January 2006 Archives
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 31, 2006 at 09:44 PM
P.A.M. or Polk Art Mafia is a quickly expanding MySpace group based in Polk County. From the group page:
You wake up one day to find you are living smack dab in the center of the sunshine state. No one really plans to end up here, it just sort of happens. Yes -that's right, it's not just a salad that Elvis sang about, its Imperial Polk County. Up until now you might have thought it was devoid of culture and art, but good news, there's a new set of art thugs hittin' the scene. That's right- we are the Polk Art Mafia and we are going to lift up every rock and tip over every cow until we make this county cool.
Join us will you???
P.A.M. is on your side and let's face it, how long has it been since you conversed with captivating creative types? So help P.A.M. out - be our eyes and ears for art openings, live music, and other artistic events. We welcome all dancers, artists, musicians, bohemians, free thinkers, poets, and wayward cowboys and cowgirls.
As of this post there are 89 members. It looks like a great group of people that are passionate about the arts in the Orlampa area.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 31, 2006 at 08:13 PM
According to an article in today's Ledger, Lakeland Electric is looking for a partner to build a new coal-fired generator. Obviously having a partner would share the cost/risk of any new venture and it would also guarantee the unit would have at least two customers. Lakeland Electric General Manager Jim Stanfield has sent letters to a number of Florida-based utilities to see if there is any interest. I'd probably follow-up with a phone call as well :-)
One of the utilities sent an invitation was Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU). GRU has been investigating building their own coal-fired unit, but nothing has been decided yet. Today's Gainesville Sun has an article about GRU looking at a clean-coal solution.
A LE/GRU partnership might be a good match of similar sized municipal utilities.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 31, 2006 at 01:12 PM
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 31, 2006 at 05:55 AM
Spring training is right around the corner, and in preparation for the fans the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians have published some quick guides:
Fan Guide: Cleveland Indians
Fan Guide: Detroit Tigers
What do the teams think of our area?
What else is there to do in Lakeland?
There's more to do than there used to be, even compared with a few years ago. Lakeland and Polk County are part of what has been called the "I-4 Corridor," which has seen an upswing in population and development in recent years. Much of that has filled in the north and south ends of the city. About a mile west of the ballpark -- or one exit west on I-4 -- is U.S. 98, along which rest a slew of restaurants and chain stores north of the interstate. Just as many eateries, stores and hotels can be found on the south side of the city, about 20-30 minutes from the ballpark, depending on traffic. In between, and about a couple miles south of the ballpark, is downtown Lakeland, which has seen a renaissance of its own with smaller restaurants and hotels. It's a walkable area with free parking in the evening.
What else is there to do in Winter Haven?
Take the kids to Cypress Gardens, a boardwalk-style amusement park with four roller coasters and a giant Ferris wheel. Or take advantage of the boating, fishing and water skiing available on the chain of 16 freshwater lakes. Looking for a great milkshake? Hit up Andy's Igloo. Looking for a slice of pizza? Try Pasquale's Pizza. Both are close to the park. And if you're looking for a postgame brew, try Beef O'Brady's sports bar.
One interesting note is that the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Orlando is the official Spring Training resort of the Cleveland Indians. I guess that's a nice way of saying that Winter Haven doesn't have any MLB-caliber hotels.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 31, 2006 at 05:48 AM
Hanson, a UK building materials firm, has bought the PaverModule company which operates a plant in Haines City along with four other plants in the state.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 27, 2006 at 10:40 AM
A quick note from David Steele of USF Lakeland:
Last night at Tampa's Quorum Hotel, Lakeland's own Anu Saxena, President of ASC Geosciences, Inc., was honored by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as the "2006 Minority Business Person of the Year" in the business services sector. Saxena, a finalist in what was by far the night's most competitive category, seemed genuinely surprised.
In his brief and very gracious acceptance remarks, Saxena thanked his family, his employees, and his community. In particular, he cited specific figures from Lakeland's history (Jenkins, Sikes, etc.) who have modeled corporate citizenship. After congratulating all of the other finalists, he concluded by telling a crowd dominated by Hillsborough and Pinellas County residents, "Let me close by making a pitch. If you are a person who values diversity and who has a dream, come to Lakeland.
