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This Count Is For The Birds

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 1, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - The West Pasco Audubon Society's annual bird count is Friday and will have a special focus on hummingbirds.

Volunteers will fan out across west Pasco County from Hudson Beach to Anclote Gulf Park, in the Holiday area. The 15-mile-diameter area is centered on the Magnolia Valley Golf Course clubhouse.

Residents also can submit results from bird feeders in their yards.

Counts are due by Saturday.

For information, contact Ken Tracey at kftracey@verizon.net or call (727) 372-9640.

A staff report

Country Craft Show Hits Town

TAMPA - The ultimate craft show for home decor is coming to the Charles M. Davis Special Events Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds, featuring many local and national artisans.

Visitors to the Country Folk Art show can browse for handcrafted furniture, garden art, cozy quilts, florals, traditional and fine art, jewelry and other wearable art, handmade soaps, candles, gourmet delights, holiday items and more.

Show hours are from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission for age 13 and older is $6 Friday, $5 Saturday and Sunday. Parking is $5 for cars and $10 for RVs and buses. Visitors should use the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard entrance.

For information, visit www.countryfolkart.com or call (248) 634-4151.

Felix L. Martinez

A Celebration For The Books

WESTCHASE - Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library is celebrating its fourth anniversary Jan. 10.

The library, 11211 Countryway Blvd., is hosting a variety of events starting at 10 a.m. with a dance performance by Starlight Music Academy. The celebration continues with a Jakomo and the Dragon puppet show at 2 p.m. and an American Girl tea party program at 3 p.m.

The delicious part of the day will be in the afternoon when cake is served.

Jessica Balanza

Red Light Firm Gets Green Light

PORT RICHEY - Sorry, traffic scofflaws, a new company will have its eye on you in the southbound lanes of U.S. 19 at Ridge Road.

If things go as planned, more lanes and more intersections in the city will get red-light camera coverage in 2009.

"Preliminary surveys have been done already," Port Richey police Chief David Brown said last week as the city council voted to accept a bid from Traffipax Inc. The company will take over as the city's red-light camera operator, replacing American Traffic Solutions.

In November 2007, the city entered into an agreement with ATS to install and operate red-light cameras at problem intersections. First on the list was U.S. 19 at Ridge Road, statistically one of the most dangerous intersections in Pasco County.

The ATS system monitors the three southbound lanes of U.S. 19. It did not monitor the two left-turn lanes or the right-turn lane, and it only checked for red-light violators.

In August, ATS asked to be released from the agreement to operate the cameras, and the city complied.

Klint Lowry

South Florida Baptist Hospital Wins Marketing Award

PLANT CITY - South Florida Baptist Hospital received a marketing award recently from a health care information company.

The 147-bed hospital won the Silver Award in the Best Service Line, Medium Hospital category from HealthLeaders Media.

This annual marketing contest recognized campaigns in 10 categories. South Florida Baptist's award-winning campaign raised awareness of the hospital's Jim and Ruby Jean Redmond Emergency Center.

"We wanted to highlight the ability of South Florida Baptist Hospital's emergency center to treat Plant City residents faster than any other hospital," Chief Operating Officer Steve Nierman said in a statement.

HealthLeaders Media publishes a magazine and provides online information about the health care industry. The marketing campaign judges included nine hospital marketing professionals and four editors from HealthLeaders Media.

Dave Nicholson

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