Friday, July 3, 2009
I(SS) in the sky...
If you are reading this from the Tampa, Fl area, look up to the skies to see the International Space Station on Monday, July 6 at 9:05pm. Look to the south, just above the horizon and for 5 minutes you should be able to track the ISS as it travels low across the sky.
Florida-friendly landscaping and your HOA
Law allows all residents to install Florida-friendly landscaping
A new law signed by Gov. Charlie Crist promotes the installation of Florida-friendly landscaping. The law states that homeowners associations (HOAs) may not prohibit a homeowner from applying Florida-friendly landscaping to their property or create any requirement or limitation in conflict with state law.
Florida-friendly landscaping emphasizes nine easy-to-accomplish principles that, when practiced, can have a significant positive impact on yards and the environment. The concept was developed by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences for the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program.
By following Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices, homeowners use a low-maintenance approach to landscaping that conserves water. Homeowners also spend less time maintaining their lawns and more time enjoying them.
"Because homeowners can no longer be prohibited from following Florida-friendly landscaping practices, they will have more freedom to choose the type of plants and turf that are right for their property," said Sylvia Durell, Florida-friendly landscaping project manager. "This is a great opportunity for homeowners to get know their yard's sun, soil and moisture conditions and put the right plant in the right place."
The law, which goes into effect today, also states that HOAs may not fine homeowners for brown lawns when the homeowner is abiding by water shortage rules such as the District's water shortage orders that restrict residents to watering their lawns one day per week.
For additional information about water restrictions, water conservation and the drought, please contact your local utility or visit the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org/drought/.
To learn more about Florida-friendly landscaping, please visit www.WaterMatters.org/yards or www.FloridaYards.org.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
media release- Back to School- Back to Nature, Aug 1
| Media contact: Dolly Cummings phone: 813-363-5438 2nd Annual Back to School- Back to Nature Event Saturday, August 1, 2009 9am- noon FREE but pre-registration is requested. Easy online registration preferred, click the link at http://www.campbayou.org/ . If you don't have internet access, call Camp Bayou at 813-641-8545 to make your reservation. Be sure to leave your name, number attending, child's grade level and phone number. All children must be accompanied by an adult. What happens on the morning of the event? Sign in at the registration table. Kids can then start learning at one of our fun and educational stops on the 'Big Lawn'. After playing an eco-game, or learning to use a GPS or touching a toad, or any one of the many activities at the nature stations, kids receive a free school supply item. Items given out include pens, pencils, looseleaf paper, spiral notebooks, and other useful items. Raffle tickets will be drawn on the half hour for backpacks, Publix Supermarket gift cards and more throughout the morning. Don't worry about missing your raffle number- all winners will be displayed on the board in the registration area. You must, however, claim your prize before 2pm on the day of the event. Organizations planning to attend include: South Shore Regional Library Ruskin Branch Library Family Support & Resource Center Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful Hillsborough County Solid Waste Florida Department of Forestry Camp Bayou Nature Center Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum to name just a few... Camp Bayou is a partnership between the Ruskin Community Development Foundation, Inc. and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. Visit us on the web at http://www.campbayou.org/ . ### Pictured: Herb and Sharon Berman talk to visitors about the frog's life cycle at last year's Back to School- Back to Nature Event |
Friday, June 26, 2009
Eclectic and Amazing Summer Art Exhibit
Abridged from the Friends of the SouthShore Regional Library email announcement:
Eclectic and Amazing Summer Art Exhibit
During July and August, the Crawford Art Studio at the SouthShore Regional Library is hosting an eclectic fine art exhibit of the Studio's 18 art educators. Each educator is also an active artist. All of the artists are well known in the Tampa Bay area. The "Opening Reception/ Meet the Artists" is Thursday evening July 9 from 6:30-8:00 pm. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the SouthShore Regional Library.
Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this summer cultural event. Please join us on July 9th. Call Suzanne Prach at 273-3652 for questions.
Eclectic and Amazing Summer Art Exhibit
During July and August, the Crawford Art Studio at the SouthShore Regional Library is hosting an eclectic fine art exhibit of the Studio's 18 art educators. Each educator is also an active artist. All of the artists are well known in the Tampa Bay area. The "Opening Reception/ Meet the Artists" is Thursday evening July 9 from 6:30-8:00 pm. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the SouthShore Regional Library.
Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this summer cultural event. Please join us on July 9th. Call Suzanne Prach at 273-3652 for questions.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Speak up for Hillsborough County Parks- July 16
From: GatorBob
TO: Outdoor Recreational Enthusiast and Families
SUBJECT: Hillsborough County Regional and Wilderness Parks Are About To Close.
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in their budget public hearing on Thursday, July 16th. Will consider seriously cutting the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department (HCPRC) budget that will leave the HCPRC no choice, but to close some or all of the 14 Regional and Wilderness Parks, serving over 4.9 million visitors like YOU and your family members.
