TEMPLE TERRACE - Kim and Doug Marler described their daughter, Alexandria Jordan "Ally" as free-spirited, funny and fun.

"When she walked into a room her smile would light up the entire room," said Kim Marler about the elder of the Bradenton couple's two daughters. She spoke of Ally's passion for coaching gymnastics, horseback riding and caring for her 2-year-old daughter Leigha, the absolute love of her life.

On May 6, 2016, Ally's life ended tragically at age 20 when a drunken driver slammed into the rear of a motorcycle on which was a passenger.

"We will never feel whole again," Kim Marler said.

The Marlers were among several speakers at the Mothers Against Drunk Driving West Central Florida Chapter's annual candlelight vigil on Dec. 7 at First Baptist Church Temple Terrace. Families who have lost loved ones to impaired drivers filled the pews in union with hundreds of representatives from law enforcement agencies throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.

Sean Hankins, who had suffered severe injuries, spoke about his girlfriend, Caroline Sine, 34, who was killed on Aug. 14, 2016, when they were hit by an impaired driver on their way home from a night at the movies.

He and the others at the vigil strolled somberly outside the church, where hundreds of law enforcement officials stood at attention beside their vehicles' flashing red lights.

Hankins and the Marlers have made it their mission to lobby for tougher DUI penalties in the state of Florida.

So has Linda Unfried, who co-founded the MADD chapter in 1983 after the death of her sister, Josie, who was killed by a 17-year-old drunken driver whose license had been suspended.

"I've found that when you help others you help heal yourself," she said.

Contact Joyce McKenzie at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

TAMPA - Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was honored by the Gold Shield Foundation, which assists families of first responders killed in the line of duty.

At a luncheon Thursday, Bondi received the Philip A. McNiff "Lifetime of Service" award, named for the late FBI special agent who later worked for the New York Yankees and helped create the foundation.

The event drew several hundred business supporters, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and first responders including Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

"I've never stopped loving being a prosecutor," Bondi said of her previous role at the Hills-borough County State Attorney's office.

She also served as the speaker, telling of her fight against illegal drugs. She praised the importance of law enforcement working together to prevent crime and to solve cases, particularly in the string of Seminole Heights killings.

The Gold Shield Foundation was formed in 1981 by former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner after a sheriff's deputy, a Tampa police officer and two firefighters from Tampa Fire Department were killed.

Tom Shannon, president of the $3.8 million foundation, said Steinbrenner called friends and said, "What are we going to do for these families?"

The organization ensures a college education or vocational training for the spouse and dependent children of Florida law enforcement officers and firefighters of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Polk and Marion Counties killed in the line of duty.

Executive director Joe Voskerichian said 21 dependents and four spouses have completed education through the program, with others in college or soon to enter.

Kelly Curtis Stout, whose husband, Tampa Police officer Dave Curtis, was murdered June 29, 2010, along with officer Jeffrey Kocab, shared her feelings about the organization. She said after seeing so much evil, she was able to see so much more good. "It is a tremendous relief that the children (four sons) can receive a first-rate education."

Contact Lenora Lake at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

TEMPLE TERRACE - A former St. Petersburg senior assistant city attorney with 23 years of experience in that job was sworn in last week as the new city attorney for Temple Terrace.

Pamela Cichon, who will work directly for the city, replaces Mark Connolly of Shumaker, Loop-&-Kendrick. Connolly worked under a contract. The council made the change in an effort to save money.

In voting to hire Cichon, the City Council dismissed as unimportant a controversy that preceded her departure from the St. Petersburg job in 2013. Cichon retired from that job following a city investigation as to whether she violated city policy by sending emails from her work computer that discussed her husband's campaign for St. Petersburg City Council, according to a story in the Tampa Tribune. Cichon's husband, Steve Galvin, lost that race to Amy Foster.

Cichon's supervisor at the time, City Attorney John Wolfe, declined to say if she would have been fired had she not retired, according to the Tribune article.

"We had a talk; she volunteered to retire," he was quoted as saying.

During a Temple Terrace council meeting in October, when Cichon was being considered for the position, Council Member Cheri Donohue questioned whether Cichon had been fully forthcoming as to the reason she retired from the St. Petersburg job. Cichon had said that she retired to work on family projects.

Council member Andy Ross, also on the hiring committee, said the team checked her employment file in St. Petersburg and found nothing to suggest that she was forced out.

"There's absolutely nothing in there pertaining to this allegation in the media; there's no discipline, there's no letter or reprimand; there's no memos pertaining to this, there's no indication that she was asked to leave or retire as a result of this.''

The committee also checked with the Florida Bar Association and found "absolutely zero disciplinary history'' over her 36-year career.

Irritated that people had "rushed to judgment'' about Cichon based on an article in the media, Ross said, "This is not the way to treat people that apply for a job at the city.''

Donohue said she was satisfied with Ross' answer, and the council voted unanimously to hire Cichon.

She will be paid 180,000 per year, said City Manager Charles Stephenson.

Cichon graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Florida and earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg. She served as a senior assistant attorney general in the criminal appellate division of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs before becoming a senior assistant city attorney for St. Petersburg.

She represented St. Petersburg primarily in the areas of land use and zoning, labor and employment and torts. In Pinellas County, Cichon served concurrently as a Traffic Court Magistrate, a hearing officer for the school board, a magistrate for wage theft hearings, and as a housing authority hearing officer. She also has worked for the city of Tampa as a code enforcement board legal adviser.

Cichon is a member of the board and former chairwoman of Gulfcoast Legal Services. She is also the former chairwoman of the Florida Bar's Government Lawyers Section and serves on its executive council. She has volunteered for the past six years with Lawyers for Literacy, tutoring third graders in reading comprehension.

Contact Philip Morgan at pmorgan@tampabay.com.

