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The University of South Florida Police Department will host a Sobriety Checkpoint on the USF Campus beginning at 12:00 midnight on March 29, 2008, and lasting until 2:00 a.m. on March 29, 2008. During this time, USF Police Officers will use the Sobriety Checkpoint to identify impaired drivers in an effort to keep our streets safe. Impaired drivers that are identified will face arrest and prosecution. This operation is part of a comprehensive, collaborative approach to traffic safety by the USF Police Department.
Did you know? Drinking continues to be a pervasive problems among college campuses across the country. According to http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov:
- 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
- 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol.
- More than 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
- More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
- 400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.
- About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.
- More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
- 2.1 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 drove under the influence of alcohol last year.
- About 11 percent of college student drinkers report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol.
- More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with relatively low drinking levels and over 50 percent from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a “moderate” or “major” problem with alcohol-related property damage.
- About 5 percent of 4-year college students are involved with the police or campus security as a result of their drinking and an estimated 110,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence.
- 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking
This week marked the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. As many people still question our role and successes in the War in Iraq, many also paused to remember the nearly 4,000 men and women killed in combat since 2003. But there are also more than 400,000 veterans nationwide who return home from war with mental rather than physical scars. The long-term consequences of their emotional injuries can have debilitating effects on the rest of their lives.
Right here in the Bay area, one woman is working to use her voice to get their needs addressed. On Friday, I sat down with Miss Florida, Kylie Williams, to talk about the road to healing for our soldiers. Since being crowned last June, Kylie has traveled across the state, county, and even to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, promoting her platform Realistic Support for the Troops.
Kylie believes everyone can make a difference in the lives of veterans in need. She feels it is truly about people rather than politics. Cards from children, care packages, and simple well wishes can brighten the day of a soldier suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
For more information on Realistic Support for the Troops, visit http://www.realisticsupport.org.
The 2008 Miss Florida Scholarship Program will be held July 2-5, 2008 at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. For tickets and information, visit http://www.missflorida.org. The Miss Florida Scholarship Organization is an affiliate of the Miss America Organization, the world’s largest provider of scholarship money for young women.
With March Madness in town this weekend, hundreds of basketball fans will head to St. Pete Times Forum. Drivers should anticipate heavier volume throughout downtown and Channelside.
Additionally, HART is increasing service of the In-Town Trolley Green Line to help with traffic and parking issues. People traveling to the downtown and Channel District areas can hop on the Green Line during the following times:
Friday, March 21 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Saturday, March 22 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Sunday, March 23 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Green Line serves major attractions and hotels throughout downtown Tampa and the Channel District, and connects to the TECO Line Streetcar System at the Southern Transportation Plaza, adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center.
For maps and regular schedules of HART’s In-Town network of services, please visit http://www.goHART.org and click on “Maps and Schedules.”
Southbound I-75 will be closed over Bruce B. Downs Boulevard between 9 p.m. Thursday (March 20) and 5 a.m. Friday (March 21) for bridge work. The closure had been scheduled for Wednesday night, March 19, but was cancelled due to weather.
DETOUR: Traffic will exit at Bruce B. Downs/CR 581 (Exit 270), cross Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, and re-enter the interstate using the entrance ramp.
Please note the following advisory from Florida DOT:
Several months ago, a dump truck heading south on I-275 (with its bed raised in the air) struck the outer southbound girder of the bridge at 54th Avenue North over I-275, causing damage to the girder and an attached sign structure.
Repairs will require southbound I-275 road closures under the bridge (with ramp detour) and 54th Avenue North ramp closures scheduled as follows:
Ten (10) Consecutive nights of southbound I-275 lanes UNDER 54th Avenue North overpass will be closed with a ramp detour from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night, starting Monday, March 24th and ending Thursday morning April 3rd. No daytime lane or road closures will occur. If work or weather delays occur which interrupt the consecutive 10 days of night closures, the revised schedule will be such that NO closures will occur on April 4, 5 or 6 due to the St. Pete Grand Prix Race.
The southbound I-275 closure will also include the closure of the ramp leading to I-275 southbound on top of the 54th Avenue North bridge, with an associated detour installed for southbound traffic to get on southbound I-275 at the 38th Avenue North ramp instead via 16th Street North.
Westbound and eastbound 54th Avenue North through lane traffic will NOT be closed for the repairs, but delays may occur, as off duty law officers will be directing traffic at the intersection of 54th Avenue North and the southbound I-275 off-ramp to allow the southbound I-275 detoured traffic to cross the intersection instead of driving under the bridge where repairs are occurring.
