St. Pete revs up once again

Here's what's going on this weekend in the Tampa area:

ST. PETERSBURG - A full weekend of racing is already in gear in St. Petersburg.

The festivities officially started with a Thursday night parade down Central Avenue. It featured last year's champ, Will Power, and this year, Budweiser added a float and its world-renowned Clydesdale horses.

A big party followed at North Straub Park where fans got the opportunity to meet the drivers.

"Anytime we bring in the Honda Grand Prix, it brings 150,000 people to a downtown spot. So the hotels are filled, restaurants will be packed, there's a lot of economic impact with this event," Mayor Bill Foster offered. "And then, of course, you've got the impact of a three-hour commercial on national television."

The weekend of racing wraps up with the main event, Sunday's Honda Grand Prix.

There are several closures in the downtown area. Through race weekend, the following roads will be closed or have limited access:

• CLOSED - First Ave. S. from First St. to Bayshore
• LIMITED ACCESS on Second Ave. S from First to Second St. S
• CLOSED - Beach Dr. from Central Ave. to First Ave. S
• CLOSED - First St. from First Ave. S to Fifth Ave. S
• LIMITED ACCESS - First St. S from Fifth Ave. S to Eighth Ave. S AND Sixth Ave. S from Second St. to First St. from March 25 through March 27

For more traffic and parking information, click on over to the city's website. 

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Harlem Globetrotters at St.Pete Times Forum

When:

 

March 12 : 2 p.m.
March 12 : 7 p.m.

On Sale Date:

 

November 22, 2010

Price:

 

$15, $25, $33, $51, $106

Event Phone Number:

 

813-301-2500

St. Pete Times Forum

401 Channelside Drive

 

Tampa, FL 33602

813-301-2500

Watch these guys, dribble, pass and dunk like never before. The legendary Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 85th consecutive season of tearing up the court with their magical 2011 "4 Times the Fun" World Tour that stops in Tampa at the St. Pete Times Forum on March 12, 2011. Don't miss your chance to watch two of their performaces that day. The first is at 2 p.m and the second is 7 p.m. More information can be found atwww.harlemglobetrotters.com.

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March Teacher Month

Here's an interesting event for Tampa Bay for the month of March:

• 
  
• March 01, 2011 - March 31, 2011
• Address: 5145 Harvey Tew Rd., Plant City, FL 33565
• Times: 9am to 5pm
• Admission: free teachers
• Contact: Nicole Randall
• Phone: 813-717-9865
• Email: dinosaurworld@scrtc.com

Free teacher with a guest every day in March to Dinosaur World. Valid teacher ID required.

 

 

Click here to visit their website

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Valentine's Day Events

Here's a great website to see what you and your love one can do for Valentine's Day in Tampa:

 

All the best cupid-inspired events for you lovebirds out there this Valentine's Day

Ah, it's that time of year again - drugstore aisles are exploding with red confetti and singing teddy bears to let you know it's time to pay a little extra attention to your sweetie this Valentine's Day.  Fear not, young lovers, you don't have to rely soley on cheesy gifts to show your heart's desire that you care. We've searched out the best romantic dinners, heart-filled events and just plain fun couple activities to make sure you're feeling the love this Valentine's Day!

 

Click here to go to the website to see the events.

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Florida State Fair (2011)

When:

 

Daily (ends February 21) 

On Sale Date:

 

December 22, 2010

Price:

 

$5-$12 General Admission

Event Phone Number:

 

813-621-7821

http://www.floridastatefair.com

Florida State Fairgrounds

4800 U.S. Highway 301

 

Tampa, FL 33604

813-621-7821

Tickets are on sale now for Florida's biggest event. The Florida State Fair is being held Feb.10-21 at the State Fairgrounds. This year's event features many of the attractions you've come to love and expect. There will be amusement rides galore, ongoing indoor and outdoor entertainment, food and merchant vendors and state competitions.

