TREASURE ISLAND - The lineup for Bands on the Sand 4 will bring together an unprecedented gathering of Florida musicians, including Cope, Steve Arvey Horn Band, Funky Seeds, Have Gun, Will Travel, Human Condition, Sunza Beaches, Sarah Mac Band, Hubb Tones, Sound Parlor, Jubal’s Kin, The Exchange, and Shoeless Soul.
Scheduled over Memorial Day weekend Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27, the popular event will turn Treasure Island’s festival-sized beach into party central for two days.
“The stars have truly aligned for Bands on the Sand 4,” said Cathy Hayduke, Treasure Island’s parks and recreation director. “The powerhouse combination of so many headliner-quality acts, a ‘let the good times roll’ audience, and the laid-back atmosphere of our gulf-front community, make Bands on the Sand 4 the only place to be on Memorial Day Weekend.”
Headlining at 7 p.m. Saturday is the Steve Arvey Horn Band, featuring the electric blues guitarist and his funky band.
Bradenton’s Have Gun, Will Travel brings its Americana songs to the stage at 5:15 p.m. Sunza Beaches, whose fans shout out the titles of their favorite “Sunza Songs” and sing along in their outdoor voices, play at 3:30 p.m. The Hubb Tones, featuring the searing guitar work of Jerry Outlaw, take the stage at 2 p.m.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH - As he looked around at the hundreds of people scattered throughout Kolb Park, Bluegrass Folk Festival organizer John Popular remarked that already there were more people in attendance than all of last year, and it was barely an hour into the five-hour festival.
“We’re trying to make Indian Rocks Beach synonymous to Bluegrass, just as Clearwater is synonymous with Jazz,” he said. “This is the party capital of the beaches.”
There could be little disputing that during the festival May 19. Joan and Kurt Repke of Clearwater decided to go the old-fashioned way, with a blanket spread on the ground, picnic style. They were clearly enjoying the music and all that was going on around them.
“We love it,” said Joan.
Besides the music there was plenty of food and drink to be enjoyed and souvenirs to buy, all in support of the nonprofit Beach Art Center. The turnout put a smile on the face of David Shankweiler, the executive director of the Art Beach Center.
“I think we are going to see a lot more people,” he said. “The bands we have this year have their own following and people will come from all over to hear them.”
The barred owl didn’t seem to mind, though, that Boy Scout Troop 135’s Casey Sammel and other troop members were busy building an enclosure for another owl May 19 at the McGough Park Nature Center next to her cage.
Sammel said it will take three or four working days to build the cage for its great horned owl, which was brought to Busch Gardens after being struck by a car.
The owl suffered a broken wing and was unable to fly. Busch Gardens’ veterinarian helped to save the bird’s wing by performing several operations involving inserting a pin into the humerus bone, which was shattered from the accident. For several weeks following the surgeries, the Animal Care Center at Busch Gardens rehabbed the bird and nursed it back to health.
Local bird of prey specialist Barb Walker heard about the injured owl and contacted the staff at the McGough Nature Center. She was very familiar with the incident that happened over a year ago, in which the center’s great horned owl, J.R., was released from his cage overnight by vandals and was unable to be recaptured. Since then, the Nature Center acquired Matilda, which also had been injured.
LARGO - Amid paperwork, sticky notes and folders on Marjorie Sundstrom’s desk are a pair of garden clippers that she puts to good use.
The principal of Largo High School is not afraid to get her hands dirty, and that may mean she and other volunteers will make time for campus grooming
Sundstrom is retiring next month after holding several positions in her 36 1/2-year career working for Pinellas County schools. She began her first job as a principal at LHS in the fall of 2008, believing that she had such great experiences working with principals at other schools that she was up to the challenge.
Prior to coming to LHS, she was an assistant principal at St. Petersburg High School for four years and an assistant principal at Osceola High School for 10 years. She’s been a teacher, trainer, grant writer and a special education teacher at elementary and middle schools.