Message boards are in place to alert motorists.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, construction will force lane closures along I-4 Sunday and Monday nights. Two lanes will be closed on westbound I-4 from 26th Street to 21st Street from 10 p.m. Sunday (March 16) to 6 a.m. Monday (March 17).
One lane will be closed on eastbound I-4 from 19th to 22nd streets between 10 p.m. Monday (March 17) and 6 a.m. Tuesday (March 18).
Drivers should anticipate minor delays as a result of the construction. Weather or other factors could result in additional nights of work through Wednesday night, March 18.
The intersection of Ulmerton Road and 66th Street is closed through 5:00 a.m. Monday morning due to construction. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained. Drivers should plan for delays in the area, especially during peak rush hours on Friday. Alternate roadways include Belcher Road, East Bay Drive, and Bryan Dairy Road.
Here are the complete detour details from FDOT:
Detour routes:
Eastbound Ulmerton Road – Ulmerton Road to Belcher Rd. to East Bay Drive to US 19 to Ulmerton Road.
Westbound Ulmerton Road - Ulmerton Road to US 19 to East Bay Drive to Belcher Rd. to Ulmerton Rd.
Northbound 66th Street – 66th St. to Bryan Dairy Rd to Belcher Rd to East Bay Drive to 66th St.
Southbound 66th Street/U.S. 19 – Motorists traveling to southbound 66th St. will stay on US 19, to Bryan Dairy Rd. to 66th Street.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s Ulmerton Road project from El Centro/Ranchero to US 19 began in October 2007 and will be complete in approximately two years. Improvements include widening Ulmerton Rd from four to six lanes and adding new sidewalks and drainage. The project cost is $20 million.
I am honored to be the emcee for the 2008 Miles for Moffitt 5K Race and Fun Walk to benefit research at Moffitt Cancer Center. Two weeks ago, I sat down with Karen Dalton, 2008 Race Chair and wife of William S. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., Moffitt CEO and Center Director, Susan Meadows, Miles for Moffitt Coordinator, and Mary Estes, Miles for Moffitt Media Relations. What a fanastic group of women… they have left no detail untouched! I am confident the Race will be a huge success and lots of fun… but we need your help.
Below is a press release about a Race-Prep Clinic which begins this weekend. Also, I have link to the Miles for Moffitt website where you can sign up for the race and fun walk. Space is limited, so don’t wait! I hope to see you all there. And if you have a great story to tell about cancer survival and hope, I would love to hear from you. You can email me a .
Also, it is important to note that thanks to the generosity of race sponsors including the Bank of St. Petersburg, 100 percent of participants’ entry fees benefit Moffitt’s cancer research. WOW! Every dollar and every race participant really can make a difference.
Cancer has affected my family, so this cause has a personal meaning to me. I lost my dear grandfather, who we affectionately called Mikey, back in 2003 when he was 83 years old. He developed lung cancer after years of asbestos exposure while at work. He was completely healthy in all other aspects of his life. My grandfather did not smoke or drink, walked 3 miles everyday, and even went hiking with my cousins in the Pocono Mountains the summer before he passed away. Too many families have lost loved ones because of cancer… and everyone is needed in the fight to find a cure. We hope to see you on May 10th!
Tampa, FL (Feb. 20, 2008) — An eight-week readiness clinic beginning Saturday, March 15, is being offered to anyone wanting to participate in the Bank of St. Petersburg Miles for Moffitt — a 5K and one-mile walk/run being held Saturday, May 10, at the University of South Florida Tampa campus.
Held in cooperation with the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and Sweetbay Supermarket, the Moffitt Morning Milers clinic meets from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturdays, March 15 to May 3, at the cafeteria at Moffitt Cancer Center. The $30 clinic fee covers the eight-week training session, race registration and T-shirt. Anyone who attends six out of eight sessions and completes the race will receive a three-month YMCA individual membership.
Weekly sessions include warm-up exercises, group training walks, refreshments and presentations on wellness topics designed to promote fitness and prepare participants for the event. Topics cover nutrition, therapeutic massage, injury prevention during exercise and selection of proper footwear.
Thanks to generous sponsorship support for Bank of St. Petersburg Miles for Moffitt, all proceeds from the clinic and race registration fees benefit cancer research at Moffitt. Among the sponsors are the University of South Florida, Tampa Bay Rays, News Channel 8, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay’s Q-105, WQYK, AAA Auto Club South and Embassy Suites.
Space is limited, so register early. Sign up at http://www.MilesForMoffitt.com, or call (813) 745-1346 for an entry form.
