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.
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The Jerk Hut On Fowler Ave

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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

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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

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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