Tampa

Perhaps best known for hosting Super Bowls and Gasparilla parades, housing MacDill Air Force Base and being home to professional sports teams and high profile athletes – the crown jewel of the Tampa Bay region is oh-so-much more. Tampa is on the verge of achieving many long-planned ambitions. Downtown redevelopment, the expansion of the city’s port and airport, a planned Interstate 4 Green Tech corridor and a substantial increase in research activities at the University of South Florida fuel its progress.

Gates Foundation Tracks Progress In Hillsborough County Schools

By Matt Spencer

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Buzz

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July 20, 2010

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced $335 million in grants to school districts across the country last November. Hillsborough County was awarded the largest of four grants: $100 million.For the next seven years, the grant will help fund staff development, testing, salary and various start-up costs to promote teacher excellence, according to a recent update in The Washington Post.Teachers will undergo yearly evaluations based on how well students progress and observation from principals and peers. A reconstructed pay scale -- optional for veteran teachers but required for new teachers -- will consist of four tiers and reward high performing teachers regardless of educational training or years of experience.Read the complete story.

South Tampa Tenacity Drives Entrepreneur From Showroom To Saloon

By Missy Kavanaugh

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Development News

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July 20, 2010

Len Love had been selling cars at 4914 S. MacDill Ave. for 23 years when his business began to falter. So in 2008, he decided to do something about it. He bought a catering wagon. Today it's a restaurant: Love's Artifacts Bar and Grille. "I went down to Miami and bought a 25-foot wagon," recalls Love. "I set it in the parking lot and I started selling food—Italian sausage, ribs, chicken, vegetables. The ribs really worked well. They were like a $5,000 Toyota. I was selling them cheap and doing great volume. So I saw that the food thing would work."Love says he owes a lot to the community. The back of his menu lists the many people, from contractors to customers, to whom he is thankful for helping make his vision a reality. "People want it to work. They speak highly of it. We probably turned away 30 people because we just didn't have room for them. So it's working. We have a great group of people coming in. They are what's turned this place into a great place to hang out. He also sees that his business model and the area are ripe for a future franchise."I've read they do a lot of demographics testing and modeling here. Outback, Hooter's and GrillSmith, they've all test marketed here and I think it's because the demographics are so close to everywhere else."True to its name, Artifact's décor is an eclectic collection of antiques and memorabilia. Leather armchairs join wooden ones at tables in the bar. Old album covers and singles line the walls. The menu consists of ribs, chicken, pork, shrimp and fish, along with featured specials such as pasta and rib eye steak. Love recommends the fried chicken. "It's the number one thing on the menu."Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Len Love, Love's Artifacts Bar and Grille

WestCare Hires For Two Jobs For Gulf Coast Florida Divison

By Mandy Erfourth

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Health

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July 20, 2010

Want to work for a nonprofit organization that helps the mentally ill, substance abusers and the homeless?WestCare is now hiring two positions for their Gulf Coast Florida division.WestCare is hiring a crisis intervention/prevention specialist and a behavioral technician.Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a health-related field for the crisis intervention/prevention specialist position. The applicant must also have a valid Florida driver's license.Some of this position's responsibilities include providing intensive care to children with SED, and executing and running programs like Respite, Daily Living Skills, Case Management and Crisis Intervention.Interested applicants for the behavioral technician position must have a minimum of one year experience with clients in a residential setting and a valid Florida driver's license.This position is for the Residential SA Treatment program and there are several shifts available.There is an overnight shift from midnight to 8 a.m. and daytime and evenings.The Behavioral Technician's position involves daily care and supervision of homeless clients with substance and mental health problems. The employee must follow program rules and insure the safety of all residents.WestCare is a nonprofit organization that gives a wide range of health services in residential and outpatient settings. Services provided include substance abuse and addiction treatment, homeless and runaway shelters, domestic violence treatment and prevention, and mental health programs. WestCare specializes in helping difficult-to-treat cases.To apply for the crisis intervention/prevention specialist, email your resume and salary requirements to jean.jones@westcare.com or fax to Jean Jones at 727-551-0668.To apply for the behavioral technician email your resume to jholland@westcare.com or fax to James Holland at 727-825-0573.Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Kathleen G. Rodman, WestCare

