The 2016-2017 Baseball "Third Season" – a sleeper so far

Are the Rays are having some trouble getting a serious stadium conversation started?

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

I have defined the Tampa Bay Baseball "Third Season" as that time between the last world series game and the start of the spring training media hype or roughly late October to late February.

Bay Post Internet October 2016, Oldsmar throws the first pitch in the Rays “Third Season”

This is the time when the Rays usually beat the drum loudly complaining about poor attendance blaming it on Tropicana Field and lack luster appreciation of the sport by the local population.

In the past the Third Season" has included games between Tampa, Hillsborough County, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and this year the City of Oldsmar and a small skirmish with Derby Lane.

There has been little of the normal posturing and hype associated previous "Third Seasons." While one could conclude that there is a lot going on in the background, the silence is deafening.

Mark Topkin, Tampa Bay Times staff writer reports some interesting comments from Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred in, Manfred: There has to be "end game" in Rays stadium bid or ...

Manfred said, "Ultimately, there has to be an end game. If in fact, there's not a site or there's not a financial arrangement that's viable and we become convinced of that, our rules allow for the possibility of relocation."

Every since Jeff Vinik made the statement about his downtown Tampa development "Baseball is not the best and highest use of the property" (paraphrase) interest seems to have waned across the Bay.

Smart money in Tampa has apparently heard Tampa's premier developer and current talk in the Legislature about limiting funding for sports stadiums has thrown a bit of cold Gator Aid on the new stadium site.

The clock is ticking.

With the dawn of 2017, the Rays have just ten years left on their lease agreement with the City of St. Petersburg. That may sound like a long time but when it comes to new stadiums, the time window from start to first pitch could consume most of that time.

Consider getting land accumulated, an actual agreement, arranging a controversial and complicated financing deal, a possible referendum, a plan for paying for infrastructure costs, and an electorate not real thrilled with public funds being diverted to sports franchise owners, the whole process spanning several major political races and elections while baseball interest in the Bay area continues to deteriorate.

How much of your money would you invest in a new stadium?

It could be the reason why we have not heard much during this "Third Season" is the Rays are having some trouble getting a serious conversation started.

It is starting to look like Mayor Kriseman may be correct about the Rays looking around and finding the Trop site is the best place after all. Maybe what they find is it is the ONLY place.

I have long said the real problem St. Petersburg faces with the Rays is not that they leave, but they will want to stay.

As the Commissioner said, "Ultimately, there has to be an end game. If in fact, there's not a site or there's not a financial arrangement that's viable and we become convinced of that, our rules allow for the possibility of relocation."

So far, not so good.

Or there's always Oldsmar. See Christopher O'Donnell, Times Staff Writer  Rays stadium in Oldsmar? The mayor sure thinks so.

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Disclosures:

The Inaugural Voyage of the Tampa Bay Ferry

The ferry simply picks you up at a dock and drops you off on the other dock across the bay. 

St. Petersburg, Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD

Author: In Search of Robin

The Cross Bay Ferry not to be confused with the Tampa Bay Ferry and Water Taxi that operates out of John's Pass on Treasure Island, made its inaugural voyage across Tampa bay Tuesday with no regular members of the public just the political elite and their high-roller friends.

You can get the Ferry details in the Tampa Bay Times Caitlin Johnson, Times Staff Writer; New NewTampa Bay ferry to make its maiden voyage on Tuesday and  in Kriseman's 'dream' comes to life as Cross Bay Ferry makes first trip from St. Petersburg to Tampa (w/video).

The Cross Bay Ferry is a joint effort with Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, The City of Tampa and the City of St. Petersburg all chipping in to fund the start up.

It is a great idea to look at this type of alternate transportation. 

A pilot project of this nature can define many issues. Principal among them is the last mile issue, which always comes up in point to point public transit. That question simply is how do I get to and back from my actual destination?

Cab, bus, UBER, Lyft, walk, bicycle? 

The ferry simply picks you up at a dock and drops you off on the other dock across the bay. 

Now what?

Hopefully, this pilot project will give some insight into how that problem is solved.

The general thinking at the moment is initially the ferry will be a round trip tourist attraction that could possibly morph into a commuter option.

The round trip price is $20 per head and by the time, you add parking at your departure site and ground transportation at your arrival site the whole trip could get a bit expensive for daily commuters.

It is an interesting idea, probably a waste of taxpayer money, but the thought of Rick Kriseman doing a Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic) moment in the bow of the Ferry, while directing the captain to dodge the flotsam and jetsam his City dumped into the bay almost makes it a worthwhile investment.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to Like or share on Facebook. 

See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:

Contributor: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff  Patrick Murphy for US Senate,Charlie Crist for Congress

A City Transportation Referendum is a bad idea

Once this mess begins, getting the locals to work together will be a bigger nightmare than the recent referendum efforts have been.

