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LIG Marine Managers, a wholesale marine insurance broker, is hiring for a local, part-time accounting specialist responsible for daily deposits, accounts payable, collecting unearned funds and account reconciliations.

Primary responsibilities: Processing accounts payable on a weekly basis, bank reconciliations, daily deposits and the collection of unearned funds.

Skill: Prior experience with QuickBooks Pro version, Agency Management systems and office products. Should have 2-3 years’ experience within accounting role including reconciliation of reports.

What we offer: Flexible scheduling within the 15-20 part time hours per week. A relaxed work environment in downtown St. Pete.

Job Type: Part-time

Required education:

• Associate

Required experience:

Accounting: 2 years

Contact: Virginia Ryan virginialeeryan@gmail.com

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System(VAHCS) will host its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 11, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place in the courtyard positioned between buildings 2 and 37 on the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center campus located at 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd., Bay Pines, Fla. 33744.  The event is open to all Veterans, their family and friends, and the general public.

Highlights of the ceremony will include speakers from the Bay Pines VAHCS, St. Petersburg VA Regional Office, Bay Pines National Cemetery and U.S. Rep. David W. Jolly, 13th Congressional District of Florida. Keynote speaker for the event will by U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. (retired) Arnold Fields.  Maj. Gen. Fields serves on the staff of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration.

During his 34-year career as an active duty officer, he held numerous military commands to include Deputy Commander of Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa; Director of the Marine Corps Headquarters Staff at the Pentagon; Commanding General of all Marine Corps Bases in Hawaii, with dual responsibilities as Deputy Commanding General 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force; Commander of U.S. Central Command’s Forward Headquarters in the Middle East; and Inspector General of U.S. Central Command.

The event will also include musical performances by the Keswick Christian School Choir; a special parade of colors provided by local Veteran Service Organizations; and traditional military presentations to include the posting and retiring of the U.S. Flag, a firing salute, and a taps performance. Emmy award-winning local evening news anchor Mark Wilson, Fox 13, will be the master of ceremonies for the event.

Vietnam Veterans who attend the ceremony will receive a special lapel pin and other special items as part of the Bay Pines VA’s continued commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.  For more information about the commemorative lapel pin, click here.

Important note for attendees and local media: Signage will be posted on the medical center campus to direct visitors to the venue.  Reserved and general parking will be available nearby.  A shuttle service will also be available to provide transportation for guests from parking lots to the ceremony area. The event will take place outdoors. The Bay Pines VAHCS encourages all attendees to dress appropriately in the event of inclement weather.  For driving directions, campus maps and more please visit:www.baypines.va.gov/locations/directions.asp. Media members are encouraged to contact the Bay Pines VAHCS Office of Public Affairs at vhabaypublicaffairs@va.gov or 727-398-9531 for advanced information about the ceremony.

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 4,000 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The organization is the fourth busiest VA health care system in the country in terms of patients served and is accredited by The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and several other nationally recognized accrediting organizations. The Bay Pines VAHCS operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. To learn more, please visit www.baypines.va.gov, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vabaypines, o

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) will host a quarterly Veterans town hall meeting on Wednesday, October 19, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.  The event will take place in the auditorium located in building 20 (Post Office building), C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center. 

VA outreach services and special program representatives will also be available to assist Veterans starting at 3:00 p.m. and will be available through the duration of the event.  Services available will include VA health care enrollment and eligibility; VA benefits and claims assistance; and patient advocate services. Veterans and their loved ones, congressional stakeholders, Veterans Service Organizations and other community partners are invited to attend.

During the town hall, VA leaders from both organizations will provide updates on VA operations and improvement initiatives regarding VA health care and benefits. Veterans and their families will have an opportunity to comment publicly about VA programs and services.

This event is open to media. Media representatives interested in attending are encouraged to contact Jason Dangel, Public Affairs Officer, Bay Pines VAHCS, at 727-398-9531 or email jason.dangel@va.gov prior to the event.

