eNEWS is a free e-mail newsletter with items about Greater Sun City Center, Florida. If you want to be added to the distribution list, send a simple "please add me to your list" to:  jbowker@tampabay.rr.com eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email Volume 10, Number 26                                             June 27 , 2008 HOSPITAL GETS TOP ATTENTION        Regardless of how it all turns out, we can look back and be cheered by the amount of attention this matter is having at the highest state levels.  Those 200+ who attended the meeting in Community Hall yesterday heard a variety of possible outcomes presented by Senator Ronda Storms and Senator Victor Crist -- all the way from keeping South Bay Hospital open regardless of other decisions, to the idea of building two hospitals across the street from each other on Big Bend Road.      There was strongly worded unanimity among the speakers, including County Commissioners Brian Blair and Mark Sharpe, that two hospitals are needed in the South County area and that one of them should be a hospital in Sun City Center.  The growth plans for the next quarter century -- more than a dozen new housing developments are now planned for the area within 5 miles of Sun City Center they said -- dictate the need for more hospital rooms south of the Alafia River.      Governor Crist was represented by a staff member with instructions, she said, to report back to him about the meeting and comments from the audience.  He will be presented with a comprehensive book, assembled by the South County Healthcare Committee  containing all the governing documents that come to bear in this case.      Credit for arranging all this attention is due to that volunteer committee of Janet Wilson, Jerry Mahoney, Jim Duffy, and Ed Barnes.   EMERGENCY SQUAD TECHNICAL OPENINGS      Communications are essential to the Emergency Squad -- everything from caller ID to radio, telephone and GPS systems.       Volunteers are needed to monitor existing systems performance, trouble shoot problems, enhance existing applications, develop new application systems and implement proprietary applications.  In short, the Squad needs an IT department.     At this time, the Emergency Squad uses Microsoft Windows XP Pro, Office, Outlook and Access.  They have some home grown applications written in Visual Basic.  Their servers run Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003.       If you have knowledge and experience in any of the products mentioned above and can devote a day or a half day a week, they need you -- in fact, the whole community needs you!  Please contact Marty Gifford, Assistant Chief, for Personnel at 633-1411 or send an email to Assistant Chief Thom Brown at thomb@scc-ems.com.   HOME SECURITY DETAILED        Deputy Sheriff Rob Thornton yesterday hosted a meeting in the Kings Point Banquet Room on the topic of protecting your home against break-ins. His guest, Deputy Jeff Service, heads the Crime Prevention Bureau in Tampa, and spoke about simple things we can all do to deter the bad guys from getting to our belongings.      One important message is that your goal should be to steer the thugs away from your house. If you make it difficult for them to get inside, they’ll probably just move to your neighbor’s home and break in there.      There is a very helpful brochure that Thornton has in his office at the Security Patrol office, 1005 North Pebble Beach Boulevard. It describes various window and door locks and alarms. It describes a very simple thing any of us can do to make it nearly impossible for a crook to open your back sliding glass doors (all they have to do is lift them a little and they fall right out!).  Does your front door swing out? Are the hinges for that door on the outside? It would take less than a minute to open that locked door unless you follow their directions.      And I was unaware of how easy it would be for me to open your locked garage door with a coat hanger.       Interested?  Visit Deputy Thornton.   COMMUNITY PLANNING OPEN HOUSE Tomorrow in Community Hall from 2-4 p.m.           On Saturday, June 28, everyone is invited to participate in your community plan.  You will be asked to choose goals that can be realized in a 5-10 year time frame.       Tables will be set up for these seven elements:  Health Care, Environmental Safety, Commercial Development, Recreation, Land Use, Transportation and Communication.     Come see what it's all about and circle the choices you believe we can reach. It is important that all interested parties plan to attend this Open House which will focus on finalizing the initial Greater SCC Community Plan which will be integrated into the Hillsborough County Comprehension Plan.  Remember, the purpose of Community Planning is to establish the vision of what we, want our community to look like 15 years from now. 2:00 pm - tomorrow - Community Hall, 1910 South Pebble Beach Blvd     RUMOR CONTROL         The ACE Hardware store not closing.  Our ACE store is doing just fine, there is no hint or thought of closing. It's great having a hardware store accessible by golf cart and one that stocks many things unique to our houses in Sun City Center.   / John Bowker eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email   Volume 10, Number 25                                     June 22, 2008   NEW FLOOD PLAIN MAPS You may want to invest in Flood Plain Insurance now        Hillsborough County has announced that the newest generation of Flood Plain maps for Sun City Center will become official for flood insurance and development purposes on Wednesday, August 28th.  