There is no better place to chase the American dream." There has never been a more spontaneous or eloquent endorsement of a community, and I hope you will have an opportunity to both congratulate Anu and thank him for his dedication to Lakeland and Polk County.
Congrats Anu! We mentioned that
Posted by Kevin Cook on January 26, 2006 at 09:54 AM
This is just a quick reminder to check out Pigfest on Saturday. The event brings some of the best professional cook teams in the country to Lakeland and of course some of the most talented local teams take part in the Backyard Division. Don't miss lip-smackin' good BBQ on Saturday, January 28th from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The event is at Tigertown (Joker Marchant Stadium). WPCV is sponsoring the entertainment and I understand there will be some great bands on hand. Live music, good Q and the aroma of searing pig - it just does not get any better.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 25, 2006 at 07:44 PM
Big news day in Winter Haven....the new Wal-Mart Supercenter opened. I stopped by at the end of the day to give it a look over.
The interior is probably one of the nicer Wal-Mart's I've seen, but that is relative. The frozen food and dairy cases did look different since they are mostly black in color. What is unusual about this location is that there is a liquor store. It's one of only two liquor stores that Wal-Mart operates in Florida
Anybody else check out the new town-killer?
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 25, 2006 at 01:21 PM
Update: The original post I linked to below is gone.
It's probably not that smart to blog about how you beat the drug test at Publix. But then again if you need to beat the drug test, maybe smarts is something you don't have.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 25, 2006 at 09:09 AM
One of those things I just couldn't believe that I saw, and unfortunately I didn't have my camera.
On Monday I was walking along 4th St. in Winter Haven, heading towards the library when I spotted a rather odd looking tattoo on the back of a man's left calf. The tattoo was the outline of Polk County. I was tempted to stop him and ask why or perhaps get a number so I could get a picture later...but I didn't. You'll just have to trust me on this one. Hopefully I'll see him again one day when I have a camera handy.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 24, 2006 at 04:18 PM
Last week I created a new content category on the blog: Image. The purpose is to categorize items that deal with how Polk County is perceived, both internally and externally. Our 'image problem' is nothing new, but I have often said that it cuts both ways. Too often individuals and organizations do business with companies outside the county because they feel a company inside the county doesn't have what it takes.
One of the primary reasons this blog was created is because our external image is almost completely created by the media coverage of our region. Those that live here know the benefits of our communities, we need to start sharing that information.
Posted by Colleen Burton on January 24, 2006 at 12:53 PM
Myregion.org announced the launch of a regional visioning project encompassing seven counties including Polk County to begin with a kick-off March 29, 2006. Polk County is in the unique position of bridging two Central Florida regions and our participation in the myregion.org project is a vital connection to the eastern region. Polk Vision, Inc. will be actively involved in the regional project and we encourage public and private organizations from across the county to watch for announcements regarding the opportunity to be heard during the consensus building process. According to Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Denver Stutler, the regional visioning project will "serve as a prototype for how the regional visioning and coordination policies can be applied at a statewide level."
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 23, 2006 at 03:39 PM
The St. Pete Times political blog has a quick recap of the Tiger Bay event today. If you remember, Jim Davis and Rod Smith were scheduled to appear.
Update 01.24.06 Here is the New Chief's article and The Ledger's
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 23, 2006 at 02:32 PM
A recent Dateline NBC show ranked the top 10 supermarket chains by safety. The list ranks Publix #3, as in third worst. (Here is Dateline's methodology)
3) Publix, on average, had 22 critical violations. Dateline visited two stores in Florida and found flies crawling over the fruits and vegetables. But according to inspectors, the most frequent problem for the chain was the way it stored toxic chemicals.
