Insiders’ Guide to the Greater Tampa Bay Area: Including Tampa, St. Petersburg, & Clearwater

By Anne W. Anderson

Anne W. Anderson has explored the Tampa/St. Petersburg area for over thirty years and written about  Florida’s West Coast for the St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Bay Newspapers, Inc. In addition to being a freelance journalist, she write children’s stories, liturgical dramas, ad copy, poetry, and grocery lists. Anne teaches seminars and short courses about writing, children and media, and liturgical drama.

Manatee Insanity: Inside the War over Florida’s Most Famous Endangered Species

By Craig Pittman

Why is the manatee just as imperiled today as it was 40 years ago?

“The best available, most factual account of the decades-long struggle to protect the Florida manatee, skillfully told by a veteran journalist who has followed the story closely. I’ve been involved in this controversy for over 30 years, and I learned countless things about it that I never knew!”–Daryl Domning, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

“The Florida legislature gave the manatee its own license plate, and Jimmy Buffet sang poetic lyrics about the iconic creature, but Craig Pittman offers a whole new perspective–the manatee as battleground. With a cast of characters including environmentalists and biologists, developers and boaters, lawyers and lobbyists, politicians and shady citizens, Manatee Insanity is a colorful work of non-fiction.”–Keith Rizzardi, South Florida Water Management District.

Loveable or loathed? Poster child for conservation efforts or impediment to development? Nuisance or in need of protection? For the past two decades, the quiet manatee has been a flash point of frequent environmental debates.

Included on the very first endangered species list issued in 1967, the docile creatures have stirred curiosity and passions for more than a hundred years. They are Florida’s most famous endangered species, as well as its most controversial. Manatees appear on hundreds of license plates, attract hordes of tourists, and expose the uneasy relationships between science and the law and between freedom and responsibility like no other animal.

As passions have flared and resentments have grown, the battle over manatee protection has evolved into a war, and no reporter has followed the story more closely than Craig Pittman. He’s flown with scientists trying to count manatees from overhead. He’s been on the water with the leader of the biggest pro-boater group. He’s observed biologists dissecting the animals and politicians discussing their fate.

Manatee Insanity provides the first in-depth history of the attempts to provide legal protection for the manatee. Along the way, Pittman takes a close look at the major and minor players in the dispute, from Jacques-Yves Cousteau to Jeb Bush, from Jimmy Buffett to O. J. Simpson, from a popular children’s book author to a federal lawman who dressed in a gorilla suit for the ultimate undercover assignment.

Trinity, FL Real Estate

Are you looking for a Realtor to help you buy or sell real estate in Trinity, Florida?

Consider calling Chris O’Connor with Charles Rutenberg Realty for all of your home buying and selling needs in the Tampa Bay area. With close to 30 years of calling Tampa Bay my home I can comfortably say that I know this market inside and out.

And Trinity, FL is one of my preferred markets!

Whether you’re looking for a luxury waterfront condo or a small 2-bedroom starter home…I’d love to help you find your next home or investment property.

Are you thinking about selling your home? You’re going to need a Realtor with experience, knowledge, ethics, discipline and a track record of successfully listing and selling real estate in both traditional sales and short sales. Please consider calling Chris today at 727-804-5319 to discuss your Trinity real estate needs.

Notary Public – Hillsborough County, FL

Are you in need of a Notary Public or Mobile Signing Agent in Clearwater, Florida?

I charge a $10 notarization fee per document and a small travel fee based on your location. Call me at 727-804-5319 and we can discuss your notary needs.

I’ll travel to your home, office, title company, real estate office, school, hospital, nursing home or any other agreed upon location in Hillsborough County or anywhere in Tampa Bay, Florida. I cover all of Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

The following are some of the more commonly requested documents people need notarized:

• Power of Attorney
• Medical Consent Form
• Living Will
• Divorce paperwork
• Consent for Minor to Travel Aboard
• Certifications
• Affidavits

Upon meeting I will need to see identification to prove your identity. The following is a list of approved forms of identifications:

• Drivers License
• Military Identification Card
• State Identification Card
• Passport
• Resident Alien Card

My specialties are closing real estate transactions such as purchases, refinances and loan modifications. But whatever you need notarized I can help. Consider me your Notary for Hillsborough County or anywhere in Tampa Bay, Florida! Call Chris at 727-804-5319 if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. I look forward to meeting you soon.

