One of the most important parts of the recovery phase from Hurricane Irma is restoration of power. However, despite Duke Energy’s best efforts, 14,088 customers still were without power as of 6 a.m. Sunday. Duke had estimated that power would be restored in Pinellas by midnight Friday, but that estimate didn’t prove true with nearly 60,000 still without power at 9 p.m., when the last power restoration update of the day was posted online.
The National Hurricane Center has issued as storm surge watch during its 5 p.m. update on Friday. The region is currently under a hurricane watch. A hurricane warning is in effect for Jupiter Inlet southward around the Florida peninsula to Bonita Beach, Florida Keys, Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay. A hurricane watch is in effect for north of Jupiter Inlet to the Flagler/Volusia County line and north of Bonita Beach to Anclote.
Pinellas County Commissioners listened to opinions Jan. 10 for and against a proposed moratorium on approving new medical marijuana dispensing facilities in unincorporated Pinellas. They want to give staff time to prepare zoning regulations that would ensure the “health, safety and welfare relating to the cultivation, possession, processing, transfer, transport, selling, distribution and dispensing of medical marijuana,” according to the proposed language governing the moratorium. State law allows counties to decide the criteria for the number, location and other permitting…
As preparations continue ahead of a Category 4 hurricane forecast to move along or over the east coast of Florida tonight and tomorrow, Pinellas County is making its own plans to lend a hand. “The current weather forecast puts Pinellas County in a more favorable position to be able to support other agencies and counties that are expected to see far greater impacts,” Pinellas County Commission Chairman Charlie Justice said in a press release. “Both in times of calm and…
Pinellas County residents will join forces with Americans across the nation to observe Veterans Day on Wednesday with ceremonies and events. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 94,997 veterans were living in Pinellas County in 2014 with nearly 1.57 million in Florida. California had the most veterans, 1.7 million, and Florida tied with Texas for second place. Veterans Day celebrations in Pinellas are a long tradition. One of the largest local ceremonies begins at 11 a.m. in the courtyard between…
During budget meetings in 2014, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri made a strong case for a two-part plan to balance his agency’s pay scale. County commissioners agreed and added money to the fiscal year 2015 budget to start the process. During a budget meeting May 21, Gualtieri requested the additional funds to finish the job of implementing a balanced pay structure. Pay problems over the past few years have made it a challenge for the Sheriff’s Office to “keep the…
Like most parents, when I hear the tinkling music of an ice cream truck, I know what my future holds: rummaging in my pocket for some singles and spare change, a little begging and pleading from my baby girl, followed by big smiles, sticky hands and promises that we won’t tell mom we ate ice cream an hour before dinner. (I’m told by Lauren Book this is a “safe secret.”) But this session was a painful reminder to Michelle and…
