Quantcast
Channel: The Tampa Bay Times and Tampabay.com: Florida's largest newspaper, Tampa Bay's leading news website.
Viewing all 837 articles
Browse latest View live

Honor student highlights HCC's annual fundraiser

0
0

TAMPA - At 9-years old, Arletis Alfonso's life was uprooted.

She embraced her family and friends in tearful goodbyes and left Cuba for the United States with her mother, father and older sister.

"Back then, I was so young I didn't understand why I had to leave my family and friends behind," Alfonso said. "It was a new life, something different so I did cry, but I was also excited to confront everything with my family."

Though the move marked more opportunity, Alfonso was surrounded by the unfamiliar. Her biggest barrier: the language.

"I remember going to class and not understanding what the teacher was saying," Alfonso said. "I felt alone, until I was able to learn the language."

And learn the language, she did.

Today, she is a first-generation student and scholarship recipient in the Hillsborough Community College Honors Institute.

Last month, at the annual HCC Foundation Presidential Showcase, the largest fundraiser the foundation hosts for its First Generation Scholarship fund, Alfonso served as the closing speaker. The event has raised $2.5 million for scholarships, including the one helping cover Alfonso's costs.

With confidence and in perfect English, two words resonated throughout her speech: thank you.

"Tonight, for me thank you means an education, a future and a dream realized," Alfonso said.

Just four years earlier, as a freshman in high school, Alfonso balanced eight classes in school, one online course and a part-time job.

"I realized that I needed to help my family, and the best way I could do that was to help my mom," Alfonso said. "I started to accompany her to her part-time job as a housekeeper. I didn't get much sleep and it was hard trying to get involved in school, make friends and live a teenager life."

With the scholarships she receives each semester, she can now focus entirely on involvement and the social aspects of college.

"Certainly she is smart and does her work, those things are assumed, but she takes it up a notch," said Dustin Lemke, HCC honors leadership course professor said. "You just know she is a good person, she wants to do the right thing, help others and make the world a better place."

On top of volunteer work, she is the president of Phi Beta Lambda, the social chair of the National Society of College Scholars, serves on the Arete Board of Directors and is an Honors Institute Ambassador.

"One thing I've noticed the last couple of weeks, she is willing to take criticism and feedback and then get better," Lemke said. "I worked with her on the speech she gave at the showcase event and I gave some feedback that was tough to take. But she went back, worked harder and came back. Some people give up quickly, but she is persistent."

Her remarks followed the recognition of former Tampa Police Chief Eric Ward, who was honored with the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

He relayed his journey and how, after receiving a scholarship to another school, he came home to HCC and enrolled in the police academy, aiming to help the community where he was raised.

President Ken Atwater also presented Caspers Company CFO Chuck Peterson with the Champion of Education Award.

The event also showcased various programs at HCC.

Paddy, the Irish Terrier, fresh out of surgery completed by first year veterinary students, greeted guests by the entrance, while Jane the robot waved hello from a few booths down.

At the auto collision booth, attendees got a taste of the technology used by the department for training in how to paint vehicles.

And it was just like a video game.

Students strapped virtual headsets onto attendees and armed them with a spray tool, then watched as they attempted to cover every inch of the virtual car door. In order to pass the course, students must get an 85 or higher. High scores of the night barely exceeded 40.

Two ambulances parked in the main reception and dining area represented the EMT department and its achievements, while the culinary department filled the entire back of the room, offering samples.

While attendees dined on chicken and steak, accompanied by music from the HCC Jazz Sextet, Alfonso sat nervously awaiting her turn to the stage.

Taking the microphone, she expressed her gratitude and ended by saying, "I look forward to the moment I walk across the stage and receive my credential in Business Management and Administration."

Though there is no stopping her now, as she will graduate HCC in the spring and attend the University of Florida in the fall, she still remembers spending summers cooling off from the Cuban heat at the public pool, surrounded by tourists drinking Coke and eating ice cream.

"I would tell my mom 'I'm hungry', and she said no, we can't get ice cream, all we have is bread," Alfonso said. "It was all we had, but she was still able to take us out and spend time together."

Contact Arielle Waldman at awaldman@tampabay.com.


Hooper: A message goes viral on behalf of kids

0
0

Local public relations practitioner Carolynn Smith prides herself on working behind the scenes for her clients.

Even with a 6-foot-2 frame, the former NCAA basketball player blends into the scene.

She did so again Tuesday night when she helped former Major League Baseball player Gary Sheffield and his wife DeLeon Sheffield promote their new FYI Network show with a gala at Ulelee.

This time, however, Smith could have garnered as much attention as Sheffield and some of the other 100-plus dignitaries. Just by chance, a simple video Smith crafted in a parking lot on Bruce B. Downs has gone viral, drawing in digital outlets for ABC News and Inside Edition.

Smith, 36, traces the story back to the mentoring work she embarked on while representing former NBA player Tarence Kinsey and his foundation. That helped connect her to the Wilbert Davis Boys-&-Girls Club in Belmont Heights, and she's maintained a relationship with many of the club's teen members.

She's even convinced her fiance Kendrix Jones to serve as a mentor.

The rash of murders in nearby Southeast Seminole Heights has cast a pall over most of the neighborhoods. One of Smith's mentees told her kids aren't coming to the play any more.

"My heart has always been with inner-city youth," said Smith, who spent most of her formative years in Tampa and graduated from Armwood High School. "I asked Tina, the director at Wilbert Davis, if there were any big parties going on for the kids and she said there wasn't.

"So I said, 'I need to do something this year and it needs to be big.' "

Smith decided to "adopt" all 125 kids and promised to deliver them a special Christmas celebration. How? And with what money? Smith, six months pregnant and the mother of a 5-year-old, figured if she had to, she would dip into her savings.

Yet as she drove to pick up her son on Nov. 17, she got a calling. The spirit moved her. She pulled over at the Home Depot and did a Facebook live video, calling on folks who always said they would like to help with her mentoring.

Maybe because she's pregnant, Smith reasoned, maybe because she cares so much, she began to sob on the video as she made a plea. Normally composed and professional, Smith grew emotional and what I jokingly call her "boo-hoo face" emerged.

"I thought about doing it again, but I probably would have started crying again," Smith said. "So I left it. I'm glad I did."

She didn't plan it, she didn't mean to, but the impromptu effort went viral. In days, several local television stations, including ABC affiliate WFTS-Ch. 28, did stories on Smith's touching plea and her call to donate to a Go Fund Me page (gofundme.com/tampa-bay-gives-back). As of Wednesday, the page had received more than $7,000 in pledges from as far away as California and New York

"I'm extremely surprised," Smith said. "I had hoped to get some support from friends and family who always said they wanted to help. I didn't think it would go beyond that."

Now Smith has pledged to give each of the 125 kids two gifts, plus create a winter wonderland celebration for the kids later this month. More than 35 people have volunteered to help. She said additional money will be used to help the club with other needs.

In the interim, she'll continue to promote folks like the Sheffields. The new show, Sheffield Real Estate, focuses on DeLeon's real estate business and the relationship she has with Gary and their three sons. Smith said it takes viewers into some of the area's most fabulous homes.

It premiered Thursday.

Sheffield always used a big bat to succeed in baseball, but Smith shows you also can hit a home run with a few tears.

That's all I'm saying.

