Daily Loaf

This week, we named the ginormous Confederate flag at I-4 and I-75 as one of the Top 10 Stories of the Year. Got some flack for it, too, along with columnist Daniel Ruth.

Here’s an interesting take from a writer at the Miami New Times, another alt-weekly:

This whole idea of succession is kind of inspiring though. Not that I think South Florida should leave the union, but how about just this stupid, stupid state? The North can have their rifles, and belt buckles, and Amendment 2s, and Charlie Crists, and we can have all of the non-Disney tourism.

So where would that leave us?

(Photo Credit: Nikoretro/Flickr)

Hey, if you think it’s hard finding a job now, try being old.

According to a report by AARP, seniors have seen a 70 percent increase in unemployment over the last year. Despite decades of experience, the report says, the elderly can’t find gigs.

A story from 10connects.com quotes an AARP spokesman:

“When people are cutting back, they’re cutting back on a lot of the senior population,” said Bob Yakubisin of the American Association of Retired Persons Foundation Work Search Program.

On the bright side, Wal-Mart is one of the only retailers making money right now, and they love to hire seniors … for greeters.

(Photo Credit: Pedro/Flickr)

What’s the newest tactic the U.S. is using to gain converts in the War on Terror? Not waterboarding — that’s old news. Bombing weddings? Oh, that’s sooo 2002. And blasting Britney Spears is just tacky.

No, the newest arsenal the CIA is using to persuade rogue nations to turn in terrorists is none other than Viagra.

And, as this Washington Post story reports, it seems to be working:

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

“Take one of these. You’ll love it,” the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception. The grinning chief offered up a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes — followed by a request for more pills.

(Photo Credit: Gaetan Lee/Flickr)

Think there’s a Michael Vick living next door to you? Have you noticed roosters with spikes on their feet coming from your Ybor City neighbor’s house?

Well, the state of Florida now has an animal fighting tip line, and it could net you a handsome reward.

From the Florida Attorney General’s press release:

Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that Floridians can now report animal fighting and be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000 by calling The Humane Society of the United States’ animal fighting tip line at 877-TIP-HSUS (847-4787). The toll-free tip line was first established in Georgia by The HSUS and Atlanta-based corporate security firm Norred & Associates Inc. Because of its success, and with the support of Florida’s Attorney General, the tip line has been expanded to help combat dogfighting and cockfighting in Florida.

(Photo Credit: phooky/flickr)

A few weeks ago, Wayne Garcia gave you a ton of ideas for how to celebrate Christmas in an environmentally-responsible way.

Well, even though the gift-giving has stopped, it doesn’t mean you have to stop conserving. Hillsborough County is offering free Christmas tree pick-up in front of your house or at other various locations. Then, your trees will be ground up into mulch that county residents can pick up for free.

Here are the guidelines for unincorporated Hillsborough County residents.

Here are the guidelines for the urban dwellers in Tampa.

Pinellas County residents, don’t fret. Find your community’s tree pick-up policy here.

(Photo Credit: qnr/Flickr)

Have you ever wondered if your significant other was lying to you over the phone? Or if your parents really did send your Christmas gift in the mail over a month ago? How about figuring out whether that kid across the street really did egg your house on Halloween?

What if there was a way you could carry a polygraph test with you at all times?

You know where this is going.

I present to you the Agile Lie Detector application for iPhone. This software turns your iPhone into a virtual polygraph by using voice stress analysis. And from what some users say, it actually seems to work. For only $7.99!

Get it here.

Hours after memorializing dead street people, a homeless man is viciously beaten.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tampa officials just discovered Lex Salisbury’s mismanagement. But some zoo people have been crying alarms for years.
Read the rest of this entry »

So fellow credit card owners, I have good news and I have bad news.

Read the rest of this entry »

At least that’s the headline on a recent 10Connects.com story. After reports of lead-poisoning via children’s toys, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has passed a stricter standard for lead in clothes and toys. But consignment shop owners worry about the effect of the law on them.

Read the rest of this entry »

Lowry Park Zoo CEO Lex Salisbury has resigned amid allegations of improper business dealings between the zoo and his for profit venture Safari Wild.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, State Rep. Darryl Rouson filed his first bill for the 2009 session. His focus: drug paraphernalia.

HB 99 would charge a 5 percent tax on any items listed as drug paraphernalia in Florida statutes, regardless of whether the paraphernalia was sold for legal purposes or not. (Hmmm…that sounds a lot like the federal drug stamp tax.)

That last line is a key part — Rouson is also going after so-called “headshops.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Now this is what the holiday season is all about.

With everyone facing strained budgets, plunking down $60 or $70 bucks on a Christmas tree can seem unreasonable. So a local businessman, Rodney Taucher, is playing Santa and giving away trees tomorrow afternoon. Get the info after the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

This afternoon, we’ll learn the fate of Lowry Park CEO Lex Salisbury, accused by city officials of unethical practices concerning his for-profit venture Safari Wild and the zoo. Then there are the issues with animals traded to non-accredited institutions, and others that have died under Salisbury’s watch.

Right now, a bored media is waiting at the Mainsail Suites Hotel in Tampa as armed Hillsborough County deputies guard the meeting room. Earlier, a St. Pete Times blogger reported that Salisbury’s Nissan Pathfinder has an “Enjoy More Beef” license plate. But what Salisbury left inside the car on a sunny Florida day is a little more telling:

Two small dogs.

Remember in 1999 when religious blowhard Jerry Falwell attacked Tinky Winky, the purple teletubby, because his sick little mind thought the children’s character was gay?

Then, in 2005, James Dobson from Focus on the Family accused Spongebob Squarepants of the same offense to “moral values?”

Well, the latest plush toy to inspire the wrath of right-wingers is Mattel’s Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo doll.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve wanted to send American soldiers messages over the last few months, but haven’t known who to send your missives to, Xerox has set up a website that allows you to send postcards to randomly-selected military men and women free of charge.

If your company is taking some budget hits to the chin this year, and the money is not there for a new desktop calendar, get a free one with a Florida plant-theme here.

Great new game based on this week’s most watched YouTube video. Play it here.

(h/t to Gina Vivinetto)

Lowry Park CEO Lex Salisbury is taking hits from all sides. And he’s hanging onto his job by a mere thread. One that may be cut on Thursday when he stands in front of the Lowry Park Zoo board to answer several questions related to his dealings between the zoo, his for-profit venture Safari Wild and his private game ranch in Dade City. Read the rest of this entry »

Every year, our local PBS station, WEDU, hosts an annual nonprofit awards show: The Be More Awards.

It’s a chance for all those underfunded, underappreciated 501(c)3’s to shine. More than 85 area nonprofits are participating this year, so WEDU wants to do something special. This year, they’ve added a new catagory — Reader’s Choice.

You can vote for your favorite nonprofit on WEDU’s website.

(That’s me in the Clifford suit at last year’s awards. Photo courtesy of WEDU.)

Allstate Insurance does a study every year to find the metropolitan area that registers the most fatal car crashes involving teenagers between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This year, we took the prize. Read the rest of this entry »

The threat of budget crunches is producing some novel ideas for combating jail overcrowding in Florida, including housing inmates in tents.

Statistics released last week show Florida’s prison population is continuing to grow. Last year, Florida’s prisons took in more new inmates than any other state. Some corrections officials estimate the state will need 19 more prisons by 2013.

So, perhaps to stave off building expensive prisons, state officials are looking at tents.

It’s hardly a novel idea.

In Arizona, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office set up tent cities several years ago. Sheriff Joe Arpaio instituted the tent cities for Phoenix area inmates after his election in 1992 as a money-saving measure. But over the years, less tangible costs have started to pour through like the holes in said tents: lawsuits, two riots, federal probes and condemnations from such organizations as Amnesty International.

Florida officials have bought 36 tents, which cost about $9,000 and house up to 22 prisoners.

But what’s not talked about — except by Howard Troxler — is looking into ways to cut the recidivism rate, which could save Florida taxpayers the most money over the long term.