Don't miss the shows and attractions at the Entertainment Hall or outdoor events such asCircus Hollywood and Willy Washboard’s Jamboree. Magic shows take place on the Children’s Stage. Catch the outdoor rodeo before hopping on the giant slide. This year’s fair boasts of 106 rides ranging from ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, bumper cars, tilt-a-whirls and roller coasters.

In addition, for more than 100 years, the Florida State Fair has hosted competitions in a variety of areas. This year is no exception. People will be coming from all over the state to showcase their arts, crafts, produce and livestock. Competitions include baking, knitting, painting, horticulture, woodcarving and dance competitions.

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Aquarium undergoes massive expansion

Here's some interesting news in Tampa Bay:

 

CLEARWATER - The Clearwater Marine Aquarium plans a $12 million expansion, hopefully to be largely completed before the September release of "Winter: A Dolphin's Tale."

The motion picture features Winter, the Aquarium's star attraction. She lost her tail when it became entangled a crab trap line, but was later fitted with a prosthesis and has been featured in broadcast and print articles around the world.

The expansion will essentially create a new Clearwater Marine Aquarium: new lobby and gift shop area, new restrooms, and much larger facilities for treating rescued dolphin and sea turtles.

"We'll go from about 400,000 gallons now to about 2 million gallons," said director David Yates.

Instead of gathering around a railing for dolphin shows, the public will sit in a 1,000 seat outdoor auditorium. There will also be a new parking garage and additional surface parking.

 

Click here to learn more.

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Story Winner of the Week

The winner of this weeks story is:

 

Sean O’Cuinneagain

 

 

The idea came to them over a glass of wine.

 

 

 

A small device that would aerate red wine quickly without making a mess.

 

Sean O’Cuinneagain, owner of WineMall, an online wine retailer, had been pondering the idea for a while. But on this day while he and friend Andy Broden sipped a glass of Malbec, O’Cuinneagain sketched it out on a paper napkin.

The first version of the Vin-Aire wine aerator was born.

“We felt this was something we were passionate about,” O’Cuinneagain said. “Something we could all go in the same direction about.”

Broden, a Westchase resident and wine broker, had been selling O’Cuinneagain wine for years making him the best “partner in wine” for the venture.

“Andy had the contacts and he saw the vision,” O’Cuinneagain said.

That first sketch was about two years ago. These days, O’Cuinneagain and Broden, are steadily building up a Vin-Aire following.

Vin-Aire is primarily Internet based, but the company is in talks to sell the aerators ($29.99 each at www.vin-aire.com) in a retail setting. And former Tampa Bay Lightning hockey player Zenon Konopka, a stakeholder in the business, is using the aerator to raise money for the New York Islanders’ Children’s Foundation.

Konopka was traded to the Islanders last year. For the next month, a portion of all Vin-Aire sales will go to the foundation.

“After two years we’re so excited,” said O’Cuinneagain, a Lutz resident. “The great thing about it is it’s not just for wine connoisseurs. It’s for regular people who enjoy wine.”

On a recent day, O’Cuinneagain and his staff demonstrated how the product works. You simply place the clear Vin-Aire device over your wine glass and slowly pour the wine through the device. A “hsssss” sound can be heard as the wine aerates through the device.

It takes about 10 seconds as opposed to the hour or so it takes for red wine to aerate naturally.

By exposing wine to air, or “letting it breathe,” the wine heats up slightly allowing the aroma and ingredients to release. The result is generally a more mellow, better tasting glass of wine.

The idea is to make an $8 bottle of wine taste like a $30 bottle. The Vin-Aire isn’t the only wine aerator on the market. However, the lower price and ease of use make it a better product than its competitor, O’Cuinneagain said.

Fred Moses, a Westchase resident, was one of the first to purchase the Vin-Aire.

“When you get home from work and you want to have a glass of wine, you don’t want to have to pour it and stare at the glass for hours,” said Moses, a commercial banker.

“Your red wine taste completely different after using it,” he said. “It’s a good product.”

Sales for the Vin-Aire are steady, he says. In 2011, the company will market the product to wine stores, restaurants and bars. The European market is in their sights as well.

From a simple sketch to an intentional sensation—that is the hope.

