Foster, Kriseman spar cordially at LGBT-sponsored mayoral debate
Seems like one reason a candidate would stay away from a debate is that she gets to grab the headlines without having to do any of the work — like, say, answering questions. So leave it at this: Kathleen Ford was a no-show at last night's St. Pete mayoral debate organized by LGBT groups at…
Mitch Perry Report 7.10.13 – The beginning of ENDA?
After the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act two weeks ago, gay activists (and not just in Florida) cautioned that there were still plenty of issues to contend with for the LGBT community. One of them would be the passage of the Employment of Non-Discrimination Act, better known as ENDA. This morning…
Bolts are calling all Tampa Bay artists
Nicole Abbett "Sacred Heart Church," last year's first place winner in the Lightning arts competition. The Tampa Bay Times Forum and the Tampa Bay Lightning are hosting their second annual arts competition with another open call to artists.
TV is still king: New Gallup poll says most Americans get their information from the tube
As someone who worked in news radio for well over a decade, I'm not really surprised by the latest Gallup poll issued today about where Americans get their news and information. Television is the main place Americans say they turn to for news about current events (55 percent), leading the Internet at 21 percent. Nine…
Richard Eldridge is not your typical city council candidate
This week marks the first time the candidates in St. Petersburg's District 4 race have engaged in a formal debate prior to their primary election in late August. While Darden Rice, David McKalip and Carolyn Fries all have some sort of following in the city, newcomer Richard Eldridge is not well known. The 51-year-old former…
Was Wake Open a financial windfall?
If you build it, he will come. Nicole Abbett
Sequester politics in Florida, part two: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee takes on Bill Young
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel Last night we reported about how Gov. Rick Scott co-signed a letter with two other Gulf state Republican governors calling on President Obama to do something about the federal sequester. The sequester has been in effect since March but is just now, and for the next six weeks,…
New Music Tuesday! (July 9): Jay-Z, The Octopus Project, Preservation Hall Jazz Band & more
Releases out this week
Karla Lane defines BBW
The adult performer on being polyamorous, sex with fans, stripping, and how BBW scenes are different.
McKalip & Rice clash at St. Pete City Council debate
David McKalip, Richard Eldridge, Darden Rice and Carolyn Fries debate in a District 4 forum Monday night By far the most interesting City Council race going on this summer in St. Petersburg is the District 4 contest, where four challengers are trying to succeed a term-limited Leslie Curran later this year. David McKalip and Darden…
Kriseman airs 1st campaign TV ad in St. Pete
The St. Petersburg mayoral campaign is now in full swing, with debates taking place between, well, between two of the three major candidates this week (Kathleen Ford's schedule prevents her from participating, she has said). And today Rick Kriseman became the first candidate to go up with a television ad, called "My Vision," where he…
Mitch Perry Report 7.9.13: Rays’ crummy attendance is still an issue
Michael Sasso has a piece on the front page of today's Tampa Tribune that looks at an uncomfortable reality that until last week nobody was really talking about: the Tampa Bay Rays' paltry home attendance this year. Folks, just because it's an old story doesn't mean it's not a story. Yes, attendance is down throughout…
Sequester politics in Florida: The National Guard takes (an unwanted) day off
Nearly 1,000 National Guardsmen in Florida have the day off today, thanks to the federal sequester cuts imposed earlier this year. Guard members in the Sunshine State and other states around the country will be furloughed for one day a week starting today for the next three months. Rick Scott has been squawking about that…
Local officials celebrate bringing the International Indian Film Awards to Tampa
Race for the prize: The IIFA award, aka the "Bollywood Oscar" There was a large group of people standing behind Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada and Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham at Monday's press conference discussing Tampa's role as host of the 2014 International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards, but none loomed larger than…
Florida Republicans continue to pound on Charlie Crist
This morning, as many Floridians slowly got back into the groove after the Fourth of July weekend, the Republican Party of Florida came charging out of the gate with personnel news, as well as resumed their daily bashing of Charlie Crist, who they expect (and possibly fear?) to be Rick Scott's opponent in next year's…
Mitch Perry Report 7.8.13 – The U.S.’ dilemna with Egypt