(Photo Credit: j2dread/Flickr)

If you’re searching for unique and whimsical presents for the stranger members of your family, skip the predictable merchandise at mall staple Spencer Gifts and head over to the Wooden Nickel.

From risqué cards and gag gifts to adult-oriented ornaments, this Tampa novelty store is filled with knickknacks that cater to the oddball set, usually at lower prices than competitors. Have a mischievous little brother? Check out the wall of prankster gifts. Stoner roommate? Consider black lights and a fog machine. The cluttered store also carries a wide selection of beads, posters, locally made incense, wooden pipes and an assortment of costumes unparallelled in Tampa.

Gift This: With the banks going under, more people are keeping money under the bed. Try hideaway boxes instead, available in the shape of mayonnaise jars (right), Pringles and shaving cream, $24.95 to $32.95.

1441 E. Fletcher Ave. suite #141, Tampa, 813-977-0904.

See other stops on CL’s Indie Holiday Shopping Spree here.

A November study by the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center in Rhode Island suggests that heterosexual anal intercourse is rising among teenagers, who have some pretty interesting ideas about the practice.

Read the rest of this entry »

The city of Tampa thought so. That’s why they’re planning on buying two lots in Drew Park — you know, that shady neighborhood between Dale Mabry and the Tampa International Airport known for its swinger clubs, adult stores and masturbating Fox Channel 13 general managers — to allow developers to build homes on them.

And who do they want to live there? Teachers and police officers, of course! It’ll be a regular Mr. Roger’s neighborhood I’m sure. I can’t wait for the block parties.

For the banal info like addresses and cost, read the rest of the story here.

(Photo Credit: Larry Page/Flickr)

Here’s one item Wayne Garcia missed in his comprehensive environmental piece, “Dreaming of a green Christmas”: recycling your old/broken sex toys.

Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent story posted on The Consumerist, a reader reported that pharmacy clerks at a Mississippi Walgreen’s hassled his girlfriend when she attempted to buy the Plan B pill.

Read the rest of this entry »

Wayne Garcia is dreaming of a “green” Christmas.

Progress Energy is planning the country’s first brand-new nuclear power plant in over 30 years.

Tarballs and tourism: Why is Florida’s top tourism bureau endorsing offshore oil drilling?

Are gas stations shortchanging you? The answer may surprise you.

For this week’s Urban Explorer column, I attended two meetings organized by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in response to Progress Energy’s recent application for a new nuclear power plant in Levy County. Between meetings, I drove the lonely roads of southern Levy County, talking to folks who had little or a lot to gain from the power plant’s construction.

You might ask yourself, “Why do I care about Levy County and a nuclear power plant?”

Because, starting this spring, you’ll be paying for it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Couples are spicing up more than the eggnog this holiday season, trading the mistletoe for remote-control vibrators. And when it comes to finding the perfect stocking stuffer, there’s no better place than The Todd.

Open since 1969, this veritable warehouse of sex toys and porn flicks near USF-Tampa is not only the biggest sex store in Tampa, it’s also the least skeevy. A well-lit parking lot and helpful staff make shopping for that perfect lube a less-than-dirty, and in fact pleasant, experience. Besides your standard fare of edible underwear and fuzzy handcuffs, The Todd has a vast display of dildos and vibrators (buy an assortment in holiday-brite colors like the ones shown above), blow-up dolls that run the gamut of tastelessness and wall after wall of adult DVDs. For thrifty spenders, there’s even a clearance section.

Gift This: Find positions you didn’t even know existed with The Todd’s selection of sex swings, $129-$189.

13417 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-221-0099

See other stops on CL’s Indie Holiday Shopping Spree here.

It’s been a bad week for Lex Salisbury.

Read the rest of this entry »

I usually try to avoid the random free shit available on the Internet — much of it is rife with registration forms and hidden fees — but I found a bunch of offers that require little effort from you. And they make good stocking stuffers:

There’s a plethora of free 2009 calendars online from a children’s-themed Walden calendar for children to a Americans Helping Americans calendar perfect for grandparents.

For the raver in your family: Free glowsticks!

For the child geek: Gmail stickers!

For the vain child: a free photostamp for your Santa letter.

For the saltwater fisherman (or woman) in the family: One free issue of Saltwater Fishing Magazine.

Get a free movie from Redbox (those movie rental kiosks at Wal-Mart) by entering in these codes.

And finally, if your planning on taking the family out to an IMAX flick this month, print out this coupon for free popcorn.

It’s enough that Office Depot never has any good coupons and gives crappy customer service. Now, county officials say, they might be overcharging us taxpayers.

This week, Hillsborough County auditors began an investigation into Office Depot’s contracts with various county departments amid reports from other counties that the office supply giant may be overcharging for its products.

From the Tribune:

The auditor’s office learned the Florida Attorney General’s Office is investigating Office Depot’s contracts with several local governments in the state. Auditors in Lee County say Office Depot overcharged the county $60,000.

Other states have concluded investigations and accused the office supply company of overcharging, the Hillsborough auditor said. Office Depot was forced to repay California $2.5 million for overcharges.

(Add Nebraska and North Carolina to the mix, too.)

Maybe next time Hillsborough officials will consider going with Dunder Mifflin:

Yesterday, the Coalition of Immokalee workers convinced fast-food sandwhich maker Subway to pay (at least) an extra penny per pound of Florida tomatoes they pick.

Subway is the world’s third largest fast food corporation and the No. 1 buyer of Florida tomatoes.

The migrant worker rights group was about to embark on a 10-day tour to protest Subway offices when Subway officials signed an agreement. The chain’s agreement joins similar promises made by McDonalds, Taco Bell, Yum brands, Whole Foods Markets and Burger King. The latter was an especially hard battle as CL freelancer Andrew Stelzer documented last year.

Newspapers are reporting the deal has the potential to bring more than $250,000 to workers in South Florida’s tomato fields.

Photo: Spakattacks/Flickr

I like Las Vegas. The casinos, free drinks, bright flashy lights rivaling Times Square — it’s like a playground for adults. Even if you visit on a reporter’s budget, there’s a wealth of fun and free things to do. On nice nights, just walking down the Strip, sipping on a flask of whiskey and watching the mini-movies on huge digital billboards is enough for me.

But I don’t think I’d want to live there. Or drive there. One reason is the aforementioned digital billboards. They’re distracting, contribute enormously to light pollution and look, well, like Vegas. And I’d hate like hell to live near one.

That’s why the city of Tampa’s near approval of such digital billboards is a bit disconcerting. Read the rest of this entry »

Lowry Park Zoo CEO Lex Salisbury is in hot water again.

Seems his for-profit side project, Safari Wild, has violated numerous water regulations and Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMUD) officials may fine him tens of thousands of dollars.

From the Times:

Robyn Felix, spokeswoman for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, says Salisbury and his business partner, St. Petersburg veterinarian Stephan [sic] Wehrmann, ignored environmental regulations in 13 areas of the 258-acre site.

Essentially, Salisbury and his Safari Wild partner Stephen Wehrmann did not apply for the necessary permits as they constructed their huge animal park in Polk County. From the moat where their monkeys escaped from to fencing that destroyed wetlands, the violations could impact neighbors to the property. And those neighbors were already pretty angry.

Also keep in mind that Salisbury’s park was not built in just any rural area of Central Florida. He’s smack in the middle of the environmentally-sensitive Green Swamp area of Polk County.

These latest violations are just one more blackmark against Salisbury, who has taken criticism over the last seven months for taking Lowry Park animals to the Safari Wild site, not disclosing the project to the larger Lowry Park Zoo board, and letting those forementioned monkeys escape. (See Creative Loafing’s investigation of Safari Wild here.) He’s currently on a leave of absence while Tampa city officials conduct an audit of the dealings between the two animal parks.

National pizza chain Papa John’s is trying to buy our friendship — with free pizza. Continuing its online trend — they were the first national chain to offer online ordering — Papa Jon’s is offering a free medium cheese pizza to any Facebook user that adds the company as a fan.

