Tuesday, February 14, 2023
More than 1 million books subject to review based on state's new laws
Gov. DeSantis-backed laws are behind the book review process.
More than 1 million books in Duval County schools in Florida are subject to review due to three state laws impacting certain subjects in education, including race, gender and sexual orientation, county officials told ABC News.
The books are under review based on several laws that restrict classroom topics, including the Stop WOKE Act and the Parental Rights in Education law, which was called the “Don’t Say Gay” law by LGBTQ activists.
More HERE
Trulieve spends another $5.5 million to put recreational pot on Florida's 2024 ballot
As it tries to get the measure on the 2024 ballot, the medical-cannabis company Trulieve contributed another $5.5 million to a ballot initiative aimed at legalizing recreational use of marijuana, according to a newly filed finance report. The $5.5 million contribution in January brought Trulieve’s total contributions to $25.5 million.
The “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” proposal would allow people 21 or older “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”
More HERE
City of Tampa takes next steps in Riverwalk expansion
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor revealed the next steps Tuesday in a project aimed at expanding Tampa’s “crown jewel,” the Tampa Riverwalk.
The expansion plans are part of the West River District BUILD Grant project, which allocated $24 million to expand the Tampa Riverwalk and connect it to more neighborhoods west of the Hillsborough River.
Mayor Castors said the riverwalk, once completed, will offer residents and visitors over 12 miles of continuous sidewalks and bike lanes that will connect a variety of neighborhoods including West Tampa, Tampa Heights, Bayshore Boulevard, Hyde Park, Riverside Heights, North Franklin Street, and Bowman Heights.
More HERE
Activist group pushes for outside legal counsel for Tampa Citizens Review Board
The Tampa Bay Community Action Committee is pushing for outside legal counsel for the board that reviews alleged police misconduct.
More than a dozen protesters gathered outside Old City Hall on Monday evening to demand Tampa City Council vote in favor of an ordinance that would provide the Tampa Citizens Review Board with legal counsel unaffiliated with the city.
Created in 2015, Tampa's Citizens Review Board was established to build trust between the Tampa Police Department and the community, but a local activist group says, right now, the board can't trust that its legal counsel is objective.
More HERE
Tampa voters to decide on four charter amendments at March 7 election
Elections for Tampa’s mayor and six of the seven city council members, as well as four charter amendments referred to the ballot by the city council, will be held on March 7.
The charter amendments would:
- provide that the mayor’s nominations for department heads and other city employees must be approved by four of the seven city council members and allow for interim appointments of existing city employees for a maximum of 180 days
- provide for a Charter Review Advisory Commission to be established every eight years rather than every 10 years
- limit members of the Tampa City Council to serving four consecutive four-year terms beginning in 2027
- provide that the city council may create standing boards by ordinance without the mayor’s recommendation
More HERE
Ybor City Saturday Market
- Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 9:00 AM
- Centennial Park, 1800 E 8th Ave, Tampa, FL
The Ybor City Saturday Market takes place on select Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Ybor City Centennial Park, 1800 E 8th Ave., Tampa.
The free open-air market features local artists, artisans and independent businesses selling gourmet foods and sauces, teas, coffees, cupcakes, cookies, French macaroons, fresh-baked breads, prepared foods, pet treats, honey, fine cigars, unique gifts, photography, artwork, jewelry, woodworking, handmade bath and body products, candles and more.
DeSantis Rolls Out Red Carpet for Sexist Boob From Idaho
An Idaho professor who is a contender for delivering the greatest number of sexist statements in a single speech just got a big job working with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In a 2021 talk, Scott Yenor of Boise State University said women who have careers are “medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome.”
He said society should stop thinking of a girl “as a future worker or a future achiever, and start thinking of them as future wives and mothers.”
More HERE
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The New College Hostile Takeover
Recently, Ron DeSantis, the Governor of the State of Florida, in a move to purge New College of Florida in Sarasota, Florida of it's "woke" ideologies, appointed 6 new fanatically conservative members to the college's Board of Trustees
The smallest school in Florida’s university system, New College has about 700 students and lists one of its core values as building a “just, diverse, equitable and inclusive community” on campus. “We seek a balance between recognizing and celebrating difference, respectfully supporting each other’s growth, and ensuring that historically marginalized and oppressed groups are not experiencing trauma and harm,” an online post describing New College’s values said.
The Florida Constitution provides that each state university shall be administered by a board of trustees consisting of 13 members dedicated to the purpose of the State University System. Six citizen members are appointed by Florida’s Governor and five citizen members are appointed by the Florida Board of Governors. In addition, the chair of the faculty and the president of the student body serve on the board.
The 6 Board members recently appointed by Ron DeSantis to the New College Board of Trustees are:
- Christopher Rufo: A Senior Fellow for the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank
- Matthew Spalding: The Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government, a conservative college in Washington, D.C.
- Charles Kesler: A Professor of Government at Claremont-McKenna College, a private conservative college in Claremont, California
- Mark Bauerlein: Professor Emeritus of English at Emory University, a conservative private research university in Atlanta, Georgia
- Debra Jenks: A lawyer practicing in Palm Beach County, Florida
- Eddie Speir: Co-Founder, Chairman, and Superintendent of the Inspiration Academy, a Christian School in Bradenton, FLorida
In The Daily Caller, a conservative media outlet, DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, was quoted as saying the revamped board could make the school “along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South,” — alluding to Hillsdale College, a Christian college in Michigan that is prominent among conservatives.
