Friday, May 17, 2013
Fabien Cousteau sat, swam and took photos of Winter the dolphin during a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium on Thursday.
Fabien Cousteau sat, swam and took photos of Winter the dolphin during a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium on Thursday. Cousteau, the great grandson of famed sea explorer Jacques, was the guest speaker for the dedication and naming ceremony of the new R.O. Jacobson Center for Education and Animal Care facility at the aquarium. The center is part of a $14 million expansion for the aquarium to increase its capabilities to rescue and rehabilitate marine life. The facility offers office space for marine biologists, more lab and work space. There is an 18-foot-deep, 250,000-gallon rooftop pool, other pools for injured sea turtles and space for four North American river otters. Cousteau is the founder of Plant A Fish, a nonprofit dedicated…
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
There were two adult dogs and five, nearly six-month old puppies in the house at 517 Saturn Ave when it caught fire Wednesday morning, according to Clearwater Fire and Rescue.
Clearwater Fire and Rescue is investigating the cause of a fire that left a puppy dead and another dog injured in a house fire Wednesday morning. There were seven dogs inside when firefighters were called to the scene of a blaze at 517 Saturn Ave at 7:11 a.m., according to Joelle Castelli, public safety spokeswoman. Firefighters found two adult dogs and five, nearly six-month old puppies as they searched the smoke-filled unit, Castelli said in a release. A puppy died from smoke inhalation and the adult female dog was unconsious, having trouble breathing and very close to death when firefighters started working to resuscitate her with the use of a pet oxygen mask, Castelli said. "The remainder of the six dogs appear to be alright," she said…
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
City leaders discussed the wording of an ordinance and referendum, that if approved by city voters, would reshape part of the downtown waterfront. They are expected to vote on the revised wording at a June meeting.
City leaders discussed some changes to the 73-words of a referendum, that if approved by city voters, would reshape part of the downtown waterfront where City Hall is Monday. The revised terms and conditions of the possible 60-year lease on City Hall property in order to develop a $160 million Clearwater Marine Aquarium facility will come back to the City Council to be voted on June 3, said Pam Akin, city attorney. The ordinance, which contains the referendum, must be approved by Aug. 27 in order to meet the Supervisor of Elections deadline to be on the Nov. 5 special elections ballot. The expected cost of the special election is $100,000. Aquarium officials have said they will pay costs associated with creating the referendum. The …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Some Clearwater Patch readers were grateful to learn the history of a more than 125-year-old "champion" camphor tree that grows near U.S. 19 and Gulf to Bay Boulevard, including the great-grandson of the pioneer who planted it.
Some Clearwater Patch readers were grateful to learn the history of a more than 125-year-old "champion" camphor tree that grows near U.S. 19 and Gulf to Bay Boulevard, including the great-grandson of the pioneer who planted it. "It is nice to see a piece of history preserved," Jeffrey Fields, who visited the site with his wife May 5, said in a comment. "This tree happens to have been on my Great Grandfather's property. My Grandfather was one of those children mentioned that William planted the tree so that they could play in it." The tree is the last of four that were planted by William Frank Fields for his children to play under in 1890 when he cleared 21 acres in the city's outer limits, near what is now U.S. 19 and Gulf to Bay Boulevard…
Richard and Esther Wheeley celebrated 62 years of marriage a week before dying just days apart.
The Clearwater restaurant has re-opened after being shut down by state code enforcers for three days in April. Here are details of the violations.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
City leaders will discuss the referendum that, if passed by residents in a special election Nov. 5, would allow up to a 60-year lease on City Hall land in order to develop a $160 million Clearwater Marine Aquarium facility.
The 75 words are in. For the last couple months, the language that determines the future use of prime waterfront property downtown has been crafted. City leaders will discuss at a Monday work session the referendum that, if passed by residents in a special election Nov. 5, would allow an up to 60-year lease on City Hall property in order to develop a $160 million Clearwater Marine Aquarium facility. It is in the best interests of the public to allow the lease, according to the ordinance that includes the referendum language that city leaders would have to approve before it is sent to the elections office. The city charter, which requires resident approval of waterfront development on public land, does not allow a lease to extend more than…
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Clearwater couple was married for 62 years.
In an age of starter marriages and gray divorces, Richard and Esther Wheeley's 62 years of matrimony was the exception. In fact their marriage – and deaths just days apart – was so exceptional and telling of a rare devotion that the Tampa Tribune memorialized the Clearwater couple's passing Friday in a column by Stephen Thompson. Esther died Friday, May 3, at the age of 83. Two days later, on Sunday, May 5, Richard passed away in his sleep at the couple's mobile home in Clearwater. Richard was 82. The couple had just celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary the week before Esther's passing. Thompson writes: "It was love at first sight for the longtime couple. He was an orderly at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich., and she was…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Deputies say two Clearwater teenagers were involved in Monday night's armed robbery at an Oldsmar sushi restaurant.
Updated, May 10: Two more teen suspects have been charged in connection with a May 6 robbery at an Oldsmar sushi restaurant, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said. A Clearwater 16-year-old and an Oldsmar 17-year-old were arrested Thursday and charged with armed robbery. Patch is withholding their names because they are juveniles. They were taken to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center, a sheriff's office spokesperson said. Earlier: A Clearwater teenager faces a robbery charge, after detectives said they identified him as driving the getaway car during a robbery Monday night at an Oldsmar restaurant. Two other suspects remain at large. Jabari O. Wade, 18, was arrested and charged as a principal to an armed robbery of the Boton Sushi …
Kevin Dunbar, director of the city’s parks and recreation department, will meet with beach residents to talk about plans to bring a nearly $500,000 sandcastle playground to Pier 60 Park Tuesday.
Wendy Hutkin is baffled at how a plan for a nearly $500,000 playground could be built before residents could see and support it. The price tag for the playground is a concern, especially when that money could be used in myriad ways to expand access to facilities where hours were slashed because of budget cuts over the last half decade, said Hutkin, president of the Clearwater Beach Association, a neighborhood group. “Why could that money not go to the pool, library and recreation center?” she said. “We don’t need a playground next to a playground.” Beach residents would rather see that money spent to keep the library open longer than 20 hours a week or make the pool available year-round, Hutkin said. Residents get a chance to find out more…
Melissa A.
10:46 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
I agree. It's not cool to jump to conclusions and start judging a situation without having any facts. Fortunately not all the dogs perished and fortunately no humans were hurt either. more ›