The Tampa Bay Lightning wants you to experience a little winter in July by hosting “Beat the Heat.” The event allows the public to skate for free on the ice at the St. Petersburg forum. You must bring your own skates because no skate rentals will be available for the event. During the event there will be appearances by ThunderBug(Lightning mascot, ),the Lightning Girls, and former Lightning players-Dave Andreychuck and Brian Bradley.

“Beat the Heat” will be Sunday, July 12, 2009 from 3-5 p.m.

Additional Beat the Heat Information

The Rays are on a 7 game winning streak. Over the weekend the Rays played the Florida Marlins and defeated them in all 3 games of the Citrus Series. Last night the Rays continued their winning streak by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-4. Right now the Tampa Bay Rays are third in the American League East division. The New York Yankees are second and the Boston Red Sox are third.

While the sale of existing single family homes may have seen a 16% increase for the entire state of Florida, sales in Tampa Bay saw a downturn.   During the same time comparison, May 2008 compared to May 2009, sales of existing single family homes in Tampa Bay took a 1% dip.  It is not a huge alarm when you see the actual numbers.  Homes sales in Tampa bay was 2,270 in May 2008, but were 2,243 this past May.  From January to April of this year sales of existing family homes have seen a steady climb. 

Existing Homes Sales in Tampa Bay (Tampa,St. Petersburg, Clearwater) :

The median price of existing family homes did take a dip in Tampa Bay, as well as the rest of the state of Florida.  During May 2008 the median price of existing family homes in Tampa Bay was $176,100, but it fell by 30% this May to $141,100.

Existing Home Median Prices in Tampa Bay(Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater) :

Although the prices of existing home prices have dropped since May of last year, they have increased since the beginning of the year.  The numbers seem to say that we are heading to a recovery in the real estate market, but how long that recovery will take is still unknown.  There are still many foreclosures and many families own real estate that is worth less than their current mortgage.   But it does seem that we are on road to recovery.

Compared to a year ago, sales of existing single family homes in the month of May have seen an increase in Florida.  That is great news.  During the same time,however, the median price of homes has decreased.  Sales of existing single family homes rose by 16 %.   A year ago 13,921 homes were sold in the Month of May, while 12,044 single family homes were sold this past May.  Florida’s median price of homes in May 2008 was $203,800, but this year the median price in the month of May fell to $144,400.  Florida has not seen the prices of homes this low since around October 2002 when the median price of a home in Florida was $140,900.   Around this time the market began to see an upswing in prices.  As the housing market now begins to correct itself from heavily inflated prices we will hopefully see some more stability.

"The improving sales of existing single family homes and condos is a trend we have been seeing for several months in Florida – what is new in this month’s data release is that we are seeing evidence of prices beginning to firm," says Dr. Sean Snaith, director for the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness. "While one month of data does not a trend make, it is the first green shoot we have seen in some time as far as prices are concerned; until prices stop declining, we cannot state with confidence that the housing market has stabilized. Sales have risen to levels we have not seen since 2006, though the economy still faces headwinds. As credit markets begin to thaw this will help speed along this process of recovery in the housing market."

The $8,000 tax credit and the decrease in median homes prices may continue the trend of increased homes sales in Florida.  

Source: Florida Association of Realtors

This is a feel good story that will make you smile.  A man in California recently won the lottery.  He had been working 3 separate jobs to support his family.  He won a $39 million jackpot and no word about what he will do career wise, but it is no doubt that he will reduce the amount of jobs he will be working. In the news article it said he  would be hiring a financial adviser, which is pretty wise of him.

It really makes you feel happy for him because he can get some much needed rest.  Working 3 jobs to support his family must of been very tiring.  This is a happy news story that I really enjoyed reading. 

Source:Associated Press via tbo.com

Scott Kazmir had not pitched since May 20 when he faced the Oakland A’s.  He had been on the disabled list with a quad injury until pitching against the Florida Marlins on Saturday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.  After 32 days of being on the disabled list, he looked refreshed as he played one of his best outings of the season.  His five strikeouts over five innings of work was impressive as he showed the form that made him a two time All-Star.  The 2 earned runs given up by Kazmir came in the first and third innings which gave the Marlins a quick 2-0 lead.  That did not last long because the Rays responded with runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie up the score 2-2.  Kazmir’s control was outstanding as he threw 61 of 92 pitches for strikes and kept the Rays in the game.  In fact, the score stayed 2-2 until the bottom of the ninth inning when pinch hitter Willy Aybar hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Jason Bartlett to win the game 3-2 over the Florida Marlins.  The Tampa Bay Rays won 7-3 on Friday night in the Citrus Series opener and extended their winning streak to 4 games after Saturday night’s victory. 

