Tampa Bay, FL

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• Bayshore crash victim off life support

  Local News | WFTS

  Chris Martinez

  15 May 2012 | 11:19 pm

  Holding candles and each other, friends of Michael Agana gathered on Bayshore boulevard late Tuesday night to say one final goodbye.

• Businessmen accused of laundering money from fraudulent refunds

  www2.tbo.com - Breaking News

  16 May 2012 | 5:08 am

  Two local businessmen were named in a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday accusing them of conspiring to profit from fraudulent tax refund checks.

• Friends: Bayshore crash victim taken off life support

  WTSP - Local News

  16 May 2012 | 1:24 am

  Friends say Michael Agana's family has taken him off life support, days after crashing through Bayshore Blvd.'s wall and into Hillsborough Bay.

• Rangers Adopt Team-First Refrain Once Voiced in Tampa Bay - New York Times

  tampa bay news - Google News

  15 May 2012 | 10:34 pm

  Rangers Adopt Team-First Refrain Once Voiced in Tampa BayNew York TimesIt is a familiar refrain for Jay Feaster, who was Tampa Bay's general manager in 2004, when Tortorella coached the Lightning to the Stanley Cup. “Oh yeah, that's exactly how he was then,” Feaster said. “It's never about anyone other than the team.and more »

• Police: Shooting victim not cooperative

  Local News | WFTS

  Kristal Roberts

  16 May 2012 | 3:25 am

  Authorities are working to get more information from the victim in a Wednesday morning shooting at a St. Pete apartment.

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  www2.tbo.com - Breaking News

• Businessmen accused of laundering money from fraudulent refunds

  16 May 2012 | 5:08 am

  Two local businessmen were named in a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday accusing them of conspiring to profit from fraudulent tax refund checks.

• Source: Driver in Bayshore crash removed from life support

  16 May 2012 | 5:04 am

  Michael Agana, 19, has been in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital since driving through the Bayshore Boulevard balustrade and into Hillsborough Bay.

• Store to pay $716 million after selling alcohol to minor in fatal crash

  16 May 2012 | 5:00 am

  The Apollo Beach store had a system for selling alcohol to minors: cash only, pay more than price, beer was packaged in a paper bag or box, the sheriff's office said.

• Traffic on south I-75 shifted at Bruce B. Downs

  16 May 2012 | 4:59 am

  Traffic on southbound Interstate 75 is being temporarily shifted to the old northbound lanes at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

• For a day, JPMorgan circus hits Tampa

  15 May 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Long before shareholders reached the JPMorgan Chase headquarters in the Highland Oaks business park on Tuesday morning, the security presence began to thicken.

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  WTSP - Local News

• Friends: Bayshore crash victim taken off life support

  16 May 2012 | 1:24 am

  Friends say Michael Agana's family has taken him off life support, days after crashing through Bayshore Blvd.'s wall and into Hillsborough Bay.

• Armwood quiet at practice

  15 May 2012 | 7:39 pm

  The Armwood HS Hawks went through a normal spring football workout Tuesday, albeit quiet after declining interview requests.  

• Bucs open summer OTA's

  15 May 2012 | 7:34 pm

  The Bucs opened summer Organized Team Activites, or OTA's, on Tuesday.  There are 12 more before training camp.  

• Feds raid tax fraud suspect's home with possible 9/11 connection

  15 May 2012 | 6:59 pm

  The FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Marshals and IRS -- they were all part of the massive raid on a Riverview home early Tuesday.

• Suspected road rage attacker: "I was defending myself"

  15 May 2012 | 6:57 pm

  Andy Hsieh says he carries a stun gun to protect himself and a bat to play softball. 

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  tampa bay news - Google News

• Rangers Adopt Team-First Refrain Once Voiced in Tampa Bay - New York Times

  15 May 2012 | 10:34 pm

  Rangers Adopt Team-First Refrain Once Voiced in Tampa BayNew York TimesIt is a familiar refrain for Jay Feaster, who was Tampa Bay's general manager in 2004, when Tortorella coached the Lightning to the Stanley Cup. “Oh yeah, that's exactly how he was then,” Feaster said. “It's never about anyone other than the team.and more »

• Feds: Two Tampa Bay area men part of $17 million tax fraud - Tampabay.com

  15 May 2012 | 10:02 pm

  Tampabay.comFeds: Two Tampa Bay area men part of $17 million tax fraudTampabay.comBy Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer RIVERVIEW — Over three years, a pair of Tampa Bay area men helped bilk the government out of $17 million in a tax fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The two men — Osama "Sam" Mustafa, 47, Two Bay Area Men Accused of $17 Million Tax Fraud; One Had Ties to 9/11 WUSF Newsall 15 news articles »

• Tampa Bay Rays: Rays need to get creative to assist injured 6-9 Jeff Niemann ... - Tampabay.com

  15 May 2012 | 9:40 pm

  Tampa Bay Rays: Rays need to get creative to assist injured 6-9 Jeff Niemann Tampabay.comBy Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer Tickets: $17-275, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time. On Hellickson: Despite inconsistencies, has won his past five Tampa Bay Rays Vs. Boston Red Sox 5/16/12: Mitch's Free MLB Baseball PickSports Chat PlaceRed Sox-Rays PreviewCBSSports.comA Series Matter: Red Sox-Rays and BrevityThe Providence Journal (blog)all 6 news articles »

• Tampa Bay Rays - TeamReport - Chicago Tribune

  15 May 2012 | 9:13 pm

  USA TODAYTampa Bay Rays - TeamReportChicago TribuneMLB Team Report - Tampa Bay Rays - INSIDE PITCH Injuries have been a major issue for the Rays all season, and the team sustained another major one Monday. Right-hander Jeff Niemann sustained a small fracture in his right fibula, just above the ankle, Tampa Bay Rays keep Wade Davis in bullpen, plan to call up pitcher from minors Tampabay.comPrice wins for fifth time in six starts, continues mastery of Blue Jays as Washington PostLawrie ejected after wild rage, Rays beat Jays 4-3Atlanta Journal ConstitutionYahoo! Sportsall 1,004 news…

• Miami Hurricanes coach Al Golden talks about Tampa Bay recruits - Tampabay.com

  15 May 2012 | 2:54 pm

  Miami Hurricanes coach Al Golden talks about Tampa Bay recruitsTampabay.comGolden also took a few minutes to sit down with Tampa Bay Times writer Greg Auman to talk about his expectations for the fall and Miami's solid group of incoming players from the Tampa area. You got a big impact last fall from defensive end Anthony and more »

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  Local News | WFTS

• Police: Shooting victim not cooperative

  Kristal Roberts

  16 May 2012 | 3:25 am

  Authorities are working to get more information from the victim in a Wednesday morning shooting at a St. Pete apartment.

• Tampa baseball museum proposed

  Associated Press

  16 May 2012 | 2:28 am

  A museum celebrating Tampa's rich baseball history could be opening up in a Hall of Fame player's boyhood home.

• Bayshore crash victim off life support

  Chris Martinez

  15 May 2012 | 11:19 pm

  Holding candles and each other, friends of Michael Agana gathered on Bayshore boulevard late Tuesday night to say one final goodbye.

• Rays 4 Blue Jays 3

  Associated Press

  15 May 2012 | 9:23 pm

  David Price won for the fifth time in six starts, Sean Rodriguez homered and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Tuesday night.

• Beware of summertime door-to-door sales

  Jackie Callaway

  15 May 2012 | 8:13 pm

  It's that time of year when high school and college age men and women hit the streets selling magazines door to door. The question is whether the money is going for a good cause or something entirely different.

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  News: Local News

• Tearful midnight gathering memorializes man who crashed in Hillsborough Bay

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 10:42 pm

  By Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer Wednesday, May 16, 2012 TAMPA — Nearly 100 people, many of them crying and hugging each other, gathered shortly before midnight Tuesday to memorialize Michael Agana, the 19-year-old who crashed last week into the waters off Bayshore Boulevard.The vigil marked the second time in as many days that friends had gathered near the crash scene, at Bayshore Boulevard and S Boulevard.Scores of people lit candles and said prayers at the first vigil, held Monday evening at twilight.As the second gathering coalesced early this morning, the friends again handed…

• Tearful midnight gathering memorializes man who crashed in Hillsborough Bay

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 10:42 pm

  By Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer Wednesday, May 16, 2012 TAMPA — Nearly 100 people, many of them crying and hugging each other, gathered shortly before midnight Tuesday to memorialize Michael Agana, the 19-year-old who crashed last week into the waters off Bayshore Boulevard.The vigil marked the second time in as many days that friends had gathered near the crash scene, at Bayshore Boulevard and S Boulevard.Scores of people lit candles and said prayers at the first vigil, held Monday evening at twilight.As the second gathering coalesced early this morning, the friends again handed…

• Feds: Two Tampa Bay area men part of $17 million tax fraud

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:59 pm

  By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Federal authorities raided a Riverview home as part of an investigation into what they say was a tax fraud scheme. RIVERVIEW — Over three years, a pair of Tampa Bay area men helped bilk the government out of $17 million in a tax fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.The two men — Osama "Sam" Mustafa, 47, and Khaldoun "Tony" Khawaja, 48 — worked with Khawaja's brother in Virginia to carry out the fraud, authorities said.The three stole Social Security checks, filed false tax returns and lied to…

• Feds: Two Tampa Bay area men part of $17 million tax fraud

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:59 pm

  By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Federal authorities raided a Riverview home as part of an investigation into what they say was a tax fraud scheme. RIVERVIEW — Over three years, a pair of Tampa Bay area men helped bilk the government out of $17 million in a tax fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.The two men — Osama "Sam" Mustafa, 47, and Khaldoun "Tony" Khawaja, 48 — worked with Khawaja's brother in Virginia to carry out the fraud, authorities said.The three stole Social Security checks, filed false tax returns and lied to…

• Gulfport becomes first Pinellas city to approve domestic partner registry

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:04 pm

  By Waveney Ann Moore, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 GULFPORT — In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the city of Gulfport made history by becoming the first Pinellas County jurisdiction to create a domestic partner registry for unmarried couples.Mayor Mike Yakes will sign the new ordinance in council chambers at 9 a.m. today."This is about people, people's right of choice,'' he said of the ordinance, which goes into effect in 45 days.The votes were cast in front of an overflow crowd, with many supporters wearing buttons promoting the registry. In the opening invocation, city…

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  Tampa Business News - Local Tampa News | The Tampa Bay Business Journal

• Port of Tampa to welcome new Royal Caribbean ship

  15 May 2012 | 1:53 pm

  Royal Caribbean International plans to replace Jewel of the Seas, the cruise ship currently serving Tampa, with Brilliance of the Seas beginning with the 2013-2014 season. Like Jewel of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas belongs to the Radiance Class and has a passenger capacity of 2,112. Brilliance of the Seas will undergo a major revitalization prior to deployment in Tampa, a written statement said. The renovated ship will offer new staterooms, onboard dining and entertainment options, Wi-Fi,...

• Sirata’s Gregg Nicklaus honored by beaches chamber

  15 May 2012 | 1:36 pm

  Gregg Nicklaus, president of the Sirata Beach Resort and Conference Center, was named “Tourism Person of the Year” at the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce Annual Tourism Lunch on Tuesday. The event was held at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach. Roger Dow, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association in Washington, gave a keynote speech. Keith Overton, president of TradeWinds Island Resorts, received the honor in 2011. The Tampa Bay Beaches...

• Cardinal Health agrees to settlement with DEA

  15 May 2012 | 12:39 pm

  Cardinal Health Inc. has agreed to a settlement with the Drug Enforcement Agency that calls for a two-year suspension on shipping controlled medicines from its Lakeland distribution center. The settlement also requires the facility to improve certain anti-diversion procedures, according to a written statement. The Lakeland center will remain open during the suspension, and all other business will continue as normal. The DEA confirmed it would not pursue any further administrative actions at other...

• Verizon expanding 4G wireless networks in Lakeland area

  15 May 2012 | 12:36 pm

  Verizon Wireless is expanding its 4G LTE technology to nine cell sites in Polk County. Fort Meade, Polk City, Auburndale, Lake Alfred, South Lakeland and Lakeland Linder Regional Airport will now have access to 4G LTE (fourth generation/long-term evolution) capabilities, according to a written statement. The wireless company invested $205 million in its Florida network in 2011. Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J. and is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE,NASDAQ:...

• Jagged Peak boosts 1Q income

  15 May 2012 | 12:15 pm

  Jagged Peak Inc. reported net income of $52,800 for the 13 weeks ended March 30, compared to net income of $20,100 for the first quarter of 2011. Revenue for the just-ended quarter increased 35 percent to $8.4 million, compared to $6.2 million for the year-ago period, a company statement said. Jagged Peak (OTCBB: JGPK) is a Tampa e-commerce company.

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  Tom Ufer's feed

• Merlion by La Sirena coming ashore

  Tom Ufer, Tampa Cigar Examiner

  9 May 2012 | 10:52 am

  In what one can term Beauty & The Beast; La Sirena and La Aurora have teamed up to create a new cigar, Merlion. The name Merlion comes from a mythical creature that is half lion and half mermaid, the perfect...

• Tampa cigar events May 7 - 13

  Tom Ufer, Tampa Cigar Examiner

  7 May 2012 | 5:04 pm

  THURSDAY, MAY 10 6PM-9PM Meet Nestor Miranda!The Cigar Cave is featuring a special Nestor Miranda cigar event; they have the last remaining stock of GRAND RESERVE. That’s right, they bought the rest of...

• Toraño Family Cigar Company release the Master Maduro

  Tom Ufer, Tampa Cigar Examiner

  3 May 2012 | 7:29 pm

  The Toraño Family Cigar Company is proud to announce the release of a new chapter in the Master story: The Master Maduro. The Master line of cigars has been a smashing success with the launch of the original Master...

• Tampa cigar events: April 30 – May 6

  Tom Ufer, Tampa Cigar Examiner

  29 Apr 2012 | 7:39 pm

  There are two cigar events in the area this coming week. Come out and support a local politician or celebrate Cinco de Mayo.On Thursday, May 3rd, between 6 and 9 p.m., the Cigar Cave Lounge is hosting a...

• Counterfeit Cohiba cigars seized

  Tom Ufer, Tampa Cigar Examiner

  26 Apr 2012 | 5:06 pm

  General Cigar announces that a team of special agents from the Miami Office of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco conducted raids yesterday resulting in the seizure of over 10,000 counterfeit COHIBA® cigars with an...

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  Gadgets & Gizmos

• Wake up to a brighter side

  Lyra Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 8:27 am

  Do you wake up in the morning crawling to the coffeemaker or bright-eyed and ready to conquer the world? A variety of devices claim to help you start your day right by waking you up at the right time of your sleep cycle: between light sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The Los Angeles Times takes a look if these monitors really work.  

