Pinellas County law enforcement agencies say they recovered 622 pounds of pills from the public during Saturday's "Operation Medicine Cabinet."
The operation's goals were to get old, unused and expired medication off the streets and to educate the public about the dangers of abusing prescription medications, especially powerful narcotic painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone.
Hillsborough and Hernando counties also participated.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said it will offer another opportunity to get rid of old medications later this year.
CRYSTAL RIVER
What's best for manatees, tourism?
Residents concerned about human and manatee interaction in the Crystal River area are invited to a "listening session" by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Plantation Golf Resort and Spa, 9301 W Fort Island Trail in Crystal River.
Officials hope to hear ideas on how to better manage the swim-with-manatees experience permitted in Citrus County waters. Manatee harassment documented on video over the last several winters has generated considerable community debate.
The Tarpon Springs developer who put up unauthorized "no parking" signs that caused police to issue 233 tickets wants to settle the matter.
Developer Mike Bronson has offered to reimburse the city up to $5,000 to refund the fees paid by people issued the citations at the Tarpon Turtle, his attorney, Robert Shimberg, said Monday in an e-mailed statement to the St. Petersburg Times.
Bronson would pay $20 per ticket. The city is working with the office of the Pinellas County clerk of circuit court to see who paid the tickets and who didn't.
While Commissioner Peter Dalacos is pleased with Bronson's offer to reimburse the city, he still wants Tarpon Springs to exercise all its options.
"I'm not willing to just have him say, 'Here's $5,000 and that's the end of it,' " Dalacos said. "It looks like the city can be bought off by a developer."
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