Thursday brought some really good news, for once — unless, that is, you happen to get your organic psychedelics from a guy named Tim in Carrollwood.
Huzzah! Things are moving forward on the St. Pete Pier — demolition on the old inverted pyramid could begin as early as next week, as the city council approved the beginning of the realization of the Pier Park design. Finally, a little proof positive that, after weeks and months and years, civic bureaucracy is truly capable of getting the wheels rolling on a project that's sure to be further stalled by sour grapes and somebody else's unshakeable conviction that they know what's right for everybody else.
More huzzahs! An 8th grade teacher at Hillsborough's Williams Middle Magnet School has been named the Macy's/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Diane McKee, and we apologize on behalf of the rest of the state for the fact that part of her award was a ceremony during which she had to endure Rick Scott, noted hater of educators, being all self-congratulatory.
Tampa cops investigating a burglary discovered a grow-house of a different sort — one incubating more than 60 pounds of psychedelic mushrooms. WHAT A TRIP, AMIRITE?
And finally, remember that piano-playing homeless gentleman in Sarasota whose performance of "Come Sail Away" captured the hearts of internet denizens nationwide last week? A crowdfunding account set up on his behalf has netted more than $38,000. Meanwhile, somewhere Styx is playing a cattle auction-slash-auto show for 200 flash-frozen beef short ribs and alimony.
