Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Backers of a plan to allow same-sex couples to enjoy more of the freedoms afforded to married couples aren’t taking no for an answer. Do you agree with them?
Less than two weeks after Hillsborough County Commissioners voted against creating a domestic partnership registry, proponents of the measure are holding their ground. The proposed registry, similar to what has already passed in Pinellas County, would have given same-sex partners more freedom to make financial and medical decisions for their significant others. In late January, the Hillsborough Commission voted 4-3 against creating a registry. Supporters of the registry met Tuesday, Feb. 5 to discuss what they are calling a “temporary” setback, according to The Tampa Tribune. Attendees at the event, which was sponsored by Equality Florida, say they will continue to push for the county to enact a registry. "Hillsborough County is so out of …
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Major League Baseball team says it needs a new stadium to be successful in the Bay area. Some St. Petersburg leaders insist they must stay in the city. We want to hear what you think should happen.
It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Rays have been talking with government officials outside of St. Petersburg about the need for a new stadium. They’ve gone on a road show of sorts, talking with officials on both the Hillsborough and Pinellas county commissions. Team management has made it clear that attendance numbers need to rise for the Rays to remain viable in the Tampa Bay area. They’ve also made it abundantly clear that Major League Baseball has lost its faith in Tampa Bay. While Hillsborough and Pinellas county officials want to lend a hand to restore that faith – and possibly a location for a shiny new stadium in their own backyards – St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster is adamantly opposed to letting the team out of its contract to play at …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
As Florida Gov. Rick Scott calls on state legislators to increase funding for school by $1.2 billion some are skeptical about his intentions. We’d like to get your take on the governor’s proposals, Tampa Bay.
Florida school districts that have struggled with multi-million-dollar budget cuts and teachers who’ve gone years sans raises are being offered some hope courtesy of Florida’s Republican governor. Rick Scott is calling on the state’s legislature to approve a budget that includes an extra $1.2 billion in funding for public schools. Some of that money would help fund across-the-board raises of $2,500 for the state’s teachers. The overall plan would also boost per-student funding by about 6.5 percent, according to TBO.com. "Investing in our teachers and in our education system is the key to our state's continued economic growth," Scott said in the TBO piece. "We made the hard choices to recover and get back on track — now we must make the …
Monday, January 28, 2013
As President Barack Obama kicks off his second term in office, the often prickly issue of immigration reform has come to the forefront. We’d like to get your thoughts on America’s immigration policy and the need for reform, Tampa Bay!
After tackling health care in his first term, it looks like President Barack Obama has set his sights on waging another big battle in his second term in office – immigration reform. The president is expected to discuss his plans for reform on Tuesday during a trip to Nevada, but a bi-partisan group of Senators intends to beat him to the punch. The group of eight Senators includes Florida’s own Republican Marco Rubio, according to the Huffington Post. Their plan, which will be more fully announced today, Jan. 28, calls for a multifaceted approach to reform with such prongs as: The Senate group, however, wants to make sure the first two points are adequately addressed by the country before the pathway opens. "Once the enforcement measures …
Friday, January 25, 2013
A 5-year-old kindergartener was suspended for 10 days for what school officials labeled a “terrorist threat.” Her crime: saying she wanted to shoot a classmate and herself with a Hello Kitty bubble gun. Have we gone too far, Tampa Bay?
Making sure public schools across the Tampa Bay area are safe, welcoming places where learning is priority No. 1 is a concern on most parents’ minds – especially in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in December. Bay Area residents have spoken out on the need for enhanced security in schools. And, they’ve weighed in on gun control issues. But, as we rush to shore up our schools’ defenses to prevent a repeat of Sandy Hook from happening here in our backyard, is anyone asking how far is too far? The story of a 5-year-old girl’s suspension from a Pennsylvania elementary school after she said she wanted to shoot a classmate and herself with a Hello Kitty pink bubble gun puts a spotlight on just how serious some adults are …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says it’s time to remove the combat ban on women in the military. Do you agree with the move, Tampa Bay?