Like Steve Moyer, I say no way! Steve posted this on his blog:
I'll jump right in and say the story is bogus based on the fact that NBC ranked Lakeland, Florida's Publix as number three on the dirty list. Having lived in Florida most of my life, and also having visited perhaps 50 Publix stores as a consumer, I am here to tell ya' the place is clean, the prices are good, and the food is fresh
MSNBC does provide the full-text responses from the stores. Here is the response from Publix. Perhaps we live to close to the problem, but I would rank Publix higher than any other local chain.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 20, 2006 at 08:45 AM
Congratulations to my longtime friend Barry Friedman for his recent promotion over at The Ledger. Barry is now director of online operations for the paper and will manage all major aspects of the online operation. Barry built the original Ledger web site in the mid-90's (back in the 'old' building) and has overseen the evolution of the site since then.
More and more papers are realizing their future is online, and are committing more resources to their web sites. Barry has always been pushing that envelope.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 04:31 PM
Congratulations to Anu Saxena of ASC Geosciences. Anu is one of the finalists for the 2006 Minority Businessperson of the Year in the Tampa area. The award is presented by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The final awards will be presented at an event on January 26th.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 03:17 PM
Update: Since the writing of this post, Thornhill has dropped out and David Hallock was arrested on battery charges, perhaps that only leaves Betty running against Randy???
Update 2: David Hallock has withdrawn from the District 2 race.
Who are Betty Hill, David Hallock and Jonathan David Thornhill? Give up? They are all running against Randy Wilkinson in the Republican primary for the Polk County Commission District 2 race according to recent articles in the Ledger and News Chief. Great, but who are they? The News Chief article provides a small amount of background, but nothing substantial.
- Hill is the director of operations for Lake Wales Aviation Inc.
- Thornhill is a fire claims adjuster for State Farm Insurance in Winter Haven
- Hallock is a retired Badcock Furniture store owner
None of them have web sites yet so I can't learn more about them. In this day and age if you are running for any public office you need a web site so people can at least learn who you are. How will they find you? Google/Yahoo/MSN are a good start. A quick Google search for:
- Betty Hill
- David Hallock
- Jonathan David Thornhill
Shows nothing, or at least if they have a web site it's not easily found. Yes I am a bit biased towards online content, but announcing a candidacy and not having a web site is like opening a restaurant and not having any food on opening night.
Of course they are welcome to blog here :-)
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 07:45 AM
The Lakeland Ledger has begun publishing more breaking news on their home page recently. Previously only major news items would be inserted during the day and it was kept rather brief. With the new format a 'Breaking News' box takes up the top portion of the content area and lists a headline along with a short description of the item. Yesterday's edition featured five stories that were being updated during the day.
One friend of EP was bold enough to say that the change was in response to the responsiveness of this blog. Yeah right :-)
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 12:52 AM
I asked Adam who he was supporting in the Florida Governor's race. He said he hasn't endorsed anybody yet.
On the Republican side Adam said both Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher were good choices. On the Democratic side it was also close, but....
Rod Smith is obviously strong with law enforcement and in his area, but that he might not play so well in Broward & Dade which would be necessary to win the primary and that just might be enough for Jim Davis. Overall Adam doesn't feel the Democratic side has the fund raising capabilities to run a successful statewide campaign.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 12:40 AM
One of the guests to RSVP for the Adam Putnam event today was interim Polk County Opportunity Council Executive Director Gary Hartfield. I did not see Gary in the audience though. As you might know there is some 'history' between the PCOC and Adam.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 19, 2006 at 12:24 AM
U.S. Congressman and Bartow native Adam Putnam spoke at today's EMERGE Lakeland event. Almost 80 EMERGE members and guests listened to Adam speak about the role for youth in government and issues that face the upcoming generations.
Keep in context that Adam was speaking to a group of young professionals between the ages of 21 and 43. The notes below are mostly brief versions of his major themes. When I do have a direct quote it will be in "quotes".
He started off talking about the importance of the younger generation getting involved. He firmly believes that there is a place for young people in government, but many times the interest is lacking.
The War and the Global Population Trends
The majority of issues that are upcoming are not Democratic or Republican, they are generational. "We don't send old people to wars. The average soldier is 2 years out of high school"
Every major issue we're facing will impact this generation for a quite a while. He believes that the war on terrorism will take quite a few chapters in our history, much like the Cold War.
