Florida High Speed Rail May Get Back On Tracks

With indications from the Obama team that a stimulus package will put resources towards infrastructure projects, there is new hope in Florida that the on-again, off-again, high speed rail proposal might find new life............here

David Taylor's Story

Shows that recent economic forces can drive out even the most conscientious, sophisticated and successful local retailers. His natural and organic food store, Nature's Harvest Market, was an institution in Tampa, first on Dale Mabry Highway and for the past 18 years on MacDill Avenue..........here

Left Ybor City In The Early 1990s

Perhaps no sign of support is clearer than the election of Kevin Beckner, the county’s first openly gay commissioner. He defeated Brian Blair, a supporter of the county’s ban on recognizing gay pride.......here

The Redemption Of Howard Dean

Barack Obama's victory is proof that the DNC chair's 50-state strategy has revitalised the Democratic party........here

Donna Manion Leads Creative Tampa Bay

John Esposito In Tampa

Esposito was in Tampa on Saturday to address a banquet for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). WMNF spoke with Esposito..........here

Standing-Room-Only For Kevin Beckner

Democrat Kevin Beckner took the oath of office before a standing-room-only crowd that spilled into the first floor at County Center.......here
Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner
Nice Job Hillsborough County

Hispanic Panic For The GOP

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, a Cuban-American Republican from the Miami area, puts it bluntly: "We have a very, very serious problem." He is referring to the GOP's lack of support among Hispanics, which could derail the party's future presidential hopes.........here

Tampa Mayor Iorio Makes Headway On Mass Transit

Now, two years after Iorio sent a "white paper" to hundreds of local lawmakers and business leaders urging them to reconsider light rail for the region, it appears a new County Commission has the votes to put a mass transit tax before voters........here
Tampa Rail

Al Ford

"He was the most wonderful man in the world," said his wife of 26 years, Joyce Ann. "He was so generous, kind, loving and sensitive. He always cared about other people. He always did for other people and put himself last. He was a fabulous husband, perfect in every way.".......here

Tampa Police Horse Sequence

Sequence had a rough Sunday morning patrolling the streets of Ybor City..........here

Fort Myers, Florida Sees Marriage Equality Protest of One

I'd just like to take a moment to salute our reader Jack, who was the sole protester at Fort Myers, Florida's City Hall on Saturday.........here

Angel's Paw Wash

Sunday November 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m
A malnourished pitbull is now on her way to recovery thanks to the kindness of others. Rescuers, with Pit Positive, an animal rescue group, have taken in the dog who they named Angel because of her amazing recovery..........here

Climb Tampa

Join us for one of the most unique events in Tampa Bay. On March 21, 2009, hundreds of people will huff and puff their way climbing the 42 flights in the Bank of America Plaza in downtown Tampa.........here

Ybor City: Roostergate 2008

Roostergate 2008 started a little more than a week ago, when a trapper appeared in Stephens' backyard with orders to capture wild chickens he feeds every day. Someone had complained Ybor's wild roosters were strutting into a business and scaring off patrons, said licensed trapper Mike Martinez........here

Riverview Obama Party

Hi! I'm Louise Vincent, one of your neighbors in Riverview. Like so many others, I've been savoring Obama's historic victory -- and I want to make sure we keep the momentum going! So on Thursday, 11/20, I'm hosting a "Fired Up and Ready to Go" gathering for everyone in the area who wants to keep this campaign going--and you're invited!.........here

Old Vs. Modern Florida

Florida is and has long been two fundamentally different states tenuously glued together by artificial geopolitical boundaries that have long since been rendered culturally obsolete...........here

Florida's Latest Pest: Hissing Cockroaches

Be on the lookout for Madagascar hissing cockroaches, which make your garden variety cockroach look like a wuss.......here

Two Guys From Tarpon Springs

This year, Florida voters could choose from 13 presidential candidates, many from parties people never knew existed. Voters also had a 14th option — a blank line next to the words "Write-in."........here

