General:

Pinellas County Seeks Input on Affordable Housing Ordinance
Participation is Open to the Public; Reservation Deadline is May 21

Pinellas County Community Development Department is coordinating an interactive design charrette to provide input on the county’s draft Inclusionary Housing Ordinance on Wednesday, June 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo.

Nicholas J. Brunick, attorney from Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, Chicago, Ill., and Jaimie Ross, attorney and affordable housing director for 1000 Friends of Florida, will lead a morning session on national, state and local inclusionary housing initiatives. The discussion will focus on the inclusion of workforce housing in new developments to provide affordable housing to all residents and create a high quality of life for those wishing to live and work in Pinellas County.

A charrette brings individuals from the community together to freely discuss ideas in small groups, with the goal of forming a larger, shared vision for the future. The public is encouraged to join elected officials, city planners and developers in round-table discussions on key elements of Pinellas County’s Inclusionary Housing Program.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. To reserve a seat, contact Jane Muhrlin, Community Development, at jmuhrlin@pinellascounty.org or call (727) 771-2112 by Wednesday, May 21. (posted 05-12-08)

Return to top

Clearwater Leg of Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail to Close for Repair

A leg of the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail south of Sunset Point Road, between Harbor Drive to Stevenson Avenue in Clearwater, will be closed for repairs starting the week of May 12 and continue for an estimated 30 days.

Approximately one-quarter mile of this portion of the trail requires embankment repair work on the south side of the Stevenson Creek Bridge. The need for repair work is a result of erosion due to unauthorized pedestrian traffic on the embankment.

Bicycle, pedestrian and all other recreational traffic will be detoured to Fairmont Street, Douglas Avenue and Overbrook Avenue, looping back to the trail via Stevenson Avenue. The detour will be marked clearly for all recreational traffic to follow and will be in effect through the completion of the repair work, approximately 30 days, weather permitting.

This portion of the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is located in northwest region of Clearwater and is used by an estimated 1,420 users per month.

For more information regarding Pinellas County Public Works, please visit www.pinellascounty.org/publicworks.

Return to top

Pinellas County Launches Prescription Drug Discount Card
Discount Cards Offering Average Savings of 20 Percent Off Retail Price

Pinellas County today launched a discount card program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs. The county is making free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) that offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.

The cards may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage and are accepted at many of the county’s pharmacies. A national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies also will honor the NACo prescription discount card.

“Pinellas County is proud to be one of the counties nationwide participating with NACo,” said Maureen Freaney, director of Pinellas County Health and Human Services. “The NACo prescription discount card offers significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents of our county, and even those fortunate to have prescription coverage can use the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their health plan. Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries to be eligible for this program.”

Best of all, there is no cost to county taxpayers for NACo and Pinellas County to make these money-saving cards available to residents.

Cards will be available at several locations, including the five offices of Pinellas County Health and Human Services, the five offices of the Pinellas County Health Department, county offices frequented by the public, senior centers, community centers and more. For a list of locations where the card is available, go to www.pinellascounty.org/humanservices. County residents can call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or visit https://naco.advancerx.com for assistance with the program.

“Using the NACo prescription discount card is easy,” said Freaney. “Simply present it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance.”

The discount card program is administered by Caremark Rx, Inc.

Return to top

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport receives grant for terminal renovation project

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is pleased to report a $1.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for safety, security, and the airport’s terminal renovation projects.

Airport Director Noah Lagos credits U.S. Congressman C. W. Bill Young, “Congressman Young assisted in obtaining this grant for St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The terminal renovation project is vital to improving an aging facility that was constructed in 12 segments over the past 50 years. With passenger airlines, cargo, general aviation and military operations, the airport is important in our U.S. transportation system and we appreciate Congressman Young’s support.”

In addition to the terminal project, the grant also supports a new generator for the Airport fire and rescue department, new taxiway markings, an airfield drainage study and a new security vehicle.

The terminal project is underway. It is expected that there will be future FAA grants to assist in the funding of this project

Return to top

Mayor’s Green City Action Accord - Watch Video

Pinellas County mayors joined Pinellas County Commissioner Karen Williams Seel May 3 in the signing of the Mayor’s Green City Action Accord. The ceremony, held at the Harborview Center the first morning of the Pinellas Living Green Expo, symbolized the strong and unified support of green initiatives throughout the community.