St. Petersburg Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

Talk continues to surface regarding a city only transportation referendums in the bay area. The thinking seems to be these over hyped transit ideas would be an easier sell in the big Cities than they are in the un-incorporated areas and smaller towns.

It seems odd when these same people were talking about the “regional” benefits from a transportation tax and light rail during GeenLight and Go Hillsborough.

Locally, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman are supporting the idea of a city referendum to get the transportation ball rolling or more likely the trains running.

Most of the opposition I have seen is based on Republican reluctance to raise taxes. So far, the local transit tax initiatives of the mayors have died a quiet death in the Florida Legislature.

There are a number of reasons why city transit referendums are a bad idea.

For any transit system to work in the bay area, it must be regional in design and scope. The thought of each of the larger cities in Pinellas or Hillsborough county developing their own public transit project is humorous at first and frightening when you think about it.

How do we provide for common technology, physical connection, intersystem transfers, ticketing and so on?

What this concept leads to is a patchwork quilt of disparate transit systems that do not communicate or seamlessly interconnect at any level.

A lot of people will make a lot of money, and nothing will work.

This whole approach is just another way for the light-rail  people to get their foot in the door. It is easier to fool a few people than all the people.

Once this mess begins, getting the locals to work together since each will have a fixed amount of money will be a bigger nightmare than the recent referendum efforts have been.

Then there will be the hold out(s) who will refuse to go along and the whole process will be a huge waste of taxpayer money, political capital and effort.

Instead of running around the state Buckhorn, Kriseman and the rest of the mayors pushing this local transit tax effort should work together to develop a multiphase transportation plan for their respective areas that shows some common sense and actually works.

Here locally, that means dumping the MPOs, TBARTA, transit oriented redevelopment disciples, light rail lobbyists and hire a group of professionals who can develop a multiphase transportation plan the people can have confidence in.

Hash it out, refine it. Use best brain power available. Put that plan on the ballot supported by a sales tax increase and watch it pass.

The people are not opposed to a transit plan that is based on common sense and regional needs.

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Disclosures:

Contributor to: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff
Contributor to: Carlos Beruff for US Senate

Downtown St. Pete moves front and center once again.

And you thought that Waterfront Master Plan was going to work for all of St. Pete.

St. Petersburg, Fl

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

Tuesday March 15, yes its primary election day, the St. Pete Pier will move to the top of the Kriseman Administrations' Agenda.

Here is the Announcement from The New St. Pete Pier website:

Barbara Wilks, from W Architecture and the Pier Approach Design team invite you to join them on Tuesday, March 15th at the University of South Florida Student Center. This is a workshop designed to hear from you as the design team presents conceptual layouts for the Pier Approach.

Pier Approach Public Workshop
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Please note: start time for this event has changed to 7:00 p.m.
USF St. Petersburg Student Center Ballroom – 2nd Floor 200 6th Avenue South

Free parking in the USF parking garage at 250 5th Avenue S. Levels 2- 5.

There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a very well done, thoughtful and informative presentation with a detailed public input format. Over the years, City staff has become exceptionally good at putting these types of presentations together.

The timing could have been a little better, but perhaps the Kriseman team hopes the presidential primary will keep the Pier approach a back-story from a media perspective.

Since this presentation deals with the approach and building an elaborate and expensive front yard for the Vinoy and Beach Drive look for most of the usual special interests to be ready with a number of suggestions designed to enhance their property values.

One of the things I find curious is for an administration that seems to be concerned about climate change and sea-level rise, the Kriseman team doesn't seem to be too concerned about spending $20 million on a development that could be underwater if the global warming people are even partially right. The new Beach Drive could be somewhere between 4^th and 5^th streets if the predictions are accurate.

I have thought from the beginning that this whole uplands project is a waste of money, especially in light of the City's infrastructure problems, failing schools, south side crime problems and the fact that just over 30 blocks away kids cannot get a decent education.

On the other hand, it does meet many of the Kriseman administrations' requirements: it is big, bright, shiny and makes the Chamber and the rich folks happy.

And you thought that Waterfront Master Plan was going to work for all of St. Pete.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff

St. Pete's "Art in Transit" has hit a few bumps in the Road

A new approach by the Kriseman administration may benefit everyone.

St. Petersburg, Fl

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

Back when Bill Foster was Mayor the City as part of the "arts destination" concept developed a plan to convert the mundane PSTA bus stops into a "unified artistic vision" Art in Transit.

Funding was about $2.3 million from the City and a series of grants. That is a lot of money.

City staff began negotiating (no bidding) with Carol Mickett and Robert Stack House, Mickett/Stackhouse Studios, world renown artists located in St. Petersburg.