The Citrus Series is being played this weekend between the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays.  We have a twice crowned champion of baseball team going against last year’s American League Championship winner.  In 1997 and 2003, the Florida Marlins won the MLB World Series.  Last year the Tampa Bay Rays, to delight of fans, became the American League Champions and made it all the way to the World Series.  Florida had its first baseball team when the Florida Marlins began in 1993 and then had its second baseball team with the inception of the Tampa Bay Rays in 1998..  Although both teams are relatively young, compared to the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, they have accomplished a lot.

In the 3 game series the Tampa Bay Rays have taken the lead by  beating the Florida the Marlins 7-3 in last night’s game.  The next game two games will be tonight and tomorrow at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Yesterday my husband went to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game with his sister and dad. While sitting and watching the game, some guy started throwing dollar bills from the stands to the people below him. . People below him were excited to get the dollar bills and were jumping up to get them. The guy did that several times before being stopped by security.

That’s one of the weird, but true moments that someone has every now and then.

The guy was trying to brighten the day of the baseball fans that came to watch the Rays take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Tampa Bay Rays’ fans did leave last night’s game happy when the team beat the Phillies 10-4.

Gibbs High School, in St. Petersburg, has a new head football coach. Donnie Abraham has been selected to be the new head coach of Gibb’s football team. Abraham played football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets. His most recent occupation has been assistant football coach of East Lake High School.

“I really liked the credentials Donnie had,” Gibbs principal Kevin Gordon said. “He played for Tony Dungy, and he is quiet but assertive. I think Donnie will command respect among the players at school.”

Gibbs High School is looking to make changes in academics and athletics. Gibbs was the only high school in Pinellas County to receive an “F.” Other schools have been able to raise their grades from an “F” and we know that Gibbs can do the same. It will take a lot of hard work but the ability to succeed is there.

Source: TampaBay.com

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did select Josh Freeman as there first round draft pick, but they have not signed him yet. Freeman was quarterback at Kansas State and was the 17^th pick of the first round of this year’s NFL draft. Freeman and the Buccaneers have not yet come to agreement on his contract.

Freeman is not the only draft pick that has yet to be signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Third-round draft pick, Roy Miller, has not been signed with the Buccaneers either.

Source: AP

Kentucky Fried Chicken is conducting a contest with MySpace to find the new face of its Kentucky Grilled Chicken

The Colonel needs a counterpart. For 65-plus years, the image of Colonel Sanders has represented Kentucky Fried Chicken. Now KFC embarks on a worldwide search, with online partner MySpace, to identify a new iconic face for the brand’s revolutionary new Kentucky Grilled Chicken (KGC). The search for the ultimate KGC fan has begun.

Whether it’s an uncanny resemblance to the fried chicken founder or an updated take on the classic chicken dance, KFC fans can submit a video now through July 7, at www.myspace.com/unthinkfc showcasing why they are the ultimate KGC fan. America will have the final vote on the brand’s new KGC ambassador.

The winner gets $13,000 worth of KFC gift chickens.  That is a whole lot of chicken.

Military personnel are eligible for a 20% discount on purchases at Boston Market restaurants.

The discount will be administered through Veterans Advantage, a nationwide benefit provider for U.S. Active Duty military, Veterans, National Guard, Reserve and their families. Founded in 2000, Veterans Advantage has members is all 50 states, as well as members in other countries stationed at military bases.

Just a a little side note.  Veterans advantage is a paid membership program that, according to their web site, costs $59.95 to join for a year.  I am not very familiar with the program, but it seems that the membership entitles you to discounts at different retailers and restaurants. 

relevant links: Veterans Advantage,Boston Market

You can get one free night at a Marriott hotel.  You get the free night with a reservation.

A great holiday getaway just got better, with Marriott’s Free Night stay promotion, available for stays from June 25 – September 7 at approximately 300 participating JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts and Courtyard hotels in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Hawaii, the Caribbean and South America. Reserve between now and August 21 and receive one free night at participating hotels as follows:

• City Hotels: Third night free when you book a minimum of three consecutive weekend nights, between Thursday and Sunday — from Paris to Dublin, Berlin, Shanghai, Moscow and so many more great cities.
• Resorts: Free night with a minimum stay of four consecutive nights, available seven days per week at resorts in Hawaii, Caribbean, Thailand, Spain and more.
• London Hotels: Free night available mid-week only, on stays of at least three consecutive nights.

To book Marriott’s free night stay promotion, visit www.marriottfreenight.com and use promotional code RR2 or call 1-877-MARRIOTT.

This is a good deal for those that may have been planning to stay multiple days at a hotel.  I don’t know if you can combine the deal with other offers, but you can always contact Marriott to find out.

http://www.oldnavyweekly.com/ is a a website where you can go to find printable coupons for the Old Navy store.  Currently, the web site requires that you to click around the images to find a hidden coupon.  Once you find the coupon you can print it and share it with a friend. On the web site, you can also  view  the latest episode of the SuperModelquins, the mannequins that are now part of the Old Navy commercials.

