Economic Development Economic DevelopmentContinuing the Progress Continuing the Progress

12

to advocating for Midtown EconomicDevelopment as defined by theMidtown community and relentlesslypromoted Midtown in all sectors of thecity – north, south, east, and west.

An avid history buff, Mayor Baker is the author of “Mangroves to MajorLeagues”, a historical account of the cityfrom 23,000 B.C. to the beginning of themillennium. With his passion for history,he readily sought to preserve five his-torical venues in Midtown that had fall-en into disrepair (the Seaboard RailwayStation, the Manhattan Casino, the RoyalTheatre, Mercy Hospital, and the JordanSchool). All of these venues have beenrestored and with the exception of theManhattan Casino, all are occupied andoperating in accordance with the com-munity’s wishes.

The Seaboard Railway Station is thelargest pottery co-op in the nation andserves as a retail venue as well as avenue for training pottery clay artistsfrom around the country and abroad.Its artistic value is felt throughoutMidtown and the larger community.

Young men and women enjoy the RoyalTheatre under the direction of the Boysand Girls Club. Seeking to add art andculture to their mission, the renovationhas allowed for the installation of arecording studio, a parlor for music les-sons, renovated dressing rooms for liveperformances and a dance studio.

The renovation of the Jordan Schoolwas recently completed and the venuehas been returned to operation HeadStart for the pre-school training needsof young children. More than 150Jordan School alumni joined city staff,elected officials, neighborhood organiza-tions and the community to celebratethe grand re-opening.

Johnnie Ruth Health Center at the his-toric Mercy Hospital site provides valu-able community health care to membersof the surrounding community andbeyond. Clients are afforded pharmacycare by Florida A&M University, dentalcare, and a host of other services by acadre of medical professionals and staff.

Renovation of the Manhattan Casino isnot complete pending an opportunity tosecure an operator who can provideservices consistent with the communi-ty’s vision. During the visioning process,the attendees expressed a desire to cre-

ate a catering/restaurant venue at theManhattan in order to host weddingreceptions and other community andchurch functions.

The need to provide basic services wasalso identified as a critical component ofMidtown Economic Development. As aresult, a library, post office, GTE CreditUnion and Sweetbay grocery store arenow resident in Midtown. With theexception of the post office, all of theother venues have been constructedduring Mayor Baker’s tenure. The postalfacility was previously a carrier stationthat was renovated and expanded toprovide previously absent full servicepostal accommodations.

Important infrastructure improvementshave also been completed, ranging fromtraffic mast arms to landscaping, signifi-cantly improving Midtown’s visual image.Dell Holmes Park and the boundlessplayground and water features are bigdraws for the southern end of 22ndstreet south.

The retention and recruitment of newbusinesses to Midtown is also a result ofthe Baker plan. EuroBake, Greeno’sPainting and Job Corps are essential toMidtown’s quest to address the issue of living wage jobs with benefits.Additionally, the Business AssistanceCenter works with budding entrepre-neurs and existing businesses through-out Midtown and the city.

With the expansion of the Midtownstrategy to the Childs Park community,identified needs have also been met.Working in collaboration with theYMCA, a new facility was constructedand opened in 2008 and contains aMidtown library. Additionally, infra-structure improvements are ongoingand assistance to residents in energyconservation, public safety, and homerestoration has been provided. Much has been accomplished and the workcontinues. However, the question invari-ably asked by businesses, governmentalofficials and prior Midtown/Childs Parkresidents touring or returning to thearea is: “Who did it?” The answer ofcourse is simple -- “ The Baker Did It.”a

Goliath J. Davis, III, Ph. D.Deputy MayorMidtown Economic Development

“Deputy Mayor,” from page 1

In 2001, a corporate and business lawyer with a history of civic involvement to includeserving as President of the local area Chamber of Commerce, launched his campaign forMayor of the fourth largest city in the state of Florida – St. Petersburg. A graduate ofFlorida State University with a B.S. in Management and a MBA and Juris Doctor, whichwere completed concurrently, the President of Fisher and Sauls, P.A., campaigned on theslogan,“Making St. Pete Best: A Seamless City”, and unveiled the “Baker Plan”.

Rick Baker successfully ran for two terms as St. Petersburg’s Mayor and spearheadedaward winning initiatives which have revived the City of St Petersburg and Midtown.Utilizing a recipe created through community input and collaboration, Rick,“the baker”has successfully guided the redevelopment of the city’s inner core. The Baker plan listedMidtown Economic Development as one of its four pillars and with the appointment ofa Deputy Mayor for Midtown Economic Development, Rick Baker has devoted himself

A Passion ForMaking A DifferenceInspired and challenged to go into busi-ness for herself by an uncle, himself anentrepreneur,Veronica Martin openedher first venture into entrepreneurship,Veronica’s Cozy Cottage.Veronica hadworked in the helping profession sinceshe was 15 years old - working summersat PARC, a non-profit organization forchildren and adults with developmentaldisabilities. Before that fateful visit withher uncle, she felt she was ready for achange and was contemplating leaving theprofession.After the visit,Veronica saysshe immediately wrote a business plan,something she had never done. A friend,Veatrice Ferrall, told her about theBusiness Assistance Center and she setup an appointment with one of theSCORE counselors.

