Kathleen Ford Frontrunner In New Poll

The poll, commissioned by the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, found 23 percent of voters were still undecided........here

Deveron Gibbons had 11 percent of the vote.

Dr. Howard Dean: Co-ops Don't Work

Public Option is the Only True Reform

Vampires In Ybor City

here

The Kevin White Sex Trial

Obama Picks Fight with Left

In backing away from its support for a public option in healthcare reform, the Obama administration is picking a fight with the liberal wing of the Democratic party. Liberal Democrats have insisted a public insurance option is necessary to ensure competition for private insurers. Just this week, former

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean predicted there could be Democratic primary challenges if a healthcare bill without a public option is approved by Congress..........here

Eco-Friendly Stores in Tampa Bay

This morning I sent out a call to all of our customer list asking them to take a few moments and vote for us in Creative Loafing's Best of the Bay. This year they have a category for Best Eco-Friendly Store........here

Deveron Gibbons Putting Voters To Sleep

Deveron Gibbons has a new mailer designed to put voters to sleep. On the front, the mail-piece has a couple of pictures that basically say "I am down with white voters. You are allowed to vote for me." Gibbons even gives you his cell phone number in case you need a free money order........here

Obama The Loser (If There’s No Public Option)

If Rahm Emanuel thinks he can now shift the discussion to co-ops as the answer to our healthcare woes, then he is sadly mistaken. Howard Dean very clearly pointed out last Friday at Netroots Nation.......here

Sexxy Brandon

Brandon Areana

Longwood's Steven Perezluha, Journeys To Alaska

Steven Perezluha left his home in Longwood on June 8 on his trusty racing bike, three days after graduating from Lake Mary High. He wore his yellow racing jersey, black bike shorts and a helmet. The maps he stashed away were highlighted with back roads and bike trails that crisscrossed the United States and Canada, a distinct path that would guide him for the next 6,000 miles. Steven Perezluha was headed for Alaska........here

Republican Brian Blair To Run For House

He plans to run for Rep. Kevin Ambler's seat (Ambler is running against Hillsborough Commish Jim Norman for Sen. Victor Crist's Tampa seat).......here

I cannot think of anyone more qualified to continue on in the footsteps of Kevin Ambler........Legacy Lover

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Pork Shop

With Spanish Bean Soup And Rice

$5.99.........At Pipos In Town N' Country

Our Man Damon Interviews The Pres.

Via....rc/t

Dr. Jason Newsom Of Bay County

Railed against burgers, french fries, fried chicken and sweet tea in his campaign to promote better eating in a part of the country known for people's unhealthy lifestyles.
He might still be leading the charge if he had only left the doughnuts alone.........here

Via....Out In Left Field

No Competition Allowed In Tampa Bay Taxi Business

While the officials are hiding behind "safety" claims,
the truth is that it's a typical move of regulatory capture by the cab companies, limiting competition so they can keep their prices artificially high and avoid any sort of business model innovation........here

SPCA Tampa Bay Euthansia Rate

The St. Petersburg Times' Kris Hundley writes that many take their pets to the facility in Largo believing it's a "no-kill" shelter. The brutal reality is otherwise. Animals taken in by SPCA Tampa Bay stand about a 50-50 chance of leaving alive...........here

Spring Hill's Jersey Cafe Private Stimulus Plan

Joe and Valerie Cuce would appreciate that their customers not look at them funny Wednesday when they walk into the Jersey Cafe and find that they're giving away food.......here

Hamburger Mary's Bar and Grille Is Coming To Ybor

Mary is coming to Tampa!! After looking for the perfect location for some time now, Mary has found the perfect spot for her newest location. Centro Ybor will be the next location for Hamburger Mary's Bar and Grille ... Mary's going to be working hard for the next few months to get the place up to her standards, so be on the lookout for updates on her progress ... Luv Mary!!