For updated information about the Veterans town hall meeting or to learn more about the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, please visit www.baypines.va.gov. To learn more about the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office, please visit www.benefits.va.gov/stpetersburg.

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 4,000 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The organization is the fourth busiest VA health care system in the country in terms of patients served and is accredited by The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and several other nationally recognized accrediting organizations. The Bay Pines VAHCS operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. To learn more, please visit www.baypines.va.gov, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vabaypines, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/vabaypines.

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) is monitoring Hurricane Matthew closely and assessing its anticipated impact across South Florida.  At this time, all Bay Pines VAHCS facilities and outpatient clinics are open and operating on their normal schedules. Patient appointments are continuing to be held at their scheduled times.

Veterans, their loved ones, and others can monitor the status of clinics by visiting www.baypines.va.gov/emergency/index.asp. They can also sign up to receive automatic email updates by filling in an email address in the “Emergency Email Updates” section located on the top right corner of this webpage. To learn about preparedness kits, family emergency plans and emergency preparedness information, visit www.ready.gov.

For up-to-date information from the Bay Pines VAHCS, check the webpage listed above regularly, sign up for Emergency Email Updates, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VABayPines, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VABayPines.

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 4,000 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The organization is the fourth busiest VA health care system in the country in terms of patients served and is accredited by The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and several other nationally recognized accrediting organizations. The Bay Pines VAHCS operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. To learn more, please visit www.baypines.va.gov, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vabaypines, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/vabaypines.

An emotional and solemn crowd of about 300 gathered at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center for the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s POW/MIA Remembrance Ceremony on September 13.  Click here to watch the video story. Official POW/MIA insignia and flags were visible with every turn of the head as former prisoners of war, their loved ones, VA leaders and members of the community recognized the service and sacrifice of those held captive during wartime and those who never returned. Keynote speaker for the hour-long ceremony was retired U.S. Navy pilot Bradley E. Smith. Smith was held captive during the Vietnam War nearly seven years after his A-4 Skyhawk was shot out of the sky by the North Vietnamese Army on March 25, 1966. He was released on February 12, 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming after being held captive 2,516 days. During his speech, he recounted the horrors of captivity but also spoke to perseverance and the overall will to survive. Following the speech, Smith and Rolling Thunder, Chapter 11 members John Harrison and Larry Caldwell dedicated an FPOW/MIA Chair of Honor. The chair will be permanently placed in the medical center as a way to honor and recognize former prisoners of war, prisoners of war and the 91,000 service members still unaccounted for. Harrison also used the opportunity to present Smith with a POW/MIA bracelet. The iconic bracelets were created during the Vietnam War and worn by Americans across the country as a way to remember those held captive and missing in action.  Bay Pines VA leaders plan to make the POW/MIA Ceremony an annual event as a way to honor and remember the brave men and women that were kept from their families and those who have not yet returned. To learn more about events like this and health care services available, please visit www.baypines.va.gov. While you’re there, subscribe to receive email updates and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. About Bay Visions News Brief Bay Visions News Brief is a video news product line developed by the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Office of Public Affairs and Medical Media Services. The news videos complement Bay Visions – a quarterly magazine distributed to Veterans, family members, VA employees and Volunteers, members of the general public and other stakeholders. For questions about Bay Visions News Brief or to share a story, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at vhabaypublicaffairs@va.gov.

• To view our other news products and publications please visit: www.baypines.va.gov/news/Publications.asp
• To view our ongoing video series titled Veteran Viewpoint, visit: www.baypines.va.gov/news/Viewpoint.asp

Eligible Pinellas County residents and business owners can receive federal assistance for damages caused by Hurricane Hermine during the period of Aug. 31 to Sept. 11.

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams will be in the community over the weekend to explain the disaster relief program and encourage application.  FEMA staff will be wearing FEMA staff shirts and have FEMA ID tags.

