Thursday, April 25, 2013
One Bay area county is considering it and we’d like to get your take on the issue!
The days of smokers being able to light up in restaurants, public buildings and the workplace are long since over. After all, it’s common knowledge that smoking is bad for a person’s health and the health of others around the smoker. But, should smokers be denied employment? Pasco County is grappling with just that question as other Bay area agencies have made the switch to hiring only nonsmokers, citing skyrocketing insurance costs. Sarasota County already bans smokers from being hired. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has employed the anti-employment practice since 2008. Other employers, including hospitals and cities throughout the state have similar rules on the books. While the list of employers that won’t hire smokers climbs, the practice …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The U.S. Senate voted down a measure that would require tougher background checks for those who purchase guns. We’d like to get your take on the issue!
President Barack Obama called the U.S. Senate’s April 17 vote denying stricter background checks for gun purchases “shameful.” The proposed law was shot down 54 to 46 with some Democrats joining Republicans in rejecting the measure, which was hoped to curb gun violence like that witnessed in the Newtown, Conn., massacre last year, according to the Huffington Post. The number of votes was less than the 60 needed to break a filibuster. If approved, the measure would have extended the country’s background check system to include gun shows and Internet purchases of weapons. The failure of the measure likely signals defeat for any other major legislation meant to clamp down on gun violence, the Post says. Other measures that “appear headed for …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
As testing continues in classrooms across the state we’re wondering how your kids are holding up.
Quiet campus signs have gone up at schools across the Tampa Bay area as FCAT testing in Florida continues through April 26. Testing this week focuses on math, reading and science for kids in grades 3 through 10. The FCAT 2.0 writing tests were administered back in February for kids in grades 4, 8 and 10. During the week of April 22, more math and reading exams will continue for kids in grades 5, 6 and 9, according to the Florida Department of Education's website. In some grades, failure of an FCAT might mean a child is barred from progressing to the next grade level – or worse – denied the ability to graduate. While there are workarounds to help kids left behind catch up to their classmates, the fact of the matter is the test is a high-…
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Jennifer Carroll’s resignation amid a racketeering investigation has Patch wondering if this affects your trust in government, Tampa Bay?
Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has resigned her post as a racketeering investigation into a nonprofit she was once affiliated with continues. That nonprofit, Allied Veterans, is accused of money laundering, siphoning profits and misreporting how much cash actually went to the charity, according to The Washington Post. The organization claims to help “fellow veterans in need,” according to its website. While no charges against Carroll have been filed, several people with connections to Allied Veterans have been arrested. Carroll resigned to prevent her “former affiliation with the company from distracting from the administration’s important work on behalf of Florida families,” a spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott is quoted as saying. The …
Sunday, March 10, 2013
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Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Florida’s governor was adamant in his State of the State address that his policies have put us on the right path. What do you say, Tampa Bay?
Florida Gov. Rick Scott might have a new catchphrase. If his March 5 State of the State address is any indication that phrase is: “It’s working.” The governor gave his address as both the Florida House and Senate officially began their sessions. "We eliminated thousands of regulations on job creators. We paid down state debt for two years in a row," The Tampa Tribune reported him as saying. "We invested in priorities – like education. And, now our economy is on the rebound. It's working." Scott went on to defend his anti-tax and anti-spending policies. He also sent the message that his reforms have improved the state’s public schools. Throughout the address, he repeated the phrase: “It’s working.” Do you agree, Tampa Bay? What are your …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Hillsborough County Commission has agreed to set aside $6.25 million to repay developers for road construction projects that will ultimately serve customers of Bass Pro’s new location. We’d like to get your thoughts on the issue.
Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan says the math is simple. The county pays out up to $6.5 million to help a developer build roads that will benefit not only Bass Pro Shops, but also a number of other businesses. In return, it will get nearly $3 million in combined property and sales taxes collected on the Brandon area parcel each year. The land only generates about $800 a year in property tax revenues now. Based on those figures, the taxpayers will get their money back in only a few years while continuing to see a large increase in property and sales taxes thanks to the development. Commissioner Kevin Beckner opposed using county dollars to help pay for the road project. He said he fears the county is turning into a “…
Monday, February 18, 2013
Mazzaro's Market in St. Pete is worth the gas and the time standing in lines. The prices are wonderful and it that "experience" that us foodies crave.
- OPINION
- On Patch
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Monday, February 18
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The International Olympic Committee’s executive board wants to boot the sport from the 2020 games. We’d like to hear your thoughts on this, Tampa Bay!
High school wrestling and Tampa Bay practically go hand in hand. From Brandon High School’s championship-winning program to Clearwater Olympian Jared Frayer, the sport and its loyal athletes make headlines both on the local and national level. Now, the International Olympic Committee wants to drop this sport from its 2020 roster. The IOC’s executive board decided on Feb. 12 it no longer wanted to see Greco-Roman wrestling in the games. While the executive board’s decision could be overturned later this summer, ESPN is reporting that isn’t likely to happen. The problem, ESPN reports, is that wrestling just doesn’t have the following other sports do. Wrestling tickets didn’t sell out during the 2012 London Games and television audience …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
President Barack Obama has the authority to set policy, but some say he’s abusing it to skirt Congress. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the issue, Tampa Bay.
One of the perks of sitting in the Oval Office is having the authority to set national policy on topics as far ranging as civil liberties and gun control. The executive order is a tool afforded to the president that has long been used to direct government agencies to do certain things. While the Constitution doesn’t specifically grant this authority, according to a 1999 report prepared for Congress, presidents from George Washington forward have used orders to conduct business. President Barack Obama’s use of the executive order, however, has drawn fire from critics. In some cases, false claims have been made about the number of orders he’s issued since taking office. One rumor, which has been squelched, claimed Obama had signed 900 …
1MommaG
5:40 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Of course government agencies should not hire smokers or drug abusers. Prospective government employees should submit to the same testing as prospective government welfare recipients. Oh, yeah, drug testing freeloaders was deemed discriminatory. Setting aside sarcasm now; all employers should be able to employ whoever they want, as long as they don't discriminate based on something a prospective … more ›