Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Tampa Greets Jeff Sessions


 Jeff Sessions Inside

Outside















TPD

Gaslight Park looking good for Mr. Sessions.
Bet the downtown restaurants took a hit today

The Taco Truck was there


Welcome ended - TIA Bound 

Tampa Bay Homeless

Meet Gator

Luis Blanco Family Solidarity Fund

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“This is our opportunity as a community to stand in solidarity with the Blanco family.... Let us respond to this evil act of ripping apart this family with acts of love and support.” Marc Rodrigues

Ybor City Artist

Ybor Art Colony
Like them on Facebook

Justice for Andrew: Protest and Vigil in Tampa

2.9 - 5 PM
Florida State Fairgrounds

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Picadillo
With Garbanzo Bean soup and Yellow Rice
At  La Tropicana in Ybor

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Free Peltier Rally In Tampa












 Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse
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Free Leonard Peltier

Water Street Tampa Underwater

Vinik Downtown Project in Deep Trouble!
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The Boston Globe said Vinik “reinvented” himself but Tampans have discovered that only applies superficially.

Water Street Tampa, the highly-touted $3 billion “vision” of local businessman and Tampa Bay Times investor Jeff Vinik, is in deep trouble and may be taken over and/or liquidated by Cascade Investment, the Bill Gates-owned equity firm that provided financing.
Several highly-placed sources within the Tampa Bay business community confirmed that information 
to Tampa Bay Beat.
One termed Vinik’s situation as “desperate.”
Another asserted Strategic Property Partners, Vinik’s development company, will take an “all or nothing gamble” to save the project.
A third mused that he would never trade places with the beleaguered former hedge fund manager.
All agreed that Millennials, the heart and soul of innovation and high-tech, lack motivation to relocate here. National headlines emanating from Tampa over the past several years make the city uninviting to innovative, progressive companies as well as established ones with conservative pedigrees.
Promised: a Fortune 500 company, a health-oriented grocery store, a bevy of health and medical research companies and organizations.  The only firm commitment so far was built on campaign contributions, aka bribery, and involves a move from the University of South Florida campus to downtown.
A wash for the local economy, a loss for Temple Terrace, and, presumably, a gain for Tampa. Zero sum.
Vinik’s project has long lagged behind his original schedule.  The size and nature of the project has been ephemeral as specific benchmarks have 
failed to materialize.
If Water Street Tampa goes down the tubes, a couple of hundred million dollars in public funding will circle the drain as well.  Then there is the collateral Vinik put up for the loan.  Let’s take an educated guess:
—-The Tampa Bay Lightning, a franchise valued at $390 million by Forbes magazine.  A new owner may lead the Stanley Cup parade. Maybe the festivities will include a grand jury instead of a Grand Marshall.
—-Amalie Arena.  Best guestimate: $600 million.
—-Share of Tampa Bay Times property that “collateralized” Vinik’s $1.5 million “investment” into the failing news entity. Peanuts. $4 million tops.
—-Vinik’s Sarasota monstrous estate just off St. Armands Circle in Sarasota.  Built for approximately $30 million including land, it more resembles a museum or mental ward and probably cannot be liquidated 
for quite that much.
By Jim Bleyer - Tampa Bay Beat

RIP Lieutenant Robert Guthrie

This good cop has passed away. Lowndes County 
we are mourning with you. here

Ybor Space


Men's Restroom at The Reservoir 

The End Of Establishment Democrats?

At least 6 progressive insurgents managed to out-raise their establishment Democratic opponents in House races in the final quarter of 2017, a stunning development that threatens to upend the way the party goes about selecting candidates. here
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The fundraising upsets reflect a burst of progressive energy. But, not so fast. The establishment Dems are not giving up their power so easily.  Grassroots Progressive candidates who signed Up to battle Trump must get past the Democratic Party first. here
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They will keep nominating unelectable candidates and the cycle of loosing will continue.

GOP Steals $12.5 Million From Miami/Dade Taxpayers

Holding federal immigration detainees in local jails has been ruled unconstitutional.
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Yet according to a report by multiple local civil rights groups Miami-Dade's infamous anti-sanctuary policies have cost taxpayers $12.5 million in 2017 and are on pace to cost the county $13.6 million annually. here
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Pic Miami-Dade County Mayor republican Carlos Gimenez

Ybor City Homeless

Meet Barbara

Monday, February 5, 2018

Visionary Ed Turanchik

Tampa's Grassroots mayoral candidate
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"Ed Turanchik has been so important to Tampa Bay. We need a visionary and one that can get things done. I'm so happy he's jumped in to the Mayor's race. I look forward to serving with him to build the Tampa/Hillsborough County we need for the 21st century!" Pat Kemp
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Turanchik said he isn’t worried about competing for campaign cash. He says his three decades of public service and advocacy have earned him legions of supporters who will knock on doors on sweaty summer nights.

Trump And Scott's Scheme To Destroy Florida's Wetlands

Trump and Rick Scott have been working on a play to make it easier and faster for developers to wipe out our natural wetlands. here

Ybor Paparazzi

Katherine

Tell Trump No Drilling Off Florida's Coast

Now's the time to speak up, because the Department of the Interior has recently opened a public comment period. Add your name to submit a public comment to the Department of the Interior. here
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Petition is sponsored by Andrew Gillum, Bill Nelson, 
Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Gov. Jay Inslee, Rep. Nanette Barragán, Rep. Don Beyer, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Rep. Matt Cartwright, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Rep. Suzan DelBene, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Ruben Gallego, Rep. Jim Himes, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Annie Kuster, Rep. Ted Lieu, Rep. David Loebsack, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Chellie Pingree, Rep. Brad Schneider, Perry Gershon, Paul Kerr, David Richardson, Harley Rouda, Chris Giunchigliani, 314 Action Fund, 350.org, Amazon Watch, Arizona Democratic Party, Daily Kos, Democracy For America, Democratic Conservation Alliance, Friends of the Earth Action, League of Conservation Voters, LeftAction, Red to Blue California, SEEC PAC and Stand.earth. Sponsorship of this petition does not constitute an endorsement between participating candidates and organizations. By signing, you may receive emails from these sponsors updating you on the progress of this campaign and other important projects. (You may, of course, unsubscribe at any time.)

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Coin In Ybor City







The Ritz - Ybor

Andrew Gillum Fan: Ray DiPasquale

Drug War Veteran at Activist Marijuana Legalization
here
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“Legalize it. Tax it. Use the revenue to fix Florida's public schools and move us up from 29th in the nation to #1.” 
Andrew Gillum
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Join Tampa Bay for Gillum 2018

Ybor City Musicians

Tristan and Katie

Saturday, February 3, 2018

2nd Annual Beatles Era Art Festival - Dunedin

Medicare For All Rally - Tampa

2.14 - 9:30 AM
Sam M. Gibbons Federal Courthouse

The Florida Public Education Trainwreck Bill

Purposely tucked in to a huge education bill with a handful of good proposals, HB 7055 has a number of highly destructive measures. HB 7055 includes a partisan attack on Florida's teachers and their union and an expansion of private school vouchers.
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Call your Florida state legislators today and tell them to oppose HB 7055: a shameless bill designed to weaken our local public schools. here