Three Journalism Heavyweights Visit Tampa Bay

The amount of journalism talent in the Tampa Bay area is about to reach ridiculous levels this week..........here

Hundreds March In St. Petersburg

They marched for Paris Whitehead-Hamilton on Good Friday.
More than 200 strong, they marched along 18th Avenue S in Bartlett Park clutching posters of the little girl. Dozens of family and friends wore her picture on white T-shirts........more

Tampa Bay's Suite Caroline

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County

Needs Some Volunteers

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Yvonne Gordils at

volunteers@habitathillsborough.com

with the date you wish to volunteer.

Super Pam

Tampa police say focusing on four crimes since 2003 brought an across-the-board improvement.They used the word “astonishing” to describe the numbers. Tampa Police count a 46 percent drop in nine major crimes since 2003 — and a 9.2 percent reduction be­tween 2007 and 2008........more

Ruskin Tomato & Heritage Festival

Find more videos like this on Brand Tampa

Friends Of Stogie

At Beer Bellys

Casa De Deggans

Eric Deggans
Ebony magazine has named me among its "Power 150" -- 150 black Americans who they say are the most influential right now. My instinct is to follow with a joke about how they must have mistakenly read my name off the reject list..........more

Florida This Week With Rob Lorei

Moderator Rob Lorei leads a diverse roundtable of journalists, academics, officials, and other political insiders for lively talk. A weekly mixture of familiar panelists and fresh faces promises a wide marketplace of ideas..........here

Gandy Area Business Owners Oppose Crosstown Extension

South Tampa businesses say they're not happy with plans by the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority to extend the Selmon Crosstown Expressway to the Gandy Bridge..........more

The New Gay: Hello, Tampa!

There are many reasons Tampa has been included in TNG. A few of them are: a vibrant nightlife, a unique historical district, a rich art scene, the large number of indie theaters that are located in the area, and a local gay culture that could be better represented when it comes to things to do and the places to see and be seen..........here

Vintage Wedding In Ybor City

It’s been a month since my wedding day, and I’m still in awe of how fantastic and beautiful the day was. It was everything I could have imagined - and more! I’ve received all of my photos from my photographer, so I thought I’d post a few for your viewing pleasure.
here

The Jerk Hut On Fowler Ave

here

Kevin Burns: U.S. Senator From Florida

This is the story of a little-known South Florida mayor, a progressive anti-automatic weapons kinda politician with little name recognition and labeled with the tag “the gay candidate” in his quest to be the next U.S. senator from Florida..........more

Kevin Burns for U.S. Senate

Recession Pain, Even in Palm Beach

Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Fla., is home to scores of exclusive fashion and jewelry shops — and a growing number of empty storefronts. Some multimillionaires are snapping wallets shut, too............more

Role of Community Media and Cubans in Florida

With Patrick Manteiga Of The Gaceta

Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf To Speak At UT

The first woman elected president of an African country, is scheduled to speak at the University of Tampa commencement. The 70-year-old is known as the Iron Lady and was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticizing her country's military regime..........more

Lunch Report: Carmines in Ybor City

here

SunRail And Florida HSR Promoted As Inexorably Linked

Florida’s been flirting with the idea of a high-speed rail network for years now, having approved funding for a line between Tampa and Orlando in 2000, before stripping the proposal from the state budget in 2004.........more

Tampa Artist Cristina Fernandez

I am a 26 yr old artist currently working out of Tampa, Florida. For 4 years I had abandoned myself, my fans, and my art, dealing with life's sense of humor. Enduring these undernourished
years were not with out reward. I have since gained appreciation and perspective conducive to my artistic nature. I am simply bursting at the creative seems, eager to give these abstractions life.............here

Breakfast In Ybor City

here

Friends Of Stogie

At Ballest Point Park

TBARTA: Future Of Transit Not Far Away

Imagine if commuters could ride a train along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to jobs in Tampa. Imagine Tampa residents using the same rail line to come shopping at Wesley Chapel malls..........more

Mary From Tampa Called C-SPAN’s Washington Journal

Via...r/ct

First Solar-Powered City In Florida

Real estate developer Kitson & Partners today announced a landmark agreement with electric utility Florida Power & Light to build the world's largest solar photovoltaic power plant at Babcock Ranch, Florida - making it the world's first city powered by solar energy........more

USS Bainbridge No Stranger To Pirates

The USS Bainbridge, which is in sight of a lifeboat carrying an American captain held hostage by four Somali pirates, docked in Tampa two years ago for Gasparilla..........here

Tampa Bay Mug Shot Site Draws Ethical Questions

A new website that showcases mug shots of people arrested in several Florida counties is like a modern "Scarlet Letter." Some privacy activists are condemning the site...........more

Tampa Bloggers and Friends Walk for Maddie

On April 25th, I will join local Tampa area bloggers and friends of the Spohrs to walk in the memory of their daughter Maddie. Maddie passed away unexpectedly on April 7th after a miraculous life with her family...........here