According to Veronica, he “provoked” herabout her decision to open a business,making her look critically at herself andher commitment to running a business.She felt she was ready. She sought a loanfrom several banks but was turned downeach time. Discouraged but not defeated,she applied for and received a loan fromthe Tampa Bay Black Business InvestmentCorp. (TBBBIC). Since that venture in2003, she has opened three other group

SPPD Reaches MarkOf ExcellenceRecently, the St. Petersburg PoliceDepartment (SPPD) went through therigors of two intensive assessments.The first was through the Commission on Accreditation for Law EnforcementAgencies (CALEA), an internationalagency; and the second, through theCommission for Florida Law EnforcementAccreditation, Inc. (CFA), a state agency.The culmination of the assessmentsresulted in the St. Petersburg PoliceDepartment receiving the CALEA’sEnhanced Certificate of MeritoriousAccreditation, an award earned by agen-cies with 15 or more years of continuousaccreditation.Additionally, SPPD earnedthe Flagship Award which recognizesaccredited public safety agencies that -based on previous awards, current assess-ment and overall professional standing in the public safety community - haveproven to be exemplary models for “bestpractices” for newly accredited agencies.

The process is extensive. Both theCALEA and CFA assemble assessmentteams that are composed of law enforce-ment representatives from across thenation and the state respectively.Theseteams are charged with performing anumber of assessment tasks whichinclude inspecting files; conducting inter-views with officers, civilian employees,and volunteers; conducting a public hear-ing; ride-longs; read-offs; and observationof operations in several departmentalunits. Overall, SPPD had over a thousanddocuments reviewed and had to meetmore than 350 applicable commissionstandards.Accreditation is a voluntaryprocess entered into by law enforcementagencies desirous of ensuring that thehighest level of professional law enforce-ment services are provided to their community. For more information on thelaw enforcement accreditation process,awards received or SPPD programs andservices, call Rich Berman, 892-5463.a

homes in St. Petersburg.Veronicadescribes her services as “residentialhabilitation” - a training home settingwhere she and her staff help equip peo-ple who may have mental illness or devel-opmental disabilities, those who are eld-erly, or who have experienced a debilitat-ing physical trauma, with the skills to dothe everyday things that they most wantto do.These everyday things range fromopening a bank account, learning tocook again, moving into independentliving quarters, or taking a trip to theBahamas.

Veronica finds that her biggest chal-lenge is not the 25 clients in the fourhomes whose ages range from 19 to71, nor the budgets she describes asbeing so tight that it “makes a pennyscream.” Her biggest challenge is findingthe people who share her vision and have

the right mix of creativity, compassionand desire to help their clients be all thatthey can be.“It takes a special kind ofperson to do this work—it’s not foreverybody, but that’s okay. Having theright staff is key.They are the ones whoprovide the services and implement theideas that I put forth. My staff is my bestmarketing tool. Ninety-nine percent ofmy clients are by referral through mystaff,” she shares.

Veronica has set up an appointment to go back to the BAC and meet with aSCORE counselor. She says,“I want to re-evaluate where I am, what I should be doing and determine where I need tobe going.” For more information abouteither of Veronica’s facilities, call 328-3594. For more information about theBAC and its programs, call 893-7146. a

Fourth Quarter • 2009 Vol.VI • No. 20

s Mayor Rick Baker

Goliath J. Davis, III, Ph.D.

s Veronica Martin, owner of Veronica’s Cozy Cottage.

Deputy Mayor’s article continued on page 12

he Baker Did It”“T

“Public Safety,” from page 11

Produced by the City of St. Petersburg in cooperation with Economic Development DepartmentPhone: 893-7100 • Fax: 892-5465 • Web site: www.stpete.org • Editor: Tyna Middleton • E-mail: Tyna.Middleton@stpete.org • Phone: 893-7894 • Fax: 892-5323 • Graphic Designer: Janeth Brown

112

BAC Offers Website Series

The Business Assistance Center (BAC)recently hosted a three-part Web siteseries. Part 1 focused on SEO orSearch Engine Optimization,designed to help participants understandthe basics of what they could do them-selves and when it is best to hire some-one else to do it.Additionally, presentersexplained how search engines and Websites operate and how Web hosts can geta higher ranking for their site. In part 2,Website 101, participants learned whatconsumers look for on Web sites andhow to create a call to action; how tocollect visitor information to build a mar-keting database; what to look for in aWeb hosting company and questions toask before hiring a web designer. Part 3dealt with Blogging and Social Media.It provided the basics of how to set upand use a blog and social media and howto develop a strategy to market yourbusiness.

To find out about the next scheduling ofthese classes or to learn more aboutother BAC programs and services, call893-7146.a

Pinellas CountyUrban League’s First Annual “GoGreen Career Fair” On November 5, Pinellas County UrbanLeague’s (PCUL) Career ConnectionCenter hosted its First Annual Go GreenCareer Fair. The event took place on thePinellas Technical Institute Campus(PTEC), 901 34th St. S.

The goal of the event was three-fold.First, it offered local businesses an oppor-tunity to showcase green job positionsthey offered and to brand their businessas a partner of Florida's "Green" initia-tive. Second, it offered participants anopportunity to become educated on thegreen movement as it relates to the envi-ronment and sustainable energy. Dr.Christian Wells from the University ofSouth Florida’s Office of Sustainabilityshared information.And lastly, partici-pants had the opportunity to submitapplications and resumes for availablepositions with participating companies.For more information about PCUL orthe Career Connection Center call 327-2081, ext. 112.

Grand Opening September 22 marked the grand openingfor Cajun Corner, 2101 34th St. S.Cajun Corner, according to owner AlexHo is Cajun cuisine with an Asian twist.His menu includes fried or blackened seafood and chicken combos and platters,Po’ Boys, fried rice, egg rolls, jambalayaand fried pickle chips. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday,and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday andSaturday. It's closed on Sundays. Call 329-8924 for more information.