About H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute:
Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center (http://www.moffitt.org) is the only Florida-based cancer center with the NCI designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center for its excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 15 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer, as well as for ear, nose and throat. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
Oh-no, more construction closures in Hillsborough County! You will want to plan ahead a bit for this one if you are heading out overnight this Sunday.
The Florida Department of Transportation will have a full ramp closure on I-75 at the southbound off-ramp to exit 261, which is I-4. This will take place on Sunday, March 9 starting at 8 p.m. to Monday, March 10 at 5 a.m.
The detour redirects exiting traffic south to the next exit (MLK, Exit 260), then u-turns traffic using MLK to head back north on I-75 to the junction with I-4. This ramp closure is needed for bridge maintenance.
One of three lanes will be closed in each direction of State Road 60/Memorial Highway under I-275 from 10 p.m. Wednesday(February 27) to 5:30 a.m. Thursday (February 28) as crews install temporary barrier wall.
This closure had been scheduled for Tuesday night but was postponed due to the bad weather.
OUCH! According to AAA, average gasoline prices in Florida increased by an amazing 14.5 cents in just one week! This puts average per gallon prices at record highs for the Sunshine State
Crude oil prices last week soared to their own record levels – over $101 per barrel – causing the surge for consumers. Experts predict prices at the pump will go up even more this week. This week last year, the price for a gallon of Regular Unleaded Gasoline was $2.30… and this year (are you sitting down???) $3.22?
For 10 tips on how to save on gas consumption, visit The Daily Fuel Economy at http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=292.
And did you know? According to HowtoAdvice.com, you should Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to “volume of measurement”. So fuel up on your way to and from work to save!
For a full list of the cheapest gas prices in the Bay Area, click on Tampa Gas Prices website at http://www.tampagasprices.com. As of Monday morning, the cheapest place to fill-up was the 7-Eleven on 6015 Gunn Hwy in Tampa… and check this out, you could still fill up for just $2.99 a gallon for Regular Unleaded!
Drivers heading out inbound along the Howard Frankland Bridge and Northbound along I-275 should once again expect slower than normal drives times all this week thanks to construction. Last week, we saw traffic just inching along from approximately 7 a.m. through most of the day, Monday through Friday.
Why the extra congestion? It’s all due to the ongoing construction project along I-275 NB. The right auxiliary lane of northbound I-275 will be closed from east of the Howard Avenue entrance ramp to west of the Ashley Drive/Scott Street exit, causing the bottleneck effect. Once traffic gets snarled during the morning rush, it has been very hard to alleviate the delays even during non-peak hours.
According to a spokesperson from FDOT, the three through-lanes from Himes Avenue to Ashley Drive will remain open during peak travel times, closing only when needed during periodic overnight construction. They also recommend drivers stay in the same lane (of one of the three through-lanes) through the construction zone to help improve traffic flow.
The I-275 reconstruction project will be ongoing through the Spring of 2010. For more information on this work, vist http://www.tbinterstates.com/projects/projectinfo.asp?projectID=158&RoadID=1.
The Deck Panel Replacement project on the Selmon Crosstown Expressway is nearly complete! Both westbound lanes from Maydell Drive to 50th Street (US 41) are now open. The eastbound lanes, including the 50th Street on-ramp, are scheduled to re-open Monday, February 25, 2008.
While travel lanes will be cleared of construction closures, drivers will still see roving crews during off-peak hours as detail work is being finished. These crews are expected to wrap-up work by March 1, 2008.
If utility tractors, agricultural tractors, loader backhoes, telescopic forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, forklifts and excavators make your business run, you may want to head over to Davenport this week.
Beginning Tuesday, thousands of bidders from every state and 16 countries will gather at Ritchie Brothers’ auction of heavy equipment. It’s the largest of its kind.
The auction site spans more than 100 acres near the intersection of I-4 and U.S. Hwy 27 in eastern Polk County. Watch for heavy volume during the five-day auction on both of these thoroughfares. Gates open at 8 a.m.
Tired of the clunky Sunpass transponder on your window shield? Mini is the word!
Beginning this July, a smaller, cheaper Sunpass will be available for drivers who pay tolls in advance and use the no-stop toll lanes on Florida’s Turnpike and other toll roads.
The SunPass Mini self-adhesive sticker is about the size of a credit card. State officials say it will cost $4.95.
While the current, larger Sunpass will still work, the mini has several advantages, including anti-theft. If someone tries to peel-off your Mini, it will break.
Turnpike officials have not set a minimum balance for the device and are exploring ways to invoice drivers, similar to your monthly utility bill.
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