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This is the second art show I have entered at the Ridge Art Association and the first time being accepted! The City of Winter Haven has teamed up with Ridge Art to bring art into Winter Haven City Hall. The art ranges from small to extra large. From terra cotta to mixed media to photography. The pieces hang along the halls and in the chamber. Be sure to look for my four pieces - Reflections of the Heart, Angler, Shoreline Sentiment (my fave, the pink one below) and The Ascent.

For more information about the Ridge Art Association including gallery hours go to the web site or check out the gallery in person at the Chain O’ Lakes Complex (but they won’t be in that building forever….) but remember you have to go to Winter Haven City Hall for the Chain of Lakes Exhibition. The show ends March 31, 2009.

photo credit: Tom Hagerty

You might have missed this on the Ledger Web site:

The Gainesville Sun and Ocala Star-Banner will merge news operations, according to an announcement by executives of both papers Monday. News and copy desk functions, design, layout and pagination for the two papers will be done in Gainesville.

That was the whole article. I can’t understand how I missed it. It was published in prime time: Tuesday at 11:15 pm. They dropped it in between Florida, Michigan Delegates Forgiven With Prime Seating At Convenion(sic) and Man Charged With Assault Over Butter. I don’t remember seeing one of those cute “BREAKING NEWS” tags most often used when Brittney stubs her toe.

The Ledger story omits some important details. Most importantly that both the Sun and the Star-Banner are owned by the New York Times Company. The same group that owns the Ledger and the News-Chief. I can’t understand why the NY Times Company didn’t supply the Ledger reporter with a few more details. You would think the New York Times Company would throw a bone to their compadres.

At least the Ledger published the story about 90 minutes before the Herald-Tribune, another NY Times Company newspaper, published their version. The Herald-Tribune did announce the papers were owned by the NY Times Company, and some other details.

If it makes sense to combine staff from towns about 40 miles apart, why not combine staff from two papers less than half that distance apart? It would be a logical step toward dropping the recently purchased News-Chief.

We must now ask the accountants at the Ledger and the honchos at the News-Chief: How long before we hear the same news from your offices?

photo credit: lakelandlocal

photo credit: lakelandlocal2

Polls to vote are open today, August 26, 2008 from 7am to 7pm. The results are typically posted on the Supervisor of Elections web site for the state and Polk County.

photo credit: Tom Hagerty

photo credit: lakelandlocal2

Somehow, I have become included on the email list of a major Polk Republican kingmaker, donor and general person-about-the-county. And I’ve started receiving blast forwards of tidbits designed to rally the troops.

That’s understandable. Times are about as tough as they can get for the folks who sit astride Polk County like colossuses. The development economy has collapsed, and there’s a good chance the country will elect a secret Muslim, terrorist fist-bumping representative of polyglot America who may increase their taxes.

And judging from some of the names included in this support list, there may be more than a few of these folks who can empathize with forgetting how many houses they inherited.

Anyway, I hope they keep including me on this list, because these viral emails are most entertaining.

The first was this YouTube clip of a U.S. representative extolling the virtues of offshore oil drilling and opening up ANWR.

The breathless tagline from the email was: This video from Congress is an eyeopener folks. IT’S GONNA KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!!! The MEDIA did not tell us about this speech in CONGRESS!

What the email didn’t mention was the identity of that congressman: Don Young of Alaska. He’s under federal investigation for wrongdoing in connection to, wait for it: an oil services company. It’s the same investigation that just indicted Alaska senator Ted Stevens. I guess forgetting to mention that fact is understandable, given that Republican politicians believe so strongly in the presumption of innocence.

Clip number two is a Republican party-produced montage of Democrats saying nasty things about Saddam Hussein in the years before the Iraqis invasion. They called it: “Et tu Democrats.”

Says one support group member: THIS COUNTRY NEEDS TO RUN THIS VIDEO OVER AND OVER UNTIL ALL OF US FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON! … The next time you hear the expression. “Bush’s war” remember this video!!!