Pinellas County holds a unique position in that the county was the first government in the state to receive the designation of Green Local Government, and St. Petersburg was the first city designated in the state. Dunedin has since received the honor and other cities are applying. Other municipalities support sustainable practices through their efforts in recycling, public education and other conservation practices.

The Green Government designation is administered through the Green Building Coalition, the organization promoting the signing of the Mayor’s Green City Action Accord throughout the state. The accord supports of green initiatives in the community, and is strongly supported by the Florida League of Cities. Pinellas is the first county to hold a public signing ceremony to bring attention to the agreement.

The president of the Florida League of Cities, Frank C. Ortis, mayor of Pembroke Pines, was one of the featured speakers at the Pinellas County ceremony Saturday. Other speakers were Terry Jenssen, from the Government Affairs Committee of the Florida Green Building Coalition, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard.

“Our theme today is Leading the Way to a Sustainable Future,” said Commissioner Seel, the emcee of the event. Through the Extension, Pinellas County is deeply involved in the promotion of “sustainability,” which takes a comprehensive approach to what is more commonly referred to as green initiatives.

As Seel explained, sustainability includes the decisions government makes as leaders in the community, and the conservation measures taken by corporations, small businesses, educational institutions and individual households.

“Sustainability encourages us to make both small and large changes in our everyday lives, both personally and in business,” said Seel. “Recycling. Reduced energy usage. Alternative fuels. Waterwise landscaping. Job training. Healthy families. Sustainability is a holistic approach to our lives that looks at the balances between economy, environment and society.”

Members of the county’s 4-H Club presented each of the mayors with a sapling to represent their appreciation for efforts being taken now to preserve the future.

The Pinellas County mayors present at the ceremony were Belleair Mayor Gary Katica, Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard, Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth, Kenneth City Mayor Muriel Whitman and Kenneth City Vice Mayor Al Carrier, Largo Mayor Patricia Gerard, Oldsmar Mayor Jim Ronecker, Redington Shores Mayor Jody Armstrong, Safety Harbor Mayor Andy Steingold, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Tarpon Springs Vice Mayor Robin Saenger, Indian Shores Mayor Jim Lawrence, Gulfport Mayor Mike Yakes, Redington Beach Mayor Nick Simons and South Pasadena Mayor Dick Holmes.

Residents can see the signed Green Mayor’s Action Accord at the Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo. For more information on sustainability, call (727) 582-2100, or visit the website www.pinellascounty.org/extension.

Return to top

1,100-Year-Old Prehistoric Canoe Found in Pinellas County, Florida

Buried in the sand along the shoreline, a prehistoric pine canoe was found on Weedon Island Preserve, located on the southeast region of the peninsula that is Pinellas County on Tampa Bay. With the ancient discovery, a mystery unfolds: how was quick-eroding wood preserved in the very aggressive salt and sand environment?

An early mode of transportation, the canoe is a unique artifact attributed to the late Weeden Island Culture of the Florida Gulf Coast dwellers of the Manasota Period. Measuring 39-feet, 11-in. in length, but believed to have been upwards of 45 feet in total, the pine canoe holds the distinction of the longest prehistoric canoe ever found in Florida. The canoe features a raised bow that indicates the canoe was used on open water. Under the canoe, a pine pole, used perhaps for paddling, poling, and/or docking the canoe, was also unearthed and dated to the same prehistoric period, approximately 1,100 years ago.

The principal archaeological investigator is Phyllis E. Kolianos, M.A., R.P.A, Pinellas County’s education center manager, who worked with local Pinellas County resident, Harold Koran was the first to discover the canoe. Since the discovery, Pinellas County has arduously taken every step to document, conserve and protect the canoe, the pole and the non-peat environment that is the archeological site. Only a pre-excavation dig was performed, along with thorough radiocarbon dating and wood sampling, which confirmed the wood as pine, a prevalent local timber after which the county of Pinellas is named.

A comprehensive excavation of the canoe and museum preservation have not yet been determined as numerous resources, both financial and equipment, are needed.

