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What You Missed This Week in La Gaceta
From As We Heard It, by Patrick Manteiga
► Last week, two documents were released about the Tampa Bay Rays efforts to move to Tampa. One was a memorandum of understanding regarding new stadium project and future project agreements.
It was a demand letter from the Rays seeking a very one-sided deal. One that has a lot of risks for the public and would take money from funding sources needed for transportation, public safety and improvements to Raymond James Stadium that will be requested by the Bucs in return for a new contract.
The more important document was released a few hours after the MOU by Bonnie Wise, Hillsborough County administrator. She is part of a group of County, City and Sports Authority top staffers who are working on what funding sources are available for a Rays stadium and how to structure using those sources.
The Wise document, called “Tampa Bay Rays development proposal – key concepts,” shows there is a significant gap in what the Rays want and what government can give.
The Rays want to use CIT funds above the 3 percent projected growth rate. The County says the overage, which it may or may not achieve, should be backstopped by the team. The Rays want to commit CIT money to cover shortfalls.
The Rays want tourist development tax dollars and want it all up front. The County writes it prefers to provide TDT revenue on a reimbursement basis.
The Rays want CRA money, which only starts to flow when tax value of property surrounding the new stadium is built. This money does not exist yet. The document reads, “These CRA revenues will take several years to materialize. Neither the County nor the City should take this development risk.”
The document goes on and on poking holes in the Rays’ plan for our tax dollars.
We obtained a letter from Rays CEO Ken Babby to the each county commissioner and Bonnie Wise sent on Wednesday that read the MOU is the minimum financial commitment from local government that they would accept and that the MOU must be approved on their timetable or they will look elsewhere.
A deal is possible, but only if the Rays start to listen to what can and can’t be done. Partners have to work together, not make unreasonable demands.
If their MOU is the final offer, we say, “Take a walk.”(to read more, buy a paper)
► The news that Jesse Jackson had passed returned my thoughts to a day years ago.
Mike Scionti, who at one time was head of the local Democratic Party and always a passionate Democrat, picked me up and we drove to a church near Orlando to see Mr. Jackson. He was to speak about getting out the vote, registering young people, and the upcoming elections.
Scionti introduced me to Jackson and we exchanged thoughts about the political landscape. When it was time to take a seat, Mr. Jackson touched my arm and asked me to sit next to him. There were speakers before him and between speeches we chatted.
Finally, it was his turn at the podium. As he spoke, I was mesmerized. His voice and cadence, the melody of his speech locked me in to focus on words and their meanings. The intensity increased and as the speech continued, he would repeat key phrases twice, three times, four times in a row, until the phrase sunk into the minds of the people in the audience who couldn’t help but audibly repeat Jackson’s words.
He was the best speaker we ever saw in person and that day will always be special to me. I thank the memory of the late Mike Scionti for exposing me to that great experience. … (to read more, buy a paper)
► The City of Tampa, in its zeal to make some people rich with the no-bid expensive South Howard Avenue Flood Relief Project, continues to fail in being transparent and honest in its presentation.
At a recent workshop on the project that’s latest cost estimate is $98 million, Dennis Rogero, Tampa’s CFO, told Council and showed as part of a slideshow that the City had applied for a $25 million grant and it could be added to other grants to pay for $40 million of the project. Part of that $40 million is a $10,061,435 Resilient Florida Grant.
When questioned by Tampa City Councilwoman Naya Young on whether the $25 million grant had been denied, Rogero said, “What comes to mind is the FDEP grant that we’re talking about here, the $25 million, we have applied for it, hasn’t been denied.” … The State agency that oversees Resilient Florida Grants wrote regarding the $25 million grant, “I would also like to reiterate that the 2025 application for additional funds for the project was not approved for inclusion on the FY26/27 Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan.” Not being included is a nice way of saying the application was denied. … (to read more, buy a paper)
► U.S. Congressman Randy Fine tweeted, “Palestine is a synonym for evil,” and added, “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
Fine has been a jerk since his first days as a state representative up to his most recent as the newest member of Congress. He is a Jew who hates Arabs, Muslims and especially Palestinians. He has passed legislation based on his bigotry.
His peers in the State House, State Senate and now Congress have not only excused his words and actions but supported his legislation.
His latest hate-filled tweets drew criticism from both parties, but Trump is silent. During Fine’s congressional campaign in the fall of last year, Trump labeled him a “MAGA Warrior”, “America First Patriot” and “highly respected.” …(to read more, buy a paper)
► There is a great bill in the Florida House and Senate that emulates the blue envelope programs in other states.
The Department of Highway Safety would provide drivers with autism with blue envelopes that hold their driver’s licenses, registrations, proofs of insurance, emergency contacts and also identifies the driver as having autism and gives instructions to the law enforcement officer about how best to communicate with the driver.
The program also requires training for officers on interacting with ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Some people with autism, when stressed, can act erratically and run away without being conscious of their actions.
This is needed training, not just for traffic stops, but for all interactions between police and people with ASD.
The program is voluntary.
State representative Susan Valdes is carrying the bill in the House. Senator Shevrin Jones is the sponsor in the Senate.(to read more, buy a paper)
From Chairman of the Bored, by Gene Siudut
► I want to dive in before it is too late about the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show, which has been a lightning rod for all the keyboard warriors and possibly racist snowflakes around the country.
This is not to say anyone not liking his music is racist. I am not a fan of his music, as I don’t know it and don’t have an opinion, but its not really my genre and I don’t speak Spanish or go to the clubs.
But there has definitely been a racist overtone. It’s something you recognize when you see and hear it. My parents taught me many things, but one of the most important was that racism is a stain on society.
Rich Eisen, a longtime ESPN personality, dove into the racist aspects of the arguments against the show, but also found something enlightening. But before that, let’s set the stage.
