Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published March 6, 2008

This just in: she's Florida's first girlfriend

For months, Gov. Charlie Crist has insisted that New York socialite Carol Rome is just "a friend," but Tuesday night at a soiree in the Governor's Mansion, he introduced her as "my girlfriend," says the Tallahassee Democrat, which snapped this picture. In November, the New York Post reported that Rome, in the midst of divorcing Bluestar Jets CEO Todd Rome, was dating Crist. Then, the governor's staff said Rome, a mother of school-age girls, was just "a friend." Still, last month Crist took Rome to the White House for a dinner with President Bush. So far, that's two high-profile dates for just a "friend."

Shark's dark day is bright for research

Nearly 11 years ago, scientists with Sarasota's Mote Marine Laboratory put a tag on a shark near Pensacola and let him go. Now the tag has been returned - sans shark. It's the longest lag between tagging and recapture in the 17-year program, officials said. A fisherman caught the Atlantic sharpnose off Ship Island, Miss. While it was the end of the shark, Mote sees a bright spot. It "demonstrates that tags can stay on for many years, which is important for this type of research," said Robert Hueter, the center's shark research director. By the way, if you find a Mote tag and return it, you could win $100. Last year, 25 tags were returned and three people won the cash.

As vultures attack, Bartow ducks

Vultures have invaded Bartow, the Orlando Sentinel reports, ripping shingles from rooftops, chewing on the rubber linings of car doors and windows, and leaving behind lots of, well, vulture poop. City officials say they can't do much about the hundreds of black and turkey vultures since they're federally protected. One resident estimates damage to two family cars at nearly $4,000 after vultures tore the rubber lining from windows and scratched the hood and roof of his daughter's new Ford Fusion and an older Geo Tracker. Some people are fighting back, including banging on wooden tablets to shoo away the birds and putting sprinklers on during peak hours for roosting.

Corrections

- The Florida Department of Children and Families will announce its final decision on which agency will oversee foster care in Pinellas and Pasco counties on April 8. A story Wednesday gave the incorrect date.

- Lynn Marshall was notified by the city that he was no longer eligible to teach at St. Petersburg's Pioneer Camp after the state Department of Children and Families, responding to a question from a citizen, made an inquiry about his criminal record. A Feb. 26 article on Marshall was incorrect.

Tampabay.com

Idol chatter

How did the females do during '80s week on American Idol? Check out Pop Life blog for the scoop at blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic.

[Last modified March 6, 2008, 00:06:23]