As a Florida native, County Commissioner Jan Platt is all too familiar with the many hues one can find in our state's skies.
It wasn't until last year, however, that Platt discovered a group of artists who have captured that beauty on canvas. The Highwaymen are a group of 1960s African-Americans who taught themselves to paint colorful landscapes to escape the hard labor of citrus groves and packing houses in the segregated South.
"They have mastered the many faces of the Florida sky," Platt said. "If you aren't a native, if you haven't been out on the water, you might think those colors are not appropriate. But they are the exact colors I've seen. That golden glow, that red glow.
"They pick up the light wonderfully."
Platt and her husband, Bill, own four of the paintings, and she is constantly introducing the artists' work to others.
Author Gary Monroe captured the story of these enterprising painters in his book The Highwaymen, and the artists were featured in a PBS documentary that aired this month on WEDU-Ch. 3.
Monroe and Mary Ann Carroll, the sole "Highwaywoman," will hold a discussion and book signing at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at WEDU, 1300 N Boulevard. The community outreach program is open to the public, but seating is limited, so call toll-free 1-800-354-9338, ext. 2243, for information and to RSVP.
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Kudos to MacDonald Training Center and the organizers of Thursday's ninth annual celebrity fashion show. Stein Mart's Eve Barnett, the fashion director, outfitted me in a taupe suit and a shimmering tie that drew raves. And to think, I thought the tie was too funky. I guess I should have never doubted her.
Models included Mayor Pam Iorio, WTSP-Ch. 10 reporter Murv Seymour, Bucs linebacker Shelton Quarles, Tampa police Chief Stephen Hogue and Maj. Jane Castor, WUSF's Joann Urofsky, County Commissioners Kathy Castor and Ken Hagan, Bay News 9's Jen Holloway, Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson and some guy from that other paper named Larry Fletcher.
And the really good news: Nobody tripped.
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Speaking of Johnson, he's pleased with the results of the office's recent five-day voter registration drive that ended Monday. More than 2,800 voters registered, and community relations coordinator LaQuinda Brewington said the drives at public libraries did exceedingly well.
The supervisor will have similar drives leading up to the August and November elections. The first drive was for the March 9 Democratic primary. The office seems well on its way to achieving a goal of increasing registration rolls by 5 percent.
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David Williams is an enterprising young man who has impressed me with his intellect and his fortitude since I met him nearly two years ago. And he has done allthat despite being a student at Florida State. (Go Gators.)
Williams, a Tampa native, makes the occasional trip from Tallahassee so he can earn some extra dollars selling roses at Hillsborough Avenue and 40th Street. He'll be out there most of today and Saturday with his reasonably priced flowers, and I can vouch for the quality. So can my wife.
If you need something affordable, swing by and help out Dave.
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Well, it finally happened. WFTS-Ch. 28 anchor Wendy Ryan recently included one of my favorite restaurants in her Dirty Dining report. I knew it might happen sooner or later. Hey Jimmy Mac's, what happened?
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The paper had an "urgent" meeting the other day to discuss our pension plan. Pension? I skipped the meeting and took my 40-year-old stomach to McDonald's. Think about it.
I don't mean to be too cavalier, but it all reminds me of another of those philosophical bumper stickers: People plan, God laughs ... just wing it.
