Tampa ranks last due to lack of rail among other factors
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Friday, December 7, 2007

Dunedin's top ranking as the "Most Walkable Small City" in a survey by RunThePlanet.com contrasts a recently released study that put Tampa Bay last for "walkability" among 30 metro areas.
The results are opposite of a study released by Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution, which relied on mass transit figures and demographics. RunThePlanet.com, a runner's website based in Seattle, relied on a survey of visitors who actually visited and walked cities and towns across America, a release said.

Dunedin's sunshine, mild year-round climate, pedestrian friendly thoroughfares and downtown area gave it the most votes in the "Small Community" category.

To read more about the results and download the study click here>>

 
(Dr. Marshall Goodman, VP/CEO of USF Lakeland, and Cindy Price, regional manager, TECO, share ideas in a roundtable discussion at the Nov. 30 regional planning summit.)
 
  “We are the past. We are the present. We are the future.” Emblazoned above the entrance to the Fantasy of Flight conference center, those words greeted participants in the November 30 regional planning summit. And while honoring the past and respecting the present, the group of visionaries placed its focus clearly on the future.

The University of South Florida Lakeland, the Central Florida Development Council and Winter Haven Hospital hosted more than 70 representatives from business, education and government, who met to discuss visions for the future of the region to be anchored by USF’s planned polytechnic campus at the intersection of I-4 and the Polk Parkway.

Read the full story here>>

Congratulations to the winners of the First Annual Urban Excellence Awards, which was held this past week.  Of the 23 finalists, 7 organizations and companies stood out.  Each of the finalists have contributed tremendously to downtown’s continued evolution.  The winners were:

• Channel District Community Redevelopment Area – Strategic Plan
• Fly Bar & Restaurant
• Lights On Tampa
• Old Tampa Book Company
• SkyPoint
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
• Tampa Theatre

To view images and read a description of each winner, click here.  The Partnership looks forward to this becoming an annual event in which the best of downtown is recognized.
Monday, December 3, 2007 - 2:12 PM EST

Read whole story >>

By Robert Trigaux Times Business Editor
Published December 9, 2007
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/09/Business/This_tough_lady_makes.shtml

Let's get this out of the way right off the bat:
Deanne Roberts - entrepreneur, leader and mentor in Tampa Bay business circles, and, by my take, one of the top handful of folks this community should be darn glad to have on our side - just began a round of treatment to fight a rare, aggressive form of cervical cancer.

Last week, Roberts packed two suitcases and headed to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Bag One was meant for a few days stay and some tests. Bag Two was packed for a six-week-plus stay on the chance - Roberts' personal preference - to plunge at once into radiation and two types of chemotherapy treatment. She got her wish.

"They will throw the book at me," she says of her doctors.

If you know Deanne, you've probably heard of her situation - she majored in mass communications, after all. She even has a Web site affiliated with the cancer facility for updates and messages of support - 200, at last count, from people like Alex Sink, Stu Rogel and Pam Iorio.

Roberts resisted my request to talk before Thanksgiving. She needed time to tell her aging parents who, she says, "were very shook up about their little girl."

Roberts helped introduce regional economist Richard Florida and the entire "creative communities attract creative people that companies will want to hire" movement to Tampa Bay. She helped establish Emerge Tampa, the popular group for young business people ages 21 to 35, emulated in towns across this metro area. Roberts pushed to take the idea statewide when she headed Leadership Florida. Now she will bug her peers from afar to keep pushing for mass transit.
Roberts does not want some sappy column that smacks of obituary. She talked to me because she is proud of doing one thing very right. As founder and CEO of Ybor City-based Roberts Communications, her PR/marketing firm which turns 30 next year, Roberts decided to pick her successor and keep her business independent long before she learned she was sick.
In 1997, Roberts wrote down the name of Colleen Chappell, a client and manager at Verizon Wireless as someone who could take the PR firm to the next level. "I wanted someone with the same energy level," she says.

Chappell - the Energizer Bunny, says Roberts - joined the firm in 2002. That overlap gives them time. Chappell becomes CEO next year and can slowly build her compensation in company stock. As chairman, Roberts gets slowly bought out and hopes to spend more time at her home on the coast of Maine.

Big dreams. Rough road. Tough lady. Godspeed.
Robert Trigaux can be reached at trigaux@sptimes.com.
[Last modified December 7, 2007, 22:04:19]

Tarpon Springs Art Association Annual Juried Show
December 7 – 27

Tarpon Springs Art Association Annual Juried Show Tarpon Springs Cultural Center, 101 South Pinellas Avenue, Tarpon Springs 727-942-5605, www.tarponarts.org Show Runs Dec. 7 Through Dec. 27, Reception And Awards Giving Are Open To The Public, Dec. 7, 7 To 9 Pm. Hours At The Cultural Center Are Monday To Friday 9 Am To 4 Pm, Saturdays 12 To 4 Pm. Admission is Free. The Tarpon Springs Art Association Annual Juried Show is a highlight for the Association and also for the cultural community of Tarpon Springs. Both ribbons and monetary awards are given at the opening reception. For more information on the Tarpon Springs Art Association, write to The Tarpon Springs Art Association, P O Box 1177, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688.

