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Soccer Stadium Hearing Put Off Until Jan. 13

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

TAMPA - About 40 people, many retirees, rode a school bus downtown Tuesday to oppose a professional soccer stadium planned for a site near their homes in Town 'N Country.

They could have skipped the trip and saved the $400 they paid to rent the bus.

The Hillsborough County Commission granted a request by the stadium developers to postpone the scheduled rezoning hearing until Jan. 13.

The developers wanted to consolidate zoning on several parcels for the stadium and 20,000 square feet of retail space. The stadium will be home to a professional soccer team called the Rowdies.

The developers' attorney, Vincent Marchetti, filed a motion Friday asking for the delay.

Mike Salinero

Longer State Fair Run Gains Opposition From Counties

DADE CITY - Pasco County isn't the only local government speaking out against a plan to extend the Florida State Fair to 18 days.

Hardee and Hernando counties also have filed formal objections with the Florida Department of Agriculture, which licenses the fairs. Dade City and Wauchula, which host their county's fairs, also objected.

The Florida State Fair Authority wants to add six days starting in 2010, but the new dates would overlap two of the neighboring county fairs. Pasco and Hardee counties usually start on Presidents Day, the same day the Florida State Fair ends.

Hernando County doesn't have a direct conflict, but fairgrounds manager Joy Jackson wrote that the new dates would "cause a domino effect" on all of the surrounding counties' fair dates.
Laura Kinsler
Cooler Weather Stalls Repaving

The resurfacing of Interstate 4 from 50th Street to McIntosh Road won't start for another week because of the recent cool temperatures.

The four-month project, initially set to start early Monday, was delayed when evening temperatures dropped below 60 degrees Sunday, the Department of Transportation said.

Workers cannot spread asphalt below that temperature because it will cool too quickly.

"Tomorrow another front is moving in, so we thought it was better to hold off until Sunday," DOT spokeswoman Kris Carson said Tuesday.

Rich Shopes

Teacher Gets National Honor

A Middleton High School teacher is being honored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Hillsborough County school officials announced Tuesday.

Richard L. Crawford is a recipient of the institute's 2008-09 Educator Excellence award, which is given to up to seven educators worldwide every two years by nomination only.

Crawford is lead teacher of the East Tampa school's Aeronautics & Astronautics Academy and has taught in Hillsborough's public schools since 1986, according to a school district statement. His efforts led to Middleton's approval this year as one of only three active high school branches of the institute.

A staff report

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