What Stogie Had For Lunch

Pork Chops
With Black Beans And Rice And Tamale
$6.99.......At Airport Variety Store, 4600 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater

Eat Local

Steve Kornell - Open, Honest and Trustworthy

Draft Annette Taddeo for Florida’s CFO

Last week, 2008 congressional challenger Annette Taddeo suggested she might be interested in a possible run for CFO. This would be a very good idea. If you already know about Annette and agree, go sign the petition and encourage her to jump into the race.........here

Friends Of Stogie

At The Tally Ho In Tampa

Virtual Town Hall Set For Hillsborough Budget Hearings

And It Was Commissioner Al Higginbotham's Idea
Hillsborough residents who don't like the way county government spends their tax dollars will soon have a way to question commissioners' budget decisions directly. Upcoming budget meetings will be the first "virtual town hall" events, during which residents can comment or ask questions via e-mails or by phone..........more

Why We Need Florida Hometown Democracy

As if the past dirty deeds and developer-driven agendas of many of our Hillsborough County commissioners wasn’t proof enough (yes, we mean you Team Sprawl) now the Florida Legislature has shown you exactly why we need Florida Hometown Democracy (FHD). FHD is a citizen-driven initiative that would allow voters to make growth decisions instead of leaving it in the greased and dirty hands of politicians. To help make the case for FHD, there is this year’s legislative session........more

Florida Hometown Democracy

Meetings On The Friendship Trail

Folks, many of you used the now-closed Friendship Trail and want the trail re-opened. Well, you'll get your chance to talk at two important public meetings to held by the Friendship Trailbridge Oversight Committee -- a public panel made up of county commissioners and staff members from both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties..........here

Downtown Tampa, Done In Legos

here

USS Vandenberg Is Sunk Off Key West

Ileana And Mario Protest Something Che Related

If something Che Guevara-related happens in America and Miami Cubans don't make a fuss about it,
did it even actually happen?............here
Lincoln Was Busy

Only $15 Million To Fix Friendship Trail Bridge

A St. Pete Times story says it will cost $15 million -- not $30 million as originally thought -- to repair the Friendship Trail Bridge so that its life would be extended by 10 years........here
We Spend About $255 Million Per Day On The Iraq War.

WMNF Film Series: Flow

Wednesday May 27, 7:00PM -- Tampa Pitcher Show

here

Lonnie Lea Napier Good Neighbor Award

The Hillsborough County Office of Neighborhood Relations is looking for nominees for the summer quarter 2009 Lonnie Lea Napier Good Neighbor Award. Individuals, neighborhood associations and community groups may make nominations to the Office of Neighborhood Relations
until close of business June 12.........here

The Truth about Florida SB 360

St. Petersburg Sued for Ordinances Targeting the Homeless

Three organizations just backed five homeless individuals in filing a class-action lawsuit against the City of St. Petersburg on behalf of all of the homeless people living in the city. The three organizations are the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, the Southern Legal Counsel, and Florida Institutional Legal Services..........here

Sen. Mike Bennett's Kool-Aid

Senator Mike Bennett-R who spawned SB 360. A bill that dismantles growth management.

The bill promotes growth in dense urban areas by removing the state required costs of transportation concurrency and the duplicative development of regional impact (DRI) process within those areas.

(Nimby translation: Developers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for more growth by having to pay for infrastructure; that is what you taxpayers are for.)..........more

Gov. Crist Phone: 850-488-4441 - Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Friends Of Stogie

At The Firehouse In Temple Terrace

St. Petersburg Landowners Sue Over Pinellas Trail

The owner of the City Wide Mini-Storage at 1942 Second Ave. S in St. Petersburg, Vito Farese, is suing the city because he feels it should have compensated him when the Pinellas Trail was put in............more

Miami: Stop Complaining and Get Off Your Ass

I typically don't like getting into politics, but when my friend Brad told me about the 100 Days of Obama event at Kafa Café in midtown Miami, I was more than happy to attend..........more

Stogie Recommends

Reservation Road

here

Last Chance To Ask Charlie To Veto SB 360

Now, more than ever, your voice needs to be heard by the Governor. Yesterday he signed HB 227 into law, which is the impact fee bill. Local governments have their hands tied for the next two years to increase or add any new impact fees to pay for new development.

If SB 360 gets signed by the Governor with this impact fee law enacted, our local governments will NOT be able to ask any more for transportation impact fees than we currently have. In effect, YOU will get taxed to make up for the infrastructure that developers should be paying for to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

SB 360 has been sitting on the Governor’s desk since 5/18. He has 15 days to sign the bill (becomes law), veto it (kills it), or do nothing which would automatically let the bill become law. You are not too late to help stop this awful bill.

Gov. Crist Phone: 850-488-4441
Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Rally For National Health Care In Tampa

Phenomenal advocate for single payer Dr. Greg Silver of Physicians For National Health Program will be providing his expertise as we speak with Sen. Nelson's people and the media.
Please Join Us If You Can, Even For A Little While
Thurs, 5-28 3-7pm

Sam Gibbons Federal Court House

801 N. Florida Ave, Tampa

Contact Michael D. Fox @ 727-320-4502 For More Info

Walmart Put A Bible In My Pants

This small bible turned up in the buttoned back pocket of some khakis I bought. My receipt shows two polo shirts, pants, chicken tenders and potato logs hot from the deli. Store manager Eric Hirons of (the Supercenter in New Port Richey) name and phone number appears as well.............here

Sanford Police Destroy House

Sanford police wanted to make a drug bust early Saturday morning. They didn't make an arrest but did accidentally burn down a house........here

It's Crist vs. Crist

Remember the Charlie Crist who in February happily shared a stage in Fort Myers with President Obama? Remember the Charlie Crist who loved the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus plan that only three of his fellow Republicans in Congress voted for? Remember That Charlie Crist?........here