JUST SOLD! – For Sale By Owner found on CraigsList.org

2177 Barcelona Dr.
Clearwater, FL 33764

Weird Florida: Your Travel Guide to Florida’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets

By Charlie Carlson

This book makes you feel proud to be a Floridian. Graphic and in depth, Weird Florida probes into the dark under belly of our battered state. I discovered stuff I drove by all the time that I never thought much about. Now I know–it’s weird! Much better than those Roadside America books since this goes into more depth. I’m looking forward to getting the other books. – Amazon.com Review

Tampa Bay Realtor – Short Sale Specialist

Are you considering buying or selling real estate in the Tampa Bay area? More than likely your home is going to be worth less than you owe if you bought in the past four years. This poses a challenge to both buyer and seller as the transaction is much more complicated and lengthy than a sale where the seller is walking away from the closing with money.

If you owe more than you can sell your home for you will need to consider a short sale, and to do a short sale you need an experienced and knowledgeable Realtor with a proven track record for selling short sales in the Tampa Bay market. Please consider calling me today at 727-804-5319 and I’ll help get your home sold. With close to a 100% success rate with Florida short sales I have the knowledge and experience to navigate the complexities of loss mitigation and short sale negotiation.

Open Road’s Best of the Florida Keys & Everglades by Bruce Morris

Open Road’s Best of the Florida Keys gives readers a great mix of unique trips of varying lengths for great diving and fishing, kayaking through mangrove swamps and hundreds of square miles of sand and turtle grass flats, sightseeing along the bridges and causeways of stunning overseas highway, and visiting the fun and quirky towns along the way to anything-goes Key West. This edition includes a new chapter just on visiting Everglades National Park. Morris explores the delights of quaint B&B’s delicious seafood, the small islands and coral reefs that make up Dry Tortugas National Park, historic walks through Key West’s old town-and where to go to relax, hang out on a remote beach, and watch a beautiful sunset.

About the Author

Bruce Morris is also the author of Open Road’s Best of Panama and co-author of Open Road’s Best of Costa Rica.

Charles Rutenberg Realty is on the rise

Over 3700 agents have joined Charles Rutenberg Realty.

30 agents joined Charles Rutenberg Realty this month! They decided to keep all of their commission. They heard of the free training, the social/charitable events, a non-competing broker with the best staff in the business and much more.

Pinellas County, FL Notary Public

I’m a Pinellas County, FL Notary Public that will come to your home, business or any location you like to notarize your documents. Call Chris today at 727-804-5319 to discuss your notary needs.

The following are some of the more commonly requested documents people need notarized:

• Power of Attorney
• Medical Consent Form
• Living Will
• Divorce paperwork
• Consent for Minor to Travel Aboard
• Certifications
• Affidavits

When we meet I’ll need to see identification to prove your identity. The following is a list of approved forms of identifications:

• Drivers License
• Military Identification Card
• State Identification Card
• Passport
• Resident Alien Card

Whatever you need notarized I can help. Call Chris at 727-804-5319 if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Consider me your Pinellas County, FL Notary Public.

Hidden Florida Keys and Everglades: Including Key Largo and Key West

Perfect for lovers of hot beaches and warm water with complete information on swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and boating. This book guides readers to both famous and unknown spots all along the beautiful string of islands. It also includes reviews of over 80 local restaurants including the best places for fresh seafood and homemade key lime pie.

Amazon.com Review

Candace Leslie’s Hidden Florida Keys And Everglades is a compact and reliable guide to the unique attractions and outdoor activities of Florida. Complete travel information is provided for sightseeing, lodging, dining, shopping, and urban nightlife. For the outdoor enthusiast there is sound advice and suggestions for camping, hiking, diving, canoeing, horseback riding, biking, and fishing. For the truly adventurous there are “hidden locales” where you can find such time capsules as the Historic Smallwood Store Museum, built in 1906 as a trading post for settlers and Seminole Indians; underwater attractions such as the San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve where an 18th-century galleon went down in a hurricane; and Civil War sites such the Fort Zachary Taylor State Historic Site featuring the remains of an 1845 fort. If you are Florida bound, begin your trip with a copy of Hidden Florida Keys And Everglades.

An assortment of useless yet entertaining talents

The Sands of Time

Blindfold Prank – You gotta see this

Hillsborough County, FL Notary Public

I’m a Hillsborough County, FL Notary Public that will come to your home, business or any location you like to notarize your documents. Call Chris today at 727-804-5319 to discuss your notary needs.

