5 things you need to know happening in Florida on Wednesday, March 20

TAMPA - Here are five things you need to know happening in Florida on Wednesday, March 20.

(1) Army Staff Sergeant Ricardo Seija honored

The Hillsborough County Commission will honor Army Staff Sergeant Ricardo Seija during a special presentation on Wednesday.

Staff Sergeant Seija died on July 8, 2012, in Afghanistan from injuries caused by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 978 Military Police Company, 93rd Military Police Battalion in Fort Bliss, Texas.

As part of the dedication ceremony, County Commissioners will present Seija’s family a plaque.

The Staff Sergeant's name has also been engraved on a monument at the Veterans Memorial Park and Museum, located at 3602 U.S. Highway 301 in Tampa, for all to visit and pay their respects.

The presentation begins at 9:00 a.m. at the County Center in downtown Tampa.

(2) Manatee Superintendent Rick Mills sworn in

New Manatee County School District Superintendent Rick Mills will be sworn in during a special ceremony on Wednesday.

Mills comes to Manatee County from the Minneapolis where he was the Chief Executive Officer of the city's school system. Before that Mills was an area superintendent of 26 high schools in Chicago.

Prior to joining the Chicago Public Schools, Mills served in the U.S. Army in numerous capacities, including as an assistant professor at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Mills will be sworn at 8:00 a.m. in the Board Room at the School Support Center located at 215 Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton. The ceremony will be broadcast live on EDVTV, which is broadcast on BrightHouse channel 620 and Verizon channel 39.

(3) Mayor Bill Foster honorarily "knighted"

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster will be honorarily "knighted" by the Royal Rosarians on Wednesday.

The Royal Rosarians are the official greeters and goodwill ambassadors for the city of Portland, Oregon.

A group of approximately 20 Rosarians will be marching in St. Petersburg's Grand Prix Illuminated Night Parade on Thursday.

Today at 9:30 a.m. the Royal Rosarians will plant a rose bush in the mayor's honor at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, followed by the honorary knighting at 10:15 a.m.

Mayor Foster will then proclaim today as Royal Rosarian Day in the City of St. Petersburg.

(4) Pinellas County Fair

The Pinellas County Fair opens at Tropicana Field on Wednesday.

Entertainment includes the Welde Bears Show, Kachunga and the Alligator, high school band performances and live concerts.

A Classic Car Show will be held on Saturday and a Motorcycle Show on Sunday. There will also be midway rides and games, and plenty of food vendors on hand.

General Admission is $7. Children under 4 feet tall get in for free. Parking in Lot 6 costs $5.00.

The fair is open Wednesday and Thurday from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m.; Friday from 3:00 p.m. to midnight; Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.; and on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For more information, visit PinellasCountyFair.com .

(5) First day of spring

Wednesday is the first day of spring in the north hemisphere.

Spring officially began at vernal equinox which occurred at 7:02 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

The vernal equinox occurs when the Sun is directly above the Earth's equator. It is also the day when the length of a day and night are the same.

After the vernal equinox, the days will become longer in the northern hemisphere as the sun appears higher in the sky.

The lengthening of days will continue until the Summer Solstice, the first day of summer, when the sun rises at its furthest point north in the eastern sky.

For more information, visit the U.S. Naval Observatory website at aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/equinoxes.php .