Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published December 28, 2007

Paparazzi no problem for Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist is getting used to the gossip about his love life. He has been linked in a tabloid to Carole Rome, a New York City businesswoman with Miami ties, and the two were together at a Dec. 7 Donald Trump-sponsored fundraiser for the property tax amendment in Manhattan. Crist said he knows it comes with the job. "I get credit, if it's that, for going out with people that I've never had a date with. It's really kind of weird," he said. "I understand it's just part of being a bachelor governor of a state like Florida." He said he had no misgivings about his recent late-night stop at Big Daddy's, a bar frequented by Florida State students. Pictures of his visit were all over Web sites the next day. "I thought it was fine," Crist said. "I'm not a monk. I'm a governor."

Somebody was in misery

A 59-year-old St. Petersburg man was arrested on an animal cruelty charge after he killed a wounded cat in public by striking it repeatedly with a hammer. Douglas Michaud is accused of striking a cat that may have been injured after being hit by a car. A witness told police that Michaud said, "I'm tired of hearing it squeal all morning," as he hit the cat five to seven times with a hammer on Wednesday. Police said Michaud told them that he was "only putting the cat out of its misery."

[Last modified December 27, 2007, 23:28:52]