The Tampa Bay Rays have announced their promotional giveaways for the 2012 season, and there will be quite a lot of collectibles for fans.

The season opening series will have two giveaways: a Rays schedule magnet for all fans at the Friday, April 6 game, and a Raymond Cowbell for the...more first 10,000 kids 14 and under at the Sunday, April 8 game.

Every Sunday home game will be a "Family Fun Day," with giveaways to the first 10,000 kids at each of these games.  Bobbleheads, always a staple for sports memorabilia, will be back this year, with seven given away throughout the season:

Kyle Farnsworth (May 20 vs. Atlanta)
Desmond Jennings (June 3 vs. Baltimore)
Joe Maddon (June 15 vs. Miami)
James Shields (July 1 vs. Detroit)
Matt Moore (July 22 vs. Seattle)
DJ Kitty (August 5 vs. Baltimore)
TBA (September 23 vs. Toronto)

And perhaps the biggest talker of all (at least it is here in the

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- At an awards ceremony celebrating the contributions of more than 450 statewide volunteers, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) program awarded volunteers in Pasco and Pinellas counties with the Planning and Service...more Area of the Year award.  Volunteers in these counties operate out of the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc.
According to the agancy, SHINE volunteers in this area completed nearly 12,300 client contacts last year, a 42 percent increase from the previous year.  Of these contacts, more than half were completed in assistance to clients with low incomes for savings on their Medicare costs.  These SHINE volunteers provided outreach and education to more than 21,000 clients in Pasco and Pinellas counties.  Additionally, they spent over 7,500 hours with their clients during the last Federal fiscal year.
“Volunteers with the SHINE program in Pasco and Pinellas counties have a strong

Port Charlotte, Florida -- As Spring Training begins, here are four ways the 2012 Tampa Bay Rays will try to create another magical season.

Ahh... baseball is back. The Rays' first workout is Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Port Charlotte.

Photo Gallery: Tampa Bay Rays Spring...more Training 2012

After that heart-stopping Game 162 that ended the regular season last year, and the third trip to the playoffs in four years, there is good reason for excitement on the practice fields and all over the Bay Area.

Manager Joe Maddon says he believes these guys are "very capable" of going back to the World Series.

Here's how the 2012 Rays can succeed -- we've broken it down into what will get this team to first base, second, third, and finally home.

First Base

The foundation is the front office. Manager Joe Maddon continues to be one of the coaches players on other teams say they would most like to play for. Andrew Friedman, the team's

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- Residents are invited to break bread over coffee and conversation next Wednesday, Feb. 22, when Breakfast with the Mayor' drops by The Dome Grill.
Mayor Foster brings his monthly breakfast forum to the diner, located at 561 Central Ave., to speak with residents...more one-on-one starting at 7 a.m.  Residents are encouraged to bring their appetite and support the diner with breakfast.
The Dome Grill, which opened in 1990 following construction of the Florida Suncoast Dome -- now Tropicana Field, serves a traditional American breakfast and lunch with Greek influences from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The diner is also open from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays for the after-hours crowd.
For information on future Breakfast With the Mayor' dates and locations, visit www.stpete.org/BreakfastWithMayor.

Pinellas Park, Fla. -- The Most Outrageous Imporvised Comedy Troupe in Tampa Bay brings you a night of non-stop laughter.
WIT Improv presents "Whose Idea Was That Anyway" on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. Enjoy drinks at the bar during this show that will feature 100 percent improvised...more comedy. 
Founding members Billy Martinez, Vinnie Natale, and Scott Swenson, along with recent additions to the WIT family Alex Crow, Jill Revelle, Eric Hughes and Scott Keith promise to bring down the house.  This messec up mix of seven share experiences from many different styles of theature, music, and comedy to create unique and outlandish performances. WIT Impov shows are always unpredictbe and entertaining.
Tickets for this show are "pay what you can" with a suggested donation between $10 - $20.  Also $15 advance purchase VIP seeting are available.
The show will be performed in the lobby cabaret, whith a full service cash bar available for all patrons.  American Stage "After Hours"

St. Pete Beach -- Parking on the beach will increase to $1.50 per hour if the commission passes Ordinance 2012-14.

Commissioners asked for public comment about the proposed increase at its regularly scheduled meeting last week.