Brian Blair's "Checkers Speech"

At the County Center Thursday hinted ominously at legal action against his opponent, Commissioner-elect Kevin Beckner. Without taking any personal responsibility for his 50,000 vote loss, Blair blamed "slanderous and libelous" ads and gave credit only to Beckner's campaign manager for outsmarting his campaign manager...........here

"There's got to be rules for everything. I mean how far can you go? Could I say that, you know, that his boyfriend gave him AIDS or something like that? I certainly know that's not true.".......Brian Blair

Buddy Johnson's Vote Stash

The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office is trying to figure out how 844 absentee ballots went uncounted on election night over one week ago...........here

Canadian Author Goes to the Dogs in Tampa

Award-winning author Marsha Boulton is going to the dogs this weekend in Tampa. In partnership with the ASPCA "Mission Orange," Ms Boulton is launching "Wally's Week - Tampa" at Tampa's huge Pet Adoption EXPO at the State Fairgrounds on Saturday, November 15.......here
Lost Angels

Inaugural Seating Chart

Delusional Right Wing Governors Gather In Miami

Gov. Charlie Crist is the host, but he's not the star of the Republican Governors Association annual convention. The star of the show, without doubt, is Gov. Sarah Palin, almost unknown outside her home state of Alaska just three months ago........here

Water Taxis Coming To Tampa?

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............here

Republicans In Disarray In Hillsborough County

If it took a wrecked economy and a languishing war in Iraq for the United States to elect a black man as president, it took a former pro wrestler and a chicken-and-dumplings entrepreneur to force Hillsborough County to return to the Democratic party...........here

Don't Be A Sore Loser Brian Blair

Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair said he wanted his goodbye news conference to be an "upbeat" affair, but the wrestler in him couldn't leave the ring without a few shots at the opponent who whipped him...........here

Inkwood Books: Tampa Florida

Inkwood Books is another proud independent, located near Tampa's historic Hyde Park. The store is a converted 1920s bungalow, with a friendly and casual atmosphere. They've been around for about seventeen years and they are staunchly independent and members of IndieBound........here

Tampa Bay Obama Volunteers Holiday / Victory Party

Friday, December 5th 7pm
American Legion Post 248
2105 W Jamaica St
Tampa.........info

Neighbors Keep Up Appearances In Struggling Tampa Suburbs

Jordan Glass has pulled out his green Murray lawn mower 30 times in the past seven months. Not to groom his own yard, but that of vanishing neighbors, suburbanites who fell on hard times and felt their only recourse was to abandon their homes........here

Tampa Tribune Losing Perspectve, Personality, Respect

It turns out that Media General laid off another 80 people this week, including 18 from the Tampa Tribune newsroom. That newspapers are in dire straits is not news. Reporters are losing jobs across the nation as they trim the fat. But our local daily is completely cutting out all of the marble and cleaving the meat - leaving us with no flavor and little substance........here

Rate Increases Approved for Progress Energy, TECO

Customers of Progress Energy and Tampa Electric will see significantly higher bills starting in January. Both utilities had asked to increase electric bills to pay for the soaring cost of fuel.

The Public Service Commission unanimously approved those increases Wednesday.......here

Making Progress Making Things

A tiny bit of disbelief, given all that we've witnessed in elections past (especially in Florida). Intense pride, given all the racist blather I'd seen, heard, and read these past two years, that America had elected a brilliant man to its highest office, based on the content of his character instead of the color of his skin.........here

Florida Governor Announces Terms Of Everglades Deal

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist today announced the final terms of a deal with the U.S. Sugar Corporation that would give the state control of more than 180,000 acres of the Florida Everglades, and allow the company to remain in business............here

Save The Ybor City Roosters Rally

Sunday 3 p.m.
1908 E Fifth Ave. Ybor City

Ned The Tampa Elephant

He weighs a ton less than he should weigh. His cheeks are gaunt. His shoulder blades, sternum, hips and spine protrude from his leathery 9-foot-6 frame. But 21-year-old Ned, a captive-born Asian elephant from Tampa, wobbled slowly out of a trailer Sunday into a new phase of his life........here

