The Official Unofficial Seminole Heights Blog

So for those keeping up with the GOP debates and political circus, this is the last weekend before Floridians go to the polls. For the most part, come Tuesday, the barrage of attack ads will be over. In all my years of following politics and elections, I do not recall a campaign being this nasty, dirty and negative. I for one almost find it humorous to watch them destroy each other; knowing that eventually only one will be standing. As negative as it has gotten, how so you stand before voters and now ask them to vote for the winner? It will be interesting to see how the party can spin it to face the current President. Is anyone watching or keeping up with the primaries?

With that said, you can now chat on the weekend forum. Share your thoughts, ideas and views.

Someone had emailed the numbers below to post to our neighborhood. Hope you find them helpful.

Helpful Phone Numbers

City Council 274-8131
City Information Line 274-8211
City of Tampa Television 274-8217
Clean City 307-5513
Code Enforcement 274-5545
Construction Services 274-3100
County Information 272-5900
Discrimination Complaints 274-5835
Ditch Cleaning 274-3101
Drainage Problems 274-3101
Glazer Children’s Museum 443-3861
Graffiti Removal 931-2133
Housing Authority, Tampa 253-0551
Human Rights Office 274-5835
Hurricane Information (County) 272-5900
Illegal Dumping 348-1111
Junk Cars 274-5545
Library (County) 273-3652
Lowry Park Zoo 935-8552
Mayor’s Office 274-8251
Neighborhood & Community Relations 274-7835
Noise Complaints 231-6130
Overgrown Lots 274-5545
Paint Your Heart Out Tampa 258-4512
Parks Reservations & Events 274-8615
Performing Arts Center 222-1000
Pot Holes (in streets/right-of-ways) 274-3101
Public Works 274-3101
Recycling 348-1111
Sidewalk Repair 274-8333
Solid Waste (garbage) 348-1111
Stormwater Drainage 274-3101
Street Light Outage (TECO) 223-0800
Street Repair 274-3101
S.W.E.E.P. 348-1111
Tampa Fire Rescue Information 274-7011
Tampa Museum of Art 274-8130
Tampa Police Department (non-emergency) 276-3200
Traffic Signal Repair 274-3101
Transportation 274-8333
Tree Hotline (24 hours) 258-8733
Tree Trimming & Removal Permits 274-3100
Tree Trimming in Alleyways 931-2140
Tree Trimming in City Rights-of-Way 931-2140
Trees: Dead, Dying, and Dangerous 274-5744
Utility (Water) Bills 274-8811
Wastewater (Sewer) 274-8070
Water Emergency Repair & Service 274-7400
Zoning Information 274-8405
City of Tampa

The email below is from a college student that is working on a school project covering Seminole Heights. Please see below and considering helping out Read on:

I am a grad student at USF studying the effect of changing mortgage finance options on neighborhoods in the Tampa area. Seminole Heights is one of my study areas. I am looking for stakeholders that I can interview regarding their experience with this area. Stakeholders could be residents, business owners, real estate professionals, community gardeners, etc. Anybody who is willing to speak with me is somebody I would like to talk with. Do you have any recomendations of people or groups that I should approach?

If you would be interested in answering questions, phone or email, please contact Jason at jrichar8@mail.usf.edu

There was interesting article in the Carrollwood News regarding plant eating fish for retention ponds. Could this provide hope for Lake Roberta? Read on:

They are genetically-altered vegetarians that can’t reproduce and for years have kept invasive aquatic plants in check in Florida’s inland waters.

Triploid Grass Carp were imported to the state decades ago to munch on troublesome vegetation that has clogged retention ponds and kept them from draining properly.

In this northwestern Hillsborough County enclave, community leaders recently restocked a vast system of manmade ponds with more than 1,000 of the aquatic lawn mowers.

“So far, they’re doing a hell of a job,” says Dan Ruskiewicz, property manager for several Carrollwood Village Homeowners’ Associations. “We only put them in a couple months ago.”