• High Fives: Gadgets and Gizmos roundup

  Lyra Solochek

  14 May 2012 | 1:33 pm

  Are brand names audio badges worth paying more for? More and more devices are adopting brand-name badges of big-name audio system makers. But do they really sound that much better? (Popular Mechanics) One-stop shop for Facebook apps: From Farmville to Spotify, Facebook has created a hub for users who want to find games and other apps compatible with the social network app, including its first storefront for paid apps. (Chicago Tribune) Contract or prepaid? For the first time, fewer U.S. consumers are subscribing to contract-based cellphone plans. The seven largest U.S. phone companies,…

• The Daily Drivers: What's new for 2012? A look at 6 car updates

  Lyra Solochek

  12 May 2012 | 9:01 am

  Sometimes we find ourselves in a quandary: We get a new model year of a car we've driven but there aren't enough differences to justify a full review. So here are brief looks at some recent cars with incremental changes.    

• More Mother's Day ideas: designer USB, massage chair, more

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 2:18 pm

  Help Mom's life get a little easier with these Mother's Day gift ideas on the E-Advisor blog. (Hmm, but I'm not so sure about a robot baby...)

• Watch out Apple; HTC a major challenger with One X

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 1:17 pm

      Apple iPhone has been the king of the smartphone hill for some time, but it had better watch its back. Here comes HTC 's new flagship phone for 2012: One X which runs on Android 4.0 operating system, also known as the Ice Cream Sandwich. And how sweet it is. The OS combines the best of two worlds of data management: tablets and smart phones. The 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor, combined with AT&T 4G LTE network, means a wicked fast downloads and web browsing.   The One X comes with a large 4.7-inch Super LCD display (1280x720 pixels), which is sharp and vivid. Text is crisp…

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  Florida politics blog: The Buzz | Tampa Bay Times

• Hispanic activists plan to protest Romney in Tampa

  Alex Leary

  16 May 2012 | 12:23 am

  A Hispanic advocacy group says it will stage a demonstrate Wednesday outside Mitt Romney's fundraiser in Tampa, protesting against the hard line stance on immigration he took in the GOP primary. "Latinos do not favor Romney's strategy to make life unbearable for undocumented and mixed-status families," read an announcement by DRM Capitol Group, which is organizing the effort and others like it. The group advocates for the Dream Act, which Romney has said he would veto as president. "DREAMers and allies will be holding rallies to protest Romney at his various fundraising…

• Fla poll: Voter disapprove of Obama's handling of housing mess

  Adam C. Smith

  15 May 2012 | 9:25 pm

  An automated Florida poll by Public Policy Polling for the Campaign for a Fair Settlement, a network of labor and other Democratic leaning groups wanting more accountability for banks, found that only 36 percent of Florida voters approve of President Obama's handing of the housing and mortgage crisis. Nearly six in 10 agreed Obama "has not done enough to hold the banks accountable for their role in the housing collapse. " A huge majority - including 66 percent of independents, 57 percemt of Republicans, and 69 percent of Democrats - felt that Wall Street criminal acts led to the…

• Pension fund wants payout to convicted ex-Commissioner Kevin White returned

  Amy Hollyfield

  15 May 2012 | 7:16 pm

  Another governmental agency is trying to get money back from former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White. The State Board of Administration sued White earlier this month seeking $68,436 he withdrew from a retirement account after leaving office in 2010. Under Florida law, public employees convicted of certain crimes, including bribery, are subject to forfeiting their retirement benefits. White, 47, a Democrat, was convicted of seven federal charges in November 2011, including accepting bribes from tow truck drivers seeking favors while he was on the County Commission. "Plaintiff…

• Sandy Adams brings personal story to fight over Violence Against Women Act

  Alex Leary

  15 May 2012 | 5:29 pm

  CNN has an overview on the fight over re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act and the role Rep. Sandy Adams is playing. Adams, a former state rep from the Orlando area, was once married to an abusive husband. Politico took a deeper look at some of underlining tension with Adams' bill as the GOP "scrambles to assuage women's groups." The White House this evening issued a veto threat, calling Adams' version a "dangerous" rollback.

• Norman aide signs plea agreement in tax case

  Bill Varian

  15 May 2012 | 4:24 pm

  An aide to state Sen. Jim Norman has reached a plea agreement in the federal tax case against him. Terms of the agreement between aide Ben Kelly and the U.S. Attorney’s office have not yet been disclosed. Kelly’s attorney, Todd Foster, and U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill, said they could not provide details until the agreement is finalized. That should happen by the end of the month, both said. Kelly faces five misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns from 2006 to 2010. The charges spun off from a federal investigation of the 2006 purchase by Norman’s wife of a…

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  TV shows, TV news, media issues: The Feed | Tampa Bay Times

• Former Bay News 9 anchor Jennifer Holloway charged with driving under the influence

  deggans

  15 May 2012 | 12:03 pm

  Former Bay News 9 anchor Jennifer Holloway was charged with driving under the influence Sunday night in Fort Meade. Holloway, 41, was stopped after police received reports of a black Volvo driving recklessly. An officer stopped her car after watching the vehicle run off the shoulder of the road and weave around, according to the police report. Upon exiting her vehicle, Holloway stumbled and had trouble completing the field sobriety tests, the report said. She told officers she was traveling home from a friend’s house in Bradenton after having three drinks.  The citation lists a…

• ABC moves Revenge into Desperate Housewives timeslot, emphasizes comedy and recreates T.G.I.F.

  deggans

  15 May 2012 | 11:59 am

  ABC joined its competitors in flexing comedy muscles for its fall schedule, announcing a lineup which sticks a new comedy about space aliens in suburbia behind hit Modern Family, creates a young-skewing comedy block at 9 p.m. Tuesdays and moves buzzed-about drama Revenge into long-running show Desperate Housewives' old timeslot. Executives also revealed next season's Dancing with the Stars will be an all-star edition, bringing back old favorites from last 14 cycles, though they would not divulge who is under consideration (reportedly, no past winners will compete). There's also a shot of…

• Fox finally confirms Britney Spears and Demi Lovato joining the X Factor in presentation to advertisers

  deggans

  14 May 2012 | 10:02 am

  In the first few minutes of a phone call with journalists Monday morning, Fox executives refused to address widespread reports that pop stars Demi Lovato and Britney Spears were joining Simon Cowell’s The X Factor as judges. No matter: hours later, the two pop stars stepped onstage with X Factor creator and star Simon Cowell and fellow judge Antonio “L.A.” Reid during a Fox presentation to advertisers in New York, revealing one of the worst-kept secrets in TV this week. (Spears tweeted the picture at above right on her account just before they stepped onstage) “I am…

• My Mad Men recap: The green eyed monster rears its ugly head in Mad Men-land

  deggans

  14 May 2012 | 6:28 am

  In what, for Mad Men is the equivalent of hitting viewers over the head with a large hammer, Sunday's episode "Dark Shadows" featured our hero Don Draper undercutting young talent Michael Ginsberg  while passing up rare time with his children to actually work at his job. The theme this week seemed to be longing and envy; the older veterans envying youthful talent, poor friends envying rich pals, second wives envying first wives and a soon-to-be divorced husband longing for his soon-to-be-ex wife once he realized someone else wanted her. For Draper, that means finding little…

• NBC doubles up on The Voice, saves Community and 30 Rock, buys loads of comedy in new fall schedule

  deggans

  13 May 2012 | 8:51 pm

  Last week, when I asked a media analyst to describe how the TV season has turned out for NBC, he responded with two words: "The Titanic." So it was small surprise that the Peacock Network celebrated Mother's Day today by unveiling a plan for the 2012-13 TV season which included ordering 16 new series for the year, with seven series slated to debut this fall. Out the door are Kathy Bates' Harry's Law, the little-seen comedies BFF and Bent, Awake and Are You there Chelsea? But what may be more surprising is what survived: Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office and 30 Rock, all…

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  Bay Buzz Feed

• Pension fund manager goes after Kevin White for early payout he collected

  Bill Varian

  15 May 2012 | 6:34 pm

  Another governmental agency is trying to get money back from former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White. The State Board of Administration filed suit against White earlier this month seeking $68,436 he withdrew from a retirement account after leaving office in 2010. Under Florida statutes, public employees convicted of certain crimes, including bribery, are subject to forfeiting their retirement benefits. White, 47, a Democrat, was convicted of seven federal charges in November 2011, including that he accepted bribes from tow truck drivers seeking favors while he was on the County…

• Victor Crist is a dad

  Bill Varian

  15 May 2012 | 5:13 pm

  Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist is a dad for the first time at age 54. Sophia Victoria Crist was born at 7:57 a.m. Friday, about eight weeks early, at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, where she will remain for a few weeks yet. She weighed in at 5 lbs. even and stretched 17 inches. "Mama's home," Crist said of his wife, Angela Severino-Crist, 37. "Baby is stable and I'm looking forward to being a dad."

• Norman aide signs plea agreement in tax case

  Bill Varian

  15 May 2012 | 4:20 pm

  An aide to state Sen. Jim Norman has reached a plea agreement in the federal tax case against him. Terms of the agreement between aide Ben Kelly and the U.S. Attorney’s office have not yet been disclosed. Kelly’s attorney, Todd Foster, and U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill, said they could not provide details until the agreement is finalized. That should happen by the end of the month, both said. Kelly faces five misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns from 2006 to 2010. The charges spun off from a federal investigation of the 2006 purchase by Norman’s wife of a…

• Next Tampa police spending for RNC: gas masks, communications headsets, T-shirts

  Richard Danielson

  12 May 2012 | 2:02 pm

  The Tampa City Council next week will consider making three more police purchases for the Republican National Convention: • $518,460 for 1,400 gas masks and accessories, including 20 “voice projection units.” The supplier, Dawson Associates of Lawrenceville, Ga., was the lower of two bidders. The higher bid was $798,565 from National Safety Supply of Frederick, Md. • $225,063 for 225 tactical communications headsets, plus accessories and three days of training. This gear is different from the police radios that the city already plans to buy for the convention, but it…

• Worth a look: Creative Loafing's interviews with five activists with plans for the Republican National Convention

  Richard Danielson

  10 May 2012 | 1:34 pm

  Creative Loafing is out with interviews and mini-profiles of five leading activists who plan to bring their messages to Tampa during the Republican National Convention in late August. CL's Mitch Perry talked to Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry, Rae Abileah of Code Pink, Cheri Honkala of  the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, antiwar activist and blogger David Swanson and Tom Burke, who is working full-time for the Coalition for the March of the RNC in addition to serving as a spokesman for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. They all have a few things in…

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  tampabay.com

• Man's plan to get neighbor in trouble backfires

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 5:29 pm

  A Barberville man called 911 to report a neighbor threatened to pull a gun on him but was arrested after deputies learned the man he accused was a trucker on the road in Arkansas, a Sheriff's Office report said. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that Theodore Gasper, 66, was charged with knowingly giving false information to a law enforcement officer, an arrest report shows. Gasper called 911 at 1:12 p.m. Monday to report his neighbor, who he claims he is in a dispute with over a dirt road they share as a driveway, threatened to pull a gun on him and harm him. Gasper said the…

• Oops! Whose idea was it to steal the lab equipment contaminated with flesh-eating substance?

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 4:50 pm

  Whoever stole some discarded equipment from outside a pathology lab may have gotten more than he or she bargained for, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Orlando police say the equipment, worth about $500,000, is contaminated with a substance that could eat away at human skin. A pickup hauling a trailer pulled up to Florida Hospital Center for Diagnostic Pathology, 2855 N. Orange Ave., on May 3 and took the equipment from an enclosed area near a large garbage bin, police said. The theft was not reported until Friday, said St. Vince Ogburn, a police spokesman. For more, click here.

• Road rage combatants use stun gun, bat and one of the cars

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 4:44 pm

  BRANDON — Charles Mabry Jr. neglected to use a turn signal Monday morning, setting off a road rage incident with Cheng Hsieh that sent Mabry to the hospital and Hsieh to jail. According to deputies, the two men began yelling at one another. Hsieh, 41, criticized Mabry's failure to abide by the rules of the road. Mabry, 29, did not appreciate the input. When they got near Heather Lakes Boulevard and Barmere Lane, the two men stopped in the road and got out of their vehicles. Authorities say Hsieh armed himself with the stun gun and walked toward Mabry, who started to leave, then put his…

• Nearly 900-year-old skulls found in Winter Garden back yard

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 4:36 pm

  Skulls found buried in a Florida back yard have been dated to 1200-1400 AD, authorities said Monday. The website Mail Online reports that the skulls, of a man and 10-year-old boy, were believed to be from Peru or another region of South America almost 900 years ago. The bones were found at a home in Winter Garden in January when a plumber working on a new swimming pool came across a bone fragment and called the police. For the full story, click here.

• Paul, Romney supporters reportedly come to blows in Oklahoma; a preview of Tampa convention?

  Times Editor

  14 May 2012 | 7:45 pm

  Mainstream Republicans afraid Ron Paul’s steady accumulation of delegates will cause chaos at their national convention in Tampa just received a terrifying preview of what a worst-case scenario might look like, the website Talking Points Memo reports. In Oklahoma on Saturday, Paul supporters and Romney supporters reportedly came to blows as the Paul side fell short of electing their slate of delegates amid cries of foul play, including the use of a voice vote instead of a more painstaking roll call to decide the outcome. Speaking at the event, Romney surrogates Tim Pawlenty and the…

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  Tampa Bay business news blog: Venture | Tampa Bay Times

• A lively show - inside and out - at JPMorgan Chase annual meeting in Tampa

  Robert Trigaux

  15 May 2012 | 4:46 pm

  The annual shareholders meeting of JPMorgan Chase took place Tuesday morning at the bank's Treasury operations complex in Tampa, just off I-75 and Martin Luther King. Bank CEO Jamie Dimon managed to avoid the wrath of investors over the recent disclosure of a $2.3 billion trading loss, readily admitting "I can't justify it." Read my column about my attending the annual meeting. Dimon's candor inside the event did not dissuade protesters outside the event from throwing eggs at his image (below). See more photos from the event. ... Read more

• Taking action: Can Tampa's USF flex its horsepower surrounded by crumbling neighborhoods?

  Robert Trigaux

  15 May 2012 | 6:18 am

  Wake up and good morning. Time to get this issue more on the Tampa Bay business community's radar: Do the crime, poverty and generally rundown neighborhoods touching Fletcher and Fowler avenues in Tampa prevent the University of South Florida from becoming more of a hotbed of technology or biotech activity as the university has desired for so long? The simple answer is, yes. Of course. Maybe this quote is a tip-off. "We're a Third World neighborhood in a first class city," Dan Jurman (left), executive director of the University Area Community Development Corp. told TBO.com here. ...