You can get the detail in the Tampa Bay Times article by Charlie Frago Back to the drawing board for St. Petersburg's Arts in Transit project.

Late in December of 2015, after almost eighteen months of not much happening Wayne Atherholt, the City's Cultural Affairs Director, pulled the plug on the Millet/Stackhouse project.

More from Charlie Frago Tampa Bay Times, Kriseman says canceled "Arts in Transit" project wasn't orphaned.

Millet and Stackhouse sit at or near the top of the elite of the St. Petersburg arts community. The project with their names on it would have garnered national if not international attention.

The stuff "arts destinations" are made of.

So What Happened?

When Rick Kriseman became Mayor, there was a significant shift in the City's approach to the arts and the arts community. Kriseman wanted to move from a subsidized arts community to a sustainable arts community.

To understand what is going on here you need to read my series of Posts with Wayne Atherholt from May of 2015.

Part 1  A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt St. Pete Director of Cultural Affairs

Part 2  A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt  St. Pete's New Director of Cultural Affairs

Part 3 A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt  St. Pete's New Director of Cultural Affairs

Part 4 A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt  St. Pete's New Director of Cultural Affairs

Part 5 A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt  St. Pete's New Director of Cultural Affairs

Part 6 A Casual Conversation with Wayne Atherholt St. Pete's New Director of Cultural Affairs

Millet and Stackhouse make the point that they did not get enough help from the City staff on legal, right of way and other non-artistic issues. That statement is probably true, but unknown is how and when they sought out help from the City.

My guess is they were hoping to get the public works support free from the City and hang on to as much of the $2.3 million as possible.

With $2.3 million to develop the project, it would have been wise to seek out some help from public work's professionals to resolve common issues in right of way construction.

Turning over what is as much a public works project, building bus shelters in the right of way, totally to the artists charged with making them "artful" is not a very good plan.

The problem is revealed in two quotes from the Frago Article first, regarding Millet/Stackhouse: "They just weren't able to provide what we normally get from those types of projects," said Atherholt, he added, we didn't get what we needed. City officials decided that it needs a team that has more expertise in public works and engineering. Artists aren't usually in charge of these types of projects."

Most telling is another quote from Atherholt, "The city remains excited about the project, which may or may not involve multiple artists."

Look for the City to divide the Art in Transit Project up into a series of bids or one bid with a project manager requiring multiple artists and make an opportunity for numerous local artists to share a piece of the $2.3 Million dollar pie or what is left of it after the City settles with Millet/Stackhouse.

This approach will put needed revenue into the St. Pete arts community, a primary Kriseman goal, and the public will actually get something in return.

Will Art in Transit be as "artsy" as would have been with Millet/Stackhouse? Probably not.

However, Millet/Stackhouse could come right back and bid on a part of the project.

For now, don't pay too much attention to the balling and whining of the top end of the St. Pete arts community. Kriseman, Atherholt and the city team are taking the right approach.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Bob Gualtieri for Pinellas County Sheriff

Buckhorn on the Rays crazy or sly like a fox?

Buckhorn's first pitch in the baseball stadium saga is low and inside.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

Just a day or so after the St. Pete City Council approved a deal to let the Tampa Bay Rays look for a new stadium site Tampa Mayor affectively  pours some gasoline on a newly smoldering fire.

Buckhorn is indicating an apartment complex housing 327 low-income families that are mostly African American currently is his favorite location for the new baseball stadium.

Here are a couple of articles:
Christopher O'Donnell Tampa Bay Tribune: Buckhorn wants Rays ballpark near downtown parking garages

 Richard Danielson, Tampa Bay Times: Following Rays vote, spotlight turns toward Tampa Park Apartments

Baseball - some history:
Los Angeles Times; May 28, 1985  Battle Rages On for Baseball in Tampa, St. Pete

May 28, 1985

Steven Kaylor, Jon East, St. Petersburg Independent August 1984: St. Petersburg Stadium will be a sure Winner supporters say

United States District Court, MD Florida, Tampa Division , March 8, 1990,  Locascio v. City of St. Petersburg, 731 F. Supp. 1522 (M.D. Fla. 1990) from the findings of fact:

From the (City of St. Petersburg) 1979-80 Block Grant application, the Project Summary section, covering the Project, reads:

The Gas Plant area has long been recognized as one of the worst areas of housing in St. Petersburg. Based on surveys showing that over 80% of the structures in the area were deteriorated or dilapidated, the City Council declared Gas Plant an area of slum and blight suitable for redevelopment in September of 1978 and mandated the preparation of a redevelopment plan

A draft of the plan has now been completed and was adopted in September, 1979. The plan seeks to rid the area of slum and blight as well as to "expand the employment and economic base of the City" (City Council Goal No. 4) and "encourage and reinforce downtown development" (City Council Goal No. 7) in conformance with the City's adopted Comprehensive Land Use Plan-Intown Sector

Towards accomplishing these objectives, the plan proposes the acquisition of 182 properties, the relocation of 25 businesses and 45 owner-occupant and 281 tenant households, the demolition of 262 structures, and extensive sight improvements, including street and sidewalk improvements, landscaping, the construction of detention basins and some municipal parking, and rerouting of utilities to provide redevelopment parcels unencumbered by utility and access easements.