Tampa Transit Initiative Gets $25,000 Boost From Orlando

By Missy Kavanaugh

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Development News

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July 20, 2010

Community leaders from the Tampa Bay and Central Florida regions met to discuss "the power of coming together" at the 2010 Super Regional Leadership Conference in Orlando on May 27.The leaderships' mission is to break down county silos to create a unified super community of businesses that promote the Tampa Bay-to-Orlando corridor as a desirable place to live and work. And it was there that an extraordinary gesture took place.Jacob Stuart presented Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio with a check for $25,000 on behalf of Central Florida Partnership."We gave it to the mayor to give to Moving Hillsborough Forward, a political action committee that is promoting transit throughout Hillsborough County," says Stuart. "We gave it to advance a regional transit agenda."Part of that agenda involves a proposed sales tax that would go toward a light rail system in Hillsborough County. The referendum will come to vote in November and its success would go a long way toward Central Florida's SunRail plans. Both light rail systems would complement the high speed rail system that will run from Tampa to Orlando and is expected to be completed by 2015."I thought the gift was extraordinary," says Mayor Iorio. "Regionalism has come a long way in past decades. And the donation was symbolic of that progress. We all seem to share the general mindset that this region is important and we're all in this together."Adds Tampa Bay Partnership President Stuart Rogel, "Like the Tampa Bay Partnership, the Central Florida Partnership understands the importance of having a robust transit system to the economic health of a region."Writer: Missy KavanaughSources: Jacob Stuart, Central Florida Partnership; Pam Iorio, Mayor of Tampa; Stuart Rogel, Tampa Bay Partnership

NYC Film Students Make Tampa Base Camp For Prima Donna Film

By Nancy Vaughn

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Arts

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July 20, 2010

Two students, Laurie Thomas, writer/director, and Carmen Jimenez, producer, have decided that Lutz, Florida is the perfect place for their coming of age film piece.Graduate students in Columbia University's MFA film program, Thomas and Jimenez are currently residing in Tampa and are in pre-production for the movie, Prima Donna. After a visit to her brother who lives in Tampa, Thomas found that she really liked the atmosphere and environment. Thomas says she found Tampa Bay to be very cinematic and they decided that it'd be the ideal location for Prima Donna.Described as a tragic, coming-of-age film, Prima Donna is a about a 13-year-old African American girl who is an aspiring country music singer. The young girl's love for country music is inspired by her father. The father/daughter team set off on a road trip toward a singing competition. On the way, the girl's gambling father convinces her to stop at a gambling party, "... and that's where their relationship falls apart," says Thomas giggling, as she doesn't want to give away the juicy bits of the film.The short-piece Supertwins is a sample project and an exploration of the film, working in the themes and ideas that Jimenez and Thomas are exploring for Prima Donna.Thomas and Jimenez thought the most difficult part of the film would be casting a 13-year-old African American girl who sings country music, however, that turned out to be the easiest part of the project. Working with local Tampa and St. Petersburg middle and high schools, they held casting calls with the drama departments and found their lead. Actors in the film are: Sabri Morgan, Ronald Graham and Vincent Stalba.During pre-production, Prima Donna is in team-building stages, finding resources like locations and equipment, and holding rehearsals with the actors. The shoot dates are August 7-11, 2010, and they'll be finalizing the last of their production needs before going into the five-day shoot.Click here for more information about Prima Donna, or here to contribute or donate to the Prima Donna film project.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Laurie Thomas, Prima Donna

Tampa Streetcar Extension Nears Completion In Downtown

By Missy Kavanaugh

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Development News

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July 20, 2010

The TECO streetcar line expansion continues its progress. Work on the extension portion near the convention center appears to be nearly done. According to Bob McDonaugh, urban development manager with Tampa's Economic and Urban Development Department, the line through Whiting Street is scheduled to be completed by December 2010. "The completion will bring the convenience of the streetcar closer to the heart of downtown," says McDonaugh. "With it's proximity to the Fort Brooke Garage; the new stop will provide visitors with another parking option while attending conventions, concerts or hockey games at the St. Petersburg Times Arena. The City of Tampa's recent installation of wayfinding signs and the available option of parking at several facilities along the streetcar route make a visit to downtown, the Channel District or Ybor City much more user friendly to occasional visitors from outside of the area." According to Deborah Tamargo, manager of government affairs at Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), the extension will bring the streetcar line into downtown and a new terminus at Franklin Street and Whiting Street, approximately a third of a mile from the former terminus at Channelside Drive. The extension continues past the arena and the Marriott Waterside Hotel, through Dick Greco Plaza and onto Franklin Street, where it ends at Whiting Street. A new station will be constructed in front of the Fort Brooke Garage, just south of the corner of Franklin and Whiting streets. The portion of the extension between Brorein Street and Cumberland Avenue will be double track. This will allow for passing and storage of streetcars.Writer: Missy KavanaughSources: Bob McDonough, city of Tampa; Deborah Tamargo, HART