• In lawsuits, former PBS&J executives allege range of financial grievances

  Robert Trigaux

  14 May 2012 | 7:22 am

  Wake up and good morning. PBSJ Corp. was a big, high-profile engineering and construction firm in Tampa Bay that ran into trouble and found itself sold for $280 million about a year ago. It now operates under the name of its new owner, U.K.-based WS Atkins. Read more of that deal here. As is too often the case, the sale of a company does not necessarily keep its name and former executives out of the spotlight. Former PBSJ CEO John Zumwalt (left) and Martha Zumwalt recently filed suit in Hillsborough County claiming they are the victim of a Ponzi schemer named Miland Bharvirkar…

• Pew report: In economic mobility, chances to achieve American Dream, Florida fares poorly

  Robert Trigaux

  11 May 2012 | 6:16 am

  Wake up and good morning. A curious, potentially disturbing piece of research is out from the Pew Research Center that finds, in effect, it matters where you live when it comes to achieving the American Dream. In more concrete terms, the research finds Florida ranks poorly among U.S. states in offering its residents upward economic mobility. It's harder in Florida to climb the earnings ladder but easier to slip down the economic ladder. The Pew Center on the States' Economic Mobility of the States report identifies Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas have…

• Bank of America's got a big PR (PRotest) problem that won't go away

  Robert Trigaux

  10 May 2012 | 6:07 am

  Wake up and good morning. Bank of America, a dominant financial institution in Florida's banking market for many years, encountered major protests at its annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday in its headquarters town of Charlotte, N.C. Between 500 and 750 people marched from three different directions to Bank of America's corporate headquarters. By 3pm, six people had been arrested says this Charlotte Observer story. (Check out the Observer's video coverage here. Note the giant "DEBT" ball and chain.) Here's a visual sampling: Hundreds of protesters converged (below)…

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  Education articles blog on schools in Florida & Tampa Bay: the Gradebook | Tampa Bay Times

• Manatee schools consider ending early release days

  Jeff Solochek

  16 May 2012 | 8:21 am

  With more demands on teachers to prepare and meet together, many Florida school districts have adopted early release days to give educators that time together. Hillsborough uses Mondays. Pinellas does it on Wednesdays. So, too, does Manatee. But maybe not for much longer. The Herald-Tribune reports that the Manatee School Board, inundated with complaints about about the effort, is considering whether to return to five full days of instruction. Board members note that a change could help parents while adding to student learning time, but also realize that time for teacher training and planning…

• Florida education news: FCAT testing, lunch prices, bullying and more

  Jeff Solochek

  16 May 2012 | 5:17 am

  FCAT FAILURE: Florida education officials lower the FCAT writing passing score for school grades as teachers say they weren't properly trained for the new standard. • Superintendents suggest the FLDOE should review its problem rather than just paper it over, the St. Augustine Record reports. • The state's education accountability system is losing credibility, the Times editorializes. SEEKING SAVINGS: Pinellas school district leaders review ideas for cutting spending. PROMISES, PROMISES: Pasco School Board and civic leaders discuss plans to seek renewal of the Penny for…

• FCAT "disaster" threatens contract ratification, Pasco union leader says

  Jeff Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 6:14 pm

  This week's revelation that FCAT writing scores plunged because of tougher grading criteria is threatening approval of Pasco County's tentative teacher contract agreement, United School Employees of Pasco president Lynne Webb told the School Board on Tuesday. The contract solidifies rules governing the use of performance evaluations to set teacher pay and contract status. Student FCAT performance accounts for 50 percent of the evaluation result. Knowing that connection to the state's "flawed system" is "going to scare people away from voting to approve that contract," Webb…

• Pasco School Board begins talking up Penny for Pasco renewal

  Jeff Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 3:44 pm

  With the election just six months off, the Pasco County School Board on Tuesday kicked off its official conversation on seeking renewal of the Penny for Pasco. The 2004 one percent sales tax, which the district shared with the county and cities, generated more than $140 million for the school system. The money went to building new schools and renovating others. The tax expires in 2014. The board is looking to renew the tax before it expires. If approved, the tax is projected to bring another $226 million to the district. The project list is not yet approved. But the district staff has put…

• Florida Board of Education reduces FCAT writing passing score

  Jeff Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 11:13 am

  Amid suggestions that Florida schools did not receive adequate information about changing scoring standards for the FCAT writing, the Florida Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously reduced its passing score on the test from 4.0 to 3.0 for purposes of assigning school grades. Board vice chairman Roberto Martinez proposed the move in an e-mail (attached below), saying that the change would in effect hold schools harmless from the state's grading change. At 4.0, fewer than one-third of students scored at proficiency levels. At 3.0, that result rises to closer to 80 percent. Board members…

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  Tampa Bay Times Newspapers in Education: NIE Blogging Zone | Tampa Bay Times

• Teacher appreciation week

  Jodi Pushkin

  8 May 2012 | 7:09 am

  It is Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers - tell us about your favorite teachers. Who inspired you to go into the profession of teaching? Was it your parents, teacher, principal or just a calling? What do you think makes a good teacher? Share your thoughts with us here on the NIE Blogging Zone.

• Bully Pulpit

  Jodi Pushkin

  2 May 2012 | 7:16 am

  Just about everyone knows someone who has been bullied — because of some difference in ways big and small. Understandably, though, many victims are reluctant to speak about their experiences. The staff of tb-two found some students willing to share their stories. Check out Bully Pulpit and share your thoughts regarding using this stories (the website or the tb-two print copies) in your classroom with us here on the NIE Blogging Zone.

• Law targeted after shooting death

  Jodi Pushkin

  2 Apr 2012 | 10:44 am

  Are your students talking about Travon Martin and the Stand your Ground Law? In addition to the news coverage in Tampabay.com, there has been a lot of national and international attention about this case. Check out the downloadable lessons in Cartoons for the Classroom: Law targeted after shooting death on our NIE website. Give us your feedback.

• 'Bully' film sparks national dialogue

  Jodi Pushkin

  2 Apr 2012 | 10:38 am

  'Bully' film sparks national dialogue with in-your-face reality of harmed students and families: A hard-hitting movie that just reached theaters shows daily school bullying in all its vivid meanness. Cruel behavior fills Bully, a documentary (nonfiction film) that shows the impact on five tormented students and their families in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma during the 2009-10 school year. Check out our lessons in the Front Page Talking Points section of our website. Let us know your thoughts about the movie, lessons and topic here on the NIE Blogging Zone

• Middle school violence

  Jodi Pushkin

  21 Mar 2012 | 11:13 am

  Unfortunately, school violence has been increasing recently, especially in St. Petersburg. The article "Police break up brawls at Azalea Middle School, arrest 11 students" is in today's Times. As a part of the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, the Spotlight Project for our American Graduate initiative, WEDU/WUSF have been working with John Hopkins Middle School in Pinellas County. The students there created this great video piece on violence at their school. The video is featured on the PBS NewsHour. Check out "Fighting Chance? Students Investigate Middle School…

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  Tampabay.com: Headlines from New Tampa

• 'Super Sports Moms' inspire us all

  11 May 2012 | 1:20 pm

  By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent Friday, May 11, 2012 Whether it's the dedication that leads them to become a guiding force for the whole team, the devotion that drives them to attend every game, or the determination that helps them balance coaching and family, everyone in athletics has witnessed the undeniable emotions of a "Super Sports Mom."The Team MomChristie Waldrop wore many hats this past season as team mom for the Armwood football team. She was in charge of organizing fundraisers — and the Hawks needed plenty of extra funding for their state championship rings —…

• Hometown Hillsborough: Readers' news of life throughout the county

  10 May 2012 | 4:50 pm

  By Stephanie Bolling, Times Staff Writer Thursday, May 10, 2012

• Hillsborough school menus, May 14-18

  10 May 2012 | 7:31 am

  Times staff Thursday, May 10, 2012 Elementary breakfastMonday: apple cinnamon oatmeal,chicken biscuitTuesday: ham, egg and cheese biscuit, tater tot casserole, fruit and yogurt parfaitWednesday: Southern-style breakfast, sausage biscuitThursday: egg and cheese biscuit, French toast sticks with sausage, fruit and yogurt parfaitFriday: Southern-style breakfast, blueberry muffin with mozzarella, cheese stickElementary lunchMonday: turkey pot roast with mashed potatoes, chicken supreme sandwich, roasted vegetables, garden salad, tater tot casseroleTuesday: sweet and sour chicken bowl,…

• Terrier mix one of the animals available for pet adoption in Hillsborough County

  10 May 2012 | 7:28 am

  Pet of the Week Thursday, May 10, 2012 Hillsborough County Animal ServicesRosie is a petite 2-year-old terrier mix and devoted mom that endured physical trauma and abandonment after giving birth. She was found circling the trash can where a human placed her newborns. This family has been in foster care since with Hillsborough County Animal Services, and while puppies are popular, no one asks for mama. Celebrate Mother's Day and arrange to meet this adorable empty-nester. You can adopt Rosie from Animal Services, 440 N Falkenburg Road, Tampa. It's open Tuesday to Sunday. Call (813) 744-5660 or…

• Hillsborough senior lunch menus, May 14-18

  10 May 2012 | 7:23 am

  Times staff Thursday, May 10, 2012 Monday: hot dog with bun, baked beans with tomato, mixed vegetables, mixed fruit cupTuesday: noodles Romanoff with chicken, green beans, carrot coins, graham crackersWednesday: sliced turkey ham, pineapple sauce, hot German potato salad, peas, pear cupThursday: baked chicken thigh with coq au vin sauce, herb mashed potatoes, country vegetable medley, pineapple cupFriday: flame-broiled beef patty with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli cuts, raisinsCall (813) 272-5160 for dining locations or (813) 272-5250 for delivery.

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  Gadgets & Gizmos

• Wake up to a brighter side

  Lyra Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 8:27 am

  Do you wake up in the morning crawling to the coffeemaker or bright-eyed and ready to conquer the world? A variety of devices claim to help you start your day right by waking you up at the right time of your sleep cycle: between light sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The Los Angeles Times takes a look if these monitors really work.  

• High Fives: Gadgets and Gizmos roundup

  Lyra Solochek

  14 May 2012 | 1:33 pm

  Are brand names audio badges worth paying more for? More and more devices are adopting brand-name badges of big-name audio system makers. But do they really sound that much better? (Popular Mechanics) One-stop shop for Facebook apps: From Farmville to Spotify, Facebook has created a hub for users who want to find games and other apps compatible with the social network app, including its first storefront for paid apps. (Chicago Tribune) Contract or prepaid? For the first time, fewer U.S. consumers are subscribing to contract-based cellphone plans. The seven largest U.S. phone companies,…

• The Daily Drivers: What's new for 2012? A look at 6 car updates

  Lyra Solochek

  12 May 2012 | 9:01 am

  Sometimes we find ourselves in a quandary: We get a new model year of a car we've driven but there aren't enough differences to justify a full review. So here are brief looks at some recent cars with incremental changes.    

• More Mother's Day ideas: designer USB, massage chair, more

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 2:18 pm

  Help Mom's life get a little easier with these Mother's Day gift ideas on the E-Advisor blog. (Hmm, but I'm not so sure about a robot baby...)

• Watch out Apple; HTC a major challenger with One X

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 1:17 pm

      Apple iPhone has been the king of the smartphone hill for some time, but it had better watch its back. Here comes HTC 's new flagship phone for 2012: One X which runs on Android 4.0 operating system, also known as the Ice Cream Sandwich. And how sweet it is. The OS combines the best of two worlds of data management: tablets and smart phones. The 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor, combined with AT&T 4G LTE network, means a wicked fast downloads and web browsing.   The One X comes with a large 4.7-inch Super LCD display (1280x720 pixels), which is sharp and vivid. Text is crisp…

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  '80s music, John Hughes movies, big hair: Stuck in the '80s | Tampa Bay Times

• Laugh it up, fuzzball: 14 cool 'Star Wars' shirts

  Steve Spears

  16 May 2012 | 5:53 am

  I tip my stormtropper helmet to the guys at Walyou.com, who compiled a list of the coolest 14 Star Wars shirts they found on the Internet. (And to Whitney at Popcandy for finding their link.)  

• 3 reasons to follow @alyankovic on Twitter

  Steve Spears

  15 May 2012 | 5:59 am

  Wired.com printed its list of 100 Geeks You Should Be Following On Twitter, and at least one worthy '80s icon made the list: Weird Al Yankovic. (And least one worthy '80s blogger did not make the list.) I already follow Weird Al on Twitter, but in case you're still wavering... THREE REASONS TO FOLLOW WEIRD AL ON TWITTER: 3. COOL PHOTOS: As a touring musician, Al has time on his hands. And he spends them posting great pics to Twitter. Like him with a wookiee. Or this gem. 2. HE'S COOLER THAN YOU: A great tweet: "Here's how to distinguish between them: A STALACTITE…

• On this day in the '80s: The Clash releases 'Combat Rock'

  Steve Spears

  14 May 2012 | 2:46 pm

  What were you doing May 14, 1982? Standing in line at a record store to buy Combat Rock by The Clash would be the best possible answer. "On the surface of things, Combat Rock appears to be a retreat from the sprawling stylistic explorations of London Calling and Sandinista!," writes the reviewer on Allmusic.com. "The pounding arena rock of Should I Stay or Should I Go makes the Clash sound like an arena rock band, and much of the album boasts a muscular, heavy sound courtesy of producer Glyn Johns. But things aren't quite that simple." No, nothing was ever simple with…

• Duran Duran's trailer for 'A Diamond in the Mind' is out

  Steve Spears

  14 May 2012 | 9:50 am

  Duran Duran has released more of a tease than a trailer for their new concert DVD/CD, A Diamond in the Mind. Considering I'm buying this sucker the second it becomes available, I don't need the stimulation. But at least it's fun to watch Nick Rhodes put on eyeliner. The concert film is set for a July release in the UK. Still waiting on a U.S. release date.

