Church art center to host oil painting course
CLEARWATER — The Cranach Center for the Arts at Grace Lutheran Church will offer a four-session introduction to water-mixable oil painting, a medium marketed as easier to work with than traditional oils.
The course meets from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 2, 16 and 30, and Oct. 14, and is open to the community. It is designed for painters experienced with watercolor or acrylics who have avoided traditional oils because of the harsh chemicals required to clean up afterward. The two-week gap between sessions gives the paint time to dry.
The first two sessions cover basic oil-painting techniques using the water-mixable paints. In the last two, participants create a work using what they have learned.
Cranach Center artist Richard Duncan, who has worked in several media, including traditional oils, will teach the course.
All materials are provided. A suggested donation of $5 a session, as participants are able, helps offset supply costs.
Registration is requested but not required. To register, call the Grace Lutheran Church office at 727-446-5026.
Student achievements
• Two north Pinellas County residents, Natalie Afonso of Clearwater and Ava Poole-Van Swol of Safety Harbor, have been named to the 2026 spring semester dean’s list at Simmons University in Boston.
Woman’s Club awards $8,000 to local groups
CLEARWATER — The Clearwater Community Woman’s Club has awarded $8,000 in Daisy Grants to six local nonprofits, using money raised through fundraisers during the year.
Recipients are:
• Toy Makers of East Lake: $2,000
• Lotz of Blessings: $2,000
• Clearwater Community Sailing Center: $1,300
• Speak Up — Talk About Mental Health: $1,200
• Packet Line Urban Farm: $1,000
• The Fairy Godfather: $500
AMPLIFY leader named to clean energy board
CLEARWATER — Amanda Payne, president and CEO of AMPLIFY Clearwater, has been named to the board of directors of Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, a national network of chambers of commerce and economic development organizations that promote the clean energy economy.
The group represents more than 1,300 chambers and economic development organizations and more than 1 million member businesses, according to a news release.
Payne’s service on the board extends AMPLIFY Clearwater’s role in national discussions of economic development, business competitiveness and clean energy, the release said.
Café, bakery brings taste of Ukraine to Clearwater
CLEARWATER — Nubo Cafe & Bakery has opened at 420 Cleveland St. in downtown Clearwater, serving Ukrainian and European fare.
The family-owned restaurant makes everything from scratch, with sauces, fillings and pastries prepared in-house. The menu includes Ukrainian dishes such as borshch, the beet soup; varenyky, filled dumplings; deruny, potato pancakes; and syrnyky, cheese pancakes, alongside crepes, croissants, cakes, soups, salads, espresso drinks and teas.
Owner Oleksandr Kozlenko and his wife, Oksana, moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2024 and built the cafe around the food, hospitality and traditions they brought with them.
The name reflects that story. In Ukrainian, Kozlenko said, Nubo carries the spirit of “Let’s go,” “Come on” and “Don’t give up” — a note of determination that took on particular meaning as the family started over in a new country.
FEMA to issue new maps for Alligator Creek
CLEARWATER — FEMA is preparing to issue new Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the Alligator Creek watershed in Clearwater, a change that could affect flood insurance requirements for properties in the area.
Some property owners near the watershed may need flood insurance for the first time, and some may no longer need it, officials said in a news release.
Owners can search an address at clearwaterfl.withforerunner.com to see whether the property’s flood zone or base flood elevation has changed. Lots appear with flood zone and regulatory elevation information; to compare, scroll below the map and images and toggle between the Effective FIRM and Preliminary FIRM tabs. The preliminary map shows the proposed changes. Comments and appeals for affected properties can be submitted on the same site.
The city has scheduled three open houses where residents and business owners can learn why the maps are changing, how the new maps will be used and what steps they can take to protect their property:
• Saturday, Sept. 12, 9:30 a.m. to noon, East Community Library, 2465 Drew St.
• Wednesday, Sept. 30, 4 to 7 p.m., Safety Harbor Public Library, 101 Second St. N.
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., East Community Library, 2465 Drew St.
For information, email AlligatorCreek@MyClearwater.com, call the city’s Planning and Development Department at 727-562-4567 and choose option 7, or visit myclearwater.com/AlligatorCreek.