Carmel Cafe opens in south Tampa
CARMEL CAFE Lights are low and warm. Conversations buzz and drinks flow on the corner of Swann Avenue and Himes, home to the newest Carmel Cafe location. "This is our first free standing building we've opened," co-founder Nancy Schneid said Tuesday. "We weren't pre-conditioned with the space and got to create our own vibe." The…
Ken Jones says Tampa Host Committee has spent nearly 80 percent of its estimated $55 million in Tampa Bay/Florida
Tampa Bay RNC Host Committee CEO Ken Jones How much have local businesses gained so far from the Republican National Convention? The only person who knows that information isn't telling. But we'll all know on Oct. 15 when the Host Committee releases the convention's financial disclosure information. At a Tuesday morning news conference at Tropicana…
Famed Breitbart disciple James O’Keefe to speak in Tampa next week
Just days after it was learned that James O'Keefe and his associate Hanna Giles will face a lawsuit from a former ACORN employee involved in O'Keefe's 2009 undercover sting video, the James Madison Institute announced that next week it will sponsor a Tampa appearance by the conservative activist/"muckraker." O'Keefe will speak on Tues., Aug. 28…
Mitch Perry Report 8.21.12: Selling Romney to the masses
There's absolutely no doubt that the four-day extravaganza that will take place officially six days from now in Tampa is really about one thing, and one thing only — selling Mitt Romney to the American public as somebody they can envision as the next president of the United States. The four-day sell begins Monday night,…
New Music Tuesday! (August 21): The Darkness, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Bloc Party, Trey Songz, The Heavy & more
Round three of new releases in August. I've included info and links for the ones you want to know about most below, plus some other ones you may not have heard of (but should know), with audio & video for your listening and viewing pleasure. Click here to check out releases that dropped over the…
Activist group Food Not Bombs holds annual gathering in protest of upcoming RNC
(This article is written by Michael Newberger) Joshua Santos Members of the community and activists listen to Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry kick off the annual world gathering With one week until the Republican Party moves into Tampa, the dissent has already begun. Food Not Bombs, a social justice organization dedicated to encouraging a…
Drawing the right wing with a left wing brush
Roger Palmer's portrait of Pullet Hawk, courtesy feralink.com One of Tampa Bay’s finest wielders of ink and brush is taking on the Republican establishment. Since January, sublime cartoons of right wing personalities by artist Roger Palmer (winner of 2007 Best of the Bay “Best in Drawing”), thinly veiled as fictional characters, have been attracting a…
Cock of the walk: James E. Rooster celebrated in Ybor
James was a great rooster. No. Scratch that. I never knew him. Um … James did a lot of good for our community. Nope. He was a rooster! Wow! What exactly do you say at a rooster's funeral? It didn't really matter to the 60 or so people who attended the James E. Rooster wake,…
Ann Romney to highlight first night of speakers at Tampa RNC
Ann Romney The woman who hopes to become the nation's next first lady, Ann Romney, will be the closing speaker on the first night of the Republican National Convention announced on Monday. There will be two formal sessions for the delegates and alternate delegates next Monday, with the first session commencing at 2 p.m. and…
Tampa RNC Call Center officially open for your convention-related questions
The Tampa Call Center is officially open for business. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn greeted the city workers who were staffing the phones as they went live Monday morning at the Emergency Center near Ybor City. Their task: handle any and all questions regarding what's happening in the city both before and during the RNC. "When…
GOP unveils convention stage at Tampa Bay Times Forum
With just a week left to go, there is still much work to be completed inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum before the home of the Lightning is ready to welcome thousands of delegates and news media next week. As reporters were led into the inside of the arena Monday morning to see the elaborate…
Mitch Perry Report 8.20.12 -Romney opening up about his Mormonism?
For the first time since becoming a candidate, Mitt Romney and his aides invited members of the media to accompany him to church services – specifically to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire yesterday. Coupled as it does just eight days before the Republican National Convention convenes in Tampa,…
Fox News’ Chris Wallace hammers Romney surrogate on when the candidate will release his 2011 tax return
Earlier this week Mitt Romney announced that he has never paid less than 13 percent on his tax returns, while insisting again that he will not be releasing anything more than what he has already produced — one year of returns for 2010, with a promise to release his full 2011 returns sometime soon. So…
Musical therapy
Tegan of Tegan and Sara answers a reader’s question.