10 News WTSP, Eric Glasser: Residents once uprooted upset about Trop talk

Buckhorn said, "I don't hide my optimism for that particular site," following a City Hall news conference Friday.

Buckhorn's suggestion and optimism for the Tampa Apartments location brought up some interesting questions.

1. Does Tampa want to go through the agonizing relocation of 327 low-income families and all the negative publicity that might result?

2. Does Major League Baseball want to be a party to another political nightmare about displacing poor people for a palace for the boys of summer to play in?

3. Does Buckhorn really want to run for Governor while he is kicking 327 poor African American people out of their homes for a baseball stadium?

The property that the Tampa Apartments is on is privately owned and the owners have expressed an interest, so there would be little if any taking of property by eminent domain, but there will be gut wrenching stories of elderly African-American people being forced to leave their homes.

The real question may be is this Mayor Buckhorn's first choice or is just a simple way to not so quietly nudge the whole baseball question out to Hillsborough County?

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

It is time to get the Rays deal done

The Kriseman administration and/or City Council should put a reasonable deal on the table.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author: In Search of Robin

  

St. Petersburg has been dragging out the Rays stadium issue for far too long. Trying to position the Rays into a deal they simply do not want has caused a lot of unnecessary strife and contention.

It is time for the City to allow the Rays to look in the Bay area for a new stadium site.

Jim, Kennedy's position regarding compensation is a laudable one, but looking at the time frame for a new stadium, wherever the Rays decide to build it and 2027 when the existing lease expires, a big dollar request to the Rays will simply not work.

Here is a recent comment from a reader:

Happy New Year.  Just read in the Trib that the mayor is asking each council rep to meet with the Rays.  Please, please consider just letting the Rays look, as they probably are doing now within a legal framework, and to let the forces that be unfold when they find a place.  There is really no need to set a price for them to break their lease right now, that is putting the cart before the horse.  Market forces will be different when they find a location and if council cannot come up with a fair penalty, then the Courts will, which is what the Rays don't want so the incentive to settle then is strong.  St Pete will be in a rightfully stronger position then.  Please consider and do have a happy new year.  

Thanks.  

JC

With the economy booming and local development both residential and commercial exploding throughout the Bay area, owners of currently viable sites may have to think carefully about committing a large parcel of land to a sport that barely draws 14,000 fans to each of its events.

Furthermore, egos aside, getting Hillsborough County and private investors to pony up any significant portion of the hundreds of millions of dollars required to build a stadium may be very difficult.

St. Petersburg has already put the Rays in the unenviable position of coming late to the relocation game. Time is no longer on the Rays side. They need to start the search for a site sooner than later.

The Kriseman administration and/or City Council should put a reasonable deal on the table, allow the Mayor the joy of harvesting "his" new yes vote and get on with it.

There are things much more pressing to deal with in St. Pete.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

Guns another view – Sunday Post Comments

We have developed in our country, a culture of violence, aggression, and a very real lack of awareness of the value of human life.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

In my Sunday Post on December 20, 2015 I took up the subject: Are guns really the problem in St. Petersburg or is the Kriseman administration letting its citizens down.

It is easy to miss the "Comments" Section on a Blog Post. I don't normally repost reader comments but on the PATCH site there was an exceptionally insightful set of comments from reader mark Kamleiter.

Comment by Mark Kamleiter:

It would be naive to say that "guns" are the sole cause of the violence in our community and I do not think that was the message of either the mayor or those marching with him. Does ready access to guns contribute in a major way to the violent deaths in our community, in the country? The answer is undeniably - "yes!" Without question we have developed in our country, a culture of violence, aggression, and a very real lack of awareness of value of human life.

I have lived in countries with stricter controls on guns. Do individuals still become violently angry in this countries? Of course, the world still struggles with the violence and aggression everywhere. The point is that in these countries, when guns are not available, aggressive individuals reach for what is available. Doc. speaks of baseball bats. No, I don't want to be hit with a baseball bat, but give me a choice between an attacker coming at me with a bat or a gun, I will take the bat every time. Once in Paris, I came upon three young men on scooters attacking a single man at a bus stop. I tried to stop the attack and these boys grabbed bicycle chains and a small wooden bat and came after me. I am not big and not a fighter, but they backed down when I did not run. In the end, they ran away. If they had had a gun, I would not, today, be able to write about gun violence.

