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Homebuyers’ HOPE

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designated the month of June as National Homeownership Month. Pinellas County is also recognizing the month and will be participating in the annual Home Ownership for People Everywhere Expo on Saturday, June 2, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Raymond James Financial Center, 880 Carillon Parkway, Tower 4, St. Petersburg. The event is free.

 

Attendees at the HOPE Expo will meet housing counselors, lenders, real estate agents and other professionals to offer helpful information to those interested in purchasing a home. The event also features the popular homebuyer workshop which provides a comprehensive overview of the home buying process. Workshop attendees will receive a certificate which is required by some lenders and down payment assistance programs. 

 

The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County is a sponsor of the event and staff will be on hand to discuss its popular first-time homebuyer program and low-interest loan program. According to Anthony M. Jones, executive director, “The HOPE Expo is the perfect venue for individuals who are considering buying a home. Everything related to the home-buying process is conveniently available under one roof.”

 

Seating for the workshop is limited and registrations should be made by Wednesday, May 30, online or by calling (727) 461-0618, ext. 3.

 

You can also view a video about the HOPE Expo.

 

Watch your watering day

On May 9, 2012 the Southwest Florida Water Management District issued an emergency Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage Order for the Tampa Bay Area. The order specifies that:

 

• Lawn and landscape watering is limited to one day a week
• Watering is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• All observed violations will result in a fine of $193
• Fountains may only operate four hours per day
• Car washing is limited to once per week and only on the designated watering day for your location
• Pressure washing is allowed once a year or for necessary purposes
• Restaurants shall only serve water upon request

 

For more information call (727) 464-4000 or look up your authorized watering day.

 

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EMS Professionals of the Year

At its Tuesday, May 8, meeting, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners named this year’s Emergency Medical Services Professionals of the Year.    

 

The awards are given each year in May in honor of EMS Week, locally commemorating the EMS professionals working for Pinellas County’s emergency medical services system.

 

This year’s Paramedic of the Year is Sunstar Paramedic Nicholas Christiani.  Christiani has worked for Sunstar for the past six years, and as a Sunstar preceptor for the last two years.

 

George Farrell was named Emergency Medical Technician of the Year.  Farrell is a 30-year firefighter/EMT with Lealman Fire Rescue.  Farrell also works as a preceptor with St. Petersburg College and volunteers his time as an auxiliary member of the Florida Highway Patrol.

 

Paramedic/Emergency Medical Dispatcher Eric Fayad was named Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year, a new category for this year’s EMS Week awards. Fayad started his career with EMS in 1999 as an EMT, and became a paramedic in 2001. Fayad currently works as an emergency medical dispatcher and communications training officer in the Sunstar Communications Center. 

The award recipients each received a plaque and a cash award from the Pinellas County Federal Credit Union.

 

Also honored at Tuesday’s awards ceremony with special recognition was 9-1-1 Telecommunicator/EMD Lissette Arias from the county’s Emergency Communications/9-1-1 Center. 

 

A special video profiling the major award winners is available on YouTube.

 

EMS Week is celebrated nationally each May by the American College of Emergency Physicians.  The theme of this year’s celebration is: “More than a job - a calling.”

 

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Summer Passport Adventures

Heritage Village is offering a Passport Adventures program this summer for children ages 4 to 11. The two-hour sessions are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, June 20 to 29 and July 11 to Aug. 10. The cost of participation is $3 per child and group size is limited to between 20 to 60 children. Reservations and adult supervision are required.

 

Docent teen volunteers ages 12 to 17 will lead the two-hour-long program in a beautiful setting of 28 historical buildings. Children will learn how early homesteaders, fishermen and sailors lived and worked through songs, games, a take-home toy-making project and other hands-on activities. Maps for a self-guided discovery tour will be provided to participants after the program.

Summer camp, recreation, church and other groups are invited to participate in this program.

 

For more information or to register for the program call (727) 582-2125.

Heritage Village is located at 11909 125th St. N. in Largo. This living history museum brings more than 150 years of local history to life. Tour more than 28 authentic buildings and structures and experience historical Pinellas County through hands-on exploration. Paths wind through 21 acres and connect with the Florida Botanical Gardens and the Pinewood Cultural Park campus.

 

Heritage Village is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. It is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and all Pinellas County holidays.

 

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Beach recycling expands

Visitors to Pinellas County beaches will be able to recycle more materials at more locations beginning May 1. The expanded recycling effort along the beaches is part of Phase II of the Gulf Beaches Recycling Program and will include an expanded, more efficient collection. Waste Management, Inc. has been selected as the vendor providing centralized collection and reporting services.

