Belleair Beach Voters Reject Slate - If you drove around Belleair Beach prior to the recent election, you might have thought a slate of three candidates had cornered the election sign market. The same three names were proudly posted next to each other on numerous Belleair Beach properties. Their message was clear. We are a slate, vote for us!
However, something happened on the way to the election booths on Tuesday - voters soundly rejected the slate. Voters wanted independent voices at city hall. One candidate said, "I do not think the people of Belleair Beach want a small group of elected officials that run for office as a slate and could control city council and all the issues that come before the city council." In fact, the message to oust the slate of candidates was so strong by Belleair Beach voters, it is likely to occur again in the next city election to officials who supported a slate campaign to control city hall.
Was the rejection of the slate of candidates (two of which were incumbents) by voters a surprise?
"No, I believe the people of Belleair Beach saw right through the problem, I was not surprised at the outcome," replied one resident voter who talked to neighbors about not electing a slate of candidates.
Do prominent signs help win small town elections?
Not in Belleair Beach.
No Publix On Indian Rocks Beach - Voters from Indian Rocks Beach rejected a referendum to allow the building of a Publix on Gulf Blvd.
We want to retain the quaintness of our town," stated one Indian Rocks Beach voter prior to the election, "My friends are voting against the Publix project."
The voters sent a clear message to Indian Rocks Beach officials - NO PUBLIX.
What might be built on the property that was planned to become a Publix?
Whatever might be built will need to subscribe to height and other city building code requirements. Low rise structures and most likely condominiums or town houses would qualify for redevelopment in that area of Indian Rocks Beach.
Nearest Publix?
Largo.
Downtown Clearwater Boat Slips - Kudos to Clearwater's Mayor Frank Hibbard for continuing the quest to bring about 100 boat slips to downtown Clearwater's waterfront.
It is hard to believe anyone would not support this worthy project. This is one of the few city projects that actually would generate predictable annual revenues.
There are some, albeit few, people who have said such a project would attract fuel spillage. However, under current plans, there would not be a fuel dock at the downtown boat slip location; thus, no worry about a fuel spill.
What about commercial activities?
City officials are examining commercial boating activists such as sightseeing trips, etc. There is no plan for fishing charters at the downtown location - that enterprise would be found at Clearwater's city marina on Clearwater Beach.
Boat slips in downtown Clearwater?
Let's hope so.
Waterfront Land Rights From 1957 - In the year 2000 a contentious riparian (waterfront land right) case was handed down by the Alabama Supreme Court. In that case a homeowner asked the court to rule on pier development actions taken by a neighboring marina. The court ruled in favor of the homeowner, even though the marina owner had a submerged land lease from the state of Alabama and support from city government..
In Florida, the state reportedly gave rights to land owners who abutted water. That 1921 law controlled until 1957 when the law changed to allow owner riparian rights if the owner could show upland improvement before 1957. After 1957, it is therefore debatable who might own the water bottomland - the owner, city, county or state government.
Didn't develop land until after 1957?
Captain J. Michael Shea, J.D., wrote a good article on this topic for Southwinds Magazine (November 2005).
With the development of older marinas into condominium projects, it makes you wonder who owns riparian rights - the owner, city, county or state.
In most instances, no one wants to ask for a full legal opinion. Why? It's simple, if you can't prove your case, the state of Florida could say it is their land and you would need a state submerged land lease for your dock.
Iran Threatens U.S. - For a nation trying to dispel rumors about the development of nuclear weapons, Iran recently threatened the U.S. by saying they could cause much pain to the U.S.
Threaten the U.S. and expect cooperation regarding plans to develop nuclear weapons that would be used to bomb America?
Amazing.
Yet, there are those among us Americans that are willing to allow Iran to develop weapons of mass destruction - ironically, some of them are in elected office.
I ask: What if one of those bombs kills your family or close friends? I'll just bet you would allow a second bomb.
We had that bomb from terrorists; we refer to it as 9/11. Remember those Americans? Remember the twin towers?