The following are some of the more commonly requested documents people need notarized:

• Power of Attorney
• Medical Consent Form
• Living Will
• Divorce paperwork
• Consent for Minor to Travel Aboard
• Certifications
• Affidavits

When we meet I’ll need to see identification to prove your identity. The following is a list of approved forms of identifications:

• Drivers License
• Military Identification Card
• State Identification Card
• Passport
• Resident Alien Card

Whatever you need notarized I can help. Call Chris at 727-804-5319 if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Consider me your Hillsborough County, FL Notary Public.

Did You Know

Sleeprunning Dog

Your Florida Will, Trusts, & Estates Explained: Simply Important Information You Need to Know

By Linda Ashar

Few people want to think about what would happen to their family if they become disabled or die; however, planning for these occurrences in advance will reduce potential stress on your family later in life. This new book will take the guesswork out of planning your estate and help you finally understand the complex processes. The right plan can protect the value of your estate and spare your loved ones unnecessary hassles and legal conflicts. Your Florida Wills, Trusts, & Estates will help you glide through this complicated process.

This new book has been adapted to offer Florida residents state-specific advice for estate planning. Author Linda C. Ashar, Attorneys at Law, has crafted an estate planning primer, allowing Florida residents to become more informed and more involved during the process. Your Florida Wills, Trusts, & Estates will provide all the information you need to choose, set up, and execute a will, trust, or estate. You will learn the legal terminology, including beneficiary, probate, trustor, trustee, assets, guardianship, and executor. You will also learn about trust agreements, trust property, settlement costs, life insurance, durable power of attorney, marital deductions, gift splitting, survivorship deeds, gift tax issues, generation skipping transfer tax, tax deferred accounts, and advance directives.

Florida -specific information is offered throughout this book, including: Florida probate code; Florida rules, regulations, and laws specific to estate planning; elements of a valid Florida will; planning your living will in Florida; explanations of Florida laws regarding durable health care power of attorneys, do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, and directives to withhold CPR. The book s easy-to-understand context clarifies this complicated and sensitive subject and gives readers the power to take control of their future.

Whether you are writing your will, establishing a trust, planning your estate for the first time, or updating and revising your previous plans, Your Florida Wills, Trusts, & Estates will give you all the tools and knowledge you need to decide where and to whom your assets will go when you die. Other books offer a non-state-specific overview of estate planning, causing many readers to be misinformed about rules and regulations particular to their state; but, this new book provides information Florida residents need to know. Do not get outdated or wrong information that does not pertain to you specifically. Use this new book to craft an estate plan that is not only legally sound but also fully carries out your last wishes and protects your loved ones.

Seminole Voices: Reflections on Their Changing Society, 1970-2000 (Florida Indians)

By Julian M. Pleasants and Harry A. Kersey Jr.

In a series of interviews conducted from 1969 to 1971 and again from 1998 to 1999, more than two hundred members of the Florida Seminole community described their lives for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida. Some of those interviews, now showcased in this volume, shed light on how the Seminoles’ society, culture, religion, government, health care, and economy had changed during a tumultuous period in Florida’s history.

In 1970 the Seminoles lived in relative poverty, dependent on the Bureau of Indian Affairs, tourist trade, cattle breeding, handicrafts, and truck farming. By 2006 they were operating six casinos, and in 2007 they purchased Hard Rock International for $965 million. Within one generation, the tribe moved from poverty and relative obscurity to entrepreneurial success and wealth.

Seminole Voices relates how economic changes have affected everyday life and values. The Seminoles’ frank opinions and fascinating stories offer a window into the world of a modern Native community as well as a useful barometer of changes affecting its members at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

About the Authors

Julian M. Pleasants is an emeritus professor of history at the University of Florida. He is the author of several books, including Hanging Chads: The Inside Story of the 2000 Presidential Recount in Florida.

Harry A. Kersey Jr. is an emeritus professor of history at Florida Atlantic University. He is the author of several books, including An Assumption of Sovereignty: Social and Political Transformation among the Florida Seminoles, 1953–1979 (Nebraska 1996), and the coauthor of Buffalo Tiger: A Life in the Everglades, available in a Bison Books edition.

Florida Heat Wave by Florida Author Michael Lister

By Michael Lester

The suffocating heat makes you do things—it seeps in through your pores and sucks out your life. Like the bloody smear of a swatted mosquito on sweat-soaked skin, violence erupts suddenly, but the damage lingers.

From the pine tree–lined rural highways of north Florida, the tourist traps of central Florida, and the tropical, international environs of South Beach, come stories of sun-faded noir, orange pulp served up freshly squeezed.

