Mitchell Heights event addresses health concerns

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 19, 2008

BROOKSVILLE

Representatives from the Florida Department of Health and the Hernando County Health Department will hold an open house for Mitchell Heights residents from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Health Department/Nature Coast Community Health Center, 300 S Main St. Residents can meet one-on-one with state and county health staffers. No formal presentation is planned. Mitchell Heights is adjacent to the former county Department of Public Works hazardous waste site. Tests have found levels of chemicals in surface soil and fruits/vegetables are not a health threat. Blood lead levels are also not likely to cause illness. Lead in the subsurface soil of one residence along A Street, however, suggests that in the past, residents of this one home were at a slightly increased risk of hypertension, tooth decay and decreased kidney/immune system function. For more information, call Albert Gray at 540-6802 or Ann-Gayl Ellis at 540-6817, or visit www.myfloridaeh.com/community/superfund/index.html.

Statistics office closes temporarily

The Hernando County Health Department Vital Statistics office will be closed Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The office, at 15470 Flight Path Drive in the Airport Industrial Park, will return to regular business hours Friday. Regular business hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information, call the Hernando County Vital Statistics office at 540-6800, ext. 82110, or visit the Hernando County Health Department Web site at www.hernandohealth.org.

Note to readers

Hometown is now more than news about your clubs, events and milestones. We want your sports and recreation photos, too. In fact, we are publishing a special page each Thursday devoted solely to sports and recreation. So whether it's a Little League game, soccer, bowling, golf or a dance recital, send us your pictures. You can e-mail them, as .jpg attachments, to communitysports@tampabay.com or call Mike Camunas at 352 544-9480 for other options. We need to know why the picture was taken;at what event; who's in the picture; what town or city the person or group is from; and what's going on in the picture.

Today's meetings

Hernando County School Board, 1 p.m. workshop and 7 p.m. board meeting, 919 N Broad St., Brooksville.

Brooksville Housing Authority, 6 p.m., City Council Chambers, Brooksville City Hall, 201 Howell Ave., Brooksville.

Today's picks

Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service to present "Amazing Azaleas": 10 a.m., Forest Oaks Government Center, 7479 Forest Oaks Blvd. Free. 754-4433.

Last Holidayto be shown at library: 2 p.m., East Hernando Branch Library, 6457 Windmere Road, Ridge Manor West. Rated PG-13. Free. 754-4443.

[Last modified February 18, 2008, 20:56:35]