On September 29, CrossFit9 held itsgrand opening and ribbon cutting cere-mony.The franchise focuses on corestrength building, fitness conditioning andthe fundamentals of fitness. CrossFit9 has certified personal trainers on staff,offering regular sessions that teach vari-ous lifting techniques, using kettlebellsand CrossFit 101 training. For moreinformation, call 687-2866.

City staff and members of the communityjoined Mayor Rick Baker, CouncilMembers and Deputy Mayor GoliathDavis as they brought greetings and welcomed Cajun Corner and CrossFit9to the Midtown community. Both busi-nesses were assisted by city departmentssuch as Development Services,WaterResources, Economic Development, andthe Business Assistance Center's BusinessCorridor Program. a

s Bussiness Assistance Center • 440 Second Ave N.

Mayor Baker and Crossfit9 owner, Steve Ashton, chat • 9 MLKSt. S.

s Mayor Baker,Alex Ho, Deputy Mayor Davis and Council Member Newton cut ribbon ar grand opening of Cajun Corner • 2101 34th St. S.

“Business Assistance,” continued on page 3

s Katrisa Winston, Career Connection Program Coordinator and Gregory Johnson, President & CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League at the League's Green Career Fair

Service In A New Location

On July 20, the Business AssistanceCenter (BAC) opened at its new locationin the historic City Hall Annex.The tran-sition did not curtail services nor did it hinder business owners’ quest forknowledge to build and sustain their businesses.The first class offered at thenew location was How to Write aBusiness Plan. Tracey Smith, EconomicDevelop-ment Coordinator/Training andCounseling, proudly announced,“We had28 attend our first class in our new hometonight!” This is near capacity since themaximum for most classes is between 30to 35 participants. For a listing of otherclasses and services offered at the BACgo to www.stpete.org/BAC , call 893-7146 or visit the new location at 440Second Ave. N. Most classes are free andthere is free on-street parking alongSecond Ave. in front of the new BACentrance. a

Summer Youth Intern ProgramThe Summer Youth Intern Program (SYIP)is an employment program that providestemporary job placement for youth fromeconomically disadvantaged families.Students were placed in either a privateor public work setting. One hundredfourteen of the 124 student placementscompleted the program. Fifty-nine stu-dents were placed in the public sectorwhich includes city facilities and 65 stu-dents were placed in the private sector.Boley Centers, Inc. administered theSummer Youth Intern Program (SYIP)2009.a

October - FirePrevention MonthOn October 3, St. Petersburg Fire andRescue(SPF&R) kicked-off the first ofthree events celebrating Fire PreventionMonth.The first event was its 20th annualBlock Party held at Walter Fuller Park,7891 26th Ave. N.The free event includeda safety walk to learn about fire preven-tion, child seat safety, drowning preven-tion, interactive touch-a-truck activitiesfor kids, vehicle demonstrations, gamesand more. Other activities includeddeclaring Fire Prevention Month duringthe October 8 City Council meeting andthe dedication of the Walk of Honorbrick memorial to fellow firefighters andSPF&R staff at Fire Headquarters, 400 Dr.MLK St. S. Contact www.stpete.org/firefor more information on the services andprograms of the SPF&R Department.a

Pinellas County's Boley Center seeksGreen Job Employment Partners.TheBoley Center has recently announced its new Pathways Out of Poverty Initiative, agreen job training program to teachworkers the skills required in the emerg-ing energy efficiency and renewable ener-gy industries. Boley would like to hearfrom Pinellas County employers who areinterested in partnering to help securegrant funds to advance this initiative.Please contact Lori Polachy at 528-8400ext. 4242 or lori.polachy@boley cen-ters.org for more information.a

Pinellas County JobCorps Center ComesTo Midtown The new Job Corps, located on the cor-ner of 22nd St. and Fifth Ave. S., has been a long-term goal of the city of St.Petersburg and Pinellas County, and isexpected to open in Spring, 2010. Cityand county officials announced that theyare very pleased to welcome ResCare,the agency selected to operate the facili-ty, to the community and look forward topartnering with the operator to createnew jobs in Midtown and to provide anintegrated vocational and academic train-ing experience for the Job Corps stu-dents.

Job OpportunitiesResCare is directly responsible for all hir-ing decisions. Neither the county nor thecity will accept resumes or make employ-ment decisions at the new Job CorpsCenter.Though ResCare cannot accept

phone calls regarding jobs at this time,they are accepting emails. Please forwardall resumes for employment to resumes@rescare.com. It's always best to includea cover letter, specify the position you'dlike, and attach your resume or paste itinto the body of the message. You canalso see Job Corps available positions atthe new center and apply through www.CareerBuilder.com.

Business Opportunities Vendors should inquire directly regardingbusiness opportunities by email toResCare at PinellasJobCorpsVendorContracting@Rescare.com.