So, yes, I marched with the mayor. Yes, he is a Democrat, but I forgive him that. We need to stop making everything about politics. Were the mayor's motivations about doing the popular thing? Are you kidding? Americans are too much in love with their deadly, useless toys, for the mayor's actions to be popular. Guns make people feel bigger than they are, tougher than they are. They imagine themselves as rugged, tough individualist. They give no thought to the pain and destruction their guns can cause. They do not want to hear that guns cause more deaths by suicide and accident, than intentional deaths.

Thanks Mark for taking the time to share your thoughts they should cause us all, me included, to think carefully about how we deal with a gun centric society.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

Are guns really the problem in St. Petersburg or is the Kriseman Administration letting its citizens down?

It is easy to stand in a crowd like Friday's march and decry firearms as the reason for these recent incidents.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

  

Worry continues over the recent string of shootings in St. Petersburg and the worry is well founded. Friday's article in the Tampa Bay Times by: Hanna Marcus and Kathryn Varn, Times Staff Writers: As a community reels, St. Petersburg police find no pattern in string of fatal shootings sets the scene.

Marcus and Varn cut right to the point with their view about Mayor Kriseman's comments and proposals as "weak" and "not plausible.

Kriseman's public approach was a hastily arranged short march to allow for some expression of public concern and outrage. The march got some media time, produced a couple of sound bites but really accomplished very little given the Mayor's lackluster comments.

It is probably not fair to politicize these events, but Republicans have one view of this problem and Democrats have another and Kriseman being a good Democrat is singing the company line. Let's blame all of these issues on guns.

I agree we have a gun problem in the United States and quite likely in St. Petersburg. However, guns are the mechanism not the cause. If all ten of these homicides or even half of them had been caused by people being beaten to death with baseball bats would everyone be calling for stricter control on base ball bats?

The last time I checked illegal trafficking in guns was a crime and perhaps the St. Pete PD should be backtracking a little harder on where these guns are coming from a making some prosecutable cases on those providing the firearms. It is way past time to start taking some illegal gun dealers off the street along with the drug dealers.

It is easy to stand in a crowd like Friday's march and decry firearms as the reason for these recent incidents, but it could just as easily be a knife or a tire iron.

After promising the African American community just about everything you could think of to get their vote,  the Kriseman administration has really done very little to address the root cause of poverty and the conditions that lead to the level of frustration and anger that foment incidents like we have seen in the last few weeks.

A couple of hours of the Mayor's time marching down a street will not solve these issues.

Kriseman and his dream team need to stop playing to the millennials, the downtown rich, the Chamber of Commerce and focus on helping those in St. Pete who need it most.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

Kriseman on Trump is that what you elected him to do?

Now is time for leadership from public officials not late night cute tweets.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman, perhaps spending just a bit too much time online, couldn't resist the opportunity to jump on the latest Trump statement regarding US domestic terrorism.

​DONALD J. TRUMP STATEMENT ON PREVENTING MUSLIM IMMIGRATION

(New York, NY) December 7th, 2015, -- Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on. According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population. Most recently, a poll from the Center for Security Policy released data showing "25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad" and 51% of those polled, "agreed that Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to Shariah." Shariah authorizes such atrocities as murder against non-believers who won't convert, beheadings and more unthinkable acts that pose great harm to Americans, especially women.

Mr. Trump stated, "Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life. If I win the election for President, we are going to Make America Great Again." - Donald J. Trump

Kriseman Tweet

“I am hereby barring Donald Trump from entering St. Petersburg until we fully understand the dangerous threat posed by all Trumps,” 

Guess we won't be seeing anyone named Trump vacationing here for a while.

You can catch the read from the left in Janelle Irwin's saintpetersblog Post Rick Kriseman unofficially “bans” Donald Trump from St. Pete and it’s exactly as awesome as you’d think

You would think that the Mayor of a City whose administration dumps raw sewage into Tampa Bay and Clam Bayou, can't seem to get the $40 million Pier Park project name right, has five failing schools in his jurisdiction and a continuing poverty and crime problem on the south side of his City could put his time to a bit better use.

While the Tweet obviously is generating a lot of humorous and serious attention, those of a more conservative bent, making winter vacation plans might also consider themselves' unwelcome.

Sarasota is nice this time of a year.

Am I all in on Trump's latest comments? Not necessarily.

However, I do wonder how clever the Mayor would be if the events of San Bernardino had taken place in Tampa or St. Pete.

