Celebrating a giant in Clearwater politics

Ten years ago this week, former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares passed away. The man knew everybody in town; was a champion for the Hispanic community; but most of all, is remembered for his valiant fight against the Church of Scientology. It was Cazares who, along with a few others, sniffed out what the “United Churches of Florida” was up to. It was Cazares alone who withstood vicious harassment by the Church of Scientology involving what federal investigators found to be a smear campaign against the Clearwater Mayor. Gabe later served on the Pinellas County Commission, but it was as the crusading mayor of Clearwater where he made his indelible mark.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1 Quote of the week (maybe the year): “I admire Hillary Clinton for her honesty.” - Charlie Crist in his televised debate with Rep. David Jolly.

2. A parting gift from the Obama administration - a proposed petroleum tax that will add just short of a quarter to your gas pump price.

3. Several state legislators are echoing this blog in calling for a statewide set of regulations for Lyft and Uber. Great idea, but do it! Tallahassee has had this on their plate for the past three sessions and each time punted.

4. One of the many great things about Pinellas County is its countywide library cooperative which allows any city’s card holder to use other libraries or better yet to just sit at your computer and order a book in a not so near library delivered to your home library - and happy 100^th birthday to the Clearwater Public Library.

5. You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember 1963 when Clearwater’s first McDonald’s (across from CHS) offered its first non-hamburger sandwich – the Filet o’ Fish. It cost 29 cents. We predict it will catch on.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. The Bucs came back to earth in rather convincing fashion in Week 2. After a relative cupcake in Week 3, they face last year’s Super Bowl contestants back to back. They will need the bye week that follows Denver and Carolina.

7. Commentator George Will, who is so quotable this time of year, wishes that the American electorate would spend as much time on selecting a president as they do selecting a new car.

8. We frequently comment on commercials (including today’s concluding note). One that recently caught our attention was the guy who makes shirts in America taking Donald Trump to task. Small nitpick - while the guy makes shirts in America, he makes them on machines made in China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

9. Fox News Network’s 7 p.m. slot has nearly doubled its audience since Brit Hume took over from Greta Van Susteren. This is not a slam at Van Susteren but a tribute to the respect Hume commands. The semi-retired commentator will stay on through the election season.

10. A huge tip of our cap to Doctors Richard Abdo and Tim Kelly who collectively ended three months of pain and incredible ridicule from “friends” as we hobbled around on a walker for several weeks. As stated here before, good accountants, attorneys, doctors and Realtors are worth their weight in gold.

How many commercials does it take?

Watching a car dealer on TV last week spouting about his decades of “integrity” got us wondering just how many commercials does it take to overcome a factual story told over and over by a former customer? Guy’s car is damaged while in for service. Dealer tells service man to call customer telling him the service man will be docked for the repair unless the customer agrees to pay the $300 or so bill. The customer reluctantly pays it while encouraging service man to go work for a more reputable dealership, and has probably told the story over several dozen times – now one more. Pretty short sighted – not to mention a complete lack of “integrity”.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK – THE VOICE OF THE GAME HANGS THEM UP