From their release:

Beginning Monday, Nov. 17 – just ahead of Thanksgiving Eve, consistently one of the three busiest nights in the pizza industry – any Facebook user who becomes a “fan” of the official Papa John’s page will receive an online redemption code for a free medium pizza with any online pizza order.

“For our customers who already love Papa John’s, a free pizza is simply our way of saying thank you for their loyalty,” said Jim Ensign, Papa John’s vice president, marketing communications. “And for those people who aren’t as familiar with Papa John’s and our belief that better ingredients make a better pizza, we invite them to see – and taste – the difference with this special offer.”

In the early morning hours of February 22, Simmie Williams was walking the streets of Ft. Lauderdale. But before the sun came up, the 17-year-old openly gay teen was shot by two men. He died at the scene. Later, police reports indicated that Williams was wearing women’s clothing.

Williams’ murder came just 10 days after Memphis police held down and beat Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman. Earlier this month, an unidentified assailant shot Johnson in the head, killing her.

These are just two of the reported 14 people killed this year because they didn’t conform to society’s expectation of gender. The murders will highlight this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, a Nov. 20 vigil held in cities across the nation.

From the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLADD):

According to an estimate by the Human Rights Campaign, transgender Americans face a one-in-12 chance of being murdered. Statistics from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) show that in schools 14.2 percent of transgender students report being physically assaulted as a result of gender expression, while 30.4 percent experienced physical harassment.

It’s definitely a problem and one that gets little coverage and even less understanding. One just has to look at the Pinellas County Commission’s decision this year to not cover transgender folks with their revamped Human Rights Ordinance. Or the circus surrounding Susan Stanton.

No doubt, that will be one of the topics addressed at the Clearwater vigil for the Day of Remembrance, which will be held at Unity Church, 2465 Nursery Road, tonight at 7 p.m. One of the speakers will be Julie Yoo, who you might remember from past Creative Loafing articles.

If you can’t make the Clearwater vigil, the USF PRIDE Alliance is planning their own ceremony tomorrow, 7 p.m. at the MLK Plaza on the Tampa campus. For more information, contact Rhea Pendleton of PRIDE at 941-323-9616.

I’m not one to pay to see a circus show. Too many ethical issues involved. But a free ticket? Perhaps — if I can sneak in my own popcorn.

The St. Pete Times forum is offering free tickets to an upcoming Ringling Brothers circus show if you bring them 10 non-perishable food items between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday. The tickets are for one of the eight January performances. The food benefits Metropolitan Ministries, a nonprofit that helps the poor and homeless. It’s kind of like helping disadvantaged people while watching disadvantaged animals. Depressing, but fun for the kids.

For more info, call 813-301-6500.

(h/t to TBO.com’s Janine Dorsey)

Answer: Knowing that while the power companies are raping your wallet, they’re also clogging your lungs.

An interesting piece in today’s St. Petersburg Times finds the answer behind why South Floridians will see no increased power bills this holiday season (in fact, they get a break!) and Tampa Bay will see bills inflated by 12-25 percent:

So how can the price of fuel in South Florida fall while it rises in the Tampa Bay area?

In a word: coal. Progress Energy generates nearly 40 percent of its electricity from coal, and Tampa Electric more than half.

“Natural gas prices have fallen sharply and are lower than they were a year ago,” said Progress Energy spokeswoman Suzanne Grant. “But we run 40 percent on coal. While coal prices are down, they are more than 100 percent above where they were a year ago.”

Which makes this Reason No. 895 on why Florida (and the rest of the country) needs to abandon coal-fired power plants. In short, coal-fired power plants hurt the environment and ratepayers. According to one nonprofit’s report, TECO’s Big Bend power plant is the 45th worst in the country; Progress Energy’s Crystal River plant ranks 21st worst.

All of this news isn’t going over too well with some St. Petersburg residents (and Progress Energy customers) who plan to take to the streets over these rate hikes. One perturbed payee, Allan Greene, will be picketing outside Progress Energy’s headquarters all this week. He’s giving out this leaflet. He’s looking for people to join him.

In the meantime, here’s a link one source gave me for 5 things you can do (besides protesting).

"Hey, those bastards are taking our little shelled friends!"

I’m sure the obvious question to most transplants reading this is: WTF? People really harvest pond turtles?

That’s correct-a-mundo, dude. People hunt turtles. Sounds like a mismatched battle to me, but what hunting isn’t a little handicapped in favor of humans, right?

Harvesting wild freshwater turtles for food and pets has long been part of Florida rural life. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has allowed the practice for decades with only a few restrictions on some threatened species. But lately, turtle harvesting has reached unprecedented levels with the shelled reptiles often sent overseas to Asian countries. Why Florida? Well, those Asian countries already decimated their own turtle populations and our harvesting laws are some of the most lenient in the country.

And how is the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission responding? Half-heartedly at best. Last year, several scientists sent the FWC an urgent letter calling for more stringent limits on turtle-gathering. But in September, the FWC made a lackluster attempt at changing the rules by only restricting people to take five turtles per day.

So, do the math:

Five per day = 35 a week, which equals 1,820 per person each year.

That’s without a commercial license. For those permitted, the FWC is allowing an additional 15 turtles per day, which comes out to 7,300 a year.

What was the FWC’s reasoning? There’s “no scientific evidence” that a drastic overhaul of regulations is in order.

That’s bogus.

Last year, the FWC received a letter from the International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission signed by 34 of the country’s top scientists?

From the Orlando Sentinel:

“For the same reasons that it is illegal to kill female sea turtles on a nesting beach, it is a very bad idea to take adult turtles in large numbers from any ecosystem,” the scientists wrote. “Turtles are extremely slow to reproduce. … Florida currently supports one of the two largest centers of diversity of turtles in the world, with all of the more than two dozen species playing integral roles in a multitude of ecosystems.”

If the FWC does not recognize those scientists, perhaps they can look at their own colleagues in other Southeastern states. South Carolina, in particular, has been aggressive about limiting turtle harvesting, which is one reason why reptile hunters are coming into Florida.

In fact, numerous experts from all over the world are lamenting a turtle “crisis.” According to the Turtle Conservation Fund, 200 of the world’s 300 surviving tortoises and freshwater turtles are threatened.

But, instead of further limiting harvests until the FWC scientists can do a proper study, the agency is content to stand back and see how bad it gets.

Can anything be done to change their minds? Perhaps. The FWC meets in Tampa on Thursday, Nov. 20, to develop a long-range plan for freshwater turtle harvesting. Supporters are calling on interested environmentalists to show up, or at least send a message with your thoughts.

Turtle power!

UPDATE: Read two letters from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. First, the one I referenced above and a newer letter to Charlie Crist.

On Saturday, thousands of gay rights supporters rallied at parks and courthouses to show their continuing fight against divisive legislation like Amendment 2. After the jump is a look at video from those gatherings.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Golden Corral buffet restaurant chain is offering a free meal to all current and former military men and women at their establishments nationwide tomorrow. “Military Appreciation Monday” runs from 5 to 9 p.m.

From their site:

The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner.

Considering the quality of Golden Corral food, I’m not yet sure if this constitutes supporting the troops or siding with the terrorists, but, what the hell, it’s free.

A new video, in anticipation of the country-wide protests against divisive anti-gay marriage initiatives, shows Slash and his wife Perla Ferrar speaking out against California’s Proposition 8. (Well, Slash doesn’t speak as much as wail on his guitar.)

Back in May, I looked at water taxis/ferries as a mode of public transit for Tampa Bay. It’s an innovative idea that has been resurrected many times locally, but always fell flat to finances or bureaucracy.

Well, we just might see one (or two) in the near future.

Most recently, Tampa resident Cliff Conatser is resurrecting the water taxi idea. Conastser is the former captain of the Tampa Town Ferry, which operated on the Hillsborough River in the early 90s. As TBO.com reports, he’s already outfitting a boat capable of moving 49 passengers between the Tampa Convention Center, Channelside, Harbour Island and Tampa Heights.

It would cost $5 roundtrip.