“A lot of people have ideas but not a lot of people do them,” Broden said. “We decided to seize this opportunity."

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Time with family, team is precious for Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher

Here's a recent article from our Tampa Bay Lightnings:

Martin Raymond said he always knew what time it was and he didn't even have to look at a clock. All he had to hear was the knock on his door. Raymond, an assistant coach last year for AHL Hamilton, was renting a basement apartment from his boss and longtime friend, then-Hamilton coach Guy Boucher. "At 11:30 p.m. there always would be someone knocking on my door wanting to talk about the power play, the penalty kill, whatever it was," Raymond said this week. "He'd put the kids to bed and then come knocking at my door." Raymond, now a Lightning assistant, is not as accessible this season, seeing as he has his own place, so Boucher, Tampa Bay's first-year coach, works alone, watching video, pouring over scouting reports and copious notes, sometimes until 4 a.m. It does not matter if he is home or the team is on the road.

"My biggest worry is that I miss something, an edge somebody sees that I don't see," said Boucher, 39, in his first NHL season and the league's youngest bench boss. "I'm possessed by the idea I have to find an edge."

 

Click here to continue reading.

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Runner Up Story

Here is the runner up story fir our story contest:

Only Job News USA allows an employer to effectively reach potential employees using different media methods at a cost effective rate!  Job News provides comprehensive multi-media recruitment solutions, such as a local employment website (i.e.www.jobnewstampa.com ), weekly employment publications (widely distributed in places such as retail, learning facilities, and both indoor and outdoor rack distributions), Job Fairs and broadcast advertising.  We work with both local and national businesses to better help them reach candidates in their specific markets at a cost more reasonable than traditional newspaper or web only products.  Not only are we proud of our “local market focus” but we are proud to sponsor and organize 5-6 career fairs annually.  Our career fairs focus on attracting the Tampa Bay local talent to match our Tampa Bay businesses.  Our next Career Fair is February 9th, 2011 at the Tampa Wyndham Westshore Hotel from 10am-2pm.  Some of the participating companies are Progressive Insurance, AFLAC, ABC Networks, 20-20 Companies, Valet Waste, Waste Management, Tampa Bay Business Journal, Lokey Automotive, Ferman Automotive, Avis, CarMax, The Secret Service, One Touch Direct, Amerilife, Cellular Sales of Central Florida, Verizon and many others!  The career fair is FREE to candidates, which includes parking and we are proud to have FrankCrum Staffing participate in a resume review session, where candidates can have their resumes looked at and critiqued.  As the General Sales Manager of the Tampa market, I am big on our local Tampa Bay community.  We like to give back!  I am proud to be a part of an organization that focuses on what many other recruitment solution organizations do not, matching local talent with local companies.  To register as a candidate at the career fair visit www.jobnewstampa.com and again it is free!  To participate as an exhibitor, please feel free to contact me directly atfkneitel@jobnewsusa.com or at 813-875-8555.  We look forward to seeing you all there!  And, stay tuned for our next career fair to be held April 12th at the Marriot Roosevelt in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area!
Address:  5601 Mariner Street
               Suite #102
               Tampa, FL  33609
 
Hillsborough County
www.jobnewstampa.com (local website) and our national website iswww.jobnewsusa.com

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Remembering Coach McKay's winning ways

Here is the most recent news on our Tampa Bay Buccs:

 

TAMPA - As the story goes, John McKay, already an icon as football coach at the University of Southern California, was dining with his buddy, Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant. They were at Chasen's, then the ultimate see-and-be-seen spot in Beverly Hills.

The waiter approached.

"Coach McKay," he said, "Mr. Sinatra has a table in back and wants you to stop by."

McKay, unflinching: "You tell him to come up and see us."

A few minutes later, there was Frank Sinatra, paying homage.

Yes, John McKay absolutely did it his way. At USC, where his steady stream of one-liners played well with the Hollywood set, he won four national championships. McKay was the king.

Then he gave it all away to join an NFL expansion franchise. Fans in Los Angeles thought he was crazy. McKay probably agreed when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their first 26 games.

