June 2011
5 posts
Redistricting
The redistricting process for Florida’s state legislative and congressional districts is underway. The Florida House of Representatives has set up a website, Florida Redistricting, to give the public access to the process. We even have access to the computer application legislators will use to propose districts, called MyDistrictBuilder, and citizens can use it to propose districts too.
ACCESS Florida paper application
If you or someone you know needs to apply for assistance in Florida but you don’t want to fill out the form online, there is still a paper application available that can be printed and sent in.
Go to http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/dcfforms/Search/DCFFormSearch.aspx and search for Form 2337. And of course, library staff is happy to help you find and print the form so you can fill it out at your...
Let's Go Fishing!
According to USA.gov, this is National Fishing and Boating Week. What a great time to go online and get a fishing license? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can also tell you all about fishing regulations and how to identify your catch.
And, if your dad likes fishing as much as mine does, you could use your new license and knowledge to show him a good time on Father’s...
Keep Reading and Moving
Summer vacation kicks off this week, and just like we want to keep kids reading over the summer, we hope they’ll keep moving too. Let’s Move is the First Lady’s initiative to keep kids healthy and fight childhood obesity. Find nutrition, exercise and activitiy tips at www.letsmove.org.
Gardening Help
After three years I have finally learned enough about gardening in Florida to get a small harvest: two cucumbers, six potatoes, and at least a dozen tomatoes so far. Some of my other plants have not fared as well, though. When my watermelon plants finally produced a fruit, I checked it every day, but sadly, when it reached baseball size a nasty-looking black spot appeared.
To figure out what went...
May 2011
3 posts
Gas Prices Too High?*
Gas prices have gone down a bit lately, but they’re still pretty high. So when my colleague sent me the link to the Florida Department of Transportation’s Commuter Services I immediately tried the Cost Calculator. The results at first made me wonder whether it’s even worth it to go to work, but then I realized the calculator adds a standard mileage reimbursement rate on top of...
Zombie Preparedness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared a new guide to help Americans prepare in case of a zombie attack. No, it isn’t April 1, and maybe they haven’t lost their minds (or lost their brains to zombies). As stated in the article, “maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.”
Learn more about how you can stay safe...
Mortgage Help for Floridians
A new program is now available to help Floridians needing help paying their mortgages. https://www.flhardesthithelp.org/ has all the information, including eligibility and how to apply. And thanks once again to my fellow librarians for passing this one along!
April 2011
5 posts
PAST*-minute tax information
So the deadline has passed, and I hope you were able to file on time, or at least request an extension. If you weren’t, the IRS would like to share with you some information about the penalties you may owe in addition to your tax bill. The most important thing to remember is that the sooner you do file (and pay), the less you will owe.
If you did file, and you would like to know where all...
Really-last-minute tax information
With just a few more days until the April 18 deadline, I had to squeeze in one more post about how IRS.gov can help you if you haven’t yet filed your return.
Today I’ll direct you to their news releases page, featuring such helpful recent posts as “Avoid Common Mistakes When Filing Your Tax Return,” “IRS YouTube Videos Provide Information to Last-Minute...
NASA Announces New Homes for Space Shuttles
And one, Atlantis, will be staying here in Florida at the Kennedy Space Center’s visitor center.
Read the news release here. Or, enter at www.nasa.gov to see the cute animation commemorating the 30-year anniversary of the shuttle program.
Puppy Love!
This past weekend, I adopted a puppy from a local rescue shelter. I found out that he had been given up by someone who couldn’t take care of him.
Nonprofit shelters are a great place to adopt a pet, but did you know that Sarasota County’s Animal Services also has lots of great pets waiting to be adopted? People give up their pets for many reasons, often having more to do with the...
Almost-last-minute tax information
With a little more than two weeks until taxes are due, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with irs.gov. As always, they have a lot of helpful information as we approach the tax deadline:
If you realize that you can’t pay the amount you currently owe, the IRS has some tips for you.
Smartphone apps are now available for checking refund status and finding tax information.
The IRS...
March 2011
8 posts
Pool, Safely
I’m seeing a theme here, but when I went swimming this weekend for the first time this year I was reminded of this website from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. PoolSafely.gov (yes, with an “L”) has lots of information: for individuals and families to keep themselves safe, and for industry and local government officials to keep others safe.
We should also be aware...
New Consumer Safety Website
The CSPC has launched a new website, www.saferproducts.gov, to help consumers more easily find recall and product safety information. The site features a searchable database of reports and recalls that can also be browsed by category, and links for consumers to report unsafe products and businesses (manufacturers and distributors) to register and respond to complaints.
The site was mandated by...
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Whether you’re of Irish heritage, interested in Ireland and Irish-American history, or just love a reason to celebrate, I hope you’ll enjoy these links:
American Memory from the Library of Congress has features on Irish immigrants and the history of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.
Not only is today St. Patrick’s Day, but March is Irish-American Heritage Month.
If...
