Cuban politics doesn't really play that big a part of Tampa politics, but there are still remnants here and there. After acting City Council Chair Mary Mulhern visited Cuba with a business delegation two weeks ago, she said she wanted to send a letter to the Cuban government, now that the city has been granted by the federal government and the Cuban government to resume direct flights. Councilman Mike Suarez objected to the letter, and was attacked by some members of the local media. Suarez responds.
Citizens Insurance tried to raise sinkhole rates up to an average of 440 percent earlier this summer. Then, as they realized how frenzied the public was about the rates, overnight reduced that rate to an average of 50 percent. That didn't work either.
State Senator Jack Latvala says it might be a good idea to merge the transit agencies of Hillsborough and Pinellas County. But HART officials don't sound so keen about it.
And check out CL contributor Atecia Robinson's story on the Akilah Institute for Women.
This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2011.