Good morning, St. Pete! I know, I know—you've been checking your inbox wondering where I've been for the past two days. The answer is: sick as a dog, lying on my couch, watching way too much reality TV, and questioning every life choice that led me to eat gas station sushi last Thursday. (Just kidding. I would never. It was food poisoning from somewhere much fancier and therefore more embarrassing.) At least I recovered just in time to watch the Super Bowl, which—let's be real—is mostly an excuse to eat seven-layer dip and pretend we understand football strategy. Anyway, I'm back, and we've got a lot to catch up on—including a measles outbreak, a record-breaking marathon, and a guy who shot his neighbor's Lab because it barked at him. Let's go.
Top Stories
Measles Case Confirmed at St. Pete Catholic High School (And Florida's Outbreak Is Getting Worse)
St. Petersburg Catholic High School confirmed this week that a sophomore student tested positive for measles—the first confirmed case in St. Pete as part of a statewide surge that's now one of the worst in the nation.
The student hasn't been on campus since January 27, and school officials say they're not aware of any additional cases. Here's the thing that should make everyone feel slightly better: 99.2% of the school's student body is vaccinated against measles, according to a letter sent to parents by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. That's well above the 95% threshold needed for "herd immunity" to protect the few students who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons.
But zoom out and the picture gets grimmer. Florida now has at least 21-24 confirmed measles cases (sources vary), with Ave Maria University in Collier County dealing with 20 cases alone—including three hospitalizations. The University of Florida is performing contact tracing for two classes where exposure may have occurred.
Nationally? The CDC reports 733 confirmed measles cases so far this year as of February 5. Compare that to the historical average of 180 cases per year, and you're looking at a 300%+ surge.
Why the explosion? "Vaccine hesitancy," according to local ER doctor Marcos Mularoni, who told FOX 13 he's never seen a measles case in his career until now. "Unfortunately, we have less and less people getting vaccinated."
Here's what you need to know: If you're vaccinated (two doses of MMR), you have approximately 97% protection and immunity is considered lifelong. No boosters needed. But if you're in a room with someone who has measles and you're not vaccinated, there's a 90% chance you'll catch it. Measles is more contagious than the common cold, spreads through the air, and you can transmit it from four days before symptoms appear through four days after the rash shows up.
Bottom line: St. Pete's first measles case is part of a much bigger problem. If you or your kids aren't vaccinated, now's a good time to talk to your doctor. If you've got symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, followed by a rash), stay home and call ahead before visiting the doctor.
St. Pete Distance Classic Just Had Its Biggest Turnout Ever
If you were trying to find parking near downtown St. Pete on Sunday morning and wondered why every spot was mysteriously occupied, here's your answer: the St. Petersburg Distance Classic drew record crowds for its marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K races.
According to Bay News 9, the annual February race—which starts at North Shore Park and winds through Snell Isle, Coffee Pot Bayou, the waterfront, and downtown—drew its largest turnout ever. Registration actually closed early on Thursday, February 5, because organizers hit capacity with more than 2,600 registered runners plus family and friends.
The race is a USATF-certified Boston Qualifier, which means if you run the full marathon and hit the qualifying time for your age group, you can register for the Boston Marathon. The course is flat (only a couple of pedestrian bridges over the Pinellas Trail), fast, and scenic—basically perfect for anyone trying to hit a personal best in February while the rest of the country is buried in snow.
Sunday's weather cooperated beautifully with temperatures in the ideal 56°F to 71°F range. Runners got live music along the course, pacers for the marathon and half marathon, and a post-race party with hot food, beer, and a festive atmosphere at North Shore Park.
For context, the St. Petersburg Marathon was the first-ever 26.2-mile race staged entirely in St. Petersburg, and it's become a destination race for out-of-state runners looking for a warm winter vacation wrapped around a long run. The fact that registration closed early tells you everything you need to know about how popular this event has become.
Bottom line: St. Pete's marathon just had its best year yet. If you missed it and want to run next year, register early—this thing's selling out faster than concert tickets.
76-Year-Old St. Pete Man Arrested After Shooting Neighbor's Dog in the Head
St. Petersburg Catholic High School confirmed this week that a sophomore student tested positive for measles—the first confirmed case in St. Pete as part of a statewide surge that's now one of the worst in the nation.
The student hasn't been on campus since January 27, and school officials say they're not aware of any additional cases. Here's the thing that should make everyone feel slightly better: 99.2% of the school's student body is vaccinated against measles, according to a letter sent to parents by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. That's well above the 95% threshold needed for "herd immunity" to protect the few students who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons.
