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Politics

Inaugural has Tampa Bay touch

As Charlie Crist takes office today, many from the region will be there.

By Abhi Raghunathan and Rita Farlow
Published January 2, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - At his old high school, dozens of excited band members and parents gathered Monday morning to start the trek to Tallahassee.

Other well-wishers waited for a bus at the Shoppes at Park Place.

And many movers and shakers decided to spend the first day of the year driving from the Tampa Bay area to Tallahassee to support a rarity: a hometown boy in the governor's office.

Charlie Crist, St. Petersburg High School class of 1974, will become governor today. For many residents of the Tampa Bay region, that is cause for celebration.

"Most of us have known him for a long time and have worked for him when he was running in some of his other offices way back," said Margie Milford, Crist's Pinellas County campaign chairwoman.

"That's why it's special to us. It's someone from home."

Tampa attorney Steve Mitchell said he went to both of Gov. Jeb Bush's inaugurations, and he and his wife will go to Crist's as well.

"They're always special times," he said.

"It's a proud moment for Gov. Crist, so we want to participate in that."

For some notables, getting to Crist's inauguration in time meant having to give up a day of watching big college football games.

Tampa developer Al Austin planned to drive to Tallahassee with his wife, Beverly, on Monday for the festivities.

"Being a football fan," he said, "that's a personal sacrifice for my friend Charlie Crist."

For band members at St. Petersburg High, having an alumnus become governor means the chance to play at his inaugural. St. Petersburg High School band director Jessica Elsesser said she was "shocked" to hear that Crist had asked the band to play at his inauguration.

The school system is helping to pay for charter buses, and Crist's people are paying for overnight lodging.

Also, seven students from Seminole High are pitching in to help, since some St. Petersburg High kids are away for winter break.

The news buzzed around the school's hallways in the days before winter break, drum major Megan Kelly, 17, said.

"This is his big day and he wanted to share it with us," she said.

The band will play Stars and Stripes Forever along the parade route. Once lined up in front of Crist, they'll cue up the school's alma mater and fight song.

"It's cool," said Jenny Lin, 17, a senior. "To me, it shows that one of us could graduate from St. Pete High and could go on to become governor, too."

Eric Radu, 14, said he was "a little anxious" in addition to being excited.

Others, like 14-year-old Bethany Wagner, said it helped that the band spent the past few weeks practicing.

Times staffers Janet Zink, Curtis Krueger and Steve Bousquet contributed to this report. Abhi Raghunathan can be reached at araghunathan@sptimes.com or 727 893-8472.

[Last modified January 2, 2007, 05:41:05]