According to the National Weather Service this winter has been the longest in Tampa Bay since the 1950s.

So far this season, Tampa has had 26 days that haven't climbed above 60 degrees - the second highest number in recorded history. The record was set in 1958, when Tampa has 30 days below 60.

"At least in the short term, it looks like the end," said National Weather Service Meteorologist Ernie Jilson to the St. Petersburg Times. "We've got the last of the cold fronts coming through for a while this week."

After that, we should see drier conditions and a warming trend, Jilson said. But the occasional March cold front isn't unheard of, so we're not in the clear just yet.

The Weather Outside is Frightful originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 16:55:43.

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The event is part of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives’ National Conversation on Climate Action. The Greater Sarasota area is one of just ten communities in the nation selected to participate in the national conversation. Admission is free.

Planned in conjunction with Earth Day, planners hope to encourage citizens across the country to conduct substantive, solutions-oriented dialogues about energy and climate action at the local level. In Sarasota County, community input from the event will be incorporated into a cross-jurisdictional Community Energy and Climate Action Plan to work toward energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Following a presentation, attendees will break into five groups to discuss one of several topics, including food and agriculture, transportation, waste, community-wide target and built environment. Sarasota County, SCOPE and New College of Florida as well as the cities of Sarasota, North Port and Venice will participate at the local conversation.

Some of the other communities across the country planning similar events include Greenburgh, New York; Hennepin County, Minnesota; Houston, Texas; Jackson, Wyoming; Lexington, Kentucky; Los Angeles County, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Sumter, South Carolina and Tucson, Arizona.

The 2009 National Conversation will build off the success of past events and the rapidly growing demand for clean energy solutions.

Community Conversation On Energy, Climate Set For April 22 originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 20:47:01.

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Billed as Pinellas County's Wildest Place, Brooker Creek Preserve is the county's largest natural area, boasting more than 8,000 acres of pine flatwoods and forested wetlands. Visitors will find several nature trails, over 10 miles of equestrian trails and a 1.75-mile self-guided hiking trail.

A free Twilight Walk will be offered on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 7 p.m. The program will begin with a salute to the occasion and a short walk to see how the world changes when the sun starts to set. This event is free, and registration is required.

Also in April, visitors may enjoy the preserve with help from nature experts during Spring Migration Bird Hikes, Footprints on the Land Hikes or Saturday Morning Guided Walks. Even younger nature lovers can sign up for Young Birders Morning Walks and a Youth Naturalist Walk.

There will be a special training workshop for teachers on Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Earth Day materials will be distributed during this session to help teachers better connect classroom concepts to the natural world at the preserve's education center.

The preserve is open to the public seven days a week. Located in the Preserve, the Environmental Education Center welcomes visitors Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. To register for a program at Brooker Creek Preserve, call 727-453-6800 or visit Pinellas County's Environmental Lands Division.

Brooker Creek To Celebrate Earth Day originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Sunday, April 12th, 2009 at 06:21:04.

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Last year, more than 750 volunteers fanned out over Pasco County and picked up more than 26 tons of trash from the county's parks, beaches and neighborhoods. This year, more than a dozen areas will be targeted by teams of volunteers. To join a team, call 888-6-LITTER. The Great American Cleanup is a national effort spearheaded by Keep America Beautiful. The local event in Pasco is coordinated by Keep Pasco Beautiful, a non-profit organization supported in part by Pasco County, the school district and private corporations.

The following areas have cleanups scheduled:

• Crystal Springs (Southeast Pasco)
• Dade City - Highway 35A
• Holiday - Strauber Memorial and Baillie's Bluff
• Holiday - Anclote River Park and the Pier
• Hudson - Sea Pines neighborhood
• Lacoochee - Northeast Pasco
• Moon Lake Park and Banberry
• New Port Richey - Durney Key
• New Port Richey - Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
• Odessa - Gunn Highway and State Road 54
• Port Richey - at Home Depot
• Wesley Chapel - Quail Hollow Boulevard
• Wesley Chapel - Old Pasco Road
• Wesley Chapel - District Park and adjoining roads

For more information, call Jennifer Seney at 727-847-8041 or 813-907-0200.