We face a serious threat in this country, far beyond anything any of us have ever seen. It's pretty easy to jump on a suggestion as seemingly over the top as Trump's latest remarks, but given a couple of more of these incidents that could easily change.

Awesome? Not really.

Now is time for leadership from public official's not late night cute tweets.

Grow up Rick...you have a serious job to do.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

OMG – what if the millennials don't like the name St. Pete Pier.

St. Pete Pier. Not new, unique or clever and not very millennial at all.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

The whole concept of Pier Park was touted as a place where one could walk, run, kayak, bike and enjoy nature. It is a Park on a Pier

With the recent disclosure that the name Pier Park was already trademarked; the City has marshaled all of its collective creativity and renamed the venue the St. Pete Pier.

You know the place famous for the inverted pyramid.

There was the Railroad Pier, the Electric Pier, the Million Dollar Pier and the Inverted Pyramid Pier all with some unique characteristic.

Now it's just the St. Pete Pier. What do you do on a Pier?

Fish.

Maybe Mayor Kriseman had it right when he said, "Let's build the Damn Pier"

Damn Pier – has a nice ring to it.

Pier Park was kind of catchy. Was it a Pier or a Park? It was enough to make the online searcher at least drop one more click and maybe even enough to encourage the Beach tourist to take a trip downtown.

Some may see this as just a marketing problem and feel that spending a few more bucks on promotion will overcome any issues.

Maybe not.

The millennials are all about getting rid of the old and replacing it with the new.

The couch in my mom's house was over 20 years old. The sofa in my home is about seven years old and most of the millennials I know don't have a stick of furniture over 3 years old.

They want things new, shiny and with names that reflect the millennial era. Just look at the names of new cars, rental properties, bars, beers and startup businesses.

What if they decide they just don't like it and the visiting millennials can't figure it out or just decide to pass?

Could be a real problem.

Will the name change affect anything in the Pier Park/St. Pete Pier project?

Probably not.

The St. Pete Pier (AKA Pier Park) will still be a structure of questionable practicality with limited access and functionality, demanding a high taxpayer  subsidy to support and now maybe not nearly as appealing to its primary target customers and tourists.

Phooey you say. A pier is a Pier a park is a Park. What's the big deal in the name?

Google was originally called BackRub. Hot mama became EVEREVE and for you non millennials there was the Ford debacle called Edsel.

Names matter. A Pier is not a Park, and a Park is not a Pier. The name of St. Petersburg's $70 million dollar waterfront investment should reflect what it actually is.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

What else don't we know about the St. Pete Pier AKA Pier Park?

One has to wonder what new surprises await in the "New" St. Pete Pier (Pier Park) design.

St. Petersburg, FL
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

  

This past week we were informed that the Kriseman administration has known since June of 2015; the name Pier Park was an infringement of a trademark owned by the St. Joe Company.

See in Bay Post Internet my Post The name game Pier Park now St. Pete Pier.

There was no valid reason to keep all of this on the hush hush when the best the Kriseman team could do for a new name was the St. Pete Pier.

While this may seem a bit trivial in the long run, it begs the bigger question what else are they keeping under wraps?

Most of the design modifications are being conducted just out of public eyesight by the same team that brought us the LENS. Reports to City Council have been broad brush at best, and it is a pretty sure bet that not a single council member has a clue what's actually going on in this phase of a $40+ million dollar contract.

Same can be said for the hastily arranged and approved $20 million "uplands project" where there is even less transparency.

Based on experience it seems unlikely that the Kriseman administration will willingly open up and provide significant information about either of these projects.

One has to wonder what new surprises await in the "New" St. Pete Pier (Pier Park) design. 

The Kriseman administration is desperate to get both projects moving and as this recent revelation would indicate they are really not playing straight with the public or the City Council.

It is time for some serious fact finding. City council would be wise to take some steps to ensure they don't find themselves backed into a political corner on both of these significant and costly projects.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.
Disclosures:

Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

The name game Pier Park now St. Pete Pier

St. Pete Pier – kind of bland I think. Here's a thought.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

According to a Post in saintpetersblog by Janelle Irwin St. Pete’s Pier Park won’t be named Pier Park the City was notified of a trademark infringement in June.

Additional detail in Tampa Bay Times Waverly Ann Moore article St. Petersburg's Pier Park now simply the St. Pete Pier.

The St. Joe Company owns the Rights to "Pier Park" as shown on their web site Pier Park® North — a joint venture with Casto and Strategic Retail Advisors (SRA), Pier Park® North is a vibrant shopping center located across from Pier Park Lifestyle Center in Panama City Beach. Featuring numerous national retailers, this shopping center opened in 2014 and is currently leasing the limited vacant space it has remaining.

The Kriseman administration reaction from Ben Kirby: "We never really called it Pier Park. Pier Park was the concept name, and we'll call it the St. Pete Pier going forward."