Student RecruitmentStudent recruitment will be directedthrough WorkNet Pinellas and its part-nership with Jackson Pierce. Interestedpotential students should contactCarolyn Michael with Jackson Pierce atcmichael@worknetpinellas.org or 608-2492. Please visit the WorkNet Pinellassite for more information regardingrecruitment.a

s

“ “Public Safety,” continued on page 12

Midtown ThroughOur EyesThe Studio@620 hosted the FourthAnnual Midtown Through Our Eyes, aphotography project involving studentsfrom Melrose Elementary, John HopkinsMiddle and Lakewood High school.Thisyear, the reporting and photographic skills of 43 energized student journalistsgraced the walls of Studio@620, docu-menting their experiences in the neigh-borhoods of Midtown.The 100-photoexhibit is the culmination of three weeksof class work, interviewing and snappingpictures.The exhibit was available forpublic viewing at the October 2Opening Reception, which featuredstudent-guided tours of the exhibit, aperformance by the Mt. Zion Drumlineand other student performances.At theMidtown Poetry Night on October 7,student poets performed poems abouttheir experiences in Midtown and sharedpoems inspired by the exhibit photos.And, the Taste of Midtown Finaletook place Friday, Oct. 9. In addition to a performance by the Melrose YouthDrumline and Choir, this event offered asampling of food from Cajun Corner, Mrs.Green’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop,Atwaters Cafeteria, Island Flavors andTings, and Lorene’s Fish House - allrestaurants that service the Midtowncommunity.

For more information about theJournalism program, call MelroseElementary at 893-2175; John HopkinsM.S., 893-2400; or Lakewood H.S.,893-2916.a

St. Pete SchoolsParticipate in AVID

AVID (Advancement Via IndividualDetermination) is a program used byPinellas County Schools to help under-achieving middle and high school studentsprepare for and succeed in colleges anduniversities.The program targets studentsin the academic middle — B, C, and evenD students — who have the desire to goto college and the willingness to workhard as well as the ability to go to col-lege. Students in the program take AVIDas an elective and commit themselves toimprovement and preparation for college.

The program creates an atmosphere ofpositive peer pressure for the students,so that they are pushing each other tostrive for success rather than perpetuat-ing failure. Supported by tutors, the stu-dents work on organization, time man-agement, study skills, writing, note-taking,reading, and public speaking.

Fifteen Pinellas County middle and highschools currently participate in the pro-gram. St. Petersburg schools that partici-pate in AVID are: Boca Ciega, Gibbs,Northeast, Lakewood, and St. Petersburghigh schools and John Hopkins, Meadow-lawn,Thurgood Marshall, and Tyrone mid-dle schools. Student enrollment in theprogram is growing. Last year 875 middleschool and high school students from 13Pinellas County schools were enrolled inAVID. Seventy-one of these studentswere seniors of whom 52 were the firstin their families to go to college. For the2009-10 school year, the number of par-ticipating schools has increased to 15 and 1,050 students enrolled in the pro-gram during the first semester. ChristieMcMullen, AVID District Director, statesthat they “expect to see a rise in thenumber of seniors next year becausethere are 153 juniors” currently enrolledin the program. For more informationabout the AVID program, visit the schoolboard website, www.pcsb.org/asae/AVIDmiddleschools.html or contactChristie Mcmullen, at 588-6044.a

3

s Council Member Curran, Stephanie Shorr, SCORE counselors and Shrimatee Ojah-Maharaj facilitate meeting of artist at SPARC meeting.s Carter Woodson Museum • 2240

9th Ave S.

s Melrose Drummers perform at A Taste of Midtown

SPARC Catches OnSince its initial SPARC (St. PetersburgArtists’ Resource Collaborative) work-shop in May at the St. Petersburg ClayCompany, local artists have created theSPARC Exchange and formed a SPARCsteering committee.The Exchange servesas a forum to help artists resolve com-mon business issues and challenges.The steering committee is comprised of local elected and city officials andmembers of the arts community.At itsSeptember planning session, SPARCestablished a regular meeting scheduleand topics for training and counseling.Pertinent issues will be addressed duringmonthly sessions and will be facilitated by successful local artists.Another out-growth from this forum of artists was the presentation of training opportunitieson using state-of-the-art Web technologyand sound marketing practices.Tobecome involved in SPARC, or to takeadvantage of any number of the servicesoffered by the St. Petersburg BusinessAssistance Center, please call 893-7146.The BAC is located at 440 Second Ave.N. (behind City Hall). a

MED Week 2009

MED Week 2009 held its annual confer-ence, September 15-17, at the TampaAirport Hilton. Over 250 local businessowners, corporate representatives andgovernment officers networked at thisyear’s conference. Aubri Shauger-Haley,Small Business Enterprise Specialist with Midtown Economic Development'sBusiness Assistance Center (BAC) playedsignificant roles in the planning, instruc-tion and celebration processes.

Aubri represented the BAC for a secondyear at all the planning meetings. Sheserved on several planning committees.Additionally, Aubri developed a market-ing plan for advertising promotion com-mercials, working with city of St.Petersburg’s Channel 35/stpeteTV.

Some of the highlights this year included;a full day of seminars several of whichwere taught by instructors from theBusiness Assistance Center, a panel dis-cussion on "Doing Business with Publicand Private Sector" in which a represen-tative from the City of St. Petersburg'sPurchasing Department, Lawanda Boddenanswered questions.

The biggest highlight of the conferencewas the recognition of the MinorityBusiness of the Year for 2009. During the Awards Luncheon, St. Petersburgbusiness A & G Environmental, owned by Alphonso and Courtney Gwyn, wonthe distinguished honor of 2009 PinellasCounty Minority Business of the Year.Keynote speaker for the event was LennyF. Springs, President & Chief ExecutiveOfficer of S-Group, Inc. and President ofQueen City Venture Partners, LLC. a

“Business Assistance,” from page 2

10

On August 15, the Dr. Carter G.Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg hosted an opening recep-tion for the “Obama:A Perspective inPhotographs” exhibit.ThroughDecember, the exhibit will feature com-pelling photographs and well-publicizedmagazine covers of President BarackObama during his campaign, his inaugura-tion and a few intimate behind -the-scenes pictures from the White House.