Lawyer Melba Pearson was just weeks into her new role with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office when she encountered her first instance of work-related sexual harassment.

One day after class, Pearson and her colleagues were unwinding at a bar when the instructor of their training program walked into the venue and joined them.

The next day, he accosted Pearson before the entire class: "Isn't it true that you like to wear Daisy Dukes?'?"

Pearson was "horrified." After class, she confronted the instructor but he brushed her off.

"He told me I shouldn't be so sensitive and to get a sense of humor," she said.

Reporting him wasn't an option after Pearson realized that he was "well-protected."

It's an incident that still stings years later. But while she couldn't change what happened to her, Pearson said she learned a lesson that she carries with her to this day.

"I felt it was my duty to protect and fight for (women)," she said. "I made sure to give back."

Pearson shared her story as part of a panel discussion, "Women in America Today," hosted Thursday at StageWorks Theater.

The four-woman group also included activist and attorney Erin Smith Aebel, Jennifer Yeagley, vice president for administrative-&-strategic operations for Gulf Coast Jewish Family-&-Community Services, and Fawn Germer, a best-selling author and motivational speaker and former journalist.

Each offered an audience of about 30 men and women their perspectives on issues women face, including health and social policies, running for public office, and gender bias.

Combatting the latter requires women - white women especially - to embrace intersectionality, Yeagley said.

"It is our obligation ... to not prioritize our comfort over our sisters of color," she said. "We have a privilege that women of color don't have. We have to be mindful of that and not be fragile ... and listen more than we speak."

Hillary Clinton's loss in last year's general election is an example of what happens when women do not support each other, Germer said.

"You heard 'I don't like her' or 'It's not time for a woman,'?" she said. "They didn't know what they had to protect. Now we know what we have to protect."

Bridging the political divide amongst women may be difficult in the current climate, but one way to do that is to find common ground on an issue, Aebel said.

Founder of a the group Surly Feminists for the Revolution, Aebel said she's been able to do this with her group's initiative to fight child marriage.

It's attracted the support of Republican women legislators who have sponsored a bill for the upcoming session that bans the practice.

It's proof that connecting with people on the opposite side of the political sphere is possible when there are "good conversations" that help participants explore areas where they agree, Aebel said.

"I do think some people are changing their minds," she said.

Women must be unafraid to step out and stand up, said filmmaker and event organizer Renee Warmack.

"The first step is accepting that something has to change," she said. "You don't have to know how it's going to change, just have a clear vision."

Contact Kenya Woodard at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Carol Piller noticed the stares and heard the whispers from others in line for food aid. She was dressed nicely and had on her jewelry, and she knew the scornful question on their minds: What are you doing here?

"When you get looks from people, you feel like saying, 'What are you looking at? You don't know my story,''' she said.

Piller was interviewed prior to a recent event at Feeding Tampa Bay's warehouse in East Tampa. The charity, which supplies food for 700,000 people in 10 counties who are deemed "food insecure'' - meaning they can't always put meals on the table - has launched a "Don't Label Hunger'' campaign to counter the stigma against people who are hungry.

"When you think of someone who's hungry, you may think homeless; you may think uneducated; you may think lazy,'' said Jayci Peters, communications director for Feeding Tampa Bay. "But that is not the case, and Carol is a true testament to that.''

Piller, 54, shared her story for Holiday Hopes, the annual Tampa Bay Times series that asks readers to fulfill the wishes of those in need.

She said she and her husband, Wayne, were doing well a few years ago, despite having to pay the substantial medical costs of caring for their 13-year-old son, Nicholas, who has several health problems, among them cerebral palsy and a disorder in which his brain shuts down his breathing periodically when he's asleep. Wayne Piller has a good job as a longtime utility company mechanic, and Carol Piller worked full-time as a teacher's aide for Hillsborough County Schools.

But then she developed a tumor in her right leg that turned out to be benign, but caused considerable nerve damage. She could no longer be on her feet all day, so she had to quit her job.

Though her husband makes a good salary, she said, the money does not cover all the bills. Piller said she did not know about food pantries for the needy until a neighbor told her about one not far from her home in Ruskin.

"I went and I was kind of embarrassed,'' she said. "I was kind of embarrassed the first couple of times.''

She was self-conscious, she said, until she heard others' stories. She recalls that one woman told her that her daughter, trying to make ends meet on the salary of a schoolteacher, had to go to the food pantry.

Peters said for many people, an unexpected expense throws them off budget.

"Something happens in their lives - a medical emergency, a car breaks down, any number of things. And if they're already on a strained budget, month to month , that one little thing could be a catastrophe for them, something that puts them behind for months.''

Piller said what she really misses is the ability to provide aquatic therapy for Nicholas to strengthen weak muscles. She had taken him to a pool at Shriners Hospital until her medical insurance no longer covered it.

She wishes the family had a heated therapy pool in their yard - "it doesn't have to be big'' - so Nicholas could get therapy year- round.

Piller figures she could work four hours a day and would love to find a job, she said, but her employer would have to allow her to be flexible enough to take care of her son when he needed her.

"Since he was born, my priority has been him,'' she said, "and my (employers) knew that.''

Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this story. Contact Philip Morgan at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

RUSKIN - Art meets transportation for a good cause in an after-school program where two dozen kids will create bicycles guaranteed to turn heads.

The vision comes from Ruskin artist Michael Parker, who calls his prototype machine a "rat bike" or "ridiculous but fun bike." Built with parts from scrapped bikes and whatever else Parker fancied, it's actually a low-rider tricycle - red, green and rust with a seat shaped like a throne and a steer horn across the handlebars.

Parker aims to teach 24 children who can't afford to purchase bikes how to create their own custom versions at his Ruskin art studio, adjacent to his house near the Lower Manatee River.

