News - Full Story

Don't forget to check out....

 

• eTownHall - Live interactive online events - call in or blog your questions on a variety of subjects
• eSeries - A 15-minute eSeries: Prepare to Survive allows residents the opportunity to go in-depth on a particular hurricane preparedness topic such as forecasting, building codes, yard preparation, etc.

 

BCC meeting Monday

A joint meeting of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and Business Technology Services will be held on Monday, Feb. 6, at 9:30 a.m. The public will have an opportunity to speak during the Citizens Comments portion of the meeting.

 

The meeting will be held at Pinellas County Communications, 333 Chestnut St., Clearwater, in Studio B.

 

On Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Board of County Commissioners will hold a regular public meeting and public hearings in the fifth-floor assembly room of the County Courthouse, 315 Court St., Clearwater.

 

Those wishing to speak on any subject, other than scheduled agenda items may do so during the Citizens to be Heard portion of the meeting. Comments related to public hearings or regular agenda items will be heard when those items come before the commission.

 

View the meetings online or on PCC-TV on Bright House Channel 622, Knology Channel 18 or Verizon Channel 44. The agenda and corresponding documentation is available online at County Meeting Agendas.

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Network focuses on children

Learn and Succeed, the newest network of the Health and Human Services Coordinating Council for Pinellas County, was introduced to community leaders at the council’s annual Leadership Summit, held Jan. 20 at the Gus Stavros Institute in Largo.

 

The new network is a collaboration of the Coordinating Council and the Juvenile Welfare Board Children’s Services Council.  With a focus on the needs of children, the mission of the network is to ensure all residents have the opportunity to acquire the skills, training and education necessary to be economically self-sufficient, productive contributors to society.

 

David Lawrence Jr., who chairs the Children’s Movement of Florida, spoke passionately about the rights of children, delivering a rousing speech to rally the community around the cause of children and to make youth the No. 1 priority. Lawrence, the former publisher of the Miami Herald who is also the president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation and is a University Scholar for Early Childhood Development and Readiness at the University of Florida, pointed to the need for Pinellas County to find ways to fund the programs that equip children for future success.

 

“I will argue that, believing in all children, we help ourselves,” he said, pointing to the power of early investment. “Why should every child not dream in America?”

 

The Health and Human Services Coordinating Council hosts the Leadership Summit every January, bringing together community funders, leaders, advocates, and organizations that make up the Administrative Forum and leadership networks. The purpose of the summit is to discuss the work that has been done in the past year and to learn about new initiatives being implemented.
   
Recognizing that the work of the various networks is accomplished with the assistance of community groups, individuals and organizations, the council also presented two Community Leadership Awards.

 

The Bay Area Apartment Association was recognized for its work in rapid re-housing to assist families in need and the Diabetic Charitable Services was recognized for its efforts in procuring the health care services that uninsured people with diabetes need.

 

For more information, go to Health and Human Services Coordinating Council or call (727) 582-7951.

 

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Parking passes available in north county

Pinellas County’s annual boat ramp and beach parking permits for Fred Howard, Sand Key and Fort De Soto parks are now available at Sutherland Bayou Boat Ramp Bait Shack, 2119 U.S. Alt. 19 N., Palm Harbor. The bait shack is open daily from one hour before dawn to dusk. For information call (727) 216-6979.

The permits are also available at the administrative offices of Fort De Soto Park and the Parks and Conservation Resources office, which is located at 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo.

 

Patrons can also call (727) 582-2100 to order by credit card.

 

The annual parking passes are $75; $55 for citizens 65 and older. For Pinellas County residents receiving low-income assistance or limited-income property exemption, the pass is $37.50. The passes can be used at Fred Howard, Fort De Soto and Sand Key parks. In addition, annual parking passes for county-owned boat ramps are also valid for beach parking in the three parks. The boat ramp annual permits are $110 per year.
 
Daily parking passes are $5. At Fort De Soto Park, daily passes can be purchased at the entrance to the park. At Fred Howard and Sand Key parks, the passes are available at automated pay stations.

For more information on the individual parks, go to www.pinellascounty.org/parks or call (727) 582-2100.

 

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For the Love of Weedon

For the Love of Weedon is a celebration of Weedon Island, from its rich prehistoric and historic heritage to its present day use as a coastal preserve for education and outdoor activities.

 

This special event, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, is an opportunity to share and to capture the many stories about Weedon Island, talk about the present and look forward to the future. A panel discussion is planned with “open mike” audience participation about this very significant piece of land on Old Tampa Bay.

