Dunedin Symbols: Thoughtful Research or Communication Breakdown?

Some say the adoption of the southern magnolia as Dunedin's official city tree is not the first time they've been blindsided, despite the symbol's full support from multiple citizen advisory groups.

Southern magnolia vs. citrus tree. Blue osprey heart vs. colorful wavy E. In each matchup, one image became a symbol that represents Dunedin, the other a metaphor for a possible communication problem between residents and officials designated to represent them. Some city leaders also question using social media and other non-traditional ways to reach residents in light of the dust ups. Each of the winning symbols — the magnolia tree and wavy "E" — had full support from citizen advisory boards before receiving majority approval from Dunedin city commissioners. But the symbols branding Dunedin also received widespread public backlash from residents who felt blindsided by the decisions. In the case of the magnolia tree, Dunedin's citizen …

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Michelle Crash

3:55 pm on Thursday, May 2, 2013

THIS. We have so many resident artists and marketing professionals living withing the city of dunedin, it was a mistake to bring in a company so far removed from the area. Tap local talent. Such a shame.   more ›

Dunedin Launches Chess Club for All Ages

Saul Shwarztein will take you “move by move” through the start-up of Dunedin's very own Chess Club on May 7. Here's what's to know.

Beat Cancer with Beer at Downtown Pub Crawl

Tonight's $25 pub crawl fundraiser through downtown Dunedin benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Here's how to register.

Voter Record Error Draws Resident's Concern

Tricia Ritter became worried when she did not receive her voter registration card a week after her family received theirs in the mail. Turns out that the Beltrees Street resident's records were merged by another Florida county.

Tricia Ritter hopes she won't be turned away when she goes to cast her primary vote Tuesday.  The 28-year Dunedin resident said her confidence is shaken after her voting record randomly turned up in St. Lucie County, especially since it came around the same time that the Department of Justice threatened to sue Florida unless it halted a controversial non-citizen voter purge. "With everything going on, how do we know this isn't happening to a lot of people? ... It happened to me out of the clear blue," Ritter said. Ritter said she became worried when she did not receive her voter registration card a week after her daughter and husband had already received theirs in the mail. When she began calling around to get the matter straightened out, …

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BoStrong Benefit Goes On Without Bo

Longtime Dunedin resident Jeff "Bodeen" Ladd succumbed to a rapid-growing, late stage cancer Friday, July 27, before he even had a chance to go through chemotherapy. A benefit and memorial service are planned for this week.

Jeff “Bodeen” Ladd was prepared to fight. After he learned that a debilitating pneumonia diagnosis in May turned out to be stage IV esophageal cancer in early summer, Big Daddy Bo, the father of two young sons, shook his new doctor's hand and said, "I'm here to fight. I'm glad you're on board." He wouldn't even say the word cancer, his family said. They, and a vast group of friends, rallied to support him. They quickly organized a benefit at Marker 8 Tiki Bar for their big-hearted, Bud Light-drinking, wing-eating, country music-loving life of the party — Jeff Ladd-style, complete with Hooters girls, the Jay Maddox Band and everything — set for Saturday, Aug. 4. They invited his family, close friends and everybody, and made up encouraging T…

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Good Neighbors

Donate Today: Back-to-School Backpack Drive

Help the Dunedin Public Library's Youth Services Department and Dunedin Patch collect as many backpacks as possible for The Backpack Lady Project, a Dunedin-based non-profit that puts 'packs on the backs of local school children.

When The Backpack Lady Project dropped off 20 donations at San Jose Elementary last year, school officials were certain it was "heaven-sent." Janine Munns, the school's family and community liaison, told The Backpack Lady Project founder Rob Ditro that, at a time when the number of students on free or reduced lunch are rising, the school is left finding ways to get the kids what they need. She said the school gives away at least 50 packs a year to kids whose backpacks break, go missing or get worn out.  This year, Ditro continues his backpack donation mission, which began as a way to honor the memory of his late mother, who had anonymously donated backpacks to Our Lady of Lourdes School for years.  Bring a new backpack donation to the …

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Former Mayor to Challenge Eggers in City Election

Bob Hackworth, who served as Dunedin mayor from 2002 to 2009, is challenging Mayor Dave Eggers' seat, a city clerk official said Thursday.