All the details about who will need to buy flood insurance are on Dave Brown’s website:  www.suncitydave.info  Please go to his website and click on “Flood Plain List Update - 6/21/08.”       If you have trouble accessing that, come to the Information Center at 1002 Cherry Hills Drive on Monday (tomorrow) from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon, or from 2 - 4 p.m.  Dave or I will be there to show you how your property looks on the new maps, and then ask you to make way for the next person right behind you.  Fair enough?      If you do need (or want) flood plain insurance, you should take action right now to apply for insurance. The reason is that, if your insurance takes effect before August 28, you are permanently grandfathered in at a relatively low rate. Once your application is complete, and you’ve paid that first premium, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance becomes effective.  To get the low rate, therefore, you must have established your account with the flood insurance company by July 28 at the latest.      I obtained our insurance by phoning my home-owner insurance company and it took about a week to get everything arranged so the 30-day clock could start on my property. We have no mortgage, and our house is not shown as being in the flood plain, but we live on one of the many middle-sized lakes in town so we thought it prudent.   BACKFLOW VALVES        While you’re looking at Dave Brown’s flood plain website above, you might also want to click on the item right below it called “Backflow Valve Update- 6/21/08.”      This is a very complicated issue, and one that is apparently going to cost many of us several hundred dollars over the next year or two.  I’ll re-visit this matter shortly.      We may want to organize a “presence” at a Board of County Commissioners meeting in August.  Meantime, the more of us who can become familiar with the subject, and understand why it’s before us and what, if any, options we have, the better.      SAVE OUR HOSPITAL We have some top-level attention; let’s use it!        There will be a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, June 26 starting at 10:00 a.m. in our Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd.  This has been arranged by the South County Healthcare Committee as part of their effort to Save the South Bay Hospital.      Senator Ronda Storms and Senator Victor Crist will hold this community meeting regarding the Certificate of Need for building a new hospital at Big Bend Road while keeping open South Bay Hospital.      Attendance by everyone is urged; the committee wants the two Senators to see the high interest and concern of the population in and around Sun City Center.      HOME SECURITY SEMINAR Deputy Rob Thornton wants to nip home break-ins        On June 26th (Thurs) at 9:00 AM, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Kings Point security will hold a Home Security seminar in the ballroom at the Kings Point main clubhouse. Keep to the right-hand lane (“Visitors”) as you enter Kings Point and simply tell the security guard you will be attending this seminar.      Rob is bringing Deputy Jeff Service down from the main Ybor City office to be the main speaker.  He has a lot of things he wants to instruct folks about, and most of them involve things that you can do to your house to make it harder for criminals to get inside.  There's a lot more to it than just locking your doors.       Additionally, the folks at Home depot are coming and bringing examples of the things that will be talked about.  Refreshments will be offered.   And, In Closing,        Be sure to send your e-mail address to Jim and Nell Taze.  They are now editing a fine new newsletter each Friday containing notices of special events in and around Sun City Center.  Simple write to sccfreeads@tampabay.rr.com and ask that they add your address to their list. If you have an upcoming event, by all means send it to that same address.         While I’m thinking about this, could I ask you to send me both your new and your old e-mail address when you change your e-mail address, please? I do not link your name and address in anyway in the distribution lists for eNEWS (there are 14 different lists now) so I have no way of “finding you” without knowing your old address. I will then delete it.        And finally for today, there is no way this community can adequately express its appreciation for the months and, now, years, of effort our resident Dave Brown of Burlington Circle has put into the Flood Plain matter and, for the past year, into the issue most of us still shake our heads about .. backflow valves.  Thank you, Dave! John Bowker eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email Volume 10, Number 24                                      June 12, 2008 POOL HOURS STAY THE SAME          The largest crowd of the year at a monthly CA Board meeting watched and heard a spirited discussion yesterday about the use of our pools by children.  It had been proposed to alter the times that children aged 3-17 can use our pools, but after hearing comments from the audience, the Board unanimously voted to keep the 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. hours, and the 3 - 5 p.m. hours for children.         