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CAREFEST –
Sat. Sept. 26
Volunteers were
needed for a myriad of projects, painting, mulching and cleanup
throughout St. Petersburg. The annual week of compassion-related
activities, sponsored by
Somebody Cares
Tampa Bay under the umbrella of
CareFest USA, culminated with a day of service that
gave back to the community, benefitting individual homeowners
and non-profit organizations.
As our contribution, Westminster
Heights residents installed 92 bollards down
55th St. on the cemetery side between 1st. Ave S and the
memorial wall.
In recognition, President
Gloria Shingles (right) and Secretary Melissa Newton accepted a
Certificate of Appreciation from the City. They are shown here with
former President, City Council Member Wengay M. Newton Sr.
From POWW May 22, 2009

Rays Eliminate Waterfront Stadium
Location
The war isn't over, but we have won
a major victory! POWW's mission has been to preserve both our
waterfront parks (which will have their 100th anniversary in
2010) and the wallets of St. Petersburg taxpayers.
While the article below is very encouraging, our City Council
still has work to do:
-
Re-zone the
Al Lang site as park (this was unanimously approved by the
Planning Commission in March).
-
Reduce the
height limit for the Al Lang site from its current 300' to
one consistent with our other parks (50-75'). The DRC
recently voted (4 to 3) not to change the height limit,
until the re-zoning is completed by the City Council.
-
Put POWW's
waterfront referendum directly on the ballot. This will put
the Public sector on an equal footing with the private
sector, and require voter approval for any major development
in our waterfront parks.
POWW
website
Rays sink plans for waterfront stadium in St. Pete
POLICE REPORT April
Ofc.
Scott King
told our last
Neighborhood Association meeting there was only 1 residential
burglary in
the past month. There were 2 commercial burglaries; one was a
3rd hit by a fruit thief at the open-air market on 49th St at 5th
Ave, and the other was a repeated theft of a custom surf board
from a legal firm that replaced the previous lost boards.
There were no vehicle break-ins, but
one domestic-related auto-theft and a dirt-bike theft. Five
vehicle parking warnings were issued, 4 were moved by owners and
one was towed. There were 2 reports of shots fired.
April 6, 2009
From Tom Tito,
President
Bartlett Park Neighborhood Association
bartlettparkneighborhood@gmail.com
On Sunday an innocent
8-year-old child was murdered here in our community. Tonight
residents came together at her home to support her family and
neighbors.
You are invited to help us put an
end to this senseless violence. Visit Bartlett Park
Crime Watch for details.
[Note: Since this was received four
18- or 19-year-old suspects, all convicted felons, have been
arrested and charged in this case. Two AK47 assault weapons were
found in the home of one suspect.]
Bartlett Park is around 22nd St.
S and east of I 275.
PIER
Council Member
Wengay M. Newton Sr. wishes it to be known that he is not
opposed to the St. Petersburg Pier, as suggested in some press
reports. He does feel that the management contract for running
the Pier should be reviewed.
Handouts
provided by
Council Member Wengay M. Newton Sr.
The Midtown
Community Seminar Series
Through May 19
Free tools list
from
www.collegecareerlifeplanning.org
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POLICE REPORT
March
Ofc. Scott King told our last
Neighborhood Association meeting there were 2 residential
burglaries in
the past month. In one case a sliding door was left open and a
plasma TV was taken. In the other case, a bicycle was taken from
a yard. There were 2 commercial burglaries. Six vehicles were
tagged as abandoned and towed.
Treeline parking warnings are now
documented so that repeat offenders can be cited. Six warnings
and four citations were issued.

Officer King on patrol in our neighborhood takes a report from a
local
resident who witnessed a case of battery in Royal Palm
Cemetery.
CODES COMPLIANCE March
From Jim Kilbourne, Association Codes Liaison
A resurgence of dumping in 3rd Ave.
is now being taken care of.
Jim is requested that any structural
fixtures needing repair should be reported to him.
The problem of pairs of shoes being
thrown over power and phone lines above streets continues. Jim
reported that Progress Energy should be called and they will cut
down shows hanging over any type of line. He also advised
members that black shoes indicate marijuana availability and
white shoes indicate cocaine availability.
March 23, 2009
From POWW (Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront Parks)
At State Level, POWW is gaining
support from our elected officials. Bills have been submitted in
both the House (HB253 by Eddy Gonzalez) and the Senate (SB474 by
Mike Bennett) that do much of what POWW's Wallets referendum
would do. These bills would require that voters have a say, if
the State or any Florida municipality wish to spend taxpayer
money on Professional sports facilities. If anything, these
bills go further than POWW to protect Florida taxpayers.
On the City level, Councilman Jamie
Bennett is introducing a slightly re-worded version of POWW's
Waterfront referendum to the City Council. If they approve, the
Council will place this referendum directly on the September
Primary ballot (or November Municipal Election ballot, if timing
is an issue). This will free POWW from the major
signature-collection effort for this initiative. POWW would
work with the City to ensure the intent of our referendum
remains intact.
Now, here's the rub: some members of
the City Council are reluctant to back Councilman Bennett's
initiative. What can you do? We need you all to email or call
the various City Council People and the Mayor to support this
measure. Let them know it is important to you that this
referendum be placed on one of the 2009 ballots. What this
measure does is to require a vote, if anyone wants to do major
development on St. Petersburg's waterfront parks (Vote to
Protect Your Right to Vote). There is some protection now, but
this initiative will plug the remaining loopholes. Next year
marks the Centennial of the Waterfront Park System. This is
something to be proud of and protect!
Please take a few minutes and
help! If the City Council moves forward, there will be two
readings and public hearings. We will need as many of you as
possible at those Council meetings. You may speak or not, as
you wish, but numbers are important, so plan to be there to
support the ballot initiative. We will notify you as to when
and where, as the information becomes available.
More information at the POWW website
www.stpetepoww.com
Do we have our priorities right?
From Chris Evans, 3/15/09
Congratulations to the Neighborhood Association and the City
Planners on finally gaining approval for the Neighborhood Plan
and beginning work on implementation. The new fence on 55th
Street is very well constructed and looks great.
One thought though. The proposed new Westminster Heights signs
will reportedly cost $2,900. They will replace existing signs
that were only installed about 2 years ago. Do we really need
new signs? We know we live in Westminster Heights and no one
else really cares. As many of us are losing homes and jobs,
surely this money could be better spent? And who will keep the
new signs free from litter, weeds, and graffiti, as found in
other neighborhoods.

