I have watched the political landscape very closely this year, especially the sheriff's race. I have a concern for candidate Ron Grimming. First of all, he has lived in our county only two years and at the helm of the FHP lasted only four years, 1993-1997. Referred to as the first outsider when hired for this job, Grimming had the opportunity to respond to a reporter with the St. Pete Times after leaving office in regards to the criticism of his leadership. This researcher-reporter mentioned Grimming's "innovative attempts to modernize the FHP and splintering its focus, his weakening performance and his alienating of command staff." The writer gave Mr. Grimming three opportunities to respond, but he preferred not to defend this record of bringing in helicopters, community policing squadrons, a car theft hotline, taking troopers off the road and putting them in special units, angering Florida sheriffs. ...more

September 27, 2008

While appreciating how difficult tracking a hurricane is and how important it is to err on the side of caution, the weather wizards should tone down the drama. Although not a native Floridian, I got a solid christening after my July 2004 move with the parade of hurricanes, so I'm no babe in the woods. The media's constant harping about preparedness, while showing possible deadly scenarios done in spaghetti, all but drove me to barricade myself in the house. ...more

August 21, 2008

The recent hullabaloo following the news of 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy brings the level of a celebrity's influence into question. ...more

January 25, 2008