Titled Bend, Grind and Ride: Earn a Bike, the program will provide aspiring young artists with donor bikes to junk for parts, up to $275 to buy whatever else they need to complete their vision, and two months of twice-a-week, two-and-half hour classes to put it all together.

Those interested can sign up at www.southshoreartscouncil.org.

Students must be 12 to 16, live in the South Shore area of southwest Hillsborough County, and demonstrate a willingness to "Go crazy, dream big and then ride it out of here," Parker said.

"Learn the mechanics and build something that defines who you are."

Take Parker's bike, for instance.

The throne seat is shaped like the king in a chess set, an homage to his father, an avid player of the game.

The steer horn was a 16th birthday present from a friend to place on Parker's first car - a 1968 Cadillac DeVille convertible.

"It's been a part of my life for a long time," the 40-year-old artist said.

The program is funded through a $10,000 grant provided by the San Francisco-based Black Rock Arts Foundation, which was created by several of the partners who produce the Burning Man, the annual festival than turns a desert outside Reno, Nevada, into a temporary art community.

For Parker, president of the South Shore Arts Council, the bike program is a way to help poor children land transportation they can be proud of while promoting his love for community art.

Among Parker's better-known community art projects are the 12,600-square-foot mural along Adamo Drive that depicts the history and culture of Ybor City and a row of walls in downtown Tampa's Perry Harvey Sr. Park that include images of local civil rights leaders such as Robert Saunders.

Parker is also teaching a class called Community Arts through Hillsborough Community College's South Shore campus.

The course is held at his art studio 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays but students have access to the space whenever he is there.

Student Tanya Roldan is creating six mosaic paintings of iconic South Shore images. Her depiction of an old Ruskin tomato festival poster took 40 hours to complete, with much of that time spent in Parker's studio, she said.

Class projects often reflect Parker's passion for wheels.

Daniel Gasiorek is making a mobile three-hole mini-golf course that will be pulled by Parker's low-rider tricycle. And Armando Preciado is designing a bike he will control with a life-sized marionette.

"He sets us up so we can pursue our own projects in a freestyle fashion," Preciado said. "He doesn't try to dampen our ambition."

These college projects combined with the after-school bike program make Parker's studio a hub of activity in an otherwise quiet neighborhood. That's just how he wants it.

"Imagine what it could be like if we have all 24 bikes riding around here," Parker said a laugh. "That is what I am talking about. That is the type of neighborhood I'd want to live in."

Contact Paul Guzzo at pguzzo@tampabay.com. Follow @PGuzzoTimes.

They tried to shut her up. They tried to make her go away. They made her life miserable. Yet Tanja Vidovic - persisted.

Long before most people had ever heard of the knuckle-dragging sexually harassing escapades of oafs like Harvey Weinstein, or Roy Moore, or Matt Lauer, the 36-year-old Vidovic was doing battle with the misogynistic good old boys at the Tampa Fire Rescue Department, who saw her not as a dedicated professional first responder but merely a nagging trouble-maker.

Her sin? Wanting to be treated with civility, professionalism and respect. Amazing, isn't it, how that morphed into a fireable offense? But it did.

Days ago a jury awarded Vidovic $245,00 in her federal lawsuit against the city of Tampa, finding fire department officials had discriminated against her because she was pregnant and retaliated against her when she filed a discrimination complaint.

It never should have come to this. After all, the tip-off that the city was in deep legal trouble was evident last January when in a robustly written order denying a motion to dismiss Vidovic's lawsuit, federal District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich noted the former firefighter had clearly established a long and troubling pattern of abuse throughout the Tampa Fire Rescue Department at the hands of numerous male co-workers and supervisors.

"The Court can reasonably infer from the allegations of the Second Amended Complaint that Ms. Vidovic did not merely suffer innumerable discrete discriminatory acts, but a hostile work environment," Kovachevich wrote. "The complaint stands."

That might have been a good time to simply cut Vidovic a check, give back her job and fire the dolts who caused her so much grief. Instead, the city went ahead to trial. Not exactly a keen legal acumen moment.

The four-week federal trial resulted in much more than an aggrieved victim of official harassment getting her just deserved due. It also exposed very publicly a culture of sexism, bullying, harassment and discrimination by a department hierarchy of obtuse little men arbitrarily flexing their power - simply because they thought they could get away with it.

Jurors heard numerous accounts of Vidovic being disciplined for petty infractions, while male firefighters who engaged in the same mistakes were overlooked.

Vidovic was sexually propositioned by a superior. Well into her pregnancy, not only was she forced to undergo a grueling fitness for duty test, but when she passed with flying colors she was ordered to do it again - and passed it again.

Male colleagues with less experience were given promotions ahead of Vidovic. She was mocked by male firefighters for pumping breast milk at the station house. And when she complained to the human resources department about her treatment, suddenly her performance reviews, which were once glowing, started to decline. Coincidence?

On March 17, 2016, Vidovic received a Notice of Right To Sue Defendant from the United States Department of Justice. Days later, on March 24, after filing her lawsuit against the city of Tampa, she was fired.

Bob Buckhorn has been a good mayor of the city. And he is a good man. But Buckhorn also has a dark, almost irrational, blindside when it comes to courting the first responder community. For years, Buckhorn has failed to hold Tampa Fire Rescue accountable for its tawdry historic and systemic mistreatment of women within its ranks.

The mayor could have stopped all this in its tracks. He could have ordered the city's attorneys to settle with Vidovic. He could have made things right. Instead he did nothing.

Would the mayor had been so casually indifferent to the plight of a woman suffering so many indignities at Tampa Fire Rescue if the victim had been one of his two daughters?

Tampa fire Chief Tom Forward could have stopped the harassment, the mistreatment of Vidovic. He could have made things right, too. Instead he fired her.

Time magazine recently honored the women who have come forward to acknowledge their sexual harassment in the workplace, which it called the Silence Breakers, as its 2017 Person of the Year.

