MacDill Happenings

If you have ever thought about starting your own business whether it is a home based business or you are thinking about striking it out on your own, then the University of South Florida has a course for you. USF Small Business Development Center on Channelside Drive has a class on 13 March called “Starting Your Business”. From how to determine feasibility and legal structure to the type of license you will need, this class covers all the essentials that will help you get started. If you’ve been thinking of striking it on your own, then this is a great opportunity to start exploring how to do. Whether you want to go all out and be your own boss or want to start a business while you have another job, the time is now to start the research. Most small businesses fail within 6 months of starting, so do the research and make sure to get some good advice and well as know what sort of capital you will need to keep your business going. Find out what kinds of licenses you need, how to market your business, and why you need a business plan. A business can cost a significant amount of money and also a significant amount of emotional capital. The business plan can provide an owner a new perspective and help mitigated any risks. The business plan is not just for banks and investors but also supplies you with a blueprint of succeeding in business. The plan provides you with the direction of your company and is a guidepost for your employees too. Cost of this course is $25 and you sign up online.

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Nothing looks better than a nice green lawn, but sometimes getting that nice green lawn can be frustrating. A nice lawn makes your house look better and helps increase the curb appeal and makes your neighborhood look better. There are plenty of yards in Florida that are part grass and part sand! This is the time of year to get your lawn ready for the rest of the year. During the start of March, you should use a “weed & feed” fertilizer to rid your lawn of weeds as before they take over your lawn. After March, it starts getting too hot to use weed killers. Florida has sandy soil that requires grass to be irrigated if it has not rained sometimes after only 3 days. Like some parts of the county, the rainfall in Florida has been below normal so there are water restrictions. In Hillsborough County, there water restrictions that will affect lawn watering. Lawn watering is limited to twice a week. In Hillsborough County, even addresses can water on Thursday and/or Sunday before 10am or after 4pm. Odd addresses can water on Wednesday and/or Saturday before 10am or after 4pm. If your grass doesn’t spring back in a few minutes after you walk on it, it’s probably time to water but make sure you follow your water restrictions because the county sends out monitors to ensure compliance. Too much watering can cause shallow roots and make your lawn more susceptible to drought. The monitors will issue fines to residents who don’t follow the rules. The rainy season, also the start of hurricane season, is 1 June. So if the rains come, you shouldn’t have to water too much after June.

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Come out the MacDill AFB Exchange this Friday 9 March to meet television and movie comedy star Dan Aykroyd. He will be there from 3pm to 5pm. He will be autographing bottles of his vodka Crystal Head Vodka at the Class Six store. He was member of the original cast of Saturday Night Live and with John Belushi, founded the Blues Brothers, and was in the comedy movie, “Ghostbusters”. In honor of his appearance, MacDill AFB will present a free showing the 1984 hit comedy “Ghostbusters“. Although the MacDill movie theater is not currently showing movies, it will be open for this special showing. The movie was written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The movies stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as the Ghostbusters. Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis also star in this movie. After losing their academic positions at Columbia University, a trio of misfit parapsychologists, Peter Venkman (Murray), Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Ramis), establish a paranormal exterminator service known as “Ghostbusters” at a former New York City firehouse. While still trying drum up business for the company, the Ghostbuster are summoned by the Sedgewick Hotel to investigate a haunting. At the hotel, they capture their first ghost and deposit it in a “containment unit” located in the basement of their office. Paranormal activity soon increases in New York City, and the Ghostbusters become celebrities containing it, while at the same time becoming increasingly burdened by the hectic schedule. The movie made almost $300 million at the box office and generated a sequel, “Ghostbusters II”, and two cartoon series.

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Summer is around the corner and it’s not too early to think about summer camps for your teenagers. The USAF Services Youth Programs is offering free summer camps for military teenage dependents! It’s a competitive selection process due to a limited number of available openings, but something very worthwhile if you are selected. The Teen Aviation Camp runs from 2 to 7 Jun at Colorado Springs. At the Camp, teens will take a Cessna flight, do a Ropes course, undergo flight simulator training, experience wilderness orienteering, tour the Academy, work on team building exercises, and meet with Cadets. This is a fun way to spend part of the summer and help your teenager decide on his or her future. This program is for eligible Youth Program users who are interested in aviation or would like to determine if the US Air Force Academy could be a future college option. This is open to eligible high school students who will be sophomores or juniors in Fall 12. All costs including transportation, lodging and meals will be paid for by the Youth Program. Participants will not travel with an adult staff from their Youth Programs. Aviation Camp staff members will be at the Colorado Springs airport to meet participants and provide transportation to the USAFA. All teens will then be introduced to the Air Force Academy through an extensive and active schedule. There is a Teen Leadership Camp from 9-13 July at the University of Texas at San Antonio. High school students from sophomores to seniors are eligible to attend. Students will participate in team building events, classroom workshops and leadership lessons while staying at the University dorms. The AF Space Camp Program at the US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville AL will take place from 22-27 July. Teenagers from 12 to 18 years old are eligible to participate. Teenagers participate in Space Shuttle mission simulations, take tours of the center and witness the everyday challenges faced by astronauts. For an application or more information, please contact MacDill AFB Youth Programs at 828-7956. Applications are due 27 Mar to MacDill Youth Programs.

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Come out to south Tampa with the children for the Easter Cottage at Hyde Park Village! There will be photo packages available and the opportunity to take a photo with the Easter Bunny. Hyde Park Village is an open-air shopping center located in the neighborhood of Hyde Park. The Village center is situated in several buildings located between Swann and Rome Avenues. Although there are national retailers, the majority of tenants in the center are independent boutiques and eateries. Dining opportunities include everything from a light snack or beverage to a wonderful dinner and everything else in between. There are also weekly sales and specials that you can check online. Regular shopping hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from Noon to 5pm. The neighborhood of Hyde Park is located near the University of Tampa and close to Tampa’s business and cultural arts district. The boundaries of the neighborhood include the Hillsborough Bay to the east, Kennedy Blvd to the north, historic and picturesque Bayshore Boulevard to the south, and Armenia Avenue to the west. Major thoroughfares within the historical district include Kennedy Boulevard, Bayshore Boulevard, Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, Howard Avenue, and Swann Avenue.  Parking is not a problem with 3 free parking structures available in Hyde Park.

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