• Early Voting for Pasco County Residents.



    Early Voting in the General Election
      

    BE AN INFORMED VOTER  Election season is often a stressful time. Numerous state and local battles leave many of us with headaches, such as wondering whom to vote for, and which office.  How many of us ask ourselves before we vote, "How do I know what my congressional, state senate, and state house districts are?"  The districts in which you are eligible to vote are indicated on your voter identification card issued by the Supervisor of Elections.  Pasco County is in the 5th & 9th Congressional Districts; represented by the 10th, 11th, & 12th State Senate districts, and by the 44th, 45th, 46th, 48th, 61st, & 62nd State House districts. 

    To help you learn more about all the candidates and the positions they are running for, here are some websites you can refer to:

    2010 Local Candidates - lists those who are running for local government and the positions they are running for: Board of County Commissioner, School Board Member, County Court Judge, Clerk of Circuit Court, Property Appraiser, Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector,  Mosquito Control Commissioner, and Community Development Districts.  The website Elected Job Office Descriptions explains the responsibilities of those local offices. 
    Candidates for Florida State Offices lists those who are running for state government office, along with the individual's current office position, if any; the office they are seeking; their political party and experience; and their background information such as gender, family, birth, home city, religion, education, professional experience, affiliated organizations and caucuses/non-legislative committees.
    Project Vote Smart is a largely volunteer, nonprofit organization whose mission is to cut through the mudslinging found in so many political campaigns to uncover the true issues and policies of the candidates.  Try their interactive tool, VoteEasy, to find out which congressional candidates agree with YOU!try, visit VoteEasy, type in your zip code, answer a few key issue questions from the 2010 Political Courage Test, and instantly receive an visual confirmation on which congressional candidates agree with YOU!

    Read more: http://www.votesmart.org/ by Project Vote Smart
    FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a non-partisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters, monitoring the factual accuracy of what is claimed by politicians and political players in advertisements, debates, speeches, press releases, and interviews.



    Voting Dates & Times
    Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm
    October 18th – 22nd  &  October 25th - 29th
    Saturday, 9am - 5pm 
    October 23rd  &  October 30th


     Voting Locations 
    A qualified voter may vote in-person at various locations throughout Pasco County. Click Maps & Wait Times for directions and up-to-date information.  


    o      Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson
    o      Land O’Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’Lakes
    o      New River Library, 34043 S.R. 54, Zephyrhills
    o      South Holiday Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, Holiday
    o      East Pasco Government Center, 14236 6th Street, Dade City
    o      West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road, Suite 110, New Port Richey
    o      Village Market of Wesley Chapel, 5325 Village Market, Wesley Chapel

    The Pasco County Board of Elections website has an abundance of additional local and statewide information, on such topics as: A Voter's Guide, Voting by mail, The type of voting system used, Government Officials, & Other related sites of interest.  There is even a Kids' corner to help children understand what's happening around them.

    For Pasco county residents who choose not to, or cannot, vote in the early voting process, Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Again, the districts in which you are eligible to vote are indicated on your voter identification card issued by the Supervisor of Elections, or you may use the Precinct Finder.

    more

  • Veteran's History Project

    Help the Library of Congress Record Veterans’ Histories

    Congress created The Veterans History Project in 2000 as a national documentation program of the American Folklife Center to record, preserve and make accessible the firsthand remembrances of American wartime veterans from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that future generations may better understand the realities of war.

    The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

    Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has issued a call to action to all Americans to help gather in the accounts of 10,000 veterans by Veterans Day November 11, 2010 and to pledge to preserve this important part of American history. 


     
    More than 68,000 individual stories comprise the The Veterans History Project to date.  Find out how you can Participate in the Project.



    more

  • Veterans Jobs Portal



    Governor Charlie Crist, continuing his commitment to assist Florida’s more than 1.6 million military veterans and strengthen the state’s workforce, announced a new online jobs portal to provide employment services to Florida veterans. Employ Florida Vets, the newest initiative in Florida’s commitment to veterans, helps match servicemen and women to the jobs and training opportunities that suit the skills and experience gained in the military.

    “Our courageous veterans are proven, skilled leaders whose integrity and discipline have helped protect the freedoms and opportunities we all enjoy,” said Governor Crist. “Employ Florida Vets is the latest example of our commitment to provide the men and women who defended our nation and now call Florida home with enhanced opportunities to find jobs and access training and other resources that will help them be successful in their civilian careers.”

    Adjutant General of Florida Maj. Gen. Emmett R. Titshaw Jr. “This is not only an effective way of making sure our citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are given the tools they need to find meaningful employment, but a great opportunity to provide Florida employers with access to our highly skilled and professional veterans." The web portal is a gateway to information and resource links that will assist veterans, veterans' families and employers in accomplishing their employment goals.


    Portal highlights include:
    • A unique jobs search function to help veterans find civilian jobs that match the skills they learned in the military
    • Information about the Florida law that gives veterans hiring preference when they apply for public-sector jobs.
    • Information for Florida businesses and organizations about tax incentives available for hiring veterans.
    • A centralized jobs posting site for employers seeking veterans with specialized skills.
    • Employers are able to enter open positions directly on www.EmployFlorida.com or through their local One-Stop Career Center.
    Additional resources:

    Information provided by the Govenor's Press Office.

    more

  • How Long do I Keep Household Records?