Palpable Excitement Surrounds Broadway Theatre Project In Tampa

By Michelle Stark

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General

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July 20, 2010

The Broadway Theater Project is hosting a three-week performing arts program at the University of South Florida this summer. The project ends with a flourish in a three-day festival at USF's Theater I from July 29-31.

Time For A Change? Tampa Bay Radio Show Can Help!

By Nancy Vaughn

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Diversity

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July 20, 2010

"Change is life in motion. Anything that lives changes," says Asanef Noori.Noori is the founder and president of Socio-Tech Systems, Inc., a consulting firm that supports organizations in develop balance strategies for transformational change and the founder of the soon to air, Change Thrivers Radio. Noori is the author of the Change Thrivers Resource Guide which reviews the cycle of change, the predictable stages of change and understanding the emotional responses to each one of the stages. It also addresses the techniques that can help people through the stages, harnessing the power to make change work for them.For years Noori has been conducting workshops, hosted speaking engagements and women's circles to discuss "change" and she wanted to have a way of reaching more people. "I wanted to bring in information, inspiration and tools to empower women to live authentic lives and work through the challenges that many have experienced in the many roles they play as mothers, wives and business owners," says Noori.ChangeThriversRadio.com will launch on Monday, July 26, and the first radio show will air on Monday, Aug. 2. The radio show will address four different categories: change in business and business success; personal empowerment and growth; relationships, children and family; and women's health.Noori says that we can't always choose change, but we can always choose our attitude and reaction to it. "My mission is to deliver that message to those who want to learn it and apply it to their lives," says Noori.To learn more about Afsaneh Noori, click here and visit ChangeThriversRadio.com on July 26, 2010 or tune in to www.blogtalkradio.com/change-thrivers the first and third Monday of every month at 6:30 pm starting on August 2. For more information or to be a guest on the show, e-mail: info@changethrivers.com or visit their Facebook fan page.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Asanef Noori, Change Thrivers

Revisiting The Art Of Dining At The Refinery in Seminole Heights, Tampa

By B.C. Manion

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General

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July 20, 2010

The Refinery Owners Michelle and Greg Baker enjoy serving dishes that can't be found on standard menus. Their mantra: "At The Refinery, we believe good food and good drink are a necessity … not a privilege."

PostcardMania Is Hiring For 2 Jobs In Tampa Bay: Marketing, Copywriting

By Mandy Erfourth

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Innovation

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July 13, 2010

Want to work for an industry leader in innovative postcard marketing? PostcardMania is looking to hire a junior copywriter and a marketing consultant in its Clearwater offices. The junior copywriter will be expected to design ads for print and the Web and create copy for in-house e-marking and news releases, collaborate with a creative team and write for multiple formats. Applicants must have one to two years of creative writing experience, knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook, and strong writing, communication and organization skills. The applicant chosen must also be self-motivated. Familiarity with a PR writing style is also a bonus. PostcardMania is also looking for an experienced sales representative for its marketing consultant position. According to Ferris Stith, public relations and social media manager, PostcardMania receives on average 700 leads each week. The person hired as a marketing consultant will be expected to have phone and closing experience to keep up with the company's standards for responding to the leads. PostcardMania, a full-service direct mail marketing company, has been around since 1998 and has helped businesses across the country in 350 industries. Services provided include graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services. The company employs 150 and generated more than $18.5 million in revenue in 2007. PostcardMania has won many awards, including being recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the USA."We have worked hard not to lay off anyone due to the economy and have been able to keep a steady range of employees," Stith says.Interested applicants may email Human Resource Manager Dianne Ruggerio at dianne@postcardmania.com. Writer: Mandy ErfourthSource: Ferris Stith, PostcardMania