That notable group should also include Tanja Vidovic, who was willing to take on the city's most powerful political figure, as well as a deeply entrenched bureaucracy of sexism.

She persisted. And the city is better for it.

You know that little snap of frigid - OK, chilly - weather we just had? In Florida, we call that winter, a season we typically measure in hours.

If it's really savage, the thermometer might not rise above 50 degrees for two or sometimes three whole days. That sends us on frantic scavenger hunts through our closets for sweaters, heavy coats, gloves, ear muffs and so on while our public officials plead for everyone to remain calm.

But, listen up kids. You think this was cold? Let me tell you about the big chill of 1989. We're almost to the 28-year anniversary of a time when the entire state of Florida experienced the real thing for four way-too-long days.

Beginning Dec. 22 of that year, a massive high-pressure system of arctic air met a low-pressure trough along the East Coast and started sucking up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.

By the time all the meteorological mixing was done, the southeast looked and felt like all those shivering northern cities we love to taunt every winter.

Temperatures dipped into the 20s, but that wasn't the worst of it. All kidding aside, it's not that unusual here to see temperatures tap dance around the freezing level or a little below.

This was different. Sustained winds that topped 25 miles an hour made it feel like a winter blast coming off Lake Michigan.

By Christmas Eve, an incredible phenomenon was happening. There was ice. There was sleet. Some places in northern Florida had as much as 3 inches of snow.

In Boston they would call that a dusting.

We called it a blizzard.

The Florida Highway Patrol closed parts of Interstate 10 near Tallahassee after ice began to cover bridges, causing three major collisions, including one that involved about 20 cars.

At least 26 deaths were blamed on the weather.

Air travel was disrupted, forcing travelers to scramble for hotel rooms that quickly sold out. And parts of Florida had an actual white Christmas, not the stuff that is artificially produced every now and then at a shopping mall.

That sounds like something to wish for - over the river and through the woods to grandma's house we go. Except that if you tried to drive, there was a real chance you could wind up in a river, not over it.

We weren't ready to handle this.

"It was truly devastating," said Tampa's Bob Martinez, who was governor at the time. "I remember calling up the National Guard because people there were so many wrecks and people were trapped under interstate overpasses and didn't have blankets."

Thousands of acres of orange trees were destroyed, and it proved too much for many citrus owners who had already felt the impact of two other freezes during the 1980s. Farmers cashed out and sold their land to developers, and the industry feels that impact still today.

And here in Tampa, we were introduced to the concept of rolling power blackouts - just in time to ruin the best laid Christmas dinner plans for thousands of people.

TECO's system wasn't prepared to meet the demand for heat in thousands of homes throughout the area, so it scheduled power outages on what was supposed to be a rotating basis - 15 minutes off, then four hours on.

Except it was just the opposite for many folks, including my family - 15 minutes on, at least four hours off. We were shivering inside our home, and we felt a little cut off from the world. No power meant no updates on TV.

We piled on every blanket we could find, and I think we slept in our coats that night.

It really does get cold in Florida, sometimes for several hours. What happened in 1989, though, was nature's way of reminding us why so many people move here in the first place.

Ideological divides in Florida's Republican attorney general primary race are producing some early negative campaigning, with a strong Tampa Bay area flavor.

State Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, one of four candidates, has attacked the early frontrunner, former Judge Ashley Moody of Plant City, as a "liberal posing as a conservative," and asked the state Republican Party to disavow her.

Fant's reasons:

• Moody was part of a 2010 fraud lawsuit against The Trump Organization over the failed Trump Tower Tampa condominium downtown, in which condo buyers sued for return of their deposits.

• Former President Bill Clinton appointed Moody's father to a federal judgeship.

• Moody once worked as an assistant to then-American Bar Association President Martha Barnett of Tampa, a Democrat Fant calls "reliably liberal," and Barnett recently co-hosted a fundraiser for Moody.

Despite the lawsuit, Moody says she backed Trump in 2016 and still supports him. She said her family was among 50 condo purchasers and the lawsuit was settled on confidential terms.

In a letter and news release to state party Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, Fant asked that the party bar Moody from its January annual meeting and halt financial support for her campaign - 60 million from the Orlando-area Sunrail project and use it to foster high-tech transit projects in the Tampa Bay area and Miami.

The money, to be matched by private or local government money, would be used to spur use of "emerging technology-driven solutions" which "will revolutionize transportation in ways unforeseen just a few years ago," said a statement from Young.

Those could include hyperloop trains, autonomous "rail buses" guided by roadway sensors, ridesharing networks and autonomous vehicles - but not traditional bus or rail mass transit.

"That's where the future is headed," Young said.

The money won't come until 2021, to avoid harming Sunrail, she said - 10 million elsewhere.

The bill has already passed one House committee.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who has unsuccessfully urged a traditional mass transit plan for the Tampa Bay area, praised the bill as "smart ... to start looking forward to the modes by which people will move 20 years down the road," but said it shouldn't distract from the need for traditional mass transit now.

"We need to include other more traditional modes in our thinking and funding."

Buckhorn also said it's important not to derail Sunrail, which could lead to high-speed service from Miami through Orlando to the Tampa airport.

Young responded that the bill represents "a fairly small dollar amount in the grand scheme of transportation projects." She added, "There are still plenty of traditional projects out there that could be funded in many ways."

Contact William March at wemarch@gmail.com

The BalloonaPalooza Tour Winter Spectacular tour makes its last stop in Tampa from 4-11 p.m on Friday (Dec 15), Saturday (Dec. 16) and Sunday (Dec 17) at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 US 301.

Operating now for three years, the event features food, arts and crafts, tethered hot air balloon rides, a carnival, live musical entertainment, Santa Claus, a hot air balloon night show and music light show, as well as many other surprises and giveaways for the entire family to enjoy.