That’s fairly similar to developer Darren Booth’s water taxi idea unveiled in July.

Both look like a good plans. But only if people use it.

So, my question is this: If these entrepreneurs initiate their water taxi to service places like the Tampa Convention Center, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Channelside, would you use it? Is $5 a good deal for not having to worry about parking at each venue?

Continuing election day fallout: Opponents of Amendment 2, which banned gay marriage in the state of Florida, are planning a series of rallies and events throughout the state to draw a line in the sand against bigotry.

First, on Saturday Nov. 15, progressives will hold “Shame on 2″ rallies in several Florida cities, including Tampa and St. Petersburg. Join the Tampa rally at the Joe Chillura Courthouse Square in downtown Tampa (across the from the county center at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.).  St. Pete residents will rally at Mirror Lake Park off of First Avenue and Sixth Street North.

But there’s another project underway from Equality Florida — an Undo 2 Campaign. More on that to come.

If you want more info on the rallies, read the press release from the Hillsborough County GLBTA Democratic Caucus after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair held a press conference today at noon to discuss his four years in office that turned into an attack on the newly elected commissioner Kevin Beckner. Reporters guessing that Blair would put his foot in his mouth at his first (last?) press conference after losing his seat to Beckner were not disappointed.

After thanking his family and staff, Blair took questions from various media outlets. He blamed his election loss on about everyone — from Kevin Beckner’s “slanderous and libelous” campaign ads to Blair’s own campaign manager — but himself. But the real jaw-dropper came while Blair was describing the “blantant lies” hurled by Beckner during the campaign:

“There’s a lot of good people that don’t run for office because they know that once they’re in that glass jar, that bubble, they’re going to be attacked. But certainly you have to know the rules. There’s gotta be rules in everything. I mean, how far can you go? Could I say that his boyfriend gave him AIDS or something like that? [Blair starts to stammer] I certainly know that’s not true, and I would never say that. I ran a clean campaign, above-board; I never got into some of the stuff I certainly could have.”  [emphasis added]

Blair, a Republican, said he may pursue legal action against Beckner over some of the comments the Democrat allegedly made while campaigning. He’s also considering filing a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission.

Residents have not seen the last of Blair. He hinted that he may run for Jim Norman’s commission seat in 2010, or the Florida House seat currently held by Rep. Kevin Ambler. For some residents in attendance, including members of the United Citizens Action Network who constantly clashed with Blair over the last few years, any time will be too soon to see the Killer B in office again.

Second best quote from Blair: “You gotta go get my action figures. They’re out now!”

Video after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Feeling the post-election blues? Wondering how you can support your (presidential) man after he already won? Don’t fret Obamaniac — Moveon.org is offering free “Yes we did!” stickers designed by Shepard Fairey, the same guy who designed the infamous “Hope” poster for Obama. Get them here.

Kudos to the Times‘ Eric Deggans for his piece on local radio host Mark Larsen’s choice to wear blackface on his show yesterday — the day after the nation elected its first black president. Larsen insists his little stunt wasn’t racist; he made a bet last year that if America elected a man with the middle name of “Hussein,” he’d come in the next day with blackface.

Because, obviously folks, the connection between “Hussein” and blackface is so clear.

And, of course, his comment about black voters in line looking “like the line for takeout at Big Tim’s Barbecue” wasn’t racially motivated either. Neither was: “I was gonna’ put a ball cap on backwards…you know, ‘yo!’ but Barack Obama doesn’t do that. You know, he’s not a gangbanger, he’s… uh, he works in a stealthy manner, you know with the Weathermen…” Nope. Just being funny.

See the video for yourself:

Larsen told the Times he wasn’t trying to insult anyone:

“I wasn’t making fun of black people,” he said …

And, after Deggans questioned him further:

“If Dave Chappelle can wear whiteface and make fun of white people, then I should be able to do this,” noted the host, who stressed his libertarian political views, saying he would have voted for black Republicans such as Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice.

“The point I’m making is there’s a double standard here, and I don’t abide by the double standard,” Larsen added.

But it isn’t like Larsen just woke up on Election Day and wanted joke about black people. His show has consistently made racial comments — just last year I listened to a bit where he admitted to avoiding South St. Pete and blamed the (majority black) residents there for the violence that had claimed several lives.

Some of the comments on Deggans’ story charge that Larsen should be fired, or his advertisers boycotted.

I don’t agree. Spending time on some campaign to oust him is not worth the effort; Larsen is probably this market’s least listened to talk radio host anyway. The guy endorsed Ron Paul for God’s sakes. And, really, who can take anyone with that mustache seriously?

Last night (and into today), Obama supporters across the country erupted into spontaneous celebration — dancing and cheering in the streets. I didn’t find nearly the exuberance in St. Pete last night, but the rest of the country got downright crazy:

Read the rest of this entry »

Hey, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Tampa’s very own Todd Schnitt — I’ve got two words for ya:

If you’re still undecided and plan to vote this evening after work, take a quick look at the last eight years under President George W. Bush compiled by CL. Would-be Nader supporters should take a peek too.

Read it here.

Lines. Lines. Lines.

Lines at the coffeeshop. Lines at the polling place. Lines at restaurants. Lines of people waving signs. Lines of traffic. The entire day will be spent in lines.

And, funny thing, I don’t mind at all.

It’s all comes down to tomorrow, ya’ll. Election Day 2008. Twenty-two months in the making. From Iowa to Florida, our hearts and minds have been twisted and turned by the media blitz.

So, what’s a few more links, right

Quick and painless guide to voting. No. 1: Find your poll place.

Now, make sure no one steals your vote!

The one voting group you didn’t expect to swing the election.

Watch out for tickets on Election Day, St. Pete residents.

“I expect them to be pretty pissed off.” — Josh Simmons, chairman of the “Gators for McCain” who revealed yesterday that he voted for Obama.

Not surprising: Some St. Pete nutball’s customized political sign urging folks to “Vote White.” What is surprising: The number of yokel neighbors who aren’t bothered by it.

Remember that South Dakota abortion ban defeated in 2006? Well, it’s baaaack.

The art of the prank call, featuring Sarah Palin:

What’s better than FREEdom and democracy? Free food for just doing your civic duty, that’s what.

Tomorrow, several corporate stores are offering free food and drink if you show them your “I Voted” sticker. In fact, so many companies are offering free shit tomorrow that you could theoretically spend the whole day eating without paying a dime. (And for your early voters, many of the stores are going on the honor system and don’t require a sticker. Click the links for details.)

So, in that spirit, I’ve compiled the offers I know about for an Election Day Free Food Extravaganza itinerary. Ah, voting never tasted so good!

Read the rest of this entry »

What’s better than a free cab ride when you’re sloshed at one of those crazy holiday parties?

A free tow!

If you’re a little hesitant about taking a cab ride home because you don’t want to leave your car somewhere sketchy, AAA and Budweiser have partnered up for a free tow service that will take you and your car safely home. “Tow to Go” is free, open to AAA non-members and it’s 100 percent confidential.

So far, Tow to Go has safely removed more than 8,300 drunk drivers from the roads over its 10-year history.

Halloween is one of those heavily “celebrated” holidays, so they’re offering the service tomorrow night through Nov. 2. Take advantage of it by calling 1-800-AAA-HELP. Put it in your phone now and drink to your heart’s content!

We’re No. 1! We’re No. 1!

But it’s not time to celebrate. The FBI’s annual hate crimes report is out and, although hate crimes have dropped across the country, Tampa has earned the dubious honor of having the highest amount of cases in Florida for 2007. The second year in a row.

According to the FBI, Tampa had 13 hate crimes in 2007: eight of those involved race, four involved religion and one was based on sexual orientation.

Now, 13 is just a small slice of the 166 incidents reported in Florida last year. But pinning Tampa’s No. 1 status on its size or population would be a mistake. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the man behind Amendment 2 and the architect of the gigantic Confederate Flag at I-4 and I-75 both live in or around Tampa.

