Lawmakers pass tax relief bill State House and Senate agree on $395 million in tax relief ... Page 6A. Crowe portrays Noah; Schwarzenegger stars in ‘Sabotage’ See these and other films opening this week as well as local performances ... Page 1B. Volume XXXVI, No. 36 www.TBNweekly.com March 27, 2014 INSIDE Cybercriminals hit Largo tech firm Largo police assist in arrests, recovery of $20,000 of equipment in Canada By JULIANA A. TORRES was shipped overseas, likely to Russia or to log on to Tech Data Canada’s website of attacks, he said. Rarely, however, is possibly Ukraine, said Tech Data fraud as the victim and place an order using such an attack on Tech Data’s websites LARGO – Computer equipment valued manager Scott Heim. their account. successful. at $59,805 was delivered to a home in The scam started with a Zeus virus or Heim said it’s a problem the company “We catch almost all of them. It’s less Canada Feb. 19 before Tech Data, an in- a similar variant that infected one of has been dealing with in the United than 1 percent that actually get fulfilled,” ternational IT distributor based in Largo, their customer’s computers, Heim said. States and Canada for about two years. Heim said. “Slips though, occasionally realized their customer had been a victim The virus, specifically a keylogger Trojan, “All the major tech distributors are deal- will occur, and it’s nice to know that we of a Russian cybercrime. was designed to track keystrokes and ing with the same activity,” he explained. have partners with law enforcement that The company has Largo police detec- relay the user names and passwords, In fact, any company that provides can jump on this for us.” tives to thank for helping to recover more even online banking credentials, back to electronic commerce access for its cus- than $20,000 of the equipment before it the cybercriminals, who then were able tomers has to defend against these types See CYBERCRIME, page 4A LARGO Dog artist featured Choi Kwang Do at annual Pawfest International martial arts organization celebrates its anniversary in Largo The Kiwanis Club By JULIANA A. TORRES of Largo/Mid-Pinellas will co-sponsor its LARGO – The masters and students eighth annual Pawfest of a fairly new and American-made Saturday, April 5, 10 martial art form gathered in Largo for a.m. to 3 p.m., at an international seminar and contest Largo Central Park. March 21-22. New this year is a “Choi Kwang Do is a unique martial drawing for a painting arts system,” explained its founder made especially for Grand Master Kwang Jo Choi, who Pawfest by dog artist was in attendance. “It’s based on Brody, a border collie. modern scientific principals, not only ... Page 3A. Dog artist Brody for practical self-defense, which every- body can learn, but also, the more im- portant, (to) promote our health.” COUNTY The event celebrated the 27th an- niversary of the martial art and hon- ored the birthday of its founder. Choi, 72, still teaches seminars around the world, demonstrating the agility and power his system of training has al- lowed him to maintain. During this year’s seminar, he taught a class to senior citizens from the Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, some in their 90s, and a class to a gymnasium full of black-belt students of all ages. This year, the international seminar was held in Largo to help promote the Florida movement, which has only two Photo by JULIANA A. TORRES Choi Kwang Do instructors Mary Nzamba, center, and Jordan Leiva, right, lead a demonstration team from Kennesaw, Ga., Grand Prix returns See CHOI KWANG DO, page 3A through their techniques at the 27th annual Choi Kwang Do Seminar and Contest, this year held in Largo March 22. The popular event returns to the streets of downtown St. Petersburg March 28-30 with a new name – the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. ... Page 6A. Chicken therapy County revisits Residents tout the benefits of backyard chicken coops BUSINESS Starkey Road Haircut-a-thon By JULIANA A. TORRES LARGO – Karen Maloney always project wanted to raise chickens. benefits associate Her flock of 12 hens have free By SUZETTE PORTER LARGO – A haircut-a-thon will be held range over half of her backyard, live Sunday, March 30, at My Salon, 1890 in a homemade coop and enjoy a CLEARWATER – Improvements for the Park West Bay Drive, noon to 4 p.m., to bene- diet of organic grain, mostly organic Street/Starkey Road corridor have been a part of Pinel- fit an associate, Donata Gawlik, who has vegetables and whatever other food las County’s Comprehensive Plan since 1989. breast cancer. is taking up space in Maloney’s re- Until recently, the