New Tampa Players lose their founder

0
0

NEW TAMPA - Doug Wall devoted the last 20 years of his life to a cultural center in New Tampa - one that supporters say will be a reality in the next three years.

His dream of being a Broadway co-producer also is set to happen next year, an event his family will see for him.

Mr. Wall, 55, co-founder of the New Tampa Players community theater group, died Saturday (Nov. 25) following a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

"This is definitely going to happen," Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist said this week of a 20,000-square-foot, 6,700.

•••

In addition to the theater company, Mr. Wall organized theater camps for children. The children of State Rep. Shawn Harrison were among the many who attended the program.

"He was a great guy, an incredibly caring person who would go out of his way to help a friend," Harrison said.

Commissioner Crist said there is 2.8 million from the state for use of the center as a hurricane shelter. Harrison said while the center is mainly a city of Tampa and Hillsborough County project, he said he will lend any support he can to such efforts.

"He (Wall) became the public face of an effort to bring the cultural center to New Tampa," Harrison said. "This will be a testament to his belief."

Contact Lenora Lake at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Sunday Conversation: Trace Kingham thrives as event planner after overcoming bullying

0
0

The Fairbanks High class of 1984 graduated 67 students, including a tall, lonely boy who loved cheerleading. Since the entire population of Unionville Center, Ohio barely reached 200, it's not hard to imagine how tumbling and handsprings targeted him for bullying, said Trace Kingham, CEO (chief experience officer) of Kingham Signature Events, "but I loved performing and entertaining." He forged his mother's signature for audition permission and practiced like it was an Olympic tryout.

Looking back now, the bullying and harassment made him more determined to endure. "My experience was all for a reason... I've been able to turn it into something positive," he said. Ironically, a football coach, acting as the cheerleading advisor one semester, put him on the squad. Six years later, Kingham made it onto the Ohio State University varsity squad, with a scholarship to boot.

"Cheerleading changed my life... it opened doors beyond my imagination," Kingham, 51, said, by fostering friendships, style and trust he calls on as an event planner for clients including the American Red Cross, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Lowry Park Zoo, Sykes Enterprises and Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services.

Kingham recently shared his childhood and career experiences with Tampa Bay Times reporter Amy Scherzer.

Cheerleading isn't the typical pastime for young boys growing up in small rural communities in the Midwest. How did you get so hooked on acrosports?

I always chose things that were not normal things boys did in the late '70s. I always wanted to hang out with the girls and they were trying out for cheerleading, so I decided that I wanted to be a cheerleader. I had seen a collegiate competition on TV and there were boys. Everyone was against it, so after a year of begging, I forged my mother's signature and tried out in seventh grade. My scores were high enough but I didn't make it because I was a boy. That opened the floodgates of bullying and name calling.

How did you handle aggressive kids? Were the adults in your life supportive at least?

A lot of crying and depression, thoughts of suicide. Not understanding why I didn't make it pushed me to be better and in 9th grade, I made it. The football coach was the interim advisor and he said, "You're on the squad, son. What are you going to wear a skirt?" I pulled a catalog out of my backpack and said, "Look, there are boys and they have pants." He was the only one that I remember sticking up for me. He had a little bit of compassion. Everyone else let it all happen.

A tyrant sat behind me every morning in homeroom and he was just awful. My locker was next to his and that's how I started my day. I had a guidance counselor call me in from time to time, he wanted to groom me to abuse me. Ever since, I've honed that skill, to quickly assess, "Am I safe?"

My sophomore year I made the varsity squad and I was so proud of myself. But it really put a target on my back. The parents wanted to kick me out and it was a pretty intense situation.

My mom never attended the games. I think she was ashamed and didn't know how to handle it. My brother hated me for ruining the family. I didn't have anybody and when I shared feelings it was used against me. I got beat up after a game in 11th grade and decided I'd had enough and didn't cheer senior year. In hindsight I wish I had stayed with it.

But you did stick with it, including cheering in Tampa at an Outback Bowl. What changed when you got to Ohio State?

College was never discussed. It wasn't in our sightline. I went to school in the morning and worked a half day at Farmer's Insurance in Columbus. I graduated and worked there full-time. You went to work, that's what you did.

My boss was just great, encouraging me to take some community college classes and get a degree in "something you love." I took the SAT and got a full ride to Ohio State.

The first home football game of the season, all the light bulbs went off in my head and I discovered cheerleading was the coolest thing ever. I didn't get my hopes up. I was 6-foot-2 and couldn't even touch my toes. After two years of intensive training in acrosports, I tried out at the end of sophomore year and made it. I was ecstatic.

I cheered for two years and graduated class of 1991 with no debt. I did it all myself.

How did you decide to become an event planner? What have you staged that really wowed?

I got a part in Cabaret in a Delray Beach dinner theater for six weeks and I loved Florida and stayed. I waited tables and auditioned for acting and modeling gigs and worked part-time in a bank. A bank client asked me to work on an event for the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association at the Ft. Lauderdale Pier.

When I said, "but I'm an actor," she said, "Did you know events are like live theater?" The proverbial light bulb again. We didn't do galas in Unionville. I took the job and my first event was creating a gala for the cruise association.

Over the next three years, I did many trade shows in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Jamaica. I did all the planning in Miami, ordered the equipment loaded on a ship and then flew down there to get it through customs. The logistics weren't easy.

I use my theatrical training and produced all experiences from a directorial perspective. The years I produced Karamu were a huge transformation for a stale zoo event. I revamped the Heroes luncheon for the Sykes Foundation. Recently I worked with the national Red Cross summit in Washington, D.C., culminating with a big dinner at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery to celebrate the Tiffany Circle raising more than $100 million. One of my favorites in Ohio was a hospital gala that was taken over by pirates scaling from the ceiling.

What enticed you and your family to Tampa Bay?

I went out to Los Angeles to try acting and lasted about nine months. I realized I wanted a family, a house, a yard ... I couldn't see the path to getting that so I went back and worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbus until one of their sponsors swooped me up. After a couple of years I broke out on my own in 2004.

Brad and I graduated from Ohio State on the same day but we didn't know each other. We met in 2003 and got married in 2013 in New York. He was recruited to Moffitt and I was able to reinvent myself down here.

We adopted Nicholas, 11, in Akron when he was 6 weeks old and we were in the room when Donavan, 7, was born. Both their birth mothers were seeking same sex couples so they could be the only mother in their lives. They didn't want anyone else to be called Mom.

What do you say to kids being bullied? And their parents?

First thing, if I could do it over again, I would seek out help, which I did not. I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. Second thing: There's an end. I look back and it (bullying) is a very small blip of my lifetime. Those were dark times and it felt like they were never going to end, but you'll get through it.

Set up that consistency of conversation as a parent. I'm always being inquisitive and asking questions of my children so I can get a sense of what they're feeling. Out of conversations about their day come nuances that get into the moment that I didn't have.

Sunday Conversation is edited for brevity and clarity.

Holiday Hopes: Maria evacuees search for a little help after landing in Tampa

0
0

The concrete house in the Puerto Rican countryside town of Arecibo had been in Sheila Reyes' family for generations; the stately old tree in the yard had weathered so many storms.

It took the wrath of Hurricane Maria, which made landfall on the island Sept. 20 as a Category 5 hurricane, to destroy the house that Reyes, 33, and her partner Jose De Jesus Sierra, 36, had turned into a home for them and their three children.

They thought it would be the safest place to ride it out.

