Good morning, St. Pete! Did you know the average person spends 6 months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green? We just spent ours sitting at 4th St and Central. Worth it. We've got news about a nearly 100-year-old Clearwater institution changing hands and a wild self-defense case that went down yesterday on 22nd Street.

Lets dive into todays news…

Here's a wild one. Two men tried to rob someone on 22nd Avenue South Sunday evening, and it did not go according to plan. St. Petersburg Police say the robbery victim shot both would-be robbers in what appears to be a clear case of self-defense.

What happened: One of the suspects was killed at the scene. The other was critically injured and taken to the hospital. Police haven't released the victim's name, but investigators say it looks like a textbook self-defense situation.

The location: 22nd Avenue South — yes, near the Deuces corridor that the city's been working to revitalize. This isn't going to help those efforts.

Bottom line: Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Police are still investigating, but this one's pretty straightforward. The robbery victim defended themselves, and the suspects paid the price.

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This one stings a little. The Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar on Clearwater Beach — the spot that's been slinging beachfront burgers since 1926 — officially changed hands this past Sunday. The Hamilton family, who owned the landmark for more than 60 years, hosted a farewell weekend dubbed "The Final Sunset" that drew longtime customers, former employees, and generations of families who grew up eating there.

The sale goes to Beachside Hospitality Group, the St. Pete-based company behind Beach House, Mar Vista, and those Crabby's locations on Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island. They've said they plan to keep the staff and maintain the character of the place — which, given their track record with waterfront spots, seems believable.

The backstory: The four Hamilton brothers (Ken, Dale, Hoyt, and Wade) started seriously considering selling after spending four and a half months closed for hurricane repairs from Helene and Milton. "We've all put blood, sweat and tears into it, but it was just time," said Hoyt Hamilton.

Fun fact: Palm Pavilion started as a snack bar and bathhouse in 1926, renting towels and bathing suits for 25 cents. It's the oldest operating beach pavilion in Florida — possibly the entire Southeast.

The good news: The Hamiltons plan to be part of the 100th anniversary celebration on May 31, and the restaurant reopens later this week under new management. So you can still order that grouper sandwich and watch the sunset. It'll just hit a little different.

🦆 Mama Duck's last splash. That 61-foot inflatable rubber duck in Clearwater? Her 17-day residency at Coachman Park wrapped up Sunday. The $45,000 "Mama Duck" exhibit drew nearly 500 runners to a Duck Dash 5K and featured events like "Rubber Ducky's Birthday Bash." She's waddling off to her next destination.

⚽ Rowdies hosting inclusive soccer event. Tampa Bay Rowdies announced a partnership with Florida Youth Soccer Association's TOPSoccer program for a free "Soccer Around the World" event on February 1 at their training facility. The event is designed for athletes with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities — and volunteers are welcome to sign up.

🛂 Passport Day is Saturday. Need to renew that passport before your spring travel plans? The Pinellas County Clerk's office is hosting Passport Day on January 31 from 9 AM–1 PM at three locations: Downtown Clearwater Courthouse, Downtown St. Pete Judicial Building, and North County Customer Info Center. First-come, first-served. Photos available for $15.

🌡️ Cold snap continues. We're in the midst of a brief cold snap with morning temps in the 50s and wind chills making it feel even colder. Cold night shelters opened Monday, and temps will dip into the low-to-mid 40s by Friday morning. Bundle up (by Florida standards). Good news: mid-60s to 70s return by next weekend.

🏗️ Williams Park getting a glow-up. Downtown's oldest park is getting a major reimagining focused on daily programming and activity, not just new benches. Urban placemaking expert Dan Biederman is helping shape how the park functions once construction wraps. Programming could start in late 2026.

💰 Shore Acres flood relief update. City Council approved an additional $1 million for the Shore Acres Flood Mitigation Project last month (bringing the total to $33 million). Construction on the new pump station is expected to begin this summer and take about a year. Won't fix storm surge, but should help with that annoying sunny-day flooding.

🍕 Detroit pizza hit town. SoDough Square opened earlier this month at 6925 4th Street North with authentic Detroit-style square pies in traditional blue steel pans. The owner learned from the family of the guy who literally invented Detroit pizza in 1946. Open 4-10 PM daily, closed Mondays.

🎭 Green Light Cinema expanding. The indie movie theater in downtown is adding a new restaurant and bar component. More details coming soon, but anything that gives us more reasons to hang out downtown is good in our book.

🎷 Jeremy Carter Live Jazz – 5:00-7:30 PM at Imagine Museum (1901 Central Ave). Smooth jazz and glass art? That's a vibe. Acclaimed saxophonist Jeremy Carter performs among stunning glass sculptures. $10.

🎨 "A Journey Through My Imagination" – 10 AM-5 PM at Morean Arts Center (719 Central Ave). Juried exhibition featuring painting, photography, ceramics, and glass from the National Association of Women Artists. Free admission.

🖼️ Rebecca Sexton Larson: "Where Leaves Remember" – 10 AM-5 PM at Morean Arts Center. An artist's "sketchbook" exploring nature, memory, and transformation. Perfect for a quiet midweek art moment. Free.

January 27, 1967: One of the darkest days in American space exploration. A flash fire swept through the Apollo 1 spacecraft during a pre-flight test at Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral), killing astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee at 6:31 PM.

Grissom was a Mercury and Gemini veteran. White was the first American to walk in space. Chaffee was preparing for his first flight. An investigation found a faulty electrical wire in the pure oxygen atmosphere caused the tragedy. The disaster led to major safety redesigns that ultimately made the Apollo 11 moon landing possible two years later.

The Apollo 1 hatch is now on permanent display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex — a sobering reminder of the cost of exploration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ AMAZING!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, do better
⭐️ You didn't bring the heat