And if past studies are right, we might be No. 1 next year too, based on the homophobic rhetoric coming out of the Amendment 2 debate.

Read the rest of this entry »

Interesting citizen journalism piece from The Uptake on how the McCain camp is conducting its campaign in Central Florida. Go to the 4 minute mark for the good stuff.

I wrote about the monkeys’ escape to freedom a few weeks back, and the subsequent discovery of Lowry Park CEO Lex Salisbury’s little for-profit venture over the summer. The latter story definitely overshadowed the “Great Monkey Getaway.”

But those monkeys are still causing headaches for Salisbury (who is on a leave of absence as the city of Tampa conducts an audit into transactions between Safari Wild and Lowry Park Zoo).

From Tampabays10.com:

The remaining five patas monkeys that escaped from nearby Safari Wild in April have turned up at a 600-acre ranch.

The owner of the ranch says corn has vanished at an alarming rate from deer feeders and the switches and knobs on his tractors were tampered with, draining the batteries on both.

The tiny footprints helped unravel the mystery.

An interview of Joe Biden by an Orlando TV station anchor is starting to garner some national attention. Last week, WFTV anchor Barbara West grilled Biden via satallite over ACORN, “Joe the Plumber” and Karl Marx. She dove into Biden from the outset with a question about ACORN:

“Aren’t you embarassed by the blantant atttempts to register phony voters by ACORN, an organization that Barack Obama has been tied to in the past?”

The remaining questions fit the same bill, seemingly scripted right out of a Sean Hannity playbook, but make your own determinations after watching the video:

Well, Biden became visibly angry about the line of questioning (”Are you joking?”) and, after the interview was through, the Obama campaign cancelled a scheduled WFTV interview with Biden’s wife, along with this message:

“This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,” wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

So are the Bidens thin-skinned or was anchor Barbara West’s conduct unprofessional?

In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel’s TV blog, WFTV news director Bob Jordan defended West saying: “Mr. Biden didn’t like the questions. We choose not to ask softball questions … I’m crying foul on this one.”

Nothing wrong with grilling a VP candidate, but I’m calling foul, too. On WFTV.

Just watch this Oct. 14 interview West conducts with John McCain. She clearly threw McCain several softballs, including her first question, which incidently was about ACORN too:

“Senator McCain, why aren’t you attacking Obama more forcefully for his leading role in voter fraud and for causing the US mortgage crisis?”

That’s not even bringing up the Republican connections with her husband, Wade West, a political consultant whose work has ranged “from local elections, to more than 85 members of Congress and members of the President’s cabinet.” He’s also donated to Central Florida republicans and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

What do you think? Was Barbara West conducting a responsible, hard-hitting interview, or did she get word Fox News was hiring?

On August 9, Rep. Gus Bilirakus organized a Veterans Appreciation Day at East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs. The public was invited to celebrate veterans and enjoy exhibits of military equipment and children activities. But they were also allowed to handle at least one assault rifle, which violates the school district’s weapons policy.

Read the rest of this entry »

In this week’s Urban Explorer, I profiled local crabber Gus Muench and his proposal to turn Cockroach Bay into a sanctuary.

This isn’t the first time Muench has worked with county leaders to protect Cockroach Bay. In 1986, the editorial boards of both daily papers wrote about the local crabber and his mission to preserve Cockroach Bay. It caught the attention of several county leaders, including then-Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt, who was working on a program that would pool a small fraction of county property taxes into a fund allowing the county to buy undeveloped land to preserve. It was called the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Preservation Program (ELAPP).

Read the rest of this entry »

Early voting continues today after a week of record-breaking voting in Hillsborough, Pinellas and other Florida counties. It’s not just Florida — other states are seeing the same large turnout.

As of last night, over 35,000 Hillsborough County voters have performed their civic duty early, no doubt helped by Barack Obama’s push for early voting at his rally on Monday. That day, over 8,000 residents voted early. In Pinellas County 11,154 voters have turned out. That low number is no doubt a result of Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark’s de-emphasis on early voting and reduction of early voting sites.

So if you already know who you voting for and want to avoid the madness that will be Election Day, consider early voting on your way to work this morning. Early voting in Florida lasts until Nov. 1. For your early voting sites:

Hillsborough County residents click here.

Pinellas County, your options are a little more limited as you can only vote at supervisor of elections offices:

• County Courthouse – 315 Court St., Room 117, Clearwater, 33756

• Election Service Center – 13001 Starkey Rd., Starkey Lakes Corporate Center, Largo, 33773

• County Building  – Annex Conference Room – 501 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 33701

From a talk at Northeastern University in Boston:

UPDATE: Jon Stewart clarifies his comments on the Daily Show:

From the Uhurus and peaceniks to homeless advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union, activists across St. Pete are challenging the city’s newest ordinances that prohibit certain activities around Tropicana Field during the World Series and on medians throughout the city.

The median ordinance, which prevents anyone from standing on a median, was passed two weeks ago after city councilmembers expressed concern over the safety of newspaper hawkers and charity groups. But in past discussions of the subject this year, panhandlers were the real catalyst.

Then, last week, city councilmembers passed an emergency ordinance (that did not require the normal two public hearings) to create a “clean zone” around Tropicana Field and downtown St. Pete. This “clean zone” would prohibit commercial vendors from operating around the stadium, but some activists contend it could apply to them as well.

Today, the Uhurus held a press conference condemning the two ordinances and announcing their intention to commit civil disobedience before tomorrow’s World Series game.

Read the rest of this entry »

Some good news from McCain supporters on the election front. After weeks of surprisingly vitriolic attacks on Obama from Republicans at McCain rallies, some McCainiacs confront the outright lies of protesters claiming Obama has ties to radical Islam.

Read the rest of this entry »

Need a costume for that Halloween Party next week? Well, Austin-based cartoonists Ethan Persoff and Scott Marshall have you covered.

They’ve created a ghastly gallery of potential Halloween masks sure to scare the ba-jeezus out of your co-workers, little sister or thin-skinned Republican friends.

Persoff and Marshall have created some ghoulish likenesses of the most politically charged Republicans, plus a DINO and columnist.

Persoff invites anyone/everyone to download the pictures, print them out and scare your fellow man.

(Go to his site to download the larger pics.)

Persoff’s well-executed idea is similar to what some alt-weeklies do every year with an issue dedicated to their city’s “Scariest People,”

I can think of quite a few scary individuals from our neck of the woods. And some would make great masks. But first, I’ll open it up to readers:

Who are the scariest people of 2008?

… and you should have some say in what happens to it.

For the last couple years, the St. Petersburg City Council has alluded to the redevelopment of the Pier. Seems like city leaders are finallly sick of that inverted pyramid look that residents have hated for the last three decades. There’s about $50 million in city and county funds  to throw at the Pier and officials are looking for ideas. From you.

The last two “visioning” meetings are tonight and tomorrow. This is your first (and best) chance to give the city your concept or guidelines for a new pier. Both meeetings start at 6 p.m. inside the Coliseum (535 Fourth Avenue North, St. Petersburg).

If you want to hop on the Rays bandwagon, join other fans at the St. Pete Pier for a celebration.

From the city:

In celebration of the Rays win of the American League pennant, The city of St.
Petersburg invites all Rays fan for a giant celebration at The Pier on Monday
at 5:30 p.m.

Throughout the evening, fans will enjoy a spirited rally with live
entertainment around The Pier, games, family fun and Rays fun and games, all
beneath the glow of The Pier, illuminated in Rays blue for the upcoming World
Series! Get a free “RayHawk” from Tim the Barber and his girls. Have your face
painted with a Rays “Starburst”. Be entertained by street performers from
Fritzy Bros. One Man Circus. Listen to the sounds of the “Sunburn” on the main
stage and watch video clips of the Rays biggest year ever, or hang out in the
Courtyard and groove to the music of “Sound Wave”. The Rays Street Team will
be on hand with promotional giveaways, video games and more. Pier restaurants,
bars and merchants will be open. Festivities are free, and will last until
approximately 9 p.m.