Critics and supporters greet Paul Ryan in his first Tampa Bay appearance as VP nominee
Some of Pinellas County's most prolific GOP fundraisers came to the Club at Treasure Island on Saturday afternoon to meet and greet Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin Congressman who in just a week has become one of the most famous men in America after being named by Mitt Romney to be his running mate. While hundreds…
PDQ speedily freshens up Carrollwood
Brenda Nixon, PDQ Operating Partner Andy Sansone (left) with World Series winning former player and manager Lou Piniella. Sporting a snazzy updated retro look — think Arnold's from Happy Days on Mars — PDQ brings its vaulted ceiling, uber-friendly servers and made-fresh-daily fare to the strip-mall strip of North Dale Mabry. The third location in…
Rowdies prepare for battle against first-place San Antonio
W.J. Walsh The Rowdies signed midfielder Raphael Cox, who was recently released from Atlanta. Heading into Sunday’s contest against league-leading San Antonio, the Rowdies fully understand how crucial each game is down the stretch, particularly ones facing clubs near the top of the standings.
Nicole Abbett captures downtown Tampa “City Lights” in a time lapse
Jared Fager Abbett treads the banks of the Hillsborough, setting up for her time lapse photo shoot. Last week, when artist Tracey Dear illuminated five Tampa bridges in a project titled Agua Luces, photographer Nicole Abbett — struck by inspiration and a surge in her wellspring of hometown pride — decided to embark on a…
Electrifying Green Jobs
Are green energy jobs the philosopher's stone that can turn stagnant employment cyphers into golden opportunities? They are according to U.S. Representative Kathy Castor. Castor visited the Tampa Area Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee school Friday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate their first solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations. There were roughly 20 people in…
Push comes to shove
Bullies are everywhere, including Congress.
Take responsibility!
Parents need to accept some blame for the crimes of their children.
Local congressional Democratic aspirants pound Paul Ryan’s budget in advance of his 1st campaign appearance in the Tampa Bay area
One week after being named Mitt Romney's running-mate, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan makes his first campaign appearance in the Tampa Bay area Saturday night, appearing at a private fundraiser at the Treasure Island Yacht Club. In advance of that event, two local Democrats running for Congress for the first time, Sarasota's Keith Fitzgerald and St.…
Relive Two Big Mouths #111
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths111v2/Tbm08-09.mp3] Hello again and welcome back. We know you're sad the Olympics are over, so why not relive the glory and take another listen to show #111. Lots of Olympic news there for you to remember and reminisce along with some new music by an awesome local band, some witty ramblings from the Mad Movie…
Relive Two Big Mouths #111
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths111v2/Tbm08-09.mp3] Hello again and welcome back. We know you're sad the Olympics are over, so why not relive the glory and take another listen to show #111. Lots of Olympic news there for you to remember and reminisce along with some new music by an awesome local band, some witty ramblings from the Mad Movie…
Pussy Riot found guilty
Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot face two years of jailtime for hooliganism.
Sparkle lives up to its name
And Whitney leaves us something to remember.
The march of equality is unstoppable
We’re halfway through August already, and what a busy month it’s been. So I thought I'd discuss some of the important LGBT news from the past couple of weeks. I see these smaller victories as hope for the future of our LGBT community and all Americans. Tammy Smith We’ll lead off with military news, since…
Mitch Perry Report 8.17.12 – This just in: There won’t be that much news to report from Tampa’s RNC
The Times' Eric Deggans reports this morning that ABC News will broadcast a grand total of three hours from the extravaganza that we call the Republican National Convention. It's no surprise, because at most they were only going to air four hours (Monday thru Thursday from 10 pm to 11 pm), and it illustrates the…
Fresher market
Graham’s is the place to go for budget-priced fruits, veggies and more.
Beyond recognition
The Jeff Norton Awards ceremony is a winner for local theater.
