Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Press Release about Early Voting

October 28, 2008

Governor Crist Extends Early Voting Hours
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM YOUR SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
Annie D.Williams
Hernando County Supervisor of Elections

EARLY VOTING HOURS EXTENDED
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 3:45 pm

Governor Crist has issued an executive order (number 08-217) extending early voting hours.

NEW HOURS FOR HERNANDO COUNTY:
Tuesday, October 28th - open til 7pm
Wednesday, October 29th - 7am - 7pm
Thursday, October 30th - 7am - 7pm
Friday, October 31st - 7am - 7pm
Saturday, November 1st - 7am -7pm
Sunday, November 2nd - CLOSED
(Early voting hours on the weekend may vary by county)

WHERE:
Government Center
BROOKSVILLE OFFICE
20 N. Main St., Rm. 165
Brooksville, FL 34601

Government Center
SPRING HILL OFFICE
7443 Forest Oaks Blvd.
Spring Hill, FL 34606

For accurate election information, contact:

Annie D. Williams
Supervisor of Elections
Hernando County
20 N. Main Street, Room 165
Brooksville, FL 34601
352-754-4125
352-754-4425 Fax


Supervisor of Elections www.hernandovotes.com

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Press Release regarding Hernando County Flood Maps

October 17, 2008

More Workshops Re: Flood Maps
Robyn Felix
1-800-423-1476, Ext. 4770 or
Cell Phone: 813-781-9817

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 16, 2008

More workshops scheduled to help develop Hernando County flood insurance maps

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hernando County are holding more public meetings to present preliminary floodplain information and explain the basis behind the findings.

The information will be used to update area floodplain information and develop preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Most of the current FIRMs are 10 to 30 years old and are outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.

One workshop focusing on Hernando County’s Oman Quarry, Powell and Toachodka watersheds will be held Oct. 28, 4 to 7 p.m. at the District Headquarters, 2379 Broad St., in Brooksville.

Another workshop focusing on Hernando County’s Blue Sink, Croom and McKethan watersheds will be held Oct. 30, 4 to 7 p.m. at the District Headquarters, 2379 Broad St., in Brooksville.

During the meetings, preliminary models and floodplain information will be presented to the public for review and comment. After addressing the comments, the floodplain information will be finalized, and presented to the District's Governing Board for permission to develop the preliminary FIRMs for submittal to FEMA.

Upon receipt of the preliminary FIRMs, the FEMA FIRM adoption process will begin, which includes:

· A technical review by FEMA
· Review by Hernando County
· Public input
· A 90-day appeals period
· Issuance of a letter of final determination that informs Hernando County and public of the date when the FIRMs will be considered effective

Hernando County anticipates adopting new FIRMs starting next year once the FEMA process is complete. The FEMA process should take nine to 12 months; but based on appeals can take several years.

The floodplain information will be used by the county for land use and zoning decisions; to help manage development in and around floodplains and wetlands; reduce flood risks; preserve land and water resources; and planning for emergencies. It will also provide valuable information to the public for decisions about purchasing and protecting property.

For more information, or to find out which watershed you live in, please visit www.WaterMatters.org/floodrisk/. You can also call the District at (352) 796-7211, ext. 4297.

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Flood Map Information www.watermatters.org

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Swiftmud updates their Flood Maps will you have to buy Flood Insurance?

The district, known as Swiftmud, is in the process of updating the maps last revised in 1984. The maps, to be certified by the Federal Emergency Management Association, are used by mortgage companies to determine whether a property owner must buy flood insurance.

Hernando County's current flood maps haven't been revised since 1984. The district and its consultants unveiled preliminary maps last year but then admitted the methodology needed improving. The latest maps incorporate the rate that water is absorbed into sandy soil as well as new topographical data. The models in most cases use a one-day rainfall that would drop 13 inches of rain in 24 hours.

There are 22 watersheds in the county. Swiftmud will hold about seven or eight workshops, each one focusing on two or three watersheds. The district is mailing cards to property owners whose floodplain status would change based on the new maps.

For more information on the flood map project, call Swiftmud at 796-7211.

On the Web

To find out more about the new flood maps, go to / www.swfwmd.state.fl.us and click on the "Federal Flood Map Updates" link. To find out about the National Flood Insurance Program, go to www.floodsmart.gov.

Commuter Choices Week Event

Press Release

October 2, 2008

Commuter Choices Week Event
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sandi Moody, Executive Director
Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS)
(813) 282-8200 or (800) 998-7433

OCTOBER 2, 2008

Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS) announces the Tampa Bay Area's 12th Annual Commuter Choices Week (CCW). This series of events helps to educate the general public, local government and the media about commute options and the benefits of reducing traffic congestion (and helping to reduce our need for fossil fuels). With fluctuating gas prices and the focus on global warming, this year's Commuter Choices Week will promote "Going Greener".

