NOAA predicts a dry winter season Wildfire conditions expected to be above normal ... Page 2A. Rhys Ifans stars in Columbia Pictures' ‘Anonymous’ Also opening this week Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake in ‘In Time.’ ... See Page 3B. Volume XXXIII, No. 30 www.TBNweekly.com October 27, 2011 INSIDE Fun on the links Yemen A field of 84 players teed it up Oct. 20 for the 26th annual Seminole Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at Seminole Lake Country Club. Left: Claude McMullen warms up for the leaders main event with a few putts on the practice green. Below: Seminole firefighters Joe Rickman, left, and Mark Spoenenan grill hamburgers and visit hot dogs. Bottom: Chamber ambassadors, from left, Tammi Hagedorn, Wilda Whittle and Laverne Welch pose for a shot while selling raffle tickets to tournament participants. The SPC event was won by the foursome of Steve Morris, Our annual guide to area news, Gordon Kreuger, Rafael Palaganas and Mike dining and entertainment, Fernandez with a best-ball score of 55. A stroke Delegation hears shopping and healthcare services back and finishing second was the team of Chris Kerbo, Bob Scanlon, Mike Friend and Mike presentation on for seasonal residents and locals. Smuckers. Richard Smith won closest to the pin on No. 10 and Chad Wammock was the longest U.S. government COUNTY drive winner on No. 9. SEMINOLE – The Institute for IRB officials plan Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College in Seminole hosted five young female leaders ‘urban design’ from the nation of Yemen on Long-awaited improvements for Indian Oct. 17 for a presentation on the Rocks Beach are moving forward with fundamentals of American gov- “urban design” being the buzzwords. At a ernance. recent Town Commission meeting, the It was the second visit to the board agreed unanimously to actively Seminole campus in less than a pursue 10 major projects throughout the month by a delegation of foreign city. visitors through the U.S. State ... Page 2A. Department’s International Visi- tor Leadership Program. The previous delegation on Largo considers Sept. 22 included 11 young leaders from Sudan. Joseph Smiley, dean of social mobile vendors and behavioral sciences at SPC, Residents may eventually get a taste of and David Klement, executive mobile food vendors with names such as director of the policy institute, “Taco Bus,” “Bistro Truck,” “Chow Haul,” welcomed the Yemen visitors. and “Slow Food Truck.” City commis- Former State Rep. Janet Long, sioners liked the concept of allowing mo- project director at SPC, opened bile food vendors in Largo, but raised with a brief review of the ascent many questions Oct. 18 about regulating of women in leadership roles in them. Photos by BOB McCLURE recent years and offered a con- ... Page 3A. trast of the leadership styles of women and men. Klement noted that a countrywoman of the visi- tors only four days earlier had POLICE Pinellas unemployment drops 0.3 percent been awarded the Nobel Peace By SUZETTE PORTER net gain of 23,300 jobs in September alone, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinel- Prize, the first Arab woman to be Woman dies and a total gain of 94,200 jobs since Jan- las counties. so honored. TALLAHASSEE – September’s unemploy- uary.” Hernando has the fourth highest unem- Three faculty members from in 2-car crash ment numbers were good news for Pinellas In addition, Florida’s job growth over the ployment rate in the state, 13.5 percent. SPC’s Department of Political County and the state of Florida. year, September 2010 to September 2011, Pasco ranks at No. 15 with 11.7 percent Science gave the visitors a brief A Safety Harbor woman died from in- The county’s labor force grew by nearly exceeded the national rate for the first time unemployment. Hillsborough tied with but concise primer on the essen- juries suffered in a 2-car crash at the in- 2,000 last month, yet the not seasonally since February of 2007. September is the Duval County for the No. 33 position with a tial elements of American tersection of McMullen Booth Road and adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 12th consecutive month with positive an- rate of 10.5 percent. Pinellas tied with democracy. They were: Sunset Point Road about 9 a.m. on Oct. 10.6 percent in August to 10.3 percent in nual job growth in the state. Gadsden and Columbia counties for the • Professor Tara Newsome, 21. September. Unemployment is down 1.5 The local metropolitan statistical area, No. 35 spot with 10.3 percent unemploy- whose presentation on the ... Page 5A. percent compared to September 2010. