MacDill Happenings

If you’re looking for an inexpensive night out this weekend, then look no further than the MacDill AFB movie theater located on Florida Keys Ave.  Admission for adults is only $4 and children 4-12 years old pay only $2.  Out in town, the cost of snacks at a movie theater can really take a big bite from your wallet.  Snacks at the MacDill AFB theater are just as reasonable as the price of admission.  A large popcorn and two medium soft drinks is only $10!  Friday night at 7pm come out and watch the latest Will Smith action movie, “Hancock“. It is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and language and has a run time of 92 min. Hancock’s well-intentioned heroism gets the job done and saves countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in the wake. The public has finally had enough, though very grateful for the local hero. Hancock doesn’t care what other people think- until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey, which reveals a vulnerable side. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet- and the task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife insists that he’s a lost cause.  On Saturday, there are two movies playing.  At 3pm, the animated children’s movie “Wall-E” will be playing.  It is rated G and has a run time of 90 minutes. What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? Wall-E, spends every day doing what he was made for. But soon, he will discover what he was meant for, as he adventures across the galaxy chasing his dream.  At 7pm if you missed it on Friday, “Hancock” will be playing again.

 Check out the St. Pete Beach Fresh Market today!.  It runs every Wednesday from 9am to 2pm at the St. Pete Beach Community Center at 7701 Boca Ciega Drive.  Shop for fresh produce, organic food products, fresh coffees and smoothies, an array of natural cheeses, crafts, clothing, original sculptures and much more. The outdoor market is located in a covered pavilion right on Boca Ciega Bay and has more and more vendors each Wednesday.  After shopping at the market, stop by the historic landmark known around the world, the famous Don CeSar Beach Resort.  Built in 1928, it is only one of eight hotels in Florida that is listed on the National Trust for Historical Preservation, Historic Hotels of America.

Looks like Tropical Storm Fay will not have a great effect on the Tampa Bay area!  But this should be a wakeup call for us since we haven’t had to worry about a hurricane around here since Hurricane Charley hit south of the Tampa Bay area in Aug 2004.  Fortunately during the last couple of years, the weather has been relatively mild during hurricane season.  Remember hurricane season runs from 1  Jun to 31 Nov every year.  Although we cannot control the weather, we can plan and prepare for bad weather.  Water is a must for people and pets.  Canned and dry food is good in case you lose power and food goes bad in the freezer.  Make sure you have gas in your car and expect long lines at the gas station.  Cash is necessary in case an area loses power and ATM and credit cards cannot used.  If you have a generator, make sure that you use it in a ventilated area.  Flashlights and battery powered radios and spare batteries will be a great help.  Cell phones may not work in all areas if cell towers are destroyed.  Know if you are in a flood area.  This link to Hillsborough County’s webpage will tell you if you are in an flood zone and when and if you need to evacuate and all the latest hurricane information.  This link to the Pinellas County Emergency Management website will provide all the latest hurricane information for Pinellas County.

The Summerfield Soccer Park in Riverview will celebrate its grand opening on 23 Aug from 9am to 2pm.  You can also have the opportunity to register your children for the Fall recreational soccer season.  Join everyone for the food, games and fun, all for free!  There will also be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Fees for soccer start at $115 for 4 and 5 year olds and go up to $145 for U19 players. The fees include a uniform (two shirts, shorts and socks), referee fees, trophy, field use and maintenance and cover other league expenses. To register, please bring player’s birth certificate, parent/Guardian’s photo ID and a check, cash or money order. In recreational soccer, the emphasis is on encouraging a love of the game, fun, friendship, teamwork and striving for excellence. In recreational soccer there is no tryouts and every child is required to play at least 50% of every game (except for health or discipline reasons).

Tomorrow on Monday 18 Aug is the first day for Hillsborough County Schools!  Expect a little bit of confusion of with class schedules and probably a lot of traffic at school if you are dropping off your child.  A little of bit of patience on this first day will go a long way!  School transportation schedules have not been mailed out to everyone so far and this of course is a big concern.  If you don’t know your child’s bus schedule, then try calling the calling the Bus Transportation Center at 982-5500. They are supposed to be available to answer questions until 9pm this evening.  It’ll probably take a while to get through. Since it is the first day of school, don’t expect your child’s bus to show up on time on the way to school or on the way home.  Hopefully everything gets worked out during the first week of school!

