Up until the last few years, the worst story I ever heard about a priest concerned a man who was pretty good guy but was an alcoholic.
Nobody asked me, but --
. . .The question in Belleair Beach last Friday was who's watching the city? The chief, Ernie Armistead, along with another officer, both in uniform, were liesurely dining with Hizzoner the mayor, Mike Kelly, and wife at a Belleair Bluffs restaurant in mid-evening.
. . .Bucs' fans are in for a looooong season. No playoffs; a 4-12 record if they get lucky.
. . .The hurricanes that hit elsewhere in the state may be a blessing in disguise. They may send a lot of Yankees, who infest the state, packing back to where they came from.
. . .Largo's very own Don Hazelton was featured in AARP Magazine's September-October edition. He pontificated on the future of mobile and manufactured homes in Florida.
. . .If nothing else, the storm that hit my beloved Pensacola proved that preparation doesn't mean a thing when you run into a buzzsaw like that. That hurricane just overwhelmed everything. All the emphasis is on preparation which is sketchy at best; it ought to be on the aftermath. In Pensacola, the aftermath was total disorganization with government having no clue what to do -- no water, no food, no power, no emergency preparation at all.
. . .Pinellas County emergency officials really need to put on their thinking caps and distinguish proper preparedness from pumping panic when it comes to potential hurricanes. Calling off school September 13 was pure foolishness, the hurricane was south of Cuba that morning -- no danger at all to Florida, anywhere. The fact is, emergency poohbahs want a hurricane to hit here -- that will justify their annual fear program. Fact is, we very very seldom have a hurricane in these parts.
. . .Part of the hurricane panic nonsense around here is the local police factotum who dresses up like General Patton going into combat. Why is it that those who never served in the military want to play soldier?
. . .That jerk from the Texas Rangers who assaulted a fan should be banned from organized baseball for life. But it won't happen. That is a penalty baseball reserves for the greatest sin of all -- gambling.
. . .One of the brightest and knowledgeable officials around is Bill Ockunzzi, he of the Indian Rocks Beach City Commission. That kind of incisive mind needs to be in a position where he can do some good. Some very key places suggest themselves; problem is how to get him located in such.
. . .Three weeks and some days after that bit of a blow we had Labor Day found branches and limbs stacked up around Largo waiting for pickup. In the old days, seems like we used to cut that stuff up for kindling and fire wood. And why does the city have to pick it up anyway? It's not garbage; it's not trash.
. . .Don Taber of Indian Shores has joined the colorful Hawaiian shirt politico crowd. When he, Mike Kelly and John Robertson show up one thinks of -- well, we'll leave that unsaid (wink).
. . .The trolley idea that busy Joan Byrne came up with for Largo is a winner. It would solve parking problems in the city center and would make going to Central Park events a pleasure.
. . .Get this -- the nincompoops at Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue insisted that public records requests had to be made in writing. Legal measures are being taken to straighten out the five stooges.
. . .Biggest problem with the Devil Rays is a guy named Ray Naimoli. The Rays have some great kids, could grow into a very good team, but money must be spent. Naimoli, a failed businessman, just doesn't understand, apparently, that one needs to invest to prosper.