Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Spirit Christmas To Open 4 FL Stores This Holiday Season

Coming up on the Clearwater Patch calendar: Organic Gardening Class: Essentials for Growing in Florida

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Friday October 2nd Patch AM
Friday October 2nd Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Coffee in hand, Clearwater? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • New Spirit Christmas store coming to Clearwater's McMullen Booth Road
  • Why lawyers want key evidence tossed in Clearwater's ferry crash trial
  • What will Clearwater's new cemetery settlement mean for descendants and neighbors?

Also on today's calendar: Mahjong Open Play In Clearwater and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Showers and a heavier t-storm, with a high of 87 and low of 76 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Saturday: A shower and thunderstorm, temps: high: 86, low: 76.
  • Sunday: Humid; a p.m. t-storm or two, with a high of 87 and low of 77 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Spirit Christmas To Open 4 FL Stores This Holiday Season (patch.com) — Holiday shoppers in Clearwater can look forward to a new Spirit Christmas store opening in the former Stein Mart space on McMullen Booth Road this November, bringing seasonal décor, apparel, and stocking stuffers. The pop-up chain, a spin-off of Spirit Halloween, is entering Florida for the first time with four locations statewide and promises a festive, one-stop shopping experience.
   

2. Motion filed to stop prior boating incident to be introduced in Clearwater Ferry case (tampabay28.com) — A Clearwater boat captain on trial over a deadly 2025 ferry crash is asking a judge to block jurors from hearing about a separate 2019 boating incident that was later dismissed. His attorneys argue the old case is unrelated, unfairly prejudicial, and could create reversible error, making this motion an important step in how the high‑profile Clearwater ferry trial will unfold.
   

3. Company settles with Clearwater CRA in erased African-American cemetery case (baynews9.com) — Clearwater's Community Redevelopment Agency and Crum Properties have reached a proposed settlement over the former St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery site at 100 S. Missouri Ave., where hundreds of graves remain. Descendants and the Clearwater Colored Cemetery Society hope the Oct. 12 CRA meeting will finally clarify how the city will honor those buried there and involve families in future plans.
   

4. Clearwater City Council votes 3-2 to vacate more streets in downtown Clearwater (tampabay28.com) — Clearwater residents just saw their City Council narrowly approve giving up parts of Laura Street, Grove Street, and an alley downtown to support a $200 million EVO Family Entertainment Center tied to the Church of Scientology. The 3–2 vote, despite vocal opposition and a petition drive, clears the way for construction next year and reignites debate over whether downtown streets should stay public or be privatized.
   

5. Florida Suncoast Live Music Guide: Where to Hear Live Music October 2–4, 2026 (suncoastpost.com) — If you're looking for live music close to home this weekend, Clearwater venues like OCC Road House & Museum and Ruth Eckerd Hall are hosting tribute shows and touring acts from Friday through Sunday. The expanded Suncoast guide also highlights performances from Tampa to Naples, with links so you can double-check times and lineups before heading out.
   

📸 Around Clearwater

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Clearwater

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Clearwater Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Clearwater PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Good morning neighbors I've been absolutely grateful for the few cool days.
    We have had so that I could get work done out in the yard to keep things appropriately Nice and harvest my food. It's not easy with the heat… So I… (Nextdoor Old Coachman)
  • Always GREAT.....
    Clean store, friendliest employees and always the BEST BoGo's....Thanks Publix (Nextdoor On Top Of The World)
  • Sam's Club posted a job opening for Cafe Associate in Clearwater. Apply here.
  • SPATCO Energy Solutions, LLC posted a job opening for Service Tech Trainee (CLEARWATER, FL AREA) in Clearwater. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Clearwater here.

Ok Clearwater! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig?" — Because he was such a boar! (Thank you Theresa H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

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

More from Clearwater