“I’ve been around; let’s put it that way,” Sundstrom said. “And then, as a principal you are a little bit of a mother, problem solver, option finder, resource locator, mediator, and I love the job because it’s never the same. It’s different every day, and you get to interact with great kids and I’ve always enjoyed working with students and working with the staff to try to problem solve and try to improve.”
ST. PETE BEACH - If all goes as hoped, hotel operators and restaurateurs along the beaches could see an increase of international travelers in the near future.
Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, told members of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce May 15 that the United States is playing a catch-up game to regain international travelers lost over a 10-year-period from 2000 to 2010.
Thanks to efforts by the U.S. Travel Association, the Obama administration signed into law the National Travel Promotion Act, which is designed to sell the U.S. as a travel destination for travelers worldwide.
The effort kicked off in March 2010 with its Brand USA program, which uses a series of 20-second television commercials to promote America as a destination. The commercials feature singer Roseanne Cash, daughter of Johnny Cash, singing “Land of Dreams” in conjunction with a Discover America theme.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, the U.S. welcomed 2.4 million fewer overseas visitors in 2009 than in 2000. The failure to simply keep pace with the growth in international travel since 2000 has cost the U.S. economy an estimated $509 billion in total spending and $32 billion in direct tax receipts.
TALLAHASSEE - Good news again from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Pinellas County unemployment continues to fall.
April’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent, down from 8.7 percent in March. A year ago, Pinellas had an April unemployment rate of 10 percent.
The unemployment rate also declined statewide from 8.6 percent in March to 8.3 percent in April. Last April, the state’s unemployment rate was 10.2 percent. U.S. unemployment fell to 7.7 percent, down from 8.4 percent in March and 8.7 percent a year ago.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro statistical area continues as one of eight Florida counties with over-the-year job gains. The local MSA ranked No. 2 with 12,600 more jobs, an increase of 1.1 percent. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall MSA ranked No. 1 with over-the-year job gain of 12,700 jobs, 1.3 percent increase.
April’s unemployment rate for the local MSA was 8.5 percent, down from 8.9 percent in March and 10.5 percent at year ago. The local MSA includes Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
Hernando County has the second highest unemployment rate in the state at 10.8 percent. Flagler County has the highest at 11.6 percent. Pasco County ranks No. 10 with 9.7 percent. Pinellas and Hillsborough counties tie for the No. 29 spot with 8.2 percent unemployment.
PINELLAS PARK - Greg Rapp, a reputed leader in the local beer home brewing community, will be opening his craft to the public with the advent of the Rapp Brewing Company.
Pinellas Park’s first brewery is currently under construction in a 3,200-square-foot industrial building off Bryan Dairy Road. The Rapps hope to open in July and offer up to 24 beers on tap in a tasting room open to the public.
“We’ll have everything from a sour beer to smoky beers. You name it. It’ll be a full spectrum,” Greg said.
“Even if you don’t like beer, we have one that’s like lemonade,” said his wife Dawn, who’s in charge of quality control for the brewery.
Gregg Rapp, 53, has been home brewing for eight years, founding the Pinellas Urban Brewers Guild, or PUB, two years ago. Brewing beers at home is a growing national hobby, often dominated by enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s. Greg joked that he would be the “oldest youngest brewer in the county.”
“He’s the old grandpa,” Dawn said. “He’s got a great following. The community’s very supportive. They all say they cannot wait till we’re open.”
That’s how Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts Director Joan Byrne described the new Highland Recreation Complex at a groundbreaking ceremony May 15.
The complex is expected to be open in June 2013.
Among its features is a three-story indoor playground with six different layers. There will be an indoor running track “for those days that are too darn hot or it’s raining and you want to get your exercise,” Byrne said.
The track will circle a double gymnasium; one will have a wood floor for basketball.
“We are going to have a really neat area called the ‘Extra Play Room.’ For those who want to forget they’re working out and have fun, but still get a workout, this is the place for you,” Byrne said.
The complex also will have a more traditional fitness room, party rooms, concession areas, a game room and a preschool.