The photographs and magazine coversincluded work from Time, TheAssociated Press, The St. PetersburgTimes, St. Louis Post Dispatch and offi-cial White House photographer PeteSouza.

The Dr. Carter G.Woodson AfricanAmerican Museum is located at 2240Ninth Ave. S. Museum hours are 11 a.m.to 3 p.m.Tuesday through Thursday; and11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday; Saturday byappointment only. Call 323-1104 or visitwww.woodsonmuseum.org a

Obama: A PerspectiveIn Photographs OnExhibit

“Bits of Business,” continued on page 4

s Aubri Shauger-Haley with the award winning family.

Arts Icon Turns FiveStudio@620, a gallery and performancespace at 620 First Ave. S., has become anintegral part of St. Petersburg’s art andcultural community. Noted for its diversi-ty and strong sense of community, thegallery has brought the communitytogether with a mix of art, culture anddinner discussions on social justice issues,poetry readings, dramatic productions,art exhibits and musical performances -drawing a variety of international, nationaland local performers, writers and visualartists. Call 895-6620 or visit www.studio620.org for information about the calendar during the venue’s sixth year ofservice to our community.a

CAPI Hosts Workshop forBusinesses

Persons with disabilities are an economically viable and growingpopulation. Almost 1 out of 5 people in the U.S. has some type ofdisability (49 million people). Peoplewith disabilities control $220 billionin discretionary income.These bitsof information were shared duringDisability Awareness and ADACompliance training hosted by theCity's Committee to Advocate forPersons with Impairments.Participants learned about:

l Tax incentives to comply with

American Disabilities Act

(ADA) law,

l Increasing your market share

of customers with disabilities,

l Serving your employees

better, and

l How to outflank your com-

petition and increase your

profits while showing you

care.

For more information on CAPI orthe American Disabilities Act contactTheresa Jones at 893-7347. a

“Education,” from page 9

9

Be The WallPetersburg Mayor Rick Baker and CityCouncil members along with NancyHamilton, president of Operation PAR,and officials from several bay area chil-dren's agencies, joined forces to sign the“Be The Wall” mural at Banyan Scapes,932 49th St. S., on August 25.

The intent of the event was to promotethe belief that parents and adults CANmake a difference and influence teen'schoices by simply taking the time to talkto them about the dangers of underagedrinking and explaining that not all youthdrink.

Gibbs High School graduate, MelissaThomas, was instrumental in painting the mural, developing and implementinga teen survey about alcohol use and convincing business owners Stefan andLissa Kaschkadayev to offer the side wallof their business on 49th St. S. for amural. a

4

Destination Retail Marketing Webinar

The city of St. Petersburg has joinedforces with a senior retail consultant –Jon Schallert – to present a three-partDestination Retail Webinar. The seriesis free and hosted at the BayWalk RetailShopping complex.The first of the series“Tips & Tactics to Increase CustomerTraffic Today” was presented October 20to local business owners.And, onNovember 20, the second sessionfocused on “How to Get Locals to Buyfrom Local Businesses.” SubsequentWebinars will air live inside the MuvicoTheaters from 8:30 to 10 a.m. andinclude a live Q&A with business expertJon Shallert. Each session is preceded bya complimentary continental breakfastfrom 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the BayWalkcourtyard.The third in the Webinar seriesevent date and topic:

l January 2010 – Capturing Customers,The Critical 7 Seconds

Since 1983, Jon Schallert has been work-ing with independent business owners toteach his acclaimed business improve-ment methods, addressing not only howto survive, but more importantly how tobecome a destination business and thrivein the current economy and beyond. Formore information, call EconomicDevelopment, 893-7100. a

l Nitally’s Thai Coffee House, 2462Central Ave., combines not only the fla-vors of the cultures of the two owners,Nit and Ally, it also combines their namesin the name of the restaurant. In additionto the traditional Thai offerings (stir-fry,curry, fried rice and noodle dishes), lookfor a unique blend of Mexican and Thaicuisine such as the Panang Burrito orChorizo Fried Rice. Soups and salads areavailable and most dishes can be madevegetarian or vegan.There is a wide vari-ety of beverages including hot and icedcoffee and tea and specialty drinks. Formore information, call 898-8424. a

s Nitally's Thai Coffee House • 2462 Central Ave.

s Delphi Studio • 21 MLK St. S.

s Painting with a Twist • 2527 Central Ave.

s New Indian cuisine restauant to open soon.

“Community Bytes,” from page 8

Green Chili’s Indian Bistro, which opened in March at301 Central Ave., is already expanding.Owner Madhu Shamas and her husbandNaresh plan to expand into an adjacentstore front.While the Indian bistro offersfast-food with a la carte items and alunch buffet, the new restaurant will offera more upscale, multi-course dinnermenu.They hope to open Raga IndianCuisine soon. For more information, call894-3663. a

“Bits of Business,” from page 3

Mayor’s Top Apple Award

On Wednesday,August 12, Mayor RickBaker honored 20 St. Petersburg schools,their principals and assistant principalsthat earned an “A” grade from the stateof Florida or improved their rating fromthe previous year. Successful school prin-cipals will receive $67,000 in cash bonus-es.Additionally, corporate partners whoworked with schools as part of theMayor’s Mentors & More Initiative werealso recognized. Schools are graded bytheir FCAT scores.This year, 63 percentof all St. Petersburg schools received an“A” or “B” rating-up from 27 percent in2001 when the Mayor created theMayor’s Mentors & More program. Formore information about the MM&M program, call 893-7174. a