Tragedy in Japan
USA.gov has assembled a page full of information and links relating to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and their consquences, including geological and meteorological information, travel warnings from the Department of State, and what we can do to help.
Daylight Saving and Fire Prevention
About this time last year I posted lots of information about daylight saving time, which by the way starts this Sunday. Take a look if you’re interested in the history of falling back and springing forward, or to get the exact time when changing your clocks.
The Sarasota County Fire Department reminds us that, while we’re changing our clocks, we should also change the batteries in our...
2011 Legislative Session Opens Today
You’ll be able to watch all the action in Tallahassee on Access Sarasota television. See www.scgov.net for the details.
To see what the senators and representatives have planned for this session, see www.flsenate.gov and myfloridahouse.gov for updates.
And to find out who your senator and representative are and share your opinions with them, see www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find.
Are You Following the NFL Negotiations?
I’m not. But I was curious about these federal mediators who are helping the team owners and players work out their differences.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, according to their website, “provide(s) mediation and arbitration services to industry, our communities and government agencies worldwide.” They have an FAQ page for those of us who don’t know...
Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month, and several federal government services have teamed up to create womenshistorymonth.gov, a web portal for accessing online information, exhibits, and educational resources. I really enjoyed the slideshow—click “images” on the left.
February 2011
6 posts
Get Help, Florida!
No, I’m not frustrated by Tallahassee politicians. I’m excited about this great resource for connecting with government services in Florida.
gethelpflorida.org was created by librarians in Pasco County to serve the entire state of Florida. Using simple categories, you are directed quickly to the help you need without having to navigate often-unwieldy government websites.
I’ll...
Deepwater Horizon Update
Thanks to my ever-resourceful colleague, I can now share with you the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling’s Report to the President, entitled: “Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling.” It’s available in its entirety online, or you can read it in print at the Selby Library. (My resourceful colleague...
Budget
Like me, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about what does and doesn’t get cut under the President’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2012. Now, thanks to the General Printing Office, you can see it for yourself (and thanks to one very resourceful colleague, I can share the link with you).
The Budget of the United States Government lists budget proposals and other budgetary...
Family History
Ever since I saw the episode of “Who Do You Think You Are” featuring Spike Lee, I’ve been hooked on family history research. I had made attempts at it in the past, creaking through rolls of microfilm, but these days it is easier than ever because so many records have been digitized and are accessible from any computer with an Internet connection.
The National Archives...
2010 Taxes--Are You Ready?
Well, it is the second week of February, and we should have received our W-2s by now, so unless you’re taking certain deductions, it’s time to think about filing taxes. (And even those of us taking those deductions only need wait until Monday.)
As I have said before, I find the IRS website, www.irs.gov, to be a great source of information and pretty easy to use. Get to forms and...
National Health Observances
In surfing around for a post topic this morning, I came across this list of national health observances from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It may be a little late, but if you’re lucky enough to have not gotten dressed yet today, you should know that today is National Wear Red Day. Wearing red today is about drawing attention to the danger of heart disease for women.
...
January 2011
9 posts
Egypt
Due to the recent demonstrations in Cairo and other cities in Egypt, the Department of State is recommending that American citizens avoid travel to Egypt. You can find more information about that warning as well as instructions for American citizens currently in Egypt at The Current Situation in Egypt, a FAQ from USA.gov.
Federal Bonding Program
I learned today about a federal program to help people find work when they have something in their past that may otherwise prevent them from being hired. The Federal Bonding Program provides employers with some security when hiring someone they might otherwise turn down due to a felony conviction, past substance abuse, poor credit, dishonorable discharge from the military, or those lacking a work...
Tonight's State of the Union Address
I watch the State of the Union address every year. I like hearing what the President has to say about how we’re doing and where we’re going. And I prefer to watch on TV to see the reactions from various members of Congress, the First Lady, the Cabinet, and the Supreme Court. Last year, I found several friends were watching and posting to social networking sites at the same time. You...
The Chickens Are Coming!
On Tuesday, the Sarasota City Commission unanimously approved an ordinance to allow the keeping of chickens within the city limits. As a chicken owner myself, I am glad to hear that others will be able to enjoy keeping pets who make breakfast.
Wanting to learn more about this ordinance, I checked out the City of Sarasota’s website. I discovered that they have a searchable database for the...
FAFSA time again
About this time last year, I posted some information about applying for federal financial aid. Since then, the FAFSA website has gotten even simpler. The application process starts with a big orange button on the site’s main page, www.fafsa.ed.gov. Also found on that page is the link to search for school codes, the unique number that identifies the schools to which you are applying. Even us...
MLK Day of Service
The USA.gov team today announced the website MLKDay.gov, promoting a day of volunteer service to honor Dr. King’s legacy. The site offers the opportunity to register for a service project already listed on the site, or to create your own service project and notify others.
Unfortunately, my search did not turn up any projects for the Sarasota area, so if you plan to spend Monday doing...
Library of Congress acquires historic music...