Instead, a tree crashed through one side of the house, destroying the laundry room and the children's bedroom and trapping the family - including 12-year-old Daria, 7-year-old Thais and 5-year-old Leny - inside the damaged house.

They found shelter when they relocated to Tampa on Oct. 24, but they won't forget how the storm surge rushed in unabated on that fateful day.

The family shared its story for Holiday Hopes, the annual Tampa Bay Times series that asks readers to fulfill the wishes of those in need.

"Nobody slept that night," said Reyes, who had broken her foot shortly before the storm and could only watch as her kids helped their dad and grandfather try fruitlessly to scoop out the water.

•••

For two weeks after the storm stranded them in their decimated house, Sierra and the children walked to a municipal water tank, standing in line for five hours or more, every two days; similarly long lines yielded small amounts of food and gas.

Reyes' leukemia-stricken mother couldn't go for her treatments; there were so many dying or dead people crowding the hospital that she couldn't risk exposing herself to all that bacteria.

School was on hold indefinitely. Because Thais and Leny both have attention deficit disorder and a condition called Brown's syndrome that makes it difficult for their eyes to function properly, they were falling hopelessly behind in their classes.

Reyes, an engineer by trade, spent the last three years working from home to make sure her children stayed on track.

She and Sierra, a paramedic, had already contemplated a move to the U.S. to be with family in Rhode Island, but hadn't saved up enough money.

They knew they couldn't stay in Puerto Rico any longer.

•••

Sierra's mother, Margarita Sierra Mercado, decided to take her son's young family into her Tampa mobile home, squeezing seven people into two bedrooms. Sierra's brother came too, wanting to raise money for his family back home.

Reyes' mother remained in Puerto Rico, afraid of being a burden. Her daughter and grandchildren cry for her all the time.

"If we had our own place for her to visit, she could have come with us, but we don't," said Reyes, pausing to let the tears come.

All three of her children jumped to comfort her with hugs and whispers of "Te amo" -- Spanish for "I love you."

The kids started school the day after they arrived in Tampa, despite being sick with bad colds from stress and abrupt climate change.

"They didn't have all the registration papers or supplies yet," Sierra said. "They just went."

When Reyes went to a local doctor in Tampa to do something about her untreated broken foot, she was told she needed to see a podiatrist - an unaffordable option without the government health care she had in Puerto Rico.

•••

Brenda Irizarry is a Puerto Rican native who spearheads Course of Action PR, a local nonprofit that partnered with the U.S. Air Force in Tampa to send planes of donated supplies just days after the storm.

Irizarry's team found a podiatrist for Reyes, who is still wearing a brace but is expected to heal nicely.

The family is in high spirits despite their tribulations.

"From day one, I noticed how close this family is," Irizarry said. "You can feel how much they love each other; if one cries, the others will too."

A tiny pair of Thais' mittens lies discarded on the floor near the air mattress he shares with his sisters, but otherwise, Mercado keeps her small home immaculate, with family photos lining the narrow walls.

A wooden Santa decoration that Sierra carved sits next to the front door hung with a Puerto Rican flag, wafting gently in the Florida breeze.

Sierra is an experienced paramedic, but the licensing requirements are different here than in Puerto Rico.

Both he and Reyes said they're willing to do any work that comes along until they can find something in their fields.

"I'm fine because my kids are safe and happy, but finding a job as an EMT and getting a home of our own would be the ideal situation," he said.

•••

Sierra and Reyes sleep in a small bedroom filled to the brim with their children's things, and everyone shares one bathroom, but chatter and giggles fill the space.

The couple spends their time caring for their kids and job-hunting; there isn't much room for fun.

"We go to Wal-Mart," said Reyes with a chuckle. "That's our rollercoaster."

Before Maria, Reyes and her mother, who loves to sew, were making elaborate costumes for a Gasparilla-like festival back home called the Festival de Mascaras that the whole family looks forward to.

The outfits can take up to a year to make, and Sierra said it would be easier for his wife to make them with a sewing machine.

The children's wishes for Christmas are typical kid stuff: rollerblades for little Leny, a remote control car featuring the Hulk for Thais and a laptop or a Nintendo Switch for Daria.

More than anything, they want a home to call their own, but Daria's first thought was the people they had to leave behind.

"I wish for help for Puerto Rico, so they can get better."

Contact Libby Baldwin at lbaldwin@tampabay.com. Follow her @LibBaldwin

ABOUT the series

Holiday Hopes

For the 12th consecutive year, the Tampa Bay Times presents Holiday Hopes, a series profiling people in need and giving readers a chance to help. The Times will update readers about granted wishes on Dec. 24.

The Wish

Sheila Reyes, Jose De Jesus Sierra and their three children (ages 5, 7 and 12) have relocated from their storm-ravaged home in Puerto Rico and now share a two-bedroom mobile home with Sierra's mother and brother. Reyes, the mother, would like a sewing machine and a Christmas tree for her family. The kids respectively would like a remote control car featuring Marvel's the Hulk, a pair of girl's rollerblades and a laptop computer or Nintendo Switch. The couple also wishes their family could have a home of their own.

To Help

Contact Brenda Irizarry of Course of Action PR at (813) 390-1208 (by text message only, please) or send an email to birizarry02@gmail.com.

--

Former South Korea ambassador heads panel on North Korea-U.S. relations

0
0

TAMPA - Are the United States and North Korea headed for war?

That's the topic of a conversation featuring Christopher Robert Hill, former ambassador to South Korea, that's set for 6 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 6) at the University of South Florida.

The talk comes at a time of heightened tension between the two nations after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's regime launched a test missile last week that some observers say could reach the U.S. eastern seaboard.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the Security Council that if such acts of aggression lead to war, "make no mistake, the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed.''

USF politics professor Mohsen Milani, executive director of the Center for Strategic-&-Diplomatic Studies, will lead the discussion. The event will be held in the auditorium of the Patel Center for Global Solutions.

Hill, who also previously served as ambassador to Iraq, Poland and Macedonia, led the U.S. delegation to the six-party talks aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. Currently, he is the dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and appears as a contributor on MSNBC.

The event is free and open to the public, however those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP in advance. Go to usf.edu/world/centers/csds/index.aspx to RSVP.

'Underdog' status continues to drive former Bucs safety

0
0

TAMPA - Call Tony Covington an underdog.

No really, please do.

Underdogs, by definition, are the expected losers of a situation.

But Covington, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety, says he embraces a term from which others may recoil.

"People have underestimated me my entire life," said the University of Virginia graduate. "People said I would not play for a Division I school; I did. People said I would not play in the NFL; I did."

Covington, who now lives in Baltimore where he is the senior director of corporate affairs for the NAACP, returned to Tampa to Nov. 30 to unveil his newest book, aptly titled I Am Underdog: A Journey of Adversity and Blessings.

It's part auto-biographical, part motivational. Covington, a fourth-round pick in the 1991 NFL, said a friend encouraged him to write it after sharing his recovery from some devastating events in his life.

Like when his mother passed away from breast cancer at age 47. Or the moment when he realized his professional football career was over and he had no clue of his next steps.

The latter was a most humbling experience, Covington said.

After four years with the Buccaneers, Covington was signed as a free agent to play for the Seattle Seahawks. But after just one year, he was cut for a younger player.

A workout for the San Francisco 49rs appeared to go well, but eventually Covington was passed over for future Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson.