Another issue we need to keep in context is the demographic make-up of many foreign nations. In some Middle Eastern nations 50 percent of the population is under the age of 25. Think about the perceptions you had as a teenager. The global population is coming of age.
Healthcare and Social Security
Healthcare is another issue that the youth need to be aware of. We're paying for somebody elses retirement. At this point there are 3.5 people paying for each person's medicare/social security. When the program began it was 40 to 1. It will soon be 2 to 1. Something will need to be done.
The Power of the AARP
Who influences policy? How do they do it? The most powerful interest group is the AARP. Seniors vote, people under 30 don't vote. When he first ran for office he figured that the youth would vote for him and the seniors wouldn't because of his age. It was the exact opposite. The youth just don't vote. The seniors, however, were willing to accpet youth because when they were 17 and 18 they were changing the world, in World War II.
The Need for New Leaders
Adam referenced the recent death of George Harris. "People need to remember George Harris wasn't always 71. When he was our age he was building a bank, but, while he was doing that he was supporting the local community." Who represents the next generation of local leaders? Who will make sure organizations like the United Way and Lakeland Chamber will continue to help the community?
Growth in Polk County
For the longest time growth was not our problem, it was Tampa's or Orlando's. Now it is our problem. Yes growth does creates opportunities, but we need to plan accordingly. We're very quickly outgrowing our infrastructure in areas of the county, specifically the Four Corners area. The people that live in that area do not associate themselves with Polk County, but they live here and utilize our resources.
Technology Issues
It's a delicate balance, the same tool that can enhance the education of a child can also expose them to threats never though of before. (Adam is very involved on a number of technology related committees)
"Half the members of congress probaly couldn't turn on a laptop if their life depended on it. But everybody has their own skill-sets. Just because you can't use a computer doesn't mean you can't be a good leader."
The floor then opened up for questions:
Q. Where can people go to get unbiased information?
A. Media has become diverse, which he feels is a good thing. It's not necessarily bad when you have a conservative publication and a liberal publication, because you at least know where the bias it. Years ago you had many large cities with two newspapers, usually one conservative and one liberal. Contrast this with a decade or two ago when all you had was the three major networks.
Q. Who are you supporting for majority leader?
A. Adam is supporting Roy Blunt from Missouri.
Q. What about growth in the Four Corners?
A. The Posner development (formerly Circus World/Boardwalk & Baseball) is going to be huge, many people just don't realize how big it's going to be. We're talking a whole city. Adam thinks that US 27 in the Four Corners area is a tragedy. He longs for the days of orange groves along the corridor. In some Florida counties, such as Osceola, the local government is buying large tracts of land. Although the cost of the land is high now they realize it will be cheaper in the long run rather then having to build and support infrastructure on it.
Look at what is happening in Brandon. They're trying to create a 'Main Street' but it's just not happening.
Q. Who is Adam supporting in the Florida Governor's race?
... You'll have to read the next post :-)
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 18, 2006 at 10:10 AM
For those of you that don't know, the original reporter almost never writes the headline for the story. That job is usually left to a copy editor and results in some interesting headlines. Take today's News Chief. A headline on the home page states: Wal-Mart Supercenter will include liquor store. That's interesting you say and you click on the article. Reading the full article, the liquor store part isn't mentioned till the 9th paragraph and is only mentioned once.
Headlines are designed to get you to read the story, and that one certainly did. Of course I was expecting a substantial piece about how Wal-Mart very rarely puts liquor stores in their locations and why they chose the Winter Haven location for one. The headline peaked my interest, but the story wasted my time.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 17, 2006 at 07:02 AM
That's the big question this upcoming election year. Who will run against Randy Wilkinson? And what will they need to do to beat him?
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 16, 2006 at 09:50 PM
In a previous post about Publix gaining market share in Nashville I mentioned that I'd contact a friend in the area to find out what the locals thought about the 'Big Green P'.