But McKay's plan worked. The Bucs went from worst to first, coming within 10 points of a Super Bowl appearance in 1979, just two years after the 0-and-26 nightmare. In turn, McKay added to his legacy, showing a level of determination that wasn't required when overseeing a college-football dynasty.

McKay will be posthumously inducted into the Bucs' Ring of Honor (joining his former defensive end, Lee Roy Selmon, the Pro Football Hall of Famer) at halftime in today's game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium.

 

Click here to read more.

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Ultimate Dodgeball

For all fo you dodgeball fanatics out there, there is now a center where you can play dodgeball in a trampoline arena in Tampa. Read below to get more details about this place:

 

Boing! Jump Canter

welcomes all ages, beginners to professional athletes to defy gravity on our Giant Trampoline Arena!  Whether you want to enjoy open jump, play dodgeball (BOING! style), host a party or event, or get a crazy workout doing BOINGRobics, BOING! Jump Center is the place for you! 

Located at 622-624 Ware Blvd, Tampa 33619, next to Brandon Crossroads Bowl

 

Phone: 813-341-4897

 Email: info@boingjumpcenter.com

 

Click here to go to their website.

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"Real" Thanksgiving Story

• Here is an event for the kids to learn more about thanksgiving this year in Tampa:
• Tampa Bay History Center
  801 Old Water St., Tampa FL 33602

• Kids spend their day unearthing a Timucuan kitchen mound and learning about the special meal shared between Spanish explorers and Florida's first people. This event is part of Discovery Days and open to children in grades 3-5. Early drop-off and extended pick-up available for an additional fee.

Price: $35 per child, $30 per child members.

Categories: Family, Holiday, Kid-friendly, Museums

Phone: (813) 675-8960

Click here to learn more.

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Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens $20 Tickets

Hey everyone! This Thursday only, you and up to 3 friends can get tickets for Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens for only $20! Here is the website where you can buy them:

http://tampa.howl-o-scream.com/#/buy-tickets/florida-residents/

It's only for Thursday the 28th, which is tomorrow! So hurry up and get yours.

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High Hopes in High Heels

High Hopes in High Heels, a local nonprofit organization made up of professional woman who want to make a difference in their community, hosted a “Back to School Carnival” for Kids Charity of Tampa Bay as our 3rd community project for 2010. The event took place on August 7, 2010 at A Kid’s Place in Brandon, Fla.

The event was from 10 a.m – 1 p.m., and the children varied in age from 1-8 years old and all resided on the property. High Hopes in High Heels set up several game stations around the outside play area including: bucket toss, can knock down, a bubble station, jump rope station, football toss and duck wars. There were prizes given to every child when they played the different games and smiling faces were all around. The highlights of the day were the bounce house, popcorn machine, and snow cone machine donated by TNC Moonwalk Rentals. High Hopes in High Heels also brought slip-n-slides for the kids to enjoy on what turned out to be a very hot day and donated the slip-n-rides to Kid’s Charity, so the kids could enjoy for summers to come. The children had a screaming-good time in the bounce house and didn’t want to come out for lunch.

HHinHH provided lunch and dessert for the house parents, staff, volunteers, and children to enjoy after a morning of fun.

Earlier in the month High Hopes in High Heels hosted a spa fundraiser at Pia Esthetics in South Tampa in order to raise the funds necessary to organize this event and also received donations from TNC Moonwalk.

This was an incredible event and planning for the 2011 Carnival has already started to make next year even bigger and better. High Hopes in High Heels is looking forward to forming a lasting relationship with Kids Charity of Tampa Bay and being a part of their future success!

About High Hopes in High Heels:
High Hopes in High Heels (HHinHH) is a nonprofit organization that is composed of professional women who want to make a difference in the local community. They meet regularly to discuss the needs of various nonprofit organizations/causes and plan different fundraisers/community projects to help as much as we can.

Their mission is to educate and inspire women to make a difference in the lives of their neighbors by spotlighting local charity organizations, providing opportunities to make informed giving decisions and to foster personal and professional development through networking opportunities.