• Donald 'Duck' Dunn, a Blues Brother and bass legend, dies at 70

  Steve Spears

  14 May 2012 | 7:54 am

  Donald "Duck" Dunn, the bassist best know to the '80s generation as a member of the The Blues Brothers, died Sunday at age 70. On tour in Tokyo, the respected musician died in his sleep, according to the Associated Press. "Today I lost my best friend, the World has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live," friend and fellow Blues Brothers musician Steve Cropper wrote on Twitter. Cropper was on tour with Dunn at the time of his death. In the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers, Dunn gave us one of the more memorable lines: "We had a band powerful enough to turn…

• 

  Celebrity gossip blog: The Juice* | Tampa Bay Times and tbt*

• Dancing With the Stars will be All Stars in the fall

  Joshua Gillin

  15 May 2012 | 3:39 pm

  Get ready for something new for the next season of Dancing With the Stars. And by new, we mean old, because ABC announced the 15th season this fall will be an All Stars event with past competitors. It's like reruns, but better, because the ending will be different. "We can't talk about the casting yet, but I'd love to see some of the fan favorite from the last seasons come back," ABC entertainment president Paul Lee said Tuesday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "We have many from the past 14 seasons." ... Read more

• Jay-Z on gay marriage: 'The right thing to do'

  Joshua Gillin

  15 May 2012 | 2:52 pm

  President Barack Obama has a vocal playmaker in his corner on gay marriage -- Jay-Z. That's right, Hova himself is now backing gay marriage, revealing in a CNN interview he thinks gays and lesbians are fighting for the same equality blacks fought for, calling it '"the right thing to do." He didn't even throw in a "no homo" for effect, so you know he's serious. "I've always thought (of) it as something that was still holding the country back," Mr. Carter said (watch it below). "What people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love…

• OneRepublic drummer Edward Fisher arrested in Denver

  Joshua Gillin

  15 May 2012 | 2:23 pm

  Edward Ray Fisher, the drummer for the band OneRepublic, was busted in Denver, Colo., early Tuesday after going on a rampage. Do we really need to use the song title Apologize as a joke for this one? Fisher, 38, was charged with destruction of private property, disturbing the peace and assault, TMZ reports. Other details aren't readily available, although he was ticketed and required to appear in court Tuesday afternoon. ... Read more

• 'Men in Black 3' cost $375 million, was hard to make

  Joshua Gillin

  15 May 2012 | 2:12 pm

  On Memorial Day weekend, Hollywood execs will unleash Men in Black 3, a sequel to a movie that came out 15 years ago. The L.A. Times is reporting that it was a troubled shoot from the start, requiring delays for multiple rewrites for a story with no middle and the pacification of allegedly irritable star Will Smith. Oh, and they casually throw in there it has become one of the most expensive movies ever made. Never mind the fact the second movie came out 10 years ago; the real shocker here is the movie required a three-month shutdown to rework scenes set in the past,…

• Katherine Heigl, Josh Kelley name daughter Adalaide Marie Hope

  Joshua Gillin

  15 May 2012 | 1:50 pm

  We must follow every incremental baby develop in Celebrityville, so guess what Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley named their new baby girl? No, it's not even weird: Adalaide Marie Hope. Not a Bear Blu or a Cosmo in sight. People says the rep confirms the news of the couple's second daughter, who was adopted from somewhere in the states after older sister Naleigh was imported from South Korea in 2009. She's 3 1/2 now, so we've pretty much stopped paying attention to her. This staggered information release Heigl and Kelley is doing seems to be calculated to keep Heigl in the…

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  Pop music news & reviews: Pop Life | Tampa Bay Times

• Sharks! Pirates! Hooters! Gunplay!

  seandaly

  14 May 2012 | 10:09 am

  Just a typical Saturday morning shoot for ABC Action News. WATCH THE VIDS.   PLUS!!!! Bonus jetpack footage with extra faceplants! WATCH THAT TOO.

• 

  Gadgets & Gizmos

• Wake up to a brighter side

  Lyra Solochek

  15 May 2012 | 8:27 am

  Do you wake up in the morning crawling to the coffeemaker or bright-eyed and ready to conquer the world? A variety of devices claim to help you start your day right by waking you up at the right time of your sleep cycle: between light sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The Los Angeles Times takes a look if these monitors really work.  

• High Fives: Gadgets and Gizmos roundup

  Lyra Solochek

  14 May 2012 | 1:33 pm

  Are brand names audio badges worth paying more for? More and more devices are adopting brand-name badges of big-name audio system makers. But do they really sound that much better? (Popular Mechanics) One-stop shop for Facebook apps: From Farmville to Spotify, Facebook has created a hub for users who want to find games and other apps compatible with the social network app, including its first storefront for paid apps. (Chicago Tribune) Contract or prepaid? For the first time, fewer U.S. consumers are subscribing to contract-based cellphone plans. The seven largest U.S. phone companies,…

• The Daily Drivers: What's new for 2012? A look at 6 car updates

  Lyra Solochek

  12 May 2012 | 9:01 am

  Sometimes we find ourselves in a quandary: We get a new model year of a car we've driven but there aren't enough differences to justify a full review. So here are brief looks at some recent cars with incremental changes.    

• More Mother's Day ideas: designer USB, massage chair, more

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 2:18 pm

  Help Mom's life get a little easier with these Mother's Day gift ideas on the E-Advisor blog. (Hmm, but I'm not so sure about a robot baby...)

• Watch out Apple; HTC a major challenger with One X

  Lyra Solochek

  11 May 2012 | 1:17 pm

      Apple iPhone has been the king of the smartphone hill for some time, but it had better watch its back. Here comes HTC 's new flagship phone for 2012: One X which runs on Android 4.0 operating system, also known as the Ice Cream Sandwich. And how sweet it is. The OS combines the best of two worlds of data management: tablets and smart phones. The 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor, combined with AT&T 4G LTE network, means a wicked fast downloads and web browsing.   The One X comes with a large 4.7-inch Super LCD display (1280x720 pixels), which is sharp and vivid. Text is crisp…

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  Deal Divas Feed

• Hello, high-low!

  KatieSanders

  15 May 2012 | 11:55 am

  I can't get high-low skirts off the brain after catching a glimpse of one at the mall last weekend. (Unfamiliar? You may know them better as mullet skirts, a look pioneering Deal Diva Stephanie introduced unto us last year.) The one I liked resembled this effortless, slightly Boho skirt from dELiAs. See? Flirty, accessible, breezy. And it makes me think about bell curves, and other mathematical things I long abandoned for word devotion. What could be so wrong? Arden B., $79. I heart this sweet one-shoulder dress, bearing many trends in a single look.

• Trash becomes teen's prom night treasure

  Keyonna Summers

  14 May 2012 | 3:18 pm

  Prom checklist: Dinner. The limo. The corsage. The makeup.  And, of course, the perfect dress. With prom just around the corner here and elsewhere, teens and their parents are preparing to dish out some serious cash making sure the night they spend dancing away with longtime friends, possibly for the last time, is an unforgettable one. Cue one ingenious teen from Michigan, who not only ensured the night was memorable, but no doubt also cut down on expenses. Her secret weapon? Diane McNease created her prom dress out of 18,000 Starburst candy wrappers. Gives a new meaning to the phrase…

• My Outfit Monday: Am I on the air?

  KatieSanders

  14 May 2012 | 12:10 pm

  The chance of doing a TV interview today made me step up my fashion plan this morning. Unfortunately, it didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts. On the bright side, it makes for a very prepared My Outfit Monday dispatch. So, uh, live from the Times' Tallahassee bureau, it's me! To answer your first question, no, I am not wearing white tights. Why yes, that question did come from my own mother last night. Moving on. I snagged the year-old tweed skirt from Banana Republic's Mad Men collection when it went on sale. I love the retro look and the curvy fit. The fuschia shirt is a gift from a…

• Still need a gift for mom?

  Kim Wilmath

  11 May 2012 | 10:31 am

  It's impossible for me to forget Mother's Day. That's because it usually falls on or around my birthday, May 13. Every year Mom gets a better gift than I could ever buy: ME! But seriously, because the date seldom sneaks up on me, I usually get crafty and make my mom her gift. Last year I painted her a vase at Color Me Mine in Hyde Park. The year before, I went overboard decoupaging a 12-by-16-inch framed photo of the two of us. This year was different. Out of nowhere, it was May. Then it was May 5. Then, OMG, the week of?!? What to get Mom? (See said mother to left, looking…

• Vogue no longer putting too young or unhealthy models in its magazines

  Kameel Stanley

  10 May 2012 | 7:36 am

  Here's some good news.  Vogue says it will no longer use too-skinny or underage models in its magazine. The change -- who knows why it took so long to come p with such an obvious policy? -- is to start with next month's issue. Anna Wintour, editor in chief of American Vogue, told Showbiz Tonight this the other day: "We're just very concious that we do not want to put anyone in the magazine that might have some sort of eating disorder, so we're really doing our best to be careful." Word is that casting directors will even be asked to start checking IDs at things like photo…

• 

  Whoa Momma! Feed

• Tips for taking tots out to the ballgame

  Sharon Wynne

  16 May 2012 | 5:12 am

  A friend of mine was so excited to take her toddler out to his first Tampa Bay Rays game on a recent Sunday, which are dubbed Family Fun Days because for a $23 ticket you get a hot dog, drink, snack and the kids get to run the bases after the game. (The next ones are May 20 and June 3)  But then it hit her: A little one is just as likely to get antsy and meltdown -- and probably just as the game was getting good. She turned to her veteran parent friends for help and here's some of the advice she got, from snacks to a debate on whether electronic devices like iPads ruin the experience you…

• Parents lied to get kids in right school

  Sharon Wynne

  15 May 2012 | 9:11 am

  Sports writer John Cotey has a brutal column today in the wake of the news that five Armwood High School football players, just off a state championship season, have been declared ineligible, "the ones who made up electric bills and addresses and rent receipts, the ones who lied about where they lived instead of doing the right thing — moving into the zone where they wanted their son to play football." You can blame coaches and recruiting, Cotey writes, but in the end: Simple: It’s about parents cheating. This is where you start when looking for people to blame, trying…

• So how do you teach a kid to behave in a restaurant?

  Sharon Wynne

  12 May 2012 | 5:00 am

  The uproar over the recent story by our colleague Laura Reiley about the pizza place in Seminole Heights that banned children from its back patio and posted strongly worded signs inside to keep the kids quiet or face ejection brought out a host of comments. Most of them were along the lines of "Parents need to make their kids behave!" That's much easier said than done when you have a toddler. As parents weathering the Terrible Twos well know, trying to "make" them do anything is sure to bring on a screaming, kicking, howling tantrum that draws the pointed stares from those…

• Pizza place warns parents: Control your kids

  Sharon Wynne

  11 May 2012 | 11:05 am

  Our colleague Laura Reiley reports here that Cappy's pizzeria in Seminole Heights has had it with unruly children, prompting the owner to ban kids from the patio area and to post a sign in the restaurant warning: "For the comfort and safety of everybody, if you allow your child to run, scream or misbehave, you will be asked to leave." While some are applauding the owner's courage for calling out the parents of misbehaving children, others are saying it's an awfully hostile sign for a pizza place that from outward appearces looks kid-friendly. This is clearly a hot topic for diners…

• Time heats up mommy wars with 3 year old breastfeeding

  Sharon Wynne

  10 May 2012 | 10:14 am

  Hoo boy. What do you think of this Time magazine cover image? It's meant to stir the pot, so maybe we are just falling for it by even mentioning it here but this obviously plays into every stereotype of what attachment parenting is all about. The photographer who took the pictures explains what he was trying to convey “It was important to show that there’s no stereotypical look for a mom who practices this kind of parenting.” "This kind of parenting" is called Attachment Parenting and the cover may show a pretty mom breastfeeding a 3 year old, but the cover story…

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  Visit Tampa Bay

• It's a City Smackdown and Tampa Bay Needs Your Help!

  Bay Bloggers

  15 May 2012 | 3:22 pm

  Tampa needs your vote!  As part of their Destination USA feature, CNN Travel is pitting the two political convention cities against each other – Tampa for the Republican National Convention and Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention.   It’s time to get creative and tell your story about Tampa!  The winner will be selected based on the posts made in favor of each city. You can show the judges why Tampa deserves the title by submitting a photo, video or short message. We all know Tampa is a great place to live, work, and play, and now it’s time to show…

• Top Five Reasons CMP Conclave Attendees Will Love the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & ...

  Convention Sales

  14 May 2012 | 12:23 pm

  It's almost here folks! What you ask? Well just the industry’s only exclusive meeting of CMPs that's what! If you hadn't heard, or haven't yet registered, then I suggest you hurry up and do so! The CIC CMP Conclave is a unique event for certificants who wish to contribute to their profession. This year's Conclave provides many opportunities for CMPs to build relationships and partner with other meeting professionals. CMPs also enhance their professional expertise by participating in exam development, attending educational sessions and networking with fellow CMPs.

• It's Mother's Day in Tampa Bay!

  Bay Bloggers

  11 May 2012 | 3:15 pm

  Greetings all! Jerm here to give you the lowdown on all things Mother's Day in Tampa Bay this weekend, and boy are there plenty of things for you to do and places to take mom! In Tampa Bay this weekend, you definitely have your pick of Mother's Day brunches throughout the are at some of the Tampa Bay area's finest dining establishments! Here's a quick list of a few of them! Mother's Day Brunches and Dining Aqua Bar & Grille - AQUA's fresh colors reflect the vibrancy of the cool ocean waters. Experience an environment designed to entertain your every sense,…

• Jazz Jamm Takes Place Tomorrow!

  Tampa Bay & Company

  11 May 2012 | 12:55 pm

  Hi Tampa Bay, Alex here to let you know about a concert taking place at  The Patel Conservatory at David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts tomorrow! Jazz Jamm is taking place on Wednesday, May 9, at 7 p.m. in the TECO Theater. Students from the Patel Conservatory’s jazz classes will come together to perform in this jazz concert, under the direction of James W. Crumbly, Jr. Regularly priced tickets start at $12. Tickets may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827), in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org. The Patel Conservatory…

• What's Happening at the Florida State Fairgrounds??!!

  Tampa Bay & Company

  11 May 2012 | 12:55 pm

  Hey everyone!  Travis back...but with a special guest.  Scott from the Florida State Fairgrounds is going to be giving us some updates about what there is to see, do, interact with, and much more out at the Fairgrounds.  They have some really cool Tampa Bay Area Events happening, so make sure you keep checking back.  Take it away Scott - You would never believe how hard it actually was to live 120 years ago in rural Florida.  No internet connection, no electricity, no air conditioning, and no iPhone.  Dirt roads dotted the landscape, travel was done by horse, and…

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  NFL.com

• Cursed Bucs? Tampa's young D can't juke injury bug

  Sessler, Marc

  15 May 2012 | 6:53 pm

  Last season was an ugly one for the Buccaneers' defense, and injuries didn't help. Da'Quan Bowers' recent Achilles tear continues an ugly trend that makes some wonder: Are these young Bucs cursed?