Here is what I received back from Rex Hammock
Okay. I sent an e-mail around to 25 Hammoratians who live in Nashville asking if any of them shop at Publix in Nashville and why... Five sent back e-mails immediately (all women in their 20s and early 30s.). Here's the responses:
1. I have shopped at the one in Brentwood. Clean store, friendly staff, DELICIOUS cakes, great packaged food.
2. I shop at Publix every time I visit my parents in Destin. If Publix would plant a store in the interior of Metro Davidson, I would be their best customer. I LOVE Publix. But I live in 37206 and currently all their local stores are quite a hike from my house. Here's why they're so great:
* Friendly, knowledgeable employees
* Wide selection, including many gourmet items
* Bright, well-lit stores
* Excellent house brands
* Upscale feel, great prices
* Top-notch specialty areas
Shall I continue? I can.
3. I love grocery shopping so I am a good one to answer this. If I'm ever in Cool Springs (which is rare) I will shop at the Publix there. I'd love one nearby because they're clean and well-lit, have a wide selection, you don't have to purchase the store brand to get certain discounts, they seem reasonably priced--in between a Harris Teeter and Kroger.
4. Best customer service in my area, fresh seafood entrees that are ready to cook, awesome baby Club benefits
5. They have an in-store deli and bakery that is really good and fruits and vegetables that I had never heard of before.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 16, 2006 at 11:17 AM
The area around the Orange Dome in Winter Haven is slowly filling up with Citrus Festival (warning: annoying Flash intro) related gear.
Perhaps with a hint of pride I can say that I have never been to the Citrus Festival in the 20 years I have lived in Winter Haven (I guess 15 if you subtract the years at the University of Florida). To be fair I have been to a few citrus industry dinners that were held at the fair, but I never ventured out to the 'midway'.
What are your experiences with the Citrus Festival?
Update: Thomas Oldt says: Citrus Festival Should Be Put Out of Our Misery
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 16, 2006 at 09:36 AM
The Nashville Business Journal reports that Publix has slowly been gaining market share in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
Cincinnati-based Kroger (NYSE: KR) remains firmly at the top of the heap with a 44 percent market share, according to research firm Shelby Publishing Co. But it lost more than a percentage point of market share in 2005 as its main rivals bulked up. Combined, Wal-Mart and Publix's 28 area stores now have a 32 percent share of the local grocery market.
I will try to get a report from our Nashville bureau, i.e. Rex Hammock
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 16, 2006 at 08:19 AM
In today's USAToday there is a complete 2006 spring training schedule. However, USAToday's long, list format is very difficult to read, so you can consult the official schedules:
- Cleveland Indians
- Detroit Tigers
When reviewing the USAToday list, it's hard not to notice this game on the first day of spring training:
Florida Southern vs. Detroit at Lakeland, Fla., 1:05 p.m.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 15, 2006 at 11:23 AM
Be sure to pick up a print copy of The Ledger this morning. One of the inserts is the 2005 Polk County Annual Report. The report documents all the major accomplishments of the Polk County government this past year. Remember of course that the 31 page report is only a snapshot of the work done.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 15, 2006 at 10:41 AM
The Washington Post has a great tool for tracking vote activity in the U.S. Congress. It's the Congress Votes Database. The site is a record of every vote in Congress since 1991. Visitors can browse by a number of categories or view a page for their local representative or senator, including an RSS feed for future votes.
In our area you can review:
- Ginny Brown-Waite (RSS)
- Jim Davis (RSS)
- Katherine Harris (RSS)
- Adam Putnam (RSS)
- Mel Martinez (RSS)
- Bill Nelson (RSS)
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 15, 2006 at 10:32 AM
Here is a nice tid-bit from an Orlando Sentinel story:
Eighteen man-made mountains of radioactive waste, some as big as downtown Orlando, create an eerie skyline over southwestern Polk County.
They are the byproduct of more than 100 years of phosphate strip mining. Each pile of phosphogypsum is topped by acres of toxic wastewater that can burn and blister flesh if touched.
