'Bed tax' collection reaches record

There's more good news in this turnaround tourist season for Pinellas County. Collections of the county's 5 percent tax on lodging - known as the "bed tax" - hit $2.16 million in May, a record for the month.

That was up $265,000, or 13.6 percent, from May 2010.

"It's been a very good six months," said Walter Klages, who oversees research for the county's convention and visitors bureau.