It's back to work for most of us today after having an extraordinary four-day break as we get roll through this summer of 2013. Locally it was a pretty quiet time, with the biggest news taking place overseas with the ouster of the Prime Minister in Egypt right before the 4th of July. So is…
McCain calls Egyptian military coup another “failure of American leadership”
Like a lot of other folks, John McCain says that the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi last week was a coup d’etat , but unlike too many others, he's now calling for the Obama administration to suspend aid to the country. Speaking on CBS' Face The Nation, McCain told host Major Garrett that the…
David Brooks schools GOP Congressman on Senate immigration bill on MTP
Congress returns to work tomorrow after the Independence Day break, and all eyes will be on the GOP-led House of Representatives and what they're going to do about immigration. All indications are that the House wants to work on specific parts of the Senate's bill, but not the whole enchilada. But instead of going through…
In living color: Community Stepping Stones’ Beautiful Beasties
Daniel Veintimilla Antonie van Leeuwenhoek called microorganisms “beasties” when they first wiggled under his microscope in 1654. His catchphrase inspired the title of a new art show, Beautiful Beasties, coordinated by Community Stepping Stones, a Sulphur Springs-based nonprofit that provides at-risk youth with arts, culture and creative educational opportunies — such as USF microbiologist Dr.…
Partied without him
BWL Photography As I was leaving the gym last week, I picked up a copy of the CL Gay Pride issue. Sitting in my car, sweating profusely as the blissful air-conditioning cooled me down, I opened up to an article called “Party Without Him” that boasted, against a rainbow background, about one gay man who…
Artists’ board meeting at Red Bull Wake Open
Nicole Abbett WAKE ARTIST: Dan Lasata and his entry. On Tuesday, some of the best artists with bay area ties gathered together at Knights Point on Harbour Island for the Wake Art Project. Inspired by the Red Bull-branded question, "What Gives You Wings?", painters, photographers and sculptors mingled with wakeboarders in preparation for the Red…
Quickies
Dan offers easy answers to readers’ questions.
Anti-surveillance protesters march in downtown Tampa on the 4th of July
More than 130 people gathered in downtown Tampa on the Fourth of July to protest the recent revelations reported on NSA surveillance, including the PRISM program that they say violates their Fourth Amendment rights. The protest was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. in Lykes Gaslight Park, but there was nary a protester in sight.…
Democrat candidates out in full force at St. Petersburg forum
Rick Kriseman Wednesday evening the St. Petersburg Democratic Club held an open forum aimed at introducing constituents to the Democratic candidates running in the August 27 elections. The highlight of the event was a debate between all four candidates in the running for the City Council District 8 membership. Robert Davis, Alex Duensing, Amy Foster…
The politicians’ dictionary
Words to manipulate the populace by.
Nitally’s Inferno
One man, 48 ounces of insanely hot soup, and 30 minutes on the clock.
Brewing for dummies
Brooklyn Brew Shop simplifies brewing craft beer at home.
Tampa Bay area advocates for gun control put their hopes in the GOP-led House
Gun-control supporters placed chairs and pictures of the slain children of the Sandy Hook tragedy outside of a town hall meeting held by Congressman Dennis Ross on Tuesday Although a universal background check on gun purchases went down to defeat in the Senate last April, gun-control advocates in the Tampa Bay area are now pinning…
Duckweed Urban Market expands
DUCKWEED URBAN MARKET Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn (left) officially opening Duckweed's new space for business last week. Downtown Tampa's Duckweed Urban Market, an oasis of fresh produce, cheese, meat, wine and beer, recently moved and expanded into the adjacent Element building (803 N. Tampa St., Tampa, 813-221-3825). "We were at 600 feet and now we…
Immigration supporters express disappointment with Congressman Dennis Ross
Lindsey Myers addresses the crowd in front of the Brandon Regional Service Center on Tuesday night At a town hall meeting in Lutz on Tuesday afternoon, Polk County area Congressman Dennis Ross said he does not support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. His remarks angered immigration reform advocates who blasted his stance shortly…
Mitch Perry Report 7.3/4/5.13: GOP pounces on delay of key Obamacare component
The Obama administration dropped a bombshell Tuesday afternoon, announcing that the employer mandate portion of the Affordable Care Act will be delayed until 2015. The employer mandate requires every business with 50 employees or more to provide health care coverage, or pay a penalty of $2,000 per employee. Although some businesses had been complaining about…
Patriotism pops
Declare your fashion independence in shades of red, white & blue.
