Mayor Bob: Darn Sure Means Rail

In a speech filled with talk of teamwork and cooperation, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn delivered this don't-mess-with-us challenge: "We can be a region with a first-class transportation system," Buckhorn said during his second State of the City speech on Tuesday. "We need mobility options now. That means bus rapid transit, that means (high-occupancy vehicle lanes), and it darn sure means rail. He went on to allude to Gov. Rick Scott's decision to turn away $2 billion from the Obama administration to build high-speed rail from Tampa to Orlando. "Don't tell me that I have to listen to the mayor of Detroit thank me because he's building his light rail system with our money.

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If he can pull this off he could make people forget about the 6 foot lap  dance rule 
and go down as the greatest mayor this city has ever had.

Florida Students for Equal Funding of Education

After attending the Hillsborough County School Board Student Forum, it came to our attention that Florida's lack of funding for education comes from our very own state legislators' inability to make our public schools a priority. Currently each student in Florida receives $3,000 less in education funds than the national average. As a sophomore at Freedom High School in Tampa, I am directly affected. I've witnessed firsthand the pressure both teachers and students are placed under when students of various academic abilities are placed in a single classroom. In addition, public schools are unable to expand and update programs in the areas of arts and technology.

That's why I created a petition on SignOn.org to the Florida State Legislature and Governor Rick Scott, which says:

Click Here

Tampa Bay Homeless

Homeless Living In Tampa

Neighborhoods Awards Ceremony 2013

New China

What Stogie Had For Lunch
Shrimp with lobster sauce
With Fried Rice and drink.
$4.95 At New China, 3801 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa

Same Old Jeb: Republican Rebrand? Hardly!

If You Build It They Will Come

Ruth: Stop Talking And Build A Rail Line
In 1973, I arrived in Tampa to start my career as an ink-stained wretch. I was 23. One of the big issues facing the greater Tampa Bay area was whether to spend the money to begin development of a light-rail system stretching across the Howard Frankland Bridge eventually linking Tampa to St. Petersburg and Clearwater. It was decided by the powers that be there should be extensive discussions on the subject before moving ahead.It is now 2013, 40 years later. I am 63. And everyone is still talking without so much as a single rail spike to have ever been driven into the ground.
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Poll shows public support for publicly financed light rail.
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Folks that want to help.
Vote Transit
Connect Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Homeless

Homeless Living In Tampa

What stogie Had For Lunch

Hot Dog
With fries and a drink.
$3.50 at The Yellow Food Truck across the street from the Marion Transit Center in Tampa.

Stephanie Wilkerson Of Tampa

Brutal School Bus Driver

The surveillance video below shows school bus driver Stephanie Wilkerson viciously kicking an eight-year-old girl off a bus last year. The incident occurred on September 28, 2012, outside Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School in Hillsborough County, Florida. The eight-year-old girl is autistic, according to WTSP, the local CBS affiliate. She suffered a fractured ankle when she fell to the ground. Wilkerson, 41, has been fired. Shecurrently faces a charge of aggravated child abuse.
See the video here.
See her at HCSO here
What a awful person. Yuck!

St Pete For Peace Celebrates 10 Years Of Resistance

Preserving Florida’s History

Researchers at USF St. Petersburg are working to digitize a treasure trove of Spanish documents that shed light on Florida’s past in St. Augustine.

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Occupy Tampa Jams Interstate Traffic

With ‘No Keystone XL Pipeline’ sign
At i4 and 301 in Tampa, Police respond.
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Help Feed Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Staff

What Stogie had for lunch.
$4.00 At the food truck across the street from the Marion Transit Center in Tampa.
What Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said about the sequester. "We're really starting to see the effects of that in our office," she said. The cuts have also affected the quality of life for congressional aides, said Wasserman Schultz,  At the hearing, for example, she said prices of meals in House restaurants are getting so high that aides are being "priced out" of a good meal.

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Rick Scott: Worst Decision A Governor Has Ever Made

Remember we could of had High Speed Rail with $2.3 billion in investment money from the feds. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio called Gov. Rick Scott’s rejection of $2.3 billion in high-speed rail money “an unbelievable decision. In my 26 years in public life, I think this is the worst decision a governor has ever made,”

here

 Scott is down 12 points, 52-40; against Pam Iorio in a new Public Policy Polling survey.

