Smoking Banned At St. Pete Beaches And Parks

The St. Petersburg City Council passed a new ordinance. It will not allow most tobacco products to be used at public beaches or parks. It's expected to help cut down on litter. Here's what you need to know.

Thursday, the St. Pete City Council set these restrictions:

1. Nobody can use electronic cigarettes or lighted tobacco products. This includes cigarettes and pipe tobacco, or any other lighted tobacco product. The exception is unfiltered cigars. This rule is for public beaches owned or controlled by the City.

2. Nobody can use electronic cigarettes or lighted tobacco products. This includes cigarettes and pipe tobacco, or any other lighted tobacco product. The exception is unfiltered cigars. This rule is for parks owned or controlled by the City.

The exemption is a situation in which use of those products is to be done at a St. Petersburg-sponsored event.

The code was passed unanimously. With smoking banned, it's believed that this will help keep cigarette butts and other related items from becoming litter in beaches and parks. Violation of this code will receive the penalty of a fine.

You can find the text of the ordinance here. It begins at page 66.

[Source: 10 Tampa Bay]

Money magazine released their list of the top 50 places to live in the U.S. for 2022-2023. We know Tampa usually does pretty well on lists like this. In fact, three Florida cities made the top 50.

To put together their list, Money used cities that had a population over 20,000 with a diverse population. They factored in cost of living, economic opportunities, education and diversity. Also, fun and amenities, health and safety and quality of life, among other factors.

What did all this data tell us? Here are the top 10 cities of the Top 50 Places to Live in the U.S. for 2022-2023.

Ann Arbor has done well on other lists as well. It's one of the top cities for families.

Whether you know it as "The Flower Town," "The Birthplace of Sweet Tea," Somerville has a rich history as an early settlement. It was a pivotal place in Revolutionary War history, and as an industrial town. It's also a short drive to the heart of Boston.

Another city that has ranked highly on another list as one of the best places to live.

Located on the north side of Chicago, Rogers Park sits on the shore of Lake Michigan.

North Carolina's capital city is where you find North Carolina State University, the home of the Wolfpack and a history of athletics. They also have a Stanley Cup winning hockey team. Beyond that, they have leaves that change each fall, something Tampa residents don't get to enjoy so much. There are also museums of art, history and natural sciences. Outdoor activities can be found all around as well. It's also the birthplace of Liz Vassey, actress from CSI, who also graduated from Tampa's Chamberlain High School.

In the Pacific Northwest, just east of Seattle, Kirkland's history goes back to the mid 1800's. Originally inhabited by native Americans, English settlers began to move to the area in the 1860's. The town was once home to the Seattle Seahawks. There's a myriad of outdoor activites, plus lots of wineries nearby for tasting.

Tour the Sonoran Desert at sunrise or sunset to avoid the summer heat. Prefer some indoor activities? There's the Sea Life Arizona Aquarium. Need to find something for the little ones? Try the LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Tempe is also an affordable alternative to some of the big cities like New York.

They embrace the old (The Varsity, a drive-in restaurant that opened in 1928) and the new culture, restaurants, sports and activities that make Atlanta the number one city on the list. Check out the clip below.

The only other two cities to find themselves in the top 50 were Altamonte Springs, just north of Orlando, and Sarasota.

Click here to see the full list.