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Talk of the Bay: Shop jumps at chance to skip off to Tampa

By Times Staff Writer
Published October 12, 2007

The Hip Hop Soda Shop is hopping across the bay instead. The shop will make its debut in Tampa, not St. Petersburg, after the company signed a lease this week on property at 1241 E Fowler Ave., the former Bull Ring Sports Bar. Dr. Ben Chavis, president and CEO of H3 Enterprises, which is behind the HipHop concept shop, said renovation of property the company owns at 8901 Fourth St. N in St. Petersburg was delayed by zoning requirements that don't apply in Tampa. The business model includes multiple video games in a music-themed health foodrestaurant, and those games prompted additional renovations in St. Petersburg. Chavis said the Tampa site will require less work and should be open by the end of the year. The St. Petersburg site may open in a smaller version next year.

Cable TV viewers get restart button

Missed the first 15 minutes of your favorite movie 'cause you were happily channel surfing? Smile. Bright House says you can now Start Over. On Thursday, the company demonstrated a new feature called, well, Start Over.Start Over works on the company's digital cable network with a regular remote. With the press of a button, you can rewind certain television shows already in progress. The feature will be available to Manatee County viewers Oct. 24. By the year's end, all Tampa Bay customers can enjoy the service. Bright House says 40 channels will be equipped with the service initially. Start Over doesn't let you fast forward or record. But it allows you to pause, rewind and restart. The best part? It's free - or rather, included in your digital cable package.

TIA security boss to lay down law

A new federal security boss with an usual background is coming to Tampa International Airport. Gary Milano, 53, has held the same the job at Syracuse-Hancock International in upstate New York since 2002. Milano worked 15 years as a federal prosecutor before joining the Transportation Security Administration, where federal security directors typically come from law enforcement or the military. He replaces Dario Compain, a former military police colonel, who retired in June. Milano will also oversee federal security at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International and Sarasota-Bradenton International airports.

Tampabay.com

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[Last modified October 12, 2007, 01:22:00]