Let's make her our Governor!

here

Stop Parent Trigger Legislation in Florida

A quality public education is the foundation of a bright future -- for our children, our state and our nation. But in Florida, a bill entitled “Parent Empowerment” will do the exact opposite. This bill, also know as the Parent Trigger bill, will take away our rights as parents and concerned community members to have a say in our children's education, and will empower for-profit management corporations to put profits first. Sign the Petition 
here

Two (NotSo) Favorite Sons Of Florida

Floridians Love The The Golden Girl
Hillary Clinton has double-digit leads over Rubio and Bush in the 2016 presidential race in Florida, according to a Quinnipiac University poll on Thursday. Clinton leads former Gov. Jeb Bush, 51 percent to 40 percent, and tops Sen. Marco Rubio, 52 percent to 41 percent, in the survey of Florida voters.
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Buzztime At Gaspar's Patio

Ace Buzztime player and Ybor Stogie team member Sonny with Greg, NTN Florida representative.
Buzztime is back at Gaspar's Patio in Temple Terrace. You can stop in anytime and play but on Wednesday nights Greg has taken it to a whole new level. If you have never played this game you should. It is candy for your brain. Call 813.988.6959 for times.

Good Cop "Chad" Likes Local Doughnuts

Krispy Kreme server Michelle Ross reacts after Tampa police horse Chad pulls a paper with a jelly doughnut she was serving at the drive-through at the Krispy Kreme on Kennedy.
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To help Special Olympics Florida
click here
Great job SKIP O’ROURKE

Reo At The Grayhound Bus Station In Tampa

What Stogie Had For Lunch
Picadillo
With red beans and rice.
$6.95 at the Grayhound bus station in Tampa.

Conservative Activist Rejects Domestic Partner Registry, Transit And Something About Gays

We Won -- Again

Yesterday morning over 50 citizens helped represent you in front of the Hillsborough County Commission to get the conversation started there about how to create more options after two and a half years of silence. We won. It was a unanimous vote to bring the cities and transportation agencies to the table within 6 weeks to find a way to create economic development and improve quality of life by creating more transportation options. You made this happen. Many said it wouldn’t happen and that you couldn’t get it done, but the Hillsborough County Commissioners listened to you and we won.

Please take a minute to send the Commissioners a note to thank them for this step
– and ask them to keep moving forward.
here

Sweetbay Of Tampa Bay

Sweetbay Supermarket is now selling only seafood caught and farmed in sustainable ways to help ensure the long-term survival of the species. The policy announced Tuesday covers 2,500 products sold at stores, from fresh, frozen and canned seafood
to items containing seafood as its primary ingredient, such as soups.
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My family and i did not eat tuna for years back in the 80's until they made it dolphin safe. To this day we will not touch Star Kist Tuna. I remember their CEO saying that they were going to go dolphin safe not to help the dolphins but becouse the boycott must of been working and sales were down.

Tampa Bay's Iraq War Dead

46 service members from this region have perished in the war as of March 19, 2013:

• Army Capt. James Adamouski, 29, Tampa. Iraq, April 2, 2003.

• Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew J. Aviles, 18, Tampa. Iraq, April 7, 2003.

• Army Pfc. Roberto C. Baez, 19, Tampa. Iraq, Oct. 3, 2005.

• Army Pfc. Brandon K. Bobb, 20, Riverview. Iraq, July 17, 2007.

• Army Sgt. Dennis J. Boles, 46, Homosassa. Kuwait (Iraq War), Oct. 24, 2004.

• Marine Lance Cpl. Brian Rory Buesing, 20, Cedar Key Iraq, March 23, 2003.

• Army Spc. David A. Croft Jr., 22, Plant City. Iraq, Jan. 5, 2010.

• Army Staff Sgt. Wilbert Davis, 40, Tampa. Iraq, April 3, 2003.

• Army Pfc. Marc A. Delgado, 21, Lithia. Iraq, Nov. 24, 2005.

• Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua W. Dickinson, 25, New Port Richey. Iraq, Dec. 12, 2004.

• Army Sgt. Dennis J. Flanagan, 22, Inverness. Iraq, Jan. 20, 2006.

• Army Sgt. Denis J. Gallardo, 22, St. Petersburg. Iraq, Nov. 22, 2005.

• Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ronald A. Ginther, 37, Auburndale. Iraq, May 2, 2004.

• Army Spc. Cody C. Grater, 20, Spring Hill. Iraq, July 29, 2007.

• Army Staff Sgt. John L. Hartman Jr., 39, Tampa. Iraq, Nov. 30, 2006.

• Air Force 1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton, 24, Tampa. Iraq, Sept. 8, 2009.

• Army Sgt. 1st Class David A. Heringes, 36, Tampa. Iraq, Aug. 24, 2007.

• Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell, 37, St. Petersburg. Iraq, July 26, 2007.

• Army Spc. Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, Clearwater. Iraq, April 14, 2008.

• Army Sgt. Bryan Luckey, 25, Tampa. Iraq, June 29, 2006. Army

•Sgt. Marcus C. Mathes, 26, Zephyrhills. Iraq, April 28, 2008.

•Army Sgt. Benjamin E. Mejia, 25, Tampa. Iraq, May 31, 2006.