Sesame Street theme rides and games may be heading down to Busch Gardens in Tampa.  TBO.com is reporting that the theme park is planning to add to attractions by bringing in Elmo and his little Sesame Street monster friends.  Elmo does have a way of attracting a lot of attention and focus.  Look what the Tickle Me Elmo has done for retailers.  Maybe a little bit of Elmo will give Busch Gardens a boast in visitors.

When Jon and Kate Plus 8 first went to Sesame Place in Pennsylvania I thought the whole place looked cool.  I really wished we had something like that in Tampa Bay.  Now, we are possibly going to get a micro Sesame Place at Busch Gardens.  That is cool, the more rides for younger kids the better.

Source:tbo.com

The Tampa Bay Rays have had an up and down season in 2009. It seems like the Rays will win 5 or 6 games in a row only to lose 3 or 4 in a row. The Rays finished out their series with the New York Mets by winning the last two games at the new stadium in New York. Now the Philadelphia Phillies come to St. Petersburg to start a three game series with the Rays. The Phillies have lost 6 games in a row and are in desperate need of a win or two. Of course, this is a rematch of last year’s World Series in which the Phillies won 4 games to 1. This is the perfect opportunity for the Rays to show they are the same team that won the American League pennant last year and play well against the Phillies. The Rays have always played well at home and should win at least 2 out of 3 games against the Phillies. If the Rays should sweep the series, it would extend their winning streak to 5 games and the Phillies losing streak to 9 games. That would be a little taste of revenge against a team that outplayed the Rays last October and took away the luster of an otherwise magical 2008 season.

It is a little late.  But I do hope that all the dads in Tampa Bay and around the world had a happy Father’s Day.  Hopefully you received more than the traditional tie(unless that is your thing) and card.  

We appreciate all the dads out there that work hard, and take good care of their kids. 

Happy Father’s Day !!!

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the National Park Service will offer three fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. There are 391 national parks located across the country in 49 states.
“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

“National Parks also serve as powerful economic engines for local communities and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” he said.
The 147 National Park Service sites across the country that charge fees for entry will waive these entrance fees during the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009, Salazar said.
Meanwhile, many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions on those dates. More information on the fees and discounts can be found at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

The national forests in the state of Florida that are now free on the promotion days are:

• Canaveral National Seashore-located on the east coast of Florida
• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument-located in downtown St. Augustine, on the east coast of Florida
• Dry Tortugas National Park-located 70 miles east of Key West,Florida
• Everglades National Park-located in South Florida
• Gulf Islands National Seashore-islands located near the Florida panhandle and southeast southern Mississippi

There are special prices and times for kids skating this summer.
This is one option for budget conscious parents that want the kids to have something fun to do. Children can get off the couch and start moving.

Mondays: 9:00-11:30am Ages 10 and under ($3.50)
12:00-4:00pm Public Skate ($6)

Tuesdays: 9:00-11:30am Ages 10 and under ($3.50)
12:00-4:00pm Public Skate ($6)
6:30-9:00pm Awesome 80s Night (Admission FREE with your own skates or $2.50 if you don’t have your own)

Wednesdays: 9:00-11:30am Ages 10 and under ($3.50)
12:00-4:00pm Public Skate ($6)
6:30-8:30pm All-U-Can-Eat Pizza Skate ($6 and $4 for non-skating adults)

Thursdays: 9:00-11:30am Ages 10 and under ($3.50)
12:00-4:00pm Public Skate ($6)
9:00pm-12:00am Roller Heat ($7 – 17 and older only)

Fridays: 9:00-11:30am Ages 10 and under ($3.50)
12:00-4:00pm Public Skate ($6)
8:00-11:00pm Friday Night Kids Night Out ($8 skaters only)

Saturdays: 11:00-7:30pm Public Skate (Skate and Play all day $7)
5:00-7:30pm Public Skate ($5)
8:00-11:00pm Teen Skate ($10 without skates $8 with your own skates)

Sundays: 2:00-8:30pm Public Skate ($5)
6:30-8:30pm Family Night ($3)
9:00pm-12:00am Adult Soul Roll ($9 without skates $7 with your own skates – 18 and older only with ID)

We’re a great place for the kids to come on those rainy days (or that daily mid-afternoon rain!)
www.UnitedSkates.com/Tampa

Dad’s can enjoy the sea life for free  at Mote Marine Aquarium on Father’s Day.

Dads get free admission on Father’s Day with a paid child’s ticket. We’re also offering dads a 10-percent discount in our gift shops on most purchases. (Discount does not apply to books, videos or previously discounted items.)

Mote Marine Aquarium web site

Father’s Day @ Tampa Bay Parent