Full article here

Blogger

There has been discussion about the remodel of the apartments next to Ella’s Cafe on Nebraska. The following email came up in my listings this weekend so I thought I would share. Please post for anyone who might be interested. I am a little disappointed to see that much work and money put into it only to sell but it is what it is. I was hoping that once they were updated they would be rented to young professionals. If memory serves me correct, they were purchase for about $300K a while back.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

OSHNA General Membership Meeting

Seminole Heights Garden Center
 OSHNA General Membership Meeting
All are welcome Tuesday, January 24th

6:30 – doors open
7:00 – Meeting starts
9:00 – Meeting ends
5800 Central Avenue (Garden Center)
Guest Speaker!

It’s the weekend forum. Time to enjoy any discussion you wish. This is a great time to share what you enjoy most about your neighborhood. Do you have a question? Ask it here! Need a recommendation? Find it here. Enjoy the beautiful weekend.

Leaving dogs tied up or chained outside is illegal in Hillsborough County after commissioners Thursday adopted a ban pushed by animal welfare activists.

Dogs may be tethered only if their owners or caretakers are also outside and keep them in sight.

Commissioners have gone back and forth over the ordinance for nearly two years or, as Commissioner Al Higginbotham noted, 14 dog years.

Read full story here.

Residents, Families and Business People in the Channel District and Downtown Tampa –

Tampa Bay Markets, Inc. a local company that operates your open-air fresh Markets in Tampa Bay and the Tampa Downtown Partnership are hosting a night time Food Truck event featuring Local, Independent Short Films, Local Brew and Live Music!

The event is located on the 1200 Block of Madison Street and at Grand Central on Kennedy. 10-15 Food Trucks will park on Madison Street and Film, Music & Beer will be provided by Cigar City and the Pour House in the courtyard at Grand Central.

The next event is this Thursday, January 19th from 6pm – 10pm.
Flicks and Food Trucks will be held every third Thursday of each month and is a community event for all local residents, families and business people from the Channel District and Downtown Tampa.

Fast Facts to keep in mind when planning your arrival:

Please plan to Park at the parking garage located at Grand Central at Kennedy. For Directions to Grand Central and for more information on additional parking please CLICK HERE or visit www.tampabaymarkets.com

Please plan to expect waiting in line for your orders. While the food is worth the wait, it does not come fast because it’s not “fast food”. These are full blown restaurants on wheels and food is made to order.

We, (Tampa Bay Markets) have no control over the speed at which the lines move. Food prep time determines the speed of the line your waiting in.

Plan to experience more than one food truck. Everyone serves something different so ordering small is key!

Consider it similar to tailgating: Most people stand and eat at Food Truck events. If you are one who likes to sit and eat, then stake out a spot on a curb or bring a chair!

Be sure to bring cash for your purchases! Vendors appreciate small bills v.s 10’s & 20’s. Some trucks do take Credit Cards, but many do not. There is an ATM on site through the courtyard area.

Highlights for this Thursday:

10-15 Gourmet Food Trucks serving everything from Burgers to Vegetarian Bites and Desserts.
10-15 minute Short Films provided by our partners- The Tampa Bay Arts and Education Network (TBAE) and the Independents’ Film Festival (IFF).

Live Music provided by the Sunset Bridge Band http://www.sunsetbridgeband.com Local Brew provided by Cigar City Brewing and the Pour House
Sunset Bridge Band is a local quartet with female vocalist Gracie Grieshop, Bassists AJ Topp, Guitarist and Banjo player Paul Needles, and Percussionist Rick Barclay. They play Alternative Country style music with a hint of Folk and Jazz.

Hope to see you all there this Thursday!

-Tiffany & Greg.

Tiffany Ferrecchia, Director of Operations and Marketing (813) 481-8805
Greg Barnhill, Director of Operations and Finance (813) 310-5705
E: tampabaymarkets@tampabay.rr.com
W: www.tampabaymarkets.com

There was a great article in today’s paper regarding the red light cameras. Since the cameras began citing drivers, the cameras have 12,606 citations have been issued. So in the 7 weeks of issuing, they have issued $1,991,748. in fines. For Seminole Heights, our immediate area lights (Hillsborough and Nebraska $178,382) and (Hillsborough and 22nd) has seen 2161 citations totaling $341,438. Initially, the purpose of the lights were “safety” concerns. With this kind of bank roll coming int, is this something that we could ask for this money to come back to the area collected?