🌱 New Waterfront Sidewalk + Red Cross Volunteers Help Tornado Victims

Hi all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Panama City Patch newsletter. Let's get this Saturday started off right, with a quick dive into the most important things going on these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: A t-storm in the afternoon. High: 79 Low: 60.
• Sunday: Some sun, then turning cloudy. High: 76 Low: 62.

Business owners and marketers in Panama City: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Panama City today:

1. On Tuesday, Mar. 28, Panama City officials ratified $475,000 in emergency spending to repair lift station 81, which experienced failure earlier this month. The spending was authorized by City Manager Mark McQueen after infrastructure issues led to a recent sewage spill near Corto Street and Bunkers Cove. According to city officials, the spill was caused by a clogged pipe. (The News Herald)
2. The Florida Department of Transportation funded an $8 million grant to help Panama City design and construct a waterfront sidewalk. City officials were recently given the go-ahead to create a 12-foot sidewalk, pedestrian bridges, landscaping, and benching for residents and visitors to enjoy. In addition, water fountains and rest areas will be installed on their multi-use trail. (WMBB - mypanhandle.com)
3. On Wednesday, Mar. 29, two volunteers from the American Red Cross of Panama City were deployed on a multi-purpose response vehicle headed to Flowood, Mississippi. The volunteers drove the cargo-focused vehicle in support of Red Cross Disaster Response 241-23 after an EF-4 tornado touched ground. The tornado ended up killing 25 people and left thousands without shelter or food. (WJHG)

From our sponsor:

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Today in Panama City:

• Free MLB Pitch Hit & Run Competition At Woods Ball Field (9:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a fun, DIY way to decorate your home? The Board & Brush Creative Studio in Panama City is the perfect place for creating unique wood decor projects from scratch. Now's your chance to book your next class here and start crafting. (Destination Panama City)
• The Harvey Dee Mathis Park's walking path will be closed from Monday, Apr. 3 to Friday, Apr. 7 for repairs and renovations. The renovations will include improving the overall safety and accessibility of visitors, as well as beginning installation on a new outdoor exercise pad that's expected to be completed by the end of summer. However, the playground itself will remain open during this time. (City of Panama City - Government)
• The Bay County Sheriff's Office is proud to announce that Ms. Rachel Duvall, Re-entry Coordinator at the Bay County Jail, recently won WMBB Remarkable Woman 2023. She's worked on a number of initiatives in regard to helping women deal with and come out of addiction. To learn more about her work in the community, visit here. (Bay County Sheriff's Office)

That's it for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.