Gotta love these brief cool snaps, huh?
Temperatures in the mid 70s today will turn chillier this evening, dipping into the 50s early Tuesday.
Ooooohhh 50s! Don’t get used to it:
It should start to warm up again Wednesday and temperatures will get back to normal for this time of year — highs in the low 80s and lows in the mid 60s — by week’s end.
So it’s only for today and tomorrow. But’s it’s a great excuse to make a nice pot of chili tonight.
On the afternoon of Aug. 18, Pinellas officials ordered mandatory evacuation of the county’s most flood-prone areas for 6am the next day. Tropical Storm Fay was heading our way.
Over at the TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, visitors checked out and took off. They say they missed out on over $150,000 in canceled rooms and missed food and beverage sales.
The storm shifted and ended up making landfall south of Naples. Pinellas canceled the evacuation order at around 5:30am.
So now, hotel managers are saying that Pinellas “overreacted.”
“It was outrageous for the authorities to make the call prior to even being put on hurricane watch,” wrote Philippe Eversdijk, general manger of the Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach. “The decision … shows lack of respect for our area’s bread & butter: tourism.”
It sure is easy to whine about everything a month later. Pinellas County Commission Chairman Robert Stewart wants the hotels to man up and deal with it:
“This was an unavoidable development,” Stewart said. “We’re always going to err on the side of caution.”
Pinellas is Florida’s most dense county - they have more people per square mile than anywhere else in the state. The land is surrounded by water on three sides. Any storm is going to cause trouble, and a big storm will nearly flood the entire county. With that big of a responsibility, officials must act early.
If your business loses a couple of bucks to ensure that nobody gets hurt, then you gotta tough it out. You have another 330 days of the year to be profitable. Or, you can move your multi-million dollar resorts somewhere else, perhaps New Orleans.
I bet these guys piss & moan about the insurance bill, too.
As of the latest forecasts, Tampa Bay is still within Tropical Storm Fay’s cone of uncertainty.
To be on the safe side, local governments have closed the schools and government offices for tomorrow, and other government-related services will not run, such as trash pickup, and early voting.
So even if Fay takes a hard left, fizzles out and disappears, things are going to be a bit screwy around here with some mandatory evacuations, kids & staff missing school, and government workers clogging up the Wal-Marts free to take care of their families.
Of course, the Business World continues unabated, and you will likely be notified on what to expect about five minutes before you leave.
According to the latest, Tropical Storm Fay is on track to hit the Florida Keys on Monday afternoon, on her way to Tampa Bay. No need to freak out, since the storm is only expected to strengthen to a Category 1.
However, none of the calculations, predictions, forecast models, maps in various colors, ideas, or guesses are guaranteed. In other words, no one really knows what’s gonna happen.
Again, it’s expected to be a level 1, which is not too terribly damaging, but Fay did already kill four in Haiti.
Just make sure you keep an eye on what’s going on, and BE PREPARED for anything.
TBO.com has a hurricane page, and tampabay.com started a storm watch blog, but check out the Florida Emergency Managment page to make sure your plan is ready, and keep an eye on this thing.
Kids in Hillsborough County head back to school on Monday, and lots of those students are going to have to walk further to get to the bus stop:
The goal, he said, is to have two to 20 students per bus stop. Some elementary students will have to walk up to a mile and middle and high school students up to 1.5 miles.
Obviously, many of the bus routes have changed from years’ past. But the School District of Hillsborough County had some trouble getting letters to the mailbox, and parents and students are not certain exactly how the kids are going to get to school, and where to catch the bus.
The Transportation Department is blaming lightning. Wow - who could see that coming?
The Calusa Indian word “Tampa” means “sticks of fire,” a reference to lightning. The local Arena League team is called the “Storm,” while the NHL team is called the “Lightning.” Every day, all summer long, our meteorologists give us a look at the red splotches of thunderstorm activity, interspersed with flashing white flashes that indicate lightning. You might recall that all of this leads to the Tampa Bay area being called the lightning capital of the United States.
All right, so lightning struck School Bus Central in Thonotosassa, delaying letters to bus riders and their parents. They set up a hot line so you can find out the details of your kids’ trip to school. To find out where and when your children catch the bus, call 813.982.5500. But you may have to try that number more than once. District officials say the line is often busy because of the lightning strike.
