One of the best things to happen to Pinellas County in the last couple decades was when a retired Clearwater firefighter decided he wanted to seek a city commission seat. His name was Ed Hooper. Many viewed Hooper warily assuming he would be a voice for the firefighters union and little else. If that was what they expected, they were disappointed. Hooper was a mild-mannered voice of reason on a city commission that turned Clearwater around from what were some very dark days. He then set his sights on Tallahassee where he has been a strong, but not loud, voice for public safety, human rights and, appropriately so, his home district. Now termed out by Florida’s archaic legislative rules, he could easily retire but instead will seek a seat on the County Commission. This is good news for our county where he would again fill a seat where the occupant has lost his way. Pinellas County needs more Ed Hoopers.

Around the Bay –

1. So why don’t we just have the CEOs of the major power companies in Florida comprise the Public Service Commission? The outcomes for the public couldn’t be any worse. The PSC is broken and needs to be put out of its misery.

2. What a mess we have in the congressional districts in Florida. There is no good solution but in all due respect to Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis, the most pragmatic is to hold the elections as scheduled in ’14 and then get it right in time for 2016. The redrawing ordered by Judge Lewis promises to be a mess which will be challenged in the courts.

3. Item: Last week Audi experimented with a driverless car on the Lee Roy Selmon. Actually, if you remember, Audi experimented with driverless cars back in the 80’s when their 4000 and 5000 series cars would suddenly go into reverse without warning – or any assistance from a driver.

4. Governor wannabe Charlie Crist’s latest commercial shows him strolling down the halls of his alma mater, St. Pete High. Got us to wondering who has had the nobler career Crist or a career educator who graduated from St. Pete High about the same time - easy call. Oh, by the way, Crist’s use of the school for a commercial violated county guidelines for such commercialization.

5. Speaking of Charlie, his current employer, John Morgan, also has a new commercial recalling the days when there were no cell phones or internet. There were also no John Morgan commercials then – a better time.

The Diamond, the Media and Other Stuff –

6. Wow, next year’s Hall of Fame ballot contains an impressive front end of a rotation – Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz. Hard to see any of those three not being first ballot. Only hitter of consequence up for the first time is Gary Sheffield. His dismal post season performances might doom his candidacy.

7. Time for us to take our mid-season mulligans. Picked the Cards and Yanks to be the last two teams standing – before Molina’s injury and the decimation of the Yank’s rotation. Have to go with the A’s and the Giants to reprise their ’88 World Series – hopefully sans earthquake this time.

8. SiriusXM has stubbed their toe again. A few months ago, they pulled all the DJs off the popular 50’s on 5 channel turning it into a boring jukebox. Now, they have shanghaied one of only three classical channels they offered (XM Pops) and made it an on line only channel. And they wonder why they are losing listenership to Pandora and other such services.

9. It’s probably a 50-50 proposition if Clearwater spring training attendees will see Ryan Howard manning first base for the Phils next spring.

10. Quote of the week: “You lose James Shields. You lose Carl Crawford. You lose B.J. Upton. A lot of good guys.” – Rays Manager Joe Maddon. Don’t know about Shields and Crawford, but if the Rays want Upton back, the Atlanta Braves will have the MLB strikeout leader on the first plane south.

IN CLOSING:

It’s only fair since we lead off with a short profile on one of the Pinellas County’s outstanding politicians that we conclude with a similar piece on one of Hillsborough’s. There are some politicians who defy the stereotype of egotistic, pandering and sometimes crooked idiots. One who certainly breaks that mold is County Commissioner Al Higginbotham of Hillsborough County. Al was quietly a very powerful force in bringing Bollywood to Tampa and Hillsborough County. He has been a measured voice on the Hillsborough County Commission for years. Florida could use another couple hundred just like him.