Yep, visit Polk County and see the glowing piles or radioactive waste.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 15, 2006 at 10:15 AM
The Ledger has an article today about the battle that Polk County commissioner Paul Senft will face this upcoming election. If you remember Paul was one of the commissioners that voted to increase Polk County property taxes to handle the infrastructure deficit. Raising taxes is usually not a popular thing, but it was the right thing to do. Will the general population retaliate ? Or will Paul's campaign be able to educate the voters that it had to be done?
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 15, 2006 at 08:53 AM
Robert of Interstate4Jamming has started doing his Sunday morning editorial round-up again. In his post he reviews the editorials from all the major Florida papers. It's a great resource.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 13, 2006 at 07:03 AM
The News Chief reports that the new Wal-Mart Supercenter on Cypress Gardens Blvd across from the State Farm office will open on January 25th. Up next for WM in WH is converting their existing store to a Supercenter. Yep, that's two Wal-Mart Supercenters within a few miles of each other...what is this Atlanta?
I had heard that Target was looking for a Winter Haven location, but since we'll now have two Wal-Mart stores they changed their minds.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 11, 2006 at 10:48 PM
Update: 01.13.06 / 4:48 PM The stats are now password protected.
You just have to love web stats, they can tell you so many things. They can also tip you to some things that others might not want you to know. While reviewing the web stats for EmpiricalPolk this evening I saw this link in the referral logs. It's the web server stats for JimDavis2006.com the campaign web site for Jim Davis. Most of the time web server stats are private, but in this case they're wide open.
Right now Jim's site is averaging 360 unique visitors per day with 1200 page views. Of course those numbers skew a bit since some of those are visits from Googlebot or other search spiders. In addition some of the traffic is from in-house users managing the site.
We'll see how long it takes them to close down the public access to the stats.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 11, 2006 at 09:29 PM
Back in May of 2005, a group called Break the Charter created a web site to protest against Lake Wales Charter Schools. When the story first broke I wasn't impressed with Clint Wright's response to the criticism. The big question of course was how long would the site last?
As of today, it's still around, with the most recent update coming on January 6, 2006. It's been interesting to watch the commentary, but since the authors are still anonymous it does lack some credibility. I think the site's creators were looking for a way to discuss some issues that weren't being picked up by the press and thus by the general public.
The idea of an entire city leaving the Polk County School System is something that I figured Lakeland would have done first. I have heard from individuals that when Lake Wales moved forward, some in Lakeland wanted to sit back and see how it went.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 11, 2006 at 02:36 PM
The Ledger reports that FOX News commentator Sean Hannity is limiting press access to his speech at Southeastern University this Friday. Why?
In this day and age everybody is the press (yes I use the term loosely). What happens when a Southeastern University student writes about the speech on their MySpace or Facebook account? Or if a local resident blogs about it? Might want to ask Eason Jordan about that.
Posted by Kevin Cook on January 10, 2006 at 02:58 PM
Do you want to learn more about City government? Well now is your chance! Local residents are encouraged to sign up for the Lakeland Citizens Academy. The program starts February 22, 2006. The Citizens Academy is a free, hands-on, interactive public information program that allows citizens an insight into City services and the functions of City departments.
The Citizens Academy program will consist of six (6), two (2) hour evening sessions. Enrollment in the class is based on a first-come-first-served basis and is limited to 20.
2006 Citizens Academy Sessions
February 22, 2006 – Governing the City, History & Finance
March 22, 2006 – Lakeland Police Department
April 26, 2006 – Lakeland Fire Department
May 24, 2006 – Public Works, Planning
June 28, 2006 – Electric and Water Utilities
July 26, 2006 – Parks & Recreation and The Lakeland Center
The FREE program is designed to familiarize citizens with City government. Those interested in participating should contact me at kevin.cook@lakelandgov.net to secure a spot on the roster.