President Barack Obama signed a Florida Disaster Declaration on Sept. 28 and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Hermine.

Disaster relief is available for residential or business damages, large or small, sustained during Hurricane Hermine that are not covered by personal insurance, including:

• Temporary Housing
• Home Repair (including septic or sewer system, well or other water system, HVAC, Utilities)
• Home Replacement: Under extreme conditions and as limited funding may allow
• Other Needs Assistance provides grants for uninsured, disaster‐related necessary expenses and serious needs. Flood insurance may be required on insurable items (personal property) if they are to be located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Assistance includes:

o   Medical and dental expenses.

o   Funeral and burial costs.

o   Repair, cleaning or replacement of clothing, household items (room furnishing, appliances), specialized tools or protective clothing and equipment required for the applicant’s job, necessary educational materials (computers, school books, supplies).

o   Clean‐up items (wet/dry vacuum, air purifier, dehumidifier).

o   Fuel for primary heat source (heating oil, gas).

o   Repairing or replacing vehicles damaged by the disaster, or providing for public transportation or other transportation costs.

o   Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster (including storage or the return of property to a pre‐disaster home).

o   Other necessary expenses or serious needs (for example: towing, or setup or connecting essential utilities for a housing unit not provided by FEMA).

o   The cost of a National Flood Insurance Program group flood insurance policy to meet the flood insurance requirements.

Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments as well as certain private, nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Hermine. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Individuals making claims must first register their loss with FEMA via any of the following methods:

• Apply online to www.disasterassistance.gov;
• Contact FEMA by smart phone or tablet using the FEMA app or going to https://www.fema.gov/ or;
• Call the FEMA toll-free number 800-621-FEMA (3362) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Telephone lines are answered from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

A Disaster Recovery Center will be established in the coming days for in-person applications and to provide additional information to those wishing to apply.  Location and hours of operation information will be released as soon as it is made available.

More information is available online at www.fema.gov/recovery-directorate/assistance-individuals-and-households.

Low interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are also available to help with residential or business losses not covered by insurance. Information on SBA disaster loans may be obtained by calling (800) 659-2955 and (800) 877-8339 (TTY), or by going online to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The Small Business Administration filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 28, 2016.  The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 28, 2017.

For more information on emergency preparedness, visit www.pinellascounty.org/emergency.

The Pinellas County “Doing Things for You” app is available for residents to report issues and access useful resources. Pinellas County can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. More information is available on the county website, www.pinellascounty.org,  which features LiveChat for assistance. Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) has entered into a new 10-year, $3.9 million lease agreement with HTA Commons V, LLC that will relocate and expand the existing Naples Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) to more than double its current size from 4,400 square feet to 9,300 square feet.

The new clinic will be located at 800 Goodlette Road North, Naples, Fla. – about four miles away from the current Horseshoe Drive South location. When the new facility opens, it will replace the current Naples CBOC. Bay Pines VAHCS officials expect the clinic to be open to serve Veterans in Spring 2017.

“This is truly an exciting time for the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and for the Veterans we serve in Naples,” said Suzanne M. Klinker, Director, Bay Pines VAHCS.

“When open, the new clinic will provide a patient centered environment and spacious accommodations for both Veterans and staff. It is an excellent location for us to be able to deliver high quality VA health care service in a comfortable setting,” she said.

Since originally opening in 2000, the Naples CBOC has experienced continued growth in both the number of individual Veterans accessing the facility and number of appointments requested and completed. Over the last five years alone, the number of patients served by the facility has increased by nearly seven percent (from 6,627 to 7,082) while appointments completed have increased nearly 20 percent (38,384 to 45,839). During this same period, staffing levels have also increased about 30 percent (27 to 35).

“Over the last several years, we have aggressively sought to improve clinical services by expanding health care access and meeting the needs of our Veterans,” said Cory P. Price, FACHE, Assistant Director, Bay Pines VAHCS.

