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Clearwater woman has $2 million reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving

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The Florida Lottery announces that Talisa Roberson, 28, of Clearwater, claimed a top prize in the $2,000,000 CASHWORD Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1,600,000.00.
Roberson purchased her winning ticket from Feather Sound Rally, located at 3400 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater. The retailer will receive a $4,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $10 Scratch-Off game, $2,000,000 CASHWORD, launched on August 7, and features six top prizes of $2 million and over 6,000 prizes of $1,000 to $2 million! The overall odds of winning are one-in-3.38.
Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.

State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis Releases Top 7 Fire Safety Tips for Thanksgiving

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According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the number one day for home cooking fires. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis released the following seven safety tips to avoid a holiday disaster.
“While holidays are filled with laughter and family memories, any firefighter can tell you how quickly they can become a disaster,” said CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis. “Although you can’t completely eliminate your fire risk, there are simple steps to take to avoid a tragedy.” 
  1. If you fry a turkey, do it away from the home. Put the turkey fryer the farthest you can from your home and keep it on a level surface. The smallest spark can ignite a fire.
  2. Thaw the bird completely when frying. Ice or water mixed with hot oil is a major fire hazard.
  3. Don’t overfill the fryer. Filling the fryer to the top with oil can cause oil to spill over and ignite.
  4. Monitor the oil temperature. When cooking oil is heated beyond its smoke point it can catch fire.
  5. Get a fire extinguisher. A Class K (kitchen type) or grease-rated extinguisher is the best option. Never leave the fryer unattended.
  6. Pay attention to the stove. Turn in handles of pots on the stove to avoid scalding hot food from spilling.
  7. Check the kitchen floors. Keep the kitchen free from toys and pets to avoid accidents.

Commissioner Adam Putnam Provides Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Celebrations

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Ahead of Thanksgiving, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Forest Service are providing tips to ensure a safe holiday weekend.
The following tips can help prevent wildfire:

  • Avoid burning yard debris on dry, windy days.
  • Never leave a fire or outdoor heat source unattended.
  • Set up turkey fryers and grills at least 10 feet away from the home and away from overhanging branches and natural areas.
  • Clear an area around the heat source free of leaves, branches and other flammable debris or materials.
  • Have an appropriate fire suppression tool on hand (for turkey fryers, keep a multipurpose, dry powder fire extinguisher ready in the event that the oil ignites).
  • Keep children and pets away from fryers and grills.
  • Never dump used charcoal briquettes into dry grass or debris; douse coals with water and dispose of them in a metal container or bare mineral soil.

“By taking a few simple precautions, Floridians and visitors can take a proactive role in their wildfire safety this Thanksgiving holiday,” said Jim Karels, Florida State Forester.
Since January, the Florida Forest Service and its partners have responded to approximately 2,779 wildfires that have burned more than 200,000 acres. Visit the Florida Forest Service’s wildfire information webpage to view an interactive map of current active wildfires, drought and fire danger forecast information, and a list of current county burn bans.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FloridaForestService.com.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com