“Our goal was to design a building where an entire family can come - mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, kids, teens and children - and spend a day and get fit and have fun. And I think we have accomplished that,” Byrne said.
The city borrowed $17 million for the project, located between Lake and Highland avenues.
BELLEAIR - As he looked across the sports field at the crowd gathered for the Backyard Bash, Belleair Mayor Gary Katica remarked, “This is so Belleair.”
What he meant was, when there is a good cause the people of the community come out to support it. In this case the cause was the Ed Wahlbeck Scholarship Fund, a fund to help young athletes in need follow their dream.
The fund was established shortly after Wahlbeck passed away suddenly two years ago. He spent a lifetime mentoring and helping, not only his own children, but also many other young athletes, who he and his wife, Mary, took in to their home to eat and sleep.
Katica was one of the first to arrive at the event on May 12. He recalled the day Wahlbeck died.
“Sudden death is so hard to comprehend,” he said. “The only explanation is that the good Lord needed a good guy, and Ed Wahlbeck was certainly a good guy.”
Ed’s son, Eric, is the Parks and Recreation director for the town of Belleair. The mayor had praise for him too.
“Eric is a Godsend to this town. It has been said that the measure of someone is reflected in who he associates with, and Eric has surrounded himself with so many good people.”
Pinellas County residents are under a modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage Order effective May 10.
Southwest Florida Water Management District’s executive director declared the emergency order for Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties due to water resource levels and to support Tampa Bay Water’s activation of its third level water shortage mitigation plan.
“This year’s hotter and drier than normal conditions following last year’s below-average rainfall have caused critically low river flows and declining groundwater levels throughout the District,” said Lois Sorensen, SWFWMD demand management program manager. “Generally conditions in the Tampa Bay area and counties north are worse than counties in the southern portion of the District.”
The emergency order means residents now can only water their lawns and landscapes once a week. The day of the week watering is allowed is based on address and may not be either of the two days residents were allowed to water before the emergency order went into effect.
In addition, watering is restricted to the hours before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Hand watering and micro-irrigation of non-lawn areas still are allowed on any day, but only before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
On Monday, May 28, Americans will gather to honor U.S. service personnel who have died in service to our country.
Department of Defense records show that more than 580,000 U.S. service personnel have died in combat during wartime. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 560,000 died in combat from the Civil War through Vietnam War. More than half died in World War II. Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor that service.
Back in January and February, analysts were predicting that gas prices would be $4 a gallon by Memorial Day. They were wrong.
As of May 20, the U.S. average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $3.69, which is 20 cents lower than the same time last year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this is the first time since June 2011 that gas prices have decreased for six or more consecutive weeks.
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who serve and remember those who have died in war. But sadly, it has also become a key opportunity for scammers to target those who are serving or have served their nation, especially elderly veterans.
Better Business Bureau is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and for disreputable charities.
As Americans make their Memorial Day holiday plans, others are gearing up to make sure everyone stays safe.
Florida Highway Patrol, as with most all major travel holidays, will suspend office duties in an effort to place as many troopers on the road to ensure the safety of all motorists (citizens and visitors alike), according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins, FHP Public Affairs officer.
Travelers should plan their trips accordingly allowing for plenty of time there and back, Gaskins said. He also recommended checking the FHP website, www.flhsmv.gov/fhp, for travel issues or the 511 system.
Water sports enthusiasts, boaters, anglers, divers and beachgoers seeking getaway fun in Florida over the long Memorial Day weekend are encouraged to watch out for manatees.
The Save the Manatee Club reminds boaters that human-induced manatee injuries and deaths are an ongoing concern year-round for the manatee population in the Sunshine State, with increased risk on busy boating holidays.
CLEARWATER - The beautiful shores, islands and parks of Pinellas County beckon both residents and visitors for a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend, but this can be a dangerous period for the wildlife that make this habitat their home.
Residents and visitors are urged to follow posted rules, regulations and boating speed zones to keep wildlife safe.
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