Tampa begins to crack down on foreclosed properties in V.M. Ybor area
Like much of America, Tampa has been hard by the foreclosure crises, and it doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. In 2010 the city had 2,536 vacant properties registered. In 2011 it went up to 3,325. And currently there are now at least 4,316 foreclosed properties in the city. In some communities, housing activists…
Tampa code enforcement says Occupy Tampa must leave West Tampa within weeks -but they were already leaving anyway
Tampa City Council woman Lisa Montelione shows her appreciation to Joe Redner at today's City Council meeting Although Voice of Freedom Park owner Joe Redner told the Tampa City Council last month that he had made an agreement with the Occupy Tampa group that they would vacate his park in mid-September, Councilman Frank Reddick insisted…
BBQ & background checks
The RNC gig means big exposure and expense for local caterer Fitlife.
Andrew Ruga has a secret
And Emeril still doesn’t know!
Peace & Freedom Party working to get on Florida ballot
Roseanne Barr Did you know that Roseanne Barr is running for president this fall? The comedienne and television personality has been nominated to run for the highest office in the land as the nominee for the Peace & Freedom Party, whose most famous presidential candidate was probably Dr. Benjamin Spock in 1968. But the party…
Mitch Perry Report 8.16.12- Playing the part of Joe Lieberman this year at the RNC, we bring you Artur Davis
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has announced a group of "headliners" who will speak at the Republican National Convention in Tampa later this month, and many of them are also-rans in the Veep sweepstakes. They are: Kelly Ayotte (CL's darkhorse candidate for VP), Rob Portman, Bob McDonnell, Bobby Jindal, Artur Davis and Connie Mack IV. You…
Happy meals from Reservations-To-Go
Fast, fresh, delicious takeout made with skill in Seminole Heights.
Loving recollections by Archie Boston
The graphic artist-turned-painter recalls St. Pete’s bygone landmarks — and segregated past.
Record review and band interview: Wet Nurse, Daily Whatever
The all-grrl trio hits The Hub on Saturday night.
Silversun Pickups issue cease and desist order to Romney camp for illegal use of “Panic Switch”
Silversun Pickups Seems like we've heard this one before. A pop band is calling on a GOP presidential candidate to stop playing their song at the candidate's political rallies. In this case it's Mitt Romney, who has been playing the L.A. based alternative rockers Silversun Pickups 2009 song "Panic Switch," without asking for permission, and…
Tidying up Tampa
Extreme Makeover, RNC Edition: The city gets ready.
Fire burns in Tampa
Plus, two new restaurants and farmers’ markets open in St. Petersburg.
Paranoid about security cameras in downtown Tampa for the RNC? Get this app.
In May the Tampa City Council approved spending $2 million of federal funds to pay for a closed circuit television system, intended to bolster security during the Republican National Convention later this month. The purchase came from the $50 million in taxpayer money that Congress approved for security for the RNC; Charlotte received an additional…
Joe Redner on Tampa City Councilman Frank Reddick – “He hates me” regarding opposition to Cigar City Brewing & Occupy Tampa in West Tampa
Joe Redner On the agenda at this Thursday's Tampa City Council meeting will be an update by city officials about the conditions of Voice of Freedom Park in West Tampa, which has been the home for members of the activist group Occupy Tampa since last December. Earlier this month Joe Redner, who owns the park,…
Ain’t nothing but a bird
Easy recipes for making delicious chicken with the simplest of ingredients.
When Odd is too uneven
Disney’s The Odd Life of Timothy Green needs deeper roots.
Two Big Mouths #111 Now Live
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths111v2/Tbm08-09.mp3] Hello again and welcome back. We know you're sad the Olympics are over, so why not relive the glory and take another listen to show #111. Lots of Olympic news there for you to remember and reminisce along with some new music by an awesome local band, some witty ramblings from the Mad Movie…
A Remedy for Societal Discord: 5 American Fakelore Heroes
Myths, folklore and heroes' tales are at their root contextually more than the just the sum of their parts. Fakelore differs from folklore in that fakelore is consciously manufactured yarning whereas folklore has a more organic genesis. Joseph Campbell, the eminent mythologist, comparative religion scholar and de facto philosopher, wrote extensively on folklore and hero's…
Beyond Organic delivers 100% ‘green fed’ dairy and beef products to your door
No pesticides, chemicals, vaccines, antibiotics or GMOs.