Michael Lister is a novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright who lives in northwest Florida. A former prison chaplain, Michael is the author of the Blood series featuring prison chaplain/detective John Jordan. His second series features Jimmy “Soldier” Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II (www.FloridaNoir.com). Michael also teaches college, operates a charity and community theater. www.MichaelLister.com

Valentines Day Proposal Goes Wrong

Since today is Valentines Day I thought I’d share a very touching video. OK, I lied. It’s a combination of hilarious, sad, embarrassing and a variety of other emotions I can’t quite put my finger on. Just watch it and tell me what you think.

The Complete Guide to Planning Your Estate in Florida

The Complete Guide to Planning Your Estate in Florida: A Step-by-Step Plan to Protect Your Assets, Limit Your Taxes, and Ensure Your Wishes Are Fulfilled for Florida Residents (Back-To-Basics)

What happens to your estate after you are gone is very much within your control. Estate planning is not only for the wealthy; it is for everyone. It is simply the process of deciding where your assets are to be distributed after your death. For those people who wish to preserve their assets for designated purposes such as family or special charities it becomes necessary to make special advance preparations. To ensure your assets are protected and final wishes are carried out, there are some common actions that should be taken now. Proper estate planning allows you to plan for yourself and your loved ones without giving up control of your affairs.

Your estate plan should also allow for the possibility of your own disability. It should detail what you own and whom you want to leave it to at a time of your choosing and the way you want. Your estate plan should include fully disclosed, controlled costs for you and your loved ones. The last thing you want to worry about is having your estate drained of value through taxes and legal costs. The right plan can protect the value of your estate and spare your loved ones unnecessary hassles and legal conflicts.

The Complete Guide to Planning Your Estate in Florida will help you glide through this complicated process. This new book has been adapted to offer Ohio residents state-specific advice for estate planning. Author Linda C. Ashar, Attorney at Law, has crafted an estate planning primer, allowing Florida residents to become more informed and more involved during the process. Many books on estate planning indicate you do not need the services of an attorney, but this book highly recommends using an attorney versed in this area: You should not go through the process alone. This book is intended explain the complicated issues, terminology, and planning strategies of estate planning so when you do meet with a qualified attorney, you will be well prepared. You will understand the legal terms and be ready to discuss issues and strategies with familiarity, saving you time and legal fees and ensuring peace of mind.

Florida -specific information is offered throughout this book, including: Florida s probate code; Florida rules, regulations, and laws specific to estate planning; elements of a valid Florida will; planning your living will in Florida; explanations of Florida laws regarding durable health care power of attorneys, do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, and directives to withhold CPR. The book s easy-to-understand context clarifies this complicated and sensitive subject and gives readers the power to take control of their future.

This book also offers an overview of abatement rules, settlement costs, guardianship and minor children, executors and trustees, life insurance, potential long-term care needs, marital deductions, types of trusts, gift splitting, survivorship deeds, 529 plans, reducing or eliminating estate taxes, avoiding tax on life insurance, using insurance to pay estate taxes, gift tax issues, generation skipping transfer tax, and tax-deferred accounts.

Estate planning should be a positive experience. It involves reviewing your situation and planning for your future. Although few people want to think about the possibility of disability or disease, advance planning is also a way to show your love and to reduce potential distress later. Other books offer a non-state-specific overview of estate planning, causing many readers to be misinformed about rules and regulations particular to their state; but, this new book provides information Florida residents need to know. Do not get outdated or wrong information that does not pertain to you specifically. Use this new book to craft an estate plan that is not only legally sound but also fully carries out your last wishes and protects your loved ones.

Florida (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE)

With its theme parks and fabulous beaches, The Sunshine State deserves its reputation as the perfect family vacation spot. But Florida offers much more to those who venture away from their beach towels. This is the perfect guide to exploring all that the state has to offer, including the extraordinary diversity of wildlife at Everglades and the Keys, and the rich mix of Caribbean, north and south American culture. With over 1000 photographs and illustrations, plus top recommendations on where to stay, shop and eat.

Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell. Includes beautiful new full-color photos, illustrations, and enhanced maps Extensive information on local customs, currency, medical services, and transportation New “Discovering” feature helps decide which regions are best suited to the trip.

Madeira Beach, FL Notary Public

I’m a Madeira Beach, FL Notary Public that will come to your home, business or any location you like to notarize your documents. Call Chris today at 727-804-5319 to discuss your notary needs.

