Florida Voters Pass Amendment 9
Was there ever really a chance Big Oil was going to fight Amendment 9, which banned offshore drilling in Florida? If so, Florida voters sent a message loud and clear: Go drill yourself, Big Oil. Even if it means we can’t vape in public places, you can’t have our waters.
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Best of the Bay 2019 People, Places and Politics: Our critics and readers pick the best — and shittiest — people, places and politicians of the last year.
Critics' Picks
Best Holy Shit Maybe It All Isn’t A Dumpster Fire
Best Pay No Attention To What’s Behind The Curtain
Best Well, At Least We Had Fun When We Thought We Had Hope
Best Set Yourself On Fire Instead, Bitch
Best “Fuck You” To Oil Companies
Best Truly Inclusive Tattoo Experience
Best We’re Going To Miss You For A Long Damn Time
Best The Air Force Actually Does Have To Hold A Bake Sale
Best Painfully Elongated Construction
Best Reason To Bum Your Mom’s Tampa Bay Times Login
Best Guy Who Found His Dream Job
Best More Inspiring Than The Women’s World Cup
Best Clearwater Community Activist
Readers' Picks
Best City: Tampa, St. Pete Or Clearwater?
Best Environmental Organization
Best Local Afternoon Radio Show
Best Local College Or University
Best Local Personality To Follow On Twitter
Best Local Up-And-Coming Radio Personality
Best Neighborhood, Hillsborough
Best Place To Instagram A Selfie
Best Skate Spot That’s Not A Skatepark
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Couple Arrested Having Sex Outside O’maddy’s
When the Gulfport police arrested a St. Petersburg firefighter for having sex with a woman — consensual sex, on his own car, nonetheless — part of us died inside. Sure, public intoxication is a crime, we guess, but sweet Jesus, in this era of #metoo can we not just appreciate a grown woman and a grown man getting carried away in the most consensual way possible without ending a career? All you need is love, and, well, there but for the grace of god go I, amirite, readers?
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Tampa Bay Rays
It was an interesting summer for the Tampa Bay Rays, and we can’t help but admit that we’re still hurt about the news that the MLB has given the team — which started playing baseball in St. Petersburg in 1998 — permission to begin exploring a plan that would allow the Rays to split home games with Montreal. Some fans rallied and packed the Trop a few times after the news, but this definitely feels like breaking up, guys. mlb.com/rays
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Winner: Clearwater Beach visitstpeteclearwater.com
Second Place: Anna Maria Island annamaria.comSt. Pete Beach stpetebeach.org/
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Winner: Florida Man cltampa.com
Second Place: Alligator breaks into kitchen in Clearwater cltampa.com
Runner Up: Mayor of Port Richey arrested cltampa.com
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Fdot
TBX. TBNext. “It’s not a toll lane!” The FDOT has wanted to expand I-275 and put the health of neighborhoods underneath and around it in jeopardy for years now, and it finally, kind of, got its way in June when the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) approved moving forward with two controversial projects that would add a lane to I-275 between MLK and Bearss and also add a flyover ramp from southbound I-274 to I-4. With enough money, a large entity can eventually beat the will of concerned residents any day.
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Winner: Apple A Day Prom appleaday.org/prom/
Second Place: 13 Ugly Men 13uglymen.comRunner Up: Dancing with the Stars dancingforcharity.com
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Winner: Jeff Vinik nhl.com/lightning
Second Place: Stella Myers (RIP)
Runner Up: Stellie Bellie of Curv Exchange curvexchange.com
Runner Up: Jeff Conner linkedin.com
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Winner: St. Petersburg stpete.org
Second Place: Tampa tampagov.net
Runner Up: Clearwater myclearwater.com
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