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County restricts lawn watering to one day a week

By TIMES STAFF
Published December 15, 2006

County restricts lawn watering to one day a week

Starting Monday, residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County will have to make do with watering their lawns one day a week.

In response to a water shortage announcement by Tampa Bay Water, the Hillsborough County Commission voted this month to reduce lawn watering in unincorporated Hillsborough from two days a week to one.

Residents with addresses ending in 0 or 1 may water lawns on Monday. Addresses ending in 2 or 3 may water on Tuesday. Wednesday is watering day for addresses ending in 4 or 5. Thursday is watering day for addresses ending in 6 or 7. Fridays are reserved for addresses ending in 8 or 9.

Call 275-7094 for a message or call the Water Conservation Team at 274-6800 during business hours.

Panthers second in baseball tournament

The Brandon Panthers, a youth baseball team for players 9 years old and younger, took second place in the Florida Fall State Championships of the International Baseball League, which brought 55 Tampa Bay area teams to Clearwater on Dec. 2 and 3. The Estero Hawks came from behind to defeat the Panthers 12-11 in the championship game.

$15,000 contribution brightens charity

Volunteers and staff members at the Emergency Care Help Organization got an early Christmas present with a $15,000 contribution from the Mabel and Ellsworth Simmons Charitable Foundation. George Simmons delivered the check on Dec. 7.

ECHO, located on N Parsons Avenue, provides food and clothes to those needing short-term help. It will use the money to buy holiday items for families in need, director Stacey Efaw said.

"We're so grateful," Efaw said. "We're so busy at this time. It was perfect timing."

Chamber will host transportation forum

The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce will host a Jan. 30 lunch forum on the future of transportation in Hillsborough County.

Panelists from the county's department of Planning and Growth Management, the Tampa Bay Partnership and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority will discuss such topics as the Brandon beltway project and improvements to Lithia-Pinecrest Road.

The event is at noon at the Brandon Elks Lodge, 800 Centennial Lodge Drive.

Registration is $18 for chamber members and $23 for nonmembers. Call 689-1221.

LITHIA

Newsome baseball star signs UCF scholarship

Newsome High School shortstop Stephen Branca has signed a baseball scholarship with the University of Central Florida.

Branca received an honorable mention spot on the 2006 All-County Baseball Team.

SUN CITY CENTER

Storms to meet with residents on insurance

She's making a list and checking it twice. State Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, wants to find out which property insurance companies have been nice to residents and which ones haven't.

Storms will hold several community meetings following Gov.-elect Charlie Crist's call for a special session in January on insurance issues.

"The families of our state are being crushed by out-of-control property insurance and need relief immediately," Storms said.

"I am committed to working hard to find the best solutions for our families and businesses."

The first meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Bealsville Recreation Center, 5009 Nesmith Road, near Plant City.

Storms will meet with Sun City Center residents at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Florida Room of the Atrium Building, 945 N Course Lane, off N Pebble Beach Boulevard. Storms asks constituents to bring recent property insurance bills to help her research the issue.

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 07:03:06]