If you love to play golf, then you head on over to the Bay Palms Golf Complex at MacDill AFB and tryout their “Ultimate Golf Package”.  For $80 for 2 players, you get unlimited golf for one day, a golf cart with a charger, and a 30ft camper parked in the FamCamp Annex by the 18th hole. The camper features TV with Cable, Electric/Sewage, Air Conditioned, Clock Radio, Oven & Stove, Coffee Pot, Microwave, Toaster, Plates, Pots & Pans, Kitchen Utensils, Small Tub & Shower, Toilet, and Sleeps 6 (1 Full Bed, Sofa Bed, Bunk Bed, Beds - linens supplied). Call 840-6919 to make your reservation!

If you’re looking for something to do tonight, then head on over to New Port Richey for their annual “A Night in the Tropics” celebration. This is a Key West style street party with a good-times Caribbean atmosphere from 5 pm to 11 pm in historic Downtown New Port Richey. The main features of the party are live music on two distinct stages – Havana Stage and Margaritaville Stage with a brand new “Wags, Whiskers & Wine-Tasting” at Cavalaire Square - a classic car cruise-in, food vendors selling scrumptious food, as well as other vendors selling tropical arts and crafts. There are two Tropical Beer Gardens featuring Budweiser and Bacardi products and a Cigar Hut where folks can kick back and enjoy their “KUBA Cigars “. Havana Stage, located on Nebraska Avenue between Grand and Bank Street, will have The Sounds of Havana, pulsating Latin rhythms and Cuban soul that will make you get up and dance! Margaritaville Stage, located on Grand Blvd south of Missouri Avenue, will have The Caribbean Chillers, Florida’s premiere Jimmy Buffett tribute band. Also on the Margaritaville Stage – Hurricane Gordon opening for the Chillers.

If you need an inexpensive outing this weekend, then look no further than the MacDill AFB movie theater this Friday and Saturday.  Admission is $4 for 12 yrs of age and older and $2 for children 4-11 yrs old.  You can get a medium popcorn and two medium soft drinks for only $10!  This Friday at 7pm, “Wanted” is playing starring Angelina Jolie,  James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman. This movie is rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language and sexuality with a run time of 110 minutes. 25-year-old Wes was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. Then he meets a woman named Fox. After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers. With wickedly brilliant tutors–including the Fraternity’s enigmatic leader, Sloan–Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye.  A great children’s movie playing at 3pm and again at 7pm on Saturday is “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” starring Abigail Breslin and Stanley Tucci. This movie is rated G and has a run time of 101 minutes. Aspiring reporter Kit Kittredge can’t resist bringing home strays, whether it’s Grace, an abandoned basset hound, or Will and Countee, a pair of young hobos willing to trade work for meals. Bright, inquisitive and generous, Kit is a natural born leader. But her happy childhood is abruptly interrupted when her father loses his car dealership and must leave Cincinnati to look for work. Kit and her mother Margaret are left to manage on their own, growing vegetables, selling eggs and even taking in an assortment of boarders.

This Saturday is the grand opening of the Armed Forces Military Museum at 2050 34th Way N in Largo.  This 35,000 square foot museum is one of the largest military museums in Florida not funded by the U.S. government.  The museum has lifelike displays and settings with theatrical lighting, unusual artifacts, projected video and well-placed sound effects.  Displays are from World War I to the present.  One of the unique features of the museum is the Officer’s Club housed inside a replica of a World War II quonset hut that can host a function for up to 85 people with a bar and food catering services.  Grand opening hours are 10am to 5pm.  Admission for the grand opening is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 7 to 12,, free for children under 6, and for active and retired military with ID.  Tickets can be purchased tickets at the museum.

Come out and see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MacDill AFB this Saturday as they go through a walk through practice session.  They will do their practice session at the track outside the MacDill AFB Fitness Center from 10:30am to 11:30am.  See all the stars from Jeff Garcia, Cadillac Williams, and Joey Galloway to coaches Jon Gruden and Monte Kiffin.  The Bucs won the NFC South last year and are expected to be just as good this year.  Immediately following their practice, all the Bucs will be available for autographs.  This is a great opportunity to meet your favorite players, because only people who can access MacDill AFB with an ID card will be there and not the general public.  So bring out your pictures, footballs and jersey to get them signed!