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Sep 22-28, 2011

Sep 22-28, 2011 / Vol. 24 / No. 28

Florida set to execute a man today

Manuel Valle Barring a last minute intervention by the courts, the state of Florida is scheduled to kill 61-year-old Manuel Valle at 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon in Starke. If executed, he will become the first Florida death row inmate from a newly revised mix of lethal drugs. Valle is on death row for the killing…

by Mitch Perry

Mitch Perry Report 9.28.11

CL spent half the day up on the USF campus yesterday where seemingly every elected official of some note was sitting either in the audience or up on stage at the Oval Theatre in USF's Marshall Center. The most substantive news was a proposal by Clearwater state Senator Jack Latvala that would (theoretically) give more…

by Mitch Perry

Will GOP fissure on immigration hurt in 2012?

For decades, the Republican Party has had a schizophrenic attitude towards illegal immigration. The "Wall Street Journal Republicans" are those that don't demonize undocumented immigrants, because they find that using such workers enables certain businesses to function and thrive. That appellation derives from the fact that the Wall Street Journal editorial page itself is in…

by Mitch Perry

Photos from the Forgotten Children March 2011

The second annual march to support children in Foster Care that have been abandoned, abused, neglected, was held Saturday morning at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa. The event, sponsored by Voices For Children Of Tampa Bay Inc., promoted awareness about these children as well as the need for Guardian ad Litems. Guardian ad Litems…

by Chip Weiner

The Gaily News: L Word star booted from flight for lesbian kiss

Leisha Hailey, right, with Uh Huh Her bandmate Camila Grey, left Actress and musician Leisha Hailey, best known for her role as Alice on Showtime's The L Word, took to Twitter after being ejected from a Southwest flight for kissing her girlfriend. She Tweeted: "I have been discriminated against by @SouthwestAir. Flt. attendant said that…

by Tiffany Razzano

Mitch Perry Report 9.27.11

If the Tampa Bay Rays can win their last two games (not a gimme by any stretch against the New York Yankees), worst case scenario means they would host a special playoff game in St. Pete on Thursday. But they must sweep the Yankees – still a tough bet. Pretty darned exciting. A little less…

by Mitch Perry

Rick Baker plays the GOP field

Cl bumped into former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker last Friday while at CPAC Florida in Orlando. For those who might somehow remember this, Baker worked on Mitt Romney's unsuccessful presidential campaign in Florida in 2007-2008, serving as co-chair of his campaign in the Sunshine State. So naturally he's working to help the former Massachusetts…

by Mitch Perry

Album Review: Switchfoot, Vice Verses

Switchfoot seems to be in a constant state of change. No album sounds exactly like its predecessor. No song is interchangeable with another. No lyric tastes stale. After 15 years and eight albums, Switchfoot is still asking questions, still growing and surprising. Vice Verses ebbs and flows with rockin' anthems, rap (what?! but yes!!), and…

by Taylor Toothman

Hillsborough Legislative delegation to meet at USF to talk local bills

The Regent in Brandon Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the USF Tampa campus the public is invited to a meeting of the Hillsborough state Legislative delegation, where they'll be hearing about five different pieces of legislation dealing with issues inside Tampa/Hillsborough County that may be introduced in next year's session. Last December you might…

by Mitch Perry

High tech Jobs for Tampa promoted by local officials

Today mayor Bob Buckhorn along with representative Kathy Castor, Dr. William S. Dalton, Chief Executive officer and Center Director at Moffit Cancer center, and Michael Hoad associate Vice President Communications at USF Health gathered to promote the development of high tech jobs in Tampa and the surrounding region. At the short media availability held at…

by Vanessa Kompothecras

Mitch Perry Report 9.26.11

Welcome to the first working week beginning in the fall of 2011. Now I'll really get excited about that when it actually starts to feel like fall, which isn't for probably another five weeks or so (hope I'm wrong on that though). Well, we were in Orlando last Friday for the Florida CPAC event, the…

by Mitch Perry

The beauty of Moneyball

In the current CL, our film critic Joe Bardi writes a very informative review of not only the plot of the new Hollywood release Moneyball, but also of the gestation period that it took to reach the silver screen. The story of the underdog Oakland A's 2002 regular season ups and downs was originally encapsulated…

by Mitch Perry

GOP intelligentsia’s latest hope: Waiting (again) on Christie?

Chris Christie still thinking of getting in the race? Herman Cain's upset victory in the Florida straw poll on Saturday wasn't taken that seriously by the Sunday morning pundits. You could consider than an insult to the former Godfather's pizza CEO, or just an infatuation with the news that the Rick Perry candidacy could possibly…

by Mitch Perry

Criticisms of the President’s plan distract us from the real issue

Unveiling the second part of his $3 trillion deficit reduction plan on Monday, President Obama stressed, in no uncertain terms, that he would veto any bill that would call for cuts to Medicare without raising new revenue. According to the President, "I will not support any plan that puts all the burden for closing our…

by Ben Luongo

Mitch Perry Report 9.23.11

Greetings from Orlando, where we're here for the Florida CPAC event, a veritable Lollapalooza for the conservative movement. The event comes during the middle of the GOP dream weekend in O-town, coming off last night's Fox News/Google debate. We're refraining from comment on that affair last night. We spent part of our Thursday checking out…

by Mitch Perry

Tampa City Council deadlocks (again) on panhandling issue

Yolie Capin had a message to Tampa City Attorney Jim Shimberg on Thursday: Don't mess with her. Two weeks ago at the end of a workshop on the issue, the Tampa City Council took their first tentative steps into passing an ordinance banning panhandling, voting 5-1 on a measure that would ban such solicitations six…

by Mitch Perry

The Loafies rocked!

