Sunday, February 10, 2013
Several evaluations are available to help make the decision when and if its time to stop driving.
Americans love their cars – and that’s a love affair that extends from the youngest drivers to the oldest. Unfortunately, these two groups also account for a high percentage of auto accidents. It is predicted that more than 25 percent of all automobile accidents will be caused by individuals older than 65 by 2030. A number of factors can hinder seniors’ driving capabilities such as medications, sleep and memory loss. Caregivers often see these signs and begin to wonder if it’s time for their favorite senior to hang up the car keys, but are concerned about how to initiate this discussion. When they do, seniors may be in denial about the safety risk they may pose, and resist giving up the car keys. This sort of resistance is to be …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
While the national organization debates the merits of lifting the ban on gay participants, we want to get your take on the issue.
As the Boy Scouts of America celebrate their 103rd birthday Friday, Feb. 8, a heated dispute is likely putting a damper on any celebrations. The national organization was expected to take up the issue of removing a ban on gay participants recently. It, however, delayed taking action until May “due to the complexity of this issue,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Even if the national council votes in favor of lifting the ban, local chapters would retain their right to keep it in place. Some members and supporters of the private organization designed to teach boys life, citizenship and leadership skills say it’s time to end the ban on gay participants. Others are staunchly opposed to the notion. Should the organization lift its national …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Backers of a plan to allow same-sex couples to enjoy more of the freedoms afforded to married couples aren’t taking no for an answer. Do you agree with them?
Less than two weeks after Hillsborough County Commissioners voted against creating a domestic partnership registry, proponents of the measure are holding their ground. The proposed registry, similar to what has already passed in Pinellas County, would have given same-sex partners more freedom to make financial and medical decisions for their significant others. In late January, the Hillsborough Commission voted 4-3 against creating a registry. Supporters of the registry met Tuesday, Feb. 5 to discuss what they are calling a “temporary” setback, according to The Tampa Tribune. Attendees at the event, which was sponsored by Equality Florida, say they will continue to push for the county to enact a registry. "Hillsborough County is so out of …
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Major League Baseball team says it needs a new stadium to be successful in the Bay area. Some St. Petersburg leaders insist they must stay in the city. We want to hear what you think should happen.
It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Rays have been talking with government officials outside of St. Petersburg about the need for a new stadium. They’ve gone on a road show of sorts, talking with officials on both the Hillsborough and Pinellas county commissions. Team management has made it clear that attendance numbers need to rise for the Rays to remain viable in the Tampa Bay area. They’ve also made it abundantly clear that Major League Baseball has lost its faith in Tampa Bay. While Hillsborough and Pinellas county officials want to lend a hand to restore that faith – and possibly a location for a shiny new stadium in their own backyards – St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster is adamantly opposed to letting the team out of its contract to play at …
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Thursday, January 31, 2013
As Florida Gov. Rick Scott calls on state legislators to increase funding for school by $1.2 billion some are skeptical about his intentions. We’d like to get your take on the governor’s proposals, Tampa Bay.
Florida school districts that have struggled with multi-million-dollar budget cuts and teachers who’ve gone years sans raises are being offered some hope courtesy of Florida’s Republican governor. Rick Scott is calling on the state’s legislature to approve a budget that includes an extra $1.2 billion in funding for public schools. Some of that money would help fund across-the-board raises of $2,500 for the state’s teachers. The overall plan would also boost per-student funding by about 6.5 percent, according to TBO.com. "Investing in our teachers and in our education system is the key to our state's continued economic growth," Scott said in the TBO piece. "We made the hard choices to recover and get back on track — now we must make the …
Monday, January 28, 2013
As President Barack Obama kicks off his second term in office, the often prickly issue of immigration reform has come to the forefront. We’d like to get your thoughts on America’s immigration policy and the need for reform, Tampa Bay!
After tackling health care in his first term, it looks like President Barack Obama has set his sights on waging another big battle in his second term in office – immigration reform. The president is expected to discuss his plans for reform on Tuesday during a trip to Nevada, but a bi-partisan group of Senators intends to beat him to the punch. The group of eight Senators includes Florida’s own Republican Marco Rubio, according to the Huffington Post. Their plan, which will be more fully announced today, Jan. 28, calls for a multifaceted approach to reform with such prongs as: The Senate group, however, wants to make sure the first two points are adequately addressed by the country before the pathway opens. "Once the enforcement measures …
Friday, January 25, 2013
A 5-year-old kindergartener was suspended for 10 days for what school officials labeled a “terrorist threat.” Her crime: saying she wanted to shoot a classmate and herself with a Hello Kitty bubble gun. Have we gone too far, Tampa Bay?
Making sure public schools across the Tampa Bay area are safe, welcoming places where learning is priority No. 1 is a concern on most parents’ minds – especially in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in December. Bay Area residents have spoken out on the need for enhanced security in schools. And, they’ve weighed in on gun control issues. But, as we rush to shore up our schools’ defenses to prevent a repeat of Sandy Hook from happening here in our backyard, is anyone asking how far is too far? The story of a 5-year-old girl’s suspension from a Pennsylvania elementary school after she said she wanted to shoot a classmate and herself with a Hello Kitty pink bubble gun puts a spotlight on just how serious some adults are …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says it’s time to remove the combat ban on women in the military. Do you agree with the move, Tampa Bay?
Female soldiers will no longer be relegated to supporting roles in America’s military. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta plans to overturn a 1994 rule that prohibits women from taking positions in combat units. Described as a “groundbreaking move” by The Huffington Post, Panetta’s decision opens up hundreds of thousands of front-line jobs for women in the military. It’s also possible that women will find themselves eligible for elite positions in America’s special forces. The changes, expected to be announced more fully today, Jan. 24, won’t come quickly, however. Military branches are being asked to create plans to open the doors for women to serve. Some of the new jobs might open up later this year, but branches will have until January 2016…
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Marketers say the Tampa Bay area has a bland identity and needs an 'elevator pitch' to boost tourism. What slogan would you use to describe our region?
Locals know the Tampa Bay area has awesome beaches, great parks, a sizzling Cuban flavor and really cool museums. The problem is out-of-towners don’t. While Miami is known internationally as an urban chic vacation destination with beaches on the side and Orlando has the mouse to thank for its tourism prowess, Tampa Bay is lacking in the image department. That lack of identity is something that concerns the folks at Spark, a Tampa marketing firm that’s been researching what people think of when they consider Tampa Bay. "We do not have a brand," James Robbins, Spark’s brand director, told the Tampa Bay Times. What’s the problem with that? According to Robbins, when an area doesn’t have a brand, people start coming up with their own ideas of …
Shore Acres Rick
1:36 pm on Sunday, March 31, 2013
What is moral about excluding people because of the way they were born? more ›