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Neighborhood notebook: For now, city ends policy against feeding homeless

DOWNTOWN - Mayor Pam Iorio has backed away from a ban on feeding the homeless in city parks and got prosecutors to drop trespassing charges against people who had been arrested recently for doing so.

Members of the group Food Not Bombs were arrested when they tried to have picnics with the homeless at Herman Massey Park downtown. They were charged with trespassing when they refused to follow police orders to leave.

The group can feed the homeless for now, but the city will rewrite rules on how people can use parks. The new guidelines could give city officials stronger authority to prohibit groups from giving out food without providing security, bathrooms and insurance.

Iorio said she wants to ensure that parks are kept clean, sanitary and safe, and opposes any one group taking over a park.

CHANNEL DISTRICT - Rustic Steel Creations, 210 S 12th St., is hosting the "First Annual Half Year Party" to benefit the Florida Institute for Community Studies at 9 p.m. Saturday.

A $20 ticket includes drinks, hors d'oeuvres and live music with Tribal Style. DJ Blenda will spin the dance music, and Jose Morejon will sing Mark Anthony's Latin hits. An art auction will start at 10 p.m.

FICS is a nonprofit organization at 202 S 22nd St. that helps groups across Florida achieve their goals by doing research and providing services, education and training. It works with migrant farm workers in southeast Hillsborough County and has offered Spanish classes.

DOWNTOWN - Folk art by Jack Beverland, a.k.a. Mr. B, will be on display throughout May in the Kotler Art Gallery at the John F. Germany Public Library, 900 N Ashley Drive. Beverland's art depicts small town scenes, landscapes, animals and family using brightly colored, dimensional acrylic and glow-in-the-dark puffy paint. Free. For information, call 273-3652, ext. 2.

YBOR CITY - Beginning Monday, 26th Street will be closed between 13th and 15th avenues for about a month for utility work under Interstate 4. Southbound 26th Street traffic will be detoured east on Columbus Drive, then south on 34th Street and west on Seventh Avenue. Northbound 26th Street traffic will be detoured east on Seventh Avenue, then north on 34th Street and west on 18th Avenue.