Florida, Where 62% Of The Voters Are Bigots

I wish everyone well in Florida, but if I had my way, the tourist industry would take a huge dump. I am encouraging everyone I know not to visit ar vacation there...........here

Inside A Converted Cigar Factory In The Heart Of Ybor City

A group of Barack Obama staffers hunch over their laptops in intense, nearly silent concentration. This is the nerve center of Obama's Florida operation, and the election is four days away........here

Chickens of Ybor City

No one really knows how long chickens have been roaming Ybor City. I’d guess they have been there since the late 1800s, but I know I have seen them strutting around Ybor for the last 25 years or so, which makes the “Chickens of Ybor City” an older franchise than many of the businesses currently found on 7th Avenue........here

Great Job Howard Dean

After four years at the helm of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean is preparing to relinquish his chairmanship........here

WMNF: The Beatles White Album 40th Anniversary

Saturday Nov 22, 8:00PM - Skipper's Smokehouse - Tampa

info

ASAP: Homeless Services St. Petersburg, Florida

Our Mission...is to provide housing and basic necessities to the homeless through a Drop-In-Center and Emergency Shelter. Our focus is to guide individuals toward achievement of self-sufficiency and independent living..........here

Seminole Heights Country Hoe-Down Porch Party

November 29th, 8:00 pm at 120 West Hiawatha Street. Tampa

Regardless Of Vote, Tampa's Black Faithful Support Obama

Religion and politics often conflict and are perhaps best not discussed in good company; but they received equal time Sunday in the pulpits and pews of predominantly black congregations in the Tampa Bay area...........here

Lieberman Must Go!

We CANNOT tolerate a leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus who supports George Bush and McCain's War in Iraq. We CANNOT tolerate a Democratic chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee who endorses and stumps for McCain. We call on the Senate Democratic Steering Committee to strip Joe Lieberman of his chairmanship and his leadership role.

Buddy Johnson Needs To Be Investigated

Rep. Kathy Castor asked the U.S. Justice Department to intervene in the Hillsborough County election debacle, citing concerns about the slow counting of ballots from Tuesday's general election
and reported irregularities in the voting process...........here

Save The Friendship Trail

The Friendship Trail Bridge was closed indefinitely Thursday, severing the only link between Tampa and St. Petersburg for pedestrians, cyclists and inline skaters........here

2008 Tampa Bay Heart Walk

This year was extra special because we were walking for Kelly's (beach wedding) baby, Aaron, who was born with a heart defect and, unfortunately, passed away after his first surgery.......here

Tampa Rejects 25-Year TECO Deal

About 40 residents of Seminole Heights criticized the utility for butchering trees and spoiling the aesthetics on the public land where power lines run. Environmental advocates want to seize this opportunity to force the utility to do more with renewable energy...........here

Ernest Hooper's Grandmother

Ann Nixon Cooper, 106, Ernest Hooper’s grandmother, was featured in Obama’s victory speech Tuesday night........here

Tampa Bay We Did It!

Congratulations To:

PoHo, Sticks Of Fire, Pushing Rope, Tiny Little Dots, Litbrit, Out In Left Field, Tampa's Back Door Ways, WMNF, Tommy In Old Seminole Heights, Mariella Smith, Tampa Bay O-Train, Re/Creating Tampa, DFA Tampa Bay, Madfloridian, The Spencerian, Little Joe, Tampa Bay Blue, Bartlett Park, Brown Suger Pages, David Pinero, Daniel McKay, C4RG, The Official and Uncensored Beat Brian Blair, The Blair Watch Project

Brian Blair And Buddy Johnson Have A Good Life.

If I Left Anyone Out Please Let Me Know.

John Edwards For Attorney General