Food truck rally comes to corner in Largo

North Pinellas

Rally 'round the food trucks on Saturday

Food blogger Todd Sturtz and his business, Tasting Tampa, are coming to Largo on Saturday to put on his Pinellas Food Truck Rally. "Bring a lawn chair, bring your family and expect good food,'' said Sturtz, who has organized about 20 food trucks to be on hand including the well-known Taco Bus, as well as Wicked 'Wiches, Fire Monkey and Fat Tortillas. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the 500 block of East Bay Drive, on the southwest corner of the property that houses Barley Mow Brewing Co., the former O'Houston's Pub. Prices for food items start at $2. For more information, visit tastingtampa.com.

East lake

Have your say at town hall meeting

County commissioners and County Administrator Bob LaSala will answer questions Tuesday at the annual town hall meeting sponsored by the Council of North County Neighborhoods. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at East Lake Lutheran Church on the corner of East Lake Road and Village Center Drive. Likely topics include the proposed community overlay and a bill to protect East Lake from annexation.

Clearwater

Festival of Trees begins with gala

The 27th annual Festival of Trees kicks off tonight with a Premiere Night Gala at the Long Center, where this year's activities will be held. Tickets are $75 at the door for the gala, which is 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the center, 1501 N Belcher Road. It features appetizers, drinks, dancing, live music, live auction and silent auction. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Upper Pinellas Association of Retarded Citizens. It features scores of holiday trees trimmed with unique decorations. From Friday to Sunday, admission is $5, or free for children 10 and under. Look for more coverage in Friday's Clearwater & North Pinellas Times.

Hear Indian music at church's center

A classical Indian music concert will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Octagon Arts Center at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, 2470 Nursery Road. Performers will include Nirmala Rajasekar on the veena, a South Indian stringed instrument, and Tanjore Murugaboopathy and Venupuri Srinivas on percussion. An offering of $10 for adults and $5 for children over 12 is requested. Call (727) 723-7252 for information.

Police: Man pulls knife on woman

Clearwater police say a man threatened to stab a homeless woman he had picked up for sex. Steven Robert Moniz, 45, of 1309 Melonwood Ave. is charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police say he picked up the 42-year-old woman around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, drove to 1345 Park St. and parked behind the building. Moniz and the woman, who has a previous conviction for soliciting for prostitution, got into the back of the Ford Econoline van that Moniz was driving, police said. Moniz pulled out a knife, tried to stab the woman and threatened to kill her, police said. The woman escaped. Moniz drove off, but was found when an officer saw the van in the parking lot of Rhodes Funeral Home, 800 Druid Road. Police say they found a knife in the van.