The Gate Arty Blog - March 2008 Archive

Sun n' Fun Fly-In - 2008

Monday, March 31, 2008 - By Gate Arty

The annual aerial extravaganza known as the Sun n' Fun Fly-In begins April 8thand runs thru the 13th. The major draw at this year's show will undoubtedly be the USAF Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds are a squadron of elite pilots that will demonstrate solo and formation flying routines. Their showcase runs approximately 75 minutes and will feature approximately 30 maneuvers that include both air and ground exhibitions.

Sun 'n Fun, a non-profit organization, is best known for its annual Fly-In held each April. The Fly-In is the major source of funding for the operation of the Florida Air Museum, the state's "Official Aviation Education Center." Additionally, Sun 'n Fun features education programs especially geared toward young people - featuring valuable "hands on" learning experiences.  This is truly a great event for the entire family!

The Sun n' Fun Fly-In has been a staple of the Lakeland landscape since 1975. Now one of the largest shows of its kind, the event draws people from all over the world, & is an important economic component of Lakeland tourism industry. For more information regarding the event: Sun n' Fun Fly-In

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USF Lakeland

Monday, March 31, 2008 - By Gate Arty

Florida Governor Charlie Crist said Monday morning that he supports the proposed new campus for the University of South Florida at Interstate 4 and the Polk Parkway. This is particularly noteworthy since last year, Crist himself vetoed funding for the very same campus. Crist announced his support at a meeting that included Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, and Sen. JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, both of whom have worked to create the campus.

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Polk County Growth Trend

Monday, March 24, 2008 - By Gate Arty

Polk County is in the top 20 of the fastest growing counties in Florida, according to county population figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The annual estimates indicate that on July 1, Polk County had 574,746 residents, an increase of 90,822 residents since 2000. Based on its population increase since the 2000 census, Polk was the 19th-fastest-growing county among Florida's 67 counties. From 2006 to 2007, the Census Bureau estimated that the population of Polk County grew by 16,723, a modest increase of 3 percent. Our neighbor, Osceola County, is the second-fastest-growing county in Florida and the 16th fastest growing county in the nation. Twelve Florida counties are in the top 100 fastest-growing counties in the nation.

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Sales Increase!

Monday, March 24, 2008 - By Gate Arty

Sales of existing homes posted an unexpected increase in February. This follows six straight months of declining sales. The National Association of Realtors said that sales of existing homes rose by 2.9 % in February to 5.03 million units. It was the biggest increase in a year and caught most economists by surprise. Most had been expecting a small decline.

By region of the country, sales surged by 11.3 percent in the Northeast and were up 2.5 percent in the Midwest and 2.1 percent in the South. The only region of the country to see a decline in the sales was the West, where they dropped by 1.1 percent

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Mortgage rates

Monday, March 17, 2008 - By Gate Arty

Long-term mortgage interest rates were down again Monday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield sank to 3.31 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average dropped to 5.74 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate fell to 5.09 percent. The 1-year adjustable rate dipped to 5.07 percent.

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