HHinHH meets for different networking events, social outings, and has started to have nonprofit organizations reach out to their group when they are in need of volunteers for special events. The members also participate in walks for various causes to raise awareness about health issues.

High Hopes in High Heels is composed of over fifty members to date and continues to grow! Please see the website www.highhopesinhighheels.org for additional information and be sure to check out their Facebook fan page and blog for event photos and additional information.

Buccaneers Are 1-0 For The First Time Since 2005

http://www.pjtampabay.com

Behind a defense that was nearly impenetrable in the second half and the first career receiving touchdowns by Mike Williams and Micheal Spurlock, the Buccaneers rallied for a 17-14 season-opening win over Cleveland.

Raheem Morris says he has two goals for his defense, and neither center around the NFL’s defensive yardage ranking.  Those two goals: Score and get the ball back.

No, Ronde Barber didn’t quite get in the end zone for his 14th career touchdown on his 38th career interception in the second quarter, but he did indeed get the ball back.  And that’s something the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did time and again in the second half to produce a 17-14 comeback win over the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

Tampa Bay’s defense did not allow a single first down by the Browns for a game-time span of 24 minutes and six seconds in the second half, allowing QB Josh Freeman to produce the only points after the intermission on a 33-yard touchdown pass to WR Micheal Spurlock.  Cleveland’s eight drives of the second half ended like this: fumble, three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, interception, turnover on downs, end of game.

Read full article and see great clips on the Buccaneers official website: Rise Up! Defense Comes Alive in Win Over Browns

 

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African American Fraternity Leaders Challenge 1,000 Members to Become Big Brothers

Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi continue their commitment to youth through support of Big Brothers Big Sisters
 
Largo, FL, (August 25, 2010)- The nation’s three largest African American fraternities are asking their brothers to lead the movement to put boys on the path to success.  The fraternities’ challenge to each of their brothers?  Become a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters!
 
Leaders from Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi, which collaborated last year as national partners of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the country’s largest donor-supported volunteer mentoring network, sent letters to their fraternity members suggesting that now is the time for change.  They outlined a 2010 goal for at least 1,000 fraternity men to become Big Brothers.
 
Engaging the African American community as a partner and recruiting male mentors is a priority for Big Brothers Big Sisters as children of color, specifically African American boys, disproportionately represent children waiting to be matched with mentors.
 
In a joint letter, distributed electronically to their fellow members, the three national fraternities made this call to action:
 
We have before us, a rare opportunity to demonstrate the unique power of our organizations to make change happen, for real. We are in fact the most significant gathering of Black male leadership available for service to the nation. We are in a meaningful and growing relationship with the best youth mentoring organization in history, Big Brothers Big Sisters.
 
As of March 16, 2010 there are 7,453 young Black boys who have stood up and stated they want a Big Brother.  There are tens of thousands of active Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi men who are capable of answering the call of these vulnerable youth.  Beyond the confines of our membership, we provide leadership in our churches, places of work and communities. Let us now call the entire community to action and once and for all explode the myth that all Black men are “missing in action” when it comes to being engaged where we worship, work and live.
 
Our 2010 goal is impactful and doable: A Minimum of 1,000 Fraternity Men Become Big Brothers. With a win for our community in 2010 we will set ourselves up to do more in 2011 and beyond.
 
The great news is that no one man has to step up for 1,000 boys. We are calling for one man to stand with one youth. As each man engages across our country, we will together bend the long arc of the moral universe toward justice.  Our eventual goal is to find a mentor for every one of those nearly 7,500 kids who are waiting for the right kind of man to emulate. A man like you!
 
We are moving forward brothers. Men are becoming Big Brothers, now. Men are leading on Big Brothers Big Sisters boards, now. Men are building careers at Big Brothers Big Sisters, now. Men are contributing financially to Big Brothers Big Sisters, now. What are you going to do?  You have to do something or we will not realize our collective vision if more men are not stepping up as mentors in focused one-to-one relationships. Gentlemen, the very future of the fraternal system as we currently know it is at risk of becoming irrelevant, if we stand by idly and do nothing.
 