 

As in Phase I of the recycling program, residents and visitors should look for new blue plastic recycling containers at beach access areas and along the beaches. The convenient containers for collecting recyclables will be placed near parking areas so beachgoers can drop off items as they enter or leave the beach. Recycling bins may also be located along the beach side for the convenience of the public. Phase II of this program offers the potential to recycle more materials. With the exception of yard waste, all recyclable materials defined in the Recycle Today directory are acceptable, such as aluminum, plastics, magazines and newspaper.

 

Phase II of the Gulf Beaches Recycling Program is expanding services in the towns of North Redington Beach, Redington Beach, and Redington Shores. Additionally, county beach access areas such as Fred Howard Park, Tiki Gardens beach access, Park Blvd. boat ramp, and St. Pete Beach are also included in the program.  

 

Pinellas County staff, Waste Management and representatives from the participating Phase II cities recently met to analyze the various sites and coordinate operations. Reports from the participants in Phase I indicate high participation rates and minimal contamination.

 

With an estimated 13 million visitors to Pinellas County each year, this program will deliver a strong eco-friendly message to all beachgoers.

 

Visit Pinellas County Utilities or call (727) 464-7500 for more information.

 

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Teens go behind the scenes

Local high school students through the Youth Advisory Committee proposed a new idea to Pinellas County Commissioners. They wanted a program, modeled after the existing Pinellas Citizen’s University, for teens-only to embark on a once-a-month project which would take them on a journey to better understand first-hand what goes into keeping the county running. Thus, Teens Behind the Scenes was born.

 

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, about a dozen high school students began their education in government, getting a firsthand look at Pinellas County Public Works. They saw what it takes to control the timing of traffic lights, make roadway signs, run Mosquito Control and operate the host of other services provided by the department.

 

In following sessions they investigated the roles of law enforcement, prosecuting and defense attorneys and judges. They visited the grand jury room, toured the Pinellas County jail and got a behind-the-scenes look at Pinellas County Emergency Medical System.

 

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.

 

On Tuesday, April 24, at 6 p.m. in the final Teens Behind the Scenes session these students were officially congratulated for their achievement by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners at its regular evening meeting. Each member of the Youth Advisory Committee received a Certificate of Recognition for helping make The Teens Behind the Scenes county program a success.  

 

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New limits on reclaimed water

To alleviate the risk of running out of reclaimed water, action is being taken to reduce daily system demands. Beginning Friday, April 20, at 12:01 a.m., Pinellas County reclaimed water customers will have reclaimed water available two days per week for irrigation in 24-hour intervals beginning at 12:01 a.m.

 

On Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays the reclaimed water system will be down for maintenance and storage level recovery. This action will affect all reclaimed water customers. Irrigation with Pinellas County supplied reclaimed water is authorized for certain days per week, and only during authorized hours as adopted by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners ordinance. The watering on alternate days should follow the schedule based on house numbers:

 

• Addresses ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), water on Tuesday and Saturday.
• Addresses ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), water on Wednesday and Sunday.
• If your property contains a mix of addresses or if an address cannot be determined, such as common areas associated with a residential subdivision, water on Wednesday and Sunday.
• Watering is prohibited daily between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

 

During recent months, very limited rainfall in the Pinellas County reclaimed water service area and higher than normal temperatures have increased customer demand. Storage levels of reclaimed water have been rapidly declining, to the point of exhausting the water in storage and potentially damaging pump equipment.

As in previous years, this reduced availability is a temporary change that will provide reclaimed water on alternating days of the week. As a result, Pinellas County will be able to slowly restore normal pond operating levels and provide sufficient volume of reclaimed water to meet lawn irrigation needs and maintain adequate system pressure for all customers. Additional conservation measures and stepped-up enforcement may be required to maintain operations  during this seasonal dry period.

This irrigation schedule is anticipated to remain in effect until at least early July 2012, when seasonal rainfall resumes in the service area and storage levels recover, at which time the reclaimed water system will be returned to full operation.

Pinellas County appreciates customers’ patience, understanding, and cooperation. For more details, please call Customer Service regarding reclaimed water at (727) 464-4000, or visit Pinellas County Utilities. 

 

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Building permits on Super Tuesday

In an effort to assist more people, the Pinellas County Department of Building and Development Review Services has extended its hours.

 

The BDRS office, on the third floor of 440 Court St. in Clearwater, is now open every Tuesday until 6:30 p.m., with a focus on issuing residential building permits.

 

The current schedule of BDRS hours is: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the first Wednesday of each month from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Visit BDRS for more information.