Posted by Kevin Cook on January 10, 2006 at 01:43 PM
Are you ready for some great BBQ? Coming up on January 28th is one event that I look forward to each year. It's the 10th Annual Lakeland Pig Festival at Tigertown (Lakeland) on Saturday, January 28th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of the best cooks in the country attend this sanctioned event. There is one cook team from Mobile, Alabama that has some of the finest baby back ribs....I purchase two slabs each year from him. Quite a few of my friends compete in the backyard division so I make my way through the crowd to see them, stopping to taste a sample or two on the way. Bring your appetite and don't miss this fun event. If you want to compete or just want some additional information go to www.lakelandpigfest.com.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 10, 2006 at 10:19 AM
Publix is opening an in-store Carrabba's Market in their University Walk store in Sarasota. The new concept is scheduled to open this summer.
This 1,000-square-foot market will be operated by Carrabba's Italian Grill and will feature a wood-burning pizza oven and a wood-fired grill. A selection of Carrabba's hand-prepared recipes will be available on a daily basis.
Why does the cool stuff always happen outside of Lakeland/Polk County? Wait, I think I just answered my own question.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 10, 2006 at 08:25 AM
Is there one? I don't think so. I know growth in Florida is inevitable, but I do remember the days of driving up US 27 and seeeing nothing but groves from Interstate 4 till you reached Clermont. There were some early developments like POLO Park, but otherwise it was nothing. Now a drive up 27 from the Winter Haven area is a nightmare.
One of the big issues is that there are no major cities that can control/influence the direction of the rapid growth and the County Commission can't either. Another issue is that the majority of the residents identify themselves with the Orlando area rather than Polk County. I'd like to know where residents 'say' they live? There address might say 'Davenport' but I don't think they feel that way.
I have heard that water will soon become a limiting factor in the growth, but that's only one piece of the puzzle. So what's the plan?
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 10, 2006 at 08:12 AM
The Charlotte Sun-Herald reports that a Publix distribution center at the Charlotte County Airport might move forward.
A $10.2 million increase in the appraised value of the land the airport was selling to Publix prompted the grocer to ask for more time to consider its commitment. The Airport Authority granted Publix a three-month extension of the original deadline for closing the deal, which would have occurred at the end of November.
"We've met with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and talked with Publix," Quill said Monday. "We're doing stuff, and hopefully we'll have a definitive answer in about three weeks.
Posted by Josh Hallett on January 9, 2006 at 07:09 AM
Bill Rufty reports that gubernatorial candidates Rod Smith and Jim Davis will appear at the Polk County Tiger Bay luncheon in Bartow on Monday, January 23rd.
On the blogging-front, Jim has a blog that is frequently updated and reaches out, but is mostly written my Matt Thornton and not Jim. Meanwhile Rod provides a list of blog links right on his home page (good job), but his blog appears to be down.
Update: Turns out Rod Smith does not have a blog. The Talk page just promotes blogging.
Posted by Susan Freebern on January 8, 2006 at 06:46 PM
State Senator Paula Dockery (representing Polk, Osceola, Lake, Sumter and Hernando counties) received national recognition for ending Florida's water wars.
Governing Magazine named Senator Dockery Public Official of the Year 2005. This honor was bestowed not because she passed forward thinking legislation that ended years of fighting over the State's #1 resource, but for the manner in which she did it.
For decades different interest groups have been fighting over water. Someone had to step up and address this serious issue. Using her leadership skills she brought over 120 people- agriculture representatives, developers, environmentalists, business leaders, public utilities managers, city and county officials to the table and told them she didn't need a bill they did.
The consensus group wrote the bill starting in June of 2004. It is a compressive water bill that addresses water quantity and quality as well as wastewater system upgrades for small disadvantaged counties. The most innovative portion of the bill is the state/water management district/local partnership on developing alternative water supplies.
The legislation, which was signed by Governor Jeb Bush, allocates $200 million to help local officials develop alternative water sources, such as aquifer storage, sewer reuse, above-ground reservoirs and desalination.
Due to the provision that states local water districts must match the State dollar for dollar the legislation continues the spirit of consensus building. Now municipalities will have to work together in regional authorities to focus on water supply problems across community lines.
Senator Dockery is vying for President of the Senator in 2010. Think how beneficial having someone who solves challenges by including everyone in the solution would be for our great State.
|