• Buccaneers RB LeGarrette Blount is delusional

  Rosenthal, Gregg

  15 May 2012 | 1:50 pm

  LeGarrette Blount didn't want the Buccaneers to draft Trent Richardson. They didn't. Instead, they drafted Doug Martin. Blount somehow thinks that will fuel him to remain a No. 1 running back.

• Connor Barth sits out Bucs' OTAs; no contract yet

  NFL.com

  15 May 2012 | 10:42 am

  Kicker Connor Barth skipped the Buccaneers first voluntary minicamp in April, but the franchised kicker has reportedly joined the team to watch them practice on Tuesday.

• Da'Quan Bowers tears Achilles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers say

  NFL.com

  10 May 2012 | 3:39 pm

  The Buccaneers defensive was dealt a blow Thursday when the team announced that defensive end Da'Quan Bowers tore his Achilles' tendon and is planning to undergo surgery Friday.

• Josh Freeman slimmed down to get better, Bucs' Dominik says

  Wyche, Steve

  9 May 2012 | 2:32 pm

  The 2011 season was a down year for Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. General manager Mark Dominik tells NFL.com's Steve Wyche that Freeman has shed some pounds in an effort to boost his game.

• 

  Bucs Nation

• Daily Bucs Links 16/5/12 - OTA stories

  Sander

  16 May 2012 | 6:14 am

  Bucs Q&A: Could Colts' Freeney fill Bowers' spot? | TBO.comEhm, no. Not happening. First-year head coaches have uphill climb to make 2012 playoffs - NFL.comIncluding the Bucs. New look for Josh Freeman - NFC South Blog - ESPNA thinner look. NFL - The ten most important players in the NFL for 2012 - ESPN (Insider)Doug Martin. JoeBucsFan.com | Nuggets From Bucs OTA Practice - Tampa Bay Bucs FootballJBF has a few nuggets. LeGarrette Blount Loses Weight For OTAs - SB Nation Tampa BayNo more fat. Schiano: "Really Good Effort Out There" | Pewter ReportNeed more than effort to win, though. Dominik…

• Is the NFC South the toughest division in football?

  Sander

  15 May 2012 | 6:41 pm

  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had one impressive offseason. They've added six likely starters and several quality backups throughout the offseason, and return a few key players from injury. But their improvement may go unnoticed in what could very well be the toughest division in the NFL: the NFC South. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, a former NFL scout, ranked every division by the quality of its quarterbacks, and the NFC South comes out on top. Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton and Josh Freeman? That's an impressive list, with a veteran elite QB, a solid young quarterback, and two youthful…

• Legarrette Blount wants to start, sees himself as three-down back

  Sander

  15 May 2012 | 3:41 pm

  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finally brought the rookies and veterans together for their first practice sessions, and Legarrette Blount is feeling the heat in a competition for playing time with rookies Doug Martin and Michael Smith. But Blount isn't backing away from this challenge: he wants the starting job and the third-down job, and is out to prove himself as the best running back on the team. "I think nobody can affect my carries but me," Blount told the Tampa Bay Times. "Don't nobody affect my carries but me, not what he does, not what anybody else does, just how I practice and how…

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers OTA Notes 5/15/12: Ronde Barber lines up at free safety

  Sander

  15 May 2012 | 11:00 am

  The first (voluntary) Organized Team Activities or OTAs started for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today, and that means we've got some notes and quotes for you. Let's go through the main happenings at practice today. Ronde Barber is working as the starting free safety, per Rick Stroud. It seems the Bucs are intent on going into the season with Barber and Barron as the starting safeties. Schiano did note that 'live play' would determine whether Barber would stay there, per Pewter Report. According to Stephen Holder, Ronde Barber will continue to be a slot cornerback in passing situations. TE Kellen…

• Daily Bucs Links 5/15/12 - Will Gerald McCoy have a breakout season?

  Sander

  15 May 2012 | 7:01 am

  Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy, DT - NFL players poised for breakout seasons in 2012 - FOX Sports GalleryThe Bucs need him to finally stay healthy. Is Tampa-bound Bucs franchise K Barth close to long-term deal? | tampabay.com & Tampa Bay TimesI would expect so. Bucs' offseason program hitting high gear | TBO.comA foundation for a successful year, or just some more pointless practice? Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting to look jinxed with all of its defensive line injuries - Tampa Bay TimesSadly. Yesterday's NFL warriors grapple with concussions, lawsuits - Tampa Bay TimesSadly. Unsigned franchise player…

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  Tampa Bay Buccaneers blog: Bucs Beat | tampabay.com & Tampa Bay Times

• Video: A look at Day 1 of Bucs OTAs

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 2:22 pm

  ... Read more

• Ronde Barber still at safety for Bucs

  Rick Stroud

  15 May 2012 | 12:50 pm

  The Bucs don't have a game that matters for four months, but if they played tomorrow, Ronde Barber would start at free safety. Barber, 37, took most of his repetitions alongside rookie safety Mark Barron Tuesday. Bucs coach Greg Schiano remains somewhat non-committal, but it's clear he has no problem moving the 16th year veteran from cornerback to safety. "I like the way he’s performed so far,'' Schiano said. "The final piece will obviously be live play. but I don’t have any hesitation. I’ve watched enough of him playing nickel and playing dime and…

• Video: Bucs prepare for 2012 with OTAs

  Times Editor

  15 May 2012 | 12:46 pm

  ... Read more

• After Bowers injury, Bucs standing pat at defensive end

  Stephen Holder

  15 May 2012 | 12:23 pm

  Now that starting left defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has suffered a possible season-ending Achilles tendon tear, what are the Bucs going to do in response? Right now, nothing. That’s according to general manager Mark Dominik, who said the team wants to continue to evaluate its current lineup of defensive linemen before making any possible transactions. However, acquiring outside help has not been ruled out. “Right now I think we’re just trying to evaluate these men that we have here for a little bit before we feel like we need to do something,” Dominik said.

• Blount: "Nobody can affect my carries but me.''

  Rick Stroud

  15 May 2012 | 12:23 pm

  Not unlike his bulldozing running style, LeGarrette Blount is not going to dance around an issue when he can plow through it. So when asked how the Bucs selection of Boise State running back Doug Martin will affect his workload, Blount did not stiff-arm the topic. "I think nobody can affect my carries but me,'' Blount said. "They drafted him because we needed him. But at the end of the day, we're both going to play. Don't nobody affect my carries but me, not what he does, not what anybody else does, just how I practice and how fast I get the offense down pat and everything like…

• 

  Buccaneers Gab

• LeGarrette Blount Thinks He’s Still the Bucs Top Back

  Matt Loede

  15 May 2012 | 2:08 pm

  Pro Football Talk reports that Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount seems to still think he’s the top RB on the team, and says that Doug Martin being drafted isn’t going to effect him. In fact, Blount said, “they” can’t take it away from him at all: Rick Stroud ?of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Blount sees himself as in control of how much he carries the ball. “Nobody can affect my carries but me,” Blount said. “They drafted [Martin] because we needed him. But at the end of the day, we’re both going to play. But don’t nobody affect my carries but me. Not what he does, not…

• Read All About Ball Park Great Moments in Guy Time

  Matt Loede

  15 May 2012 | 9:55 am

  Hey guys – won’t it be great to tell your lady that you could have a chance to win a year’s supply of groceries? Our friends at Ball Park are running a Facebook contest, asking fans to share a photo or video showcasing a funny/crazy example of “something only a guy would do” to win BIG. To enter, follow this link: http://on.fb.me/GreatMomentsInGuyTime So if you have a photo/video of a great tailgating moment, showing your team pride at the stadium, or just celebrating great times with your buddies, enter now for a chance to win a year’s supply of groceries.

• Connor Barth and Bucs May Be Close to a Deal

  Matt Loede

  15 May 2012 | 8:51 am

  Bucs franchise kicker Connor Barth was aboard a US Air flight in North Carolina bound for Tampa on Monday night, the eve of the team’s first day or organized team activities, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Headin back down to Tampa today….excited to see all my teammates again!” Barth tweeted. The Bucs’ franchise designee has not signed his $2.645-million tender nor reached an agreement on a long-term deal. But based on his tweet Monday night, could one be close at hand? Barth set a franchise-record by connecting on 26-of-28 field goal attempts…

• DE Da’Quan Bowers Tears Achilles’ Tendon in Offseason Workouts

  Matt Loede

  10 May 2012 | 4:27 pm

  A tough day for the Bucs, as last seasons second round pick defensive end Da’Quan Bowers is likely done for the year, as he suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon during the team’s off-season workout program. Bowers will require surgery to repair the injury, which could happen as early as Friday. A potential first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, concerns about a right knee injury caused Bowers to slide to the second round, where the Buccaneers selected him with the 51st overall pick in the draft. Bowers did not miss a game in 2011, starting six of 16 games and totaling 25…

• Bucs Sign Veteran WR Tiquan Underwood

  Matt Loede

  10 May 2012 | 3:39 pm

  The Buccaneers today announced the signing of veteran wide receiver Tiquan Underwood. In signing Underwood, the team put undrafted free agent defensive tackle Myles Wade on waivers. A 2009 seventh round pick out of Rutgers by the Jaguars, Underwood has caught 11 passes for 141 yards and averaged 23 yards per kick return during an 18-game career with the Jaguars and Patriots, where he and his high-top fade spent the 2011 season. Underwood, who played for Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, was released by the Patriots prior to Super Bowl XLVI. Re-signed a few days later, Underwood…

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  Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL News - Buccaneers Football Blog

• DE Da’Quan Bowers of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has torn his Achilles tendon

  admin

  11 May 2012 | 10:49 am

  22-year old DE Da’Quan Bowers has torn his Achilles tendon in practice.  He will have surgery to repair it soon and he will likely miss the entire 2012 season.  Bowers played in all 16 games as a rookie for the Bucs last year and he had 25 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 9 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 4 passes defensed.  This is a blow to the Bucs’ D as they had high hopes for Bowers in 2012.

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign WR Tiquan Underwood

  admin

  7 May 2012 | 10:36 pm

  The Bucs have signed 25-year old WR Tiquan Underwood.  Underwood played in 6 games for the Patriots last year and he caught 3 passes for 30 yards (10.0 avg).  He has now played in 19 games in his first three years in the NFL and he has caught 11 passes for 141 yards (12.8 avg).  Underwood has also returned 26 kickoffs for 599 yards (23.0 avg) so far in his NFL career.  The Bucs can use a player like Underwood, so I like this pickup for them.

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign DE Hilee Taylor

  admin

  7 May 2012 | 2:40 pm

  The Buccaneers have signed 25-year old DE Hilee Taylor.  Taylor hasn’t played in the NFL since 2009.  Taylor played in 16 games in two years for the Carolina Panthers (2008, 2009) and he has 6 tackles, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery.  Taylor is worth taking a chance on as the Bucs will just cut him if things don’t work out.

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign CB Derrick Roberson

  admin

  7 May 2012 | 2:38 pm

  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed 26-year old CB Derrick Roberson.  Roberson didn’t play in any games in the NFL last year.  He has played in 8 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 3 tackles and 2 passes defensed.  Roberson played for the Buccaneers back in 2009, appearing in 6 games in which he had 3 tackles and 2 passes defensed.  It’s no small coincidence that Roberson is getting another chance in Tampa as he played his college ball at Rutgers under new Bucs’ head coach Greg Schiano.

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign QB Jordan Jefferson

  admin

  7 May 2012 | 2:35 pm

  The Buccaneers have signed 21-year old undrafted rookie QB Jordan Jefferson.  Jefferson completed 61 of 100 passes (61%) for 737 yards with 6 TD passes and 2 INTs at LSU last year.  He played four years at LSU in which he completed 397 of 678 passes (58.6%) for 4,733 yards with 34 TD passes and 20 INTs.  Jefferson could turn into a nice developmental #3 QB for the Buccaneers, so I like this signing for them. UPDATE:  (5/11/2012) – The Buccaneers have released Jordan Jefferson.

• 

  Yardbarker: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• LeGarrette Blount fights to keep starting job with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  16 May 2012 | 5:01 am

  Last month, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved back into the first-round of the NFL Draft in order to select RB Doug Martin. The running back position was an area of concern for the Buccaneers heading into the draft. In later rounds, Tampa selected Michael Smith from Utah State. LeGarrette Blount has been the lead back in Tampa for most of the last two seasons and he’s prepared for a battle heading into training camp. Blount is known for his tough, aggressive running style but he has failed to develop himself as an every down back. He struggles in pass protection as well as catching passes out…

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Josh Freeman Drops 20 Pounds

  15 May 2012 | 6:40 pm

  Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman will have a new look to him in the 2012-13 season as it's been reported that he has dropped 20 pounds this off-season. He has been playing at 260 pounds since 2010, but his new build should help his mobility."I stopped going to Taco Bell late at night," Freeman said.Freeman had a great rookie campaign with 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions, but fell off and had his own sophomore slump last season with 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.He's looking to rebound with a whole new coaching staff led by Greg Schiano and alongside with key free…

• Buccaneers’ LeGarrette Blount has slimmed down

  15 May 2012 | 12:50 pm

  When the Buccaneers drafted Doug Martin in the 1st round of the 2012 NFL Draft, it seemed like a death sentence for LeGarrette Blount and his fantasy value. However, it might have been just what Blount needed. Blount showed up to Buccaneers’ OTAs noticeably slimmer and in much better shape than 2011, when his conditioning was a big part of the reason why he saw little playing time down the stretch. Rookie running backs tend to struggle some out of the gate and the Buccaneers plan to run a lot this year so I could still see Blount being involved in the offense a good amount on non-passing…

• Doug Martin injured during minicamp

  15 May 2012 | 10:38 am

  Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Buccaneers rookie running back Doug Martin went down during a minicamp practice on Tuesday. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik has confirmed that Martin suffered a slight hamstring strain. The Buccaneers will need to watch Martin and make sure he gets plenty of rest so the injury won’t linger into training camp and then possibly the regular season.  Often times players will rush back or over work themselves which could end up causing a set back.

• Minnesota’s new stadium to include Viking ship that will burn and pillage sections after each touchdown

  15 May 2012 | 10:36 am

  ST. PAUL, MN—Inspired by the large pirate ship that the fellow sea faring Tampa Bay Buccaneers have in their stadium, the Minnesota Vikings have announced that their brand new $975 million stadium’s centerpiece will be a full-sized Viking ship that will celebrate each touchdown by burning and pillaging a random seating section. Just as the Buccaneers fire cannons from their 103-foot-long ship after each score, the Viking will hire a cast of professional actors and local vagrants to disembark the boat after every Vikings touchdown to terrorize a lucky group of spectators by setting…

• 

  Sports: Tampa Bay Bucs

• Video: A look at Day 1 of Bucs OTAs

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 1:22 pm

  Bucs beat writers Rick Stroud and Stephen F. Holder report from One Buc Place, where the team took part in a voluntary workout.