I have a summary of the pool Policy 6.03 to send you if you wish. It tells the hours, purposes and other details of our indoor, outdoor, exercise and spa pools. Just reply to this eNEWS with your request.   CYNTHIA WINSTON IS EDITOR          The CA Board has formally acknowledged the resignation of Karen Ryan as Editor-in-Chief of the NEWS of Sun City Center, and yesterday named Cynthia Ann Winston as Interim Editor of the monthly publication. The appointment runs through the end of 2008.  E-mail messages to The NEWS can be addressed to sccnews@verizon.net   BRUCE ANDERSON IS FITNESS CHAIR        A new Fitness Center Committee is being established to oversee the operations in the Center.  Today, Bruce Anderson was named by the CA Board as Committee Chairman.   OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE        Please read today’s edition of the SCC Observer -- a front page description of the community planning that will affect us all with regard to our safety, health services, land use, recreation sites, commercial development and other issues essential to keeping Sun City Center a premier retirement community.  Above all, please get to our Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd on Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m., and see what’s planned.    And, in Closing,        The parking lots around the Arts & Crafts Building will be closed on July 12 while the surface is sealed.      Indeed, there has now been at least one instance of gasoline theft from a car parked in a residential area of Sun City Center. All the more reason to keep the vehicle in the garage with the door closed as Deputy Rob Thornton recommends.      The Sun City Center resident count at the end of May was 11,056.          If you like to do your shopping on the Internet, or just want to compare prices of things between stores, go to: http://www.allmyfaves.com/   Down the left side of the screen will be a choice of more than 40 interests (e.g., shopping, maps, finance, music, games …), and beside each one is a collection of stores offering such products or services. Just click on any of the little icons.  It’s very pretty and may be even useful.   / John Bowker eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email Volume 10, Number 23                                             June 4, 2008 NEW OUTDOOR POOL HOURS ?        At its regular Board Meeting next Wednesday, the CA directors have scheduled a vote to change the hours at the outdoor pool to permit visiting children, ages 3 - 17, to use that pool from 3 p.m. to dusk from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. For adults 18+, the outdoor pool will be open from 7 a.m. to dusk. There will be no morning or early afternoon hours for the kids under the new plan during that summer period.  There will be no change in the hours for the indoor pools.      The CA Directors will vote on this at the regular monthly meeting in the Rollins Theater starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11.  All CA members are welcome to attend the monthly meetings.   SAVE OUR HOSPITAL Volunteers Needed        The South County Health Care Committee needs volunteers to be at a table in the Atrium Building to encourage residents to send letters to the State agency responsible for the final decision about relocating South Bay Hospital.        They have a table set up for volunteers in the Atrium Building Mondays-Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the month of June. If you can donate a few hours to help, please call Susan at 633-3500 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to schedule some time(s) when you would be available.   NEW NEWSLETTER MAILED        The new 8-Page glossy publication is due in the mail at your house today or tomorrow according to CA President Paul Wheat. The editor for this June edition is Community Manager, Lyn Reitz.       The name of an “Interim Editor” will be submitted to the CA Board for approval at next Wednesday’s meeting and a writing staff is now being assembled for future editions. If you would like to consider joining the new staff, send your name and perhaps a few words about your interest in being on the staff to: Manager@suncitycenter.org   FITNESS CENTER COMMITTEE Replaces the “Fitness Center Club”        The Fitness Center is a facility of the Community Association. There has always been an informal “Board” that has done a superb job of keeping the facilities operating smoothly and, until recently, it appeared as a “Club” that CA Members could join if they wished.      Next Wednesday at its regular monthly Board meeting, the CA Directors will vote to add a committee that will be responsible for managing the operations in the Center, and will name a new chairman of the Fitness Center Committee.   ARE YOU MISSING OUT? There’s so much going on in town        For nearly ten years, there has been an e-mail distribution of upcoming events in Sun City Center.  It started here with eNEWS in 1998, and then Elaine Brad picked it up for several years when it got too much for me to handle. She developed “Event Express” into a wonderful stand-alone listing of events about to happen in and around town.      Earlier this year, Elaine found she had to stop so she could devote more attention to her responsibilities at the Chamber of Commerce, and that brought Jim and Nell Taze to the fore. They had already started an e-mail newsletter covering lots of bulletin board notices were not being seen by a majority of residents and it was a natural for them to pick up with a comprehensive calendar of events where Elaine had left off.      