Wednesday, July 30, 2008

I've Moved!

It's official. I'm discontinuing this blog, as I've moved to a hyperlocal blog: www.lakelandlocal.com.

I believe there's strength in numbers, and I'm happy to be a part of Lakeland Local, which features three other writers besides me. It's flattering to be part of a talented group of writers.

So I hope you'll cruise on over to Lakeland Local and not only continue to read my posts, but those posts by Billy, Darby and Chuck as well.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Tales from the Delk Side is Moving

This is just a quick note to let everyone know that very soon, I will relocate my blog to someplace really cool. Why? Because ALL the cool kids are doing it, duh!

Stay tuned. More to be revealed...

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Bright House Customers Can Get In Free At Tampa Yankees Baseball Game

Bright House Networks is offering its customers free admission to a Tampa Yankees baseball game, raffles, door prizes and giveaways for the 8th Annual Customer Appreciation Day.

The event is slated for Friday, July 25th when gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the game starting at 7:05 p.m. at George M. Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Way in Tampa.

Admission to the game between the Tampa Yankees and the Dunedin Blue Jays is free to Bright House Networks customers who present their cable statement at the ticket office for admittance.

There will be lots of games and giveaways, with the grand prize being a trip to Chicago and Wrigley Field courtesy. Second prize is a $1,500 Romance Getaway Travel Voucher.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Vegan/Raw Food Restaurant Coming to Lakeland

I first read about this as a result of my new membership in the Barefoot Gardeners group, but I've since confirmed it: Grass Root Organic Restaurant is opening a Lakeland location in August.

Grass Root is a vegan/raw food restaurant that started in Tampa.

Check out their Web site for more information, which I'm sure will be coming in the next couple of weeks: http://www.thegrassrootlife.com/.

Update: – I just learned that Grass Root will be in the old Petals florist building at the corner of Belmar and S. Florida Ave.

I'm sure the Dixieland neighborhood is happy at the prospect of having another restaurant, especially a trendy one like this! I think it will be a good fit.

Update to THAT update: Petals isn't going anywhere. The restaurant is going in BESIDE the Petals Florist building.

Monday, July 21, 2008

A New Look for Bent's

In case you haven't been inside Bent's Cycling and Fitness in a couple of weeks, the owner took advantage of being closed during the recent Fourth of July holiday to do some sprucing up in the store.

The discolored plexiglass windows in front were replaced, which makes a huge difference as you drive by. Inside, they replaced the carpet, added new two-tier display racks along a wall, replaced lighting and moved all of the clothing and children's bicycles into the back room.

The result is a more spacious floor plan.

On a side note, we see the price of everything going up these days- gasoline, food, electric bills, etc. Well, add bicycles to the list of products that are increasing in price. It could be the increased price of materials, increased demand for alternative transportation, or a combination of the two, but some bikes are increasing by about $50 as the new model years hit the sales floor.

So if you've been contemplating whether to buy a bicycle for your errand-running or workday commute, you'd better act soon if you don't want the purchase to hit your checkbook harder.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

I Need Sources For Some Articles

I'm looking for Polk County people to interview for several articles I'm working on. If you fit the bill, or you know someone who would, please email me with your name, the story for which you could be a source and your PHONE NUMBER. I refuse to play e-mail tag with anyone!

I do not use anonymous sources, so unless you can give me your full name and age, there's no need to reply.

Here are the stories:

Cougars and Kittens
There’s a lot of it in Hollywood- younger guys with older women. Think Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher; Jennifer Anniston and John Mayer; Linda Hogan and her 19-year-old boy toy.

There's also a lot of younger women with older men. It seems that it used to be more socially acceptable for the guy to be the older of the two, but not anymore. I'm looking for those Polk County Cougars! Do you have a younger man in your life? Do you get mistaken for the grandmother or mother of your younger man? How do you deal with that? What’s the psychology behind seeking and keeping younger mates? Is it really just about the money, which is what's often assumed?

And you younger guys, I want to talk to you, too. What attracted you to your Cougar?

Guys who play video games
Are adult men who play video games long after they have wives and children total losers, or is it OK to play them? How much is too much? Is 3-4 hours a day perfectly acceptable? What do you wives think about your husbands playing video games?

I know there are women out there who refuse to even date a man who admits to playing video games. Is that a deal breaker in a relationship?

Guys: why do you play video games as adults? What are the pros/cons to it?

Boob Jobs
Younger and younger women are getting boob jobs. I need to find at least one teenager who has had a breast enhancement or an adult who had a breast enhancement as a teenager.

Also, I'd like to talk to women who've had breast augmentation in their 20s, 30s, 40s.

Polk County Extension Service Is On The Chopping Block

Ever wondered how to grow blueberries? Been curious about having a Florida-friendly yard? Need a rain barrel, but don't know how to make one? Looking for a way to teach your kids about the value of hard work and its rewards?

You better call the Polk County Extension Service now, because there's a possibility the valuable organizations and information available through the Exension Service won't survive the County Commission's budget-cutting ax. Tampa Bay's 10 has a post on their Web site about what's going on.

The Polk County Farm Bureau also has posted information on the proposal.

If the Extension Service goes away, it will take 4-H clubs, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods and Master Gardener programs with it.

I don't mean to make the BOCC out to be the bad guys here. We're in a lean budget year and the passage of Amendment One means changes have to take place. It's not good for any programs to be cut, because they're all worthy. But as a former 4-H member and a lover of the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods programs, it saddens me to know that they may go away.

If you have an opinion on these proposed budget cuts, I urge you to call and/or email your county commissioners. They need to know how the public feels about these programs.


Commissioner Bob English
863-534-6450
BobEnglish@polk-county.net

Commissioner Sam Johnson
863-534-6049
SamJohnson@polk-county.net

Commissioner Jack Myers
863-534-6050
JackMyers@polk-county.net

Commissioner Jean Reed
863-534-6422
JeanReed@polk-county.net

Commissioner Randy Wilkinson
863-534-6434
RandyWilkinson@polk-county.net

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

CSX Getting Beat Up In Massachusetts, Too

Poor, poor CSX. It seems they just don't undestand why citizens don't want to be fed garbage politely with a spoon...

If Floridians thought we were the only ones suffering from CSX trying to shove liability down our throats for this commuter rail project, fret no more. They're doing it in Massachusetts, too.

Downtown Lakeland Partnership Executive Director Julie Townsend recently was interviewed by the Worcester Business Journal for an article on the topic. You can read the article here.