• Ronde Barber still at safety for Bucs

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 11:50 am

  The Bucs don't have a game that matters for four months, but if they played tomorrow, Ronde Barber would start at free safety. Barber, 37, took most of his repetitions alongside rookie safety Mark Barron Tuesday. Bucs coach Greg Schiano remains somewhat non-committal, but it's clear he has no problem moving the 16th year veteran from cornerback to safety. "I like the way he’s performed so far,'' Schiano said. "The final piece will obviously be live play. but I don’t have any hesitation. I’ve watched enough of him playing nickel and playing dime and…

• Video: Bucs prepare for 2012 with OTAs

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 11:46 am

  Bucs head coach Greg Schiano and quarterback Josh Freeman talk about OTAs, Vincent Jackson and the progress of the team this offseason.

• After Bowers injury, Bucs standing pat at defensive end

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 11:23 am

  Now that starting left defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has suffered a possible season-ending Achilles tendon tear, what are the Bucs going to do in response? Right now, nothing. That’s according to general manager Mark Dominik, who said the team wants to continue to evaluate its current lineup of defensive linemen before making any possible transactions. However, acquiring outside help has not been ruled out. “Right now I think we’re just trying to evaluate these men that we have here for a little bit before we feel like we need to do something,” Dominik said.

• Blount: "Nobody can affect my carries but me.''

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 11:23 am

  Not unlike his bulldozing running style, LeGarrette Blount is not going to dance around an issue when he can plow through it. So when asked how the Bucs selection of Boise State running back Doug Martin will affect his workload, Blount did not stiff-arm the topic. "I think nobody can affect my carries but me,'' Blount said. "They drafted him because we needed him. But at the end of the day, we're both going to play. Don't nobody affect my carries but me, not what he does, not what anybody else does, just how I practice and how fast I get the offense down pat and everything like…

• 

  Tampabay.com: Sports

• Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 1

  16 May 2012 | 12:29 am

  Times wires Wednesday, May 16, 2012 Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 1LOS ANGELES — Wade Miley wiggled out of a couple jams while pitching into the seventh as the Diamondbacks snapped the Dodgers' five-game winning streak. Miley yielded eight hits but the only run he allowed was on Mark Ellis' homer. Ellis finished with three hits in the Dodgers' first game since star centerfielder Matt Kemp went on the DL.

• Sports on TV/radio

  15 May 2012 | 11:15 pm

  Times staff Wednesday, May 16, 2012 TODAY Baseball Red Sox at Rays, 7 p.m., Sun Sports; 620-AM Marlins at Braves, 7 p.m., FSN NBA East semifinal: Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m., TNT West semifinal: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m., TNT NHL East final: Devils at Rangers, 8 p.m., NBCSN Tennis ATP: BNL d'Italia, 6 a.m., Tennis TV:NBCSN: NBC Sports Network.

• Lightning takes close look at Swiss forward Damien Brunner

  15 May 2012 | 10:48 pm

  By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Part of the Lightning's summer to-do list is to find a top-six forward. That is why general manager Steve Yzerman, at the world championship in Helsinki, Finland, is keeping a close eye on Swiss forward Damien Brunner."Highly skilled and fast," Yzerman wrote Tuesday night in a text message, adding Tampa Bay isn't the only team interested in the 5-foot-11, 187-pound right-handed shot.Brunner, 26, has three goals, seven points and is plus-2 in seven games at the world championship. He had 24 goals, 60 points and was plus-17 in 45…

• Tampa Bay Rays rally for 4-3 win and two-game sweep against Toronto Blue Jays

  15 May 2012 | 10:38 pm

  By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 TORONTO — So much of the past week or so had been about losses for the Rays. The three players they placed on a disabled list that now totals eight, and the games they let get away in New York and again in Baltimore.But as they celebrated loudly in the Rogers Centre clubhouse on Tuesday and headed out for a late-night flight home, they were all about winning.A tense 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays was their third straight, salvaging a rugged road trip at 4-4 and leaving them tied for first place, and with the league's best record…

• Pacers win in Miami

  15 May 2012 | 10:37 pm

  Times wires Tuesday, May 15, 2012 MIAMI — No Big Three meant one big problem for Miami, and one very big win for Indiana.David West had 16 points and 10 rebounds, George Hill scored 15 and the Pacers took home-court advantage away from the Heat with a 78-75 Game 2 win in the Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday.LeBron James scored 28 for Miami and Dwyane Wade finished with 24, but both missed big chances late. James missed two free throws with 54.3 seconds left and Miami down one, and Wade was short on a layup that would have tied it with 16 seconds remaining.Mario Chalmers' 3-pointer…

• 

  Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Evan Longoria: The Heater | Tampa Bay Times

• Upton loses new young friend

  Marc Topkin

  15 May 2012 | 11:58 pm

  Dominick Beach, a 16-year-old patient at All Children’s Hospital thrilled to be visited by B.J. Upton before the April 21 game, died Tuesday. ... Read more

• Video: Price on beating Jays, again

  Marc Topkin

  15 May 2012 | 11:51 pm

  Rays pitcher David Price talks about beating the Jays, against whom he is now 11-2.

• Davis to stay in pen; Cobb, Archer in mix to start

  Marc Topkin

  15 May 2012 | 4:50 pm

  Manager Joe Maddon said the Rays likely won't move Wade Davis back to the rotation in place of injured Jeff Niemann, and instead are planning on calling up either Chris Archer or Alex Cobb from Triple-A. Maddon said they "really like" what Davis is doing in the bullpen, and he would talk to Davis about the plan. ... Read more

• Video: Niemann discussing broken leg

  Marc Topkin

  15 May 2012 | 3:41 pm

  Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann, standing with crutches borrowed from the NBA Toronto Raptors, discusses his broken right leg sustained in Monday's game.

• For starters, Rays vs. Jays, at end of the road

  Marc Topkin

  15 May 2012 | 2:32 pm

  UPDATE, 4:34: Rays lineup: Zobrist rf, Upton cf, Joyce lf, Pena 1b, Scott dh, S-Rod 3b, Rhymes 2b, Molina c, Johnson ss, Price p BREAKING: The battered and depleted Rays wrap up their three-city eight-game roadtrip in Toronto tonight and with a win can end up with a 4-4 record for the trek. The good news for the Rays is that they have David Price on the mound, and he has never lost in the Rogers Centre, 4-0, 3.41 in five starts. ... Read more

• 

  DRaysBay

• DRaysBay Pick Six Contest: Leaderboard So Far

  Steve Slowinski

  16 May 2012 | 6:00 am

  In case you forgot, we're holding a contest this week (and each of the next three weeks as well) using Pick Six -- SB Nation's new fantasy baseball game. In short, we're giving away two free t-shirts each week, one to the top overall scorer for the week and one to the person with the highest single-day score. So even if you haven't played yet this week, you still have a chance to win! You can always go for the highest single-game score, and hey, who knows? If you have a couple insane days, you could possibly make a run at the top scorer of the week. It's only Wednesday, after all... Here's…

• Rays Defeat Jays: Pitching, Defense, and a Soon to be Suspended Third Baseman

  Whelk

  15 May 2012 | 11:33 pm

  This game was dominated by defense, both good and bad, and by pitching. The pitching was pretty fantastic all the way around, although it became apparent as the game wore on that David Price was simply better than Henderson Alvarez – which of course is supposed to happen when a true ace and Cy Young award contender goes up against a 22 year old with minimal time in the majors and no time in AAA. Don’t take this as a knock on Alvarez. The kid has a fantastic sinking fastball that sits in the mid 90s and a slider that should be good enough to get out major league hitters if…

• Price vs. Alvarez Immediate Reactions

  Whelk

  15 May 2012 | 8:48 pm

  This graph looks like Lawrie's bouncing helmet.

• GDT for 5/15/12: When you can't believe your eyes...

  CBJones

  15 May 2012 | 5:45 pm

  via www.dvdactive.com Trust your heart. New DRaysBay slogan? If you see something during the game that would fit "This Week in Sun Sports," please help us out and tag it (#TWSS) in the GDT or email to ThisWeekInSS@gmail.com. (Include inning and outs if possible.)

• The Ones That Got Away

  Imperialism32

  15 May 2012 | 9:00 am

  Once you get past the first five or so rounds of the MLB Draft, you're pretty much just throwing darts. I mean, even moreso than you are IN the the first five rounds. Maybe you grab an athletic junior college outfielder, or a high school lefty from New Mexico, or a strike-thrower from Kent State. And if you're lucky, you get Desmond Jennings, Matt Moore, and Andy Sonnanstine. But you usually aren't that lucky, and you're really just drafting organizational depth and lottery tickets. The lottery tickets are generally high schoolers with strong college commitments, drafted on the off-chance…

• 

  Lightning Strikes Feed

• Tampa Bay Lightning GM Yzerman says he, among others, interested in Swiss star Damien Brunner

  Damian Cristodero

  15 May 2012 | 9:45 pm

  Part of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s summer to-do list is to find a top-six forward. That is why general manager Steve Yzerman, at the world championship in Helsinki, Finland, is keeping a close eye on Swiss forward Damien Brunner. “Highly skilled and fast,” Yzerman wrote Tuesday night in a text message, adding Tampa Bay isn’t the only team interested in the 5-foot-11, 187-pound right-handed shot. Brunner, 26, has three goals, seven points and is plus-2 in seven games at the world championship. He had 24 goals, 60 points and was plus-17 in 45 games for Zug.  

• Tampa Bay Lightning, down an assistant with Wayne Fleming ailing, might hire a coaching consultant

  Damian Cristodero

  14 May 2012 | 4:15 pm

  The Tampa Bay Lightning might hire a coaching consultant to take some of the work load off coach Guy Boucher and assistants Dan Lacroix and Marty Raymond. The move, only a consideration at this point, is taking shape because it is clear assistant Wayne Fleming, in the 13th month of his fight with brain cancer, is not returning to the team. His absence last season created added responsibilities for the remaining staff. General manager Steve Yzerman said he has no plans at this time to hire another full-time assistant. A decision on whether to hire a consultant will be made…

• Injured Tampa Bay Lightning D Mattias Ohlund: "I want to give myself another chance to play"

  Damian Cristodero

  11 May 2012 | 2:24 pm

  Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund is at the Tampa Bay Times Forum five days a week rehabbing from February’s major surgery on his left knee. Doctors used a layer of titanium to resurface Ohlund’s femur at the patellofemoral joint behind his knee cap. The titanium created a cushion where the cartilage that usually covers the bone had worn away and created painful bone-on-bone rubbing. Ohlund on Friday said he wants to play again but knows there is no guarantee he can revive his 14-season career. “I want to give myself another chance to play and I’m hoping…

• 12:30: Chat live with Tom Jones

  fpastor

  10 May 2012 | 9:00 am

  Want to talk about the NHL or NBA playoffs, the Rays-Yankees series, the Bucs' offseason, sports on TV/radio? Join Times sports personality Tom Jones for a live chat today, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Can't make it? No problem. Leave a question in advance in the "Comments'' area below, then check back afterward to replay the chat. Tom Jones chat (May 2012)

• Nate Thompson alternate captain for U.S. team at worlds

  Times Editor

  3 May 2012 | 11:43 pm

  Lightning center Nate Thompson was named an alternate captain for the United States at the world championship, which begins Friday in Helsinki, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson, a member of the silver-medal-winning 2010 Olympic team, was named captain, and Jets center Jim Slater was named the other alternate captain. The United States, which also includes Lightning forward J.T. Brown, opens play today against France. Canada, which has Lightning forward Teddy Purcell, begins against Slovakia, and Sweden, with Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, faces Norway.

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  Sports: Tampa Bay Lightning

• Lightning takes close look at Swiss forward Damien Brunner

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 9:48 pm

  By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Part of the Lightning's summer to-do list is to find a top-six forward. That is why general manager Steve Yzerman, at the world championship in Helsinki, Finland, is keeping a close eye on Swiss forward Damien Brunner."Highly skilled and fast," Yzerman wrote Tuesday night in a text message, adding Tampa Bay isn't the only team interested in the 5-foot-11, 187-pound right-handed shot.Brunner, 26, has three goals, seven points and is plus-2 in seven games at the world championship. He had 24 goals, 60 points and was plus-17 in 45…

• Kings of the road tie playoff record

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:59 pm

  Times wires Tuesday, May 15, 2012 GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jeff Carter scored three goals, Jonathan Quick stopped 24 shots and the Kings matched an NHL record Tuesday night with their seventh straight road playoff victory, beating the Coyotes 4-0 to take control of the Western Conference final.Los Angeles dominated the opener and was even better in Game 2, withstanding Phoenix's initial push and string of penalties for a 2-0 series lead.Dwight King scored his third goal in two games and Quick tied a team record with his third career playoff shutout to give the Kings a dominating lead heading…

• Tampa Bay Lightning GM Yzerman says he, among others, interested in Swiss star Damien Brunner

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:45 pm

  Part of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s summer to-do list is to find a top-six forward. That is why general manager Steve Yzerman, at the world championship in Helsinki, Finland, is keeping a close eye on Swiss forward Damien Brunner. “Highly skilled and fast,” Yzerman wrote Tuesday night in a text message, adding Tampa Bay isn’t the only team interested in the 5-foot-11, 187-pound right-handed shot. Brunner, 26, has three goals, seven points and is plus-2 in seven games at the world championship. He had 24 goals, 60 points and was plus-17 in 45 games for Zug.  