Oh, and for those of you who now have to walk to school or walk further to catch the bus, you may want to keep an eye out for any lightning strikes.
For good.
This past year in Colorado Springs has been quite a challenge. I worked at Academy 20’s Expulsion Program and my fellow teachers seemed to like me until they realized that the Christian books and subtle intimidation tactics weren’t working. I am going to stay Jewish and liberal. That’s when they decided I was too “East Coast” for their liking.
My children didn’t fare any better. They attended Freedom Elementary in District 11. This is a school district NONE of my Springs friends would send their kids to, but I swore it’d be different for us. ‘Cause my boys are smart and delightful. Turns out, too smart and delightful. Principal’s exact words were:
“I wouldn’t say they’re cocky. But they are confident. They communicate well. They don’t hesitate to say they’re great basketball players These aren’t bad things. Your children are also sensitive and sweet. Kind to everyone and very polite. It’s just that their more mature qualities make them a bit of a target with the other kids who don’t excel as much.”
What to do with such a town? Some might say to stick it out and fight for change. Why should I? I’m not a fan of dry skin, wild animals, or snowstorms in May. Why should I settle for second best, headaches, and intolerance?
Family counts for a lot. Not only do we have my parents in Tampa, but relatives from up north - the dreaded East Coast - visit Florida all the time. Three cousins arrived yesterday. Those with tight-knit families understand my point. I want my kids to experience the love that can only come from family.
Few months back, Husband green-lighted a job search in the Tampa Bay area. And I got *two* positions. A freelance writing job and a full-time gig going back to corporate training where I also get to dip my well-manicured toe into sales. I will wear suits, heels, and work from home whenever I want. Beat that.
Then my boys were accepted at a private school in Tampa. As a former public school teacher, I am supposed to hate private schools. But I don’t. The people I know who have attended them are the most tolerant, intelligent folks around. My kids will not be a social experiment. They will feel safe. They will feel secure. And they will receive a superior education no matter what neighborhood we live in.
Despite everything, I can’t tell you how happy I am for this past year.
I got to experience life away from everything I’ve ever taken for granted. I learned to appreciate. I got to join a great synagogue, a writer’s group, political activities, and the PTA. I got to meet some wonderful people I will never let go of and reconnect with others I’ve come to cherish even more. I got to stand up for my beliefs amid hostility and intolerance, which only made me stronger. I got to further appreciate a man who supports anything that is best for his children.
And then I got to come home.
With all its charm and challenges, Tampa is home.
For good.
Rumor says we are already into the 2008 hurricane season, so it’s probably a good time to pick your favorite panic site:
Hillsborough County Emergency Management
City of Tampa Emergency Management
Tampa Bay Regional Council Emergency ManagementNational Weather Service - Tampa Bay
ABC Action News Hurricane Center
Fox 13’s My Fox Hurricane.com
Weather - Hurricane Information - Bay News 9
Hurricane Guide - from TBO.com
Hurricane Guide 2008 from tampabay.com
Tampa Bay’s 10 Hurricane News - yes, just news.
Know your Evacuation Level:
Like most of my friends and co-workers, my family and I are feeling the pain of rising gas prices, higher grocery bills and not to forget the utilities constantly going up. I have always been one to clip coupons, sign up for contests, and I shop at the local consignment shops; but now that is not always enough.
We have cut back on going out to dinner, we try to run all the errands we have in the best route possible and we stay in more than we used to. I have mentioned before that if it’s FREE it’s for ME. Well Tampa Bay area offers a lot of FREE events.
Take a look at the following list I pulled from TBO.com. Remember, these are just the events that piqued my interest; you may find several more that pique yours!
Remember to stay happy and healthy - we need to get out and have fun, so don’t stay indoors just to save money. I encourage you to utilize what our city offers and enjoy.
Friday April 25, 2008 will be a good night, there are FREE concerts to go to, one on each side of the bay:
Saturday, April 26, 2008 has a lot to offer. I have found FREE events all across the bay:
After all this you will need to rest on Sunday, or like my house will be… More Spring Cleaning!
Get out and have fun!
Sticks of Fire proudly supports local businesses. When you choose to spend locally, more of your money stays right here in Tampa Bay. Check out these local sponsors:
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