The following are some of the more commonly requested documents people need notarized:

• Power of Attorney
• Medical Consent Form
• Living Will
• Divorce paperwork
• Consent for Minor to Travel Aboard
• Certifications
• Affidavits

When we meet I’ll need to see identification to prove your identity. The following is a list of approved forms of identifications:

• Drivers License
• Military Identification Card
• State Identification Card
• Passport
• Resident Alien Card

Whatever you need notarized I can help. Call Chris at 727-804-5319 if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Consider me your Madeira Beach, FL Notary Public.

Encounters with Florida’s Endangered Wildlife

By Doug Alderson

Eastern bison roamed Florida into the 1800s. Red wolves disappeared in the 1920s. The dusky seaside sparrow was declared extinct in 1990. It’s too soon to say whether the 116 threatened, endangered, or imperiled animal species currently found in the state will also fall victim to climate change, extermination, overdevelopment, or poisons. But as long as they remain, there will be men and women who work tirelessly on their behalf. Combining adventure, natural history, and cultural history, “Encounters with Florida’s Endangered Wildlife” features chapters tracking panthers, black bears, whooping cranes, manatees, sea turtles, even ivory-billed woodpeckers – which may or may not be extinct. Join Doug Alderson as he travels into prairies, woods, springs, and ocean to come face to face with these and other captivating creatures and learns firsthand about their strangled lives and fragile habitats. With a chapter on the impact of non-native populations of Burmese pythons and Rhesus monkeys, as well as a chilling epilogue that imagines the peninsula one hundred years in the future, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the current state of wild Florida.

Paving Paradise: Florida’s Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss

By Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite

Florida possesses more wetlands than any other state except Alaska, yet since 1990 more than 84,000 acres have been lost to development despite presidential pledges to protect them. How and why the state’s wetlands are continuing to disappear is the subject of “Paving Paradise”. Journalists Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite spent nearly four years investigating the political expedience, corruption, and negligence on the part of federal and state agencies that led to a failure to enforce regulations on developers. They traveled throughout the state, interviewed hundreds of people, dug through thousands of documents, and analyzed satellite imagery to identify former wetlands that were now houses, stores, and parking lots. Exposing the unseen environmental consequences of rampant sprawl, Pittman and Waite explain how wetland protection creates the illusion of environmental protection while doing little to stem the tide of destruction. What is happening to Florida’s ‘protected’ wetlands?

Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida

By Dr. Gary R. Mormino

“An unblinking assessment of the triumphs and tragedies of Florida’s development over the past sixty years.” – Journal of Southern History “Chronicles the scams, plans, and amazing ingenuity that transformed a backwater southern state into an international marketplace.” – Journal of American History “If you have lived here any length of time, then you understand why Mormino calls the second half of the twentieth century ‘Florida’s Big Bang.’… Read this and it might convince you to take off that tie, rethink the way you live and look on with a little more respect and care for Florida, before the state of dreams becomes a nightmare.” - Tampa Tribune

The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise

By Michael Grunwald

Washington Post reporter Grunwald brings the zeal of his profession—and the skill that won him a Society of Environmental Journalists Award in 2003—to this enthralling story of “the river of grass” that starry-eyed social engineers and greedy developers have diverted, drained and exploited for more than a century. In 1838, fewer than 50 white people lived in south Florida, and the Everglades was seen as a vast and useless bog. By the turn of this century, more than seven million people lived there (and 40 million tourists visited annually). Escalating demands of new residents after WWII were sapping the Everglades of its water and decimating the shrinking swamp’s wildlife. But in a remarkable political and environmental turnaround, chronicled here with a Washington insider’s savvy, Republicans and Democrats came together in 2000 to launch the largest ecosystem restoration project in America’s history. This detailed account doesn’t shortchange the environmental story—including an account of the senseless fowl hunts that provoked abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1877 broadside “Protect the Birds.” But Grunwald’s emphasis on the role politics played in first despoiling and now reclaiming the Everglades gives this important book remarkable heft.

Dog and baby girl

CallChrisToday.com selected for “Best of the Web!”

I’m happy to announce that CallChrisToday.com has been selected for inclusion in the “real estate” category at BestOfTheWeb.org. I strive to make my Tampa Bay real estate blog informative, educational and especially entertaining, so this inclusion reinforces to me that I’m doing something right.

Unlike the traditional real estate site I like to include posts that show a bit about who I am as an individual, as opposed to keeping posts strictly about real estate. While it is true that people will ultimately choose to hire me based on my real estate experience, knowledge, work ethic and personal ethics, they won’t even consider hiring me if they don’t get to know me (and like me) on a personal level. So sharing my likes and dislikes and interests is important to establishing a connection and some rapport with current and potential clients.

I hope you enjoy CallChrisToday.com as much as I do!

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