MacDill Happenings

On Tuesday 30 August at the Tampa Bay History Center former U.S. Senator and two-term Florida Gov. Bob Graham kicks off the new Florida Conversations with a discussion of his new novel, Keys to the Kingdom, a suspense/thriller about the investigation into suspected Saudi complicity in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The discussion starts at 6:30pm and is free. Sen. Graham is now concentrating his efforts on the newly established Bob Graham Center for Public Service at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Florida. He also serves as Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD proliferation and terrorism and advocates for the recommendations in the Commission report, World at Risk. Led by top scholars, writers, and artists, Florida Conversations explores everything from history, art, and architecture to politics, archeology, and literature. At the Center, you can try the out hands-on activities, crafts, performances and more. Learn about Pioneer Life in Hillsborough County.  Find out what daily life was like, how homes looked, what people did for a living and find out what children did for fun.  Located in the Channelside district near Fort Brooke and behind the St. Pete Times Forum, the Tampa Bay History Center mission is to educate visitors about the history that has shaped the Tampa Bay area.  The Center provides  historical and educational services and programs.  The two story Center contains 60,000 square feet of exhibits which show almost 500 years of recorded history and 12,000 years of human habitation in the Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Bay History Center is housed in Hillsborough County government’s first “green” building. Normal admission cost is $2 for ages 4-12.  Adults are $12.  The Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. There are several parking lots within a short walk of the Center.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

For an inexpensive night out this weekend, stop by the MacDill AFB movie theater.  Adult tickets (ages  12 and older) are only $4.25!  A child’s ticket is $2.50.  Plus, you can purchase refreshments at a that are at least half-off of what you would pay out in town!  On Friday and Saturday at 7pm, the final installment of the Harry Potter series “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallow Part 2” will be shown. The movie is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images and has a run time of 118 minutes. The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again. This final movie is one of the best of the series and a definite must see! On Saturday at 4pm, the new comedy “Zookeeper” starring Kevin James will be shown. This movie is rated PG for some rude and suggestive humor, and language and has run time of 102 minutes. In “Zookeeper” the animals at the zoo adore their caretaker Andrew, an amiable but lonely guy who’s never quite fit in. Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Andrew decides he should leave the zoo and get a life. When the zoo animals discover his plan they decide to break their code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! Now they won’t shut up and they’re teaching Andrew nature’s best mating rituals. To help him win the girl of his dreams and save their happy family they’re willing to do – or say – anything.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

To help stretch your dollars and get the most for your hard earned dollars, make sure that you get the DOD discount from your cell phone provider! Because of the Department of Defense Handheld Wireless Enterprise Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) Sponsorship Program, all Federal Government employees may participate in the DoD Handheld Wireless Enterprise BPAs Sponsorship Program to purchase wireless devices, services, and accessories for their personal use. Other words, you can use this discount for your personal cell phone plans! Cellular phone companies are offering a 15-20% military discount!  You may be able to leverage other carriers to match these military discounts. You may need to provide proof of Federal employment by usually filling out a form from your company requesting the discount. Sprint (1-866-639-8354) offers a 15% military discount but requires an additional 2 year service agreement for the discount.  T-Mobile (1-866-646-4688) doesn’t require an additional contract and offers a wide range of discounts including discounts on equipment and waiving activation fee and a discount of 15% on your total bill. If you call T-Mobile you can use the reference Promotion Code 1080TMOFAV. Verizon Wireless does not participate in the Sponsorship Program under the new BPA (W91RUS-06-A-0001). However, Verizon Wireless does offer a 15% discount on monthly plans costing $35 and above and 25% off accessories for all Federal Government employees through its Consumer Accounts Department. When you get to the Verizon webpage you will have to enter in your work email address (personal email addresses cannot be accepted). Verizon Wireless will send an email link and showing the discounted equipment and rates, as well as allow you to register an existing line of service for discounting. Verizon can also be reached at (1-800-922-0204) to get the discount.  It may take a little bit of time to get the discount, but it will save you money in the long run. 