The bottom line is that, now, if you send a request to sccfreeads@tampabay.rr.com your e-mail address will be added to that new distribution list.  If you get that mailing along with eNEWS, you’ll probably be as up-to-date as possible and not miss out on much of anything!      And, by the way, both the Tazes and I need your inputs on news items and special event calendar items.  None of us can be at all places at all times. You can always send me material by “replying” to eNEWS.   And, in Closing,         They have put up new signs to Kings Point on Route 674 and on 33rd street and they all spell Kings Pointe with an E on the end.  (Thanks, Ivan)       There is a tribe of Kuna Indians living in the Caribbean area and, after age 60, their average blood pressure is 110/70. There is no reported hypertension.  Harvard researchers, I’m told, found their magic elixir is cocoa .. 5 cups a day.  (Thanks, Misty)        I’ve mentioned above a few of the items that will be discussed and resolved at the monthly CA Board meeting next Wednesday. I encourage all CA members to attend so you can see first hand how the Board operates.  Some of the other items on next week’s agenda are a change in the policy relating to the Entertainment Committee, a new description of the Bingo Committee, the rental value of space in Community Hall and the acknowledgement of Karen Ryan’s resignation to the Board as the editor of The NEWS of Sun City Center.       In addition, there will be a President’s Report updating anything new of concern to the Community Association, and a Treasurer’s Report on the Association’s financial status.      As an aside, I note a typographical error in our Membership Directory on page 27; the age limits shown there for children using the outdoor pool is 3-16. That should have been written as 3-17 to be consistent with the Policy Book.   / John Bowker      eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email Volume 10, Number 22                                             May 29 , 2008 IT’s  A  BOY !       I am delighted to report that Mrs. Lyn Reitz, Sun City Center Community Manager, gave birth last night to a 7.2 pound boy. She and husband Doug have named the baby Richard Thomas Reitz.  All three are doing well.       If you wish to send a note to her, get it to the CA Office at 1009 North Pebble Beach Boulevard. They will be in touch with her during her absence from work.   / John Bowker eNEWS News of Greater Sun City Center by email   Volume 10, Number 21                                     May 22, 2008   CLARIFYING OUR SUPPORT GROUPS        There has been some confusion recently about how each of our organizations in town is funded.  It is important to realize that, by their own choice, the Emergency Squad and the Security Patrol are independent organizations, each enjoying a 501( c)3 IRS tax status. They are both supported by independent fund raisers during the year and by generous other donations from local residents.  Neither of them has any organizational connection to the Community Association.      At last Wednesday’s CA Board meeting, the matter of lease and selective operations payments by the Security Patrol to the Community Association was raised. When the Patrol outgrew its quarters in the Old Town Hall in the late 1980s, it approached the CA to build its present building on space owned by the CA that had been used for parking. The Security Patrol covered the costs of construction and has paid most of its operational costs over the years.  A formula was developed for selective additional operating costs to be shared with, and paid to, the Community Association.      This year, the CA has begun a rigorous line-by-line-budget review of its costs. It soon realized that the formula used for payments by the Security Patrol to the CA had not been changed in 17 years. The CA and the Patrol have been reviewing the formula and, as of yesterday morning, a revised agreement was reached.     NEW POST OFFICE HOURS        The Sun City Center Post Office has announced new hours when they will be open:      Mondays - Fridays -- 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.      Saturdays - 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon      Sundays & Holidays - Closed.      NOTE:  I note that the hours shown on the door to the post office still show the closing time during the week as 4:30 p.m., but the new hours shown above are in effect. (Thanks, Joe)   GOLF CARTS TO BEALLS        Yes, it is now legal to drive your golf cart to the new Bealls in the Cypress Village Shopping Center. You must not drive your cart beyond the corner where the warning sign is posted; happily that’s at the front corner of the main building exactly where the permit ended when Wal-Mart was located where Bealls is now.   SUN CITY CENTER NEWSLETTER        The new publication will be mailed to each CA Member by the end of the first week of June. It is described as an 8-page newsletter.  Suggestions for news items in future editions should be sent by e-mail to:  sccboard@suncitycenter.org   OLD COMPUTER EQUIPMENT      For several years, the Computer Club has been the community collection-point for used Computer equipment.  Much of this has been repaired or updated and provided to local non-profit organizations, migrant families, and schools.       Lately, however, many people have mistaken this mission.  