Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Digest

Woman gets 30-day reprieve on her home demolition

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 14, 2006

Nancy Vaz da Silva, the 69-year-old whose St. Petersburg home was scheduled to be demolished today, will have an extra 30 days to remove her belongings. City officials are extending offers to Vaz da Silva for a home loan program and are negotiating rental vouchers for her once the home at 4201 First St. NE is torn down early next year. "I'm ready to empty it," she said. "But I'm not ready to accept that fact it will be demolished."

'Vise' men suspected in Sarasota vice

Two Coast Guard crewmen based in St. Petersburg are suspected in the theft of a clown statue in Sarasota. A Coast Guard spokesman said Wednesday the crewmen of the cutter Vise are being investigated in the theft of Ra Ra Shish Boom Ba, one of two statues stolen last week. Another stolen statue, When Pigs Fly, was recovered over the weekend. The thefts followed a string of vandalism to some of the 50 statues that make up a public art project in the circus city.

Lou Dobbs in Tampa with Rep. Jim Davis

CNN anchor Lou Dobbs holds a live town hall meeting on the struggles of the middle class at 7 tonight from the Italian Club in Tampa. "I want to give middle-class Americans a voice which has been denied," said Dobbs, one of CNN's original reporters who has found new success as a critic of illegal immigration. He'll be joined by U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa, Hillsborough school superintendent MaryEllen Elia and Ron Pollack, founding executive director of Families USA.

Correction

Dr. Steve Tebes died late Monday (Dec. 11, 2006). A story in Wednesday's newspaper gave a different date.

And every Who down in Whoville was merry A Clearwater company did a quick about-face Wednesday, telling residents of a Volusia County apartment complex that they could put up Christmas decorations, the Orlando Sentinel reports. "It's in the rules and regulations, which more or less says they can't affix anything to the buildings or alter the flower beds," said Kevin Flynn, the president of Flynn Management Corp. But Wednesday morning, the man residents were referring to as Grinch told residents they could put up decorations after all, as long as they don't do any damage. "Happy holidays," the letter said.

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 00:21:42]