• Army Pfc. Patrick J. Miller, 23, New Port Richey. Iraq, March 29, 2008.

• Marine Sgt. Lea Robert Mills, 21, Masaryktown. Iraq, April 28, 2006.

• Army Pfc. Jody W. Missildine, 19, Plant City. Iraq, April 8, 2006.

• Army Pfc. Louis Niedermeier, 20, Largo. Iraq, June 1, 2005.

• Army Pfc. Cody J. Orr, 21, Ruskin. Iraq, Jan. 17, 2004.

• Marine Lance Cpl. James R. Phillips, 21, Plant City. Iraq, Dec. 23, 2004.

• Army Staff Sgt. Michael B. Quinn, 37, Tampa. Iraq, May 27, 2003.

• Army Cpl. John T. Rivero, 23, Tampa. Kuwait (Iraq War), April 17, 2003.

• Army Spc. Alexis Roman-Cruz, 33, Brandon. Iraq, Nov. 16, 2005.

• Army Pfc. Jonathan M. Rossi, 20, Safety Harbor. Iraq, July 1, 2007.

• Army Sgt. Michael D. Rowe, 23, New Port Richey. Iraq, March 28, 2006.

• Army 2nd Lt. Charles R. Rubado, 23, Clearwater. Iraq, Aug. 29, 2005.

• Army Spc. Raymond A. Salerno, 27, Land O'Lakes. Iraq, July 16, 2006.

• Army Staff Sgt. Wentz J. H. Shanaberger III, 33, Zephyrhills. Iraq, March 24, 2004.

• Army 1st Lt. Kevin J. Smith, 28, Brandon. Iraq, Dec. 8, 2005.

• Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, 33, Tampa. Iraq, April 4, 2003.

• Army Sgt. James D. Stewart, 29, St. Petersburg. Iraq, June 21, 2005.

• Army Sgt. Robert Surber, 24, Inverness. Iraq, June 3, 2007.

• Army Maj. David G. Taylor Jr., 37, Tampa. Iraq, Oct. 22, 2006.

• Army Sgt. Antwan L. Walker, 22, Tampa. Iraq, May 18, 2005.

• Marine Lance Cpl. Kevin G. Waruinge, 22, Tampa. Iraq, Aug. 3, 2005.

• Army Chief Warrant Officer Aaron A. Weaver, 32, Floral City. Iraq, Jan. 8, 2004.

• Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Wilt, 23, Tampa. Iraq, Sept. 3, 2004.

• Army Lt. Col. Peter E. Winston, 56, Plant City. Iraq, Nov. 13, 2006.

Compiled from Times files, Associated Press casualty databases.

Pam Iorio for Governor

Show Pam and Florida that she has the backing of Floridians in this state. Rick Scott must go. When a politician ignores the people of his own state and puts politics before the economy of this great state, it's time for that politician to go. Pam Iorio supported High Speed Rail, she understood the economic benefits for Tampa and what it meant for Orlando and all of Florida. Crime remained low under Pam and she took a very hard but needed fiscal approach to the city budget during the Late 2000's recession. The state needs a politician and citizen like Pam to get this state on to the path of opportunity for all, and not just for the few.

here
Scott is down 12 points, 52-40; against Pam Iorio in a new Public Policy Polling survey.

Crimes Against Humanity

It seems that my memory has been on  steroids these last few days. On this the 10th  Anniversary of the Iraq war there are so many things to remember. Not only the birth of this blog but how hard i tried to show my family and friends the huge mistake we were about to make. I remember Michael Moore and the way he was maligned and ridicule, i remember the Dixie chicks and the way they were treated. I remember the millions of protesters all over the world. I remember the ban on photos of soldiers' coffins as they returned.  I remember Free speech zones (also known as First Amendment Zones) or Free speech cages, I remember our  brave politicians who spoke up people like Florida's Robert Graham, Howard Dean, Lincoln Chafee, Barrack Obama, Carl Levin, Nancy Pelosi, The late Paul Wellstone, Daniel Akaka, Barbara Boxer, Robert Byrd,Ron Paul, Jon Corzine, Richard Durbin,Russell Feingold, Daniel Inouye James Jeffords, The late Edward Kennedy and many more. But most of all i think of this wonderful place called  The Hague in the Netherlands, a place where they take war criminals and people who have committed crimes against humanity. The sad part is there are people that belong there
 that never make it.

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County 25th Anniversary

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County provides a hand-up, not a handout, with affordable homes and no-interest mortgages for deserving families currently living in substandard housing. In honor of our 25th Anniversary, please join our staff and board bypledging a donation of a $25 minimum to "raise the roof" on a home.Whether you donate $25, $50, $100 or more, your generosity will move us closer to our goal of $25,000 to bring down the cost of the home and provide the necessary building materials to sustain the mission of Habitat Hillsborough.

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