After years of overcoming obstacles to achieve his dream of playing professional football, Covington suddenly needed a new playbook.

"I thought I prepared for the transition," he said. "It was difficult. Nobody had taught me to network."

One good thing going for Covington was his communications degree. The realization that his playing days were done, he set about getting a job. He found one selling water filtration equipment, on 100 percent commission.

"I got really good at it," he said.

Covington also coached football at local high schools, including Blake and Tampa Catholic. He became a mentor and father figure to dozens of young men who, like himself, were cast as underdogs.

Covington took the job seriously, exposing his players to life outside of the field and their neighborhoods. Not all could be helped but many were transformed.

"I took those guys under my wing," he said. "Some of those kids reach back at Father's Day or on Facebook."

Covington later moved into a successful nonprofit fundraising with the American Heart Association, the Special Olympics, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"I realized I could have an impact on people's lives," he said.

Now, he's hoping his book can do the same.

Contact Kenya Woodard at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

High school students help hype up holiday display

0
0

LUTZ - Students from area high schools are helping keep traditions alive, while learning about working with others.

Along the way, they are preparing to share a free Christmas display with hundreds of families, and help those in need.

On a recent Saturday about 20 students from Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High, Freedom High and Steinbrenner High helped members of the nonprofit Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building prepare for the 21st Annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School.

The event, beginning Thursday (Dec. 7) and running on selected nights through Dec. 26, is held in Old Lutz School House at 18819 U.S. 41, which was built in 1927 and designed by Frank A. Winn Jr. It was saved from destruction by the citizens group.

Admission is free but attendees are encouraged to donate nonperishable food items and toys for the less fortunate.

Stephanie Toledo, a vice president of the Student Ambassadors Club at Steinbrenner High School, was among those helping decorate.

"Others helped preserve history and now people from our generation are keeping it alive," Toledo said.

Suzin Carr of Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building, said it takes more than a month to decorate and set up the displays.

Decorations change each year but traditionally include electric train sets with villages and volunteers in engineer outfits, wooden soldiers, antique ornaments and angels. This year an outdoor "selfie area" with lighted figures has been added. Also Christmas card signs from groups and businesses greet visitors.

"We decorate every weekend in November with the students," Carr said. "The private train owners start in October."

The process begins by moving desks from the old school's classrooms to storage and retrieving boxes of Christmas decor. The students and members of the Citizens assemble the displays as well as prepare and organize craft materials for children.

Tiffany Stucken, co-president of Steinbrenner's student Ambassadors Club said, "It gets better each year as we have more ideas such as adding wallpaper (in the school hall) that looks like a chimney this year."

Local businesses, families, community organizations, churches and others contribute decorated trees - often with a theme or handmade ornaments. Those are put up by the tree sponsor by the first weekend in December. Entertainment also is featured on many nights. This year's groups include Martinez Middle School National Junior Honor Society and Student Council on Dec. 9 and the Show on the Road of the Theatre Arts of Tampa on Dec. 19.

About 2,000 visitors attend each year and volunteers hear lots of compliments.

"They like the quiet simplicity of a small-town Christmas," Carr said. "This is really meant to be a celebration of the community."

Phyllis Hoedt, who helped save the building, said people like it because "it is free, a time to enjoy Christmas and to see old friends."

A highlight also is a Breakfast With Santa from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 9) when Santa and his elves visit and hear wish lists. Children's tickets are 4 each and include a doughnut, juice and craft tickets. Additional menu items will be available for purchase. For information about the events, call (813) 310-8709 or email to info@oldlutzschool.com.


Henderson: Leaving your home is very overrated

0
0

Our question for this morning: How long can we really survive without leaving our house?

Society is driven by the necessity of interacting with other people. The rhythm of life means leaving our homes for work so we can make money to buy necessities like food and booze.

Remember the good old days when the only food you could get delivered was pizza? Now you can basically have a house delivered to your house - maybe one of those tiny houses, but you get the point. Almost anything we need can be delivered to the man (or woman) cave.

I guess we already knew that, but it was still an eye-opener the other day to open my Tampa Bay Times and read that Publix will now deliver liquor to your home, provided you live in an area where the service is provided.

Yes, other outlets have provided this service for a while now but this is Publix - which loves to say it's the place where shopping is a pleasure. Is that still true if the store comes to you?

So we ask again: Do we really have to leave our house any more to receive life's necessities?

I say we don't.

You can get groceries delivered. You can even get the ingredients for recipes delivered for you to cook. If you don't feel like cooking, no need to drive to the Outback take-out lane.

Uber Eats will bring meals from local restaurants to your doorstep.

Battling the mall crowd to buy Christmas presents? Puleeze! A few clicks on your computer and your holiday offering will be delivered to your house or anywhere else. Gift-wrapped, too.

You can watch a thousand movies on your 4k Ultra High-Def television. No need to pay for a ticket to a sports event, either. Want to see USF men's basketball? Check out ESPN 3.

The same applies to shoes or clothes. Make like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz : click, and there it is. There's no place like home.

Ah, you say, what happens if you get sick. Doctors don't make house calls anymore, right?

Wrong.

Some insurance plans pay for medical people to come to your house to perform routine checkups.

Remember those ancient times where car problems meant a trip to the garage? Not long ago, my car battery died. I called AAA for a jump and the driver was kind enough to bring a new battery in his truck.

Instead of a jump, the man said he would install a new battery right there in my driveway if I chose - which I did.

You say your dog needs vaccinations or a checkup? No problem. There are mobile vet services happy to tend to Fido in your living room for a nominal fee.

Need to work off all those calories from Uber Eats? Order a home gym and follow an online workout.

One can only take so many TV episodes of Dr. Phil though, so we need some interaction with other humans. That means we leave the house, right?

Uh, ever heard of Skype?

You need a little intellectual stimulation? No worries. You don't have to physically attend some high-class and expensive university. There are hundreds of free online courses from places like Harvard, Stanford, Yale and so on.

Go Crimson!

Amazon will deliver any household good you need : cleaners, toilet paper, detergent to wash the clothes you ordered online, Cheerios, and supplies for that home office located a brutal 10-foot commute from your living room.

For at least the time being though, I'll still make that run to the market for basic supplies. Asking one of those impossibly cheerful Publix workers to deliver food or booze is not something I want to do.

Well, unless a ball game is on and we just ran out of wine. Gotta keep up with the times, right?

Altman: County's Veterans Park to commemorate Pearl Harbor with memorial, new center

0
0

Every year, Americans pay homage to those killed on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

This year, in Hillsborough County, the commemorations will take on additional meaning.

Hillsborough County and local veterans welcome two major additions to the Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr., Veterans Museum.

In a ceremony to be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 7), county leaders and veterans will officially open the Veterans Resource Center, as well as dedicate the new World War II Memorial at the park, located at 3602 U.S. 301 in Tampa.

The ceremony is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The 8,000-square-foot Veterans Resource Center will be the new home for the County's Consumer-&-Veterans Services, and includes a multipurpose room for training and special events, according to a media release. The facility will offer a one-stop shop for services for local veterans, who number more than 98,000 in Hillsborough - the highest veteran population in Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Services assists veterans, dependents, and survivors in accessing federal, state, and local benefits. There is never a fee to visit with a Veterans Service Officer.