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

Walt Disney World has extend it offering of discount tickets during its Armed Forces Salute. You can purchase 6 more tickets now even if you have already purchased 6 tickets and these 6 additional tickets are valid until September 2012. During this period Military Members are eligible for twelve total “Salute” tickets. They may never purchase/activate/utilize more than six per day. There are block out dates when the tickets cannot be used. Tickets cannot be used at all locations from 26 to 31 December 2011. From 1-12 April, tickets cannot be used at the Magic Kingdom. Also on 4 July 2012, tickets cannot be used at the Magic Kingdom, but can be used at Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Active and Retired U.S. Military, including members of the U.S. Coast Guard and active members of the National Guard or Reservists, may purchase 4-Day Walt Disney World Armed Forces Salute Tickets for themselves and up to five (5) family members and/or friends. There is the Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets with Park Hopper Option for $138 each, the Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets with Water Parks Fun and More Option for $138 each, and the Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets with Park Hopper and Water Parks Fun and More Options for $165 each, plus tax”  The MacDill ITT office located at the MacDill Exchange mall has these tickets for sale. Make sure you buy them on base because if you buy them at the gate you have to pay tax! Don’t forget to include the price of parking when budgeting for your trip. Disney lets you bring in snacks in a backpack or stroller. So make sure you bring snacks because although park food is very tempting, it is also very expensive!

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

In honor of Independence Day, Lowry Park Zoo is having a military appreciation program from the 1st to the 4th. Members of the military and up to three direct dependents will be admitted to the Zoo free of charge. Eligble membersiIncludes active duty, reservists and National Guard members. Zoo hours are 9:30am to 5pm. Located in the northern part of Tampa off of W. Sligh Ave, it is easily accessible from I-275. The zoo is about a 40 minute drive from MacDill AFB. Lowry Park Zoo has been named the #1 zoo in America by “Parents” magazine and “Child” magazine. There are more than 2000 animals on 56 acres of natural habitats in seven main exhibit areas. There is a combination of natural habitat exhibits and caged exhibits in each area. The seven exhibits are Asian Gardens, Primate World, Manatee and Aquatic Center, Native Florida Wildlife Center, Free-Flight Aviary, Wallaroo Station children’s zoo and Safari Africa. At some exhibits you have the opportunity to feed the animals. There are two water play areas and you can see educational shows. Check out the Zoo School for exciting programs for everyone, from tots to teens, adults, families, teachers and more. The Zoo’s conservation education programs are designed to meet Sunshine State curriculum objectives for Florida state schools. There are also rides for an additional fee. Expect to spend at least 4 hours to see all exhibits. You can bring a picnic basket to enjoy before or after the visit at Lowry Park. Of course, there are plenty of restaurants in the zoo. Parking is free.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

For an inexpensive night out this weekend, stop by the MacDill AFB movie theater. Adult tickets (ages 12 and older) are only $4! A child’s ticket is $2. Plus, you can purchase refreshments at a great price! A medium popcorn and large re-fillable soft drink is only $7.50! On Friday at 7pm, the family movie “African Cats” will be shown. This movie is rate G and has a run time of 89 minutes. An epic true story set against the backdrop of one of the wildest places on Earth, “African Cats” captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion. There is a matinee on Saturday at 3pm with the children’s animated movie “Hoodwinked Too! Hood Vs. Evil“. This movie is rated PG for some mild rude humor, language and action and has a run time of 86 minutes. A teenage Red Riding Hood trains in a distant land with a mysterious, covert group called Sisters of the Hood. She is then called upon by Nicky Flippers–head of the Happily Ever After Agency–who teams her with the Wolf to investigate the disappearance of Hansel and Gretel. On Saturday at 7pm, the action movie, “Fast Five” will be shown. This movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language and has a run time of 130 minutes. Since Brian O’Conner and Mia Toretto broke Dom Toretto out of custody, they’ve blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can’t separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey… before someone else runs them down first.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
Florida law requires that all automobile operators have No-Fault Insurance. Under No-Fault Insurance, one’s insurance company pays for treatment of any personal injuries received as a result of an auto accident, no matter who is at fault. Proof of this insurance must be shown to obtain automobile tags.  Non-residents – such as tourists, students and military personnel – who have a car in Florida for more than 90 days during a year are required to have No-Fault Insurance. (The 90 days do not have to be consecutive.) For more information on the state’s insurance laws, call 1-800-342-2762.

AUTOMOBILE TAGS
Within 30 days of moving to Florida, one must obtain a Florida license plate if one:
• Is employed here.
• Has children who attend school in the state.
• Claims a homestead exemption.
• Registers to vote.
To get your license plate, a vehicle registration, proof of insurance and automobile title must be taken to any tag office. For more information, contact the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office at 635-5200.  One of the best places to get a license plate is at the downtown office at County Center.  I’ve been there numerous times at different times of the day and it is always empty.