But zoom out and the picture gets grimmer. Florida now has at least 21-24 confirmed measles cases (sources vary), with Ave Maria University in Collier County dealing with 20 cases alone—including three hospitalizations. The University of Florida is performing contact tracing for two classes where exposure may have occurred.
Nationally? The CDC reports 733 confirmed measles cases so far this year as of February 5. Compare that to the historical average of 180 cases per year, and you're looking at a 300%+ surge.
Why the explosion? "Vaccine hesitancy," according to local ER doctor Marcos Mularoni, who told FOX 13 he's never seen a measles case in his career until now. "Unfortunately, we have less and less people getting vaccinated."
Here's what you need to know: If you're vaccinated (two doses of MMR), you have approximately 97% protection and immunity is considered lifelong. No boosters needed. But if you're in a room with someone who has measles and you're not vaccinated, there's a 90% chance you'll catch it. Measles is more contagious than the common cold, spreads through the air, and you can transmit it from four days before symptoms appear through four days after the rash shows up.
Bottom line: St. Pete's first measles case is part of a much bigger problem. If you or your kids aren't vaccinated, now's a good time to talk to your doctor. If you've got symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, followed by a rash), stay home and call ahead before visiting the doctor.
Quick Hits
⚡ Lightning heading to Olympics: Eleven Lightning players are heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy starting February 11—more than any other NHL team. Coach Jon Cooper will lead Team Canada. The Bolts won't play again until February 25.
🏫 Pinellas school closures vote Feb 24: The Pinellas County School Board votes February 24 on closing Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy, plus consolidating several other schools. The district has 35,000 more seats than students.
⚾ Rays unveil $2.3B Tampa stadium renderings: The Rays released images Thursday of their proposed 31,000-seat ballpark at Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus. Features a transparent dome and targets a 2029 opening.
🏎️ Grand Prix construction starts Monday: Downtown St. Pete street closures begin today as crews start building the 1.8-mile Firestone Grand Prix course. Takes 15-16 days to install 2,000 concrete barriers and 25,000 feet of fencing. Races run Feb 27-March 1.
🚢 Body found in Boca Ciega Bay: Pinellas Sheriff is investigating after a man's body was found Sunday along the shoreline of Jungle Prada de Narvaez Park, wearing a life jacket. Appears to be a vessel collision.
Local Events This Week
Wednesday, February 12: 🌿 Florida-Friendly Landscaping Class – 11:30 AM-12:30 PM at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, 1101 Country Club Way S. Free class with Pinellas County Master Gardener Volunteers on lawn alternatives that actually survive Florida's climate.
Thursday, February 13: 🎨 Art After Dark at MFA – Evening at Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr NE. Discounted admission, docent-led tours, lectures, and galleries after hours. Experience art with fewer crowds and better vibes.
⛵ Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta – Kicks off today through Sunday at St. Petersburg Yacht Club Marina. Watch world-class sailors compete in multiple racing classes.
Friday, February 14 (Valentine's Day): ❤️ Localtopia – Williams Park. St. Pete's largest celebration of local businesses with 300+ vendors, live music, food, and community vibes. Free admission.
🇬🇷 Greek Festival Weekend – Begins today through Sunday, February 15. Greek food, live music, dancing, and enough baklava to feed an army. Location and hours vary by day.
Saturday, February 15: 🏎️ Festivals of Speed – Vinoy Park. Exotic cars, racing heritage, and automotive culture on display along St. Pete's waterfront.
Sunday, February 16: 🎭 The Dalí Museum – 10 AM-6 PM at 1 Dalí Blvd. "Dalí Alive 360°" and "Van Gogh Alive 360°" immersive experiences continue. Adults $29, Seniors $27, Students $20.
On This Day…
We couldn't dig up anything that happened specifically on February 10 in St. Pete history—if you know of something, hit reply and let us know!
In the meantime, here's a cool St. Pete fact: The Dalí Museum opened at its original downtown warehouse location on March 7, 1982, after collectors A. Reynolds and Eleanor Morse chose St. Petersburg over other major cities to house their collection. Why St. Pete? The city made an enthusiastic pitch, offered a waterfront building, and guaranteed the museum would be dedicated solely to Dalí rather than diluted within a larger institution. The current stunning building—with its 75-foot-tall geodesic "Enigma" dome made of 1,062 triangular glass panels—opened January 11, 2011. Today it's the second-largest collection of Dalí's work in the world, behind only his hometown museum in Spain.