And here I thought all along Republicans were proud of “Bush’s War.” Isn’t that what they ran on in 2004? When did all your rock-ribbed, upstanding real American smack turn into “it’s the Democrats’ fault for enabling us?” Man up, and take responsibility for your own disasters. Isn’t that what conservatism is supposed to be about?

Along those lines, here’s the most recent and my favorite of the emails, under the subject line: Another convert.

I was talking to a friend of mine’s six-year-old little girl, and she said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, “If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?

She replied, “I’d give houses to all the homeless people.” “Wow - what a worthy goal,” I told her,

“But you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I ‘ll pay you $50. Then I’ll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward a new house.”

She thought that over for a few seconds ’cause she’s only 6. And while her Mom glared at me, she looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?”

And I said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”

Her folks still aren’t talking to me.

1) Clearly, the Republicans have developed a powerful strategy for locking in the all-important soft-hearted 6-year-old swing vote. The remainder of the converts, even in Polk County, seem to be headed in the other direction. But never let the facts get in the way of a good subject line.

2) It’s a good thing that Lakeland’s Republican-dominated government and civic establishment embraces this tough-love, teach-a-man-to-fish ethic so endemic to the Republican identity. You’ll never have to worry about this Republican city becoming a destination of choice for homeless people across the state. Lakeland would never accept the warehousing of other cities’ homeless populations in its downtown core. Uhhhh, well, OK. Nevermind.

3) This is what the so-called party of Lincoln, party of Reagan has become? A bunch of masters of the universe hanging their hats on fictional stories about 6-year-old girls to remember they used to claim self-reliance matters? I’m no libertarian. The public needs services. Those services need to be paid for, by taxes. The debate should be over which services and which taxes are necessary.

But let’s be very, very clear: It’s Republicans that have jacked up taxes in this county. Period. It was Bruce Parker and Bob English who pushed those taxes most forcefully. And one could argue convincingly that they were right to do so. But one cannot simultaneously argue that they represent a party that cares a whit about letting you keep more of your own money. Such a Republican party does not exist. How many of the Republican bigwigs in this support group do you think have Bob English signs in their yards?

You think any of the members of this Republican sewing circle think CSX ought to go pick weeds somewhere in Florida to justify the $600 million plus we’re all paying to allow it to dominate shipping in the state? The fact is, at this twilight of the Republican revolution, the conservative ethic has become to treat government as risk-free, interest-free bank designed to squelch free-market competition and generate more wealth for the people lucky enough to inherit it.

Really, where have all the Republicans gone? I miss them.

It would be sad if it wasn’t so funny.

Those who know a little of my history know my family and I moved to Lakeland from Louisville, Kentucky. The other day I stumbled over the blog of a Lakeland native who has reversed that trip.

Chuck Anderson moved last week from Lakeland to attend Southern Seminary in Louisville. He’s been asked to write for the college student written blog, Said at Southern. The editor wrote Anderson will report on his experiences as a freshman at the seminary as well as other topics. In addition to his work on Said at Southern, Anderson maintains a personal blog.

I’m sure his family and friends will follow his experiences, and I hope they’re not too shocked when he comes home for summer break and mentions his time in “Lullavull.” The accent is far too easy to unconsciously adopt.

On Tuesday, August 12, my parents and I went to Starbucks for breakfast, then spent the day exploring the city. First, we took visited Churchill Downs and took a behind-the-scenes tour. What an interesting place and expensive place! If you want to see the race the cheap seats are expensive, and due to the location of the cheap seats you cant see very much of it. And the whole place is designed to direct you toward the wagering windows. — From Moving in at Southern Seminary

photo credit: six steps 

photo credit: Tom Hagerty

Special to Lakeland Local by Petra Norris

If you have not discovered Downtown Lakeland’s newest old store that has everything — from Band-Aids & Fix-A-Flat to Marlboros & Toiletries, Ice Cream, Chick-O-Sticks & Moonpies to Gift Baskets, Pet Toy’s & Ice Cold Grape Crush, even Nostalgic Toys (no batteries required) & Historical Lakeland gifts — why don’t you join me and discover it now as I share with you the nostalgia of Lakeland, Florida’s only “real” General Store. Terisa Glover and Terry Lauretta, long time friends, decided in 2007 that it was now or never to open up what Downtown Lakeland really needed - Groceries, Sundries & Memories.

