The heart of the thistle [Times photo: Cherie Diez] Bob and Pat Packer introduced the Irish pub to St. Pete Beach. His wife and family will carry on with his legacy.

Cloaked in patriotic colors, Santa Parade draws 10,000
ST. PETERSBURG -- Saturday morning's Santa Parade felt more like Christmas in July.

Development deal at RV park fractures
SEMINOLE -- First they wooed them. Then they sued them. Now a deal between developer John Reed of La Perla Development Group and Bill Baynard Sr., owner of Holiday Campground RV park, is off, and the park will remain as it is.

New pool work to start in January
The council awarded the contract Tuesday for the Junior Olympic-sized pool at the Seminole Recreation Center.

By popular demand, tube will trade brown for blue
Pinellas Park's brown monotube, derided by local radio and motorists, will be sandblasted and painted at night.

Heartening stories worth repeating
Though Thanksgiving is over, it is not too late to be thankful for the good hearts of some people featured in this newspaper recently.

Taxpayers to bear brunt of new vote system
Re: County to haggle over vote devices' cost, Nov. 24.

Hunters put rabbits on the run
ST. PETERSBURG -- They say it's tough to herd cats, but wrangling rabbits is no picnic, either.

Cramped chamber plans move
ST. PETERSBURG -- The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce plans to leave its offices at 100 Second Ave. N across from BayWalk and move to Fifth Street S in the vacant Florida Power building.

South African delegation will visit
Forty-three people will see individual businesses in action and gauge economic development in Pinellas County.

Open for business as well as pleasure
The new Radisson Hotel & Conference Center features all the corporate bells and whistles, and ahhh-inspiring ones.

Makeover thrills National Guard
ST. PETERSBURG -- Late last week, troops scurried to put a final shine on St. Petersburg's spiffed-up National Guard Armory.

Seminole Elementary reaps $1,300 from friends
SEMINOLE -- Last Wednesday, John Mingo, past commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9272, presented Seminole Elementary School officials with a $1,000 check.

Little patriots elect to cast votes
SEMINOLE -- Hot dogs, hamburgers and apple pie.

A tonic for what ails world?
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, David Grimm has been wondering whether the tragedy could have been averted if he had made a few more friends.

SPC cheerleader drops squad for his squadron
St. Petersburg College cheerleaders will have to do without their one man now that he has been called up for active duty.

Better hit the brake: Officers could be real
We have oh so much to cover this week, so we had best jump right in.

Back to basics: Simple toys bring lasting joy
Everybody has a list out of the top toys for children. Some lists are based on what toys stimulate the brain or help develop fine and gross motor skills. Others are determined by marketing experts, who predict the must-have toys of the season.

Junior racer's run, won before you count to 10
A father and son ride to the top of their division with their 150-inch-long drag-racing machine, Slingshot.

Neighborhood notebook
Bygone Christmas comes to life

Beaches notebook
Gulf Boulevard

Police warn of snatched purses
PINELLAS PARK -- A woman puts her purse in the shopping cart. She steps away to pluck something from a shelf. When she turns around, the purse is gone.

Children of Holocaust survivors speak
The new book tells the stories of women, who grew constantly anxious about their parents well-being and happiness.

Junior Leaguers have a past, and celebrate it
Just so you know, Cary Bond Thomas looks saucy in playing cards, Joel Momberg is fetching in a skirt, and Ginny Sexton can hold her own against any pubescent bikini-clad sylph.

Kenneth City okays moot deal with police
KENNETH CITY -- Town Council members last week approved a labor contract with the Police Department despite learning before the vote that the union had rejected the deal.

Din over disputed bar grows louder
ST. PETE BEACH -- Ask Jack Martynow, the owner of the Palm Crest Motel, about noise at the Undertow beach bar next door and you'll get three years' worth of frustration, spilling out in exasperated sentences.

Mentally ill have new address
The building is at 1029 Burlington Ave. N. Meanwhile, housing for severely disturbed people is being explored.

Turners, LaFleur's fare well in championships
Gymnasts showcased their skills last month in the Level 5 and 6 state championships.

Lakilak, Dixie Hollins are a cut above opponents
Pablo Lakilak and Dixie Hollins teammates Clinton Perry and Ryan Brembs sported buzz cuts during their Pinellas County High School League rolloffs Tuesday at Sunshine Bowl.

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