project consisted of building a six- ... Page 8A. frigerator. Owning chickens was an lane divided roadway from Tyrone Boulevard to East Bay item on her bucket list, she ex- Drive. But now county staff is proposing new parameters plained. they say will better meet current needs. VIEWPOINTS “I knew I was going to like this. Al Bartolotta, section manager with the county’s Plan- It’s been like 100 times more fun ning Department and Metropolitan Planning Organiza- Thomas Michalski than I thought,” she said. “These tion, updated commissioners during the March 18 girls are lucky. They’ve got it made.” regular meeting on recommendations from a consultant Maloney works in a high-stress team asked to re-evaluate the project. Inflation takes its job, as a psychiatric nurse at Bay He showed a chart of 2010 traffic projections made in toll on Floridians. Pines VA Medical Center. Often, she 1989 and real numbers from 2012. The most drastic … Page 12A. comes home, pulls up a chair in her change, down by 91 percent, was the estimate for the backyard and just watches the Tyrone Boulevard to Park Boulevard segment. flock meander about, interact with In 1989, experts projected the annual average daily each other and bury themselves in traffic on that segment would increase to 46,900. Actual the dirt to clean their feathers in Photo by JULIANA A. TORRES numbers in the Pinellas County 2012 LOS (level of serv- what’s called a dust bath. Some- Karen Maloney of Largo poses with one of 12 hens in her flock. To the right ice) Report showed an AADT of 24,500. times her friends ask to join her for is the chicken coop she and a friend built in her backyard. Those same experts projected an AADT of 39,800 for Features “chicken therapy,” she said. the Park Boulevard to Bryan Dairy Road segment. Num- “They’re fascinating. There is had a coop and in the heat of sum- lowered voice, so as not to rouse bers reported in 2012, showed a 45 percent decrease to something relaxing about them,” mer, she said. It took three to four jealousy in her flock. “She’s my fa- Business . .8-9A 27,400. Maloney explained. “They’re like months for Maloney and her friend vorite too.” “That’s a big difference in numbers,” Bartolotta said. Classifieds . .5-7B your blood pressure medication – the chicks’ godfather, she ex- Maloney has several types of The downward trend in traffic coincides with the de- Community . .11, 14A and your antidepressant all plained – to finish the coop, while breeds: Rhode Island reds, New cline in the county’s population from 2000 to 2010. County . .5-7A wrapped in one.” the chicks grew bigger and began Hampshire reds, a Dutch Welsum- Meanwhile came the economic downturn and there Entertainment . .1-4, 8B Maloney’s flock has grown since making a mess of the garage. mer named Kip and a white leghorn was no money to implement the project and it stalled. So Faith & Family . .10A she first began raising chickens, “We had a lot of mishaps, but we named Pearl, the smallest of her staff took the opportunity to revisit the project with help Just for fun . .2B starting with six chicks four years had a lot of fun too,” she said. flock, who lays the most consistent from the design consultant. Largo . .3-4A ago. Four of the six grew up to be Maloney has hatched chicks as and biggest eggs. Bartolotta used a map to show “significant” areas near Outdoors . .15A roosters and had to be given away well, including Olive, named for her “She’s all business,” she said. the corridor where people live in poverty. Pets . .11A to avoid noise complaints from her breed. Olive eggers are more un- Most stereotypes about chickens “Those people are not driving,” he said. “They’re utiliz- Police beat . .5A neighbors. One has since died. Only usual chickens and lay, pre- prove to be true, she said. They’re ing the bus, biking and walking.” Schools . .11A a hen named Wilma is from the dictably, olive-colored eggs. After easily spooked, they come home to An analysis of the corridor revealed areas with no side- Viewpoints . .12A original flock. hatching, Olive imprinted on Mal- roost at dusk without fail – they walks, some with no contiguous sidewalks and bus stops Most of her flock she bought as oney and even now will follow her can’t see in the dark – and they that consist of “just signs sitting on swells,” he said. Call 397-5563 chicks, some from a local seller, around the yard. have a pecking order. New addi- He pointed out that there were other modes of travel For News & Advertising some ordered and sent through the “In the morning when I leave for tions to the flock get picked on, besides cars and safety had to be a primary concern.