Selected for Hooters calendar
CLEARWATER — Kiana Mahabir, who works at the Odessa Hooters location, has been selected to be on the cover of the 2024 Hooters calendar.
Her selection was announced during a private calendar reveal dinner held for her and 24 Tampa Bay Hooters Girls.
“Being on the cover means more to me than just an amazing photo,” Mahabir said, in part, in a press release. I get to represent my store and make my family, my corporate family, managers and all the people who have supported me over the years, proud.”
She has worked at Odessa Hooters for over 3 years and is studying diagnostic medical sonography. The cover photo was shot in Belleair.
Also featured in this year’s calendar is Miss July, Tichelle Pender, who works at The Original Hooters in Clearwater and back cover feature Amanda Brown who works at Odessa Hooters and an additional 13 local Hooters Girls featured throughout the calendar.
The 2025 Hooters Calendar is now available at any Tampa Bay area Hooters location. $1 of every calendar sold supports Hooters Give a Hoot campaign for breast cancer research. Locally the money raised benefits Moffitt Cancer Center.
The calendars are available for purchase for $16.99 and include over $100 in coupons.
Fall is the time to exclude bats
While Florida’s 13 native and beneficial bat species typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, they can also be attracted to human-made structures. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding the public that the fall season is an ideal time to exclude bats from your home or other structure.
Bat maternity season, the time when bats give birth and raise their young, ended Aug. 15. During bat maternity season, it is illegal to block bats from their roosts to prevent flightless young from being trapped inside structures. Fall is one of the best times to exclude bats and bat-proof your home, after bat pups have been weaned and can fly and search for food on their own. It is only legal to use exclusion devices from Aug. 15 through April 15.
Exclusion devices, which allow bats to exit a structure but block them from returning to roosts, are the only legal and appropriate method to remove bats from your home or building. It is illegal in Florida to kill or harm bats, so exclusion guidelines were developed to ensure bats are removed safely and effectively from buildings outside of maternity season.
FWC working to remove vessels
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it has deployed 17 additional officers and three derelict vessel specialists to southwest Florida to locate, identify and investigate vessels rendered derelict due to the storms.
“We understand the difficulties caused by the recent hurricanes,” said FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader Maj. Bill Holcomb. “Our officers and DV specialists are working diligently to identify displaced and damaged vessels statewide. We are dedicated to helping boat owners locate their vessels and ensuring the removal of any boats from state waters that threaten the environment, obstruct waterways or were rendered derelict.”
The public can report vessels displaced on state waters by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton by calling 888‐404‐3922. Be prepared to provide the registration number, vessel location and description.
Vessel owners are encouraged to hire a salvage company to recover their vessel to provide the safest method possible for the vessel and the environment. Removing displaced vessels can hasten the recovery and overall resilience of native marine plants and animals. To report a lost or sunken vessel, vessel owners can call the FWC Boating and Waterways Section at 850‐488‐5600. Operators will be available to help Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owners of vessels that have become derelict have 45 days to either remove their vessel from the waters of the state or bring it into a non-derelict condition.
Anyone witnessing an oil spill, chemical release, fuel or hazardous material spill in Florida waters should call the State Watch Office at 800-342-3557.
Achieva launches relief funds
Achieva Credit Union has announced two new initiatives to help residents across Tampa Bay recover from the hurricanes.
First, the credit union has set up an employee relief fund for coworkers to help one another with monetary donations towards home repairs and other personal belongings lost in the storm. Achieva will be matching donations up to $15,000.
Second, Achieva is helping area educators and school staff by partnering with the Pinellas County School Board to launch its Educational System Relief Loan program. The program launched following Hurricane Helene and has already funded more than $150,000 in loans.
Employees and members who wish to contribute to the Hurricane Helene and Milton Employee Relief Fund can do so using their member numbers or directly in-branch by donating to the Hurricane Relief Employees account. Internal transfers are also available in the Achieva mobile banking app or by visiting a local branch.
Achieva is also partnering with the League of Southeastern Credit Unions to provide Emergency Disaster Relief Grants for its employees. These grants of up to $2,500 are available to all credit union employees impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton to assist with immediate disaster relief needs, including the cost of evacuating, damages caused by power outages and home repairs. Employees have up to 90 days to apply for assistance.
For more information, please visit Achievacu.com.
Separately, Achieva is partnering with the Pinellas County School Board to launch the Educational System Relief Loans. This program is designed to provide financial support to all full-time school system employees who have been impacted by the recent natural disasters.
Full-time staff members in the PCSB school system, including all educators, are eligible to apply for low-interest loans ranging from $500 to $3,000. Applicants are encouraged to visit the PCSB website, pcsb.org, to learn more about how to qualify and apply.
