Displaying items by tag: Pinellas County

St. Petersburg, Florida - Jennifer Silva, Executive Director of Clothes To Kids, announced today that the organization has selected a location for its new St. Petersburg store. Clothes To Kids (CTK), whose mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to low income, school-age children in Pinellas County free of charge, has been operating for nearly six years out of a single location in Clearwater.  The addition of the second store will allow CTK to better fulfill its mission by making its services more accessible to the more than 25,000 eligible children who live south of Ulmerton Road. The new CTK store, slated to open in August of this year, is located in the Cornerstone Center at 3251 Third Avenue North, Suite 145 South, in St. Petersburg. 

Next month the Sheriff’s Office will begin enforcing a new County Alarm Ordinance. The ordinance, which will become effective on July 1, 2009, will require home and business owners to register their alarm systems with our office, or face the possibility of being fined for any false alarms which may occur at the home or business.

Clearwater, FL -- The City of Clearwater has been awarded $1.39 million in stimulus money, under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, to enhance the section of the Pinellas Trail traversing downtown Clearwater.

When the Pinellas Trail opened in the 1990’s, no designated trail was built through downtown Clearwater. A larger sidewalk was later built along East Avenue, from Drew Street to Turner Street, to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. The current plan, approved for the federal stimulus money, will transform the southbound lane of East Avenue into a two-way bicycle lane, through this same stretch.

Clearwater, FL -- At the Clearwater City Council meeting on Thursday, May 21st, the City of Clearwater Neighborhood Services Division presented their annual Neighborhood of the Year and Home of the Year awards for 2008/2009.

Martinis and Matisse an Art Lottery

This year at this unique event, guest will view dozens of donated works of art while enjoying martinis, smooth jazz music, and fantastic food and desserts provide by area restaurants, Bonefish Grill, Bella Vino, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Salt Rock Grill, Rumba Island Bar & Grill, Guppy’s on the Beach, Marlin Darlin’, E & E Stakeout Grill, Island Way Grill, Mecca Café’, and Greektown Grille.

At the end of the evening, each piece of art will go home with a winner of the lottery style auction.

From the Desk of Sheriff Jim Coats December 2008

As we begin the New Year, I would like to thank the citizens of Pinellas County for their overwhelming support.  I look forward to my second term as your Sheriff, and my staff and I have implemented many initiatives despite having faced some serious and unprecedented budget challenges along the way.  

All of our programs and services have been scrutinized to determine their cost effectiveness and productivity.  This analysis became especially important during the past year when it became clear that there would be a significant reduction in our budget even though our operating costs had increased.  Through some reorganization, including the elimination of some positions and modification of services, we endured and we are now planning for the future.

It is anticipated that we will once again face budget cuts in the coming fiscal year; however, I am confident that our ongoing efforts to ensure efficiency will allow us meet the challenge ahead.  Some of the initiatives aimed at saving money,  while still providing superior service to our citizens, include improvements in some patrol operations, crime prevention programs, and the use of volunteers.

Local Volunteers Recognized by Regency Oaks

Clearwater, Fla. -- On November 18, 2008 Regency Oaks recognized more than 40 volunteers at a Volunteer Appreciation event held in the community’s Town Hall. Teecy Matthews of Volunteer USA Foundation, Tallahassee, keynoted the event and joined Regency Oaks in recognizing the volunteers with plaques.

Urban Dining and Entertainment News by Ali Seghrouchni

Time to Make the Doughnuts

Win FREE DUNKIN’ Doughnuts for a Year!

A brand new Dunkin’ Donuts is now open in Downtown Clearwater, located in the Historic Red Brick Telephone Building, 534 Cleveland Street.

Their Grand Opening Event – Friday, December 5.

First 50 customers in the doors beginning at 5 a.m. will win FREE Dunkin’ Treats for a year (including products such as coffee, sandwiches, etc.)

Anyone making a purchase on Friday, December 5, will have their receipt entered in the store’s raffle drawing for 1pm on Saturday, December 6 (must be present to win.)

Mayor Frank Hibbard will be visiting the location at 10am for the restaurant’s official ribbon cutting.

More prizes at the Grand Opening Event – Saturday, December 6

For the 1pm raffle drawing (for which people are entered if they made a purchase on 12/5 and are present for the drawing), 1st prize is a Flat Screen TV, 2nd prize is a digital camera, 3rd prize is three iPod Nanos (3 winners), and 10 runner-up prizes of $50 gift cards (10 winners) will be given away.

Visitors between 6pm – 11pm will receive a free cup or cone of Baskin Robbins Soft Serve Ice Cream for 25 cents.

With the winter holiday season quickly approaching I am once again compelled to encourage everyone to prevent crime by eliminating opportunity.  There are many steps that you can take to protect yourself and your valuables from a holiday thief.

One of the most effective ways to protect yourself is to remain aware of your surroundings.  This means taking the extra time to park in well lit areas, and to look for suspicious people loitering nearby before getting out of your car.  If you see something or someone that makes you feel uncomfortable, move to another parking area and/or report your suspicions to security guards, or a law enforcement officer.  We would much rather investigate a suspicious person report than a violent crime.  Other suggestions include limiting the amount of cash and credit cards you carry while shopping, and when possible, avoid shopping alone.

The most effective way to protect your valuables is to properly secure them.  One of the most common points of entry for car burglars is through an unlocked door or an open window.  You would be surprised how many vehicle burglaries we investigate because owners simply did not lock their cars.  By locking your car doors, and closing windows completely, this is arguably one of the most preventable crimes.  For this reason, locking your car doors and windows is especially important during the holiday season when many people travel from one location to another while shopping.

It is also recommended that you place gifts, packages, and other valuables in the trunk of your car or at least move them out of plain view.  Purses, wallets, gift cards, portable electronics, and cash are all an open invitation for a criminal to break into your car.

By taking a few minutes to protect yourself and your belongings you may prevent a crime.  By doing so you are once again helping us in “Leading The Way For A Safer Pinellas.”

If you would like other suggestions regarding holiday safety please contact the Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit at (727) 582-5611.

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Haiti

Often we get caught up in our own busy lives and spheres of influence and forget that there is a whole other world out there, consisting of others that may not be as fortunate as us.

The economic situation in Haiti would make most of us long for home in appreciation for the opportunities we have in this country.

Haiti, with its 75% unemployment rate, $15-$20.00 average income per week, 70% illiteracy, 10,000+ homeless in the capital and thousands of children living on the streets; is visibly a country less blessed than our own.

Taking matters into their own hands, three of Clearwater’s Scientology Volunteer Ministers, Cary Goulston, Mike Campbell and Brad Kugler—all who have businesses and families to care for—decided to reach outside their comfort zone and give relief to Haiti. After months of fundraising and preparation, they traveled to Haiti last month to deliver enough Kenaf seeds (a fast growing plant that is an ideal food and building source) to feed thousands of Haitians.  Equally important are the educational tools the three provided to the people of Haiti. These tools were developed by L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology) to further assist them in reversing their unprecedented rate of economic decline.