Limited parking is available at Pier lots. Additional parking is located
throughout downtown and the BayWalk Parking Garage (entrance off of 2nd Street
between 2nd Ave. and 1st Ave. N.)  Please, no coolers or pets.

Wonkish types who tire from all the celebrating can head on over to Coliseum for a public meeting on the future of the Pier.

We’ve been told for the last year how much the Super Bowl is going to boost our economy. But, as some have reported before, that’s largely bullshit. The money coming into the Tampa Bay area usually leaves the next day through corporate chains’ profits. Besides some double-shifts, residents don’t see much from all the sports fans staying at Holiday Inns and eating at Applebee’s.

Except for one group. The hustlers.

Con artists, scammers, counterfeiters, panhandlers and other underground entrepreneurs have always done well at large sporting events, especially the Super Bowl. Their profits, however distasteful, often go right back into our local economy (although sometimes through other black market economies like drugs).

I, for one, was looking forward to spending the day circling Raymond James Stadium and talking to vendors selling hats and shirts quickly stitched with one of the battling teams or picking out the best con artist scheme.

But the city of Tampa doesn’t see it the same way and tomorrow the city council will debate (and most likely pass) an ordinance that creates a “clean zone” encompassing several blocks around the stadium and downtown hotels. They’re even saying a house party that charges at the door could be subject to fines.

What ever happened to the “free market?” If I want to buy a $20 Super Bowl XLIII T-shirt that mixes up the roman letters a bit (”Super Bowl XIIIL!”) over a $75 NFL-licensed shirt, isn’t that my right? And where else but on the streets would you find live turtles with NFL logos emblazoned on their shells?

(The city will allow vendors to purchase special permits to sell items, though

I’d like to hear from readers on the best unlicensed vendors you’ve bought from and your thoughts on the “clean zone.”

While you think about it, some other Super Bowl links to the underground:

How to spot fake tickets.

Tricks on how (not) to get into the Super Bowl for free.

In 2006, Canadians saw a spike in their underground economy.

St. Petersburg is following Tampa’s footsteps by creating a “Clean Zone” around Tropicana Field for the anticipated World Series.

Forget the Muslim talk: John McCain supporters are calling for Barack Obama’s head — literally!

Yesterday, at a Pennsylvania McCain rally, someone yelled “Kill him” when a speaker mentioned Obama. (h/t to Pushing Rope).

On Oct. 10, the very same words were uttered by a crowdmember at a Sarah Palin rally in Clearwater.

In August, Brad Blog found numerous instances of death threats on right-wing site Townhall.com, which is often praised by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly.

Those incidents followed a high-profile death threat (that was later dismissed as “racist ramblings from three meth heads”) preceding Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. And the more recent arrest of a man holed up in a Miami hotel room with stockpiles of weapons and ammo.

Scary news for Obama supporters, many of whom secretly fear an assassination attempt on the country’s first African-American nominee of a major party. Of course, nobody says that publicly (except maybe Hillary Clinton) for fear that it might dissuade voters. Nobody wants to support a dead candidate, even if it might create a sure win (see Ashcroft v. Carnahan).

Of course, this is no small thing to Mr. Obama who, in 2007, became the first presidential nominee to request secret service help so early in a campaign.

But perhaps even more disturbing than these (most likely) empty threats is a political culture that breeds such vitriol. Other examples, anyone?

UPDATE: TBO reports that Al Austin, a Tampa-based Republican fundraiser sent out an e-mail today with a joke about killing Obama. He apologizes.

There’s not much good to be said from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 signed by President Bush last week. Taxpayers never liked it, politicians may regret liking it come election day and, as it turns out, the market didn’t like it much either.

But stuck in that ginormous bill was something that is absolutely necessary if the nation is to embrace “green” technologies: a provision extending the federal solar energy tax credits.

These tax credits have been around since 2005, but were set to expire this year, which could have been the death knell to the solar industry. Instead, Congress extended the tax credits for eight years, giving solar panel manufacturers and installers some stability to continue their businesses, and the incentive for other entrepreneurs to follow suit. And that means more options and lower prices to homeowners eager to cut their electric bill and impact to the environment.

The tax credits can give residential or commercial property owners up to 30 percent back on their solar investment. Locally, committed environmentalists have paired the federal credit with the state of Florida’s credits to greatly reduce the cost of solar panels. Read about some of those green-minded folks here.

There are few things I remember as fondly as the Beach Trolley Pub Crawl of 2007. The sardine-packed vehicles, utter horror from bus drivers not accustomed to more than a few beachgoers, the bar owners chastising us for cursing — ah, the (fuzzy) memories! Even if my fellow co-workers thought it was a disaster, I still loved it. So the recent news that the city of Gulfport will expand its waterfront trolley service to St. Pete Beach is music to my ears (in the tune of Judy Garland’s “Clang, clang, clang goes the trolley…“).

The new stops (marked by a pink flamingo sign) include the Pasadena Shopping Center, Palms of Pasadena Hospital, Corey Avenue and Blind Pass. From there you can hop onto the regular PSTA beach trolleys that take you up and down the Gulf Beaches. Trolley service runs once per hour, seven days a week from 7:45 a.m. to 9:50 p.m.

A regular fare is $1.75, but the reductions for seniors, youth and students still apply. Plus, the new trolley will accept PSTA bus passes.

I’m envisioning an all-day trolley pub crawl that begins at O’Maddy’s, stops at the Horse and Jockey Pub in Pasadena for a Guiness, Woody’s off of 75th Avenue on St. Pete Beach and then connecting with the PSTA trolley for some libations at the Undertow, Ricky T’s and Caddy’s. Extra points if you go beyond Treasure Island to the bars that dot the beaches northward.

Who’s with me?!

From the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council’s economy report:

Florida’s coastal economy contributed over $562 billion in revenue in 2006, and Florida’s ocean economy contributed $25 billion in revenue that same year. Of Florida’s 20 major population centers, 15 are located in coastal counties around a bay, estuary or at the mouth of a river that flows into the ocean. Coastal counties contribute about 79% of the state’s economic productivity, with 5.8 million jobs and $226 billion in wages. In 2007, marine research and education, which was measured for the first time, had annual budget of $272.5 million and produced $154 million in annual wages.

So, obviously, the best thing to do is drill for oil and destroy the beaches:

Credit: fmel

“Typical PSTA bus stop.”

— Pinellas Park gadfly/mayoral candidate/business owner Randy Heine.

Any PSTA or HART bus riders have similar experiences with our crappy transit system?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a story on St. Petersburg city officials’ problems with charitable groups feeding the homeless in public. In that story, City Attorney John Wolfe acknowledged the constitutional issues with banning feeding in the parks. In a memo to the St. Petersburg City Council, he mentioned the legal department would be keeping an eye on court cases involving such “no feeding” ordinances.

Well, the latest ordinance against feeding the homeless in public was struck down last week in Orlando.

In a decision by U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell, Orlando’s public feeding ordinance was ruled unconstitutional.

From the Associated Press:

Activists who had been feeding the homeless in Lake Eola Park sued the city in 2006 over the ordinance passed that year.

Attorney Jacqueline Dowd, who represented plaintiffs including First Vagabonds Church of God and Orlando Food Not Bombs, said they were “thrilled” with the ruling.

“We are hopeful that this ruling will have an impact on cities across the country that are thinking of regulating people who want to help those less fortunate,” Dowd said.

Check out the full court ruling provided to CL: orlando-versus-food-not-bombs

Interesting story from the Tampa Tribune on a sex offender living under the Selmon Crosstown Expressway in Tampa.

Zackery Hicks, 42, became homeless after recently released from prison. He couldn’t afford an apartment. He couldn’t live with family, because they lived within 1,000 feet of bus stop and daycare facility. And homeless shelters wouldn’t take him because of his conviction. So he found this field under the Expressway and, due to his mandatory curfew, he must stay in his “residence” from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. or go back to jail.

In essence, a kind of forced homelessness.

