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Student Helps Ailing Turtles

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 18, 2008

CLEARWATER - Injured sea turtles at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium are getting help from an 11-year-old.

Connor Krajnik, a student at Curtis Fundamental School in Dunedin, loves turtles and has been raising money for their benefit.

"Three years ago the red tide was very bad and there were a lot of sea turtles coming in, and I felt like I needed to help them," he said.

He also needed to do a public service project for class. That inspired him to sell jewelry he made from fossilized shark teeth and shells. In three years he raised $1,000, which he presented to the aquarium Wednesday.

The aquarium used the money to buy a stretcher made to carry sea turtles.

Rod Challenger

Mall Project Could Resume

WESLEY CHAPEL - Federal environmental regulators said this week they're considering re-issuing the suspended development permit for Cypress Creek Town Center, where construction was halted in February after repeated Clean Water Act violations.

In the meantime, the mall developers say the 10-month suspension, coupled with the economic downturn, has forced them to renegotiate leases and reconsider their tenant mix. They also will have to rebid construction contracts on the project at State Road 56 and Interstate 75, spokeswoman Deanne Roberts said.

The public notice for the re-issued permit was released Tuesday by the Army Corps of Engineers. The revised permit will be open for public comment until Jan. 15.

In spite of the shutdown, Jacobs and Sierra spent most of this year meeting their county-mandated obligation to widen State Road 54 as part of the mall deal. That work, which will expand the road to six lanes, is set to end Dec. 31.

Kevin Wiatrowski
Blankets Provide Security, Warmth

CARROLLWOOD - A church's quilting group brought a little warmth and comfort to children Wednesday at Caminiti Exceptional Center.

The women made and donated lap blankets to the 43 students in wheelchairs who attend Caminiti, a special-needs school. Though the blankets will keep the students, who range in age from 3 to 22, at a cozy temperature, they have a more powerful meaning, said Nancy Haupt, president of the Caminiti Parent-Teacher Association.

"It's more love than anything," Haupt said. "They cherish them. They hold on to them."

The gifts came from the Angel Stitches club at Messiah Lutheran on Hutchison Road. The group has met for about a decade and works on charitable projects that involve sewing, quilting and crocheting, member Kathy Mathews said. Some materials are donated and some are provided by the members.

Courtney Cairns Pastor

Festival Tickets A Hot Commodity

PLANT CITY - Fans of Taylor Swift can pay more than $150 for a ticket to her concert March 1 at the Florida Strawberry Festival through online sites such as eBay.

Or they can buy one directly from the festival for the face value of $45 plus handling fees.

Festival officials say they are alarmed that scalpers are asking steep prices for tickets to the festival's headline concerts, even though tickets remain for each show. Swift's show is the festival's most popular, but even that one has 2,000 tickets remaining, said Ron Gainey, Strawberry Festival Association secretary and director.

Tickets are available at www.flstrawberryfestival.com or at the box office, 2209 W. Oak Ave., Plant City. For telephone sales, call (813) 754-1996.

About 3,000 free seats are available for each headline concert, but you have to arrive early enough to claim a spot in the bleachers.

Dave Nicholson

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