DeSantis’ appointments came after his administration last week directed state higher-education officials to gather information about resources colleges and universities devote to programs centered on diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory. Critical race theory is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American society.
The choices for the New College board drew criticism from Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida union. “Like many Floridians who have ties to the New College community, UFF (the United Faculty of Florida) was surprised and disturbed today to see the appointment of six trustees whose only apparent interest in the institution is politically and ideologically motivated,” Gothard said in a statement to the News Service. Gothard said trustees have a “solemn duty” to act in the best interest of everyone on campuses. “Promises to upend programs with ideologically driven claims that could not be farther from the truth of what actually occurs in a higher education classroom — these do nothing to improve New College, nor will they draw interested students to a campus where trustees are so at odds with the faculty, the local administration and the truth,” Gothard said.
One of the first things the newly restructured Board of Trustees did was to terminate the college president, Patricia Okker, and replace her with Richard Corcoran (R), former Florida Speaker, former Chief of Staff to Marco Rubio and former state Commissioner of Education. They also raised Corcoran's salary from $394,000 to $699,000 per year.
In 2022, Corcoran, then Florida's Commissioner of Education, came under scrutiny when the DOE was shown to be in talks with MGT Consulting, a firm led by Corcoran's longtime colleague Trey Traviesa, for some time before bidding on a multimillion-dollar educational services contract that was opened for a single week, a situation that appeared to allow the firm preferential access. Out of 25 firms sent a request for quotes, only MGT responded within the one-week deadline. One week prior to the bidding being opened, Corcoran hosted a closed-door meeting between Traviesa, Jefferson County school officials, and charter school lobbyist Ralph Arza. On May 1, 2022, Corcoran stepped down as education commissioner. Read the complete story HERE.
At the time his appointment as college president was announced, Corcoran was still registered as a lobbyist for educational concerns, including Charter Schools USA, Polk County Public Schools, and the University of Miami, among three dozen clients whose relationship he had reaffirmed earlier that month.
Because the structure of the New College Board of Trustees is dictated by the Florida Constution and state statutes, the same Board of Trustees makeup is identical in all the universities throughout the state. Is this hostile takeover of New College a litmus test to gauge the inevitable pushback by the educational communiity? Is the University of Florida or the University of South Florida next? Isn't gaining absolute control of a system of education one of the surest ways to control the minds and souls of the people a fascist despot would employ?
Keep in mind that Ron DeSantis aspires to become the president, where he hopes to exercise this same dictatorial power throughout the country.
Monday, February 13, 2023
A conversation with Tampa’s District 1 city council candidates
Tampa City Council candidates Alan Clendenin, Sonja Brookins and Chase Harrison joined WMNF WaveMakers to talk about why they’re challenging Joe Citro for his District 1 City Council seat.
Listen to the Interview HERE
Soul Saturday
Description
SOUL SATURDAY is part of a limited series of outdoor dance party experiences presented in the oasis of the Ybor Garden Museum. Melt away to Neo Soul, House, and R&B!
Event Details
Open Bar, Curated Artist Market, 2 Live DJ sets. Neo Soul, House, and R&B!
The Citrus Taliban Attacks USF
The activist who's helped frame critical race theory as a threat for conservatives has a new target: the University of South Florida. more
"Fuck this guy and Governor Ron DeSantis. You come for USF if you want to, we will fight you." Chris Cano
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Sunday, February 12, 2023
Raybor: The Monstor That Won't Go Away
The negotiations to entice the Tampa Bay Rays to a new stadium near Ybor City are still ongoing but now are being conducted by the Tampa Sports Authority behind closed doors and beyond public scrutiny.
This writer wants to know....what is more disturbing, the look of the new proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium (pictured above) or the hundreds of baseball fans, having no concept of the cultural beauty of Historic Ybor, who will be invading 7th Avenue several nights a week during the baseball season?
In 2018 we came razor close to closing a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to move to Ybor City but a concerted public pushback convinced the Hillsborough County Commission to nix the deal.
Now we are again faced with the looming prospect of the monster called Raybor reappearing in the neighborhood. Will we again see RAYBOR banners hanging from the 2nd floor balconies of Historic Ybor buildings? One of the more prominent real estate developers in Tampa, Darryl Shaw, is gobbling up properties, including the site of the proposed stadium, in and around Ybor City with the clear intent of gentrifying the neighborhood and a major league baseball stadium would be a glaring benchmark of this gentrification.
This stadium would cost over $1 billion and a large portion, perhaps half, of that would be funded by public funds, primarily the county bed tax. This is money that should be earmarked for the benefit of the local economy and not a cashcow for wealthy property owners and investors in the Tampa Bay Rays franchise. Numerous academic studies conclude that major sports stadiums are of little or no benefit to the local economies where they are built. In fact, money spent at sports stadiums that would often be spent in local entertainment establishments ends up instead in the hands of land owners, investors, athletes and other sports personnel, where it has no impact on the local economy at all.
I only hope that I, and others, have the energy to fight another round against Raybor.
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