“This discovery expands our understanding and the significance of the not-well-known people of the Weeden Island Culture,” said Dr. Bruce Rinker, Environmental Lands director for Pinellas County. “A tremendous thank you is owed to the team involved in researching and documenting this discovery, including Dr. Robert Austin, Dr. Donna Ruhl and the Friends of Weedon Island, who helped provide supplies and radiocarbon dating.” Watch Video

History

Lasting some 800 years, the Weeden Island Culture evolved out of a segment of the Manasota Culture, an ancient population that settled along Florida’s rich estuaries and central Gulf Coast 2,500 years ago. The society increased in population and eventually changed in social structure to become the Safety Harbor Culture that met the first Europeans to the area. By the mid-1700s, the Creek Indians entered Florida from Alabama and Georgia and became known as the Seminoles. After the Civil War, Weedon Island became the homestead of early settlers and entered a colorful modern history until recognized and established as an important, historical Pinellas County preserve.

About Weedon Island Preserve and the Cultural and Natural History Center

Today, Weedon Island Preserve is an expansive 3,700 acres, comprised of marine habitats with some uplands—a site rich in Native American history. The preserve is open to the public from dawn to dusk seven days a week and offers many outdoor activities. The 17,000-square-foot Cultural and Natural History Center is open Wednesdays to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but closed Mondays, Tuesdays and holidays. Admission is free. The preserve is located at 1800 Weedon Drive N.E. in St. Petersburg. For more information on the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center and the Pinellas County Environmental Lands Division, call (727) 453-6500 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/environment.

Return to top

Pinellas County Marks Building Safety Week

When someone enters a house or building, most likely they are not thinking about whether it is properly constructed and safe. Fortunately, local safety experts think about building safety and fire prevention every day. To help raise awareness of building safety, the Pinellas County Building Division of Building and Development Review Services is celebrating Building Safety Week from May 5 to 11. Across the nation, communities will promote the use and understanding of building safety codes to protect lives and property. The theme is “Building Safety: Where You Live, Work and Play.”

“The important work we do is often overlooked until a catastrophic tragedy occurs,” said Robert D. Nagin, Pinellas County building official. “When building safety and fire prevention experts review pre-construction plans and inspect buildings during construction, we help to ensure that the places where you live, learn, work and play are safe.”

Building safety codes address all aspects of construction, such as structural soundness of buildings, reliability of fire prevention and suppression systems, plumbing and mechanical systems, and energy efficiency and sustainability. Ensuring buildings are safe requires the active participation of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, builders, engineers and others in the construction industry, as well as property owners.

“Public safety is our No. 1 concern,” said Nagin. “During Building Safety Week and all year long, building safety officials are here to help protect the citizens of Pinellas County.”

The Pinellas County Building Department is responsible for enforcing building codes within the unincorporated areas of Pinellas County. Some municipalities contract with the county department to perform the required work, which includes plan review, issuance of permits and inspections for code compliance.

Building Safety Week, first observed in 1980, is sponsored by the International Code Council, a membership organization dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, of which Pinellas County is an active member. The International Code Council develops the base codes used in the State of Florida to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. These codes are known as the Florida Building Codes, with editions for Building, Residential, Existing Buildings, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Mechanical and the National Electrical Code.

Return to top

Utilities Call Center Hours Temporarily Expanding

Clearwater, Fla—Due to the anticipated high volume of customer call activity and the increase in customer wait time, Pinellas County Utilities Customer Services Call Center is temporarily expanding its hours of operation. Customer Service reps will be available to respond to customers’ calls from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, starting Thursday May 1st through Friday May 9th.

For convenience, customers can use Visa or MasterCard when accessing automated services (by phone and internet). To access this information, please visit our Pinellas County Utilities Web site.

Utilities appreciates the patience of our customers during this period of high call volume.

Return to top

Belleair Causeway Bridge Replacement Project update:
5 million pounds of concrete in place over channel

Pinellas County’s largest infrastructure project currently under way – the Belleair Causeway Bridge – is fast emerging as a major area landmark. Over the last four weeks, building crews and engineers have worked fast, furious and sometimes in the dark to reach a major “highpoint” in construction: installation of 5 million pounds of concrete 75 feet over the Intracoastal Waterway channel.

