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Send video mail to troops from mall

By LETITIA STEIN, MEAGHAN FORBES and ANDREW MEACHAM
Published July 1, 2005

You can stop by the mall Monday and send a video mail greeting to a loved one serving in the military overseas through Bright House Networks' free "Video Mail for the Troops" program. The cable provider is offering the program throughout the day at the Bright House Networks Sales and Demonstrations Center at Westfield Brandon.

"We know that the Fourth of July is especially difficult for people whose friends or family members may be thousands of miles away," said Hank Sheraw, vice president for Hillsborough County. "We hope that by providing this very personal connection, we'll be able to make this Fourth of July a little brighter for our service men and women."

Participants have the option of using the basic video feature, which is a simple video with an audio message, or they may use the greeting card feature to record and send greeting cards. Recording time is 90 seconds.

The demonstration center is in a kiosk between the food court and JCPenney. For information, call 436-2295.

Bicyclists, hikers and boaters might want to bring their own water before working up a sweat this weekend in Alderman's Ford Park. A water main break last weekend left most of the park without access to restrooms or drinking water.

By Tuesday, the county's water department had volunteered to add a temporary line until workers could repair the break. In the meantime, officials removed handles from drinking fountains and hose bibbs from faucets and posted signs warning visitors not to drink the water unless they boil it first.

Only the Health Department can rescind a boil-water order, a move that requires waiting until full water pressure has returned to a system. Officials have closed some restrooms in the park and brought in temporary units until the problem has been fixed.

Repairing the water main could take up to two weeks. The Water Department will run a 2-inch pipe across the bridge as a temporary solution.

"We are going to do what we can to help," said Michelle Van Dyke, a Water Department spokeswoman.

Try not to get dizzy as principals come and go this summer in east Hillsborough County.

Arriving: Herbert Peeples is the new principal at Burnett Middle School in Seffner. He replaces Walt Shaffner, who is moving to the top job at Progress Village Middle School.

Nancy Dukes takes over the principal's office at Boyette Springs Elementary. Dukes was assistant principal at Kingswood Elementary. Boyette Springs principal Shirley Trujillo retired June 30.

Departing: Progress Village principal Angela Oliver will move to the same position at Hill Middle in Tampa.

APOLLO BEACH - Hillsborough County is exploring how to dredge clogged canals in waterfront communities.

County commissioners have formed a Canal Advisory Committee to determine how to clean and maintain the waterways that are becoming expensive sandbars.

Seventeen committee members will include representatives from waterfront communities in Ruskin and Apollo Beach.

Several north Hillsborough communities will have representation on the committee, along with the county staff and environmental experts.

From Ruskin to Town 'N Country, the county is estimated to have 194 canals stretching for 61 miles. In a preliminary estimate, dredging countywide could cost as much as $72-million, the county staff determined for a workshop with commissioners in April.

To better understand the situation, the county's Public Works Department plans to present options for a study at a commission meeting on July 20. The department has priced a comprehensive survey at $400,000, but is looking for less expensive alternatives.

County staff members expect to hold meetings in several parts of the county this summer to discuss the issue. Communities will select their representatives for the committee.

"We want them to tell us who they would like to represent them," said Public Works Director Bob Gordon, who hopes to have a committee in place by mid August.

To learn more, or nominate someone for the committee, contact Scott Cottrell at Public Works at 307-1700.

Water, water everywhere.

That's what Tampa Bay Water officials are saying after getting approval to fill a reservoir to capacity, about 15-billion gallons.

The new C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, west of State Road 39 and north of County Road 672 near Picnic, will boost supplies for residents of southern Hillsborough.

Once the state's Department of Environmental Protection cleared the way, Tampa Bay Water, the agency that supplies water to Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, began funneling up to 100-million gallons a day into the reservoir, which previously held only 2-million gallons.

The reserves will supply the community with water during traditionally dry months, such as late November through January and April through June.

"It's a giant rain cistern," Tampa Bay Water spokeswoman Michelle Robinson said of the reservoir, which at its deepest point extends further than a football field.

Water from the Alafia River and Tampa Bypass Canal, which drains from the Hillsborough River, will feed the reservoir, which will take months to fill. A surface water treatment plant will treat reservoir water at 66-million gallons a day.

[Last modified June 30, 2005, 09:09:07]