 

The known recent history of Weedon Island spans nearly 150 years with many significant changes from homesteads and citrus groves to airport runways and movie studios. The prehistory dates back to A.D. 400 and beyond with numerous Indian mounds and the first identified site of the “Weeden Island culture” with its beautiful pottery.

 

Used as a getaway by generations of residents, Weedon Island has been a playground and a lover’s lane, a fishing delight and shellfishing paradise, a dump and a treasure site. No doubt many residents can add their own chapters to the many tales to tell.

 

Everyone is invited to join this special occasion and share stories and memories in this collaborative project to record the history and experiences of Weedon Island Preserve and talk about visions of the future.

 

Registration with refreshments and social will be from 1:30 to 2 p.m. with program to follow. For more information, call (727) 453-6500 or go to the Weedon Island Preserve website to make a reservation. There is no charge for this program. 

 

Weedon Island Preserve protects more than 3,700 acres of natural ecosystems and is located at 1800 Weedon Drive N.E. in St. Petersburg. The preserve is operated under the Parks and Conservation Resources Department and is open to the public seven days a week, including holidays, from 7 a.m. to 15 minutes before sunset. Its many outdoor activities include walking trails, a fishing pier and a canoe/kayak launch.

 

The Cultural and Natural History Center in the preserve welcomes visitors Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center is closed Sunday through Wednesday and all Pinellas County holidays. The center features the permanent exhibit, Connecting People and Place, which is an art-inspired, hands-on educational approach to the area’s history, ecology and people.

 

To learn more about Weedon Island Preserve and its upcoming programs and events, call (727) 453-6500.

 

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Lane closure: Belcher Road at Ulmerton Road

The two right-hand, southbound lanes of Belcher Road, south of the intersection of Ulmerton Road, will be closed starting the morning of Monday, Jan. 30 and are scheduled to reopen by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. One southbound lane will remain open to traffic. This lane closure is part of the final phase of the Belcher Road 48-inch Water Main Replacement project. They expanded the closure to just north of the intersection.

 

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Pinellas joins Homeless Leadership

Pinellas County is now a member of the Homeless Leadership Board, Inc. This new organization, combining both the Homeless Leadership Network and Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, will streamline policy and leadership issues when tackling the topic of homelessness in Pinellas County.

 

The consolidation into the Homeless Leadership Board will add accountability and increase effectiveness in helping clients find jobs and housing. The Homeless Leadership Board will include government, the public, non-profit and private sector agencies to help families, individuals, unaccompanied youth and those at risk of becoming homeless.

 

The Homeless Leadership Board will address the issue on a countywide basis.

Have a question? LiveChat is now featured on the website and on Mobile Pinellas. Pinellas County government is on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

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Thousands log on to eTownHall

The Pinellas Transit Alternatives Analysis Team, in partnership with Pinellas County, held its fourth eTownHall Jan. 18, in the final phase of its study on the future of Pinellas County’s transit.

 

This virtual, telephone, and televised event focused on light rail transit, the study recommendation for a transit project connecting St. Petersburg to the Greater Gateway area and Clearwater, with a regional connection across Tampa Bay to Hillsborough County.

 

The plans are the initial results of a large-scale transit study and public outreach effort conducted by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA), and the Florida Department of Transportation.

 

The four eTownHalls were part of the public outreach effort and were used to connect to thousands of citizens through the phone, TV and online blogging, tweeting and live video. Participants posted 272 comments on the blog on eTownHall. The phone operators engaged 4,436 citizens.

 

Many of the questions, opinions and comments from the public were addressed live by members of the Pinellas Alternatives Analysis Project Advisory Committee. Moderated by Bob Clifford, TBARTA executive director, the panel comprised of Jeff Danner, St. Petersburg council member and TBARTA board member and PSTA board chair; R.B. Johnson, mayor of Indian Rocks Beach and Sarah Ward, Pinellas County MPO interim executive director.

 

The eTownHall will be replayed on the eTownHall website. The video that was unveiled during the eTownHall, Visualizing Transit for a Stronger, Faster Pinellas, can be viewed at Pinellas On Track.

 

For more information on the Pinellas Transit Alternatives Analysis, visit the project website. The Pinellas Alternatives Analysis is a study identifying transit options to connect major residential, employment, and activity centers in Pinellas County – Clearwater, Largo, Greater Gateway, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg – and to Hillsborough County. The study recommendation, also referred to as the Draft Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) includes light rail from St. Petersburg to Greater Gateway and Clearwater, as well as significant countywide enhancements to the existing PSTA bus system that will connect outlying neighborhoods, including those in northern Pinellas County, to the proposed light rail service.