Only a year into construction, the highest point of the large-span bridge – or the “crown” of the entire causeway project – has been put into place. Multiple beams make up a horizontal navigational clearance of nearly 200 feet with a future channel width of 100 feet and establish the vertical navigational clearance at a towering 75 feet.

Installation is exciting work to see for the neighboring communities and onlookers. Barges hauled in the massive concrete beams weighing together 2,900 tons, or more than 5 million pounds, in total weight. Under direction from meticulous calculations, large cranes hoisted up, swung and set the beams into place. This construction – a three-span continuous, concrete construction – totals 530 linear feet in length.

See the day-to-day construction progress with the use of the interactive Web camera. Log on to www.belleaircausewaybridge.com and click on the Belleair Webcam on the bottom left-hand side.

Return to top

Tarpon Springs Tax Collector Office Temporarily Closes May 19-21

The Pinellas County Tax Collector Office at 743 South Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, will temporarily close Monday through Wednesday, May 19 to 21, 2008, for necessary repairs.

The cause of the closing is the final aftermath of flood damage that took place in the shopping center in 2004. Interior walls were repaired in 2005, but the Tax Collector continued using the damaged furniture and flooring as long as possible.
“This replaces flood-damaged furniture and flooring,” says Pinellas Communications Deputy Tax Collector Sam McClelland. “We assumed responsibility for operations of the Tarpon Springs Office from the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) with used furniture in 2001. We stretched a few more years use out of the furniture after the 2004 damage, but the swollen joints are exposing wires now, so there's a safety factor to take into consideration. Added to that is the flooring needs the kind of replacement that was made to the interior walls back in 2005."

“Convenience to the public is our first consideration. We apologize and appreciate our customers’ patience during the temporary closing,” said Nelson’s Licensing & Services Department head, Deputy Tillie Blocker.

Motorists who must make a walk-in visit during the renovation are encouraged to use the two Clearwater locations, one at the North County office at 29399 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater, or the one at 1663 Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. Many of the routine services can be handled by calling the e-Service Center at (727) 562-3262 or by visiting the Tax Collector’s website at www.taxcollect.com

For more information about this or other Tax Collector services, please visit the website at www.taxcollect.com or call the award-winning e-Service Center where we “Answer Phones with Real People” at (727) 562-3262, an important part of how we deliver “World-class Service, Anytime, Any Place.”

Return to top

Register at Your Local Merchants Month

Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark – along with the 66 other Florida elections supervisors – is designating May as Register at Your Local Merchants Month.

The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE), in partnership with Walgreens and the Florida Retail Federation, will provide voter registration materials in Walgreens stores throughout the state, including 51 Pinellas stores.

“We’re encouraging citizens who are not registered to vote to stop by their local Walgreens and pick up a voter registration application, complete it and mail or deliver it to our office,” Clark said.

Clark is looking for additional merchants in Pinellas County to provide customers and employees with on-site voter registration, election materials and demonstrations of the new optical scan voting system. There is no cost to businesses for these services or materials.

Register at Your Local Merchants Month is part of the 2008 VOTE Campaign (Voter Outreach Through Education), a statewide voter registration and education initiative. Additional voter registration drives will be coordinated throughout the summer to encourage Floridians to register to vote, update their addresses and signatures, serve as poll workers, and vote in the Primary and General Elections.

Other 2008 VOTE Campaign activities include Register at Your House of Worship Month in June; Register Online Month in July; and additional efforts from August through October to increase voter participation in the Primary and General Elections.

For more information about Register at Your Local Merchants Month in Pinellas County or the statewide 2008 VOTE Campaign, call the Supervisor of Elections office at (727) 464-5700, or visit www.votepinellas.com

Return to top

“Lights Out!” To Help Nesting Turtles

Watch Video

She crawls from the sea in the darkness, leaving tracks as she plods through the sand. The loggerhead turtle finds a satisfactory spot and starts digging with her rear flippers. She excavates a hole, lays approximately 120 eggs, covers them up with the soft sand, and starts her methodical crawl back to the sea.