• Tampa Bay Lightning assistant Wayne Fleming still fighting cancer

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 6:44 pm

  By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 When Dan Lacroix and Marty Raymond recently visited Wayne Fleming, their ailing colleague, at his Calgary home, the three Lightning assistant coaches spent the day watching and talking hockey."Hockey is what gets his eyes open wide," Lacroix recalled this week. "He listened mostly but he was engaged. He talked to us and we laughed and we had a really good day with him. It was nice to see his spirit."Even so, Fleming "is not seeing a lot of improvement right now" in his 13-month fight with brain cancer, Lightning general manager…

• Tampa Bay Lightning, down an assistant with Wayne Fleming ailing, might hire a coaching consultant

  Times Staff

  14 May 2012 | 3:15 pm

  The Tampa Bay Lightning might hire a coaching consultant to take some of the work load off coach Guy Boucher and assistants Dan Lacroix and Marty Raymond. The move, only a consideration at this point, is taking shape because it is clear assistant Wayne Fleming, in the 13th month of his fight with brain cancer, is not returning to the team. His absence last season created added responsibilities for the remaining staff. General manager Steve Yzerman said he has no plans at this time to hire another full-time assistant. A decision on whether to hire a consultant will be made…

• 

  University of South Florida Bulls blog: USF Sports Bulletin | Tampa Bay Times

• USF baseball still in hunt for Big East title

  Greg Auman

  15 May 2012 | 9:30 am

  Thanks to a three-game home sweep of Connecticut, USF baseball enters the final week of the regular season just one game out of first, keeping the Bulls in contention for the Big East regular-season title. The Bulls (33-18, 16-8) are tied with Louisville for second place, one game behind current leader St. John's, and you could argue the Bulls have an easier final weekend series than either of those challengers, though the Bulls would lose head-to-head tiebreakers with the Red Storm and the Cardinals. Knowing that, for USF to win the regular-season crown, the Bulls have to do the following in…

• UCF looking forward to joining USF in Big East

  Greg Auman

  15 May 2012 | 7:52 am

  The comments should be fun today, as UCF stopped in Tampa last week as part of its spring "UKnight" booster tour, and today's Times has not only a feature on the Knights looking forward to their arrival in the Big East in 2013, but also a Q&A with UCF football coach George O'Leary. His comments about recruiting at Armwood -- "hopefully we have some inroads there" -- were made last week before Monday's news of the FHSAA investigation into falsified addresses for Hawks football players.

• NCAAs: USF softball opens vs. UCF in Gainesville

  Greg Auman

  13 May 2012 | 11:04 pm

  USF softball is back in NCAA regionals for the first time in four years, with the Bulls sent to Gainesville, where they'll open with Central Florida at 3:30 p.m. Friday, with a likely rematch with Florida down the road. The Bulls (45-11) didn't get to host a regional after dropping six of their final 11 Big East games, but USF is facing a Gators team they beat earlier this season on the same field. USF hasn't faced UCF since the 2008 NCAA regional (also in Gainesville) -- the Knights come in with an RPI of 41, well below USF at 19. The host Gators are 7th in the RPI, and Florida Gulf…

• Holtz: What I've learned from my mother

  Greg Auman

  13 May 2012 | 7:47 am

  Leading up to Mother's Day, we asked several prominent Tampa celebrities for thoughts on the most important lesson they've learned from their mother, and USF coach Skip Holtz was more than happy to talk about his mother, Beth, who lives in Orlando and has been to every USF home football game in Skip's two seasons with the Bulls. "When I think of my mother, the three things I think about are patience, love and kindness. As a role model or an example, those are the biggest lessons I've learned from her. When I would mess up when I was a little kid, she wouldn't get mad, she would break…

• Stultz, Gonzalez combine for shutout vs. Huskies

  Greg Auman

  13 May 2012 | 7:10 am

  USF baseball continues to make the most of its final home series, as Derrick Stultz and Nick Gonzalez combined for a shutout as the Bulls beat Connecticut 3-0 on Saturday night to move into a second-place tie in the Big East standings. USF (32-18, 15-8) got six scoreless innings from Stultz (8-1), then three innings of two-hit relief from Gonzalez, who earned his second save. The Bulls picked up all three runs in the fifth, with young players at the bottom of the lineup stepping up again -- freshman Zac Gilcrease had the team's only RBI, scored and had two hits from the No. 9…

• 

  Sports: University of South Florida

• USF baseball still in hunt for Big East title

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 8:30 am

  Thanks to a three-game home sweep of Connecticut, USF baseball enters the final week of the regular season just one game out of first, keeping the Bulls in contention for the Big East regular-season title. The Bulls (33-18, 16-8) are tied with Louisville for second place, one game behind current leader St. John's, and you could argue the Bulls have an easier final weekend series than either of those challengers, though the Bulls would lose head-to-head tiebreakers with the Red Storm and the Cardinals. Knowing that, for USF to win the regular-season crown, the Bulls have to do the following in…

• UCF looking forward to joining USF in Big East

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 6:52 am

  The comments should be fun today, as UCF stopped in Tampa last week as part of its spring "UKnight" booster tour, and today's Times has not only a feature on the Knights looking forward to their arrival in the Big East in 2013, but also a Q&A with UCF football coach George O'Leary. His comments about recruiting at Armwood -- "hopefully we have some inroads there" -- were made last week before Monday's news of the FHSAA investigation into falsified addresses for Hawks football players.

• UCF Knights coach George O'Leary talks about the Big East, recruiting Tampa Bay area

  Times Staff

  14 May 2012 | 12:00 pm

  By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer Monday, May 14, 2012 TAMPA — Central Florida coach George O'Leary stopped in Tampa last week, meeting with area Knights boosters at the Rusty Pelican restaurant. He took a moment to answer a few questions about his team's outlook for next season and beyond as UCF moves into the Big East.UCF finished 5-7 last season, with a long pattern of close losses late. Six losses came by seven points or fewer — it was tied in the fourth quarter of two losses and led in the fourth in three others, including a one-point loss to Southern Miss on a failed…

• UCF Knights look ahead to Big East future

  Times Staff

  14 May 2012 | 8:27 am

  By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer Monday, May 14, 2012 TAMPA — As new UCF athletic director Todd Stansbury has made the rounds to booster gatherings around the state this spring, the excitement and buzz among Knights fans about their future in the Big East is enough that he has to remind people that first there's a farewell season in Conference USA."Everybody's extremely excited about joining the Big East," Stansbury said last week at UCF's Tampa-area gathering at the Rusty Pelican restaurant. "There's been a lot of energy, a lot of anticipation getting ready for the Big East. One of…

• NCAAs: USF softball opens vs. UCF in Gainesville

  Times Staff

  13 May 2012 | 10:04 pm

  USF softball is back in NCAA regionals for the first time in four years, with the Bulls sent to Gainesville, where they'll open with Central Florida at 3:30 p.m. Friday, with a likely rematch with Florida down the road. The Bulls (45-11) didn't get to host a regional after dropping six of their final 11 Big East games, but USF is facing a Gators team they beat earlier this season on the same field. USF hasn't faced UCF since the 2008 NCAA regional (also in Gainesville) -- the Knights come in with an RPI of 41, well below USF at 19. The host Gators are 7th in the RPI, and Florida Gulf…

• 

  Florida Gators football & basketball blog: Gator Report | Tampa Bay Times

• Gators begin play in NCAA lacrosse tournament as No. 1 overall seed

  Antonya English

  12 May 2012 | 6:33 am

  The No. 1 Florida lacrosse team begins its quest for a national championship today when they host Albana (12-5) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Donal R. Dizney Stadium. The game will begin at 1 p.m. The Gators (17-2) earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament after winning its first ALC Tournament title last weekend in Gainesville, defeating Northwestern. Albany had a crucial run late in the America East Tournament, including back-to-back upsets of top-see Boston University and No. 2 Stony Brook to qualify for its second consecutive NCAA Tournament. Florida coach Amanda…

• Former Gators John Brantley, Deonte Thompson sign with Baltimore Ravens

  Antonya English

  11 May 2012 | 1:25 pm

  Former Florida QB John Brantley and WR Deonte Thompson are among 19 players who have signed free agent contracts with the Baltimore Ravens. Brantley started 23 games for the Gators, compiling a 15-8 record. He is expected to compete with veteran Curtis Painter for the No. 3 quarterback job. Thompson's best shot may be getting an opportunity on special teams. He had 101 receptions for 446 yards and nine touchdowns in his career at Florida. But what has impressed NFL scouts is his speed. He reportedly ran between a 4.23 and a 4.33 40 during NFL team workouts.

• Gators begin competition for SEC track and field titles today

  Antonya English

  10 May 2012 | 11:16 am

  The No. 1 Florida men's track and field team, and the fourth-ranked UF women's teams will both begin competition today at the 2012 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Baton Rouge, La. The event will take place today - Sunday at Bernie Moore Track Stadium on the campus of LSU. Both the men and women's teams finished as SEC runner-up last year. Nine Gators lead their event categories heading into the weekend. "I feel really good about both teams going in,'' Florida head coach Mike Holloway said. "We've had a very successful year outdoors as we build toward what we call…

• Florida Gators No. 1 lacrosse team ready to make a statement in NCAA Tournament

  Antonya English

  9 May 2012 | 1:46 pm

  In three years, the Florida lacrosse team has gone from upstart first-year program to a No. 1 ranking and a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will open NCAA Tournament play at home on Saturday, at 1 p.m., against Albany. Today, several Gator players met with the media to talk about the team's ranking, their metoric rise to the top and expectations in their quest for a national title. Hear what freshman Shannon Gilroy and juniors Emily Dohony and Sam Farrell had to say here:

• Florida Gators senior Michelle Moultrie is SEC Softball Player of the Year

  Antonya English

  9 May 2012 | 10:31 am

  It's been an impressive couple of weeks for Florida senior centerfielder Michelle Moultrie. This past weekend she graduated from UF, earning a Business Administration degree. Today, she was named the SEC Player of the Year in softball, the league office announced. Moultrie becomes the fourth Florida player to earn the Player of the Year honor, and is the second Gator to earn the accolade in as many years.  She has 23 bunt singles on the year and leads the SEC in batting average and fielding percentage. Moultrie also ranks third in the SEC in hits, doubles and on‐base percentage, and is…

• 

  Sports: University of Florida

• Florida State Seminoles president denies interest going to Big 12

  Times Staff

  12 May 2012 | 8:24 pm

  Times staff, wires Saturday, May 12, 2012 Florida State president Eric Barron said "misinformation" about the ACC's new TV contract prompted discussion about a move to the Big 12 but the school is not looking to leave.The statement came late Saturday, the same day football coach Jimbo Fisher and board of trustees chairman Andy Haggard said FSU should look at the Big 12 and a day after athletic director Randy Spetman said it was "committed to the ACC."Fisher did not mention the recently announced deal with ESPN when talking to the Seminole Club of Greater Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel…

• Gators begin play in NCAA lacrosse tournament as No. 1 overall seed

  Times Staff

  12 May 2012 | 5:33 am

  The No. 1 Florida lacrosse team begins its quest for a national championship today when they host Albana (12-5) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Donal R. Dizney Stadium. The game will begin at 1 p.m. The Gators (17-2) earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament after winning its first ALC Tournament title last weekend in Gainesville, defeating Northwestern. Albany had a crucial run late in the America East Tournament, including back-to-back upsets of top-see Boston University and No. 2 Stony Brook to qualify for its second consecutive NCAA Tournament. Florida coach Amanda…

• Tampa wants shot to host NCAA football title game

  Times Staff

  11 May 2012 | 3:33 pm

  By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer Friday, May 11, 2012 TAMPA — If the site of future college football national championship games goes up for bid, count Tampa as another city interested in hosting the pinnacle of a new postseason playoff."Especially knowing how special a national championship game would be, we certainly want to be a part of that dialogue," said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, which during the past four years has helped the city host a Super Bowl, a women's basketball Final Four and college hockey's Frozen Four. "If and when the…

• Former Florida Gators John Brantley, Deonte Thompson sign with Baltimore Ravens

  Times Staff

  11 May 2012 | 12:53 pm

  By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer Friday, May 11, 2012 Former Florida Gators QB John Brantley and WR Deonte Thompson are among 19 players who have signed free agent contracts with the Baltimore Ravens.Brantley started 23 games for the Gators, compiling a 15-8 record. He is expected to compete with veteran Curtis Painter for the No. 3 quarterback job.Thompson's best shot may be getting an opportunity on special teams. He had 101 receptions for 446 yards and nine touchdowns in his career at Florida. But what has impressed NFL scouts is his speed. He reportedly ran between a 4.23 and a 4.33…

• Former Gators John Brantley, Deonte Thompson sign with Baltimore Ravens

  Times Staff

  11 May 2012 | 12:25 pm

  Former Florida QB John Brantley and WR Deonte Thompson are among 19 players who have signed free agent contracts with the Baltimore Ravens. Brantley started 23 games for the Gators, compiling a 15-8 record. He is expected to compete with veteran Curtis Painter for the No. 3 quarterback job. Thompson's best shot may be getting an opportunity on special teams. He had 101 receptions for 446 yards and nine touchdowns in his career at Florida. But what has impressed NFL scouts is his speed. He reportedly ran between a 4.23 and a 4.33 40 during NFL team workouts.

• 

  Sports: Florida State University

• Miami Hurricanes coach Al Golden talks about Tampa Bay recruits

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 1:53 pm

  By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2012 TAMPA — Second-year Miami football coach Al Golden was the latest state coach to make a local stop, talking to Hurricanes fans at Cheval Golf and Country Club on Friday as part of his spring booster tour. Golden also took a few minutes to sit down with Tampa Bay Times writer Greg Auman to talk about his expectations for the fall and Miami's solid group of incoming players from the Tampa area.You got a big impact last fall from defensive end Anthony Chickillo of Alonso, who finished third in the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year…

• Florida State Seminoles weigh ACC vs. Big 12

  Times Staff

  14 May 2012 | 4:35 pm

  Times wires Monday, May 14, 2012 AMELIA ISLAND — Though Florida State president Eric Barron has said his school is committed to the ACC, he explored the pros and cons of a move to the Big 12 in a memo obtained by several news organizations.Barron outlined four areas that favor the Big 12 and seven that support staying in the ACC, FSU's home since 1992.Barron says the Big 12's television package might be more lucrative, but cites the ACC's policy of sharing television revenue equally as an advantage for staying put."So when fans realize that Texas would get more dollars than FSU, always…

• Florida State Seminoles president denies interest going to Big 12

  Times Staff

  12 May 2012 | 8:24 pm

  Times staff, wires Saturday, May 12, 2012 Florida State president Eric Barron said "misinformation" about the ACC's new TV contract prompted discussion about a move to the Big 12 but the school is not looking to leave.The statement came late Saturday, the same day football coach Jimbo Fisher and board of trustees chairman Andy Haggard said FSU should look at the Big 12 and a day after athletic director Randy Spetman said it was "committed to the ACC."Fisher did not mention the recently announced deal with ESPN when talking to the Seminole Club of Greater Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel…

• Tampa wants shot to host NCAA football title game

  Times Staff

  11 May 2012 | 3:33 pm

  By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer Friday, May 11, 2012 TAMPA — If the site of future college football national championship games goes up for bid, count Tampa as another city interested in hosting the pinnacle of a new postseason playoff."Especially knowing how special a national championship game would be, we certainly want to be a part of that dialogue," said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, which during the past four years has helped the city host a Super Bowl, a women's basketball Final Four and college hockey's Frozen Four. "If and when the…

