Artist Cory Robinson refreshed his 2022 mural, "Welcome to Neri Park."

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Welcome to The Lealman Voice

Welcome to the Lealman Voice!

The Lealman Voice is all about keeping our community connected and informed. Each issue highlights local programs, events, and the people making a difference right here in Lealman. If you have neighborhood updates, upcoming activities, or success stories to share, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can keep the Lealman community strong, engaged, and moving forward.

#lealmanstrong 

“We are currently working with a company that is looking to hire several individuals, so this is a great opportunity for anyone ready to get started in a new career.” - AmSkills 

What's Happening @ LEX

View more events on the LEX Community Calendar!

Free Health Checkups, Right Here in the Neighborhood

You should not have to travel far or wait weeks to know how your health is doing. At the Lealman Exchange, you do not have to.

Our free health kiosk, powered by Higi and supported by BayCare, gives neighbors a quick and private way to check in on their health without an appointment, without insurance and without a copay. In March, 26 neighbors used the kiosk — an 86 percent increase over the month before.

Over the past year, the kiosk has logged 189 total sessions. People have used it to check blood pressure, monitor weight and screen for diabetes risk. Of the neighbors who used it in March, nearly all completed a blood pressure reading. What those results showed is worth paying attention to. About 40 percent of users were in the Stage 1 or Stage 2 hypertensive range, and nearly a third fell into the at-risk category. Only 20 percent recorded a normal reading.

Those numbers are not meant to alarm anyone. They are a reminder that conditions like high blood pressure often have no symptoms. Many people do not know where they stand until they check.

The kiosk takes just a few minutes. It is available during regular Lealman Exchange hours at no cost to you. If it has been a while since you checked your blood pressure or tracked your weight, stop by. It is a small step that can lead to bigger ones.

The Lealman Exchange is located at 5175 45th Street North, in the heart of Lealman.

Partner Programs @ LEX

Two I-275 ramps in St. Pete to close starting April 9th

Via St. Pete Catalyst

Two I-275 interchange ramps in St. Petersburg will close for an extended period starting Thursday, April 9th.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the ramps are:

Southbound I-275 Exit 26 ramp to 54th Avenue North and Westbound 54th Avenue North entrance ramp onto Southbound I-275.

The ramps are closing for reconstruction and will remain closed through at least the summer or fall of 2026.

This is part of the I-275 widening project from 38th Avenue to 4th Street North. There will be signage to guide drivers through the detours, but drivers are advised to plan for extra time to travel.

Health Corner

CARROT GINGER BISQUE - Recipe from Wendy Wesley Nutrition

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is obtained from plants that contain beta-carotene like carrots or animal products like liver or dairy that have retinol. The body converts vitamin precursors to the active form of Vitamin A to support vision, immune function and cellular communication. Other plant sources of Vitamin A are sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.

This bisque recipe is vegan but full fat dairy may be substituted.

Carrot and Ginger Bisque

1.5 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 Tbs fresh ginger, minced or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander or curry powder
2 pounds carrots (about 6 large) rough chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 cup canned coconut milk, full fat
1-2 Tbs lime or lemon juice

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened.

Now add garlic and ginger, sauté 1-2 minutes. Add carrots and spices and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper. Turn up heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes until carrots are tender.

Add the coconut milk & lime juice. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until creamy and smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.

Meet the Artists Selected for the Lealman Mural and Signal Box Projects

Creative Pinellas and Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) are proud to announce the selection of six artists for their annual partnership of art supporting community beauty, safety, and identity.

In December, calls to artists went out to submit their work for projects throughout Lealman. The calls were for five traffic control signal boxes that will be wrapped with the artists' original designs and an approximately 900 square-foot mural on an exterior wall.

Without further ado, here are the artists selected for the signal boxes: Hanna Eriksson Patry, Paulina Casati, Charli Regel, Chris Dyer, and Nia Mitchell.

Frankie G. was selected as the muralist for the massive wall.

As part of Creative Pinellas’ partnership with Lealman, in January artist Cory Robinson refreshed his 2022 mural, Welcome to Neri Park. The refresh happened in time for the reopening of Raymond H. Neri Community Park.

The artists’ designs for the signal box artwork will be reproduced as a vinyl wrap and applied to traffic signal boxes by a professional vendor. The purpose of traffic signal box art is to deter graffiti vandalism on transportation infrastructure, beautify rights-of-way, and support our community as an arts destination.

Hello Lealman