Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Michael Piendel is the owner of Southeast Cleaning Services, and a Westchase Area Business Association member.
Patch: When did you start your business? And where are you located? Piendel: Southeast Cleaning Services was started in August of 2007. We are located throughout Hillsborough and Pasco County with our commercial and residential cleaning coverage areas ranging from South Pasco to New Tampa to South Tampa to Oldsmar. Patch: Please describe what you do. Piendel: We have four divisions to our company. We have a maid service (residential cleaning) that is typically run between 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our commercial cleaning division is mainly the same type of service but for businesses and is run 24/7. We have a new construction division that consists of cleaning newly built buildings before the owner occupies the building…
According to a national agency, Tampa-St. Petersburg has the nation's most financially distressed consumers, due to high unemployment and difficulty paying for housing. Just how bad is it out there?
Are you feeling financially distressed? How bad is it out there? Tell us in comments below. High unemployment and difficulty paying for housing are the major reasons Tampa-St. Petersburg consumers are the most financially troubled in the United States. According to CredAbility, a national nonprofit credit couseling and education agency, Tampa Bay is the most distressed major metro area in the nation — worse than Detroit, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Households in Washington, D.C., are the most financially healthy, followed by those in Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Honolulu and Dallas-Fort Worth, according to the agency. Those are among the key findings of the latest CredAbility Consumer Distress Index, which tracks the …
The company, founded in early 2011, often donates its 32-foot theater for community events. It was most recently at Relay For Life at Davidsen Middle School on Friday.
Something big came to the Bay area a little over a year ago. Really, really big. Lee Bekhor opened Mobile Gaming Revolution in March 2011. The business aims to amp up birthday parties, corporate events, fundraisers and festivals by providing a giant gamer’s paradise. The 32-foot mobile theater is furnished with 10 premium video gaming chairs, seven flat screen TVs, and 14 fully networked XBOX 360s, Playstation 3s and multi-player ready Wii systems, Bekhor said. Mobile Gaming Revolution also offers laser tag. “Trained and talented” staff members facilitate all events, he said. The company often donates use of its mobile unit for charity events throughout the Bay area, Bekhor said. The mobile theater was parked at Davidsen Middle School on…
The Tampa Bay Rain, the area's new ABA basketball team, will visit the school as part of its community outreach this week.
The Tampa Bay Rain may not be a familiar name yet, but come October owner Stephen Davis hopes Tampa's new professional basketball franchise will be the talk of the town. The team is already making its rounds in the community. On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rain will visit Mary Bryant Elementary School. Some weeks ago, the team executives began working with school PTA officials and Bryant Principal Karen Bass. "We're always looking for business partners," Bass said. The group came up with the idea to have the team sponsor their "Free Stuff Friday" event. Once a month students are treated to free stuff during their lunch period. Davis, Coach Tree Rollins, several team executives, and cheerleaders will be at lunch to hand out free ice pops to all…
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered by an emergency rule, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged, TBO.com reports.
Was this the right call? What are your thoughts on the FCAT? Post your comment below. The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered thanks to an emergency rule instituted Tuesday, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged from a year ago, TBO.com reports. "The State Board of Education unanimously passed the rule today after preliminary results showed only about a third of students would pass this year," according to TBO's story. That would have been down from 80 percent or better on last year's writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), TBO reports, a decrease that came after the test was made more difficult. The FCAT writing test is taken by 4th-, 8th- and 10th-graders. Read more …
Samuels will discuss his book "Don't Tell Me I Can't" at Austin Davis Library today, at 6:30pm.
After decades of working in the banking industry, a military career and educator Robert "Bob" Samuels is sharing some of his knowledge with the public. His recently penned memoir "Don't Tell Me I Can't" chronicles Samuels' rise and tribulations along the way. Another important element of the book is Samuels' battle with cancer, including prostate and throat cancers. He confronted the illnesses with the same tenacity as his did banking by serving as the founding chairman of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Samuels, a Philadelphia native, was inducted into the city's Black Hall of Fame in 1998 and is featured in the Baltimore Great Blacks in Wax Museum. But his successes have not been without struggle, including poverty and racism. "I…
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-82.57534
Austin Davis Public Library
17808 Wayne Rd, Odessa, FL
/articles/author-bob-samuels-speaks-on-book-career-and-life-at-library-today
1861560
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Several positions are vacant for boards that monitor the county's childcare facilities, hospitals, land use and more.
Do you have a desire to serve? Been wanting to get involved with county governing? The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners needs you. Below are a list of county boards and council groups that are looking for applicants. These are voluntary positions, and members serve without compensation. Applicants may apply to more than one board, but may only serve on one board at a time. All applications are due June 7. Appointments will be scheduled for a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners in June or July 2012. Application are available in the Commissioners’ reception area on the second floor of County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa; by calling the Boards and Councils Coordinator at 813-272-5826; or on the County’s …
Educators have proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score to increase passing rates. A discussion is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Less than 30 percent of fourth graders in Florida passed the FCAT writing test this year, according to preliminary results released on Monday, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times today. That's a steep dip compared to last year when 81 percent scored a passing 4.0 or better. The plummeting scores have prompted extreme concern among educators and state officials. On Monday, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score from 4.0 to 3.5. Under that standard, 48 percent of fourth-graders would have passed the test with a 3.5 or better, along with 52 percent of eighth-graders and 60 percent of 10th-graders, according to the Times story. Florida education officials will hold an emergency conference call …
Meet Lucky a 4-year old extra-large all black Labrador mix. He is available for adoption at Hillsborough County Animal Services.
He looks like a "scooby" with the given name "Lucky." This 4-year old extra-large all black Labrador mix has one ear up, one down, a curly tail, and an amazing story of survival. Lucky was in the backyard of his Tampa home when a member of family member allegedly set the house ablaze -- with their mom inside. She recovered, and Lucky arrived at Hillsborough County Animal Services. He's neutered, housebroken, social, and perfectly healthy (no heartworms or other issues). Take him home fully vaccinated, micro-chipped, and registered for the cost of the county tag for $20. His animal ID# 1343900. Adopt Tuesday - Sunday at 440 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa (813) 744-5660.
Tampa is pitted against Charlotte, NC, in a "city smackdown" as part of CNN's Destination USA project. So which would you pick, and why?
Tampa vs. Charlotte: Which city would you pick, and why? That's what CNN is asking as part of its "Destination USA" project that pits cities against one another. The contest pairs Tampa, home of the 2012 Republican National Convention, against Charlotte, NC, which hosts this year's Democratic National Convention. The network's website is asking for "iReporters" who love Tampa to share their photos, stories and travel tips and stand up for their city. Submissions are welcome up to May 21. What would you tell CNN and the world about Tampa and what makes it such a great place to live? Is Tampa better than Charlotte? Post your comments below and show your city some love.
mike g
4:50 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Banks are holding on the properties, should start unloading forclosures!! This would put handyman, sub-contractors, contractors, lawn services, groceries stores, gas stations,fast food workers, hardware stores, home goods stores,realtors, title companies, postal workers/fe-ex/ups, airline industry, oh and the banks. Sure I missed alot of others that would be put back to work just if the banks… more ›