Lorraine Margeson: Walking the walk
The environmental activist is running for St. Pete City Council.
This week in Tampa Bay area live music: of Montreal, Mac Miller, Ghost Owl & more
Concerts, July 4-10.
Talkin’ with Jason Mewes
A Q&A with Silent Bob’s sidekick before he stops in with Kevin Smith to screen their latest cartoon flick.
Activists against NSA surveillance organize rallies across the U.S., including in Tampa, on July 4
John Cusack A national group — formed in the wake of the revelations delivered by NSA contractor Edward Snowden — is planning a series of more than 90 rallies around the country on the Fourth of July to protest NSA surveillance. Tampa's rally will take place in Lykes Gaslight Park. StopWatching.us has collected more than…
Countdown to St. Pete’s mayoral primary
August 27th is the big day for Bill Foster, Rick Kriseman and Kathleen Ford.
The long Ranger
Disney’s reboot of The Lone Ranger is well-meaning but overdone.
Despicable Me 2 schemes up laughs
The animated summer sequel brings the comedy but skimps on story.
Dysfunctional and divorced in Sarasota
Stages south of the Skyway are cookin’ in July — one serves up worthwhile fare, another is, well, just warmed over.
Don Kruse to challenge Al Higginbotham in Hillsborough County District 7 GOP primary
Don Kruse Tampa businessman Don Kruse said he will file papers at some point during the next three to six weeks, challenging Al Higginbotham in the GOP primary for the Hillsborough County Commission's District 7 seat. Mark Sharpe will vacate the seat in 2014 as he becomes term-limited. A fierce contest is already underway on…
Mitch Perry Report 7.2.13: Weatherford quashes talk of a special session on Medicaid expansion
Plus: Repealing Florida’s same-sex marriage ban and much more …
New Music Tuesday! (July 2): Larry and His Flask, Owen, Pretty Lights, Rusko & more
Music out this week; audio & video included.
Going native
Ulele, the newest addition to Tampa’s Riverwalk, will focus on local history and flavors.
Italian for dinner
Channelside’s Cena is home to impeccable and authentic Italian.
Wine and dine
Make that restaurant wine list work for you.
Inside the photo booth: theater professor Scott Cooper
Kevin Tighe Theater professor Scott Cooper (click to enlarge) Scott Cooper is an Associate Professor of Theater at St. Petersburg College. Professor Cooper is also an award winning scenic designer. He has designed scenery for The American Stage Theatre, The Straz Performing Arts Center, Stageworks and The FreeFall Theatre. His work has also been seen…
Petition to repeal same-sex marriage in Florida to be available to sign on Tuesday
Equal Marriage Florida's Vanessa Brito Although not everyone in the LGBT community thinks Florida is ready to pass a constitutional amendment repealing its ban on same-sex marriage in 2014, organizers with Equal Marriage Florida are going all out in an effort to get the more than 681,000 signatures needed by next February to do so.…
Tasha Reign’s ascent to porn star royalty
TashaReign.com Tasha Reign embodies the iconic archetype of a porn star. Long, bleach blonde hair. A slender frame offset by titanic tits. She's an x-rated Malibu Barbie. A Southern California princess cloaked in fluffy pinks and glimmering rhinestones, who probably sweats glitter and tanning oil. Reign is a feminazi's worst nightmare. Not only has she…
Could the International Indian Film Academy Awards be as big as the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay?
Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada On Tuesday, July 2, a group of local officials from the Tampa Bay area will fly to Hong Kong where they will then take a ferry to Macau for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, which takes place this Thursday-Saturday. They're not there to check out India's equivalent…
Feeding America Tampa Bay to close its Pinellas warehouse
Chip Weiner Feeding America Tampa Bay is the biggest food bank in the West Central Florida region, feeding more than 700,000 people in 10 counties ranging from Citrus to Polk to Manatee. Because the organization is responsible for such a large chunk of Florida, they distribute food from the massive warehouse facility off 50th Street…
