29-Year-Old Deputy Recalled for His Determination

Deputy Dan DiCicco – a SWAT team member, graduate student and former football player – pursued life to the fullest, after a diagnosis of cancer in his teens.

29-Year-Old Deputy Recalled for His Determination

Deputy Dan DiCicco – a SWAT team member, graduate student and former football player – pursued life to the fullest, after a diagnosis of cancer in his teens.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy Dan DiCicco is being recalled for inner strength and perseverance to reach his goals, despite a diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease in high school. DiCicco died Sunday, April 14. He was 29. The funeral service for DiCicco will be Monday at First Baptist Church in St. Petersburg. According to an article in the Tampa Bay Times, he passed away at Northside Hospital two days after collapsing in a parking lot. Friends and family are recalling the deputy as a man who worked hard to achieve and never gave up. DiCicco was a standout player and captain of his football team at Dixie Hollins High, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. The treatment – radiation, chemotherapy and throat surgery – were too hard on his…

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Catherine

10:31 pm on Saturday, April 20, 2013

How very sad. My prayers go out to the friends and family members of this very incredible young man, Deputy Dan DiCicco. May Dan rest in peace and may his wonderful memory speak loudly to all.   more ›

Gen. Schwarzkopf, 78, Has Died in Tampa

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf had retired to Tampa, Fla., after a final military assignment leading U.S. Central Command.

Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 78, passed away today in Tampa, according to media reports. Schwarzkopf was best known to the American people for his leadership in removing Saddam Hussein and his forces from Kuwait in 1991. Schwarzkopf had successfully led an international coalition of U.S. allies to drive out Iraqi troops. "Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation," former President George H.W.  Bush said in a written statement, according to ABC News. Schwarzkopf led what came to be known as Operation Desert Storm under President Bush. Most recently, Schwarzkopf had served as commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in …

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Son Killed in Benghazi Attack Honored by Dad in St. Pete

Vietnam veteran Ray Smith learned about his son's Sept. 11 death on TV. Finally, he is able to say goodbye.

Ray Smith wrapped his arms around a plaque and a photo of his son on a wall at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. "Welcome home, son," he said, as close friends watched and fought back tears in a small counseling room at the center in St. Petersburg.  Smith saluted his son, while friends opened their arms to embrace a father who lost a son. Smith, who lives in Gulfport, is a Vietnam veteran and father of one of the men killed during an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. “He was butchered, he was murdered. I’m putting the sole blame on the President of the United States,” Smith said. Smith, close friends, U.S. Rep. C. W. Bill Young, R-FL, and Young's wife, Beverly, joined him in recognizing Sean Smith with a plaque displayed in …

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Memorial Scheduled for Artist Bill Correira Woo

The memorial service is Saturday for St. Petersburg artist Bill Correira Woo.

A public memorial service for Bill "Woo" Correira will be Saturday, Dec. 1, at First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg. The service is at 1 p.m., at 1900 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg. All are welcome to attend. Correira is a St. Petersburg artist who died Monday at his Central Avenue gallery. Correira was known for painting colorful images of marine life. He also had a high profile in St. Petersburg, beloved for his openness and generosity toward others. A Correira pastime was to paint saltwater fish and other underwater creatures in public, sometimes at sushi restaurants or on a downtown street. Other articles on Correira 1.) Fundraisers are being held locally this week to help Correira's family defray the costs for his funeral. They …

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Artist Bill 'Woo' Correira Recalled as 'Creative,' 'Generous Soul'

Beloved St. Pete artist Bill "Woo" Correira died inside his art gallery on Central Avenue Monday. He had been battling brain cancer.

Local artist Bill "Woo" Correira knew better than to worry about what people thought or if things did not go exactly as planned. Why should he?  After surviving a brush with death in 2007, the artist gained an appreciation for living in the moment and fully engaging in his work as a painter. In 2007, on Thanksgiving Day, Correira was diagnosed with brain cancer and languished for 49 days in a coma. But he survived, and later realized his dream of owning a St. Petersburg gallery, where he focused on painting marine animals. On Monday night, Correira died inside his art gallery at 689 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg. Tuesday dozens of family, friends and fellow artists stopped by his gallery to remember and honor the man that offered support …

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Artist Bill Correira Woo, St. Pete Icon, Is Dead

Correira was known for his colorful depictions of marine life and his love for downtown St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg artist Bill Correira Woo has died. The artist's sudden passing Monday was mourned by friends and loved ones, who left dozens of messages on Correira's Facebook page. "You will be deeply missed," wrote Missie Stevenson McDow. "Gosh, Bill, you will be missed. Your art and your soul," said Jean Teira Hynes. Correira owned Woo Gallery on Central Avenue and had lived in St. Petersburg for more than 30 years. Correira valiantly fought and survived brain cancer five years ago, after he was stricken on Thanksgiving Day in 2007. Correira later attributed his dedication to painting as key to his recovery. Correira almost exclusively focused on marine life, and was best known for his evocative paintings of saltwater fish. The colorful …

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Brenda Smoak

11:52 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Bill also painted live in Bradenton on many occasions and I sold his awesome paintings in my gallery. What an amazingly beautiful man, generous spirit and huge heart. Rest in Peace, Bill. You will be so missed!   more ›

Sam Gibbons Memorial Scheduled

The World War II veteran and Congressman served for more than 50 years as a lawmaker.

Sam Gibbons Memorial Set for Oct. 20 in South Tampa

The World War II veteran, who spent more than 50 years as a lawmaker, was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital.

A memorial service for former congressman Sam Gibbons will be held at Tampa's Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. Oct. 20, according to Tampabay.com. Gibbons, an iconic Bay Area figure and politician who was instrumental in the creation of the University of South Florida died on Oct. 10, 2012. The World War II veteran, who spent more than 50 years as a lawmaker, was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital. Gibbons, 92, lived through some of the most significant events in Bay Area and U.S. history. He served decades in the Legislature and Congress, developing a reputation as an outspoken lawmaker.

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Small Business is Big News at 2012 RNC

Small business has been a major theme both inside and outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum this week.

Small business has been a major theme both inside and outside the Tampa Bay Times Forum this week. With events tied to the 2012 Republican National Convention taking place in all parts of the Tampa Bay area, many local business owners prepared to have the biggest money making week of their year. At the beginning of the convention, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and the 2012 Tampa Host Committee projected a $150 – 175 million boost to Tampa’s economy because of the 2012 RNC. "The way the City (of Tampa) and the Downtown Partnership put it out, we'd have 50,000 visitors and we'd be swamped," said Marc Zolkowski earlier this week. Zolkowski is the co-owner of the Metro Lounge and Restaurant in downtown Tampa. His neighboring business owner, …

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Bulldog

8:43 am on Saturday, September 1, 2012

Definitions: Liberal: Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor. Generous in amount; ample. Conservative: Favoring traditional views and …   more ›