here

Charge Point In Tampa Bay

Forget fuel, goodbye gas guzzlers— the Bay Area is about to get plugged in. Electric car charging station coming. Largo company plans to install first one in Florida.......here

Life On Bayshore Is Great

While the rest of us can jiggle and jostle on area streets all over town, Bayshore Blvd.
will be smoothed out........here

Tampa Before The Electric Car

So much for energy-efficiency and reducing our carbon footprints.
here
“Before these kinds of vehicles came about, our guests would have to wait 45 mintues for a cab,”
.......Ferrell Bonnemort of Cafe Dufrain on Harbour Island

Hop Tampa

State Rep. Darryl Rouson Of St. Petersburg

Is it appropriate for State Rep. Darryl Rouson to lobby Hillsborough County Planning Commissioners pushing sprawl?........here
He openly advocated for a “multi-modal” center out in the far corner of the county, where we purposely do not have urban services such as water and sewer and where the land use designation does not allow for this sort of thing. If Democrats are good for anything, isn’t it usually being anti-sprawl and pro-gay rights? Rouson appears to be neither,
but then I found he used to be a Republican.

Bringing Sunshine to the Netroots Nation

Kendrick Meek
As a candidate running to represent Florida in the U.S. Senate and as a four-term member of Congress with a 15-year public service record, I have taken great pride in representing my constituents to the best of my ability. In recent years, there has been an explosion of new technologies that help elected officials stay more in touch with their constituents..........here

Jadell Kerr For 2009 Moral Courage Award

here

Demoncrat Karen Miracle Of Hillsborough County

The spectacle at the Children's Board in Ybor City sounded more like a wrestling cage match than a panel discussion on national policy, wrote the St. Petersburg Times' Adam Smith........here
Ms. Miracle Needs To Keep Her Hands To Herself.

The Spencerians Are Having A Baby

I recognize that so much is going to change. So much that I can’t even anticipate right now. But some I can. Like this blog. Four-plus years on, and I would really like to keep it going. But there’s no way it can stay the same – and because I know my focus and priorities will change with a baby in the house, I know this blog will change........here

Hippiefest In Daytona Beach

Via....PoHo

The Leftists, Marxists And Fruitcakes

Listeners say Hernando County talk show host Bob Haa may have advocated shooting the president during a recent conversation with a caller.

“So what?” he says. “This is America!”..........here

"Very forthright. My kind of man. We need more like him."
Murray Grubbs, former head of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee

Sotomayor Vote Could Impact Florida Senate Race

If there is one place where any bad feelings from the hearings on Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination could have lasting consequences, it's Florida, the pesky swing state that the second-largest Puerto Rican community outside the island calls home..........more

Peter Schorsch For Best Local Troublemaker

here
"Tampa Bay's political bad boy." - St. Petersburg Times
"Schorsch is a one man election wrecking crew." - Wayne Garcia, Creative Loafing
"The wild-card political consultant." - Howard Troxler, St. Petersburg Times

Local Blogger Tim Fasano

I used to vote Republican until I realized that I was getting the shitty end of the stick.

I have worked all my life to make other people rich. The people that are crashing the Health reform meetings are insane. I bet most of them don't even have health insurance........here

Looks like Tim might be changing sides.

Scenic Courtney Campbell Parkway

One of the most extensive algae blooms in Tampa Bay's history stretches more than 14 miles from Safety Harbor to Weedon Island, and scientists predict it soon could lead to fish kills........here

Captain America In Ybor City

Night of the Living Dead

In Ybor City

John Hummel's Night at the Tampa Health Care Town Hall

I've seen the news lately, so I had an idea of how noisy these events are around the nation. When I arrived, some two hours before the event started at six, there were already 20 some odd people there.........here

Video: Right Wing Thugs In Ybor

Kendrick Meek Chats With Peter Schorsch

Congressman Meek would be in Tampa on Wednesday to open a new field office, sit for a taping with Bay News 9 and was open to an interview with me. Me, a blogger. A card-carrying member of the new media. I couldn't say 'Yes" quick enough...........here