Pasco County Seeks Volunteers For 2009 Great American Cleanup originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Sunday, April 12th, 2009 at 06:07:13.

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The Great American Cleanup offers residents a fun, educational way to protect Sarasota’s natural beauty, according to Sandra Washington, manager of Keep Sarasota County Beautiful. The Great American Cleanup also happens to be the nation’s largest annual community improvement program, attracting an estimated 3 million volunteers annually in more than 17,000 communities. Volunteers across the country will participate in 30,000 improvement activities and educational workshops to clean local parks, waterways, trails, sidewalks and streets.

For more information about how to sponsor this year’s cleanup, or to volunteer, visit www.scgov.net and select Keep Sarasota County Beautiful from the County A-Z list, or call 941-861-5000 and ask for Keep Sarasota County Beautiful.

In the event of rain, the cleanup will be postponed until Saturday, April 25.

Sarasota Volunteers Sought For 2009 Great American Cleanup originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Sunday, April 12th, 2009 at 05:53:26.

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Altar Boyz is the off-Broadway phenomenon about five young men and their struggles in a Christian boy band. The action follows Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (the unsure, Jewish fifth member) as they stop in St. Petersburg as part of their climactic concert tour. An explosive mixture of modernism, irony and energetic singing and dancing makes Altar Boyz one of the most exciting and funny theater shows of the year.

Directed by Steven Flaa, Altar Boyz stars Dick Baker (Matthew), Jonathan Lovitz (Abraham), Brendan Cataldo (Luke), Nick Cearley (Juan) and Bradley Vile (Mark).

Performances will be Wednesday through Sunday, 8 p.m. Pay What You Can nights are set for April 15 and 16. The Gala Under the Stars, an annual fundraising event, will be April 17. Tickets prices for general admission lawn seats are $11 at the box office and $13 at the event for Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday performances and $14 at the box office and $16 at the event for Friday and Saturday performances. Reserved chair seating is $27 and premium blanket seating is $21 for all performances. Kids 12 and younger are free on the lawn.

Call 727-823-7529.

American Stage Theatre Company will present its production of Altar Boyz April 15 through May 10.
Photo courtesy of AMERICAN STAGE THEATRE COMPANY

'Altar Boyz' Set For American Stage In The Park originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 01:45:16.

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More than 100 original or restored pre-1959 antique automobiles and vintage motorcycles will be proudly displayed beneath amidst the pines and palmettos throughout the 21-acre picturesque Heritage Village landscape. Awards will be presented, including the ever-popular People’s Choice Awards. Vehicle owners will arrive dressed in period costume to match their cars. They will talk about the history of America’s love affair with the automobile and the open road.

To rev up the fun, there will be swing dancing and musical entertainment throughout the day. Heritage Village also will present children’s activities and tours of historic houses. Attendees who build up an appetite at the event will find a food court featuring tasty treats offered by concessionaires.

While admission is free, gate donations are appreciated and will be used to help restore the village’s 1967 Seaboard Coast Line Caboose and complete restoration of the 1917 LaFrance Fire Engine. The engine was used as the Belleview Biltmore Hotel’s own fire department until 1934. A dedication will be made in honor of Esther Morris who, in 1979, rescued the fire truck from years of neglect.

Free event parking and a shuttle to the event entrance will be found on 119th Street, between Ulmerton and Walsingham roads. Handicapped parking and drop off will be available at the former Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Road. Call 727-582-2123.

Heritage Village, operated by Pinellas County government, is home to more than 25 historic buildings and structures. The facility offers a variety of events and programs to educate and inspire visitors. Events and programs at Heritage Village are financed in part with Historical Museums Grants-in-Aid Program assistance provided by the Bureau of Historical Museums, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Secretary of State.

Retro Roadsters To Rev Up Heritage Village originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Saturday, April 4th, 2009 at 04:40:25.

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Selected by Florida’s Energy and Climate Commission for this three-year, $15 million project, USF and Progress Energy Florida will incorporate alternative energy sources such as solar power and biodiesel fuel into the electrical power supply for the neighborhoods. Incorporating cutting-edge technology, the program will aim to develop a system that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create a power supply that better adapts to energy demands and one which serves customers with better reliability and efficiency.