With the official start of turtle nesting season May 1, residents and property owners of beachfront properties are reminded its time for “Lights Out” along the beachfront. Most of the Pinellas County beach communities have ordinances in place prohibiting lighting that casts glare onto the beach. during turtle nesting season, May 1 to Nov. 1. Clearwater is the only city that has not adopted a lighting ban on the beach, but all county residents are encouraged to be environmentally responsible and turn the “Lights Out” after 9 p.m.

Each May, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium conducts a lighting survey to determine compliance with the turtle protection ordinances. Properties with lights shining on the beach at night are reported to Pinellas County Environmental Management Department and the local code enforcement agency. While conducting the lighting surveys, CMA staff provides educational posters and brochures to visitors and residents explaining the “lights out” during nesting and hatching season.

The reason that the beach must be in darkness is twofold. First, when the female loggerhead makes her nest, direct lighting can disorientate her, making her attempt to nest unsuccessful. Second, once the hatchlings do emerge, in 50 to 60 days, they instinctively follow the light of the moon reflecting off the gulf back to the water. If there are lights shining on the east side, they follow that light to inevitable tragedy.

Florida’s beaches are essential for nesting loggerheads. According to Dr. Nicole Elko, coastal coordinator for Pinellas County Environmental Management, the number of turtle nests was at a drastic low last season, with 38 nests monitored by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The county contracts with CMA to track and monitor the turtles nests from Clearwater Beach to St. Pete Beach. Dr. Elko said that Pinellas County usually tracks an average of 100 nests during one season, with 200 nests possible.

“Even though turtle nesting season starts May 1, we have been out patrolling the beaches every morning since April 1,” said Mike Anderson, the new director of sea turtle nesting at CMA. “We are hopeful to have more turtle nests this year.”

Return to top

Fly2PIE.com - New Airport Website Debuts

The St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) launched its new website on Monday, April 11.

A fresh look showcasing the airport as a gateway to the beauty of Pinellas and Tampa Bay is featured. The menu is reorganized to highlight the information customers are most interested in - including daily departures and arrivals on the home page and quick access to airlines and destinations.

In addition, the newsroom and subscriber features are still prominently featured, along with ground transportation, visitor information, parking and directions, noise affairs, and aviation/business services for the general aviation community.

Please visit www.fly2pie.com and click on subscribe to receive future updates about the airport.

Return to top

Stock up on Hurricane Preparedness Know-How

Hurricane season will be here before we know it, and it only takes one storm to make a bad season. Member libraries of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative will host a series of free, fun and informative sessions on how to prepare for the season. Those offerings are:

• Becoming Storm Savvy: While we are still in the hurricane preseason, it’s an excellent time to learn how you can prepare yourself to prevent panic if we are affected by a storm. From learning how to put together a survival kit without busting your budget to planning ahead for evacuations, tips are offered for everyone.
  
• Hurricane 101: What is a hurricane? How do they form? What are their effects? Get the basics on these dangerous tropical storms.
  
• Busting Hurricane Myths: Learn the dangers of some commonly held beliefs when hurricanes approach. Not only will you find the real story, you may also save your life if the big one comes.
  
• Hurricanes for Kids: Hurricane season can be a very frightening time for younger family members. By using experiments and easy-to-understand language, your youngsters can find some control over these scary situations.
  The times, dates and locations for these seminars are:
  • April 29, 6:30 p.m. – Busting Hurricane Myths
    Largo Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo (727) 587-6715
  • May 3, 10:30 a.m. – Hurricane 101
    East Lake Community Library, 4125 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor (727) 773-2665
  • May 8, 10:30 a.m. – Busting Hurricane Myths
    East Lake Community Library, 4125 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor (727) 773-2665
  • May 10, 11 a.m. – Becoming Storm Savvy
    Oldsmar Library, 400 St. Petersburg Drive, Oldsmar (813) 749-1178
  • May 17, 11 a.m. – Busting Hurricane Myths
    Oldsmar Library, 400 St. Petersburg Drive, Oldsmar (813) 749-1178
    
  • May 19, 6:30 p.m. – Hurricane 101
    Largo Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo (727) 587-6715
  • May 22, 2 p.m. – Becoming Storm Savvy
    Pinellas Park Library, 7770 52nd St., Pinellas Park (727) 541-0718
  
  

Return to top

Prescribed Burns Expected at Brooker Creek, Mobbly Bayou and Weedon Island Preserves

The Pinellas County Wildlands Fire Team will conduct several prescribed burns between March and August 2008.