CCW promotes carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, bicycling, walking teleworking and flexible work hour programs. To publicize the diversity of commute options, a series of fun public events will be held throughout the Tampa Bay area during the weeks of October 6-17, 2008.

In Hernando County, BACS has scheduled a CCW awareness event for Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 11:30 to 1:30 in front of the historic courthouse in downtown Brooksville. There will be food and lots of information about transportation alternatives for your daily commute. WWJB radio station will broadcast live on-site at the event.

To get involved and support Commuter Choices Week, complete the online commitment form, become eligible for prizes and learn more about saving money, reducing stress and saving our environment.

http://www.tampabayrideshare.org/ccw08.htm

Bay Area Commuter Services www.tampabayrideshare.org/ccw08.htm

Halloween Harvest Festival

Press Release

October 2, 2008

Halloween Harvest Festival
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2008

The Hernando County Recreation Department will hold its annual Halloween Harvest Festival on Friday and Saturday, October 24th and 25th, 2008, from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. The festival will be held at the Hernando County Fairgrounds, 6436 Broad St. (U.S. 41), Brooksville, Florida.

Both nights will feature games and other activities, food, a haunted house, hay ride and entertainment. A pet masquerade will take place on Friday at 7 p.m., and a costume contest is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Game tickets are 4/$1; haunted house admission is $4; and the hay ride is $2. For more information, call the Recreation Department at 7(352) 754-4031.

http://www.hernandocounty.us/Parks_Rec/

Watering Restrictions Extended Through February

Press Release

October 1, 2008

Watering Restrictions Extended Through February
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 30, 2008
Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board extends water restrictions through February

Summer rains not enough for water resources to fully recover

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board voted today to extend the current Water Shortage Order, which restricts lawn watering throughout the District to one-day-per-week, through Feb. 27, 2009.

The Governing Board chose to extend the term of the water shortage order because the region is still impacted by the two-year drought and portions of the District did not receive enough rain during the annual wet season.

Following two years of drought, the area was beginning to see normal rainfall patterns return, as well as the recovery of water resources. But while the rest of the state received significant rainfall from Tropical Storm Fay, the storm skirted our region and subsequent tropical systems brought drier air, rather than rainfall. As a result, the District is still experiencing a 24-month rainfall deficit.

“Despite the better rainfall this past year, we have not seen recovery to pre-drought conditions,” said Granville Kinsman, hydrologic data manager.

Meanwhile, rainfall in September, the last month of our four-month rainy season, has been below-normal and surface water and ground water systems started their seasonal declines earlier than expected.

As of Sept. 22, groundwater levels for the northern, central and southern regions of the District have already peaked and are beginning to decline. The northern region includes Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion and Sumter counties; the central region includes Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk counties; and the southern region includes Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

Stream flows also have peaked and are beginning to decline on all major rivers within the District. In fact, the stream flows for the Alafia River and Hillsborough River are considered severely abnormal.

Due to low streamflows, the public supply systems served by Tampa Bay Water and the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority remain at-risk due to low storage. Both regional suppliers continue to rely on emergency authorizations to help meet current water demand.

Lake levels throughout the District remain severely impacted by the drought. The lakes within the northern region are about 6.3 feet below where they would normally be expected to be at the end of September. Lakes in the central region, which includes the Tampa Bay area, are about 3.1 feet lower than expected. Lakes in the southern region, which includes the Polk Uplands region and the Lake Wales Ridge region, are 3.6 to 6.7 feet lower than expected.

“In addition to hydrologic conditions, staff also considers climate indicators when recommending the board extend water restrictions,” said Kinsman. “The Climate Prediction Center anticipates drier-than-normal conditions through the fall and spring.”

The water shortage order, which has been in effect since Jan. 16, 2007, was slated to expire Sept. 30.

The order includes restrictions that apply to the use of water from public and private water utilities as well as the use of all wells and surface water sources (ponds, rivers, etc.).

The following schedule is a summary of the restrictions unless your city or county has a different once-per-week schedule:

Addresses with "house numbers" … May only irrigate on…
Ending in 0 or 1 Monday
Ending in 2 or 3 Tuesday
Ending in 4 or 5 Wednesday
Ending in 6 or 7 Thursday
Ending in 8 or 9 Friday


For more information about water restrictions, the drought and how you can conserve water, visit the District's web site at www.WaterMatters.org/drought.
Questions concerning water restrictions can be answered during normal business hours by calling 1-800-848-0499 or 1-800-423-1476, extension 4498.