• Note to Seminole Report readers

  Times Staff

  4 Dec 2010 | 3:33 pm

  For the latest news, features, columns and more on the Florida State Seminoles, please bookmark this link: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/colleges/seminoles/

• 

  Sports: High School Sports

• HomeTeam Huddle: Veterans Alstott, Moore begin rookie coaching seasons

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 7:08 pm

  ST. PETERSBURG —  On opposite ends of the city, two ex-Buccaneers are sweating out their first spring as high school head football coaches. Former fullback Mike Alstott patiently demonstrates sweep plays and screen passes to about 30 players at Northside Christian. There’s a lot of work to be done before Saturday’s spring game at Orlando Central Florida Christian. “I like to demonstrate sometimes,” said Alstott, who takes over a team that didn’t win a game last season. “Sometimes words don’t get through. I’m old and broke but I still…

• Father: 'Cats QB Litton has no fracture

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 6:01 pm

  The injury to Wharton rising junior QB Chase Litton's throwing hand isn't as severe as reported online earlier today, his father told the Times this evening. Jeff Litton said his son recently sprained his right thumb when it got caught in a helmet. Chase Litton is will have the thumb examined for potential ligament damage by an orthopedist Thursday. An X-ray revealed no fracture, Jeff Litton said. A 2,000-yard passer as a sophomore, the 6-foot-6  Litton already has received an offer from LSU. He'll likely be replaced at next week's spring jamboree by rising senior three-way star Vernon…

• HomeTeam Huddle: Young QB will get his chance to shine for Land O'Lakes

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 4:58 pm

  LAND O’LAKES — Welcome to the big time, Ethan Weilant. The rising sophomore backed up Ryan Bird at quarterback last season for one of the most storied football programs in the area at Land O’Lakes. Now the young signal caller is penciled in as the starter for fall, running one of the more pass-happy offenses around. Weilant didn’t get much playing time last fall. But when he did get on the field, he showed the potential that coach Brian Wachtel hopes makes his offense even more dangerous after the graduation of Kent Taylor, one of the top tight end prospects in the…

• FACA taps four locals for all-star softball game

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 3:00 pm

  The FACA all-star softball classic is this weekend at Ocala Forest. On Friday, the East and West all-stars square off at 6:30, followed by the North vs. the South at 8. The winners meet Saturday at 11:30 in the championship; the consolation game is at 10. The local players competing for the West team are: Sickles SS/2B Brittany Johnson, Canterbury P/1B Emily Winesett, Springstead P Alexis Adams and Palm Harbor University 3B Samantha McCloskey.

• Armwood's potential fine could hit five figures

  Times Staff

  15 May 2012 | 11:26 am

  Though he's only speculating at this point, the Florida High School Athletic Association's executive director said Tuesday that Armwood's monetary penalties for using five football players likely to be deemed ineligible could hit the five-figure mark. Roger Dearing, who heads the state's high school sports governing body, said investigative costs alone could reach $10,000, with Armwood responsible for those costs. No word yet what punitive costs, if there are any, could be. The FHSAA released its 44-page report into the Hawks' football program on Monday. Its preliminary…

• 

  Sports talk, sports trivia, TV sports: Two Cents with Tom Jones | Tampa Bay Times

• Shooting from the lip/May 14th edition

  Tom Jones

  13 May 2012 | 8:58 pm

  Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ... Best coverage NBC again gets the nod for best sporting event coverage of the weekend. Some weekends, it's because of its stellar hockey coverage. Last week, it was because of its must-see Kentucky Derby broadcast. This past weekend, it was its work on golf's Players Championship. NBC can just hand Johnny Miller a microphone, let him talk and you have the best golf coverage on TV, as far as I'm concerned. Sprinkle in a little Dottie Pepper from the course, add a dose of contributor Tim Rosaforte and you can just lose your remote for the…

• Tired, tedious topics

  Tom Jones

  13 May 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Last week a blogger for Time magazine listed Tropicana Field as the third-worst sports venue in the country. My immediate reaction: Yeah, I know. The Trop stinks. I get it already. The Rays have been playing there since 1998, and other than rearranging some furniture and a few coats of paint, the Trop is pretty much the same dump it has always been. And this blogger is just now weighing in? Even the team that plays there is begging for a new stadium, so why do we have to keep talking about how crummy this one is? We're just going around and around. Anyway, can anyone other than St.

• Hawiian surfer rides biggest wave ever

  fpastor

  10 May 2012 | 1:13 pm

  Garrett McNamara of Hawaii has been recognized as the Guinness World Record holder for biggest wave ever surfed, according to NBC Sports. In November, McNamara rode a wave of 78 feet at the Praia do Norte beach in Nazare, Portugal.

• Did leagues get suspensions right?

  Tom Jones

  10 May 2012 | 9:44 am

  Sports leagues always have used suspensions as punishments and deterrents for players who step over the lines of fair play. But recently, suspensions have become especially prevalent. Here's a look at notable current suspensions in each of the four major sports and whether the leagues got it right. Cole Hamels The Phillies pitcher was suspended five games for plunking Nationals 19-year-old rookie Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch just to welcome him to the majors. Players policing themselves is not necessarily a bad thing. A slugger showing up a pitcher by admiring a home run should…

• Thursday: Chat live with Tom Jones

  fpastor

  7 May 2012 | 1:57 pm

  Tom Jones chat (May 2012) ... Read more

• 

  The Pewter Plank

• As Gerald McCoy Goes, So Goes the Buccaneers Defense

  Patrik Nohe

  14 May 2012 | 11:41 am

  Lost amid all the hub-bub over Bounty-gate and the Junior Seau tragedy has been a plethora of Buccaneers news. Ronde … [visit site to read more] As Gerald McCoy Goes, So Goes the Buccaneers Defense - The Pewter Plank - The Pewter Plank - A Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

• WWM: Ronde Barber Moving to Safety

  Patrik Nohe

  14 May 2012 | 10:57 am

  Lost amid a lot of the news coming out last week was the fact that Ronde Barber will reportedly move to safety next season after … [visit site to read more] WWM: Ronde Barber Moving to Safety - The Pewter Plank - The Pewter Plank - A Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

• Enough Already

  Steven Levy

  10 May 2012 | 10:47 pm

  By Steven Levy What an offseason. The winds of NFL change are blowing throughout the league. Concussions, bounties and draft picks, oh my! But it’s wearying to hear about all of this all the time. Quite ironically I feel like I’ve been … [visit site to read more] Enough Already - The Pewter Plank - The Pewter Plank - A Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

• 

  United Way Tampa Bay Blog

• From Diana’s Desk

  uwtb

  2 May 2012 | 1:44 pm

  Hollywood movie star America Ferrera was the guest speaker at our annual fund-raising gala, Art of Giving, last month.  Before the event she met with students from several of our programs. Her focus on education fit in perfectly with the mission of Art of Giving: to raise funds for Summer Care, a program that provides enriching summer child care and financial education to working families. Children who don’t learn over the summer fall behind and have a harder time catching up in school. Thank you for supporting the children in our community. From where I sat, everyone had a good time.

• From Diana’s Desk

  uwtb

  5 Apr 2012 | 2:22 pm

  If you were at the Tampa Bay Lightning game March 6, you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say, “Thank you Lightning!” over and over again. During United Way Night, the Lightning organization ran United Way messages during breaks. They put our logo on the Lightning Vision and on the LED display boards that surround the forum. They gave us a table in the lobby to promote Art of Giving and the work that we do. They gave some children from the Boys and Girls Club, wearing LIVE UNITED shirts, a thrilling ride in the Zamboni. They took us down on the ice so we could honor our Spirit…

• FROM DIANA’S DESK

  uwtb

  29 Feb 2012 | 11:49 am

  Progress Energy Florida CEO Vinny Dolan supports the Hunger Network. Many of you hold food drives during the holidays, and we’re grateful for your generosity during that special time of year. The holidays are behind us and unfortunately, there are still families without enough to eat. Some children go home for the weekend knowing their next hot meal won’t come until they return to school Monday. The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger aims to address hunger year-round. At a meeting in February at Progress Energy’s auditorium in Clearwater, the group shared its goals with more than 70…

• FROM DIANA’S DESK

  uwtb

  31 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am

  We were honored to have Alex Sink, right, speak at the Prosperity Campaign kickoff. February 2012 brings us 29 days and another leap year. With an extra day in our lives this month I’m hoping we can turn that bonus time into something special for a lot of deserving people. I recently had the pleasure of being in the company of some amazing people. We assembled at the Hillsborough Community College campus on Dale Mabry to kick off the 2012 Prosperity Campaign of Hillsborough County and focus on the start of free tax preparation season. This service helps low-income, working families with…

• FROM DIANA’S DESK

  uwtb

  4 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm

  John Legend at the piano after sharing his passion for education. “As I sat on stage at my high school graduation, the crowd around me looked smaller than it had freshman year. Somewhere between freshman orientation and graduation, many of my peers had found a reason to give up on school and drop out. Whatever the cause, they took a path that would forever limit their life prospects just as I was entering a world of opportunity.” So said John Legend at Mahaffey Theater in December. In town for a benefit for United Way of Tampa Bay, the man with the golden voice shared his passion for…

• 

  Raw Charge

• The NHL's real problem are its defensemen

  Cassie McClellan

  15 May 2012 | 8:01 am

  [Warning: much of this post is sarcastic.] Shot blocking is the new evil in the NHL. It's apparently preventing teams from scoring, and thus limiting the masses' entertainment value. I guess you've always got to have something to rail against, but this one seems more than a little silly. Due to that, everything's gone back to the bad-old-days of clutching and grabbing - though, no one's really being clutched at or grabbed. Regardless, it's slowing down the game; it's making the game boring. Or, so they say. Then there's the whole "defense is killing the game" thing again. Despite the old…

• Hockey culture, character, and winning: how we choose what we value

  CAustin

  14 May 2012 | 8:00 am

  "this decision represents an organization making a trade-off between a demonstrable on-ice value (the scoring potential of Kostitsyn and Radulov) and a more nebulous off-ice moral principle (players must all obey the same curfew). Coaches and managers make these kinds of trade-offs all the time in hockey- think Laviolette's Dry Island or Burke's Pre-Deadline Deadline- and in every case they should be questioned. Every time a team decides to put ideology ahead of pragmatism, every time they put something ahead of winning, we should ask why" -Ellen Etchingham, May 2, 2012, What is Team Culture…

• Norfolk Admirals Game 6 open thread

  CAustin

  11 May 2012 | 6:00 pm

  Your Norfolk Admirals take on the Connecticut Whale in game 6 tonight, and this is their chance to close out the series. They lead 3 games to 2 in what has been a back and forth sort of series. It has seemed that they boys come out flat one game then come out fighting the next. Wednesday night saw an aggressive, fast, confident Norfolk team defeat an increasingly frustrated Connecticut team in a neutral site game (at the Bridgeport arena rather than at the Whale's home in Hartford). Alex Picard (2g), Ondrej Palat (1g, 1a), and Pierre-Cedric "Nacho" Labrie (1g, 1a) all scored on Wednesday, and…

• john tortorella would rather stick his finger in his eye than talk to media. He is a master at...

  John Fontana

  11 May 2012 | 10:13 am

  john tortorella would rather stick his finger in his eye than talk to media. He is a master at deflecting attention away from his players... The more the media focuses on torts press conf, the less they are talking about his team. He's pretty crafty. Reminds me if 04 when torts got into it with hitchcock and took all the attention off us players and on the coaches verbal battle. Smart:-) Chris Dingman, via Twitter in defense of his former coach John Tortorella

• Question of the week: Which is more important, defense or goaltending?

  Cassie McClellan

  11 May 2012 | 8:01 am

  With all of the focus on goaltending, the defense has been sort of left out in the cold. But, that's fairly typical. When it comes to hockey, people tend think about offense and goaltending, not defense. Still, that's a bit discouraging. A good defense will make a good goalie look like a Vezina candidate, and a bad defense will make a good goalie look very mediocre. But, as many people just noticed the goaltending and not the defense, they see that a goalie is just good or bad and that's all there is to it. The two are very much intertwined. Goaltending is not a singular position in that…

• 

  Tampa Real Estate Blog

• Kyle Gibbons 2012 Graduate of JW Mitchell High School

  lipply

  8 May 2012 | 12:58 pm

  With plans to attend the University of Florida in the fall, JW Mitchell senior Kyle Gibbons will be finishing up his final year of high school in the coming weeks. Graduation for Mitchell’s Class of 2012 will take place at the Tampa Convention Center on June 2nd. Kyle will graduate Summa Cum Laude & top ten in his class of 359. At Mitchell High School, Kyle has managed to juggle a heavy schedule of AP, dual enrollment and honors classes and maintained a 4.38 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society, acting as Sergeant at Arms. He is also a member of Interact Club and…

• Dunedin Cleans Up Its Act ~ No More Ads on Bus Shelters

  lipply

  5 May 2012 | 10:06 am

  The city of Dunedin in Florida is indeed a beautiful city. And it’s pretty clear that Dunedin officials plan to keep it that way. At the expense of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority however they banned commercial ads on the bus shelters in and around the city starting in May of 2013. Now Dunedin has only 12 shelters, while neighboring Clearwater has 23. Will other cities follow suit? That remains to be seen. But for now, going forward, Dunedin want no more of Clear Channel’s sometimes questionable images clutters up the landscape. Take, for example, the picture on this post.

• Good News for Tampa Bay Buyers

  lipply

  30 Apr 2012 | 12:53 pm

  Good news for one is sometimes bad news for another. The good news is we (Tampa Bay) is not in the “Top 10 markets for rising list prices”. Of course the good news is really for buyers and people relocating to Tampa Bay and not for sellers unfortunately. Sellers have been waiting patiently for prices to go back up and we believe that will take time but keep in mind that supply and demand always wins. With the turn of the new year we have seen the market change in terms of buyers buying more than they have in the past few years. Many of our listings are being put to pending…

• Housing is a Major Concern of Voters in 2012 Presidential Election

  lipply

  25 Apr 2012 | 1:56 pm

  The 2012 Presidential Election is approaching quickly. Thanks to a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), we know what the current concerns of voters are. There are many concerns, from education, to jobs to eco-friendly topics. But, according to the poll, the number one concern of the American voters is homeownership. Number 1 Voter Concern: Homeownership Homeownership is at the top of the list of concerns US voters currently have. Voters are seriously concerned with how hard it is to obtain these days. We still put a high value on homeownership, and truly…

• 5029 Herring Court, New Port Richey, FL MLS #U7542999

  lipply

  19 Apr 2012 | 11:36 am

  Come take a look at our newest listing in Sea Forest Beach Club! Make your own slideshow at Animoto. Call Lynn Hanratty at 727 421 8193 She’d love to show it to you!