Prescribed burns usually take place Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ranging from a few acres to under 100 acres. Burns depend on local weather conditions.

For up-to-date information on current burns on conservation lands managed by Pinellas County, please call the BURN HOTLINE at 727-582-BURN (2876).

Brooker Creek, Mobbly Bayou, and Weedon Island Preserves are managed by the Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management’s Environmental Lands Division, headquartered in Tarpon Springs at 3620 Fletch Haven Drive. The Florida Division of Forestry maintains an office in the Brooker Creek Preserve and assists with prescribed burns and other fire-related issues on conservation lands in Pinellas County.

Return to top

Consumer Tips:

Online Advice and Precautions for Parents

Whether playing games, completing homework, or simply surfing for fun, children are taking advantage of all that the Internet has to offer. Although there are many wonderful places to learn new and exciting things and meet new people, there are also places that are inappropriate or dangerous for children. The following tips can help keep your child safe while exploring the Internet:

• Remind children that people are not always who they seem to be in cyberspace. Discourage your child from giving his full name, home address, and telephone number, information about their parents or friends, names of clubs, teams, or the school he or she attends. Make sure your child knows to never meet face to face with someone he or she meets online. It is also best not to discuss private family matters online.
• Consider filtering, monitoring, and blocking software tools. Do what you can to protect your child from the intrusion of inappropriate content or activity on the Internet. Check with your Internet service provider to see what they offer to assist you in these efforts.
• Teach your child how to recognize junk e-mail, and how to delete it without reading it. Discourage your child from responding to e-mail or instant messages from people that he or she does not know. E-mail messages can include attachments or web links that can compromise your computer.
• Teach your child not to give out his or her account password to anyone. This tip should be followed even if someone claims to be from your online service. Your account can be hijacked, and you may find unexpected charges on your bill. When creating passwords, they should not use popular words, family member or pet names, anniversaries, or birthdays.
• Make sure your child knows about the risks involved when using chat rooms, instant messaging and social networking sites. Each can be a great way of learning about a vast array of topics and meeting new people. However, chat rooms and instant messaging are live, not always monitored, and can attract people with bad intentions. Your child may be exposed to inappropriate material and people are not always who they say they are, and information posted is not always fact.

For more information, visit the website of Justice & Consumer Services.

Return to top

How to Stop Unwanted Telemarketing Calls

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched the National Do Not Call Registry to give Americans a choice about getting telemarketing calls at home. According to a recent Harris Interactive poll, 92 percent of people who reported placing a number on the registry said they are receiving fewer calls; a total of 78 percent said they’re getting “far fewer calls” or none at all.

If you think you put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry, and you’re still receiving telemarketing sales calls, the Federal Trade Commission recommends that you:

Check to see that your number is on the registry. You can verify that your number is on the registry two ways: online at DONOTCALL.GOV (click on “Verify A Registration”), or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the phone number you wish to verify. Follow the prompts. You also can add your number to the registry using the same Web site or phone number (call from the number you want to register). If you register online, you will receive an email from donotcall.gov as part of the confirmation process. You will need to click on the link in this email within 72 hours after you receive it.

Understand that some calls are not covered. Once your number has been on the registry for 31 days, most telemarketing calls will stop. However, you still may get:

• Calls from — or on behalf of — political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors;
  
• Calls from companies with whom you have an existing business relationship. A company may call you for 18 months after you make a purchase or three months after you submit an inquiry or application;
  
• Calls from companies you’ve given permission to call.

File a complaint if your number has been on the registry for at least 31 days, and a telemarketer calls, complain to the FTC. Visit DONOTCALL.GOV or call 1-888-382-1222 (TTY1-866-290-4236). You’ll need to provide the date of the call and the phone number or name of the company that called you.
Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. More than 157 million phone numbers are on the National Do Not Call Registry.

For more consumer tips, visit JUSTICE AND CONSUMER SERVICES.

Return to top

Communications Department
333 Chestnut Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-4600  FAX (727) 464-4432