The Library of Congress announced yesterday that Universal Music Group has donated over 200,000 music recordings to the library, dating from the late 1920s through the late 1940s. Read the full press release here. Not only will these recordings be expertly preserved by the LOC; some will be made easily available:
The Library will stream recordings from the collection on a website to be launched...
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
While Sarasota does not experience snow or sub-zero temperatures, we have had a few nights dip below freezing. Although it’s warmer than a lot of places, we still need to heat our homes in the winter.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides help to those who cannot afford to heat their homes. LIHEAP is federally funded and distributed by the state of Florida to...
tax season starts again
We’re just a few days into the new year, and I’m already thinking about my income tax return. The 2010 forms are now available on irs.gov, along with lots of helpful information. For instance, did you know that the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, enacted in mid-December, contains changes to the tax code that the IRS is still working to...
November 2010
1 post
Election results
USA.gov shared this handy list of state and territorial election websites, where you can check election results for each state. Each site has different features—the site for Florida has a clickable map of counties so you can target your local results, or compare with other locations. You can even share your local results through social media, so you can brag about, or complain about, the...
October 2010
1 post
IRS not mailing paper forms this year
The IRS will no longer be mailing paper income tax forms and instructions to taxpayers. With the increase in electronic filing options, including free options, they have decided to cut the expense of mailing out all those paper packets.
If you prefer paper forms over electronic filing, or (like me) you prefer to write out a draft before filling in the online forms, you will still be able to get...
September 2010
2 posts
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month
But you can sign up for a library card any month of the year! In Sarasota, see the Libraries’ website, sclibs.net, for information on how to get a card and our locations and hours, or stop by your local branch.
Get ready for flu season!
It’s just one day after Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. But it’s a great time to start thinking about getting a flu shot, before flu season arrives in October. the Sarasota County Health department offers this guide to seasonal flu, including information on where to get a shot.
August 2010
3 posts
Vote!
The 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, was ratified 90 years ago today. To exercise this right*, see the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website for early voting locations, a sample ballot, precinct locations, and everything else you need to know about voting in this month’s primary and the upcoming general election.
*Women AND men are, of course, encouraged to...
Arts and crafts, .gov-style
My colleague over at the Highlights blog posts some pretty cool links on Fridays, and I’ve noticed a lot of them are arts- and crafts-related. These are the links that I, too, love, and I’ve been a little jealous that I can’t fill my blog with pretty art exhibits and craft tutorials.
But wait! Maybe I can. I typed some searches into USA.gov’s new improved search engine and...
Social Security: how much do YOU have coming?
Did you know that the Social Security Administration has an online calculator to to help you estimate how much you can collect? I didn’t either. But my colleague from Highlights did.
The calculator gives you three estimates*: the monthly amounts you could collect if you retire at age 62, at your actual retirement age (65 or 67 depending on your age), and at age 70. As my colleague pointed...
July 2010
5 posts
Medline Plus has a new look
Medline Plus, the website from the National Library of Medicine that is my favorite source for health information, has a new look. It’s been reorganized to help you find the information you need, and they’ve added fun features and tools like podcasts, a Twitter feed, and calculators. (I’ll spare you my Body Mass Index results, but if you’re brave, you can calculate your...
Back to school sales tax holiday
Back in May, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed into law a tax holiday for back to school items, to be held from Friday Aug. 13 to Sunday Aug. 15. According to the press release,
“Floridians will not pay sales tax on books, clothing and footwear that cost $50 or less, as well as school supplies that cost $10 or less.”
Sounds like a good deal to me. I’ve actually already...
Sarasota Sheriff's Office has a new website
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s office has a redesigned website that’s really easy to use. Quick links on the front page let you review recent arrests, schedule a jail visitation, and get information about crimes in your area or sex offenders residing nearby. You can also see the latest press releases at the bottom of the page. Much more information is available from menus across the...
Overheard at the Reference Desk--HUD refunds
Recently a patron brought in a card he’d received in the mail, from a company promising to help the patron collect a refund from HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For a fee, this company would help him collect the refund he was owed from the insurance premium on his FHA mortgage, and he wanted to know if this was legitimate.
We checked the HUD website and found out...
Healthcare.gov launched
The Obama administration has launched a new portal, HealthCare.gov, to help Americans access information about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, clearly explaining the changes happening now and those to come later.
Government websites aren’t exactly known for being easy to use, but this one truly is. You can find information based on who you are (family, senior, individual,...
June 2010
6 posts
Be safe this holiday weekend
The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, and not only for the barbecue. I’ve always liked getting to stay up late and watch the fireworks displays, and now I get to take my own kids to do the same.
If you choose to use fireworks at home, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has some safety tips for you. Fireworks cause thousands of injuries every year, many very serious. And...
keeping up with the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court handed down some interesting and important decisions this morning. But you don’t have to read about them in the newspaper or hear about them on TV. You can go straight to the source and see the full text of decisions at http://www.supremecourt.gov/. There’s a sidebar on the right with links to the most recent decisions, and you can easily browse through all of this...