 

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Sailboat joins T.I. reef

A 40-foot, steel-hull sailboat has been added to the Treasure Island II reef. The sailboat was donated by a local non-profit group, Fishbuilders Foundation Inc., and placed in 100 feet of water on April 3.

 

This new addition to the reef is sitting upright on the bottom and will enhance the site as a diving and fishing destination. The reef is located 26.6 nautical miles west of John’s Pass (Latitude 27°41.757', Longitude 83°17.520').

The Treasure Island II reef was established in January 2004 and is home to three other marine vessels: an 85 foot steel-hull shrimp boat, a 42 foot Ferro-cement sailboat and a 50 foot trawler sunk in July 2009.

 

The Pinellas County Division of Solid Waste maintains 14 reef sites, 3 to 38 miles offshore. One is located in Tampa Bay north of The Pier in St. Petersburg with the remaining reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

For more information visit Pinellas County Artificial Reefs.

 

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Summer camp for kids

Registration is now open for one-week children’s summer camps at Brooker Creek and Weedon Island preserves.

 

Brooker Creek Preserve

 

The Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve offer two one-week Toad-ally Terrific camps for young adventurers ages 9 to 11. The camps, led by certified elementary classroom teachers, are designed for youth with a strong interest in experiencing a hands-on, up-close investigation of the various plants and animals that inhabit Brooker Creek Preserve.

 

The Toad-ally Terrific camps, scheduled for June 18 to 22 and June 25 to 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., are $150 per child.  The camp includes an optional overnight campout on Thursday. Space is limited, so early registration is recommended.

For more information or to register your children for the Toad-ally Terrific camp, please call (727) 934-2680 or email.  

 

Brooker Creek Preserve will also offer Herpetology and Wildlife Ecology camps for children ages 7 to 11.

 

Herpetology Camp participants will explore the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles through close encounters with a variety of animals, including tortoises, frogs, lizards and snakes, while Wildlife Ecology Camp participants will learn about the ecology of Florida’s wildlife and natural habitats through hands-on activities, classroom sessions and guest presentations. The camps will be led by wildlife biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich.

The Herpetology Camp, July 23 to 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wildlife Ecology camp, July 30 to Aug. 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,are limited to 30 participants, based on the sign-up date and receipt of the $150 registration fee.

For more information or to register your child, please contact Heinrich Ecological Services, (727) 865-6255, or email.

 

Brooker Creek Preserve protects more than 8,700 acres of natural ecosystems and is located at 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs. The preserve, the horse trails and the Friends Trail are open daily and holidays.

 

The Environmental Education Center in the preserve features interactive exhibits and 22 discovery-oriented experiences that are fun for the entire family. It is operated by the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Department and is open Thursday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Sunday through Wednesday and all Pinellas County holidays.

 

To learn more about Brooker Creek Preserve and its upcoming programs and events, visit the website or call (727) 453-6800. Videos featuring Brooker Creek Preserve can be viewed on You Tube.
 

Weedon Island Preserve

 

The Pinellas County summer schedule includes a Herpetology Camp and Wildlife Ecology Camp for children ages 7 to 11 at Weedon Island Preserve.

 

Herpetology Camp participants will explore the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles through close encounters with a variety of animals, including tortoises, frogs, lizards and snakes, while Wildlife Ecology Camp participants will learn about the ecology of Florida’s wildlife and natural habitats through hands-on activities, classroom sessions and guest presentations. The camps will be led by wildlife biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich.

 

The Herpetology Camp runs from July 9 to 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Wildlife Ecology Camp runs July 16 to 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are limited to 30 participants each, based on the sign-up date and receipt of the $150 registration fee.

 

For more information or to register your child, please contact Heinrich Ecological Services, (727) 865-6255, or email.

 

Weedon Island also offers Exploring the Past – Archaeology Summer Camps, for campers ages 7 to 11.

 

The camp is designed for children with a strong interest in prehistory and history as well as learning how early people interacted with their environment. Campers will learn about the importance of archaeology and will gain understanding about early natural resources that were necessary for life in the Tampa Bay region. Highlights of the camps include guest experts, tour of an archaeological site, hands-on archaeology, lab analysis, pottery making, atlatl adventure and earning the certificate of Tommy the Tortoise, Junior Archaeologist.

 

There are two Archeology Summer Camp sessions, from June 25 to 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and July 23 to 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $150 for each camp session.

 

For more information, contact Florida Public Archaeology Network (813) 396-2328, or email.

 

Find summer camp information online.

 

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 Pinellas County 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, visit the website or call (727) 453-6500. Videos featuring Weedon Island Preserve can be viewed on You Tube.

 

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 these programs, 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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