Recent eviction from foreclosed home
on 3rd. Ave. S. (Picture: R. Ali Montsho.)
POLICE REPORT February
Ofc.
Scott King told our last
Neighborhood Association meeting there were no residential
burglaries in
the past month. There were 3 commercial burglaries and one call
for reported shots heard. He said the crime rate in Westminster
Heights is lower than in any other neighborhood that he patrols.
He asked us not to hesitate
in reporting any suspicious behavior, illegal parking,
abandoned vehicles, narcotic activities, or other problems
promptly to him at 727 551 3183.
Local Street Resurfacing
Both Fifth Ave. N. and Fifth Ave. S.
in St. Petersburg are being resurfaced. Before enjoying the
smooth ride ahead, motorists may experience some traffic delays
or inconveniences.
FIFTH AVE. S. – Traffic will
be affected on 5th Ave. S. for a city repaving project between
34th St. and 1st St. The work will be done in phases, with all
work occurring between 7 AM and 5 PM on weekdays. At least one
lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction at all
times, with normal traffic flow in the evenings and on weekends.
FIFTH AVE. N. – The Florida
Department of Transportation are resurfacing Fifth Ave. N.
(State Road 595) between Fourth St. and 58th St., a project that
is expected to be completed in Summer 2010. This project will
entail replacing traffic signals and posts with new hurricane
resistant poles and improved pedestrian countdown crosswalk
lights at nine major intersections (Eighth St., 16th St., 19th
St., 20th St., 28th St., 31st St., 37th St., 49th St. and 58th
St.) The project also includes replacing and repairing sidewalks
along Fifth Ave. N. Construction may take place during the day
and night.
This work is part of the City's
annual investment of $3.5 million in maintaining the public
streets.
Protect your right to vote on how
tax dollars are spent
From
Hal Freedman,
POWW Chairman, 2/24/09
POWW's ballot initiatives are no
longer about stopping the Rays and the City officials from
building a new stadium on our waterfront parks, at taxpayer
expense. They are not about stopping anything.
The petitions for which we are
collecting signatures are to ensure taxpayers have a right to
vote on how their tax dollars are spent and how their waterfront
parks are developed. If, even in these terrible economic times,
a majority of taxpayers feel their tax dollars should be spent
to build a facility for a for-profit, professional sports team,
so be it. That is Democracy. At the present time, taxpayers
have no say, unless the waterfront parks are involved!
When the Rays decided to remove
their new-waterfront-stadium referendum from the 2008 ballot,
everyone breathed a sigh of relief and "went to sleep"! The
problem is that the issue is not dead. The City/Rays set up a
coalition of businessmen (not citizens from the community) to
decide where a stadium should be built and how to pay for it.
Jeff Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy, who wants to raise your
electric rates by 25% (recently reduced to a still-outrageous
14% increase), is Chair of this coalition. He seems to be at
the center of several ways to take additional money out of
taxpayers' pockets.
Most citizens do not understand how
serious the issue still is. To ensure your right to vote on
these issues, POWW must collect 16,000 signatures on each of our
two (2) petitions. This is a daunting task. Without your help
collecting, POWW must pay for signature collection. As a truly
grassroots organization, raising the funds to do it this way is
also a daunting task. Please consider joining Rod Moren on a
Saturday walk to collect signatures, or make a donation to help
us pay for collection. Thank you for whatever support you can
give us.
SEWER RESTORATION
The City is proceeding with
restoring deteriorating sanitary sewer collection mains. The
project was scheduled to complete in February.
Click here to
view/download more details (PDF).
POLICE REPORT - January
Ofc.
Scott King told our last
Neighborhood Association meeting there were no residential
burglaries e in
the past month. He is aggressively issuing warnings for parking
violations and has had 6 cars towed in the last 2 months.
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