A standout feature on the new building's exterior is the colorful depiction of service ribbons from all branches of the U.S. military. Funding for the 1.9 million in grants from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

The new World War II memorial pays tribute to both the immensity of the conflict and local heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice. Lasting from 1939 to 1945, the war was the most widespread and deadliest conflict in human history. The memorial features a brick plaza flanked by twin walls depicting iconic images from the major theaters of the war. Two bridges commemorate the Bataan Death March and the Battle of Remagen. An M3 Stuart tank and a howitzer stand watch, and a monument denotes the role of the U.S. Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Seabees. Granite plaques are etched with the names of 520 service members from Hillsborough County who died in the war.

•••

Veterans can now go online and order their new identification cards, according to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, author of the Veterans Identification Card Act. The cards are available to all veterans free of charge by visiting the Department of Veterans Affairs website (Vets.Gov).

To request an ID card, veterans must visit vets.gov, click on "Apply for Printed Veteran ID Card" on the bottom left of the page and sign in or create an account.

When ordering online, veterans will need to upload a copy of a valid government issued ID (drivers license/passport), a copy of a recent photograph to be displayed on the card and will need to provide service-related details. Once ordered, the Veteran ID Card will be printed and mailed directly to the veteran.

•••

The Pentagon last week announced the death of a soldier supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Cpl. Todd L. McGurn, of Riverside, California, died Nov. 25, 2017, in Baghdad, Iraq as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. The incident is under investigation.

The Navy identified Lt. Steven Combs of Florida, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri of Louisiana and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso of Florida as the three Sailors lost in a C-2A Greyhound that crashed en route to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan Nov. 22 while operating in the Philippine Sea.

There have been 2,347 U.S. troop deaths in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; 46 U.S. troop deaths and one civilian Department of Defense employee death in support of the followup, Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan; 41 troop deaths and two civilian deaths in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the fight against the Islamic State; one troop death in support of Operation Odyssey Lightning, the fight against Islamic State in Libya; one death classified as other contingency operations in the global war on terrorism and four deaths in ongoing operations in Africa where, if they have a name, officials will not divulge it.

Contact Howard Altman at haltman@tampabay.com or (813) 225-3112. Follow @haltman.

William March: Florida Dems seeking options in Senate race against Dana Young

0
0

Florida Democrats apparently are seeking an alternative to Bob Buesing to challenge state Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, in 2018.

Insider talk is that the party considers Young's seat its top Senate priority in 2018, and wants an Hispanic candidate.

City Council member Mike Suarez confirmed he was contacted recently by someone representing the state Democratic Party about the race. He wouldn't say who, but he wasn't interested - Suarez is a likely 2019 mayoral candidate.

Buesing, a prominent lawyer known for volunteer work on child welfare, lost to Young by 7 percent in 2016 while Joe Redner, running as an independent, got 9.5 percent.

Some Democrats say Buesing would have won absent Redner. Others say Buesing and Young might have split the Redner votes, and that Buesing's campaign wasn't aggressive.

Buesing will decide soon on a rematch, but any Democrat will face a tough challenge.

Young's campaign and independent committee spent about 2 million. Young said she doesn't know the party's spending total.

Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, head of the Democratic state Senate campaign arm, couldn't be reached for comment.

Buesing said he's serious about the race, and, "I want the cause to get the best possible candidate."

Sink backs Lee's
CFO amendment

Former state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, a Democrat, agrees with the idea for a constitutional amendment proposed by Republican state Sen. Tom Lee - who hopes to be a future CFO - on the duties of the office.

But Lee's proposal is mired in what he calls "a turf war" among Republicans.

Currently, the CFO pays all the state's bills but has little say over whether the spending is proper or how much should be spent.

The Legislature makes budgets based on estimates from the state Revenue Estimating Conference, which includes only representatives of the Legislature and governor. State agencies then contract with vendors for purchases of goods and services.

That means, Lee said, "The only people who decide how much to spend are the people who are going to spend it, and they want to produce as rosy a fiscal picture as they can."

If an agency then produces a faulty contract, there's nothing the CFO can do.

"If the contract was poorly written, didn't have the appropriate requirements in it, or maybe it was a sweetheart deal, you still can't withhold payment," said Sink, who said she saw that happen frequently as CFO.

Lee has proposed making the CFO part of the Revenue Estimating Conference and giving them authority over contracts of $10 million or more.

But a committee of the state Constitution Revision Commission rejected the idea after it was opposed by the current CFO, Jimmy Patronis, and his ally Gov. Rick Scott. Patronis will be Lee's opponent if Lee runs in 2018.

Scott and Patronis argue it would create an unnecessary new bureaucracy and set the CFO against other elected officials in charge of state agencies - the governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner.

Lee notes that Republican former CFO Jeff Atwater also favored the concept and said he'll keep trying in both the CRC and the Legislature to get an amendment on the 2018 ballot.

Wicker announces campaign team

Republican Joe Wicker's campaign staff for state House District 59:

•Tom Piccolo of Strategic Image Management, general consultant.

•Audie Canney of AIM Consulting, former chief legislative aide to Lee, political adviser.

•Treasurer Anibal David Cabrera, financial adviser and Tampa Bay and Florida Young Republicans treasurer.

Gonzalez runs for state chair

Two Tampa Democratic Party activists have made announcements about the race for state party chairman: Alma Gonzalez is running, and Alan Clendenin is not.

Both are on the Democratic National Committee; Gonzalez has also been state party treasurer. An employee relations lawyer, she works for the county Civil Service Board.

Also running in the Dec. 9 election are Brevard County party Chairman Stacey Patel, union leader Monica Russo of Miami, and Palm Beach County Chairman Terrie Rizzo.

The winner will take over a party in disarray after the resignations of Chairman Stephen Bittel over sexual harassment allegations, and President Sally Boynton Brown.

Clendenin ran twice, nearly winning in 2013.

Contact William March at wemarch@gmail.com

Talking subs, ships and the controversial F-35 with the Navy's newest assistant secretary

0
0

TAMPA - James "Hondo" Geurts, a familiar face at MacDill Air Force Base, was sworn in as the Navy's newest assistant secretary last week .

"I'll be responsible for acquisition for the Navy and Marine Corps," said Geurts, sitting in a chair on the bridge of the SS American Victory, an historic cargo vessel and museum docked in Tampa. "I'll be trying to do what we did at (U.S. Special Operations Command), only at the service level."

For the past four years, Geurts, 52, has been the chief acquisition officer for SOCom, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base. During that time, Geurts, who retired from the Air Force in 2009 as a colonel, oversaw a budget of several billion dollars a year and helped usher in a new way of doing business called Sofwerx. It's a rapid-acquisition program created in 2015 as a way to speed up delivery of special operations-specific goods and services by bringing academics, entrepreneurs and other innovators together with commandos to find solutions to capability gaps.

In his new job, Geurts will be in charge of purchasing big-ticket items like the new Columbia-class nuclear submarines and F-35 Lightening II fighter and oversee an operation with a 100 billion program to build 12 Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines to replace the existing 14 Ohio-class subs.

He also will have to oversee the Navy and Marine Corps' portion of the controversial F-35 program, scheduled for delivery of 340 of the fifth-generation jet fighters.

At the swearing in ceremony, Spencer said Geurts' SOCom experience played a key role in his nomination.

"We are in challenging times and we need rapid and affordable acquisition," Spencer said. "As a career leader in the acquisition field, Hondo has proven he is the right person to usher in the reform and innovation needed in the Department of the Navy."