Tethered balloon rides are hot air balloons tied down to the ground by high-tensile strength ropes that don't fly away. They allow the pilot to lift 30 to 50 feet off the ground and float in the air for a short ride and then return to the same position.

They are a great way for small children and elders to experience a balloon ride and ideal for people with a fear of heights or flying.

The "Balloon Glow-&-Show" is a gathering of giant hot air balloons that inflate at night. The burners are ignited and bring the balloons to life displaying bright colors and different shapes. Families can walk up and feel the heat from the burners as it inflates the canopy, enjoy music and watch the colorful shapes float in the sky above the crowd. Thousands of people will attend so it is suggested to get your tickets early.

"We're probably going to get about 5,000 people a day," said co-producer Joe Ochoa.

Tickets are 10 for children, military and seniors with I.D. and tethered rides have a separate cost from admission of 20 for adults. Parking is $6 and it is recommended to get there early because parking is first come first serve.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit balloonapaloozatour.com.

The Vodka Latke, Tampa's annual Dec. 24 gathering for Jewish singles and young couples, will take place downtown this year at popular nightspot the Franklin Manor.

The event, open to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, will include all you can drink from Tito's Handmade Vodka, appetizers and social dancing.

It's about bringing young Jewish adults together on Christmas Eve, a night they are looking for something fun to do, said Lisa Robbins, director of Young Adult Engagement for the Tampa Jewish Centers and Federation, which sponsors the event.

"We our focused on reaching the next generation," Robbins said. "They are the future leaders of our community."

Known as the Vodka Latke in Tampa, and the MatzoBall elsewhere, Jewish communities across the United States host singles events on Dec. 24. The Tampa evening attracts about 150 people each year. Tickets are 54 at the door.

"There are a lot of avenues for getting involved in Jewish life," Robbins said. "This is a purely social way of getting people together to form friendships and connections."

Jewish life today is different than 10, 20 and 30 years ago. Not everyone wants to belong to a synagogue. Or participate in the same way.

"We want to provide the younger generations with what they need," Robbins said. "They are looking to connect but are not necessarily interested in traditional Jewish institutions. This is an opportunity for networking, for getting involved in the community."

The Vodka Latke is put on by IMPACT, a community of young adults within the Tampa Jewish Federation and the Young Adult Division of the Jewish Federation of Pinellas-&-Pasco Counties. IMPACT participates in volunteer work and philanthropic projects throughout Tampa Bay. The group offers leadership training, social networking and other programs.

Dori Marlin and Thomas Stanton serve as co-chairs for this year's Vodka Latke event.

The invent generates a lot of buzz and often sells out, so purchasing tickets early is recommended.

There will be a cash bar, music by DJ Casper and popsicles courtesy of Hyppo.

Non-Jewish persons are also invited.

Franklin Manor is located at 912 N Franklin St. Event hours are 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets are available at jewishtampa.com/VodkaLatke.

TAMPA - When Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner Kersee was a child, she was invited to play on basketball teams at the Boys Club in East St. Louis, Ill. It was before the national organization became the Boys-&-Girls Club.

"I was always on the outside looking in, but friends selected me for the teams," Kersee, 55, told several hundred guests Tuesday at the Great Futures Breakfast benefiting the Boys-&-Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay.

She said her neighborhood was "infested with drugs and violence. I was told by that by the time I was 14, I would be pregnant."

Instead, she said, she started attending a community center as the Boys Club had closed. There a volunteer showed her the importance of education, community service and goal setting.

So by the 1980s, she was a UCLA student on full scholarship and looking at participating in the Olympics in long jump events and the heptathlon, a track-and-field event comprised of seven separate events, including the 200-meter run, 800-meter run and 100-meter hurdles.

She won six Olympic medal (3 of them gold medals in 1988 and 1992) and four world championship titles. She is the first African American woman to win an Olympic Medal in the long jump and the first woman to score 7,000 points in the heptathlon. She also played professional basketball for a short time.

During that time, she said she always wanted to give back to her community, to be sure all children have access to high quality after-school programs, have safe recreational places and caring adults are there to guide them.

She formed the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation and raised more than 1 million, was chaired by Lisa DeBartolo and Julie Weintraub. Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and his wife, Penny, donated use of the Amalie Arena and all parking to the event.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister presented a check for 100,000.

Hal Steinbrenner, chairman emeritus of the Boys-&-Girls Foundation, told the guests that the Tampa Bay clubs continue to grow. That about 10 years ago there were less than 10,000 members and in 2017, there are almost 20,000 members.

"We teach life skills to create contributing members of society," he said, adding the areas of focus are health and nutrition; community service (with members contributing 55,000 hours of volunteer service last year); and academics.

Contact Lenora Lake at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

BRANDON - A cool crisp breeze swept through the morning grounds of the New Hope Methodist Church as individuals stood in line wearing sweatshirts, jeans and other warm attire as they waited to receive assistance.

Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Tampa Police Department officers joined together, along with 75 volunteers and more than 20 vendors during the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Homeless Initiative outreach event on Tuesday (Dec. 12).

"This event brought community members from various organizations together with a purpose for individuals to get services all in one location," HCSO Dep. Stephanie Krager said. "We selected different areas in the county to spread it out."

A variety of providers, from Metro Wellness and Community Centers to The Salvation Army to CareerSource Tampa Bay offered services to many. For instance, Metro Wellness and Community Centers offered free HIV testing.

The West Tampa Memorial American Legion Post 248 donated 14 bicycles, which were raffled off. These bicycles came with a lock as well.

In order to qualify for the raffle or any other free item such as clothes, blankets, food, toiletries and more, participants had to check-in at the registration table. They also received a passport, which needed a total of 12 signatures from any of the resources present.

More than 100 homeless individuals attended. Those who came had many reasons as to why they chose to be here.