Troy Tidwell The 'One Armed Man' Of Marianna

The White House Boys, now men in their 50s and 60s finally got a deposition with the man they accused of the intense beating that went on in the building they dubbed "The White House" on the campus of the Florida Industrial School for Boys in Mariana, Florida..........more

The Death Of Joey Turner

Was the death of 20-year-old Joey Turner on July 4, 2004, in the Gulf of Mexico, less than 100 yards off St. Pete Beach a tragic drowning—–or was it a homicide? Nearly five years later there are more questions than answers surrounding the mysterious death of Turner, an accomplished swimmer, in a “boating accident” after he allegedly jumped from a vessel being operated by Lance Skipper, 19, son of prominent Pinellas County developer Paul Skipper............here
There is evidence of a seriously flawed investigation by the St. Pete Beach Police Department, and in particular, by lead investigator Vincent Marsilia.

Death On The Waterways

St. Pete Mayoral Contender Paul Congemi

“Don’t touch me. I am running for mayor and once I get elected, you will be fired.”

here

Where Would We Be Without Newspapers?

Tampa Police (Finaly) Executed A Search Warrant
Friday night on the Davis Islands home of Robert and Kim Valdez, parents of a teen suspected of fleeing a hit-and-run crash. On Thursday, police reactivated their investigation of the crash,
after the St. Petersburg Times raised questions about the 3-month-old case.............more

Izzy Cox at The Garage In St. Petersburg

Thurs., May 28, 9 p.m
here

Picnic Island Beach Closed

County health officials say the high levels of bacteria indicate fecal pollution, which could cause disease, infections or rashes if a swimmer ingests the water..........here

Jordan Valdez Of Tampa

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Valdez

The Editors, tbt*

Dream Boy In Ybor City

Saturday, May 23, 2009
Muvico Centro Ybor - 7:30pm
here

Beverly Edwards of Arden, North Carolina

Left her 96-year-old aunt at a local Salvation Army shelter in Bradenton , then left for a Walt Disney World vacation with no plans to return for her...........here

I Love You, Jasmine

Jasmine Bedwell collapsed in tears outside the courthouse after a reporter asked for her reaction to McTear telling her he loved her in court........here

The Silent Witness On Davis Islands

Police say they can't prove who was driving the Nissan Murano that killed a homeless woman in a hit-and-run case three months ago. But they haven't used all the investigative tools at their disposal..........more

Had the driver of the Murano stopped at the time of the crash, it's likely that no charges or even a traffic ticket would have been sought.

Strip Club King: Trailer

Jennifer Porter Should Be In Jail

Jennifer Porter, the former schoolteacher who drove away after hitting four children and killing two, was denied her request to end probation this morning........here

Creative Loafing Summer Guide: Pam Iorio

The Bruised Knight's Ybor City Adventure

I was floored by this little jewel of activity in an otherwise bleh state. I make no lie I don’t find much awe inspiring beauty in Florida *well there was that one girl on the bar at Coyote Ugly but I digress.*.........here

Ybor City Museum Needs Volunteers

Ybor City Preservationists Win

An agreement between preservation supporters and Hillsborough Community College, in Tampa, will let the college proceed with construction of a controversial new student-services building.........here

Lawton Chiles Elementary Students Head To Iowa

Seven students were building a bridge out of the flimsiest materials imaginable — a thin strip of construction paper, string, tape, labels, rubber bands and a few paper clips. And they had just five minutes to make it as long as possible.......more
Go Falcons!

Hillsborough Residents Say No To Tent City For Homeless

Most agree that homelessness is a problem in Hillsborough County that needs more attention. But one solution, a proposed tent city on Hillsborough Avenue near Harney Road, has neighbors fearful of decreased property values and increased crime.......here

Welcome Rain

The Back Woods at the Museum of Science & Industry

Is a 25 acre forest preserve in the midst of urban Tampa, Florida.

here

Tampa, Home Base Of Operation Panama Express

Four Colombian men are facing a federal judge today in the first trial under a new law targeting semisubs used to smuggle cocaine from Colombia to the United States..........more

The new law, signed by former President George W. Bush in October. It makes it a crime punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison to be in international waters in a stateless submersible or semisubmersible vessel designed to avoid detection.

Wengay Newton’s Summer Vacation

It was eight of us with a single mom, so there wasn’t a lot of vacationing. We’d go to Busch Gardens … one or two of us, then we would come back and tell the rest how it was.”......... Wengay Newton

Justice For Melissa Sjostrom

Three months ago, a driver in an SUV killed a woman crossing a South Tampa street and fled. Within hours, Tampa police had connected a red paint chip from the scene to a Nissan Murano with front end damage parked in front of a million-dollar Davis Islands home. The paint flake from the crime scene fit
"just like a jigsaw puzzle," an officer wrote in a report..........here

Stogie Has Some Questions
*Two weeks after Sjostorm died, a check for $100,000 was sent to her mother from the company that insured the SUV?
*If there is nothing to hide, why take the fifth?
*Why is the family in therapy?
*Why did the Tampa police detective who investigated the case, Robert D. Powell, failed to appear in court?
Powell listed two crash witnesses in an affidavit he sent to the court 11 days ago. However, no witnesses were subpoenaed to testify at today's hearing, the judge learned in court today. Sending subpoenaes to witnesses in traffic cases is typically the responsibility of the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court's office.

"You wouldn't leave a dog to die alone in a street like that,"..........Connie Wheeler

Strip Club King: The Story of Joe Redner

Is now available for pre-order at the link below. The official North American release date is August 4, so all DVDs purchased will be shipped that day.

here

Friends Of Stogie

At The Firehouse In Temple Terrace