Disappointed in FL Gov. Rick Scott
Watching the 2012 Summer Olympics in London we were reminded how very disappointed we are in our sitting governor. An NBC Television commentator from the downtown Olympic Park was talking about a participating Olympic stadium event location located 128 miles from London. He said, “It’s just a quick short ride away by the high speed train.” Just a sore reminder of how Gov. Rick Scott gave away our next generation bullet train between Tampa & Orlando on the I-4 corridor. The governor should have been thinking of the needed Florida jobs- then and still, future economic growth, environmental safety, air pollution implementations and the future trending to all America with the new high speed train technology.
Tourism is the #1 business in Florida! How could he just give away the Florida High Speed train? Several years ago Tampa & Central Florida were considered as a location for the International Olympics. Many facilities are already in place here in Tampa, St. Pete, Lakeland & Orlando. Public stadiums, College facilities & Hotels are all here now.The Olympic Village was to replace the old run down projects near downtown Tampa. The good news is that the projects were torn down to make way for the new Encore Re-development Project. Due to the depression only one building has been built there and that one is a public housing unit.
We hope our next Governor will get it right and put us back in the running again. Central Florida hosts to the 2020’s Summer Olympics?
RNC Preparations in GaYBOR/Ybor City
What do you notice in this photo?
GaYBOR/Ybor City have been very busy preparing for the GOP National Republican Convention. Tampa’s biggest convention ever is only 3 weeks away. With the #1 industry in Florida being the Touristism Industry, it looks like GaYBOR/Ybor City will be Switzerland during the convention to visiting delegates and protesters. Many preparations are going on to insure that both sides have the time of their lives in GaYBOR/Ybor City.
The cell phone companies are upgrading and increasing high tech services here. Since we are a national historic district this can present problems. Take a closer look at the Centro Ybor Sign. There are new black cell phone towers attached to the signs poles. On top of the garage there are new cell phones towers attached to the light poles. There are even some hid on top of the Hampton Inn. Security will make GaYBOR/Ybor City one of the safest places in town. There have even been air quality monitors installed on 7th ave.
The huge grassy lots between 15 &17 just south of the interstate will be parking for charter buses & VIP limos. This past weekend you might have noticed the huge police present here. Some of the 1000’s of out of the area police officers are getting acquainted with Tampa and our historic district. Many sheriff & police dept. officers and their horses are seen training here now. This is going to be party Tampa will remember for a life time! Be sure to plan on a trip here during the convention.
A lesson for our Community.
This week there was quite the unintentional scare to our LGBT family. Thankfully this story has a good ending. A popular bartender told his friends we was going to Orlando and left at 9pm Tuesday. About 1 AM Wed he called and said he was on his way home back to Tampa. When he wasn’t back the next day his roommate & friends started to get concerned. Everybody said this was not like this person. Not to show up for his day job, to feed his beloved best pal dog & to have his always on the cell phone turned off.
At midnight that day everybody was super concerned. After midnight a missing person report was filed. By 8 am Thursday there was a huge cry for help on facebook.
Our community came together quickly as a family looking and giving any information about this person. Thursday afternoon he walked in to his apartment. We can only imagine what it must be like for a parent to have a child go missing. It has to be 100 times worse than this. With that all said, This is 2012!!!
With all the crazies out in the world there is NO REASON not to call and tell your friends or family where you Remember 2000 with the Tampa murders by Steve Lorenzo and 4 missing guys killed in Tampa? We are very proud of our LGBT family.
People Are Talking
We are proud of our local neighbors and one especially. This past weekend Laughing Cat Restaurant owner, Franco came running over to tell us his 7 year old daughter Christina had beaten the computer at professional level Chess. Not once but 3 out of the 4 games! We have a prodigy amongst us! Congratulations to the downtown Floridan Hotel. After years of being closed up for a decade and many years of $$$millions of dollars in renovation the hotel is a Tampa gem again! Bradley Nelson from Bradley’s on 7th is celebrating a big birthday August 13th! Happy Birthday Brad.
There is a new county/city proposal for the demolition and of building a new Robert W. Saunders, Sr Public Library on Nebraska Ave. It will be in partnership with a new African American Cultural Center at the same location. The new building from the architects has a lot of Ybor City historical flavor & decor added on the new designed brick building. The local artist stone mural by Joe Testa Secca entitled “Symbols of Mankind” on the front of the existing building will be taken down, saved and put on the new 2 story library outside entry. There will be a continued covered walkway between the new library and Booker T. Washington Elementary School next door.
Wow a new Hot Dog wagon has appeared in Ybor City, CJ’s Weiner & Nuts. A lot of work is being done at the old Opa Taverna on 7th Ave. More restaurants are appearing in the historic district. The 2012 RNC has a lot of open venues and closed. Party and headquarters are all over Tampa and GaYBOR/ Ybor City including Fox News headquartered at Tampa Bay History Museum, AOL at the Cuban Club in Ybor. Confidentiality agreements at know great known venues including Italian Club, Honey Pot, Tampa Theatre, Hamburger Mary’s and Carne Chop House! Be on the lookout for Republican Presidential VP hopefuls running around Tampa!
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Johnny Apple Seed Gay Activism
For years we have been leaving GLBT magazines out in the public. Places like the DMV, doctors offices, meetings, restaurants almost anywhere in public. It used to be magazines like The Gazette, Stonewall, Encounter & TLW. Now days it’s the Watermark & HOTspots magazines. You can just imagine who will find the magazine. Planting seeds of knowledge one magazine at a time. Recently we went to a seminary at the Stetson Law Collage. The lecture room was large and set up like a court room. It got us thinking about our friend Tom Dyer, who is a lawyer and owner of Watermark Magazine. As we were leaving we put a copy of Watermark on our chair & slide it back in. With a big smile on our faces we said this apple seed is for Tom! We thought, wonder what law student will find it & how it might help.
FETISH CON 2012
The Kinkiest Straight event we have ever been to!!! This is the 12th Annual Fetish Con. The group will take over the Tampa Hyatt Hotel Downtown. There are many events planned including a trade show, Aug 2-5 www.fetishcon.com If you do not have tickets just go to the Hyatt Lobby Bar and take it all in!!! Every fetish imaginable is here!!! In GaYBOR stop by MC Film and check out the new line of “Mr. Leather.” Faith Michael will be performing at Liquid Tampa. Check out this Fetish video shot in the dungeon at the Castle in Ybor City. HOT HOT HOT!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7GWh7ShoxE&feature=relmfu