James Peppers, 56, spoke with one of the deputies about his situation of being homeless in hopes that he could soon create a better life for himself.

"I need a solid roof over my head and a good job." Peppers said.

Said 57-year-old recipient Joe Carnes: "Anyone of these officers here can help people with homeless recovery."

CareerSource Tampa Bay Program Coordinator for the Military Family and Employment Advocacy Program Mario Rodriquez mentioned that their services deal with veterans who might encounter a barrier to employment.

"Our focus here would be for homeless veterans as we provide them links to training or employment if they already obtain the skills set," Rodriquez said.

In the final assessment, HCSO officials came away pleased with the involvement.

"Overall, I am just appreciative for all of the volunteers and vendors that came out," Deputy Krager said.

To learn more about the HCSO Homeless Initiative, visit its Facebook page.

Contact Tatiana Ortiz at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

TAMPA - Academy of Holy Names senior Caitlin Shannon stood in a dimly-lit part of the dugout club at Steinbrenner Field on Dec. 8, hidden from the main conference area.

She held the handle of a red wagon full of Yankees merchandise along with other toys ranging from stuffed monkeys to Regions Piggy Banks - waiting to surprise those attending the meeting.

Stephanie Stanfield, area wealth coordinator for the Regions Bank and wealth management team had gathered bank employees without advance word on who they would be helping, but she had already been enthralled with Caitlin's story.

Stanfield witnessed a local television report about Caitlin and how the student created and delivered goodie bags to children in various hospitals.

"This clip came on the news and it was of a young girl (Caitlin) and I literally started taking pictures of my television because this young girl was telling her story of when she was sick," Stanfield said. "It was just fate because I remember thinking this is exactly what we wanted to do. We need to support her cause."

Caitlin started her nonprofit, Sparkle Power Inc., at the age of 15 after enduring nerve damage after doctors removed her gall bladder and appendix. The goodie bag give-aways to children in the hospital with long-term illnesses has earned Caitlin an appearance on Harry Connick Jr.'s nationally-syndicated TV talk show, and it helped her earn the distinction of being a Young Woman of Promise by the Athena Society earlier this year.

"I was so excited when I was first approached about this," Caitlin said, "I couldn't believe such an amazing company wanted to reach out to me. It's really cool to see how the charity has reached different people."

For Stanfield, this was more than just another community outreach project she organizes for every quarterly meeting. After losing her mom to cancer over the holidays last year, she kept in mind the one time someone brought her mom a goodie bag during that difficult period and how it helped brighten her day.

Caitlin and Stanfield joined forces to make an estimated 150 goodie bags to be delivered closer to Christmas to local hospitals. The Regions employees, aka Shannon's elves, donned Santa hats and listened to the same story Stanfield was touched by a month ago.

With the reveal of the team's community outreach at their quarterly meeting, Shannon wheeled out her supplies and introduced herself to her helpers. With that, the dugout club made a quick transition to Sparkle Power's workshop and the entire team of elves began their work putting together goodie bags for children of different age ranges.

The elves call out to the rest of team for colored pencils or Yankees lunch boxes as needed and filled the dark-colored rectangular bags lining the table. With Shannon leading the way, they filled the decorated bags with goodies and readied them for delivery.

Though the team's delivery date will be close to Shannon's end of the semester exam times, she is looking forward to delivering with the group to different hospitals.

"It'll be crazy because of exams, but a huge stress reliever," Shannon said with a laugh.

For more information on Sparkle Power Inc., visit Sparkle Power Inc. on Facebook and @sparklepowerofficial on Instagram.

Contact Katelyn Massarelli at kmassarelli@tampabay.com.

For three years, the only news about finances at Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry was bad news: "Struggling MOSI asks Hillsborough County for 3 billion remake of the channel district that includes an innovation hub and an accelerator for new business startups. The health sciences also figure prominently in the plans, with Water Street Tampa hosting the new University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute.

But most importantly, those planning a new MOSI should cast a wide net for ideas and commit themselves to a process as transparent as possible. This has not always been the case in the past.

Only this month, in an interview with Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times, did CEO Mackenzie reveal publicly that at its low point MOSI "came very close to shutting its doors for good." Challenged on losses shown in the tax forms it must file as a nonprofit, Mackenzie's predecessors insisted all was well. Board meetings closed to the public were followed by mouths closed to questions about what was happening.

Museums are typically private entities, not subject to all the same public disclosure a government agency is. But most rely on some government subsidy. In MOSI's case, that has included the very property where the museum is located, owned by Hillsborough County, as well as an occasional cash infusion to keep the doors open.

MOSI, then, owes openness to the people of Hillsborough County. But beyond that, as it tries to plot a course that will appeal to a broad segment of a unique population, it's good business to invite them in for their ideas and their scrutiny as well as for their admission fees.

BRANDON - Christine Stallworth had experienced false labor before so she decided to ignore the contractions she was feeling Thursday as she and her husband Clifford drove their two boys from home in Plant City to school in Tampa.

But this time, 10 days away from mom's due date, there was nothing false about it. The contractions grew heavier, and so did the traffic.

"We just had to put on our hazards and started honking the horn," said Clifford Stallworth, 29. "We called the police and they had said they weren't going to be able to get to us in time. And that's when I just put my GPS in for Tampa General and it said we were four minutes away."

Four minutes away, that is, from Tampa General Hospital's Brandon outpatient center, which has none of the birthing features of the main hospital in Tampa. In the end, it didn't matter anyway: Christine Stallworth, 29, never made it inside, giving birth in the parking lot of the Tampa General Hospital Brandon Healthplex.

The first thing baby Janine laid eyes on in life was the interior of the family's black, 2011 Volvo S80.

Torn between signalling for the staff at the center and helping his wife through active labor, dad held the baby through the delivery with just Zijon, 6, and Preston, 5, at his side. It took only a few minutes.