DRIVERS’ LICENSES
If one becomes a resident of Florida, is employed here, or enrolls children in area public schools, one must have a valid Florida driver’s license within 30 days. The license is good for 6 years and is renewable by the driver’s birth date. If one possesses a valid license from another state, only a sight test is required. For more information or to make an appointment, call 740-7534.  The Dept of Motor Vehicles offices are always crowded.  The best thing to do is call and make an appointment or make an appointment online.

RESIDENCY
Simply moving to Florida does not make one a legal resident. One must register to vote or file a Declaration of Domicile with the circuit court. For more information, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 276-8100, ext. 7844.

TAXES
There is a 7% sales tax in Hillsborough County. Florida has no state personal income tax. The state offers a Homestead Exemption to Florida residents who own and occupy a home as of January 1 of any given year. The exemption is $25,000 off the assessed valuation of one’s home. The homeowner must file for the exemption with the County Property Appraiser’s Office between January 1 and March 1 for the first time. The exemption will renew automatically on an annual basis. The county will send the renewal by mail. No action is required on the homeowner’s part. For more information, call 635-5200.

VOTER INFORMATION
One must be at least 18 years old (with proof of age) and be a permanent resident of the State of Florida to register to vote. Registration must be at least 30 days prior to an election in order to vote in that election. For more information, call the Supervisor of Elections at 272-5850.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

The 28th Annual Celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage takes place at AsiaFest 2011 at the plaza of the St. Pete Times Forum.  The fun runs from 11am to 4pm this Saturday. There is no admission charge.  Experience the tastes, sights and sounds of sixteen unique countries from all over Asia. Entertainment includes brilliantly colorful dance performances, traditional music and the 3rd Annual Miss Asia Fest.   Asia Fest is an annual celebration of “National Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” which has been held in downtown Tampa since 1982. The goal of Asia Fest is to share Asian culture with the public and promote the bond of friendship and better understanding between the East and the West. Each year the event has been coordinated by the Asian Coalition of Florida (AACF). See Asian cultural performances, martial arts, and fashion shows. Asia Fest presents a colorful, festive celebration that features cultural entertainment and Asian ethnic food representing Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Several key local Asian Pacific restaurants are on board as food vendors. The food is definitely a highlight of the event!  The anticipated crowd size should be around 10,000 so come and enjoy the fun.  Parking is available at public and private lots near the Forum.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

Come out to the Downtown Clearwater Farmers Market this Wednesday from 9am to 2pm. Vendors will be selling farm fresh produce, delicious cheeses, fresh baked goods, fresh cut flowers and plants and unique crafts. It is a great time to enjoy a relaxing mid-week stroll in beautiful Clearwater with out of town friends or loved ones! You might want to stop by on the way to the beach and enjoy your food purchase at the beach.   Maybe have a muffin and fruit for breakfast or come out during the lunch time for something fresh to eat. Or maybe you can buy some fresh vegetables to make for dinner! The wide variety of offerings will have something for every palate! The market will be located on the 500 block of Cleveland Street between Garden Avenue and N. Ft. Harrison Avenue. The street will be closed to traffic. There is free 2 hour parking at Garden Avenue Garage with ticket validation. Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County and is located on the highest coastal bluff in Florida. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Clearwater is over 108,000 residents. Two major airports are conveniently nearby: Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport. The downtown area is the gateway to the beautiful Clearwater beaches. Clearwater is about a 30 minute drive from MacDill AFB.

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!

Get ready now for the Tampa Bay Rays, the 2010 American League Eastern Division Champions,  home opener in Tropicana against the Baltimore Orioles!  Game time is 7:10pm.  The Rays will be raising the American League Eastern Division Pennant for 2010 at the start of the game!  Buy your tickets now, because this game is sure to sell out!  All fans will receive a magnetic season schedule.  This is pretty good start for the home stand for the Rays with 3 consecutive games against the Orioles.  Bring out the cowbell!  The Rays are a team to be reckoned with in the American League East.  They come back with 5 outstanding starting pitchers. We just need the bullpen to pull it together again!  We lost a lot of great players in the off season, but wish them well in their new homes. But we have Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez! Parking again is free at the stadium when there are 4 or more people in a car!  Expect the parking lots to fill up quickly so get to the stadium about 2 hours ahead of time to find a free spot.  You can use that time to have a tailgate party!  Try to find a spot near the grass so that you can have some room to spread out.  Or park early and stop in for a bite and drink at Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill right across the street from the stadium.  Ferg’s is the place to be before and after a game!  

MacDill Happenings is brought to you by Militarybyowner Advertising, Inc., your resource for MacDill AFB Off-Base Housing!