    Documents and records that you need to keep forever (in a safe place):
    •    Birth certificates
    •    Citizenship papers
    •    Social Security Card
    •    Marriage certificates
    •    Adoption papers
    •    Divorce decrees
    •    Wills
    •    Death certificates
    •    Household inventory
    •    Deeds
    •    Life insurance papers
    •    Car Titles
    •    Military Service records
    •    Bonds & Stock certificates
    •    Important contracts

    Documents to keep for a period of time:       
    • Bank statements                6 years
    • Canceled checks               6 years
    • Investment records            6 years after tax deadline for year of sale
    • Tax returns                        6 years from filing date
    • Insurance (car, home)        Until updated
     For more detailed information, follow this link.


    Records that you do not need to keep:
    • Salary Statements once they have been checked against your W-2 form
    • Canceled checks that are not needed for tax purposes
    • Expired warranties
    For further reading on discarding/storing household records visit http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/money/keeprecords/keeprecords.htm where you will also find a net worth statement form and other important information.  


    Be sure to protect your privacy by shredding any papers that contain personal information.

    more

  • Online Security & Safety Measures

    Protecting Your Information Online



    Because of it's accessibility and wealth of information, the internet is a popular resource for communicating,researching topics, and finding out information about people or businesses. There is a sense of anonymity when interacting online that may seem less intimidating than communicating with others on a more personal level. As a result, it's very typical for us to share information about ourselves online that we wouldn't otherwise disclose to strangers we meet everyday in our daily routine. What you may not realize is that when you are online, it's just as easy for people to find out information about you as it is for you to find information about them. 

    ID theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. According to the Federal Trade Commission, millions of people become victims every year. To an identity thief, your personal information can provide instant access to your financial accounts, your credit record, and other assets. Keeping your personal information from falling into the wrong hands will help you from becoming another identity theft victim.

    Follow these steps to protect your personal information online:
    • Take stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers.
    • Back up key files. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc and store it in a safe place.
    • Install anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. Keep them properly configured and up to date. New threats are discovered every day, and keeping your software updated is one of the easier ways to protect yourself from an attack.
    • Set your computer to automatically update for you. Use security software that updates automatically.
    • Install a firewall and keep it properly configured
    • Regularly install updates for your computer's operating system
    • If you are shopping online, don't provide your personal or financial information through a company's website until you have checked for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a website URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure").
    • Read website privacy policies. They should explain what personal information the website collects, how the information is used, and whether it is provided to third parties.  
    • Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A 12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
      • Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word in the dictionary.
      • Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys on the keyboard as passwords.
      • Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
      • Don't use the same password for each online account you access.

    Use the internet as a tool to keep yourself well informed of ways in which people may be able  to access your personal information and accounts through means such as:

    Spyware: A software program that may be installed on your computer without your consent to monitor your use, send pop-up ads, redirect your computer to certain websites, or record keystrokes, which could lead to identity theft. Clues that spyware is on a computer may include a barrage of pop-ups, a browser that takes you to sites you don't want, unexpected toolbars or icons on your computer screen, keys that don't work, random error messages, and sluggish performance when opening programs or saving files. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.

    To lower your risk of spyware infections:
    • Update your operating system and Web browser software, and set your browser security high enough to detect unauthorized downloads.
    •  Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly. 
    • Download free software only from sites you know and trust. Enticing free software downloads frequently bundle other software, including spyware.
    •  Don't click on links inside pop-ups.
    •  Don't click on links in spam or pop-ups that claim to offer anti-spyware software; you may unintentionally be installing spyware.
    • If you think your computer might have spyware on it, immediately stop shopping, banking, or doing any other online activity that involves user names, passwords, or other sensitive information. Confirm that your security software is active and current and run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware, deleting anything the program identifies as a problem.

    Phishing: A scam in which criminals send email, text, or pop-up messages that appear to come from your bank, a government agency, an online seller or another organization with which you do business. The message asks you to click to a website or call a phone number to update your account information or claim a prize or benefit. It might suggest something bad will happen if you don't respond quickly with your personal information. In reality, legitimate businesses should never use email, pop-ups, or text messages to ask for your personal information.
     
    To avoid phishing scams: 
    • Don't reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don't click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business's website, type the web address into your browser yourself.
    • Don't respond if you get a message – by email, text, pop-up or phone – that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to reach an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory.

    * If you believe you've been scammed, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint, and then visit the FTC's identity theft website at ftc.gov/idtheft.Victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft.

    As a general practice, let your common sense guide your decisions about what to post online. Before you publish something on the internet, determine what value it provides and consider the implications of having the information available to the public. 

    *October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, to bring attention to the importance of protecting your information online. Visit the FAQ at USA.gov to learn about common online threats and resources for protecting your privacy and security.

    more

    • Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Presidential Speeches

Credit Reports

LEAP

Never miss an update!

Subscribe in a reader

My recent del.icio.us additions