Closures, shorter hours, and opening only for 2 or 3 days a week of these County Parks will seriously affect your access to many of the natural areas within the county where you can SAFELY hike, bike, paddle, or sit quietly reading a good book. I just can’t imagine not having a park to take the grand children for a picnic or summer birthday party. Moms and Dads won’t have access to our park system to teach their children about the pleasures of fishing, canoeing and kayaking or about nature in general.
The Parks Department does a remarkable job of maintaining the 16,500 acres of natural areas in the 14 sites that make up the County Regional Park system.
Currently, every person, regardless of their age, physical abilities, or income has access to our County Parks during daylight hours, seven days a week, 365 day a year
Under the proposed 2010 budget plan, of the 109 full time park rangers and managers, 54 will be terminated that were funded in the last budget cycle. 20 of those positions are currently vacant due to a hiring freeze. With only 55 employees left, keeping up with maintenance like mowing, cleaning rest rooms and emptying the garbage cans will become a challenge, with less security, trail maintenance and overall repairs to the facilities picnic pavilions and nature centers. Further cuts proposed in the 2011 budget cycle, under consideration at this same public hearing, will cut an additional 35 full time regional parks personnel forcing some or all the regional parks to close permanently.
At times when the tax revenue was in surplus, the HCPRC Wilderness and Regional Parks received a pittance increase in their budget. Now that revenues are well below budget, the Parks Department will be hit with a dis-appropriate amount of terminations and reduced funding.
Hillsborough County Regional and Wilderness Parks have been featured all over the world and are well known as some of the finest natural areas in Florida , if not the United States . Appearing in TV commercials, movies, travel magazines and newspapers has made our parks “a have to” travel destination, supporting the 16 million visitors annually to Hillsborough County who spend 1.3 billion dollars in our local businesses. The unintended consequences of neglecting our natural areas, preserves and parks will not only impact our recreation, but have a devastating effect on our local economy and the very jobs that support our families. NOW is the time to let YOUR voice be heard.
SIGNUP TO SPEAKUP;
July 16th. County Center , Commission Boardroom, 2nd floor, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd , Tampa , STARTING at 6PM.
If you cannot personally attend, then send a postcard or letter to BOCC Budget Hearing, P.O. Box 1110, Tampa, Florida, 33602 OR E-mail your Commissioners at; hcbudget@hillsboroughcounty.org . Do a friend a favor and tell them what’s happening by sending them a copy of this E-mail.
TO: Outdoor Recreational Enthusiast and Families
SUBJECT: Hillsborough County Regional and Wilderness Parks Are About To Close.
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in their budget public hearing on Thursday, July 16th. Will consider seriously cutting the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department (HCPRC) budget that will leave the HCPRC no choice, but to close some or all of the 14 Regional and Wilderness Parks, serving over 4.9 million visitors like YOU and your family members.
Closures, shorter hours, and opening only for 2 or 3 days a week of these County Parks will seriously affect your access to many of the natural areas within the county where you can SAFELY hike, bike, paddle, or sit quietly reading a good book. I just can’t imagine not having a park to take the grand children for a picnic or summer birthday party. Moms and Dads won’t have access to our park system to teach their children about the pleasures of fishing, canoeing and kayaking or about nature in general.
The Parks Department does a remarkable job of maintaining the 16,500 acres of natural areas in the 14 sites that make up the County Regional Park system.
Currently, every person, regardless of their age, physical abilities, or income has access to our County Parks during daylight hours, seven days a week, 365 day a year
Under the proposed 2010 budget plan, of the 109 full time park rangers and managers, 54 will be terminated that were funded in the last budget cycle. 20 of those positions are currently vacant due to a hiring freeze. With only 55 employees left, keeping up with maintenance like mowing, cleaning rest rooms and emptying the garbage cans will become a challenge, with less security, trail maintenance and overall repairs to the facilities picnic pavilions and nature centers. Further cuts proposed in the 2011 budget cycle, under consideration at this same public hearing, will cut an additional 35 full time regional parks personnel forcing some or all the regional parks to close permanently.
At times when the tax revenue was in surplus, the HCPRC Wilderness and Regional Parks received a pittance increase in their budget. Now that revenues are well below budget, the Parks Department will be hit with a dis-appropriate amount of terminations and reduced funding.
Hillsborough County Regional and Wilderness Parks have been featured all over the world and are well known as some of the finest natural areas in Florida , if not the United States . Appearing in TV commercials, movies, travel magazines and newspapers has made our parks “a have to” travel destination, supporting the 16 million visitors annually to Hillsborough County who spend 1.3 billion dollars in our local businesses. The unintended consequences of neglecting our natural areas, preserves and parks will not only impact our recreation, but have a devastating effect on our local economy and the very jobs that support our families. NOW is the time to let YOUR voice be heard.
SIGNUP TO SPEAKUP;
July 16th. County Center , Commission Boardroom, 2nd floor, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd , Tampa , STARTING at 6PM.
If you cannot personally attend, then send a postcard or letter to BOCC Budget Hearing, P.O. Box 1110, Tampa, Florida, 33602 OR E-mail your Commissioners at; hcbudget@hillsboroughcounty.org . Do a friend a favor and tell them what’s happening by sending them a copy of this E-mail.
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