Column

Prison break, tourism and sorority girls gone wild

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published October 29, 2007

For 29 years, prison escapee Michael Hess lived on the lam under an alias. Then police arrested him Thursday night while he washed dishes at the Press Box sports bar in Tampa.

I wonder if Hess, 57, is happy to have been out for so long, or sad about likely spending his final years in jail? Were 29 years of freedom worth the unhappy ending, or would he have preferred serving the time and enjoying freedom in the twilight of his life?

Think about it....

Dr. Kiran Patel's decision to transform his Clearwater Beach development project from condominiums to hotels indicates the beach area may be swinging back toward tourism. Hopefully, the mom-and-pop businesses can hold on through the construction and road closings until northern visitors instead of condo speculators are again in vogue....

The University of Florida's Zeta Tau Alpha chapter made headlines last week after trashing the restrooms at the Columbia in Ybor City. The last time this much news emanated from a restaurant bathroom, the Carolina Panthers cheerleaders were at Banana Joe's.

But at least no one had to clean up after them....

Seen on a bumper sticker by Monica Smitherman of Treasure Island: I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it....

Halloween is Wednesday, which means I can look forward to cute little faces dolled up in costumes ... and brawny teenagers in lame outfits demanding candy like a bank robber. When you don't give them a third of your haul, they storm off mad. Unbelievable.

Look, trick-or-treating is just like the kids' menu: only for people 12 and under.

That's all I'm saying.

[Last modified October 29, 2007, 00:12:03]