 

Pinellas County’s eTownHall format earned the 2011 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties, and the Outstanding Public Information and Education award from both the Florida Governor’s and National Hurricane Conferences.

 

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Animal Drop Off Closes

 Pinellas County Animal Services closed its public after-hours drop off on Jan. 17. This move is in the animals’ best welfare, as the drop off is not appropriate for sick, injured, extremely young or otherwise compromised animals.

 

Residents can still bring animals they wish to surrender to Animal Services during normal business hours and speak to a staff member. If the animal’s owner is looking for their lost pet, this can be a crucial step toward a happy reunion.

 

This will also allow staff members to speak with owners to determine why they are surrendering their pet and provide education and access to resources which could change the situation.

 

The after-hours drop will remain accessible only to law enforcement officers when dealing with animal-related issues affecting public safety.

Pinellas County Animal Services is located at 12450 Ulmerton Road in Largo. Normal hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the adoption center closing at 4:40 p.m. To reclaim a lost pet, visit the shelter between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Special Saturday hours to reclaim a lost pet or drop off a pet are 9 a.m. to noon. The facility is closed Sunday and holidays.

 

For news on how to adopt, donate or volunteer, visit Pinellas County Animal Services or call (727) 582-2600. The lost or found pets hotline is (727) 582-2604.

 

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Employee Day of Service

To say Tonya Clark was excited is an understatement. As one of the future homeowners of a Habitat for Humanity home in St. Petersburg, Mrs. Clark was absolutely ecstatic. She laughed, jumped up and down, and hugged nearly everyone that worked on her home.

 

And there were a lot of people to hug - approximately 80. The volunteers who arrived at 7:30 a.m. on Monday to help finish three Habitat homes in St. Petersburg included 60 Pinellas County employees. With county offices closed, they were able to participate in the Pinellas County Employee Service Day, a day that County Administrator Bob LaSala felt was important.

 

“In 1995 Congress established Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Day of Service,” LaSala said, as he waited to pick up a paint brush and get to work. “I thought, ‘Let’s see if we can get our employees together to take the challenge to heart.’” He looked around and noted that, with everyone wearing blue Pinellas County T-shirts, one could not distinguish between elected officials, administration or the staff that serves in the various departments of the county.

 

“This is great,” he said. “As this becomes tradition, it will develop a spirit of camaraderie and a sense of teamwork and equality.” And the spirit of service is already a part of county employees, who serve the public every day.

 

That is part of the thrill for those in the Community Development department, where the staff works with community partners to make projects like Habitat a reality. They don’t often get to see the personal side of their efforts: the house going up or families that are realizing a dream. And the families all have a story.

 

Mrs. Clark and her husband, Daniel, have four children between the ages of 3 and 7. They are moving from a cramped, two-bedroom home, also in St. Petersburg, to a 1,500-square foot home, with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of the little girls already knows she wants her room painted pink. Mr. Clark is ready to do it before they even move in.

 

“My Dad built his own home and I always wanted my own home,” said Mr. Clark, who is originally from Mississippi. “This is a dream come true.”

With the 350 hours of sweat equity potential Habitat homeowners are required to work, and classes they must attend, the Clarks are already friends with their two other neighbors, who also have four children.

 

Alfredo and Mary Jane Eborda, who currently live in Pinellas Park, will be moving into their seventh home in the seven years since they moved from the Philippines with their children. Their children’s education is a high priority for the Ebordas, who see this new five-bedroom house as the best chance to give their young students a peaceful place to study – they will each have their bedroom. It has been a strain moving so often, they said.

 

“This is a great blessing,” said Mr. Eborda. “We are very grateful.”

There will be seven people sharing the third home, with Jean F. and Ruth Geneus, their four children and Mrs. Geneus’ mother, Marie, a survivor of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. In the United States for 17 years and a U.S. citizen, Mr. Geneus moved to Florida from New Jersey. He and Mrs. Geneus married and she moved from Haiti in 2004.

 

“When I came here I didn’t expect one day I would have a house,” he said. He met someone who told him about Habitat for Humanity and he decided to take a chance and apply. “One day I got a big surprise. I was told I qualified.”

Pinellas County Commissioner Nancy Bostock was speaking with Mr. Geneus, listening to his story. “It all comes around,” she said. “Sometimes you need help, sometimes you give help.”

