for readers, writers

Superstar Garage Sale at FloridaRAMA Gallery | FloridaRAMA | Aug 22, 2–6 PM | Free
Pop-art market supporting local artists

Yoga, Bubbles, and Brews | Grand Central Brewhouse | Aug 23, 10 AM | Free
Yoga, bubbles, brews, and brunch vibes

The Pink Palm Pool Club Day Party | Sparrow St Pete | Aug 23, 1-5 PM | $40 🎟️
Poolside DJ sets and tropical cocktails

Want to see the full list of events this weekend and in the coming months? Plus, local shows and concerts coming up? Peep the Event Calendar page.

Looking for details on markets this week? Find those here.

Thanks so much for reading! As always, you can reply directly to this email with any feedback.

Stay Sunny,
Josh