Female soldiers will no longer be relegated to supporting roles in America’s military. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta plans to overturn a 1994 rule that prohibits women from taking positions in combat units. Described as a “groundbreaking move” by The Huffington Post, Panetta’s decision opens up hundreds of thousands of front-line jobs for women in the military. It’s also possible that women will find themselves eligible for elite positions in America’s special forces. The changes, expected to be announced more fully today, Jan. 24, won’t come quickly, however. Military branches are being asked to create plans to open the doors for women to serve. Some of the new jobs might open up later this year, but branches will have until January 2016…
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Marketers say the Tampa Bay area has a bland identity and needs an 'elevator pitch' to boost tourism. What slogan would you use to describe our region?
Locals know the Tampa Bay area has awesome beaches, great parks, a sizzling Cuban flavor and really cool museums. The problem is out-of-towners don’t. While Miami is known internationally as an urban chic vacation destination with beaches on the side and Orlando has the mouse to thank for its tourism prowess, Tampa Bay is lacking in the image department. That lack of identity is something that concerns the folks at Spark, a Tampa marketing firm that’s been researching what people think of when they consider Tampa Bay. "We do not have a brand," James Robbins, Spark’s brand director, told the Tampa Bay Times. What’s the problem with that? According to Robbins, when an area doesn’t have a brand, people start coming up with their own ideas of …
Monday, January 21, 2013
As inaugural festivities continue in Washington, D.C., we want to get Tampa Bay’s take on the three-day production and its value to the country as a whole.
As President Barack Obama gave his second inaugural address today, Jan. 21, thousands of Americans turned out to watch the festivities in Washington, D.C. Even more tuned in to watch the pageantry live on television or the Internet. A tradition that dates back to George Washington’s first swearing-in on April 30, 1789, the Presidential Inauguration has become bigger, better and much, much more costly through the years. The first few inaugurations were rather short affairs that didn’t include gala balls. Washington, in fact, only spoke 135 words in his second inaugural address, according to the U.S. Senate’s website. Balls weren’t added to the mix until James Madison’s 1809 swearing-in. Those festivities only cost attendees $4 each for …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The state is eyeing legislation that would limit the use of unmanned drones in the skies over Florida. Is it the right move?
Imagine sitting in your living room as a government drone silently monitors your activities from the skies above. Stealthily it records the information it sees and sends it to local law enforcement – or worse yet – your homeowners’ association. That’s an eventuality that some Florida lawmakers are trying to prevent. With several law enforcement agencies in the state already using unmanned drones for surveillance, lawmakers fear their use will become more commonplace, infringing on the privacy rights of everyday citizens. "These issues are about boundaries and there is a line to be drawn," State Sen. Joe Negron, R-Naples, told the Orlando Sentinel. Negron is the sponsor of the Freedom for Unwarranted Surveillance Act, which made it through …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Tampa Bay Rays say they need a new stadium. St. Petersburg officials say the team is contractually obligated to remain at Tropicana Field for another 14 years. What do you think should happen, Tampa Bay?
It’s a brouhaha that’s been brewing in the Tampa Bay area for years: The Tampa Bay Rays say they need a new stadium. The City of St. Petersburg holds a contract that says the Major League Baseball team is obligated to play at Tropicana Field through the year 2027. Even so, the Rays haven’t been quiet about their perceived need for a newer, better stadium. A few years back, they floated the idea of building a new stadium on St. Petersburg’s waterfront. That idea was nixed in the court of public opinion. Now, team officials are planning to meet with both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Commissions. The Hillsborough meeting, which will be open to the public, is set up for Jan. 24. The meeting with Pinellas officials takes place Jan. 29. …
CaptBlackEagle
7:41 am on Monday, February 18, 2013
While I agree that this is not a sex issue, I believe it is a local issue. There are already legal means available to those who wish to enter into a contractual agreement. This includes Powers of Attorney. I am happy to see that the issue is being considered at the local vs. Federal Level. more ›