Geurts said that the biggest challenge will be "ensuring we have the right workforce, trained and incentivized so we can push responsibility down to the lowest level and hold folks accountable."

He said he wants to take a page out of the SOCom playbook and help keep "the best Navy in the world" at the top of its game.

"I am hoping I can maintain the things the Navy is doing well and then to bring the innovation that SOCom has taught me," he said.

That includes bringing "diverse people to solve problems, leveraging commercial technology quickly and putting energy into thinking about problems in new and different ways and making our problems accessible to the community to help solve them."

The Columbia-class submarine program "is the Navy's No. 1 priority," Geurts said. "But I'll have to get into the job and understand the priorities of the Secretary of the Navy and figure out how to deliver."

Geurts said his biggest concern about reaching the 355-ship goal is the "acceleration of technology, of capabilities, of opportunities and of challenges. It's a dangerous world out there."

As for the F-35, Geurts deferred questions to the written statement he presented the US. Senate during his confirmation process.

Both the Navy and Marine Corps are "fully committed to the F-35," he wrote, which will ensure the U.S. maintains air superiority and provides global precision attack against current and emerging threats.

However, he was not aware of "the detailed status or risks of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter" and would have to review the program before he can make a recommendation to Navy Secretary Spencer on whether to purchase the full run of F-35s, mix and match with other aircraft like enhanced F-18s, or move some production toward a new airframe altogether.

But he said his time as head of acquisitions for SOCom reinforced his long-held belief that "teams which are empowered, have a close connection to their operational customer, and are all focused on the mission can accomplish amazing things."

Though he is looking forward to his new job, Geurts said he will miss Tampa.

"It's the best military town I've ever lived in," he said. "It's exciting, people are energized, they understand the future and I will miss being part of that."

•••

The Pentagon announced no new troop deaths last week.

There have been 2,347 U.S. troop deaths in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; 46 U.S. troop deaths and one civilian Department of Defense employee death in support of the followup, Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan; 41 troop deaths and two civilian deaths in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the fight against the Islamic State; one troop death in support of Operation Odyssey Lightning, the fight against Islamic State in Libya; one death classified as other contingency operations in the global war on terrorism and four deaths in ongoing operations in Africa where, if they have a name, officials will not divulge it.

Contact Howard Altman at haltman@tampabay.com or (813) 225-3112. Follow @haltman.

Henderson: Some basic facts about Hillsborough's teacher pay imbroglio

0
0

Hillsborough County's public school teachers are horn-honking, voice-raising, sign-waving, foot-stomping mad, and I can't blame them. They are paying for a problem they didn't create.

About one-third of the workforce was expecting to receive a 92 instead.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

They already feel disrespected by lawmakers, officials and generally by people with fancy titles. This didn't help.

Teachers responded with a noisy protest outside the School Board building, described by Tampa Bay Times education reporter Marlene Sokol a "carnival-like affair that included a hamburger stand and dozens of children."

The good news is, teachers can buy a lot of hamburgers with that extra 92 bucks.

I did a little net-surfing to see what else teachers can afford if they accept this offer (which I wouldn't if I was in their shoes).

I saw a Kuerig coffee maker advertised for 71 from the original 1.8 million bonus pool that immediately was spun by the union as a slap in the face.

The board never said how the pool had to be divided - remember, only one-third of teachers were in line for the 92 figure.

All board members can do is point to the district's dwindling cash reserve and the dire consequences that will follow if it gets worse.

"Our superintendent has had to make some extremely difficult decisions," employee relations manager Mark West said.

West has been tasked with delivering the bad news to teachers about the pay raise. In the interest of transparency, his annual salary is $118,437.

Let's accept a few basic truths about what's happening, starting with the fact the union should be screaming bloody murder about what is happening.

The union represents teachers, and its leaders should be holding the board's collective tootsies to the firepit over the promise it made.

Board members can talk until their tongues melt about the financial crisis that has trashed district finances, and the union's response should be that a promise is a promise.

The problem with that, though, is the board can come back and say okay fine, what if we lay off a bunch of teachers so we can make the numbers work?

Or maybe members say they won't fix the air conditioning that always breaks down all over the district. Or they won't repair leaky roofs. Then they could add, if you think it's bad now, wait 'til those lovely folks in Tallahassee tell us to manage our budget better instead of asking for more money.

All these things are true, and there is no easy answer.

Teachers are right to feel they are being forced to pay for district mismanagement that goes back to the MaryEllen Elia era.

Here's something no one can hide from, though. How will they ever believe anything the board tells them in the future?

Whitman: Leave your Christmas worries behind

0
0

Christmas gives people anxiety, showed a recent poll study conducted by Saint Leo University.

Also, most Americans view the holiday as cultural, not religious. And young people consider Black Friday, not Advent, the start of the season, though many find the commercialization of the holiday annoying.

The poll, conducted online in November, asked 1,000 adults nationwide: "How do you view Christmas today?" Of the poll respondents, 43 percent say they think it is all or mostly cultural, while 31.3 percent say it is evenly cultural and religious.

Sigh, sad face. I mean, it doesn't have to be this way folks. No one is required to go broke buying discounted electronics or marked-up Fingerlings. Planning Pinterest-perfect ugly sweater parties is not mandatory. Burning the cookies will not earn you a spot in Hell.

And if people love you less or more based on gifts, they need a reminder: Christmas is about joy.

On the chosen day, Dec. 25, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We reflect on the holy Nativity.

Joy to the World, the Lord has come.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced.

These classic lyrics evoke the holiday spirit. (Yes, there is a reason people don't sing about shopping.)

Even the cultural aspects of Christmas passed down through generations, from decorating to cooking family meals and watching Rudolph, these traditions were meant to bring joy.

People often talk about taking back Christmas. Easy, stop buying the manufactured 'holiday stress.' Leave the worries behind. Go to a Christmas concert. Visit a church. I like to drive around, look at lights and sing Silent Night.

And, the following churches are among many that will host Christmas concerts in the spirit of the season.

Grace Lutheran Church, 3714 W Linebaugh Ave., will host Christmas events throughout December.

A concert, The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 10. Presented by the Chancel Choir and Chamber Orchestra, the concert features scripture foretelling Christ's birth and music by G.F. Handel, John Rutter, Bob Chilcott and others. The concert is free but an offering will be collected for the Homeless in the Community Ministry.

At 9:45 a.m. Dec. 17, celebrate Jesus' birth with birthday party cake, punch, stories, crafts and games. Adults are invited to enjoy coffee, cake and fellowship. Everyone is welcome and the event is free. For more information, visit gracetampa.org.

Plant City Community Chorale will present Believe! A Christmas Concert, sponsored by Hopewell Funeral Home-&-Memorial Gardens, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, 604 N Valrico Road. Under the direction of Claudia Bolano Becerra, the concert will feature a variety of Christmas classics. Tickets are 15 at door. For more information, visit pccchorale.org or call (813) 951-5166.

First United Methodist Church of Lutz, 560 Lutz Lake Fern Road, will present a Christmas Musical at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 9:30 and 11 a.m. Dec. 17. Admission is free. For information, call (813) 949-1751.

Contact Sarah Whitman at sarahrothwhitman@tampabay.com.