Albert Einstein, in his older years, warned us to control the use of nuclear bombs and not allow all nations (like Iran) to have such knowledge. Einstein knew there would be suspect places like Iran, Iraq and North Korea that would harm the world.
Kudos to President Bush. God forbid we ever have a wimpy President who would pack and run from threats thinking we have protected our borders.
Alternative Fuels - Some of the best minds in America have been working on the development of alternative fuels such as ethanol, wind-driven mills, water, solar, and even research in the use of tides to develop energy. One thing is clear, we must not depend on the use of oil for all of our energy needs.
Imagine the wonderful day when we do not need to by oil from any foreign nation!
In the near future it is likely that places like Alberta, Canada will become boom oil towns. Oil in Alberta? Experts are saying the oil reserves in Alberta could be as large as Saudi, Arabia.
Sheiks in Alberta? No, just oil cowboys with diamond-studded belts and gold-tipped boots.
Dana Reeves And Lung Cancer - It was indeed sad to read the death of Dana Reeves at the young age of 44.
Reeves died of lung cancer (even though she was reported to be a non-smoker.)
Upon review of the total number of women that die of lung cancer, 20 percent are non-smokers. In men, the number who die from lung cancer as non-smokers is reported to be 10 percent.
Thus, second-hand smoke can become an issue for non-smokers who think being in smoke-filled rooms may not represent potential future problems.
Tobacco companies may not support this national statistic, but incidents, such as Dana Reeves, is real and does happen to people across America with less notoriety than Reeves.
Barry Bonds, Steroids, And Good Athletes - Home run hitter Barry Bonds can't escape recent news of his use of steroids. It appears that Bonds once looked at home run hitter Mark McGwire and said maybe that stuff would help me.
Mark McGwire refuses to talk about his use of steroids; of course, all America heard McGwire refuse to talk about his prior use of steroids in front of a U.S. Congressional panel formed to discuss steroid use in baseball.
Questions are no longer being raised about Bonds' use of steroids. Over 90 percent of people voting in a recent poll felt Bonds had used steroids. Of course, Bonds denies that he knowingly took steroids. "I don't know what it was that I was taking," stated Bonds about some of the things he had taken. Perhaps Bonds did not ask about the power of the "spinach" he was taking. We may never know the truth from Bonds about his use of steroids.
There is a bigger problem that baseball must address regarding Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and others who plan to break baseball records and perhaps enter the Hall Of Fame: Should these men be given baseball records when steroid use clouds the issue? Obviously, there are two sides to this question. But, when you see how Pete Rose had been banned from baseball, why not players with steroid use issues?
However, the use of steroids added a new dimension to cheating the game. Those special drugs truly added super strength to already good athletes.
Who knows how all of this steroid stuff might end, but it is reported that steroid use could kill many of these good people while relatively young in years.
The way I see it, damage is being done to healthy athletes who come from low income areas. They take steroids to move ahead in life . . . at least, that is what they think - and it is physically damaging. What is the price for ten years taken off the life of an athlete?
Westchase, Tampa - Can you imagine a homeowners association asking the wife of a soldier stationed in Iraq to take down a sign "supporting the troops" until her husband soldier returns back home?
It is a two-foot long sign, not a large billboard sign in her front lawn. Twenty- four inch sign.
"Can't do it!" said the Westchase homeowners association board of directors.
A small sign in the front lawn supporting the troops is what has caused national media attention to Westchase, Tampa. Isn't there a large military base in Tampa? Didn't our Tampa and Florida elected officials recently fight to keep this large military base (and its economic impact on Tampa's economy) from being closed?
You might think there is something more important to confront in Westchase than the spouse of a U.S. soldier serving his country in Iraq.
Sometimes all of this signage stuff gets ridiculous . . . why not worry about cutting taxes, cutting government waste, developing better roads, checking our drinking water, etc., etc.
A two-foot sign on a homeowner's lawn supporting her husband during the war?
Ironically, none of the sign business would have occurred if the homeowners association had let her put up a flag (supporting the troops). Due to bad information from the "association," the yard sign was installed.
Hang the flag and move on.
Marriage - Marriage is the welding of two metals without removing the temper. Unknown Author