According to a USF press release, the university's proposal was chosen from a field of 140 applicants. The project will be funded in collaboration between the Governor’s Energy Office, Progress Energy Florida, Publix, and HD Supply. Development of the system is slated to begin in April.

In the announcement, Alex Domijan, principal investigator on the project and the director of the Power Center for Utility Explorations, said that the grid is a culmination of more than two decades of research into building power systems that are flexible in their use, more friendly to the environment and which incorporate power from different sources, including sustainable energy like solar and battery power. It is hoped that this project may open the door to a larger, more expansive smart grid in the Tampa Bay region.

Once developed, the smart grid will be the first in Florida and one of the largest in the nation delivering power to homes and businesses. Unlike systems in other cities that implement elements of smart grid technology, Domijan said the USF project will be a fully integrated system of renewable energy sources, advanced sensors, communication and control technologies and two-way communication between utilities and customers while producing a more reliable and higher-quality power system.

USF's Power Center, Progress Energy To Build Smart Grid originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 02:18:55.

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Everyone will be a winner at this event for one simple reason: It’s free!

The day’s events will include everything from ping-pong, jump rope and hula hoop contests to skateboard competition, 50- and 100-yard dashes, swimming, biking and softball. There will even be a poster-decorating contest and a Jazzercise express class. Anyone who wants to participate in the fun can do so for free.

According to event organizers, the only thing people will have to pay for is food. There will be a variety of vendors and concessionaires.

For kids, the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club will sponsor fun activities such as a beanbag toss, potato sack race and egg relay race. There will be face-painting, bounce houses and a water slide.

There will be a Tae Kwon Do demonstration at 11:30 a.m., a boxing exhibition from noon to 2 p.m., karate demonstrations at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. and fitness classes at 2 and 3 p.m. Charlotte County Motorsports Park will display its Race Cars and Race Karts.

Residents planning on registering a large group for a specific activity are encouraged to do so by Tuesday, March 31. There will be early registration on the day of the event beginning at 7 a.m. All attendees, whether they have registered for an event or not, should check in with event organizers at the pavilion area when they arrive.

The first 1,500 registrants will receive a city anniversary ribbon. Registration forms are available at the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce, 15141 Tamiami Trail; at the North Port Library, 13800 S. Tamiami Trail; and a several other locations around the area. Forms also are available online.

Call Joan or Ed Morgan at 941-423-5752.

Residents Set To Play At North Port Games originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Sunday, March 29th, 2009 at 10:12:49.

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A new summer camp, Wildlife Ecology Camp, will explore diverse habitats and the importance of conservation. Campers will prowl the preserves to practice their newly developed detective skills. The other camp is the wildly popular Herpetology Camp. Through up-close encounters, campers learn about a variety of animals, such as gopher tortoises, frogs, lizards and snakes.

For all camps, students should be entering second to sixth grade in August 2009 and be between 7 and 11 years old. The fee is $125 a camper for the week. Space is limited.

Registration for programs at Weedon Island Preserve will start Wednesday, April 1. To register, call 727-453-6500. The preserve is at 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg.

Weedon Island Preserve camps will include:

• Wildlife Ecology Camp – Monday through Friday, July 13 through 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Herpetology Camp – Monday through Friday, July 20 through 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Registration for programs at Brooker Creek Preserve will begin Monday, April 13. To register, call 727-453-6800. The preserve is located at 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs.

• Wildlife Ecology Camp – Monday through Friday, July 27 through 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Herpetology Camp – Monday through Friday, Aug. 3 through 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

George Heinrich, a professional herpetologist, field biologist and environmental educator, will lead all of the summer camp programs.

Weedon Island Preserve and Brooker Creek Preserve are managed by Pinellas County's Environmental Lands Division. For more information about the division, call 727-453-6900 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/environment.

Brooker, Weedon Summer Camp Registration Begins In April originally appeared on About.com Tampa Bay on Sunday, March 29th, 2009 at 09:22:53.

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