Amy Scherzer's Diary: Weekly Wrap-Up of the Tampa Social Scene

0
0

Georgette's Holiday Fashion Show

Media personalities, a giant Christmas tree and Elvis danced down the runway; walking or strutting is absolutely not allowed at Georgette's annual Holiday Fashion Show. The boutique's 29th benefit for St. Joseph's Women's Hospital aimed this year to help buy a perinatal ultrasound machine. WTVT-Ch. 13 anchor Kelly Ring emceed the hour-long show Dec. 1 for co-chairwomen Brenda Sproat and Heidi Gonzmart and a sold-out, 700-plus audience at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.

Models rocking sporty to sexy styles and a wedding gown finale included radiologist Tracy Halme, Virtual Market 360 vice president Dave Reynolds and WFLA-Ch. 8 and Great 38 anchor Jenn Holloway, now recovered from an auto accident. Boosting proceeds to a very jolly $160,000 were Lori Kosloske's bid for the Evening in Spain package with limo ride to dinner at the Columbia, dance lessons and a wine basket. And Laurice Hachem's bids for both the Continental Wholesale Diamond gems and the Kenny Chesney concert/Keith Urban guitar.

Bowties-&-Clutches

The men get handsomer, the women more beautiful at every Bowties-&-Clutches bash staged by the Fashion Movement, led by brothers Lacey B. and Tony E. Smith. The international style night lived up to its late night See-and-Be-Seen reputation, starting quietly and packing the Vault by midnight Dec. 1. The party pulsed with bowtied and bedazzled dancers enjoying DJ David Luckain Jr., catering by C.W.'s Gin Joint and an artwork by Anna Schmerhorn displayed in the bank vault itself.

The auction closed at 1 a.m. (shoes, jewelry, bowties) and absolutely no one wanted to leave when the clock struck 2 a.m. For the sixth year, the fashion visionaries chose Friends of Joshua House as the beneficiary of the bash, to provide for the foster children sheltered there.

Jack in the Park

The next best thing to watching a New York Yankees game might be meeting Special Olympics athletes and playing blackjack at the Jack in the Park benefit in the Bull Pen Club overlooking the diamond at Steinbrenner Field. Husband and wife emcees Walter Allen of WTVT-Ch. 13 and Natalie Taylor of WFTS's Tampa Bay's Morning Blend admired the venue and the view with 300 supporters rallying for special athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities who train and compete in Hillsborough County year-round. Thanks to volunteers, there is never a fee for soccer, swimming, gymnastics, bowling and a dozen other sports.

Seven friendly blackjack tables opened as guests munched burgers and doughnuts from Datz and Legends Hospitality appetizers Dec. 1. Then, play turned serious with nine finalists, until lucky Scott Pritchard won the grand prize, 7-days aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line.

------------

Grant from bank charity will build two homes in university area

0
0

TAMPA - A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income families living near the University of South Florida has received a grant to build two modular homes that single parents can lease to own.

University Area Community Development Corp. (CDC) was awarded a 666 to 125,000 grant for a total grant donation of $3.125 million in 2017.

For more information about University Area CDC, go to uacdc.org or call (813) 558-5212.

Accident leads to ADA access change for Temple Terrace man

0
0

TEMPLE TERRACE - Tim Myers left his house on a sunny October morning just as he's done for the past nine years - reluctantly driving his electric wheelchair on the main road in his Temple Terrace neighborhood.

But on this day it turned out to be a decision that almost cost him his life.

"All I wanted to do was go to the library and use their computer," said Myers, a 63-year-old Navy veteran.

The sidewalks that lead from his home are not fitted with curb cuts or adapted to Americans With Disabilities Act standards, forcing anyone disabled to use the main road.

As he entered the highway, he kept his wheelchair close to the side of the road so that oncoming traffic could see him coming. Cars drove by him with caution.

Nearing the end of street, Myers turned into a Marathon gas station near the corner of Vista Park Lane and Temple Park Drive. Driving in at the same time was a 2004 Dodge Ram truck. The next thing Myers remembered was that he was knocked 20 feet to the ground and his wheelchair was laying on the side of the road.

"Right after he hit me, I can't believe the first thing the guy said was it's not his fault; that I pulled in front of him." Myers said with a disgruntled expression.

Myers, employed as a pharmacist assistant at the James Haley Veterans hospital, was injured in a motorcycle accident in 2006, which injured his spinal cord and left him a quadriplegic.

"The library is only a mile from my house," Myers said. "I've made this trip many times before without any problems."

Due to the accident, Myers suffered three bruised ribs, multiple lacerations, contusions and a black eye.

In the accident report, a Hills-borough County Sheriff's deputy determined that both parties shared responsibility for the crash because Myers was improperly in the roadway and the truck driver failed to yield the right of way.

The officer didn't issue a citation to either driver.

After the Tampa Bay Times inquired about the road situation, to the Hillsborough County Americans with Disabilities Act office, the matter was forwarded to the Hillsborough County Public Works Department for review.

"We at the ADA strive to provide our customers with disabilities equal opportunities and integrated services appropriate to their needs," said Carmen LoBue, the county's ADA officer.

"Our Public Works Department engineering staff has reviewed the location in question and we have issued a work order for the installation of the needed ADA ramps," division director Jim Hudock wrote in an email. "We expect the work to be completed within the next 30 days."

Myers was elated at the news. He couldn't believe it. He now feels much safer knowing he can soon drive on the sidewalk.

"We've been dealing with the daily fear for years that our dad would get hurt," said Amber Ayala, Myers' daughter in-law, who, along with his son, are his daily caregivers. "It took this accident to make things right. We are very grateful he wasn't killed."

Contact Mike Merino at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Ugly sweaters have holiday parties looking pretty

0
0

TAMPA - Nicole Connor was looking for the right clothes to wear to a party this weekend when she entered a local business this week.

"If I'm going to a Christmas party, I am going to wear an ugly sweater," said the executive assistant at the Tampa Bay History Center, explaining the event would feature watching a movie, eating, drinking and exchanging presents.

On Monday, she stopped in at an Ugly Christmas Sweater party sponsored by Valhalla Resale store in Seminole Heights and started looking through the selection of sweaters, T-shirts, vests and blouses.

"I think it's kitschy," Connor said. "At one time they were part of a wardrobe. But now they are a bit of throwback."

• • •

She's not alone. Ugly Christmas sweaters have taken over and are seen everywhere in high-end designer stores (with celebrity names such as Whoopi Goldberg), department stores, thrift stores and online.

Some are vintage, worn 20 or more years ago; some are new with NFL team logos matched with candy canes. Cartoons, television and movie characters are popular with the Rick and Morty Happy Human Holiday Ugly Christmas Sweater a top seller.

Even the dogs got in on the celebration this week when a charity hosted the first Ugly Sweater Paw-ty at Irish 31 Hyde Park. Several pet centers and discount stores stocked ugly sweaters for dogs this year.

Karen Hubby, outreach coordinator for Vets4Pets, which organized the pet Paw-ty, said of the canine attendees who wore sweaters, scarves, Santa outfits and king costumes: "Any reason for a get together with people and their animals is great."

• • •

No one is sure exactly how Ugly Sweater Parties started but the 2001 book "Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On" was a factor, as was a party in 2002 in the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, Canada.

Designers began to introduce new motifs and in 2011, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day was established. It is celebrated on the third Friday of December each year, which this year is Dec. 15.

On Saturday (Dec. 9), in Detroit there will be an official Guinness World Records attempt for the largest gathering of people wearing holiday sweaters and jumpers. The current record is 3,473 individuals, set in Kansas in 2015.