"I just remember supporting her head and her coming with wide arms and hugging me as soon as she came out," he said. "She had the biggest arms in the world."

Mom and baby were transported to the neonatal unit at Tampa General Hospital and are doing fine. Janine weighed in at 6 lbs., 8 oz.

On Friday, the family was still trying to process the turn of events but praised the staff of Tampa General for their help. They also were grateful to have their baby girl with them before the holidays.

"She was an early gift for Christmas and boy was it a surprise," said Christine Stallworth, a teacher at the Harvest Time Christian School her sons attend. "We couldn't have asked for anything better."

Contact Katelyn Massarelli at kmassarelli@tampabay.com

WIMAUMA

Jonathan Black's ever-present smile continues to shine, even through a persistent pain racking his body.

Black, a 40-year-old detention corporal for Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, initially suffered from a lot of back and abdomen pain, and thought he had gallstones. From research, he discovered fried food and sugar can cause a gallstones attack, so he eliminated them from his diet in hopes of decreasing the pain. However, it just wouldn't subside.

On Nov. 21, doctors conducted an ultrasound and said his pancreas looked enlarged, but they didn't have what they needed so they requested a CAT scan for further detection.

"Life must go on," said Black.

He went to work on Thanksgiving and the next day, Black Friday (Nov. 24), a phone call halted his routine trip grocery and Christmas shopping. The doctor called to say he found a mass in his pancreas and a blood clot in his right lung. He had no choice but to stop everything and go to the hospital immediately.

The diagnosis? Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

The news heightened the admiration of his colleagues.

"He's a true hero, he remains positive, and he has such a great outlook on life," said Sheriff Chad Chronister.

"His people enjoyed working for him. He brought that passion to work everyday. So we're prepared and will be there for him spiritually, financially and whatever his family needs."

•••

Black and his wife Heather learned of his diagnosis just a month before the second anniversary of the passing of their daughter Emily Rose Sabow, who died in a tragic accident from carbon monoxide poisoning on Dec. 21 of 2015.

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

Sabow, 14, a freshman and leader on the East Bay High junior varsity volleyball team, was beloved by many, and known for her obsession with makeup, her passion for life and for always wearing a smile.

The Blacks said it was unusual to not get a response from her and immediately knew something was wrong. They searched everywhere they could think a teenager would hang out along with the police and found her and the body of friend Dorian Andres Gomez Poehlmann in the garage of his mother's St. Petersburg home inside the family's 2002 Mitsubishi.

He described going in the garage as the best and worst day of his life. The best because he always promised his children that if they were in trouble he would always find them, and the worst because of the predicament.

"Just the worst feeling in the world as a parent something happening to your child and not being able to protect them from it," Black said.

"I tried to make some deals with God on that one, I'm old enough, I've done enough. Trade me and bring her back."

•••

As one can imagine the holidays prove difficult for the Blacks and their four children, including Emily's twin sister Lauren. Learning the day after Thanksgiving that Jonathan had pancreatic cancer added another battle, but the Black family remains hopeful and are determined not to be another statistic.

"We had come to a point where we both decided that we're tired of being depressed grieving over Emily, she would want us to be happy," Black said.

He described that day (Nov. 24) as a pinnacle for him and his wife, making them stronger than ever before because they decided they were going to be happy and not let it steal their joy or tear their family apart.

"I had a very simple choice to make that day, only two to make," Jonathan said.

"I could be angry at God, I could ask the wrong question which is why, and fade away into a depression again, or I could say I'm not giving up, I'm going to win, and we're going to pull together on this and move forward with positivity."

Pancreatic cancer is considered rare with fewer than 200,000 reported U.S. cases per year.

But it is deadly.

It begins in the organ lying behind the lower part of the stomach when cells start to multiply out of control and form a mass and can spread to other parts of the body. It is often detected late since there are no symptoms in the early stages.

•••

Through Holiday Hopes, the Black family hopes to bring awareness of both pancreatic cancer and the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. They stress how extremely blessed they are, and the biggest thing they request is prayer as Jonathan began his chemotherapy treatments earlier this week.

However, if they had one wish it would be to start a nonprofit or organization focusing on altering insurance policies that aren't willing to pay for things like this, and detecting pancreatic cancer early before it's too late. They're seeking donations at freefunder.com/campaign/jons-pancreatic-cancer-fight.

"Not for one second have I ever thought this was a death sentence," said his wife Heather Black.

"I'm not even worried about him dying from this. He's going to make it. God is on our side."

Contact Monique Welch at mwelch@tampabay.com

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

The Black family hopes to start a nonprofit geared towards bringing awareness of both pancreatic cancer and the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, detecting pancreatic cancer early, and working with insurance companies to cover the expenses. To help: Message the Blacks on their facebook page: Our Battle Through Pancreatic Cancer to help fulfill their dream of starting a nonprofit and support Jonathan's pancreatic cancer fight by donating at freefunder.com/campaign/jons-pancreatic-cancer-fight.

TAMPA - Fans attending Monday night's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons will undoubtedly spot an unforgettable character roaming the Raymond James Stadium stands.

He'll be the guy wearing dark glasses and a cape.

Dozens of red, black, silver and pewter beads will hang around his neck.

And atop his head? Yep, it's a plastic replica of the franchise's signature pirate ship.

Meet Albert Owens, a do-everything staff member from WFLA-Ch. 8.

Actually, meet his alter ego - Bucified Bert. He's part-Super Fan, part-Superman.

"It started out as a way to show spirit for the Bucs,'' Owens said. "It became something more.''

So much more.

Bucified Bert reached the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer at Canton, Ohio, when he was inducted into the Professional Football Ultimate Fan Association, a once-in-a-lifetime honor that recognized what he calls a "fanatical'' devotion to the Bucs and a "phenomenal'' desire to serve as a positive role model for Tampa Bay's youth.