St. PetersburgCarefest 2009

The city of St. Petersburg NeighborhoodPartnership Department and SomebodyCares Tampa Bay, working with supportfrom the city’s Codes Compliance andMidtown Economic Development depart-ments exemplified what a collaborativepartnership can accomplish.This year theSt. Petersburg CareFest completed 53projects with the help of 73 business,non-profit, faith based and universitygroups.The total number of volunteersfor 2009 was 1700 volunteers, setting anew record for St. Petersburg. Last yearSt. Petersburg volunteers completed 37projects with 53 groups and a total of1,037 volunteers. St. Petersburg retainsthe Care Cup, recognizing it as a “City ofCompassion for 2009” for having themost volunteers participate. a

s CareFest 2009s Participants sign Be the Wall mural

at Banyan Scapes.

s Kevin Gordon, Prin. Gibbs High; Dr.Valerie Brimm, Dir. of Strategic Partnership; Claud Effiom, Prin. John Hopkins Middle; Julie Janssen,Superintendent P.C.S. Raquel Wigginton, Prin. Meadowlawn Middle.

l Painting with a Twist is a franchisebusiness located at 2527 Central Ave.that offers new-and- never-been artiststhe opportunity to create their own masterpiece.Classes are taught by localartists. Guests choose what they’d like topaint from the gallery’s wide selection ofart work and are encouraged to bringtheir own beverage and snack items.Paint, canvas, easels, aprons, and paintbrushes are provided as are ice and glasses. Regular classes are offered onTuesdays and Thursdays. Private partiesand parties for children may be booked.To sign up for a class, book a party, or get information, contact them at 727-327-4488 or paintingwithatwist@verizon.net. a

l Delphi Studio, at 21 MLK St. S., is amulti-purpose rental facility equipped tohost special and recurring events includ-ing corporate functions, banquets, bridalor baby showers, private parties, off-sitetraining, meetings, and graduations cere-monies. Rent a small intimate space orthe whole building.The studio is availablefor lease seven days a week and Delphistaff are available to assist with planningand coordination. Customized photogra-phy and videography services are alsoavailable. Call 490-4515 for prices and forscheduling your event. a

Deputy MayorEncourages DialogueAnd Support

By invitation from Deputy Mayor GoliathDavis, III, community activists, educators,clergy, elected officials and concerned citizens gathered at Eckerd College tomeet newly assigned African-Americanprincipals Kevin Gordon, Gibbs High;Claud Effiom, John Hopkins Middle; andRaquel Wiggington, Meadowlawn Middle;and, Strategic Partnership Director forPinellas County Schools, Dr.ValerieBrimm.This “Evening with the Principalsand Dr. Brimm” was designed to be abeginning, encouraging dialogue regardingissues and concerns surrounding the edu-cation of African American students inthese schools in particular that serveMidtown youth and schools throughoutthe system in general.The educatorsshared some of their strategies forchange and attendees pledged to beresponsive to a call for support.a

“ “Education,” continued on page 10

58

s Central Corporate Center and ThreeC Cafe • 685 and 695 Central Ave.

s The Camera Cure • 2412 Central Ave.

s Agora • 915 Central Ave.

l The Camera Cure, 2412 CentralAve. provides camera repair services by atrained professional.They service digitaland film cameras, lenses, flash units, andcamcorders from all major brands, includ-ing Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax,Kodak, Panasonic, Minolta and Hasselblad.Digital SLR sensor cleaning is also avail-able. Used and refurbished cameras andequipment are available for purchase.Hours are Monday to Tuesday andThursday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed onSaturday and Sunday. Call 804-1920 forinformation.a

s Island Seafood Market and Bistro • 2057 Central Ave.

s Capricorn Gourmet Sandwich Shop • 1437 Central Ave.

Local CorporateFoundationContinues ToMake The HolidaySeason Brighter

The Edwards Family Foundation will host its Seventh Annual Midtown HolidayGala. Each year during the month ofDecember, the Foundation in partnershipwith the Boys and Girls Club of theSuncoast’s Royal Theater, the KnightRiders, and various city departments(including TASCO, Police, Fire & Rescue,Midtown Economic Development,Wildwood Recreation Center, andMarketing) transform a recreation center,replete with festive decorations, food,activities for the kids, holiday music, andSanta and his elves.The gala providesfood baskets, clothing, bicycles and othertoys so more than 200 struggling familieshave a brighter holiday. a

Chillounge Night Returns

Returning for a second year, Chilloungeagain transformed North Straub Parkinto an outdoor lounge with chic decor,lounge furniture, live music, festive light-ing, and fashion shows. Proceeds from theNovember 21 event will benefit theCreative Clay, Inc. Cultural Arts Center ,1124 Central Ave. and the Dr. Carter G.Woodson African American Museum,2240 Ninth Ave. S. For details on futureevents, visit www.chilloungenight.com a

Weed and Seed Hosts Ninth MentalHealth ForumThe Ninth Annual African AmericanMental Health (AAMH) Training andForum, sponsored by the city of St.Petersburg Weed and Seed program andthe African American Mental HealthInitiative, was held Friday,August 21andSaturday,August 22. Friday’s training,which focused on professionals whowork in the areas of mental health, sub-stance abuse, health care and social services was held at the St. PetersburgCollege Allstate Center. Friday’s sympo-sium featured an overview on mentalhealth issues impacting Florida’s AfricanAmerican youth in the juvenile justicesystem, workshops and a presentationfrom luncheon speakers Mac McDowelland Dr. James W. Favorite from the BlackLeadership Commission on AIDS TampaBay.