The Club is being deluged with old TV sets, broken Hi-Fi equipment, burned out CRT Monitors, FAX machines and the like.  The Club has no use for these items and their disposal is a costly problem.          Therefore, The Computer Club can now only accept usable Computer Equipment that can be updated/repaired for distribution to those in need.  Such equipment should be delivered to the Club Classroom in the Atrium Building between 12:30 - 5 PM, daily except Sunday.  A receipt is available, if you wish it for tax purposes.      One may dispose of all other electronics equipment by taking it to the South County Waste Disposal site on Route 41, just north of Big Bend Road.  They accept all types of electronic equipment on the second Saturday each month, from 8 AM until 2 PM.  They will unload your car and recycle the equipment in an ecological manner. All at no charge.  Please take advantage of this capability.  (Thanks, Jack)   AED and CPR Demo & Training        Use of the  Automatic Electronic Defibrillator devices and the New CPR methods are being demonstrated at an upcoming CERT Work Shop. Interested residents should come to the Kings Point Theater, Main Club House, by 9:00 am on Saturday May 24. A short  film and the hands on practice session will last about one hour.      In addition to the demonstrations, Hillsborough county CERT teams will participate in a work shop in the south parking lot of Kings Point Main Club house from  9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The Kings Point snack bar will be open for light snacks during the event.   And, In Closing,   ·        CA offices (including the library) will be closed Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. ·        The Fitness Center is open to all members of the CA at no charge. There is a Fitness Club that CA Members can join if they wish. The Fitness Center will be open May 26. ·        Wal-Mart Gift Cards can be used to buy gasoline at the Murphy Gas station at a 3-cent-per-gallon reduced price and are available at each checkout counter and. (Thanks to everyone who wrote in about this; the first four were Wanda, Christine, Paul and Robin.) ·        You can still have your name(s) engraved on metal tags on the back of each of the new chairs in Community Hall. The tags are $100. By the way, the chairs are fully paid for; further proceeds will go toward other amenities in Community Hall. ·        Cooks are needed by the Emergency Squad!  There are full kitchen facilities at their Ray Watson Drive facility and the volunteers receive a luncheon and evening meal when they are on duty. For more information, write to:  martygifford@tampabay.rr.com ·        Here is a newer website service than I gave you last year for checking on gasoline prices at nearby stations or at any U.S. gas station.  Just go to the website and look for the small box labeled “Change Zip” -- and type in 33573 or any other Zip Code  you’d like to know about. Go to: http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx (Thanks, Charles)   John Bowker      THE I.R.S. DOES NOT USE E-MAIL!      eNEWS has received many reports in 2008 that the IRS is seeking information in preparation for sending out the Stimulus Rebate checks. That is not true. Yes, I know the e-mails have the IRS symbol and they look for all the world legitimate, but they are NOT. If you have responded to any requests for information about your income, your taxes, or your bank account in any way by means of e-mail, please go to your bank tomorrow morning and check on the status of your account.  By the way, your bank won't use e-mail either .. and neither will your credit card companies. Those requests for information, and warnings to you about closing your account, are all false!  Don't believe me? Just call any company on the telephone that asks you for bank check numbers, etc. And be sure to use the company's real telephone number, NOT the telephone number included in the e-mail you're checking on because the telephone number they give you in the e-mail is back in the office of the miserable crooks who are sending you the e-mail in the first place.                                                         eNEWS                             News of Greater Sun City Center by email                                          Highlights from earlier editions     NEW CLUBS BOOKLET:      A new 26-page booklet has been composed by Roz Cruthis and the Information Center Staff showing basic details of our clubs and a few organizations.      Please look in on that booklet. It is now posted on our website at:  http://www.enewsOnline.org   Click on “Club Listing”    If there is any entry needing a change, reply to this eNEWS message and I'll see that it is taken care of.      ...from eNEWS August 26, 2007                IS THIS SIDEWALK DANGEROUS?      Yes, enough of you responded to my first showing of some of these that we can't let it just go without county review any longer.  I am in touch with Commissioner Higginbotham's office to see what might be considered.  This is a tough time for the county to find money, particularly for a project like this that's been on our plate since 1978.  But we'll see what can be done. It is difficult to understand why anyone would design a sidewalk in this way. The Del Webb sidewalks were not narrowed as you see here, and the most recent WCI sidewalks recognize this danger by straightening out the edge over street drains. There are well over 150 of these narrowed sidewalks in Sun City Center.