The commission will hear public comment and vote a final and second time at the Feb. 28 meeting which starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

St. Petersburg, Fla. – The Garden Club of St. Petersburg, 500 Sunset Drive South, is having their Annual Flea Market, Collectables and Plant Sale on Feb. 23, 24 & 25.
On Thursday, Feb. 23, there will be a Preview Night with Wine & Cheese from 5 - 7 p.m.  There is a $5 charge  for this...more preview night only.
On Friday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 25,  from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., is the Trash to Treasures Sale with something for everyone, jewelry, collectables, clothing, household items, plants and homemade lunch/snacks/drinks available.

St. Petersburg, Florida - Flowers mark the spot where Harold Charles Fleming Jr. was hit and killed. Early Sunday morning, Fleming was in his wheelchair and crossing 38th Avenue North when he was struck by a St. Petersburg police cruiser.

"I just felt terrible, terrible," said...more Fleming's neighbor Pat Diebold upon hearing of the accident. "He's been such a trooper, being paralyzed."

Officer Mehmedin Karic, 26, told investigators he didn't see Fleming, who was wearing dark clothes.  According to St. Pete Police, the street light at that intersection was not working at the time of the accident.

"A month ago that light went out," says Byron Boyne, who lives down the street. "I didn't report it, because I thought the people down there would."

To report a broken street light in Pinellas, you can call Progress Energy at 727-443-2641. It helps if you can give the company the number from a metal strip attached to the pole or an exact address. There's

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- We continue to learn more about the 20-year-old Bay area woman who was accidently shot in the head in church on Sunday, February 12.

It happened at Grace Connection Church where her father serves as the pastor. Hannah Kelley died nearly a week later on...more Saturday morning.

Investigators with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office say Moises Zambrana, a church member, was showing off a gun to two young men. One of them was Kelley's boyfriend. They say as the men were looking over the gun's safety features it accidentally went off.

The bullet went through the wall, hitting Kelley.

Her parents, Pastor Tim Kelley and Peggy Kelley, released a statement saying, "The family has forgiven Mr. Zambrana and would ask that others treat him with love and grace. The family would encourage mothers and fathers everywhere to hug their children a little tighter as you never know when it will be your last opportunity."

They add,

Pinellas County Extension, in partnership with the University of Florida’s Program for Resource Efficient Communities, will offer Green Advantage professional training on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pinellas County Extension.
The 8-hour course will provide professionals...more with an overview of key provisions in the Florida Building Code that affect building performance, introduce the concept of building as a system and examine environmental building failures, resulting from design and construction techniques.
Participants will receive an overview of green building certification standards adopted by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Green Building Council, National Association of Home Builders and the Florida Green Building Coalition.
For more information please contact the course instructor, Craig Miller at (352) 392-5684. To learn more about the 2012 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Building Education Program, upcoming events, or to register for

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -  A concept for refurbishing the existing iconic Pier was brought forth by Tom Lamdon, Chairman of “VoteOnThePier.Com” who opened the Pier discussions focusing on ways the existing Pier could be saved while incorporating LEEDs green environmental ideas and saving taxpayer...more monies.
The discussion took place on the 3rd Floor of the Pier on Saturday, Feb. 11 and the temperament of the crowd in attendance seemed very receptive to the proposal.
Photo Gallery: The pier and a voter referendum
One gentleman said, of all the designs he had seen, the Arkedezin Design concept by Kenneth Kroger was the first one that he was excited about.
While the City administration is moving forward quickly with Pier designs and contests, with enough signatures the Pier’s future could be up to the people rather than the Mayor and City Council Members.
15,648 signed petitions are needed to have the issue go to referendum and the group is closing in on that goal with

Related Story: Pier decision could still go to the people

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Several Pinellas Sheriff's deputies and employees are facing suspensions following a series of Internal Affairs investigations.

Deputy Jason Bahret will be suspended for 40 hours for giving a confidential informant money without another detective witnessing the...more transaction;
Deputy Brian Berry gets a written reprimand for tracking family members with Sheriff's Office equipment;
Deputy Michael Papamichael faces a five day suspension for giving a confidential informant money without another detective witnesses it, then later signing the payment receipt himself as the witness;
Counselor Felicia Davis will be suspended for 40 hours for getting into a confrontation with the Perry Police Department and being arrested for disorderly conduct;
Deputy Christopher Meleen is being suspended for one hundred and four hours for running a tag through police computers , making contact with a woman who had a suspended driver's