Community Corner

Council Candidate Goes to ER with Snake Bite

A look ahead at the events and water-cooler topics that St. Pete might be talking about the week of Aug. 5.

Council Candidate Goes to ER with Snake Bite

St. Petersburg District 2 city council candidate Lorraine Margeson posted a gruesome photo on Facebook of her hand Sunday night following a snake bite. "Apparently I took either a young Eastern Diamondback or Pygmy rattlesnake bite today (in the) front yard while weeding," she wrote on Facebook. "Fortunately it hardly broke the skin with only one fang so issue is localized, lots of pain and swelling." Margeson said the swelling got so bad her wedding and engagement rings had to be cut off.

Council, Mayoral Forums Continue

Forums for St. Petersburg City Council and Mayoral candidates continue this week leading up to the Aug. 27 primary. There is a mayoral and district 4 candidate forum at 6 p.m., Aug. 5 at the Roberts Community Center. Aug. 6 Bay News 9 and the Tampa Bay Times are hosting a candidate's forum at the Palladium. The city sponsored forum is Wednesday night for all council districts at 6 p.m. at City Hall. For more information on candidate forums, visit the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections website.  

A Battle is Brewing in Tampa Bay?

Activists on both sides of the Obamacare issue have staked out Tampa Bay as a battleground in their fight over the legislation.

Supporters of President Barack Obama’s plan intend to host demonstrations and other events in Florida to “hold Republicans accountable” for wanting to defund the measure, according toTBO.com. As the conservative Heritage Action for America group announced plans for an Aug. 21stop in Tampa on its “Defund Obamacare Town Hall Tour,” the pro-Obamacare folks made a promise to appear, as well.

Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

"If they come to Tampa, you will see us there," said Jackie Lee, who’s heading the pro-Obamacare movement in Florida. "We want to make sure people getting benefits from the act will go and ask these guys why they want to take them away."

Your thoughts on the kerfuffle?

Find out what's happening in St. Petefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Back-To-School Countdown is On

Today, Aug. 5, marks the start of the last two full weeks of summer for most Tampa Bay area students. With those first bells ringing around the Bay the week of Aug. 19, the scramble to get ready is on.

Are your kids ready to go back? Are you ready to send them?

Post Office Going Alcohol Friendly?

Try to ship a bottle of fine wine to a friend right now and the U.S. Postal Service is going to give you a big “no.” Shipping alcohol is restricted by law, but the rules could be changing, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says allowing alcohol shipments could raise about $50 million a year for his financially strapped agency.

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

More from St. Pete