Between the Lines

Brooksville City Parks and Recreation seeks softball teams

BROOKSVILLE - City of Brooksville Parks and Recreation is seeking teams for its upcoming adult softball (co-ed, men's and women's) leagues.
Women's league games are scheduled to begin Sept. 21, co-ed games on Sept. 23 while men's league games are set to begin Sept. 27 at the Jerome Brown Community center fields, 99 Jerome Brown Pl., Brooksville, Fla., 34601.
Sponsor fee is 4250 and player fees are $30. New team NSA fee is $25.
A mandatory team meeting for managers is Monday, Sept. 13 at the Jerome Brown Community Center.
For additional information contact Miles at 540-3830.

Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge

BROOKSVILLE - Knights of Columbus Council 6800 is holding its annual Soccer Challenge featuring a penalty kick format, open to Brooksville area youth ages 10-14(proof of age required) to be held from 9 a.m. until noon at Ernie Wever Youth Park on Saturday Sept. 18.
To register, or for additional information, contact Ralph Colon at 352-397-2884.

Ker's WingHouse hosts charity golf event

NEW PORT RICHEY - Ker's WingHouse® and Komen Florida Suncoast Affiliate, will team up for the "2010 Taste of WingHouse Hospitality Golf Classic beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30 at Largo's Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club.

All proceeds will directly benefit Komen Florida Suncoast Affiliate. The local Florida Suncoast Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® began in 1999 in Pinellas County and has expanded to a six-county area. To date, the affiliate has raised over $5.1 million through various fundraising events such as the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®.

FWC proposes changes to blue crab rules

LAKELAND - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed a series of draft rule amendments to modify blue crab regulations. These proposals include some recommendations by the FWC's Blue Crab Advisory Board, which helps the Commission manage Florida's blue crab fishery, as well as some technical blue crab amendments.

One proposed rule amendment by the board would change the six annual regional, 10-day blue crab trap closures to occur every other year. The January closure to the harvest of blue crabs with traps in the St. Johns River system and the August closures in Nassau through Palm Beach counties would occur in even-numbered calendar years only. The July closures in Broward through Wakulla counties and the January closure in Franklin through Escambia counties would occur in odd-numbered calendar years only. This proposed change would help focus trap cleanup efforts in each region and lessen the economic impact of the closures on individual crabbers.

Other board-proposed rule amendments would change the blue crab license-endorsement transfer window from September through December to May through February to increase opportunities for crabbers to transfer their endorsements to someone else and allow initial blue crab trap tags to be ordered at any time.

The FWC also is proposing technical rule amendments that would allow qualified blue crab harvesters to designate another of their own vessels to be used to temporarily pull blue crab traps while their regular vessel is repaired or replaced and clarify that soft shell blue crab harvesters may hold only two soft shell endorsements at one time.

The FWC will hold a final public hearing on these blue crab draft rule proposals at its December meeting in Weston. More information regarding the proposed draft rules is available online at MyFWC.com/Commission, linked from the Sept. 1-3 meeting agenda.

Putts and pizza at Toscana

WEEKI WACHEE - Toscana Crossing Golf Club at The Heather, 7406 St. Andrews Blvd., is hosting a "Putts and Pizza" golf outing on Saturday, Sept. 4. 

Golf begins with a shotgun start at 10 a.m., with a pizza buffet to follow.

A cash bar will be available for your beverage purchases. 

The price for golf is $10 to ride and $6 to walk, and the buffet is $7. 

To sign up or for additional information, contact Barbara Phillips at 352-596-5344. 

Charity Golf Scramble on Sept. 18

SPRING HILL - The Spring Hill Golf Club will hold a Golf Scramble Tournament at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18 with proceeds going to assist with the medical expenses of Hernando County Deputy Sgt. Frank Loreto and sending students to Boys State Florida in Tallahassee.

Cost is $35 per player. The field is limited to 120 players. Registration deadline is Sept. 10.

Applications are available at the American Legion Post 186.

The tourney offers awards, prizes, raffles, a Longest Drive Contest and Closest to the Pin Contest. A dinner and awards ceremony follows at the American Legion Post 186.

For additional information, contact Elizabeth Corbin at 352-797-0099.

Do you live and breathe sports?

BROOKSVILLE - If you love sports - all kinds of athletics - perhaps you would like to write about local games for Hernando Today.

We are always looking for aspiring sports writers. You won't make a lot of money, but you'll attend games free and write a report on the game for publication.

Being a sports correspondent enables you to talk with the coaches and players.

If you're not a journalist, we'll help you tell your story so readers will understand the game.

We will give you tips on exciting sports writing style and story formatting.

Necessary tools?

Aspiring writers need a computer (preferably a laptop), a cell phone, dependable transportation and a willingness to learn.

If you are interested, talk with the sports editor, Tony Castro, by calling him at 544-5278. 

Shoreline fishing license free to residents
 
TALLAHASEE - The shoreline fishing license for Florida residents to catch saltwater fish from shore or a structure affixed to shore cost $9 last year, but this year, it's free.

The Florida Legislature repealed the shoreline license fee during the past session. However, legislators retained the license requirement to prevent a more costly federal registration fee from taking effect in Florida.

Resident anglers who obtain the shoreline license over the phone or Internet still will have to pay a convenience fee to the vendor. The convenience fee is $2.31 for Internet sales at www.fl.wildlifelicense.com or $3.33 for phone sales at 888-FISH FLORIDA (888-347-4356).

