Really Mr. Eakins, you didn’t know this?

As reported recently by the Tampa Tribune, the Hillsborough County school system dipped heavily into its reserves during the administration of much-heralded superintendent MaryEllen Elia to meet day to day obligations. First, shame on Ms. Elia for not being more forthcoming about this. But more so, shame on her successor Jeff Eakins for supposedly not knowing about it. We could understand Eakins being caught off guard if he were a hired gun coming from outside the county. But he was Elia’s chief assistant, for Pete’s sake. Given those circumstances, one can only assume that Eakins, as the number two man, wasn’t doing his job or that he is now showing an amazing lack of candor. Neither assumption should make the Hillsborough County school board, which has its own issues, very comfortable with Eakins.

Around the bay:

1. Our lead item reflects some issues that occur all too often in local government, when things go wrong everybody involved seems to develop a coat of silicon or a case of amnesia rather than fessing up to a mistake or lack of oversight.

2. More than one political pundit is forecasting a Rick Baker – Charlie Crist race for the District 13 Congressional seat being vacated by David Jolly. As polarizing as Baker and Crist are, “None of the above” could stand a very good chance in that race.

3. An actual property appraisal professional has entered the race to replace retiring Pinellas Property Appraiser Pam Dubov. Michael Twitty has announced his plans to join career politician Jim Frishe in the GOP primary. For those who remember the last time a career politician ran the Property Appraiser’s office, this should be an easy call.

4. It’s hard to hold much sympathy for Clearwater Espacio Development’s lawsuit against the city of Clearwater to prevent the demolition of what for many years was known as the 1100 Building in downtown Clearwater. The company has had years to make things right at the site at MLK and Cleveland Street and has not done so.

5. You’ve lived in Clearwater a really long time if you remember when the Brooklyn Dodgers, not the Philadelphia Phils, trained in Clearwater and the Ebbets family, who owned the team, had a home in Harbor Oaks.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. So you are pro-life and outraged about the latest and worst ever missteps of Planned Parenthood. Before you go off boycotting some of their “contributors”, be aware they falsified some of those too – listing Coke, Ford and Xerox as benefactors, something vehemently denied by all three of those corporations.

7. Even if you hate the Red Sox (and we do), you have to wish nothing but the best for Manager John Farrell as he battles lymphoma.

8. To nobody’s surprise, the NBC News with Lester Holt continues to win the 6:30 Evening ratings war over ABC and CBS respectively.

9. Little did we know that ESPN stood for Everybody Soon Parting (the) Network.

10. It was 46 years ago this week that a really cute brunette your HB (Humble Blogger) met at St. Petersburg College unwisely said “I do” at St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Clearwater. She remains my hero and often the inspiration for some of the better things you see on this blog. Happy Anniversary, sweetie!

Alan Gassman’s Thursday Newsletter:

Since we mentioned his neat sign on Court Street a few months back (RANTS – May 10 ), we have been privileged to receive attorney Alan Gassman’s weekly newsletter. Something appeared a few weeks back that we’d like to share with you concerning time wasters:

Examples of time wasters include:

   Clients that don't pay their bills.

   Time wasted because of disorganization.

   Distractions.

   Time wasted because of others in the organization.

   Idle chatter.

   Going to lunch when there is no solid business or financial result.

   Time spent with people trying to sell you things.

Thanks, Alan.