Located at 125 South Kentucky Avenue in historical downtown Lakeland, the store is within walking distance from Munn Park and Lake Mirror and nestled near children’s museum, hotels, restaurants, cafés and specialty shops like clothing, antiques, pottery and art galleries. Folks from all over the world have visited and purchased items from this General Store. People stop by and ask for directions or have questions, which are kindly answered with a smile.

Within recent years, Lakeland’s downtown revitalization program brought new businesses, apartments, condos and lofts. People spend their lunch time to stop by grab a snack and say hello to Terisa and Sparky. I asked Terisa what makes this store so special to the people who live and work downtown Lakeland? She replied that the store is also therapy to people that work in downtown Lakeland. She watches folks who are a little bit stressed, come to her store to sit outside in the rocking chair. Starting by intensely rocking back and forth and soon soothing to the gentle glide of the rocking chair before heading back to work.

So, if you are in need for some therapy, why don’t you “Come By and Rock a Spell”, have a session with “Sparky the Therapist” or play a game of checkers.

What makes this store so unique? It’s not about pricing or the extra value you would get if you compare The General Store with Wal-Mart or Target. It’s about personality of the people working in this store and about the store itself, a small locally owned business. It’s about patronizing because you want it to be successful.

Location, location, location….. if you happen to be living, working, or spending time downtown, you will soon realize that the nearest Wal-Mart, Publix and Target are not within walking distance, especially if you forgot to bring home milk or bread. Why not leave behind the stress of driving your car, contribute to the environment and your health by walking to the store. The very friendly clerk will surely appreciate your patronage.

Known for carrying items such as milk, bread, sodas, toys – no batteries required, the general store also has home grown items, such as Lakeland’s Countrybees honey, homemade salsas and grilling salsas like “Hot Wachula’s”.

One of Lakeland Florida unique gems “The General Store” is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Their phone number is (863) 688-5900 and they also have a MySpace page.

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Find Petra Norris’ original General Store article (with photos!) on her website: Lakeland Real Estate Blog. Norris is a Lakeland-based Realtor.

For the past few days every time I see beef jerky or stop at a convince store, I have to buy it. How did I become addicted? It all started with a road trip to nowhere (literally) last weekend. I was the passenger and two of us drove around Lakeland, Tampa, Lakeland again, then to Winter Haven and back - what a waste of gas! I wish I had taken my camera. Tampa has some awesome night life. Anyways, so how much is this addiction costing me? Probably the same amount you spend at Starbucks everyday if not more. Do I want to stop? I’ve tried it’s hard. Do I just quit cold turkey or what? How do I stop?

Ryan Perry, the Detroit Tigers’ 2008 #1 draft pick, joined the Lakeland Flying Tigers on July 28th. Catch Central Florida has the details.

photo credit: Tom Hagerty

Now that John McCain’s 4, 7, 10, or 11 luxury homes have become a presidential campaign issue, I expect the Chamber’s political action committee to weigh in at any time. Although, unlike Justin Troller, McCain appears not to have bought any of the houses himself.

Tom Hagerty is an immensely talented photographer, who adds drama and beauty daily to our little corner of cyberspace. All that being said, my inner 15-year-old cannot resist noting the, ah, Freudian, quality of his latest photo.

It’s like a Levitra ad. Stand on guard indeed.

We hereby return you to your regularly scheduled family-friendly programming.