Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Newt Gingrich's latest Newt University, an online community of seminars, was at the St. Petersburg Marriott and dealt with the issues of government and small businesses.
Professor Gingrich offered his Small Business and Politics 101 course today to a receptive crowd at the Marriott Hotel in Clearwater. The best part? No exams. Gingrich, who is comfortable sharing his opinions, said his goal is to keep the American people informed about important topics in the upcoming election through Newt University. "This is all an experiment to see if we can build a citizen-oriented, solution-oriented online education opportunity for people," Gingrich said. Gingrich did not spare his criticism for Barack Obama or the Democratic Party. He linked a lot of American small business problems to Democratic rules. Gingrich was running for the Republican nomination and is now using Newt University as a way to connect his ideas …
The former Republican Florida governor is no longer registered with either party.
Former GOP Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a St. Petersburg resident, will speak at the Democratic National Convention next week in Charlotte, NC. The announcement comes as the Republican National Convention is about to convene in Tampa, after a one-day delay by Tropical Stom Isaac. Crist said that Obama is more focused on middle class issues. In an article reported by the Tampa Bay Times Monday, Crist said: "I think so much of what the president has done and the good he's tried to do for Florida." "On issue after issue after issue, he's proven himself as the kind of person who's willing to work across the aisle for the betterment of the people." Crist also wrote a first-person piece for the Tampa Bay Times outlining his support for the …
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Monday night's opening of the Republican National Convention is delayed but not Sunday night's kickoff party in St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg will not only host the national convention kickoff party for 20,000 Republicans at the Trop Sunday, it also will be ground zero for protesters seeking 15 minutes of fame. One of the larger demonstrations planned for Sunday is by local faith leaders from Tampa Bay. Organizers say they expect hundreds to join them at Mirror Lake Circle for a community vigil at 5:30 p.m. With Tropical Storm Isaac churning toward the Gulf of Mexico, the RNC opener is canceled Monday night, but the kickoff party Sunday at the Trop is scheduled to go ahead. So is the protest by faith leaders. The group will march along a designated "parade route" to the Trop for a protest. Marchers are invited to assemble along Mirror Lake Drive in St. Petersburg…
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Republican National Convention takes place in Tampa, but some big contributors will have access to the politicians during private VIP meetings at the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg.
"FOR GOP MEGA-DONORS, A CONVENTION OF THEIR OWN" via POLITICO Politico is reoprting that the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg and the Westin Tampa Harbour Island will host special VIP meetings for donors committed to raising $250,000 or more. "Stars," in the campaign's parlance, get to attend briefings with Jeb Bush, Rice, Haley, Tim Pawlenty, Bob McDonnell and other big names, according to an agenda obtained by POLITICO. Jeb Bush on 'To Meet the Press'; Rubio Will 'Face the Nation' Jeb Bush will be the guest on Sunday morning on Meet the Press - amazingly his first ever appearance on the show. This week's Meet the Press will be broadcast from Tampa, where the Republican Convention will start Monday, and where Bush will be highly visible. …
Restrictions on Central between MLK and 16th Street lead some businesses to close until the RNC kickoff party at the Trop is over.
On Sundays, Ricky P's is usually open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., but this Sunday, Aug. 26, the owners have decided to stay closed because of the RNC kickoff party at Tropicana Field. Starting Friday night through Monday morning, roads, parking and sidewalks around the Trop will be restricted for security reasons. For Lisa Parsons, Vice President and owner of Ricky P's, said her restaurant cannot afford to stay open tat day. "We figured it was going to be really difficult for our customers to find us and to park and to get here," Parsons told Patch. "To have people potentially twiddling their thumbs on our payroll, we can’t afford to do that." Central Avenue between Martin Luther King Jr. St and 16th Street, while it will remains open, has …
Friday, August 24, 2012
It's too early to know with certainty. Tampa is still in the cone of possible tracks, but Isaac may arrive west of Tampa Bay early next week.
We're not in the clear just yet. At 8 a.m. today, Tropical Storm Isaac churned at sea, just south of Haiti, where a hurricane watch is in effect. The National Weather Service expects the storm to crawl at about 15 mph toward Florida, crossing Cuba Sunday morning. But hurricane officials are not anticipating a direct hit on the Tampa Bay region. If current projections stand, Isaac will arrive west of Tampa Bay after midnight Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane. There is a chance that Isaac will impact Florida's panhandle next week. Of course, all that may change with the unpredictability of the storm as it edges closer to landfall, hurricane officials said. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Nicole Carlisle, the Tampa Bay …
World Champion Sand Sculptors are working around the clock to create patriotic pieces for the 2012 Republican National Convention.
TREASURE ISLAND - While a handful of resorts along the Pinellas County beaches are putting finishing touches on signs, paint and even landscaping, one Treasure Island resort is sculpting their first impressions in the sand. "We just wanted to welcome the delegates and everyone with the RNC with a true Florida style and so we used sand, which is the best thing we have going on our beaches," Clyde Smith, Bilmar Beach Resort General Manager said. The Bilmar Beach Resort commissioned World Champion Sand Sculptors Dan Doubleday and Meredith Corson to create two patriotic sculptures for the RNC. The resort will host two delegations: Connecticut and North Dakota. The couple spent three days creating a replica of the White House. "When you do …
One Tampa couple opted to head for St. Pete Beach to avoid the crush of 50,000 visitors.
Doug Graybill and Kelli Albares evacuated their downtown Tampa condominium this week and headed for a St. Pete Beach inn to avoid the storm. It's not tropical storm Isaac, churning toward Florida, that worries them. The couple wants to avoid the storm of delegates, media and security flooding downtown Tampa for the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27-30. "We're having to show ID just to get into and out of our own house," said Graybill, a dentist whose home is at the Towers at Channelside. "We live at Ground Zero," said Albares, his fiance. The couple has been commuting to their Tampa offices from the coastal Great Heron Inn, just to avoid disruptions from the RNC. A security zone set up around the Tampa Bay Times Forum, the RNC site, …
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Three Tampa Bay bridges will have round-the-clock security, and seven others will be kept in the down, closed position during the Republican National Convention.
Anchoring and mooring near three major bridges in the Tampa Bay area will be banned during the Republican National Convention, the Coast Guard announced. In addition, seven draw bridges will be kept in the down, locked position, even to tug boats, during the RNC. The Coast Guard announced that it has established 15 additional federal security zones; all are coastal and along waterways. The heightened security begins Saturday and ends Aug. 31 at 1 a.m. Security zones within the Intracoastal Waterway extend from the Clearwater Memorial Bridge south to the Pinellas Bayway Structures A, B & C. ( Specific bridge names and closure times are noted in the graphic attached to this article.) Three Tampa Bay bridges will have 24-hour security zones. …
Florida Gov. Rick Scott says the final call will be up to RNC leaders.
Gov. Rick Scott said today that he is activating Florida's Emergency Operations Center and meeting with convention officials, as concern grows about Tropical Storm Isaac's potential impact on the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Scott told NBC News today: "Isaac is a unique storm in this regard, it has the potential to threaten a major convention, designated a special national security event," Scott said Thursday. "That's why I have convened local, state, federal and conventional officials for twice daily briefings." (See attached video of the governor's press conference.) The RNC runs from Aug. 27-30, with more than 50,000 visitors expected to pour into the Tampa Bay area. A kickoff party is scheduled for Aug. 26 at Tropicana …
Keith Best
6:15 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Charlie is a turncoat who only cares about his own hide, not the people of his state. Thank GOD for Marco Rubio. more ›