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Letter to the editor

Year in review: 2004

That's the year that was, sorta

By Times staff writers
Published December 26, 2004

Think you know the news? From Bubba the Love Sponge to Sen. Bob Graham, from the Clearwater Memorial Causeway bridge to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, there was plenty to talk about in North Pinellas this year. Test your knowledge with a not-entirely-serious quiz on some of the names and notable events that made it in the newspaper in 2004.

1. Which among the following programs was the biggest draw at the Clearwater Main Library this year?

A. U.S. Sen. Bob Graham speaking on terrorism and the Iraq War.

B. A presentation on how to use the 4,000-year-old Chinese metaphysical art form of feng shui to promote harmony in your home.

C. The 12th annual "Evening with the Authors" featuring nearly a dozen writers discussing their books.

D. Mr. Winkle, a 5.2-pound dog known for being photographed in various cute outfits.

2. To win favor for its proposed new supercenter in Tarpon Springs, Wal-Mart has offered the city a variety of concessions. Which of these incentives has not yet made the list?

A. A kayak launch leading to the Anclote River

B. A service road named Mediterranean Boulevard

C. A roof painted the same color blue as the Greek flag

D. A tire and auto center modeled on the Parthenon

3. What happened to a Largo public works employee who stayed home to care for his mother the day Hurricane Charley was supposed to hit instead of showing up at work?

A. He was suspended without pay.

B. He was praised by Focus on the Family's James Dobson.

C. He was fired.

D. He was named Son of the Year.

4. Which Pinellas town's official Web site includes a photo of the mayor posing with someone dressed as a well-known cartoon celebrity?

A. Clearwater (Betty Boop)

B. Largo (Snuffy Smith)

C. Tarpon Springs (SpongeBob SquarePants)

D. Dunedin (Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons)

5. What prompted Clearwater officials to consider tightening the reins on concerts at Coachman Park this year?

A: The lead singer of Christian rock group Jars of Clay biting the head off a bat.

B: Branford Marsalis flipping the bird to a fan who heckled, "I thought we hired the good Marsalis."

C: A news anchor burning a flag while performing at the Clearwater Celebrates America concert on the Fourth of July.

D: A profanity-laced set by the alternative rock band Lost Prophets at the annual "Next Big Thing" concert.

6. How many uncounted ballots did the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections discover after the election was over?

A. 28

B. 280

C. 2,800

D. 28,000

7. In March, an officer of the Oldsmar Civic Club said the city could acquire its property for a new city library:

A. "Just as soon as we finish this bingo game"

B. "Once we agree on a fair price"

C. "In a jiff"

D. "When we die"

8. Which of the following is not a proposed downtown Clearwater development?

A. Old Clearwater City Flats

B. Harrison Village

C. Whistle Stop Square

D. Mediterranean Village in the Park

9. When was the new Memorial Causeway bridge originally scheduled to open?

A. June 1999

B. November 2002

C. March 2004

D. September 2005

10. How did County Administrator Steve Spratt's wife react when she learned her husband had inadvertently invited 900,000 people to their home by listing his holiday office party on the county's public calendar?

A. Baked 2-million Christmas cookies

B. Went "ballistic"

C. Inquired about using taxpayer dollars to hire Outkast for entertainment

D. Headed to SuperTarget

11. The city of Clearwater tightened parking regulations for which specific group of people at the Clearwater Municipal Marina?

A. Hardened criminals

B. Fishermen

C. Shopkeepers

D. Disabled drivers

12. What did not happen in Oldsmar this year?

A. The Civic Club said it would reject an agreement with the city over the placement of a mop sink.

B. Mayor Jerry Beverland and Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce President Kevin Gartland dressed up as sugar plum fairies at the annual mayor's breakfast.

C. The City Council passed an ordinance banning donkeys on Oldsmar streets.

D. Beverland got so mad at Council member Janice Miller that he broke his gavel.

13. What caused the cracks in four columns of the new Memorial Causeway bridge?

A. Traffic back-ups from the roundabout

B. Sailboat collision

C. Cheap concrete

D. Faulty engineering

14. The Villas of Beacon Groves in Palm Harbor closed one of its pools this summer after swimmers complained of:

A. Skinny dippers

B. Noisy teenagers

C. Frisky otters

D. Electric shocks

15. The new Clearwater library's roof was designed:

A. To match Mayor Brian Aungst's hairdo

B. With a nautical feeling in mind

C. By fourth graders

D. For $38-million

16. Which campaign slogan was real?

A. Burke 4 Clerk

B. Slammin' Ronnie Duncan

C. A Brickfield at the Court House

D. Bubba The Love Sheriff

17. Why did Pinellas County Commissioners approve a runway extension at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport?

A. To lure overseas charter flights.

B. For a Jet Blue Airways hub.

C. So Air Force One could land during the 2004 presidential campaign.

D. To make room for Steve Spratt's holiday social.

18. Chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer had a bad year in 2004. He was arrested in Japan and could be deported to the United States. How did Fischer's name surface in the news in Pinellas this year?

A. He ran for sheriff as a write-in candidate and lost to Bubba the Love Sponge in the Democratic primary.

B. A Largo Middle School prodigy criticized Fischer's legacy in an interview with Junior Chess World magazine.

C. Clearwater officials discovered an open door and two inches of pelican droppings in Fischer's beach condo.

D. Tarpon Springs officials seized an overgrown vacant lot widely believed to be Fischer's property.

19. Pinellas County consultant David Conrod spent $7-million in taxpayer money on what?

A. Hiring staff

B. Decorating his Washington, D.C., offices

C. Holiday party planning for Steve Spratt

D. "Strategic partnership development" and "strategic communication"

20. What did County Administrator Steve Spratt say when he found out Largo City Manager Steve Stanton was planning to skydive to promote an upcoming music festival?

A. "As a pilot, I'm more than willing to fly the plane."

B. "Being a pilot and wanting to sky dive myself, I think it's a neat thing to tie together with his city business. I just hope he lands safely."

C. "Maybe we should do a tandem jump together, singing Kumbaya."

D. "That guy is bananas!"

Answers:

1. D

2. D

3. C

4. C. To see the photo, go to www.ci.tarpon-springs.fl.us/text.html and click on SpongeBob SquarePants.

5. D

6. B

7. D

8. C

9. C

10. B

11. D

12. B. After people pledged money for charity, Beverland put on a Christmas tree costume and sang. When more money was pledged, Gartland put on the outfit. Beverland wore the sugar plum fairy outfit last year.

13. D

14. D

15. B

16. A

17. A

18. D

19. D

20. B

This quiz was produced by staff writers Catherine Shoichet, Nora Koch, Richard Danielson, Lorri Helfand, Michael Sandler, Aaron Sharockman, Robert Farley and Katherine Lee

[Last modified December 25, 2004, 23:08:18]