The outrage came quickly, predictably, and with all the thoughtful restraint of a Facebook comment section at 2 a.m.
Bad Bunny had taken the Super Bowl halftime stage, and before the final note had faded, the complaints were already circulating. Some viewers were offended. Others were confused. Many simply asked the same question in slightly different forms: Why was he singing in Spanish? …(to read more, buy a paper)
From O’Pionions to Go, by Joe O’Neill
► Cog Test: More hand-bruise speculation. More embarrassing, high-profile nodding off. Another “aced” cognition test. We’ve seen this presidential pattern; we’ll see it again. And again.
But we haven’t, until now, actually seen the Trump cognition test. Some likely samples: Solve Hocus-Focus, count backwards from 3, name the day of the week, current century, two SCOTUS justices, three NATO members and the main ingredients of a cheeseburger.
Atorvastatin, Azerbaijan, Acetaminaphen: Which one is a country? What is Stormy Daniels real name? Name two books other than “Art of the Deal” and “Mein Kampf,” that you have read. What is Melania’s phone number?
Party of Lincoln: How can Republicans still maintain that their party is “the party of Lincoln”? Shouldn’t these Lincoln Day Dinners be realistically renamed? How about the Bull Connor or George Wallace Day Dinners? Stop using Lincoln as a disingenuous, hypocritical model. …(to read more, buy a paper)
From In Context, by Doris Weatherford
► I see that the Justice Department is suing Harvard, again. Again, the suit is about what the Trump administration sees as Harvard’s failure to release complete data on its admission process. Let’s get this straight: Harvard is a private entity, not a public one. It has been private since 1636. (Yes, that is a 400th anniversary coming up soon, as opposed to the 250th anniversary of the United States.) It is operated by a board elected by its alumni and has no legal reason to respond to the demands of Agent Orange.
In the interest of transparency, though, there is one admission record I’d like to see: did young Donnie apply back in 1964, when he instead went to Fordham, a much inferior Catholic school in New York City? If his snit with Harvard is based on rejection, was Daddy’s promised donation insufficient to bend Harvard’s high standards? Or was he a victim of the discrimination against white men that Harvard historically upheld? Yes, I’m being sarcastic: it was impossible for a woman of any color or even wealth to enter as an undergraduatethe college back then. Not until 1977 were Harvard’s admissions “gendersex-blind.” Color-blindness came in the 70’s as well.And my daughter still is angry that her 1995 diploma credits Radcliffe equally with Harvard. …(to read more, buy a paper)
From Silhouettes, an interview with Rick Brown, by Tiffany Razzano
► Born at Fort Benning, Georgia, into a military family, Rick Brown didn’t spend much time in one place as a child.
When his father received a new assignment, Brown went with him – Rome, Okinawa, Maine. “I grew up in the Army, so we moved frequently,” he said. “It was just one of those things. I could be anywhere, anytime.”
This lifestyle never struck him as odd in his youth. “It was just kind of normal. Most of my friends [moved frequently], too. So, I didn’t know that anybody did anything any differently,” he said.
And when his father was stationed in the U.S., usually there was a large number of military kids in the local schools. He recalled typical conversations with other students. “Where were you last and where was I last? Those were our basic conversations,” Brown said. …(to read more, buy a paper)
From Líneas de la memoria, por Gabriel Cartaya
► El jueves de la semana pasada nos visitó en La Gaceta el músico Carlos Solís Bravo, acompañado del poeta Alberto Sicilia. Desde las palabras de presentación, francamente amigables, la conversación derivó hacia las diversas actividades culturales que en la actualidad se desarrollan en Tampa y el rol que desempeña Tampa Lector en su fortalecimiento.
Comentamos acerca de la reciente exposición de arte del pintor Vicente Castro y sobre la Feria del Libro cuya segunda edición será el próximo noviembre. Pero más que contarle quisimos saber de él, no solo de su origen cubano, sino de su temprana inserción en la cultura estadounidense, lo que le llevó a fundar su propia banda de música –nombrada Solís Bravo– y con ella recorrer todo el país, componiendo y cantando, contribuyendo no solo a la alegría, sino también a la sanación, la fe y la esperanza.
Por eso le comento: quienes han escuchado la música que haces, incluidas letra y melodía, coinciden en encontrar en ella emoción y esperanza, de modo que trasciende el disfrute del instante. Lo afirmo y le pregunto, ¿cómo valoras esa percepción hacia tu labor artística? La respuesta es segura y concisa, como si las verdades necesitaran pocas palabras:
-Uno de mis objetivos ha sido conmover a la gente y hacer que sintieran algo positivo al escuchar mi música. Si eso sucedía, cumplía con mi deber como músico. … (to read more, buy a paper)
From Briznas culturales, por Leonardo Venta
► Nacido hacia el 497/96 antes de Cristo, Sófocles –uno de los tres grandes dramaturgos de la antigua Atenas, junto con Esquilo y Eurípides– murió a los 90 años. Al nacer Sófocles, Atenas preludiaba su democracia y apertura al dispositivo de un gobierno popular.
En calidad de autor dramático, Sófocles gozó de gran popularidad entre sus conciudadanos. Ganó su primer concurso trágico, en las Dionisiadas del año 468, compitiendo con Esquilo; a partir de esa fecha, concursó en otras 29 festividades hasta el año de su muerte, obteniendo el primer premio en 18 ocasiones, y no quedando nunca en tercer lugar.
De sus numerosas obras dramáticas sólo se conservan siete tragedias: Áyax, Las Traquinias, Antígona, Edipo Rey, Electra, Filoctetes y Edipo en Colono. Sin embargo, se sabe que los sabios alejandrinos conservaban más de 120 de sus tragedias y dramas satíricos.
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