We are the ones to love mankind, achieve and see it through. Brothers let us get this done. Start something big and be a Big Brother!  Getting involved with this historic alliance compliments and does not replace our current programs. Go to MentoringBrothers.org to take action today.
 
In order to be men our boys must see men; Alpha, Kappa and Omega men!
 
Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr.
33rd General President
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
 
Dwayne M. Murray, Esq.
31st Grand Polemarch
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
 
Warren G. Lee, Jr.
38th Grand Basileus
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc
 
 
Big Brothers Big Sisters is proud to serve as a partner with these leading fraternities.  Locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters is searching for volunteers from all walks of life to mentor a child.  There are more than 1,000 boys in the Tampa Bay area alone hoping to be matched with a Big Brother.  To find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters in your community and how you can begin to impact the life of a child, visit www.bbbspc.org or call 727-518-8860 
 
About Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Pinellas, Hernando & Citrus Counties
Big Brothers Big Sisters helps vulnerable children beat the odds.  The organization depends on donations to help recruit volunteers and reach more children.  Funding is used to conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County serves Pinellas, Hernando, and Citrus Counties. For more information, visit www.bbbspc.org.

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Pinellas County Volunteers Needed to Make a Big Difference with Big Brothers Big Sisters

Largo, FL (August 13, 2010) – Who taught you to tie your first shoe? Who went to the first game you ever played in? Big Brothers Big Sisters is currently seeking volunteers to be a part of many “firsts” for children right here in Pinellas County. There are more than 200 children on the waiting list hoping for a Big Brother, Big Sister, or Big Couple. By investing just a few hours a month, volunteers can make a life changing impact on a child.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County is in dire need of mentors, especially male and minority mentors. There are more than 200 boys on the waiting list waiting to be matched with a positive role model. More than 74% percent of children waiting for a “Big” are boys, but only 34 out of every 100 inquiries to volunteer come from men. Now more than ever, Big Brothers Big Sisters needs male volunteers to step up and help kids.

Economic circumstances have created a greater need for more families to have professionally backed long-term mentoring support. Single-parent homes, neighborhoods with gangs and crime, poor role models and poverty can lead a child to despair, lack of self-worth and ultimately poor choices. In addition, there are an increasing number of children being raised by relative caregivers in Pinellas County. These caregivers are unexpectedly faced with the challenge of raising children with time and resource constraints. Fortunately there are people who are willing to step up and provide these children with a positive, caring role model.

Mentoring is one of the most rewarding, enjoyable and simple things a volunteer can do. For as little as one hour a week, volunteers can add joy to the life of a child, and ultimately, contribute greatly to his or her potential. Together, “Bigs” and “Littles” do simple, everyday activities, such as going to a sporting event, playing a game, going to a park, or watching movies.

Research shows that having the positive influence of a “Big” makes a real difference in the life of a child. “Littles” experience improvements in academic performance, behavior and relationships at home and elsewhere, according to independent studies. In Pinellas County, kids matched with a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” are 96.5% less likely to become involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice. “Littles” have also demonstrated better success in school with a 96% promotion rate to the next grade level.
Since 1967, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County has been helping our communities’ most vulnerable children through the power of a relationship with a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister”, giving kids the support and care they need to make good choices. When a carefully screened adult volunteer is matched with a child at risk, the path to their future is repaved with hope.

You don’t have to change your life to change the life of a child.

 Help Big Brothers Big Sisters change the lives of children and learn how you can make a difference by going to www.bbbspc.org or by calling 727-518-8860

---

About Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Pinellas, Hernando & Citrus Counties Big Brothers Big Sisters helps vulnerable children beat the odds. The organization depends on donations to help recruit volunteers and reach more children. Funding is used to conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County serves Pinellas, Hernando, and Citrus Counties. For more information, visit www.bbbspc.org

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Clam Bayou Undergoing One-Year, Seven-Stage Restoration

GULFPORT

Plenty of trash can accumulate on 2,400 acres of urban land. That's the size of the watershed — almost 4 square miles — that flows into Clam Bayou. And, right now, most of its trash and pollutants flow practically unabated into the bayou, an estuary on Boca Ciega Bay that borders Gulfport and St. Petersburg.