The Florida Legislature, during the 2009 session, increased permit fees effective July 1. The cost of a turkey permit went up from $5 to $10 for Florida residents and from $100 to $125 for nonresidents. In addition, Florida waterfowl permits increased from $3 to $5.

The cost of two saltwater fishing permits also went up on July 1. The snook permit increased from $2 to $10, and lobster permits increased from $2 to $5.

There also is a new deer permit that will be required whenever hunting deer in Florida, beginning during the upcoming 2010-11 hunting season. The permit costs $5.

Those with a sportsman's license, gold sportsman's license, 64 or older sportsman's license, military gold sportsman's license, lifetime hunting license or lifetime sportsman's license will not need to purchase the new deer permit because it has already been included in each of these licenses, even if they were purchased before July 1.

The deer permit, however, is not included with a hunting license, combination hunting/freshwater fishing license, combination hunting/freshwater/saltwater license or a five-year hunting license. Anyone hunting deer with any of those licenses must also buy the $5 deer permit to hunt deer legally.

All permits and related licenses are available for purchase online at www.fl.wildlifelicense.com, at county tax collectors' offices, many retail outlets that sell fishing and hunting supplies, or by calling toll-free 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356).

There are some exemptions for license requirements. For more information, visit MyFWC.com/License.            

Nature Coast Tennis Foundation hosts doubles tourney

BROOKSVILLE - The Nature Coast Tennis Foundation will be hosting its first Adult Doubles Tennis Tournament on Sept. 25-26 at Delta Woods Park in Spring Hill.

The tournament will include women's, men's and mixed doubles. Entry fee is $25 for the first event and $40 for both events. Format features winning 2-of-3 sets in the double-elimination action.

Entry forms and additional information can be found at www.nctf.usta.com. Entry fee lunch includes lunch provided by Chick-Fil-A and awards for the winners.

For addition information, contact Karen Lund at the Nature Coast Tennis Foundation at 352-585-3733.

Brooksville Bulldogs seek additional players

BROOKSVILLE - The Brooksville Bulldogs are looking for travel ball baseball players, ages Under-12 and Under-13, for the upcoming season.

For registration information, contact Bruce Price at 813-714-1054 or online at bruce67price@hotmail.com.

Miami Heat and Orlando Magic face off in preseason basketball game

TAMPA - The St. Pete Times Forum will host a National Basketball Association (NBA) preseason game between the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22. The intra-state matchup will mark both the Heat and Magic's third time playing at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Tickets for this event have already gone on sale. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets are $10 (general admission), $15, $20, $35, $50, $175 for floor seats (limited amount) and $250 for courtside seats (limited amount).

For additional information, contact the Forum at 1 (813) 301-2500 or visit www.sptimesforum.com. Advanced parking passes are available at www.ticketmaster.com and the box office.

Brooksville Raid seeks U-16 female players

BROOKSVILLE - The Brooksville Raid competitive soccer team is seeking a couple of players for its Under-16 girls soccer team. Any player between the ages of 15-16 should contact Head Coach Charles Allen at 352-442-5825.

Kiwanis Club of Spring Hill hosts charity golf event

SPRING HILL - The Kiwanis Club of Spring Hill is hosting this year's Children's Charity Golf Invitational at Southern Hills Plantation Club on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

To register, visit our web site @ www.springhillkiwanis.org.

Spring Hill Sharks seek players

SPRING HILL - The Spring Hill Sharks, a new travel baseball team is seeking players for his 12-Under Amateur Athletic Union team.

To tryout, or for additional information, contact Eddie at 352-585-7325.

Suncoast Showdown returns to Wiregrass

BROOKSVILLE - This year's second annual Suncoast Showdown Baseball Tournament will take place Oct. 14-17 at Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch High School. 
Hernando High School will be participating and Springstead will also be defending their 2009 title. 
 
Smitty's Golf Outing benefits HPH Hospice

SAN ANTONIO - Golfers young and old get ready to tee it up for HPH Hospice. The second annual 18-hole Smitty's Golf Outing benefiting HPH Hospice is set for Saturday Oct. 16 at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club, 11500 Old Tampa Bay Drive, San Antonio.

Last year, 144 golfers participated in the event. Players are welcome to help benefit one of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus County's most worthy causes.

HPH Hospice is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that was initially incorporated in 1984, and provides care, comfort and support to individuals and family members affected by a life-limiting illness.

Registration is $40 per golfer ($20 for Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club members) and covers green's fee, riding cart, contest prizes, Fajita Bar lunch and other prizes.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.

To register, contact Tournament Director Mike Fox at 352-588-3132 or Handicap Chairman Ron Williams at 352-588-3185 for a registration form. Prospective players may also pick up a registration form at the pro shop at Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club or send an e-mail to donmounts@gmail .com and request a form.

Lightning single-game tickets on sale Sept. 10

TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that single-game tickets for the 2010-11 season will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10 at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office, online at tampabaylightning.com, by phone at 813-301-6600, or through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.  Tickets will start as low as $15.

All 41 Lightning home games will fall into three separate pricing tiers, black, blue and silver.  There will be nine black games in 2010-11, with tickets starting at $15.  Blue game tickets start as low as $20 and there are 22 of them this season.  Finally, there will be 10 silver games, with tickets starting at $22.

The Lightning will play 12 consecutive home games from Jan. 23 through Feb. 25, a stretch that also includes a break for the NHL All-Star Game. The streak of home games will be the longest in franchise history.

As always, the most cost effective way to invest in 2010-11 tickets is through a Lightning ticket plan with ticket packages starting as low as $79.  For more information regarding ticket plans and pricing, call 813-301-6600 or skate to www.tampabaylightning.com.