TMA’s Avant Garde
December 12, 6 – 8 PM

Avant Garde, the Tampa Museum of Art's association of young members, is hosting “The Art of Cocktails” at Spain on Wednesday, December 12 from 6 - 8 PM. We’re proud to feature local artists, Anita Wexler and Lisa Scholder, at this event. Members are invited to re-connect with friends, and new faces are always welcome. Join us for happy hour and enjoy drink specials and free appetizers! This event ill be held at Spain, 513 N. Tampa Street (downtown Tampa) contact: info@tampa-avantgarde.org  or visit www.tampa-avantgarde.org.

Appearing on Tampa Bay's Media Talk
December 13, 6 - 7 PM

Co-hosts Janet Sherer and Rob Tiisler welcome Bill Murphy, retiring news veteran at WTVT-Fox 13 in Tampa, FL. Media Talk is a live weekly, global webcast at www.TampaBaysMediaTalk.com between 6PM and 7PM each Thursday. Segments are available at Google, YouTube and AOL, search word: Media Talk Tampa.

Tracy Midulla Reller :: Connectivity & Austerity
December 14 – January 11
Opening Reception:  December 14, 6-10 PM
 
The WTCA is proud to announce the opening of Tracy Midulla Reller : Connectivity & Austerity. This solo exhibition will feature new work by one of Tampa's most innovative visual artists.   The WTCA will host this exhibition in Gallery 209 on the second floor of the Center. The work of Tracy Midulla Reller offers a stark visual commentary on connectivity and themes of duality.   Her work has been published in a number of art publications and has been commissioned for apparel design.  She is also a founding member of the Tampa artist collective [5]art. West Tampa Center for the Arts, Gallery 209, 1906 N. Armenia Ave, #211, Tampa, FL 33607, wtca.art@gmail.com, 813-453-4381.

TMA Celebrates Last Days at the Current Facility
December 14, 8 – 11 PM

The December 14 event will feature the local band, The Vera Violets, who will perform their signature blend of psych-rock and shoegaze music. Guest artists will feature painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and mixed media artwork. The University of South Florida Visual and Performance Artists Troupe will display cutting-edge work, while other activities will feature live painting, performance art and video projection. The museum's outside courtyard will showcase artists who will create paintings in real time throughout the evening. Interactive photo shoots will provide audience members with an opportunity to become part of the art itself. For more information, call 813/274-8534.

“Women and Wellness: The Transformation of Healthcare” Seminar
December 14, 10:30 AM

Friday, December 14, 10:30 AM at USF Gibbons Alumni center traditions Hall. “Women and Wellness: The Transformation of Healthcare” healthcare seminar featuring Charles Cox, MD ans Mary gardner, MD. RSVP to womenleaders@admin.usf.edu or call 813-974-9646 by Monday Dec. 10.

DMAF Announces Formation of Digital Media Professionals Group
December 18, 6:30 PM

DMAF the Digital Media Alliance of Florida, with business partners are starting a Tampa area group of Digital Media professionals. This is for many purposes; including promotion of the industry, improving industry communication on a local and state-wide level, and improving professional networking and growth. The next meeting date at 6:30 on Tuesday, December 18th - at the Tampa Film Commission office. The Film Commission is located at: 401 East Jackson Street (SUNTRUST Building) Tampa, FL 33602 Take the elevator to the 22nd floor. RSVP to: Tampa@DMAFlorida.org. Direct questions to Nicol Winkler at 727-518-4397 or visit www.DMAFlorida.org

All-American Classical Ballet School of Tampa Presents “The Nutcracker”
December 21 and 22, 8 PM
December 23 at 2 PM

The classic holiday favorite "The Nutcracker" is presented by the All American Classical Ballet School of Tampa and stars renowned leads Julio Montano and Giselle Durand at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center on December 21-23, Friday and Saturday, 8 PM & Sunday, 2PM. Tickets: $18, $16 for Center members and children are available at the box office 727-942-5605 or online at www.tarponarts.org.

 Jobsite Exits Holidays with Dysfunctional, Delicate Family Comedy
 January 3-20, Thursdays – Saturdays, 8 PM and Sundays, 4 PM
 
Eleemosynary has been called "alternatively funny and poignant" by Variety, and "a funny, perceptive and eloquently written play'' by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Told through direct narration and flashbacks as well as linear storytelling, the tale unfolds via the reversal of cause and effect. Eleemosynary is a celebration of the beautiful, mysterious and painful bonds between mothers and daughters. Eleemosynary plays Jan. 3-20, 2008. Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 4pm with all tickets priced at $24.50. Rush ticket prices for students, seniors and military are $10, and will only be available 30 minutes prior to curtain with cash and valid ID at the TBPAC Ticket Office window.

West Tampa Center for the Arts Presents REDUCED
December 14, Opening Art Reception 6 – 10 PM
 
The West Tampa Center for the Arts presents REDUCED, in the historic former Santaella Cigar Factory, an exhibition of black, white and gray artwork. Curated by Kurt Piazza, REDUCED presents artists with the challenge of creating work within the restricted color guidelines regardless of their medium and will feature painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video and installation by emerging, mid-career and established regional, national and international artists. REDUCED is a conceptual exhibition that aims to promote awareness of contemporary art within the local community and with all works priced under $200, focuses on nurturing the next generation of contemporary art collectors. 1906 N. Armenia Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607. 813.453.4381 WTCA.art@gmail.com.

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Special thanks to this week’s BUZZ volunteers:
Editor: Donna Manion
Creative Contributors: Deanne Roberts and Megan Hendricks
Design and Distribution: Sean Kelly