It's Wednesday! Halfway there.

🌧️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny then scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 92 and a low of 73.

Sounds like: "No News Is Good News," New Found Glory

This newsletter is 1,165 words, a 4.5-minute read.

The clerk tallied the vote. The yeses carried it. And against all odds, after years of disagreements and near-misses, a deal to build a new ballpark for the Rays and keep baseball in the region for years to come was, at last, reached.

• The council was St. Petersburg's, the year was 2024, and the deal fell apart by the following spring.

Why it matters: The Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission last month signed off on the region's largest commitment to a sports stadium, a feat that seemed impossible only weeks ago.

• But if St. Petersburg's experience is any indication, we're far from done.

Driving the news: Last week, the City Council delayed some of the steps needed to release stadium funding.

• Meanwhile, Commissioner Joshua Wostal pulled an agreement naming the Tampa Sports Authority as the county's representative under the deal from Wednesday's consent agenda for discussion.
• None of these actions alone would delay construction or sink the deal, but the Rays have a long checklist and a narrow window to open the stadium by 2029, which leaves little room for setbacks.

Zoom in: Of the $796 million Hillsborough County is putting toward the stadium, $228 million would come from a bond sale backed by tourist development taxes. That's where the last deal took a turn for the worse.

• Before the county can sell those bonds, commissioners must approve a resolution and complete court validation.
• But the onus isn't all on the county. The Rays must also line up their financing and complete the stadium's schematic design.

Yes, and: Hillsborough County plans to spend another $360 million from the Community Investment Tax on the stadium.

• Before it can, the county must hold a public hearing and add the stadium to the list of projects eligible for the tax. The county needs those changes in place by October, when the fiscal year begins.
• The deal also calls for the County Commission to consider the ballpark operating agreement in October. The county and the City Council then have until December to take up interlocal agreements.

The big picture: The make-or-break deadline is still months away.

• The Rays originally sought $180 million from Tampa. Instead, the team will front $100 million, which the city would repay using future property tax revenue from the stadium district.
• By June 30, the city and county must complete a series of approvals tied to the Community Development District, which the city plans to use to repay the $100 million loan.

The bottom line: If they don't, the Rays can walk away from the deal.

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This season is breaking at least one record: This is the longest the Atlantic as gone without a recorded hurricane.

Why it matters: That's some news we can get behind.

The big picture: The record broke Friday, according to meteorologist Michael Lowry, who wrote on Substack that Sept. 11 is the deepest into the Atlantic season we've gone without a named hurricane.

• It only takes one — but each day sets a new benchmark.

Zoom in: This hurricane season was expected to be quieter than normal, but experts still project eight to 14 named storms and three to six hurricanes.

• We've had five named tropical storms so far.

What they're saying: "The satellite era" began in 1966, says National Weather Service meteorologist Christopher Bannan, so it's possible that in years prior, hurricanes formed but never reached land.

What we're watching: Prior to satellites tracking the weather, Bannan says, we know of two years without any Atlantic hurricanes: 1907 and 1914.

Pass it on (or just knock on wood)

🍎 Parents of students at John M. Sexton Elementary are rallying against a proposal to close it at the end of the school year amid declining enrollment across the school district. (Bay News 9)

🚨 Two dozen sheriffs and representatives from police and fire unions held a news conference yesterday slamming the property tax amendment headed to ballots in November, calling it a "train wreck," "draconian" and an "emergency." (Orlando Sentinel)

• Among them was Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

💰 Pinellas County commissioners initially approved funding for Weedon Island and Shell Key preserves as part of next year's budget. (WUSF)

• Commissioners also agreed to fund the $667,000 in nonprofit grants that we reported on last week.
• A final vote on the budget and proposed property tax rate of about $4.50 for every $1,000 of assessed, taxable value is set for Sept. 24.

🥤 Tampa-based drink shop STORM, a cult-favorite energy drink shop, will open a fourth location in St. Petersburg. (St Pete Rising)

Quote du jour

"There is a vast middle ground between fried shrimp baskets and air-freighted branzino. Tides offers a road map to a territory more seafood restaurants should occupy."

The pumpkin spice latte is back. But this year, it's got company.

The big picture: Maple, caramel apple, and brown sugar are all on the rise — even though PSL has powered fall menus for two decades.

• Caramel, apple and cinnamon are the three most-ordered fall flavors on DoorDash, ahead of pumpkin, according to data shared with Axios.

Case in point: Blind Tiger's recently announced fall specials include a maple pancake matcha latte and caramel apple butter latte, along with a PSL.

Tell your BFF

Axios Social Club brings together curious locals for good food, good conversation and a night out with people you might never meet otherwise.

How it works: Take a quick quiz, reserve your seat and we'll match you with five fellow locals at one of our favorite restaurants.

Here's the twist: You won't find out your restaurant or dinner crew until the day of the event. After dinner, all the tables meet up at a surprise afterparty.

If you go: Join us Oct. 6 at 6:30pm in St. Pete's Grand Central District.

• Tickets are $15.99 per person.
• Food and drinks are purchased separately.

Come hungry. We'll handle the rest.

We didn't get any guesses for this week's photo quiz — y'all OK out there?

• Flo was with Gracie the rhino at Davidson Fine Art and Zebra Color in St. Pete's Grand Central District.
• It's Kathryn's go-to spot when she has a disposable camera to develop.

🍿 Kathryn finally watched "The Drama" and wow. What a wild ride.

🎬 Yacob thinks Kathryn should get AMC Stubs A-List so she can watch these INCREDIBLE movies sooner.

This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.