Rumors of a Bob Hackworth run for mayor have swirled around town for months. The city clerk's office confirmed Thursday that the former Dunedin mayor submitted all the petition signatures required to formally challenge incumbent Mayor Dave Eggers. The city clerk's official said Hackworth was only missing a few forms, but that she was confident they would be turned in before the qualifying period ends Monday. Hackworth, 57, served as mayor from 2002 to 2009. He made a run for Pinellas County Commission in 2010 against longtime incumbent Susan Latvala, but lost. On his county commission campaign site, Hackworth touted some of his mayoral accomplishments as: Hackworth works in his family publishing company H&H Publishing, which produces …

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-Ed Harris-

9:39 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Thank you Bob Hackworth for coming back! You have been missed! Your transparency is desperately needed! As a business owner in Dunedin with our doors open since 1947 I stand with you. I feel you have always represented the people of Dunedin fairly and honestly. You treated business's with respect and always sought input from all parties, not just a select few in closed door meetings prior to …   more ›

Good Neighbors

Restaurant Fundraises for House Fire Victims

Casa Tina Fresh, Healthy, Authentic Mexican in downtown Dunedin wants to help one of its employees recover from losses incurred after a blaze ripped through their home on the Fourth of July.

A downtown Dunedin restaurant wants to help the Hampton family. The Palm Harbor family survived a blaze that ripped through their home during the midnight hours on the Fourth of July. Robert, 50, Barbara, 53, and Shelley Lynn, 18, and one family cat escaped unharmed. Two other family cats were not so fortunate, and their Pennsylvania Avenue home sustained $100,000 in damage, investigators said. Now, Casa Tina Fresh, Healthy, Authentic Mexican, which employs daughter Sarah Hampton, is hosting a fundraiser to help the family recover. The restaurant posted this Facebook status on Wednesday afternoon, and asked fans to spread the word: A couple of weeks ago one of our lovely staff, Sarah, sufffered the loss of her house due to a home fire in …

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Talented Dunedin

Local Artist Finds Peace in Nature

Kathy Lerche: "It is so easy to race through our daily life and not really see all that God has created."

Name: Kathy Lerche, age 63    Hometown: Warwick, RI  Time in Dunedin: Her family moved to Dunedin in 1978, but she has lived in Dunedin for the past 18 years.  Keys to Awesomeness: Kathy Lerche is a nurse at Morton Plant Hospital. She has been sharing life's simple moments through her photography for the past nine years, after taking a class at Dunedin Fine Art Center. Her photos have been featured in the St. Petersburg Times, at the Dunedin Public Library and at Morton Plant Hospital. She has won several regional and countywide contests including one sponsored by Tampa Bay Magazine last fall. How did you get started? I started out with digital photography when I received a digital camera as a Christmas gift in 2003 and this started a new …

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City Leaders May Finalize Brand

Leaders will discuss moving forward with the city brand without an additional tagline underneath the words "Home of Honeymoon Island" at today's 6:30 p.m. commission meeting at City Hall.

When it came to a tagline for Dunedin's brand, city leaders wanted more. City staff, however, is giving them none at tonight's city commission meeting, and is instead proposing moving forward with just the phrase "Home of Honeymoon Island" to convey the city's identity, after half a year of back-and-forth on the design. Commissioner Julie Ward Bujalski told the logo's designer, Wilesmith Advertising, a West Palm Beach firm, that she wanted a slogan "a little more kitschy, a little more exciting, a little more cool" than the proposed "Life Flows Your Way" in April.  After three months of deliberation, two slogans were brought forth as possible alternates, according to city documents: But Wilesmith and city staff are not expected to endorse …

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