Come to think of it, the sun did come up last Wednesday and life has continued on despite some unfriending and averted glances. In fact, some good stuff actually happened. To wit:
* Incoming Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran is saying all the right things about ethical changes that include reining in the role and status of lobbyists. This doesn’t sound like the Flori-duh we’ve come to decry.
* Tampa continues to make transit inroads, so to speak. The Cross-Bay Ferry project is off to a successful debut. A temporary rideshare pact has been approved by the PTC. The free, Downtowner shuttle service is now operational. HART has launched a ride-sharing, app-based service to complement the bus system.
* We’ll soon see the implementation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s “Bigs in Blue” program, which pairs police officers with elementary and middle-school students. It’s an effort to address the fraught relationship between officers and the communities they serve. Tampa is no exception, and every effort by police to bond with their communities is more than welcome. In fact, it’s necessary.
* Imagine, a new parcel near the Riverwalk could be coming on line. If Mayor Bob Buckhorn gets his way–and he tends to on Riverwalk-related matters–the ugly duo of the John F. Germany Public Library annex and its neighboring auditorium could be razed to make way for a synergistic upgrade, possibly a park.
* Amendment 2 passed, and I have glaucoma.
* Hillsborough County went Democratic.
* Did we mention the Bucs beat the Bears?
That’ll have to do. It’s part of therapy. And getting back in the game.