Although I’ve never read about another Tampa Bay man in this situation, it is a huge issue in Miami and Dade County. Last year, Miami New Times reporter Isaiah Thompson won a few journalism awards for his series on dozens of sex offenders who were dropped off by prison officials to vacant lots under interstate bridges, because there was literally no other place they could go because of tough sex offender laws. (Read his stories here and here.)

With elected officials looking to enact tougher legislation locally, I’ll bet you’re going to hear about more of these cases.

(h/t to Ybor City Stogie)

In his strongest words to date, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker is giving the green light for the city to adopt the curbside recycling plan offered by Pinellas County. Although he still has reservations about the environmental effect of trucks picking up recyclables (something the county has scoffed at), he told the St. Petersburg Times today that he thinks that issue could be worked out.

From the Times:

“We all want the same things for the environment,” Baker said. “The county solved the money problem, and I’m becoming more convinced that there are ways of addressing these greenhouse issues.”

Baker’s change of heart most likely stemmed from the hundreds of angry phone calls and e-mails of residents after a series of news reports on Baker’s refusal to accept the county’s plan. (I wrote about Baker’s feet dragging back in July and this week.)

And although it’s exciting news for area homeowners, there’s one environmentalist and entrepreneur that is not too excited about it: Greg Foster of St. Pete Recycling Solutions, who spent his savings on the subscriber-based curbside recycling business (See “Curb With Enthusiasm,” Dec. 12, 2007). I haven’t been able to reach Foster, but in past conversations, he’s told me the countywide plan has worried him.

The City Council plans to take up the specifics of the curbside recycling issue at a workshop next month.

“I read the mayor’s article and I think he said, ‘Yes.’ So I’ll stop selling.”

— St. Petersburg City Councilman Karl Nurse at today’s council meeting, referring to an op-ed in the St. Petersburg Times written by Mayor Rick Baker that, at least in part, gives the go-ahead to City Council to implement some type of curbside recycling:

If the City Council elected to go forward with a program that has no cost to St. Petersburg, I would not block it.

Ever since a series of news reports on Baker’s dismissal of Pinellas County’s countywide curbside recycling proposal, the city has been inundated with calls and e-mails from angry residents. So, today, City Council brought up an item to discuss curbside recycling further — something they haven’t done since 2005.

A workshop is scheduled for October.

Ah, it’s Fall again. Dead leaves are falling. The heat is no where close to subsiding. Snowbirds are jamming roads again. And city governments are deciding which amenities to slash and whose jobs to cut.

Right now, the most-buzzed about fights are happening in the beach communities. Treasure Island is withdrawing its funding from the Gulf Beaches Library System. Families will now have to pay $100 to borrow books from Pinellas County libraries. Clearwater has also passed a budget that slashed library funding (among other things).

But Stephen Sarnoff and the Communications Workers of America Local 3179 are not letting Clearwater’s budget cuts go without a fight. Today, they’ll rally at Clearwater City Hall. The full release is after the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

HELPFUL HANDS: Don McClendon (center) and volunteers from We Feed the Hungry Inc.

In this week’s news feature, “Stay Hungry,” I report on St. Petersburg city officials seeking to criminalize feeding the homeless in public. At the forefront of that issue is Don McClendon, who is known to the homeless as the “Chicken Man.” He has been feeding the homeless in Mirror Lake Park for nine years. He’s estimated to have distributed over 400,000 meals in that time.

He’s a mostly private character, and with the exception of a few St. Petersburg Times articles, keeps himself out of the limelight. In order to explain himself better, he sent me this article that explains the “who’s” and “what’s” of We Feed the Hungry Inc. It’s reprinted in its entirety after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

“There’s hungry people in Africa and starving children in China.”

If you were as lucky as me growing up, you had a parent that would admonish you for not cleaning your dinner plate. It’s one of those guilt trips that seems to have passed from generation to generation of parents.

For me, it was my grandmother who would always give me this line. It always made me wonder, though, if I could still forgoe eating my veggies and just send the leftovers to those starving children. Of course not, I’d tell myself; it would spoil on the way. A more realistic solution would have been to give my leftovers to the local homeless, though I never acted on that impulse.

But, before the end of the year, the city of St. Petersburg might do just that.

While reporting this week’s news feature “Stay Hungry,” I spoke at length with St. Petersburg’s social services director Rhonda Abbot about a new project put forward by the St. Pete Homeless Task Force: St. Petersburg Central Kitchen.

Modeled on the 20-year-old Washington D.C. Central Kitchen, the program would gather surplus food from area restaurants, hotels and grocery stores, bring it to a centrally-located building where volunteers would prepare meals from the donated food, and then distribute the meals to soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

As Abbott points out, food waste is the third largest portion of the U.S. waste stream, and yet, less than 3 percent of it is recovered. Food prices are rising steadily, which is putting a burden on local soup kitchens. And the number of hungry individuals is also rising; over 72,000 households in Pinellas County experience “food insecurity.”

The St. Pete Central Kitchen hopes to make a dent in those three unfortunate facts.

After the first phase of the program begins (Abbott hopes to launch before the end of the year), St. Pete Central Kitchen would widen their focus by providing culinary training to homeless individuals, expanding to college campuses and creating community gardens.

“This might solve some of the issues that we have in our city,” Abbott said.

Of course, as with any new homeless proposal, there are some criticisms. Don McClendon, who feeds the homeless at Mirror Lake Park four days a week, walked away from the St. Pete Homeless Task Force after this project was introduced. “Chicken Man,” as he’s called by the homeless, sees the Central Kitchen idea as putting a small bandage on a problem that needs some serious surgery.

“We don’t need another central kitchen,” McClendon said last week. “The real problem is not feeding the people. The real problem is homelessness. Period. And nobody has been bold enough to say, ‘I came up with a plan to fix this.’”

He’s says that money would be better spent creating a one-stop homeless shelter in South County that would offer a full range of services under one roof for the chronically homeless — an idea proposed by the Homeless Leadership Network last year that never materialized.

For more information on the St. Petersburg Central Kitchen, or ways to get involved, call Michael Johnson at 727-528-5763 or e-mailing centralkitchen@pinellashomeless.org.

(Photo Credit: DC Central Kitchen)

OK, so maybe St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker wasn’t so blunt in his rebuff of Pinellas County’s offer to bring curbside recycling to city residents. But he might as well have been.

At last week’s Pinellas County Commission worksession, Mike Connors, the city’s internal services administrator, told commissioners that the city of St. Pete would rather have the county’s curbside recycling money used to reduce tipping fees. (Tipping fees are how much the county charges municipalities to take in the trash at our ever-expanding landfill.)

Of course, this is no surprise to me. Conners told me as much in July. He parroted the same “recycling is bad for the environment” line that Baker has repeated since taking office in 2001. The chief environmental complaint of city officials? The emissions from recycling trucks would cancel out any carbon benefits from recycling.

You can’t make this stuff up.

That claim, repeated again and again, was finally called into question at last week’s  meeting. As the Times reports:

Interim county administrator Fred Marquis asked whether Connors had any evidence to support his claim that dropoff recycling uses less fuel than curbside recycling.

“I’m not able to prove that,” Connors said. “But I’m not so sure anyone can disprove that.”

But the county can.

They claim curbside recycling would save 4.8 million gallons of gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20,900 metric tons. You could argue their statistics are skewed toward their position, but there are two facts St. Pete can’t escape from: 1) St. Pete contributes far more to the landfill than any other city and 2) at this rate, the landfill will take just a few decades to fill up.

Once the landfill reaches capacity, all of Pinellas County will pay higher trash fees and see increased emissions, because garbage trucks will have to travel a few hundred miles to the center of the state.

Mayor Baker’s resistance to curbside recycling simply doesn’t make sense. So, CL readers, please enlighten me on his real reason for opposing curbside recycling?

Bonus Cut: Download a June memo from Pinellas County’s solid waste director Robert Hauser rebutting St. Pete officials claims: Pinellas County Solid Waste Director on Curbside Recycling.

UPDATE: Ever the peacemaker, Karl Nurse is proposing a compromise between the city’s position and Pinellas County’s proposal.

