In this edition…

County Offices Closed For Thanksgiving
All Pinellas County offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 25-26, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Regular hours will resume on Monday, Nov. 29. Thanksgiving and the Friday that follows are two fo the nine paid holidays county employees receive. Health, dental, vision, pharmacy and pre-tax spending accounts are just some of the additional benefits offered. County job openings through the Unified Personnel System are regularly listed in area newspapers and on the county’s Web site. Constitutional offices and courts are also closed.

• Current county job recruitments

New Artwork At The Courthouse
Four new works of art have been installed at the Pinellas County Courthouse as part of the Public Art & Design program. Artist Anders Knutsson painted four old Pinellas trees on large canvases after getting input from Pinellas County Extension Horticulturist John Alleyne, Ph.D. The Brooklyn artist chose to paint the champion trees for their representation of strength and endurance. The Penny for Pinellas funded this and other public art projects such as those on the Pinellas Trail, at Weedon Island and in the Pinellas 18 building. Each Penny project sets aside a portion of its budget for the creation of new artwork designed specifically for that facility. The Pinellas Pictorial shows Knutsson’s paintings; you can also visit the lobby of the courthouse at 315 Court St. in Clearwater to see the real thing.

• Check out the Pinellas County Arts Council’s permanent collection

Top Stories…

Recirculation Project At Fort De Soto Goes With The Flow
When the Pinellas Bayway was built through Tierra Verde about 40 years ago, it became possible for more visitors to enjoy the pristine shorelines at Fort De Soto Park. However, dividing the bay into two separate sides harmed the marine life in the area. A recirculation project completed this week will restore a free flow of water from one side of the causeway to the other, which should revive marine habitats that include sea grass beds. Fresh gulf water will now travel under the roadway to help protect the area’s ecosystem. Kayakers and canoeists will be able to travel under the new bridge in the park. The bridge also gives walkers and runners an exceptional view of Fort De Soto Park. Researchers at the University of South Florida will study the renewed habitat over several months to assess the improvements. Long-term studies by USF and Pinellas County are planned for the area as well.

• Visit Fort De Soto Park online

Homeless Policy Group Seeks Solutions
This summer, representatives from Pinellas County and the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater met to discuss how to begin the process of developing a 10-year plan to address homelessness in our community. The Homeless Policy Group is part of a countywide strategic planning process that is linked to a national effort to end homelessness nationwide within the next decade. Commissioner Kenneth Welch and Commission Chairman Susan Latvala, representing Pinellas County, join representatives from the county’s cities and many other community agencies to form the policy group. The group’s meetings are open to the public. Their next meeting is at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3 at the Area Agency on Aging, 9887 4th St. N., St. Petersburg.

• The Pinellas County Homeless Policy Group

The Holiday Season Lights Up
On Nov. 22
For the second year, Pinellas County’s Lights Under the Stars will dazzle visitors to Lake Seminole Park. After a first year that drew more than 25,000 vehicles, the event is expected to build on the thousands of visitors of all ages who enjoyed the two-mile-long animated display of lights. Visitors will take nearly 40 minutes to complete the course. Opening night is Monday, Nov. 22, and the nightly display will run until Jan. 1. Hours are 6:30-10 p.m. on weeknights and until 10:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Admission for the event is $10 for cars, motorcycles and minivans; $15 for limos/mini buses and $25 for buses. To ensure the safety of visitors, no bicyclists or pedestrians will be allowed in the park during event operating hours. Lake Seminole Park is located at 10015 Park Blvd. in Seminole.

• Lights Under the Stars info

Holiday Shopping Do’s And Don’ts For Consumers
Increasing numbers of consumers are turning to the Internet to do their holiday shopping. Others are buying big-ticket items such as computers and TV sets for their loved ones. Before you head to your computer or to the electronics store to shop ‘til you drop, the Pinellas County Department of Justice & Consumer Services urges you to be cautious. Always check a store’s return policy before you pay for your purchase; returns are not guaranteed as a matter of course under any law. Each merchant must post the store’s return policy at the point of sale. Find out if there’s a “restocking” fee charged for returns on electronics and don’t assume you can change your mind and get a refund automatically. While on the Internet, pay for purchases with credit cards in case you have to dispute charges later and always look for the icon of a lock or a URL beginning with https to indicate the financial information you’re sending is secure. To avoid headaches later, use Consumer Protection’s database to check the complaint history of any company before you shop.

• Check out a company before you do business

Links