Right Wingers Riot In Ybor City

Glenn Beck's Minions

Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor struggled to make herself heard and eventually cut her appearance short as dozens of people shouted "Tyranny! Tyranny! Tyranny!"........here

Who Would Have Thought People Could Get So Passionate About Protecting Insurance Company Profits?.........Out In Left Field

Stogie Sees Stupid People

Protect Cockroach Bay

A California developer wants to change our Comprehensive Plan to build a "multi-modal" cargo distribution center near Cockroach Bay. Unfortunately, the developer has persuaded the Ruskin Chamber to support this, in the name of "economic development." So unless we get a big turnout of opposition, the commissioners will be led to believe that citizens support this atrocity..........here

Only $20 Million To Fix The Friendship Trail Bridge

Hillsborough County commissioners agreed Wednesday to seek federal stimulus money to fortify the crumbling recreational span that has been closed since November........here

Cost Of The War In Iraq

Tampa Bay Gay Publisher: Big Mistake

Watermark publisher, Tom Dyer, counts missing the Ryan Skipper hate crime murder story the deepest regret of his publishing career. Watermark, a gay publication serving Tampa Bay and other metro Florida areas for 15 years, ran no stories on the Skipper case in 2007 even though it happened in nearby Polk County, between Tampa and Orlando..........here

St. Pete To Privatize Public Sidewalk

The City Council voted 7-1 Thursday to move forward with a controversial plan to privatize the sidewalk fronting BayWalk and improve security at downtown's struggling entertainment complex........here

Council member Wengay Newton cast the lone dissenting vote.

Casitas in the Night

Tampa Daily Photo

Kate Wants Our Vote

You know how I feel about voting. It is our civic duty to make our voices heard.

here

Great Job Democrats!

here

Pinellas GOP Posts Inflammatory Photo

Although the title of the picture is "Evil Clown," and the image bears some resemblance to The Joker of Batman lore, how can this picture not be construed as a racially-motivated attempt to literally paint Barack Obama in "whiteface"?........here

Olivia's Kiss: Chapter 23

Catherine Durkin Robinson

Florida's Offshore Oil Reserves

Some states aren't waiting around for a recovery to fall into their laps. Take Florida, for example. Recently, Florida lawmakers have made a gambit to develop their offshore oil reserves in an attempt to help ease them out of their economic troubles. A recently-filed bill is looking to open up leases for oil drillers off the coast of Florida..........here
One reader sounded particularly excited over the prospect: "Good for Florida. I spend about ten winter weeks there and enjoy sea-swimming on both coasts. I'll also be happy to sit in a beach chair and watch oil rigs through my binoculars. They are more interesting than windmills."

Robinson Preserve in Manatee County

here

Blue Dog Lori Edwards Of Florida

here
Doug Tudor - Democrat For Congress

Lakeland Rapper Goes To Prison For a Song

Authorities say a Lakeland man who used music to vent his frustrations with law enforcement will spend two years in prison for writing a threatening rap song. Antavio Johnson, 20, was charged with two counts of corruption by threat of a public servant after a Polk County gang detective found the song on a MySpace page..........here

Sunset Over Hillsborough Bay

Tampa Daily Photo

The ABCs of Residential Recycling in Tampa

If you’re like me, you need things to be simple. Complexity is a huge road block for me when it comes to consistency. So, when my family moved to Tampa, we were hoping getting involved with recycling was going to be easy. Thank goodness it was!.......here

Gilda Turns 50

Food Inc. At Tampa Theatre

here

Brian Blair Down For The Count

You might have thought pro-wrestler-turned-politician Brian Blair was, excuse the expression, down for the count. During his troubling tenure as a Hillsborough County commissioner, he made dubious news with his God-and-country pontificating when there was actual county business at hand, and later for his crybaby ways when he lost a re-election bid and promptly sued the winner..........here