Seminole Heights Community Gardens: Clean-up Day

Tomorrow, Saturday April 11th, All Day.
Violet Street Garden

Bring gardening tools like shovels, spades, tillers, rakes, pruning shears and possibly some hammers and nails. We'll also need some water donations to the rain barrels for storing water especially during these dry days............more

Yves and Melisa Conze Of Tampa

Clever Ways To Spring Through The Drought
Yves and Melisa Conze installed AstroLawn synthetic grass at their Tampa Heights home in 2001, and have been happy ever since.........more

Jennifer Closshey Of Plant City, Florida

One of the city's largest residential water users over the last year is a Southwest Florida Water Management District board member..........more

Local Milkmaids Produce Fresh, Delicious Milk For Tampa Bay

Pam Lunn started Dancing Goat after losing her job and we’re the beneficiaries of her efforts. But goat’s milk isn’t the only thing she produces. She turns this milk into kefir, whey and cheese. Very few communities in Florida can say they have this available to them!...........more

Sickles High School Penis T-Shirt

Administrators at Sickles High School got into a bit of trouble with this year’s t-shirt when a few parents called to say that the shirt was “obscene” and “inappropriate.”.........here

If you squint your eyes, dim the lights, and drink a glass of wine - that castle still doesn’t look like a cock.

Thanks New Blair Higginbotham!

Rural residents against sprawl (or as opponents negatively call us, diehards) successfully defended the rural area against another assault last Thursday. Not without first having to battle arguably one of the most influential developers in the county, Stephen Dibbs..........more

Alex Pickett’s Guide To Ridiculous Legislation

5 Bong Hits: Florida Lawmakers Want To Ban Novelty Lighters

There are few bills that reach the absolute absurdity of SB 806, a proposed law banning lighters that resemble “a cartoon character, animal, toy, gun, watch, musical instrument, vehicle, food or beverage, that plays sound or musical notes, or that displays flashing lights or other visual effects.”...........here

Hillsborough County To Vote On Furloughs

With the Hillsborough government facing a deficit of more than $100 million, County Commissioners today agreed to lead by example by voting to furlough themselves several days sometime later this year.
The idea of the Commissioners taking a hit themselves originated last week from Commissioner Kevin Beckner..........more

Friends Of Stogie

Sarge Of The Bulls Club In Tampa.

Florida Journalists on the Future of Newspapers, Community Media

With Amy Goodman, Rob Lorei Of WMNF, Patrick Manteiga Of The Gaceta, And Marty Petty Of The St. Pete Times. From Tampa

Ghost Hunters @ The Cuban Club & Trelles Clinic Ybor City

There was a fairly decent display of actual debunking going on, but still a lot of assumptions that leave the proverbial door wide open to debate. First, lets look at the paranormal claims being made by the sites under investigation...........more

Joe Gets Fined For Helping A Chicken Cross The Road in Ybor City

Hillsborough Rejects Development In Little Manatee River

Hillsborough County Commissioners today rejected a developer’s request to build homes on a slice of land near the Little Manatee River in Ruskin, and instead said they would forward the issue to their environmental lands acquisition department for possible purchase...........more

Rob Lorei Chats With Rich Lowry Editor Of National Review

Play Date 4.8.09
Rich Lowry Was Actually Pretty Cool, For A Right Winger

Banquo's Ghosts - NRO

USF Student Arrested by Immigration Three Days After Acquittal

Nighttime Economy Stimulus Program

Ybor City Will Host The First Of Fourteen Regional Forums

On the nighttime economy held throughout North America. Each forum will guide business and government leaders in planning and managing nightlife. The first forum in Ybor City on April 30 will be followed in cities from Providence to San Diego, Toronto to LA and Seattle to New York City...........here

The "IKEA-Zation" Of Ybor City

The latest addition to the Ybor City arts scene is part gallery, theater, concert hall, gift shop and classroom...........more

Tampa The Best City For Cats

Stogie's Friends

A survey by CATalyst, a coalition of veterinarians, cat loving academics, nonprofits and industries as well as animal welfare organizations, has named Tampa the best city for felines..........here

Tax Leaves Cigarmakers Feeling Burned

Wallace Reyes of Gonzalez Habano Cigar Co. fears new taxes will kill the cigar industry in Tampa..........more

Mom Finds Missing Son In Ybor City Bar

A missing Orange County man was found safe in Hillsborough County recently after walking away from his life in Orlando. Darren Harris, 24, was found safe in Ybor City on April 3 at a bar there. Harris' mother, Carrie Helfrich, drove from Tennessee to Tampa after Orange County deputies discovered he had been staying in the area...........more

The Warrior Woman Of Tampa Bay

Adrienne Nadeau

The Warrior Woman, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing teens and at-risk youth a means of artistic expression is looking for volunteers!We are currently running a program called "The 36 Schools Project". We will travel into under-funded and at-risk schools and run empowering spoken word poetry events for approximately 150 teens...........more

Hit and Run