“Naples has been one of our larger focus areas, and we can now say we have made significant progress in providing a facility befitting America’s heroes,” he said.   

Price, who has direct oversight for the healthcare system’s outlying clinics, said the new clinic is one of many projects and initiatives developed as part of the organization’s strategic plan.

“We are absolutely focused on transforming the way we deliver care to the men and women we serve,” he continued. “The new Naples clinic is an example of how we are transforming care and moving closer to becoming a 5-star organization in health care quality and customer service.”

All health care services currently available at the Naples CBOC will transition to the new facility. These services include primary care, mental health, women’s health, anticoagulation clinic, electrocardiograms (EKG), nutrition counseling, phlebotomy (blood draws and specimen collection), social work, and pharmacy consultation.

To stay up-to-date on the new Naples CBOC or to learn more about the Bay Pines VAHCS, visit www.baypines.va.gov. While you are there, subscribe to receive email updates and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/vabaypines) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/vabaypines).

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 4,000 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The organization is the fourth busiest VA health care system in the country in terms of patients served and is accredited by The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and several other nationally recognized accrediting organizations. The Bay Pines VAHCS operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. To learn more, please visit www.baypines.va.gov, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vabaypines, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/vabaypines.

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) announces the award of a $8.9 million contract to Maxon Groupe, LLC to build a new 17,375 square foot chemotherapy/cancer infusion center at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center.

The new state-of-the-art facility will augment the medical center’s existing radiation oncology clinic on the northeast side of the campus. Features of the new building will include eight additional treatment stations, which equates to a 50 percent increase to available chemotherapy treatment stations at the medical center. The building will also have a standalone pharmacy for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. This unique feature will give Veterans the opportunity to receive the majority of their cancer care and medications in one location versus traveling to various locations across campus.

“The new cancer infusion center is a great example of how we are transforming the delivery of high quality health care services for the men and women we serve across southwest Florida,” said Suzanne M. Klinker, Director, Bay Pines VAHCS.

“As an addition to our existing radiation oncology clinic, this new facility will enable our health care providers to treat more Veterans diagnosed with various types of cancer in an environment that is accessible and patient-centered,” she said.

Construction of the new cancer infusion/chemotherapy center is expected to be complete in 2018. Doors will open to Veterans shortly thereafter.

When open, the new center will become part of the Bay Pines VAHCS’s growing cancer program which includes surgery, radiation oncology, chemotherapy, cancer support groups, cancer survivorship clinics, and cancer care navigation. Annually, about 4,000 Veterans receive one or more services through the program. Click here to read a recent feature article about a Veteran’s success through the cancer program.

The Bay Pines VAHCS’s cancer program is currently the only VA-operated cancer program in the state of Florida with an active accreditation from American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) and has been since 1995.

Because it is a CoC-accredited cancer center, Bay Pines takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This partnership results in improved patient care.

There are currently more than 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, representing 30 percent of all hospitals. These facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients. When cancer patients choose to seek care locally at a CoC-accredited cancer center, they are gaining access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home.
For more information, please visit www.baypines.va.gov and subscribe to receive email updates or follow the Bay Pines VAHCS on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 4,000 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The organization is the fourth busiest VA health care system in the country in terms of patients served and is accredited by The Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and several other nationally recognized accrediting organizations. The Bay Pines VAHCS operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. To learn more, please visit www.baypines.va.gov or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vabaypines.

Duke Energy has awarded the SPC Foundation a $7,500 grant to support Veteran Services at the College. Through its “Victories for Veterans” program, Duke teamed up with the Tampa Bay Rays and contributed $1,000 for every regular season win to support veterans in our community. Duke made awards to 10 organizations in Pinellas and Pasco counties as part of this program.

St. Petersburg College currently serves over 2,500 Veteran and Military students. Over the past six years, the College has consistently ranked in the top tier of the “Best for Vets Colleges” by Military Times magazine and “Top College” by Military Advanced Education magazine.