Soda cans, plastic bottles and other pieces of trash that have washed down become lodged in the mangrove trees and other vegetation growing in the bayou. The trash flows through the estuary on moving water or deposits itself on the banks of retention ponds during low tide. It turns a place of beauty into a junkyard.

But all that is about to change.

A yearlong project is under way to restore the bayou and to treat the stormwater that runs into it.

Partners in the project, which began in May, include Gulfport and St. Petersburg, the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Surface Water Improvement and Management Program.

When it's done next May, 24 acres of coastal habitat will be restored and 20 acres of ponds will be built to help filter pollutants in stormwater runoff.

Brandt Henningsen, SWIM environmental scientist, and Janie Hagberg, SWIM engineer, recently checked out the progress at Clam Bayou.

They said the project is moving along on schedule.

The first of seven project areas has been completed. Spoil mounds on the northern end of the bayou have been leveled and non-native vegetation growing on them removed to improve water flow in the bayou. Spoil mounds are simply piles of dredged matter from past work on the bayou. Non-native vegetation — mostly Brazilian pepper trees — sprouts on them, hindering water flow.

These particular spoil mounds were made in the 1950s when all of Florida was digging mosquito ditches in an attempt to make paths that would entice fish to come and eat the mosquito larvae, Henningsen said. It seemed like a good idea at the time, he said, but it didn't work.

Work has moved to the second project site, where bulldozers and backhoes are enlarging and reconfiguring a retention pond on the north end of the bayou.

Hagberg, the project's engineer, explained that the pond had to be bigger and deeper to handle the water flowing into the bayou from the north and the east.

"The ponds will reduce floatable objects by 99 percent," Hagberg said. The outflow area of the ponds will be fashioned in such a way that trash gets hung up there to then be picked up by workers.

"You will immediately be able to notice the lack of trash. Water quality improvement takes a little time," Hagberg said.

 

To read more of Patty Ewald's article, click here.

 

http://www.pjtampabay.com

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Shop With A Cop

Let’s all step it up this year and support the “Shop With A Cop” program under the direction of the Zephyrhills Police Department. The ZPD is partnering with the Zephyrhills community to help collect school supplies and money for this effort.  This year more than ever, families are in need of assistance in providing basic clothing and school supplies for their children to attend school. The kids need Kinder Mats, crayons, pens, pencils, 3 ring binders, notebook paper, notebooks, composition books, pocket dictionaries, calculators, sandwich bags, hand sanitizer, wipes, tissues, backpacks (no wheels), and/or monetary donations for clothing.

Any business wishing to set up a collection box, donate gift cards or make charitable donations toward this cause, please contact Lori Tindall at 813-780-0050 ext 147.

Thank you for making Zephyrhills the caring community we all know and love. Together we CAN make a difference!

 

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'Weird Al' Yankovic will perform at St. Petersburg's Mahaffey Theater

Before YouTube came along and allowed everyone and their slightly off-kilter 13-year-old cousin to spoof all those fluffy radio hits, pop culturists largely looked to one mustachioed madman to skewer the Madonnas of the world: "Weird Al" Yankovic. • Times might have changed (and his 'stache might be gone), but 50-year-old Alfred Matthew Yankovic is still out there, satirizing the chart-toppers. On Sunday at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, the Weird One — with his trusty accordion all juiced up — will go live with such classics as Eat It and Smells Like Nirvana. Will he also take a p-p-poke at Lady Gaga? • In a recent podcast interview, Stuck in the '80s boys Sean Daly and Steve Spears just had to know which current artists are in Al's crosshairs, whether the '80s were better for mocking people and if he ever met the King of Pop:

Did Michael Jackson ever give you any feedback on your skewering of Beat It and Bad?

Want to know what he said? To hear the full "Weird Al" Yankovic interview, go to tampabay.com/blogs/80s. or read the blog here.

 

http://www.pjtampabay.com

Your local Papa John's for the Tampa Bay area!

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