Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Don't fall for plots to 'fix' your water

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 12, 2008

Countywide

Pinellas County and city of Clearwater officials say they have received complaints that at least one local water treatment company claims to represent the county to gain entrance to homes and inspect faucets or hot water heaters in an effort to sell expensive water treatment systems.

The companies are not endorsed by or affiliated with any government agency, and county utility employees would never try to sell an "upgrade" to a home's plumbing.

Consumers should be wary of unexpected visits or gifts from water companies, sales people who add thickening agents to water to solidify harmless minerals, high prices and scare tactics, officials say.

To learn more about Pinellas County water quality, call (727) 464-4000. To learn more about Clearwater's water, call (727) 562-4600.

To investigate a company's business history, call the Department of Consumer Protection at (727) 464-6200 or visit www.pinellascounty.org consumer and click on "Check a business."

Clearwater officials say residents who feel they have been misled should call the state Attorney General's Economic Crimes unit, 3507 Frontage Road, Suite 325, Tampa, FL 33607 or call the office at (813) 287-7900.

Are phone books cluttering your home?

New phone books have arrived, so recycle that old one.

Residents with curbside collection in Belleair, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo and Oldsmar can put their old phone books in their curbside recycling bin. Other residents can go to one of 40 dropoff locations around the county.

Most dropoff sites have bins labeled "phone books." If not, put the phone books in the "mixed paper" or "magazines" bins but not in the "newspaper" bin. For a list of phone book recycling sites, visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities or call (727) 464-7500.

Pinellas residents discard more than 2-million phone books annually.

To reduce the number of phone books delivered to your office or house this year, call Verizon at toll-free 1-800-888-8448 or Yellow Book at toll-free 1-800-929-3556.

Bothered by litter? Call this number

Keep Pinellas Beautiful has a new 24-hour litter reporting hotline residents can use to report litter problems: (727) 210-4663.

The litter hotline is designed for large-scale litter problems or those that pose a public safety hazard, such as cases where items could create traffic problems. Examples include:

- Road or environmental hazards.

- Illegal dumping.

- Areas with major litter problems, such as storm drains with shopping carts or bulky items in them, or places like businesses with widespread litter problems.

The hotline is not for reporting code enforcement problems such as overgrown lawns or minor instances of littering.

Action to remove the trash/litter is taken by Keep Pinellas Beautiful Staff or coordination with the appropriate city or county department.

Callers will need to provide a street address or intersection, description of the litter problem and a contact phone number. Keep Pinellas Beautiful will coordinate with the appropriate city or county departments to address litter reports.

For more information, call (727) 210-4663 during regular business hours or visit the Web site at www.keep pinellasbeautiful.org.

Clearwater

Learn aboutthe law at seminars

The People's Law School will continue weekly at the Drew Street campus of St. Petersburg College on Thursdays through April. Participants may attend as few or as many sessions as they wish, free of charge. No registration is required. For information, call (727) 461-4869 or visit www.clearwaterbar.org.

The class schedule:

- Thursday, 7 to 7:55 p.m., Purchasing Real Estate; 8:05 to 9 p.m. Mortgages.

- Feb. 21, 7 to 9 p.m., Topic to be announced.

- Feb. 28, 7 to 7:55 p.m., Construction Contracts; 8:05 to 9 p.m., Mechanic's Liens.

- March 6, 7 to 7:55 p.m., Consumer Complaints; 8:05 to 9 p.m., Mediation & Arbitration.

- March 13, 7 to 9 p.m., Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning.

- March 20, No class. Spring Break.

- March 27, 7 to 7:55 p.m., State of Our Circuit; 8:05 to 9 p.m., Small Claims.

- April 3, 7 to 9 p.m., Family Law.

- April 10, 7 to 9 p.m., Bankruptcy.

- April 17, 7 to 9 p.m., Contract & Business Law.

- April 24, 7 to 7:55 p.m., Identity Theft; 8:06 to 9 p.m. Graduation.

Residents pay once, park all year at beach

Clearwater residents can buy annual beach parking permits valid at five lots for only $40 a year. Permits can be bought from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Municipal Services Building, 100 S Myrtle Ave., Suite 220.

Proof of residency and vehicle registration required. Call (727) 562-4704.

County 

Team ready to help spay and neuter pets

February is spay/neuter month.

SPOT (Stop Pet Overpopulation Together) is teaming up with local veterinarians in Pinellas County to offer low-cost spay/neuter for cats and dogs.

Any cat or dog at least 8 weeks old can be signed up. Special "neuterathon" prices: male cats $35, female cats $40, male dogs $40 and female dogs $45-$90 depending on weight.

SPOT offers low-cost spay/neuter vouchers available online at www.SPOTusa.org or call (727) 545-3463 for more information.

Are you good at negotiating?

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program administered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs is seeking men and women of all professional and cultural backgrounds who have concerns of residents' rights and are good at negotiating and advocating.

Mileage and meal reimbursements are provided at the state rate for all official ombudsman duties.

Call 588-6912 or toll-free 1-888-831-0404 to apply for the next training class.

Old cell phones a lifeline for seniors

Senior Citizens Services welcomes donations of old cell phones to be distributed to needy seniors as 911 emergency phones. The offices are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and phones are distributed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Senior Citizens Services is in Belcher Commons Office Park at 51 S Main Ave., Suite 308-M, Clearwater. For information, call (727) 442-8104.

Pinellas Park

They've got stories waiting to be shared

The Tampa Bay Storytellers Guild Story Swap meets the fourth Sunday of every month (except November and December) to share stories. The public is invited to attend and share their stories. Each program has a theme. The programs are at 3 p.m., the fourth Sunday of each month, at Pinellas Park Station, 5851 Park Blvd. Call Billie Noakes at 647-8057.

[Last modified February 11, 2008, 21:26:11]