 

“This is truly people helping each other,” Mr. Geneus said. Then, the commissioner took her paint roller and continued to cover the side of the house with fresh paint.

 

Even the homes themselves are a testament to service. A total of six Habitat homes on 23rd Avenue are sponsored by Kathryn Fenton in California in memory of her parents, George Arnold and June Marie Gerlach. For each house, the estate donated $50,000.

 

Kathy Boucher, a radio operator for the county’s 9-1-1 emergency center, said she always wanted to work on a Habitat project and she was glad for the opportunity that this day of service offered.

 

“This brings a lot of people together working for a good cause,” said Peggy Rowe, who is the director of Human Resources. “That’s what Martin Luther King Jr. was all about and we are doing our part. It’s really a beautiful thing.”

 

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Teens Behind the Scenes

High school students now have the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at government and how it works.

 

Teens Behind the Scenes is a new program that takes an exclusive look at Pinellas County government. Once a month from January to April, teens will go behind the scenes to experience first-hand what goes into keeping the county running.

 

Presented by the county’s Youth Advisory Committee, Teens Behind the Scenes is modeled after the popular Pinellas Citizens University. The sessions will meet the fourth Wednesday of the month from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the site of the featured department.

 

Program Line-Up

Survivor … Public Works
Jan. 25
Take a trip to the public works building and explore traffic control, engineering and more.

 

Law & Order
Feb. 22
Investigate the roles of law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys and the judge.

 

Most Wanted!
March 21
Take a tour of the Pinellas County Jail. Learn about intake, maximum security, and direct supervision. (Parental release required to participate.)

 

9-1-1  101
April 18
Get an up-close look at the Pinellas County EMS system and get the chance to participate in a first responders’ demonstration.

 

Awards Night (6 p.m.)
April 24
Be on PCC-TV with your County Commissioners and receive your certificate

This free program is open to high school students who are at least 14 years old. The registration deadline for each session is two weeks before the program date. Don’t delay, class size is limited!

 

To register, go to the Youth Advisory website. For more information, call (727) 582-2656.

 

The Pinellas County Youth Advisory Committee is comprised of high school students who provide input and assistance to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Membership is open to high school students who reside in Pinellas County.

 

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Clerk to unite 50 couples in Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony at Florida Botanical Gardens

Once again, Ken Burke, Clerk of the Circuit Court has announced today that numerous couples will be joined together at the picturesque Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo for one group wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

 

This is the sixth year the Clerk’s Office is hosting this event, which has become a county tradition. Once again the single ceremony uniting multiple couples in marriage will be held in the Florida Botanical Gardens’ Wedding Garden.

 “The Florida Botanical Gardens provides the perfect setting for this very special day for the couples,” said Burke.

 

The Clerk has waived the normal $30 fee to perform the marriage. Standard marriage license fees will still apply.

To participate, couples must sign up at any Pinellas County Clerk’s office by Friday, February 3, 2012.

 

The number of couples may be limited due to space.  In order to be eligible to register to participate in the 2012 wedding event, application for a marriage license must have been made by December 19, 2011 and on or before February 10, 2012.

 

The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. in the Wedding Garden at Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33774.  Couples will receive a special, Commemorative Marriage Certificate, which will be mailed within one week from the date of the ceremony with the official Certificate of Marriage. All couples should arrive at the Botanical Gardens by 1 p.m. on the day of the event with their marriage license and identification.

 

For more information regarding the process and locations to apply for a marriage license, contact Recording Services at (727) 464-3008, or visit the Clerk’s website. For more information about the Wedding Garden and/or the Florida Botanical Gardens visit the FBG website.

 

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2012 Pinellas County Recycling Directory now available

The new Recycle Today: 2012 Pinellas County Recycling Directory has just been released. The directory is packed with the latest information about how to recycle in Pinellas County including local options for recycling cans, bottles, paper, yard waste, electronics, chemicals, motor oil, cooking oil and much more. Find out what’s new in 2012, such as expanded recycling programs for plastics #1-7 in Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar and Gulfport. In addition, pizza boxes and plastic bottle caps may now be recycled.

 

Free copies of the new directory are available in local newspapers. The directory will be distributed with the inserts in the Sunday, Jan. 15 edition of the Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) and The Tampa Tribune. Copies will also be distributed in the Thursday, Jan. 19 edition of The Weekly Challenger newspaper. After Jan. 16, citizens can pick up a free copy at local libraries, Sweetbay stores, Nature’s Food Patch Market or Pinellas County drop-off recycling centers. The directory may be viewed online at www.pinellascounty.org/recycle.