Saturday’s AAMH Community Forum,open to the public, was held at the ChildsPark YMCA, 691 43rd St. S.The commu-nity forum workshops addressed “TheImpact of Fatherless Homes” presented by Patrick Diggs, Pinellas County Sheriff ’sOffice of Psychiatry; and “Re-Embracingthe Education of Our Children” byDorothy Whitlock, Employee AssistanceProgram, St. Petersburg PoliceDepartment.The keynote speaker wasDale R. Landry, restorative justice con-sultant.a

“ “Community Bytes,” continued on page 9

2010 Census The census is a count of everyone livingin the United States.The U.S. Constitu-tion requires that the population of thecountry is officially counted at least every10 years.The Census Bureau, the agencycharged with the task of collecting thedata, collects statistics about the nation,its people and its economy.This data isused to determine how many federal representatives each state will have(Florida currently has 25).Additionally,the data helps determine the need forsocial services, including communitydevelopment block grants and othergrant programs essential for our commu-nities.The Census information is alsoused to help determine locations forschools, roads, hospitals, child-care facili-ties, senior centers, and more.The moreaccurate the data, the more accurate theprediction of the need for resources forour city and state. Contrary to popularbelief, all personal information that isshared for census records is protected byFederal law. Census Day is April 1, 2010.For more information about the Census,contact Barbara Mabee, 452-0281.a

l Island Seafood Market and Bistro,2057 Central Ave. Owners Linda Schuchand Elizabeth Moch provide “fresh, locallycaught fish, shellfish and live cold waterlobster from Maine.” Their product maybe purchased fresh or prepared for din-ing-in or take-out.Their select menuincludes fish and seafood entrees, smokedfish spread, sandwiches, salads, a lobsteror clam bake and sides such as clamchowder, steamed red potatoes, cornon the cob and cole slaw. Non-alcoholic

beverages as well as beer and wine areavailable.To place an order or get moreinformation, contact Linda or Liz at 821-8181or info@islandseafoodmarket.com.a

l Capricorn Gourmet Sandwiches,1437 Central Ave., offers a wide selectionof breakfast and lunch sandwiches andwraps. Breakfast sandwiches are availablethroughout the day. Menu items includeseveral types of Breakfast Burritos,Cubans, Italian subs, Phillys, Hoagies,Salads, Chicken Salad,Tuna Salad, Caesarsalads, many Vegetarian options,Smoothies and a variety of teas and cof-fees.You may dine in the cozy cafe, eatunder the umbrellas of the sidewalk cafeor get your meal to go! Catering servicesare also available. Monday to Friday, 7a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 3p.m.; closed Sunday. Call 329-8686 formore information or to place an order.a

l For a unique travel experience withoutleaving home, visit Agora, 915 CentralAve. Agora is a Greek word for marketplace.True to its name the CentralAvenue location offers unique items, largeand small from India, China and Indonesia.Look for furniture, incense, jewelry , pot-tery textiles, and a wide selection of dec-orative and functional items for the homeand office. Store hours are Mondaythrough Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Formore information call Lori at 895-6419.a

l Central Corporate Center andThree C Cafe, at 685 and 695 CentralAve., are owned by businessman LarryTwinney.The corporate center is a com-plex of 40 upscale, executive suites com-plete with two conference rooms, ameeting room and two kitchen areas.Call 490-2020 to find out about the avail-ability of office space.The cafe, locatedat street level, is accessible to both cen-ter tenants and the public. Breakfast andlunch items may be eaten as a dine-inmeal, at the sidewalk cafe or taken out.The menu includes signature items suchas croissant and bagel breakfast sand-wiches; beef, poultry and vegetarianwraps or sandwiches; and classics such as BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) andPBJ (peanut butter and jelly) sandwiches,burgers, hot dogs, soups and salads.Avariety of hot and cold beverages are alsoavailable. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.to 3 p.m. Call 490-2017 to place anorder. a

“This is what is meant by right action: the capacity to

observe what's happening and act appropriately, without

being distracted by self-centered thoughts.

Concept from Zen Philosophy”

Quote...

6

Program HelpsResidents Get Bank Account

The ‘Bank on St. Pete’ program, designedto connect our city’s unbanked residentsto mainstream checking and savingsaccounts, is under way.The initiativeoffers financial services that encouragepeople without bank accounts to depositmoney usually spent on check cashingfees into a low- or no-cost checkingaccount.Additional services include: noor low monthly maintenance fees andminimum balances; direct deposit of pay-checks or monthly benefit checks; freeATM/debit cards; and access to onlinebanking, bill pay and money transfers.Participants in Bank on St. Pete may alsotake advantage of financial education,including learning how to budget, payingbills on time, or saving for a car or theirfirst home.

St. Petersburg City Council Member KarlNurse, who championed the idea for St.Petersburg residents, became aware of

the ‘Bank On’ program while attendingthe 2008 National League of Cities con-ference. St. Petersburg is one of eightcities selected to participate in the sec-ond phase of the National League ofCities initiative and the first in Florida tolaunch its own ‘Bank On’ program.Theproject is a joint effort between the cityof St. Petersburg, the Wealth BuildingCoalition/Pinellas Prosperity Campaign,the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta,Project Prosper, the Federal DepositInsurance Corporation (FDIC) and theNational League of Cities. Bank On St.Pete has also partnered with 14 financialinstitutions as well as various communitynon-profit organizations who will assist inproviding financial education and out-reach to enrollees.

