New Homes For Sale Along The Beaches This Week

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Why It's Important to Protect Our Springs

In its latest blog on Patch, the Southwest Florida Water Management District explains what it's doing to protect the natural springs it calls "essential" to our environment and economy.

Florida's natural springs are "essential to the environment, economy, citizens and visitors of the state," according to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. That's why the agency invested more than $2.2 million in springs protection and restoration last year and has approved $3.9 million more for the coming fiscal year, SFWMD spokesperson Susanna Martinez Tarokh explains in her latest blog on Patch. "There are more than 150 documented springs throughout the 16-county District, with five first magnitude spring groups that collectively discharge more than one billion gallons of water per day," Martinez Tarokh writes. Have you ever visited any of these springs? Do you agree with SFWMD's mission to protect them? We want to hear …

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Pinellas Jobless Rate Dips Again, Beats State as Whole

The county's unemployment rate dropped to 6.5 percent in April. Here's a look – and a link to job openings on the beaches.

The jobless rate in Pinellas County dropped slightly in April, beating the overall unemployment rate in Tampa Bay and Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Pinellas County's rated dropped from 6.7 percent in March to 6.5 percent in April. (Looking for work? Check out Job Listings on Florida Beaches.) The overall jobless rate across Tampa Bay – including Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Citrus and Hernando Counties – decreased from 6.9 to 6.7 percent, according to the Tampa Bay Times, quoting figures from the state Department of Economic Opportunity. Florida's unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent in April, from 7.5 percent in March. This is the lowest since 2008. Here are unemployment rates of some Florida counties: The state added 17,000 …

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Tea Party Targeting, AP Phone Taps: What’s Up with Government Lately?

As news about possible abuses of power on the federal level continues to break, we’d like to get your take about what’s been going on Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay residents who keep up with the headlines coming out of Washington, D.C., have likely found themselves scratching their heads more than a few times this past week. Allegations of wrongdoing seem to be coming at the speed of light as the Obama Administration fends off bad press about inappropriate targeting of Tea Party organizations by the Internal Revenue Service and possible wrongdoing in the handling of a national security leak. The IRS’ targeting of Tea Party groups centers around hassles these groups report experiencing while trying to apply for tax-exempt status prior to the 2012 election. The controversy even hit home as Bay area groups are now reporting that they were targeted, according to The Tampa Tribune. The kerfuffle…

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Magnus Thunderson

9:54 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013

So true but you forgot to mention thery also get the best retirement as you can get a 16k penion as a senator after one term and the house has be be two term as it requires 5 years vested   more ›

Sand Key Coast Guard Station Open House is May 18

The Coast Guard Station Sandy Key offers an open house May 18 as a part of national safe boating week. The family-friendly event includes boat tours.

Top Treats in St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island: Did They Get it Right?

The following local ice cream and dessert shops have the highest current ratings on Urbanspoon. Do you agree with the picks?

Below are the top St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island Ice Cream & Dessert Shops as rated on Urbanspoon.com. What do you think of the rankings? Are the users of Urbanspoon getting it right? Tell us in the comments section 1. Beach Snoballs, 85% positive reviews 2. Shake Shop, 90%  3. Larry's Olde Fashioned Ice Cream, 85% 4. Super Scoops, 81% 5. Paradise Sweets, 95% 6. Twistee Treat, 80% Ratings are based on rankings, reviews and other data. You can also leave a review for your neighbors to see by going to the Pinellas Beaches Patch directory and leaving a review. Sign up for the Pinellas Beaches Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!

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Retiring at 50: Could You Follow This Woman's Extreme Savings Plan?

Here's the story of Marlene Konkoly, who found creative ways to spend less and save more so she can retire at 50. This story is the first in our series about Extreme Savers.

Americans may be living longer, but our retirement plans aren’t keeping up. Which means people are living longer with smaller bank accounts.   But Marlene Konkoly will retire at age 50. How did she do it? She contributes a whopping 45 percent of the gross annual income she earns as a procurement officer for an automotive finance company to her retirement—all while owning a home and remaining debt-free. Konkoly is actually well ahead of the retirement savings curve compared to many of her fellow Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, fewer than half of Americans even know how much money they would need to retire. And nearly a third of employees who had access to a defined contribution plan such as a 401(k) did not participate…

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Real Estate Blog: Pinellas County Real Estate Stats for April

Looking to buy or sell a home? Local Voices Blogger Becky Paone shares an update on the local real estate market including which single family homes are selling, trends in the condo market and tips to getting a home under contract.