For a decade, Bucified Bert has awarded $1,000 college scholarships to exemplary high-school kids, some of whom already have graduated and become teachers. At first, the money came out of his own pocket, but he has since attracted corporate sponsors and partnered with other organizations.

He speaks to dozens of school classes per year, getting attention with his colorful garb, but utilizing it to push across meaningful messages.

The B.U.C.I.F.I.E.D. acronym stands for "Be Understanding Citizens and Identify Friendly Individuals Every Day'' because, as Owens explains, "a stranger can be danger.''

"Bucified is a lifestyle - an integrity-driven lifestyle,'' Owens said. "I want to be a positive influence on kids. I tell them to be aware of their surroundings, to choose their friends carefully. I want them to stay away from drugs.

"I want them to be dream seekers and I want them to stay away from dream killers. I try to be entertaining and say things in a way that will catch their attention.''

Such as?

Be A Positive Thinker, Not An Underage Drinker.

Owens' late mother - Emma Lee - remains the inspiration for his positive-thinking approach. Growing up in Ybor City, Owens was a shoeshine boy who couldn't get any business. Discouraged, he turned to his mother, who said, "You should speak their language.''

Owens learned Spanish. Suddenly, his business boomed.

Emma Lee raised eight children and worked at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on Florida Avenue, becoming a behind-the-counter presence and familiar friend to police officers, businessmen, school kids and neighborhood regulars.

She didn't have much, but always managed to help the poor and homeless around the holidays. She told Owens to live an honest life and think about other people.

That's why part of his Bucified slogan is "OLE Is Alive.'' OLE stands for "Operation Legacy Emma Lee.''

How did Bucified actually begin?

In 1995, when there was a possibility of the Bucs' franchise leaving Tampa, Owens first dressed up in his Bucified garb, sometimes going door-to-door, making public appearances, cajoling politicians, anything to help decision-makers see the merit of keeping the city's NFL team.

Some five years later, when WFLA's Daytime program sought a way to build attention for that weekend's Bucs game, the Owens/Bucified Bert character made its first appearance before a large audience. The 10-second smack-talking TV spot, encouraged by host Brian Fasulo, went over famously.

"And the rest,'' Owens said, "is history.''

Someone told Owens he has become a celebrity. WFLA anchor Gayle Guyardo calls Owens a "true inspiration.'' He smiled, then quickly deflected the attention.

The real celebrities, he said, are his mother and kids who buy into the Bucified message.

"I am definitely a fanatical fan,'' Owens said. "But this Bucified image allows me to shine the light on the phenomenal. If the things I do will help young people become more vigilant about doing the right things, stay out of trouble, get an education and help people, what could be better than that?

"I have a lot of fun. But the truth is, I'm honored to be spreading messages like that and helping kids become great people. That's the real joy of Bucified.''

Contact Joey Johnston at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Terrace Community Middle School, an award-winning charter school in Thonotosassa, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018, and the staff is trying to locate alumni, former parents, teachers and staff members to attend its Golden Glam Gala from 6:30-11 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Hunter's Green Country Club.

Terrace Community Middle School has earned National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award recognition in 2007 and 2014, according to a news release. It is ranked the fourth-ranked middle school in the state of Florida and a top-ranked Hillsborough County district public school. It has received an "A'' grade since 2000.

The school actually had its birth in 1994, when a group of parents, concerned that their children were not acquiring the skills necessary to succeed in high school, college and the work place, joined with concerned teachers and business leaders who wanted to teach students to read critically, write coherently and use numbers comfortably as tools, according to the school's web site.

The Back-To-Basics Charter School Foundation, Inc. was incorporated in January of 1998, and an administrative board was established. A charter was granted three months later. When the school opened during the 1999-2000 school year, it served students from fifth through seventh grades. Eighth grade was added in the 1999-2000 school year.

People can learn more about the celebration, as well as school happenings, and stay in touch on the school's new Facebook Alumni Page at facebook.com/tornadoesalumni/. Purchase tickets and download forms at tcmstornadoes.com. For more information, contact Yasmeen Neuman at yasmeenneuman@yahoo.com.

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - Residents of Seminole Heights had many reasons to throw a festive holiday party after enduring two months of fear and anxiety while police officers searched for a serial killer targeting their central Tampa neighborhood.

Friday's (Dec. 15) neighborhood association get-together brought nearly 200 residents and friends to American Legion Post No. 111 to chat with Santa, decorate cookies and enjoy food and drinks catered by Conrad's Cafe.

"How wonderful it is to go into the holiday season with peace of mind," said Debi Johnson, president of the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association.

DJ Shirah Levine took song requests in exchange for Underdog Rescue donations. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve collected Toys for Tots.

"Our neighborhood involvement committee chaired by Kelly O'Neill always does a great job of bringing families and friends together for all our socials," Johnson said. "But this year is especially meaningful with all that we have been through."

Pastry chef Kevin Boxx, a resident since 2015, was commissioned to build a gingerbread house for the annual holiday party: a classic Florida bungalow showcasing architectural elements of the 1920-30s-era homes prevalent and popularly preserved in that area.

Chocolate drizzled pretzel logs support the interior of the house, tapered gingerbread columns anchor the wide porch and adjacent carport on crushed candy cane bases.

Gelatin windows are framed by fruit roll-up curtains. Green sprinkles dot the lawn but snowy white icing lines the cereal-shingled peaked roof.

The New England Culinary Institute grad can't count all the gingerbread houses he's made during the years he worked for Ritz Carlton and Kimpton hotels.

Boxx spent about 24 hours - and about $100 on candy alone - to create this one.

The finished product was to be raffled at the party, with proceeds to be used for ongoing neighborhood projects.

Contact Amy Scherzer at ascherzer@tampabay.com.