You’ve heard it from us before: shop local.

From the Tampa Independent Business Alliance to my own search for some locally-bought toilet paper, Creative Loafing has championed the cause of buying from your mom-and-pops and avoiding Walmart at all costs.

Now, you have another website to help you shop responsibly: Localshops1.com. (Not sure what the “1″ is for.)

A creation of St. Pete resident Ester Venouziou, the Local Shopper website has listings for seven Florida counties. There’s already about 400 businesses listed on the site.

Check it out here.

I normally hate chain emails.

But I feel compelled to share the latest one I received. No, you won’t get Bill Gate’s million dollars or a chance to view Britney Spears naked, but it might save your dog’s life.

Read the rest of this entry »

In this week’s Urban Explorer, I followed Julie Yoo — the former transgender Tarpon Diner owner — on a job search. If you think finding a job in Tampa Bay is hard in this economy, try doing it as a transgender person. As I note in the article, there isn’t much research on this issue, but I did report on a 2006 survey of San Francisco transgender persons that found only 26 percent of trans people had full-time jobs and more than half lived below the poverty line. And that’s in San Francisco, a famously tolerant city with local nondiscrimination laws.

But there are resources out there for transgender folks. Mik Kinkead, the Transgender Advocacy Fellow for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), sent me a link to one recently: TJobBank, an employment networking website for transgender individuals. TJobBank launched at the end of July, billing itself as the first employment site for transgender professionals.

Read the rest of this entry »

I got another dispatch from Kelly Benjamin, former Tampa City Council candidate and our current RNC man on the ground. A protest ended earlier today near the St. Paul capital and riot police moved in quickly. Just received an ominous text message:

“Full on riot in St. Paul. War zone one block from the capital.”

A little googling found this.

So the shit is flyin’ in St. Paul. And we have some Tampa Bay activists in the thick of it.

This week, homeless advocate Bruce Wright and other local activists joined the anarchists, Ron Paulites, FBI agents, media whores and real whores in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention. As expected, all hell broke loose.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was arrested along with some of her crew under questionable circumstances. Local cops and FBI moles infiltrated and raided several activist houses. Anarchists responded. Cops canceled a rare Rage Against Machine show. And Trojan showed up with, yep, free condoms.
(Check out photos from the Twin Cities’ alt-weekly here and here.)

Here’s a report from Bruce Wright’s first day:

Hello everyone, it’s Bruce with the Refuge. Currently, myself and 2 others from the ministry are at the Republican Convention in Minneapolis to participate in the non partisan Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights March for Our Lives Protest and March. We are sleeping on the streets with the homeless and poor from the Campaign from around the country. Today we will be participating in interfaith service and an arts and cultural event. Tomorrow we will be participating in the large anti war march and that night a Truth Commission that will look at Economic Human Rights VIolations from around the country. We will hear testimony of Human Rights violations of the homeless by Law Enforcement, State, Federal, and Local governments and municipalities. And, finally, it will cuminate in the Poor Peoples March on Tuesday at 11AM. Thus far, the Police have used heavy handed tactics on protesters and organizing centers. And, they have raided and shut down the Poor Peoples Encampment near convention, without just cause or legal right to do so. The Encampment, where we are, has had to move to a low income neighborhood. So, we continue to struggle for our Civil Liberties and right to dissent. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I haven’t heard from Wright since and he hasn’t returned my call. With all the mass arrests, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in a cell right now …

UPDATE: Heard back from Wright. He made it back late this afternoon. He says the police response to the protests was heavy-handed and indiscriminate:

“There was a lot of provoking by the police,” he said. “The vast majority of people that have been arrested have not been troublemakers …  One of the things that was more obvious to me is these cops were way too jacked up. They wanted a fight.”

Wright marched in the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, which attracted thousands. He had a brief cameo in a Democracy Now report:

RICK ROWLEY: The march disengaged from the police and wound through the city, pausing in front of the jail, where hundreds of protesters remained incarcerated.

REV. BRUCE WRIGHT: Reverend Bruce Wright with Refuge Ministries, and I’m with the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, the Tampa Bay chapter of it. And we’re here marching with the Poor People’s Campaign for Economic Human Rights. Today we’re having a march for our lives, representing the needs of the homeless and the poor of our country. There’s been a war ongoing against the homeless and poor, particularly people of color in our country, and we’re tired of it. We’re not going to take it anymore. We believe it’s an issue of justice. As a person of faith, I believe it’s an issue of faith, as well. And that’s why I’m here.

Wright said he’s hoping to bring elements of the Poor People’s Campaign to St. Pete. And judging by the latest attack on the homeless here, Wright will have a lot to protest about.

For six years, St. Petersburg police officer Ken Kokotek mocked his superiors on the law enforcement website, LEOaffairs.com under the anonymous screen name of “Picasso.” He posted rants, doctored photos of the mayor and police chief and eventually moved to JibJab-type video clips.

After announcing his retirement this past May, and passing around some party invitations revealing his alter-ego, the SPPD administration opened an Internal Affairs investigation into his online posts. In July, they concluded if Kokotek had not retired, he would have been fired for posting “denigrating” and “discrimatory” pictures. Now, they’re trying to take his certification so he never works in law enforcement again.

Check out the full story here, along with a slideshow of some of his doctored images.

After the jump, see some more of the videos posted on his site. Read the rest of this entry »

From the St. Petersburg Times:

“New rule could boot dogs out of pickup truck beds”

Quick, someone notify PETA!

Well, I’ll be …

Looks like our friends in the Sons of Confederate Veterans Tampa chapter have moved a little out of the 19th century and gotten themselves a website for their huge flag at I-75 and I-4.

They have a list of news articles, an easy paypal donation form and even a nifty slideshow.

(By the way, if you were driving north of Tampa this weekend, you might have seen the flag being flown again. Although the project is not yet completed, the Confederate folks raised the flag in honor of their fallen Jewish, New Jersey-native supporter, Bart Siegel. For more info on the SCV flag project, check out a CL interview with Marion Lambert.)

In another 50 years, when the state’s population doubles, what will happen to Florida’s wildlife?

An end to the rich animal diversity of our state, suggests a new report conducted by the 1000 Friends of Florida.

Among their findings:

• More than 7 million acres of farmland, woodland and other habitat will be converted to roads, shopping malls and subdivisions.
• Black bears will lose over 2 million acres of land they have now. A fifth of all gopher tortoise land will also be gone.
• The natural land left will be fragmented and increasingly hostile to wildlife.
• Some coastal counties like Flagler and St. Johns could lose as much as half of their current sea turtle nesting sites.
• Floridians are projected to use a billion more gallons of water a day in 2060, threatening protected bodies of water.
• As humans take up more land, animal attacks could increase. If trends hold true, alligator complaints could triple and black bear complaints could skyrocket.

Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve heard him on the radio and on TV, the rumbly voice of oil magnate T. Boone Pickens and his new clean energy plan.

The first time hearing it, you probably thought it was a John McCain commercial. But after listening to his seemingly heartfelt call to stop our “addiction to oil” and move toward more renewable resources, you kind of liked T. Boone Pickens. What better voice for clean energy than an smooth talking oil man from Texas?!

Or, perhaps, you were like me and wondered: “OK, where’s the catch.” After all, isn’t this the same Pickens who funded both Bush presidencies and the Swift Boat attacks on former presidential candidate John Kerry?

Alternet.org has an interesting article on T. Boone Pickens today that debunks the oil magnates sudden change of heart. And though I don’t think anyone should write-off Mr. Pickens yet, it should you give you pause about his real motives.

In the story, journalist Scott Thill outlines Pickens’ investments in hedge funds supported by foreign oil, his own personal stake in natural gas (which he’s promoting as clean energy) and his bad record on water sustainability. His conclusion? That the Pickens’ plan is just a well-advertised Ponzi scheme.

The facts and links Thill put together are too numerous to summarize here, so if you have a few minutes, read the article.

(Photo credit: PRNewsFoto)