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, added ment. structure and foundations of our Gov. Rick Scott announced the latest fig- more jobs than any other metro area, with Hillsborough and Pinellas counties un- system touched on the decen- ures for the state in a press conference an increase of 24,500 jobs, representing employment rates are less than the state’s tralized, self-regulating nature of COMMUNITY from Brazil. He said the state’s unemploy- 2.2 percent growth. Miami-Miami Beach- rate of 10.6 percent, not seasonally adjust- federalism, the separation of ment rates are the lowest in two years. Kendall added the second most, 15,500 ed. powers and the system of Lots of Halloween “I am even more pleased by our job cre- jobs, a 1.6 percent growth, followed by Or- The local metro area tied with Deltona- checks and balances of the fed- ation numbers,” Scott said. “Florida has lando-Kissimmee-Sanford with 11,900 Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach MSA for eral government. gained 110,300 private sector jobs while jobs, 1.2 percent increase. • Professor Heather Roberson, events are planned shrinking the size of government. That’s a The local metropolitan area includes See UNEMPLOYMENT, page 4A who focused on leadership, deci- As Halloween nears, pumpkin patches sion-making and elections, in- materialize in vacant lots and devilish cluding a comprehensive review decorations appear in front yards as of the American political pro- communities throughout Pinellas and Pumpkin time cess. beyond play host to horrifying haunted • Professor Suzanne Preston, houses, fiendishly fun festivals and tan- who spoke on the role of special talizing trick-or-treating. interest groups, technology in ... Page 6A. campaigning, and the media. After the formal presentations, the visitors enjoyed a tour of the VIEWPOINTS district office of Congressman Bill Young in the Seminole Li- brary, where they engaged in in- Mitch Albom formal conversations with the Columnist discusses From left, Morgan Tucker, 7; SPC faculty and staff members the prospects of lifetime Madison Tucker, 9; and and posed for group pictures. love. Nickolas Repetto, 9, check out “It was an amazing experience a pumpkin patch Oct. 21 at to meet with these exceptional ... Page 11A. Lutheran Church of the Good women,” Roberson said. “I will Shepherd, 10891 102nd Ave., most certainly be taking this ex- in Seminole. The church is in its perience back in to the class- 17th year of selling the festive room with me to share time and holiday product at prices time again. I do hope that we Features ranging from $8 to $20. can remain in touch with these leaders and continue to be in- Business . .12A spired by them.” Classifieds . .4-7B “It was humbling to meet our guests and to ponder the chal- Entertainment . .1, 3, 8B lenges that lie in their future,” Faith & family . .13A Preston said. Just for fun . .2B The delegation’s visit was ar- ranged through the Internation- Police beat . .5A al Council of the Tampa Bay Schools . .14A Region, which serves as the offi- Sports . .10A cial organizer in the area for the State Department’s International Viewpoints . .11A Visitor Leadership Program. Founded in 2000 and based in Call 397-5563 downtown St. Petersburg, ICTBR For News & Advertising Photo by BOB McCLURE See SPC, page 4A Custom Hair & Wigs In Honor of Breast Cancer Month Trade-in sale – $50 OFF 100611 Any New Wig 727-725-1052 2547 – Countryside Blvd. #5 102711 13611 Park Blvd. Suite G, Seminole • 369-8299 www.CustomHairTampa.com See our ad on the back page of Medical Section 100611 2A County Beacon, October 27, 2011 Officials say residents can expect a dry winter By SUZETTE PORTER “The Arctic Oscillation went strongly negative at times the last two winters, causing outbreaks of The coming winter months likely will be drier cold and snowy conditions in the U.S. such as the than average with a 50-50 chance that tempera- ‘Snowmaggedon’ storm of 2009. Strong Arctic Oscil- tures in the state of Florida will be above-, near- or lation episodes typically last a few weeks and are below-normal, according to NOAA’s winter outlook difficult to predict more than one to two weeks in released Oct. 20. advance,” NOAA’s climate experts said in a press re- Wildfire conditions also are expected to be above lease. normal. NOAA’s winter outlook doesn’t give Floridians any National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- real clues on what temperatures to expect this win- tion’s climate experts say the degree of forecast un- ter, and the state is not immune from weather certainty is due to another year of influence by La fronts that bring cold arctic air masses this far Niña, which returned in August. Forecasters say the south. arctic oscillator, little known phenomenon, also may National Weather Service in Ruskin’s long-range come into play. forecast for November through January gives odds La Niña is associated with cooler than normal of 34 percent temperatures will be near normal, 32 water temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean percent above normal and 34 percent below normal.