Actually, they did call it Pier Park for quite a while.

It's a pier with a park stuck on it. Obviously, the St. Joe Company doesn't see the irony in all of that and hinted at a law suit. After some significant foot dragging, and I suspect a lot of hand wringing the City opted for the name change.

St. Pete Pier – kind of bland I think. Here's a thought.

Let's set up a committee of citizens to select a more appropriate name.

Kriseman could bring back Mike Connors to chair the committee, for members select a couple of Beach Drive restaurateurs, someone from the Chamber of Commerce, add Lisa Wheeler-Brown for a sure vote on the Mayor's choice, maybe a couple of the lemmings from the original selection committee and an actual citizen or two. Take suggestions from the public and let them think they are actually part of the name selection process.

Connors could write an eloquent rant on why the name St. Pete Pier is a throwback to the past and doesn't capture the grandeur of a park on a pier.

It worked before - right up to the final vote.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

The Sunday Post – Low income housing, Baseball, BP Money and the Pinellas County Commission

December is usually a slow month in local politics

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

  

Now that we are in that mad rush shopping period between Thanksgiving and Christmas things tend to be quiet in the political arena- especially local politics.

On the National scene, interests may remain a bit higher with Carson in Jordan, Trump only opening his mouth long enough to change feet and all the rest of the Republican wannabes struggling to catch up.

It does not seem that there are any serious efforts in St. Petersburg to rush something past a distracted electorate and before the new City Council Members are seated, but it would be a good idea to keep a wary eye on the Kriseman administration as they tool up for the New Year.

Waverly Ann Moore has an interesting piece in the Tampa Bay Times: Commission rules against St. Petersburg neighborhood in fight against affordable housing. On the surface, this may seem like a lot of noise about nothing, but the Riviera Bay Civic Association is not a group to be taken lightly. Look for this one to continue to be a hot button.

Baseball should be relatively quiet for the month of December, the boys of summer like to enjoy their holidays without any distractions.

 Mayor Kriseman would like to put off any vote on the decision to let the Rays look for a new stadium site in the Bay area until the new City Council Members are seated. Primary reason is, so he can enjoy his handpicked vote from Lisa Wheeler-Brown and shore up his position as political mover and shaker.

Look for the BP money issue to come up next month. Outgoing City council members would like to get their stamp on how the money is spent. The spectrum runs from Darden Rice, who would give it all too esoteric causes like the arts and other social programs to Karl Nurse who would put it all in the sewers.

Compromise likely? Only after some uncomfortable discussion.

Some good news from the County scene, at least from my perspective, Charlie Justice will be serving as Chairman of the Pinellas County Commission. Bad news Janet Long will be serving as Vice-chair. Charlie will be dragging an anchor all year.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

Progress on Pier demolition continues as the Pelican parking lot closes

If a walk out on the Pier with your family was a Thanksgiving family ritual, you might want to pass this year.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

The City has closed the Pelican Parking lot (south side) at the base of the Pier approach.

Until this week, the lot was  open for those wishing to stop by and watch the inverted Pyramid come down and for the few fishermen who are regulars on the parking lot sea wall.

It is unclear at this point if people are prohibited from the parking lot and sea walls.

I have been stopping by regularly for the last month or so as the pier demolition proceeded. It was surprising how many people would drive through the parking lot stop and take a few pictures.

Many would just stand and look while shaking their heads.

A few tears were not uncommon.

The inverted pyramid is now totally gone.

There have been some issues with turbidity barriers and navigation lights other than that, things seem to be going along as planned.

The Pier deck will be dismantled next, and then the approach will be removed. These are big jobs and as we approach fall and winter, the Northeasterly winds could cause a few problems.

If you're planning on going down and want to walk out on Spa Beach for a closer look, be sure to park on the street or over in the North lot which is still open.

If a walk out on the Pier with your family was a Thanksgiving family ritual, you might want to pass this year. Thanks to the Kriseman administration it's really just a sad sight with some remaining rubble and demolition equipment.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

In Defense of Momma "T" Lassiter

If you think she is brash now, you should have been in City Council meetings 10 or 15 years ago.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

  

Last week Janelle Irwin, saintpetersblog, took Momma "T" to task in a post Momma Tee Lassiter: Activist or antagonist?

In the interest of full disclosure, I have known Momma "T" for over 25 years.

I worked with her on a couple of issues and was a regular at her 'Law Day" event for a number of years. I like Momma "T". In fact, it goes way beyond like I have a deep respect for the woman.

Momma "T" has spent a large portion of her life trying everything she can to improve conditions for people on the south side and really in all of St. Pete.

Momma "T" has been promised help that never came, lied to by staff and virtually every administration, and yet she keeps coming back and trying to move forward.

