🌱Rate Of Homeless Students Rises + MLK Essay Contest Winners

Happy Saturday, Dunedin! Here's everything going on today in Dunedin.

First, today's weather:

Cooler with a passing shower. High: 60 Low: 48.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Dunedin:

1. Thousands of Pinellas County school children are homeless according to Dr. Christine Cantrell, the Helping Educate All in Transition (HEAT) liaison for the Pinellas County School District. This week, Pinellas public schools counted 3,554 homeless students, including those in Dunedin. According to Cantrell, the majority of these homeless students are living in shared quarters, in hotels, motels, or homeless shelters. However, there are many living on the streets and in cars. Dunedin Highland Middle School is among the ten schools experiencing the highest rates of student homelessness. Fortunately, the American Rescue Plan Act has allotted the HEAT program $1.9 million in funding so it can better assist those in need. (St. Pete Catalyst)
2. The City of Dunedin has announced the Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest winners. Congratulations to Sara Molina-Mahecha of Garrison Jones Elementary School, Yvie-Giselle Sturges of Garrison Jones Elementary School, Jahmari Muhqueed of Dunedin Highland Middle, and Justyna Kukula of Dunedin Highland Middle. (Facebook | Press Release Desk)
3. The Dunedin Scottish Arts Foundation has announced that the selected Open Class Piper of the Day at the Dunedin Highland Games on April 2 will receive an invitation to compete at a prestigious, new invitational solo piping event. Their Board of Directors has partnered with the Sunbelt Invitational to promote the highest standard of piping here in Florida. The selected Dunedin Highland Games Open Piper of the day will be invited to compete at the Sunbelt Invitational, with travel expenses sponsored by the DSAF. Those interested in registering for the competition can do so online. (Facebook | DSAF)

Today in Dunedin:

• Bootlegger's Ball Fundraiser at the Dunedin Country Club (6:00 PM)
• Dunedin Downtown Market at Stirling Park (9:00 AM)
• Making Natural Bath Truffles at Jade Soap Shop (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Casa Tina is celebrating its 30th anniversary in downtown Dunedin! The city made a short video about Tina's story and why the owners chose Dunedin back in 1992 to open their Mexican restaurant. (Facebook | Youtube)
• Pinellas County has been named a Tree City USA and Tree Cities of the World! To maintain this status the community and the Urban Forest management must meet standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. You can learn about the work put in by Pinellas County’s Urban Forestry and Landscape Services to maintain this title on the county's website. (Facebook | Pinellas County)
• The Dunedin American Legion Post 275 is hosting ALR Taco, Trivia, and Margaritas Night on February 2 at 5:30 PM. Join them for yummy beef or chicken tacos, fun trivia, and delicious margarita buckets. Food will be served until 7:00 PM or until supplies run out. (Facebook)

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