DrunkCameraGuy.com The crew from Impulse Pole Dance celebrates their win for Best Pole Dancing Fitness Studio. DrunkCameraGuy.com Best Local Scene Champion Andre Jones accepts his award. Last night, 600 people crowded into Czar's Imperial Theatre for The Loafies, Creative Loafing's celebration of the 21st annual Best of the Bay Awards. From former Mayor Pam Iorio…

by David Warner

Photo review: Incubus at 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre, Tampa

This past Sunday, California alt rock heavyweights Incubus played a loud, bright show to the people who ended up at 1-800 ASK GARY Amphitheatre, a small enough number that the lawn was shut down and pavilion tickets passed around. Was everyone saving their money for Blink-182? Or maybe they weren't in the mood to hear…

by Mike Wilson

On 3rd try, Tampa City Council approves sending letter to Cuban government

Mary Mulhern If Tampa doesn't work diligently to dialogue with Cuba, the city will fall too far behind other U.S. cities in establishing a trade relationship with the communist island when (and if) the 51-year plus U.S. embargo ultimately ends. That was the message delivered Thursday morning by acting Tampa City Council chair Mary Mulhern,…

by Mitch Perry

Mitch Perry Report 9.22.11

Welcome to the post "Loafie" edition to the Report today. First of all, a thanks to any of the readers who attended our Best of the Bay party last night at Czar in Ybor City. Among the politicos in attendance were former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who won the readers award for best local politician,…

by Mitch Perry

It’s a family affair for Eisley at Crowbar, plus Peter Bjorn and John, J. Cole + more of the week’s best concerts.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Subhuman Beatdown Tour DJ/producers Dieselboy (aka Damian Higgins) and Steve "Smash" Gordon are drum-n-bass makers who run the DNB-geared Human Imprint label and subsidiary SubHuman, which is dedicated to dubstep and electro music. Both take the helm on their current "Subhuman Beatdown Tour," which also features BARE along with Amphitheatre residents Nerd…

by Leilani Polk

WMNF Station Manager Jim Bennett quits

Jim Bennett WMNF Station Manager Jim Bennett has quit, though details about his departure aren't well known as of late Wednesday afternoon. Board President Letty Valdes is the official spokesman for the station regarding Bennett's departure, but would only tell CL it was for "personal reasons." Bennett took over at the Tampa Bay area community…

by Mitch Perry

New report says Tampa Bay area 2nd smoggiest area in Florida

USF's Dr. Luis Maldonado Last week there were two days in the Tampa Bay area so smoggy that air pollution advisories were announced. And according to a new report released on Wednesday by the group Environment Florida, the region ranks second, only behind Pensacola, as far as having the smoggiest air in the Sunshine State.…

by Mitch Perry

R.E.M. calls it quits

R.E.M. broke out of the vibrant Athens, Ga. music scene in the early 1980s. They toiled for much of the decade in the American rock underground of what would become "alternative" music, and recorded several now-legendary albums before mainstream success came with 1987's Document. Singer Michael Stipe played the role of reluctant rock star before…

by Joel Weiss

County Commisioners vote for reimbursement of $35,000 from Regent Center

The Hillsborough County Commissioners today voted for the repayment of $35,000 by the Brandon Community Advantage Center. The Board reached this decision after the audit conducted by Daniel A. Pohto, Clerks County Audit Director, found that from the $2.5 million invested by Hillsborough County for the construction of the center, $35,000 were inappropriately allocated.

by Vanessa Kompothecras

Never mind Whisker Wars — all hail to the ‘stache!

From the Chevron to the Fu Manchu, mustaches are no longer relegated to creeps, throwbacks and porn stars. Vote for your favorite mustachioed hero — and tell the world Tampa Bay loves some hair over its upper lip. The American Mustache Institute (yes, there is such a thing) opened nominations for the Robert Goulet Memorial…

by Julie Garisto

Album review: Girls, Father, Son, Holy Ghost

With an album as widely praised as Father, Son, Holy Ghost, adding something meaningful to the swath of critical admiration is a daunting task to say the least. Echoing the sentiment of critics, well, everywhere, Girls' second full-length is a damn good one, not only for the band, but for every free love, horn rimmed…

by Andrew Silverstein

Winter Arts Festival call for artists, crafters and vendors

Beth Am's 5th Annual Winter Arts Festival features handmade arts, crafts, gifts, jewelry, food and more. Taking place on Sunday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the free holiday art and craft festival offers more than 35 local artists, crafters and vendors hawking a variety of handmade, local eco-friendly items, baked goods and…

by Julie Garisto

Mitch Perry Report 9.21.11

Big day for the folks here at CL: Tonight, the paper's biggest issue of the year, the Best of the Bay edition is released at an event down here in Ybor City. It's also the anniversary of my beginning this job two years ago to the day. Too bad I don't feel great about it…

by Mitch Perry

New Gallup Poll:American favor Jobs plan proposals, Including taxing rich

Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, like all his Congressional GOP colleagues who have been quoted, don't think much of President Obama's$3 trillion plan announced on Monday to trim the deficit, which most notably includes a proposed higher tax on households that earn more than $1 million. The freshman from Miami told an Orlando radio station…

by Mitch Perry

Tampa Port Authority director hangs on for at least 2 more years

Richard Wainio It hasn't been the most secure time for leaders of Hillsborough County public agencies over the past year and a half. Louis Miller "retired" from being the head of Tampa International Airport in 2010, HART CEO David Armijo was dumped by his board back in April, and on Tuesday, the fate of Tampa…

by Mitch Perry

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