To apply for a bank account, go to thenearest local participating bank. For moreinformation on Bank on St. Pete, includinga list of participating banks and creditunions, visit www.BankOnStPete.org. a

7

In its quest to remove the stigma histori-cally attached to “public housing,” the St.Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) hasmoved away from building large complex-es. Instead, SPHA favors smaller afford-able housing properties, which betterintegrate low-income residents withother renters and property owners andadds value to their communities.Theagency’s goal is to increase the value ofhomeownership for single or multi-familyunits in surrounding neighborhoods thatstill are suffering from the plunge inhome values since 2006.

To that end, the SPHA Board of Com-missioners has authorized the acquisitionof small developments in non-traditionalpublic housing areas in order to avoidconcentrated poverty in specific areas ofthe city. SPHA has been involved in theacquisition, sales and redevelopment ofseveral properties during the past 24months:

l Gateway Place Apartments, 9101 Dr.MLK Jr. St. N., was acquired in 2007 andrenovations were completed on the 20-unit property in 2009.

l Saratoga Apartments, 3475 32nd Ave.N. and 3480 33rd Ave. N., is a 34-unitaffordable rental development featuringhandicap-accessible apartments and ener-gy efficient upgrades.

l Currently, SPHA is appling for approxi-mately $17 million in federal stimulusgrants to revitalize the Graham Park/Rogall congregate site.

SPHA has been recognized by HUD(Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment) as a leader and innovatorin the field of affordable housing and was the recipient of HUD’s “BestPractices” award.Additionally, SPHA hasreceived several national agency Awardsof Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.For more information about SPHA, visitwww.-stpeteha.org or call 323-3171. a

Changing Face Of Public Housing

Crislip Gets Face LiftThe Crislip Arcade, a commercial buildinglocated in 600 block of Central Ave., haslaid dormant and in disrepair for severalyears.This is soon to change. In a effortto revitalize the area, city officials andcommunity leaders are working withproperty owner,Thomas Gaffney totransform the arcade and its storefrontsinto an area where artists and relatedbusinesses have the opportunity to dobusiness in the downtown area atreduced rental rates. Spearheaded byCouncil Member Leslie Curran, a bevy ofarts and arts related organizations andart lovers have worked diligently to cleanup and raise money to defray some ofthe revitalization cost of the Crislip.

On July 11, a community clean up of thevacant storefronts revealed a variety ofitems left by previous business owners.These items were gathered and sold at a sidewalk sale held on August 22.Proceeds from the day-long sale will

be used to refurbish the arcade and the storefronts. Project Manager, GaryBurnside stated that though they hadencountered more damage than originallyanticipated reconstruction is movingalong well.

Constructed in 1926, the vintage CrislipArcade is one of the few remaining com-mercial arcades in downtown St. Peters-burg.a

Jordan SchoolRe-OpensMore than 150 alumni gathered undera tent in front of Jordan School onOctober 13 to celebrate the restorationof the school which had sat dormant for more than 35 years. Deputy MayorDr. Goliath J. Davis, III, presided over theceremony. Joining the alumni were MayorRick Baker, Council Chair Jeff Danner,Council Member Wengay Newton, III,and Head Start Executive Director M.Juanita Heinzen who brought greetingsand shared reflections on Head Start’simpact on the community. Other guestsincluded staff from Pinellas County'sHead Start/Early Start Program, state and local elected officials, city staff, repre-sentatives from Renker Eich ParksArchitects, Hennessy ConstructionServices, and other guests.

Program highlights included the Pledge ofAllegiance recited by a group of HeadStart/Early Start children; the singing ofthe school's hymn by six Jordan alumni;comments by Head Start Alumnus JosephHarris (a recent graduate of Florida A &M University) on how the lessons helearned in Head Start laid the foundationfor his successes; and a tour of the reno-vated facility - which for several alumni,brought back memories of their time inthose very classrooms.

The restored school is the city’s first certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) renovation.The historic building will house HeadStart/Early Start classes and officespace.a

Boley Centers' latest project,TwinBrooks Apartments I & II is almost com-plete.The complex, located at 3450 24thAve. S., will provide 42 units of perma-nent housing through a combination of14 masonry and 28 modular units.The first phase funded by a HUD grant,provides housing for tenants with mental

illnesses.The second phase will provideaffordable housing for individuals whomeet income guidelines.This develop-ment was made possible by the supportfrom the city of St. Petersburg. For moreinformation, contact Boley Centers at821-4819. a

Twin Brooks Apartments

s Twinbrooks Apartments • 3450 24th Ave S.

s Alumni of Jordan Elementary pose with Mayor Baker and Deputy Mayor Davis at the Grand Opening of the historic school.

s Work continues on the Crislip Building on the 600 block of Central Ave.

s GTE Credit Union Ground Breaking.

Credit Union ForMidtown

On August 31, GTE Federal Credit Unionrepresentatives, Mayor Baker, other elect-ed officials and community representa-tives threw the first spades of soil tobreak ground for Midtown’s first financialinstitution.

GTE, will build its second St. Petersburgbranch at the southeast corner of theintersection of 22nd St. and 18th Ave. S.(across the street from a SweetbaySupermarket).

Construction has begun on the 3,000-square foot credit union that will offerfull service residential and business bank-ing opportunities.There will also bedrive-through service. Construction isexpected to be completed by the end ofthe year. a