 

Recycle Today is published by Pinellas County Solid Waste each year to make recycling easier by providing detailed and updated information on local programs, including:

 

• How to participate in recycling programs offered in the 24 municipalities plus the unincorporated areas of Pinellas County
• Where to drop off household hazardous waste such as TVs, computers or paint
• How to prepare items for recycling
• Where to pick up free recycled mulch
• How to access the online A to Z Guide for Recycling & Disposal (listing over 250 items)
• Answers to the most frequently asked questions on recycling
• Dates and locations of recycling events for the whole family

 

For more information about recycling, visit www.pinellascounty.org/recycle or call (727) 464-7500.

 

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Free help for Watts wasted

Through its Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project, Pinellas County Extension is promoting a new gadget that aims to get citizens more energy conscious and eco-friendly.

The Kill-A-Watt™ Energy Monitor is a simple tool used to see how much energy the devices in a home are actually using, whether they are on or off. Users simply plug the monitor into an outlet, plug an appliance into the monitor, follow The Kill-A-Watt’s™ instructions and watch it work. The monitor measures various aspects of electrical consumption, from voltage of an outlet to watts and kilowatt hours. Users can find out exactly how much energy and money is being consumed by most of their household electronics.

 

Pinellas County Extension and the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative have come together to make these Kill-A-Watt™ monitors available for check-out at their libraries to make the assessment of personal energy consumption even easier.

Extension specialists will also be holding upcoming classes at select libraries to further explain how the monitors work and to give easy tips to make a home more energy efficient in their effort to decrease electric bills and increase environmental friendliness.

The Kill-A-Watt™ classes will be held according to the following schedule:

• Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Gulfport Public Library
  5501 28th Ave. S., Gulfport
  Phone: (727) 893-1074
  www.mygulfport.us
• Saturday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon
  Palm Harbor Library
  2330 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor
  Phone: (727) 784-3332
  www.palmharborlibrary.org
• Tuesday, March 13, 7 to 8 p.m.
  Dunedin Public Library
  223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin
  Phone: (727) 298-3080
  www.dunedingov.com
• Saturday, March 31, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
  Clearwater East Branch Library
  100 N. Osceola Ave., Clearwater
  Phone: (727) 669-1280
  http://www.myclearwater.com
• Thursday, April 12, 6 to 7 p.m.
  Safety Harbor Public Library
  101 Second St. N., Safety Harbor
  Phone: (727) 724-1525
  www.cityofsafetyharbor.com
• Thursday, April 26, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
  Oldsmar Public Library
  400 St. Petersburg Drive E., Oldsmar
  Phone: (813) 749-1178
  www.oldsmarlibrary.org
• Monday, May 7, 1 to 2 p.m.
  St. Pete Beach Public Library
  365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach
  Phone: (727) 363-9238
  www.stpetebeach.org

 

It is important to remember that all devices cannot be measured using the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor. For example, air conditioners and electric heaters are not compatible with the monitor.

 

Registration for classes is required. For more information on the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor, classes or visit Pinellas County Extension, or call (727) 582-2581. To register, visit the website or stop by the library holding the class you wish to attend.

 

Pinellas County Extension is a partnership between Pinellas County government and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as part of a nationwide network of land grant universities. The University of Florida is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

 

The mission of Pinellas County Extension is to provide research-based knowledge and education programs enabling people to make practical decisions to improve their quality of life and the world around them. Education focuses on sustainable living, lawn and garden, families and consumers, and 4-H youth development.

 

Pinellas County Extension offers programming at the Extension office, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2100; Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, (727) 453-6800 and at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, (727) 453-6500. For more information, visit www.pinellascountyextension.org and find Pinellas Extension on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

 

Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the class, please contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (Voice/TDD).

 

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Ambulance plan enrollment

Applications are now being accepted through March 31 for the Sunstar FirstCare Ambulance Membership Plan.

 

The Sunstar FirstCare Ambulance Membership Plan is a Pinellas County government program that works with insurance companies to cover out-of-pocket expenses associated with medically necessary ambulance transportation.

 

It covers unlimited medically necessary transportation to or from a medical facility within Pinellas County, offering protection that may be lacking with insurance coverage.  For members without insurance, the plan provides for a 20 percent discount on ambulance charges. 

 

Memberships are $45 for an individual; $70 for the family plan. Coverage is effective through March 31, 2013 upon receipt of a completed membership application and remittance payment.

 

For information, call (727) 582-2008. Applications can be downloaded from the EMS webpage.

 

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