If you think, she is brash now, you should have been setting in City Council meetings 10 or 15 years ago or better yet sat down with her one on one.

Momma "T" is running out of time.

She is frustrated by the City's inability to get things moving south of central. The kids in South St. Pete, her "babies" as she calls them, are still underserved by the schools they go to, arrested too often and many die way too young.

Poverty in her world is not getting better it is getting worse.

The Kriseman Administration isn't much better than their predecessors, lots of promises but not a lot of results. All the redevelopment promises are just that promises for the future but Momma "T's" people live right now in the present.

She can be brash; she has a way with words, a short temper, a mean streak and absolutely no tolerance for indecision.

Part of the problem with cites is as they grow elected people on City Council become more of the elite and less of the people. Those like Momma "T" become more of an annoyance than a source of valuable direction such is the case in St. Petersburg.

Momma "T" doesn't need to be "shamed" and she doesn't need to be thrown out of City Council meetings.

Could she tone it down a little – sure?

However, think about this: If you went home every night after dedicating a good portion of your life to trying to improve the lot of your community and your last thoughts as you dropped off to sleep were after all these years things are still going bad.

The people who could change all that have no problem spending $70 million on a downtown park and play ground for the wealthy, but you have to beg for after-school programs.

They won't step up and take on the School Board for allowing the school mess in south St. Pete, and their solution for South St. Pete is a long term development plan that will have no immediate impact, and in all likelihood will never come to fruition.

You would probably be angry too.

As for me, I will sit there and listen to every word "T" Lassiter has to say, smile at some, be shocked at a few and know that pretty much all of it has value.

I think we would all be amazed at the number of people, white and African American, that watch "T" Lassiter on television and wish they had the courage to "wag their finger" at City Council.

Love ya Momma "T". I always have always will.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President

The new St. Pete City Council will anything change?

Newton and Dudley gone, Montanari and Wheeler-Brown in will there be less strife more congeniality – maybe.

St. Petersburg, FL

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Coauthor of: So You Want Blog.

There is quite a bit of speculation about how the outcome of the recent St. Pete City Council election will change the balance of power on the City's governing body.

Ed Montanari will be a steadying voice on the new City Council starting January of 2016. Montanari, a jumbo jet pilot by trade, is a calm and steady thinker who spends time understating the facts and the options. His long run of public service, including his work in the airport group and the Pier task force gives him a lot of back ground. Look for Montanari to be insightful, and cooperative. He is not a big conflict person and will like to have things well worked out before they go to a vote.

Lisa Wheeler-Brown could be tagged as an inexperienced newcomer, but that would be a big mistake. After several years of navigating her neighborhood association and a stint as head of the Council of Neighborhood Associations, she is not coming to City Council as an uninformed light weight. She has already had time in front of Mayor Kriseman. I sat down with Lisa in March of 2014 for a Casual Conversation with CONA President Lisa Wheeler-Brown.

Lisa took some hard knocks during the election and got some great support in the process. There was concern among many, me included, that she may be a bit of a rubber stamp for the Mayor. I expect the Mayor will get a couple of favorable votes from Wheeler-Brown, especially on the Rays issue.

Look for Steve Kornell to be more bullish on the issues he is concerned about,  Charlie Gerdes will stay steady with a possible eye toward a bid for the Mayor's seat, Amy Foster is a bit of a question mark given her support for Wheeler-Brown's opponent, look for her to be a calming voice.

Kennedy now term limited will be more aggressive and with his nemeses Wengay Newton gone meetings should be less frustrating for the two-term council member.

Biggest issue on the table seems to be the Tampa Bay Rays driven by the Tampa Bay Times obsession with getting a "deal" so the Rays can look for a new stadium site within the Bay area.

There is a growing understanding upon the part of City Council that continuing to be tied up in the Rays dispute is a waste of valuable time. Pressure from the County Commission is also adding some immediacy to the discussion. I expect this issue will be quickly dispatched with or without Wheeler-Browns vote.

The whole Rays deal could be done before the new council members are seated in January, but look for Kriseman to try to drag out the process, so he can cash in on his support for Wheeler-Brown and try to flex his political mussels a little.

Without the constant questioning by Wengay Newton 2016 meetings should move more quickly. There will be less actual decision making as things should be pretty well hashed out before they get to the Agenda. 

South St. Pete, failing schools, stormwater/wastewater, Pier Park, The Uplands Project, the Toytown Sports Complex, crime, roads and public transit: this Council has its hands full.

E-mail Doc at mail to:dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook. See Doc's Photo Gallery at Bay Post Photos.

Disclosures:
Contributor: Waterfront Charter Amendment (Vote on The Pier), Carly Fiorina for President