The city of Clearwater’s really, really bad idea

The economy is in relatively good shape, construction money is fairly easy to come by and there are willing developers out there. So what would make more sense than a building moratorium? Honest, the city of Clearwater wants to place a moratorium on construction for key parcels on U.S. 19 so they can fumble around (perhaps hire a consultant) and cobble together a new development plan for the city’s main commercial artery. U.S. 19 properties have already taken a huge hit from the ongoing overpass construction for more than a decade. The proposed moratorium would just be another nail in the coffin for several property owners along the highway. Lots of eyes will be (and should be) on city hall this week when both the council and the community development board take up this ill-advised strategy.

Around the bay:         

1. The Tampa Bay region is again pursuing a Super Bowl (2019 or 2020). We are up against some tough competition, but the area already has a plum – the 2017 national college championship game which, in many eyes, will become more prestigious than the Super Bowl as time goes on.

2. Our Rants and Raves focus group (comprised of three old, cranky people) notes that Clearwater is considering an app that will allow you to load parking time on your meter with your smart phone. Before the focus group passes judgement on this, they need to know what is an app and what is a smart phone? (Margin of error – 50 percent more or less).

3. In a related note, Clearwater’s parking fees went up a year ago last month and what have we gained for these increased revenues - certainly not more beach parking.

4. A thank you again to the Gassman Law Group; this time for the “pub” on their marquee on Court Street. Our tiny blog is now nearly world famous thanks to you!

5. You’ve really lived in Pinellas County a long time if you (and probably your parents) visited Webb’s City.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. It is way past time for major league baseball to step up and do something about the flimsy bats its players use. If the players want to put themselves in harm’s way, that’s one thing. But the incident in Boston goes beyond the pale. A good starting point would be a bigger minimum diameter for bat handles.

7. As we close in on Father’s Day, we must revisit our prediction that two perennial NL East powers (Braves and Phillies) would be out of contention by Mother’s Day. One of them is playing better than expected with the Braves actually hanging around in the Wild Card race despite a terrible bullpen. What we didn’t see coming was the total meltdown in Miami.

8. Item: NCAA drops the shot clock to 30 seconds. Why – to make it more like the NBA – which Division 1 outdraws by six million a year?

9. What History Forgot is a show that will spice up your normally dull summer viewing season on cable. Hosted by history teacher Joe Moniaci, the show makes even the most hardcore history buff say, “Wow, I didn’t know that”!

10. Factoid: the song that has had the most versions to hit the charts over the years is Unchained Melody with nine different versions topped by…no, not the Righteous Brothers but the original version by Les Baxter that was number one 60 years ago this month.

Trying to figure out the puzzle that is the Rays

Doesn’t it sometimes seem like the Ray’s management has some sort of death wish? They refuse to show up for negotiations with the city of St. Pete – who clearly hold the upper hand in the stadium stand-off. They hold back prime tickets to their games until game day like they were drawing 30,000 a game instead of a week. And they hire a manager who most recently held a position just above bat boy in the Cleveland organization. Despite all this, they are in the middle of a pennant race at the one-third mark. That, however, is more a product of perhaps the weakest division in baseball rather than organizational wisdom. Both the Yankees and Red Sox and perhaps the Orioles will re-arm before the trade deadline and leave the local nine in the rearview mirror.