• • •

Most people wear the sweaters to parties, hosted by friends, businesses or nonprofit organizations.

The fundraising nonprofit group 13 Ugly Men will sponsor its second Ugly Sweater Party on Dec. 15 at the new Hall on Franklin, where the organization has secured the entire facility for the event.

David Moyer, president of the group, said last year's inaugural event drew about 700 guests and the organizers hope for about 1,000 this year. Proceeds will benefit the Ryan Nece Foundation.

"All our parties are theme-oriented and our goal is to make it bigger and better each year," Moyer said, adding that this year there will be an outdoor holiday market and dancing in The Hip Room above the Hall on Franklin.

Unlike some parties, there is no judging of the sweaters at the 13 Ugly Men event.

"We just are trying to put a little fun into the holidays and want everyone to take it to the next level," Moyer said.

• • •

People acquire the sweaters and T-shirts in different ways. Some are handed down from their parents; some are bought new and some are bought used. Some can be found for less than 80 or more. This year, stores also are carrying Ugly Sweater dresses.

Valhalla Resale store owner Danielle Ferrari said she has had a lot of requests for the vintage sweaters, which she sells for 24.

"They are really just fun, goofy and silly," said Ferrari, who opened her business in February. "I went all over the country and found them in thrift stores. I hit the jackpot in Atlanta."

Contact Lenora Lake at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

-

March: Todd Marks strongly considering a run against Janet Cruz in District 1

0
0

Local Republicans are still looking for another candidate against Democrat Janet Cruz in the county commission District 1 race, and lawyer and business owner Todd Marks is getting serious about the possibility.

This week, Marks met with a group of potential supporters he called "serious community leaders and donors," including prominent developer Hung Mai.

"I left with a strong commitment that if I run they'd support me," Marks said. "If I have the support and the financial backing it takes, I'll do it."

He said he's got more such meetings lined up "to see if that full-on support is there."

Newcomer Republican Aakash Patel filed in June and has raised a surprising 10,000 from Pinehill Capital Partners, owned by Garcia, a former Aviation Authority board member and prominent GOP donor, who lives near the airport and has frequently complained about noise.

The PAC also got 5,000 from Marshall J. Garcia, Martin Garcia's sister and brother.

Rubio backs McClure in D58

Sen. Marco Rubio is endorsing Republican Lawrence McClure in the special election for the state House District 58 seat in Plant City and east Hillsborough County.

In a written statement, Rubio said special elections are "all about turnout" and described McClure as "a solid conservative Hillsborough County Republicans can depend on" and a small businessman who knows the importance of growing the economy."

Rubio has endorsed in some but not all the recent special legislative elections. He has backed unsuccessful Miami state Senate candidate Jose Felix Diaz, House District 116 winner Daniel Anthony Perez, and House District 72 candidate James Buchanan.

McClure defeated Yvonne Fry in an October GOP primary and will face Democrat Jose Vazquez, Libertarian Bryan Zemina and no-party candidate Ahmad Saadaldin Dec. 19.

Contact William March at wemarch@gmail.com

A home for Elmo and Doc Martin - a Sunday Conversation with WEDU President and CEO Susan Howarth

0
0

In October, WEDU became one of the first PBS stations in the nation to offer six channels of programming with the addition of new channels PBS KIDS and Create TV. • At the same time, it became a new home for PBS favorites like Doc Martin and Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages and other show previously broadcast on WUSF-TV. That station went off the air Oct. 15 after the University of South Florida sold its broadcast license back to the Federal Communications Commission.

WEDU's two new channels both provide 24-hour programming. PBS KIDS will air programs like Sesame Street and Arthur while giving parents and teachers access to more than 130,000 free online resources including educational videos, games and lesson plans that tie into programs.

CreateTV lineup includes specials on cooking, travel, home improvement, gardening, arts and crafts such as Cook's Country, Garden Smart and This Old House.

The new channels required a 100,000 per year to air its new programming.

WEDU president and CEO Susan Howarth recently talked with Tampa Bay Times staff writer Christopher O'Donnell about shepherding WEDU through its biggest transition since the introduction of digital broadcasting.

Why did you decide to take on WUSF's programming and how did viewers react to the switch?

I thought it made sense. WUSF has such a wonderful radio service that I thought they could concentrate on radio and we could focus on TV and it would end up being really good for the community. We started doing an analysis of the programs to figure out which ones they had been airing that we hadn't been airing and we did a viewer survey to figure out which ones people really wanted to see and valued the most.

We knew that there would be a lot of questions from the community and from donors, supporters and viewers but there were well more than we expected.

We came in here on Monday morning (Oct. 16) and had set up our pledge phone bank in the lobby. It was overwhelming from the first minute and, for the entire week, it was just crazy busy.

The good news about that is people really wanted their public television. You could tell how important it was to them.

What programs were viewers most worried about losing?

A lot of people missed their exercise programs. They wanted to know where to find their Sit and Be Fit and Classical Stretch. The most requested programs were the British comedy dramas, the Doc Martin, the Mid Somer Murders. They were so relieved when they found out we were actually carrying them.

How will the new channels and programming affect viewership and future pledge drives?

We don't subscribe to Nielsen (the company that produces TV ratings). That was a decision we made years ago because it was so darn expensive. We look at pledge results and membership campaigns. If that is going well, we tend to think the viewership is up.

We're in a membership campaign right now. We're ahead of our goal and it's going a lot better than a lot of other stations around the country. While I can't tell you specifically it's because of the new programs, I have to think it is and people are responding well to the fact that we did step up as an organization in order to provide them with everything they would expect from a public television station.

You now broadcast a 24-hour kids channel. Who is watching Sesame Street at 2 a.m.?

There was a lot of research done nationally before PBS decided to launch that channel. At 2 a.m., it's mothers with their sick kids but surprisingly in prime time there is a big audience for kids' programing. It was surprising how many families or kids watched in non-traditional times.

PBS KIDS is available also as an online stream as well. Kids can watch on a tablet in the back of the car. It's pretty cool.

How does WEDU and public broadcasting remain relevant in an era of "cutting the cord" and on-demand viewership?

It's a little tricky. Our audience is either quite old or quite young. It's 65 plus, those are the people who watch the most and value us the most and we have young children watching the kids' programs.

You have to maintain those services for those audiences. You have to maintain the legacy technology. It's quite expensive to have a tower out in Riverview and a transmitter and to pay that electricity bill.

We need to do that and to move into the on-demand.

PBS has provided all of their programs on-demand for at least short windows. We're putting our local programs online. We assume they will be more attractive to a younger audience. But it is a challenge because there's only so many resources.

What is the future direction for WEDU?

One of the things we said we want to do is to continue to increase and concentrate on local productions.

With technology changing, you don't need WEDU technically to watch Downton Abbey. You could stream it online so what is the purpose for a local public television broadcaster?

My belief is the purpose is added value. With Ken Burns' Vietnam War, we did local interviews and oral histories with local Vietnam veterans. We put them on air; we put them online and we're sending them to the Library of Congress for their collection. And we did teacher training about how to use (the show) in the classroom.

When I came here, we didn't have anyone on our education staff. Now we have 1.5 people now and it enables us to go out and do workshops and teacher training helping parents and teachers utilize all the resources that are free.

Sunday Conversation is edited for brevity and clarity

Viewing all 837 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images