December 22, 2024
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Deep Something

The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters

Places

If it has to do with a geographical location, I will categorize it with this category.

Featured Fun Stuff Kings Mountain Places 

First Snows

B. John 82 Views 0 Comments , ,

The Western North Carolina Mountains had their first snow day today. Watching the webcams from time to time during the day brought back many great memories. There’s a magic to the first snow that roots itself deep in memory, stretching across years and places. In Kings Mountain, NC, where the winters were mild and snow was a gift rather than a certainty, the first flakes meant the world was about to change. As a kid, waking up to a white-coated street was like waking up on Christmas morning. School would call it a day, and we’d pile out of the house, sleds in hand, to the steep street just beyond our driveway.

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Photo of Andrew Warren, Hillsborough State Attorney
Cafe Con Tampa Crime Featured Places Society Tampa 

The Case of Robert Dubois as Told by Andrew Warren

B. John 243 Views 0 Comments , ,

On Friday, September 6, 2024, former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren gave a compelling speech at Café Con Tampa, recounting the case of Robert DuBoise, a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Warren’s speech highlighted the importance of justice, the flaws in the criminal justice system, and how his office worked tirelessly to correct an egregious mistake.

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Hyde Park UMC, Tampa, FL
Culture Featured General Kings Mountain Methodism Places Politics Religion Tampa 

Resuming Rants

B. John 131 Views 0 Comments , , ,

There was a brief restaurant review posted earlier this year. The last post before that was a movie review (The Whale). A lot has transpired in my world over the past few months, and I think I am ready to get back to trying to post more or less regularly. The highlight reel looks a bit like this:

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Food Fun Stuff Places Restaurants Tampa 

Vino e Pasta – Restaurant Review

B. John 85 Views 0 Comments , , ,

Well, this is another of the few 5-star ratings I’ve given. This small restaurant is only a few blocks from the house and has been there the entire time we lived here. We just never went, and frankly, we are both mad that it took so long. We kept saying we needed to try it, and a Groupon came up for it, so that was the incentive.

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2020 Candidates for Hillsborough County Commission District 6
County Commission Election Featured Places Politics Tampa 

2020 Election – Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners District 6

B. John 725 Views 0 Comments , , ,

This has Republican Sandy Murman seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Pat Kemp. This is a tough one for me. Sandy Murman panders, moves from office to office as she’s termed out, and serves only developers. On the other hand, Kemp, who I contributed to, has refused to return calls and messages, so I won’t be voting for either candidate.

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@020 Candidates for Hillsborough County School Board District 7
Education Election Featured Places Politics Society Tampa 

2020 Election – Hillsborough School Board District 7

B. John 680 Views 0 Comments , , ,

This is a county-wide seat and the only school board race I vote in this round. Lynn Gray, the incumbent, is being opposed by Sally Harris who previously served on the board and was voted out. Harris served in 2017 and 2018 as Chair of the Board of Education, but her entire tenure was pretty lack-lustier. Given the challenges that will be faced by the district in 2021 and into next year, that’s just not going to cut it. I talked to Lynn Gray this time and in her previous election. She has over 40 years of classroom and school administrative experience and is involved in the schools as more than just a member of the board. She shares my concerns about the loss of funding to for-profit charter companies. So, for all those reasons, I’m going with Lynn Gray for Hillsborough School Board District 7.

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2020 Candidates for Hillsborough County Commission District
County Commission Election Featured Places Politics Tampa 

2020 Election – Hillsborough County Commission District 1

B. John 178 Views 0 Comments , , ,

Democrat Harry Cohen and Republican Scott Levinson are vying for this seat. I did not get a call from Levinson, but I did hear from Harry Cohen. In fact, that’s not the first time we’ve talked. Cohen is a policy wonk. He makes sure he knows what he’s talking about, and he will have thought through any proposals he makes, and he takes the long view. So for Hillsborough County Commission District 1, I’m recommending Harry Cohen.

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202 Candidates for Hillsborough County Tax Collector
Election Featured Places Politics Tampa 

2020 Election – Hillsborough Tax Collector

B. John 287 Views 0 Comments , , , ,

The two candidates are Democrat Nancy Millan and Republican T.K. Smith. I put out my usual call to both but spoke only with Millan. McMillan has 30 years of experience at the tax collector’s office. In speaking with her she was suggesting some innovative ways to meet the needs of the citizens with some simple common-sense approaches to the many tasks performed by the tax collector. She was open to minor suggestion I made, and I thought she was smart and practical. I’m recommending Nancy Millan based on her years of experience, knowledge of the office and its duties, and her commonsense approach to the office.

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2020 Candidates for Hillsborough County Sheriff
Election Featured Places Politics Tampa 

2020 Election – Hillsborough County Sheriff

B. John 260 Views 0 Comments , , , ,

The incumbent is “married into money” Chad Chronister opposed by Independent Ron McMullen and Democrat Gary Pruitt. Pruitt is the only candidate who returned my calls (and you know my rule). I didn’t expect to hear from Chronister. Chronister is the recommendation of Times Editorial Board, and we could do worse. In my conversations with Gary Pruitt I found him to be genuine and level-headed. He seems to care a lot more about “law enforcement” than about politics. He wants body cams and windshield cams. He also favors an actual “Citizens’ Oversight” function over just an “advisory committee.” I’m recommending Gary Pruitt.

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Courts Featured Gay Issues Hate Groups Places Politics Right Wingnuts Society Tampa 

Judge William Jung-Douchebag of the Day

B. John 1267 Views 1 Comment , , , , ,

In 2017, Tampa passed an ordinance that prohibited conversion therapy for children under 18. As they always do, Liberty Counsel and their perpetual “client,” Las Vegas-based Robert Vazzo (not even a resident of Florida), and a David Pickup of Dallas (not licensed in Florida) filed a lawsuit to get the ordinance overturned. However, Republican Trump-appointee William Jung had to bend himself into a Gordian Knot of legal reasoning to give them that win.

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