By Jim Bleyer The James gang rode through downtown St. Petersburg Saturday after depositing a magnificent treasure there. No, not Jesse and Frank. We’re talking about Tom and Mary and the treasure isn’t buried. In full view is The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art at Central Avenue …
By Jim Bleyer With a threadbare resumé of public service and a record of voting for big business and against the environment, Gwen Graham has resorted to shouting that “it’s time” Florida elected a female governor. She has reminded audiences at every campaign stop that she is a woman …
By Chris Paradies We live in a tourist paradise. Award-winning beaches grace the shores along our sunny, palm-lined stretch of the Gulf of Mexico. Our families enjoy everything that Hillsborough County offers: parks, recreation fields, camping, and plenty of sunshine! As the founder and president of a small firm that helps …
The 1964 Civil Rights Act—the racists that lead the Florida Democratic Party might want to read it. By Jim Bleyer If the Florida Democratic Party doesn’t clean up its act—and soon—it might as well gird for a November calamity. The Blue Wave that pundits expect nationally could amount to …
By Jim Bleyer An already energized throng of more than 500 Hillsborough County Democrats, anticipating that the much hyped Blue Wave will wash over Florida in November, saved most of its enthusiasm and cheering Saturday night for gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum. All four primary candidates spoke for only a …
By Sharon Calvert (from Eye on Tampa Bay) Since Greenlight Pinellas failed in 2014 and Go Hillsborough failed in 2016, FDOT in Tampa Bay has been doling out millions and millions for more transit studies like it’s Christmas candy. For the moment at least, the strategy has changed to …
By Jim Bleyer First, the bad news. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, the area’s much beloved alternative weekly, was bought out by Euclid Media Group. Known as EMG, it owns a portfolio of nine such city publications including the Orlando Weekly. EMG has shown a penchant for marginalizing and, in …
By Scott Myers, Contributor Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg behaves as one would expect of a Major League Baseball owner: pitching threats, illusion, and deceit to extort cities. Declaring the price of a new stadium will increase with each passing year, Sternberg preposterously presented the possibility of a …
By Jim Bleyer Former Democratic state party chairman Stephen Bittel made disparaging remarks about black legislators at a major party fundraiser last June 17. There were no repercussions. He apologized for his racially derogatory tirade and then it was business as usual for the Florida Democratic Party. Five months later …
By Jim Bleyer After decades of being shaken down by sports franchises, their billionaire owners, and professional sports leagues, sensible cities are refusing to pay subsidies to keep or lure a professional sports team. There is one exception: Las Vegas. It appears to be the most likely destination for …
