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Citrus slicesBy Times staff writer © St. Petersburg Times, published October 16, 2000 The judge is dismissedLast week, Assistant State Attorney Don Scaglione was guiding a grand jury through some legal matters. At one point, he asked Circuit Judge Patricia Thomas to enter the courtroom and receive an indictment that the panel had handed up. With that procedural task quickly completed, Scaglione said the judge's presence was no longer necessary, since the grand jury had another matter to review. "I think he's telling me that I have to leave," Thomas joked. AN OILY APPROACH: Self-promotion is a necessity in business and politics alike. Just ask County Commissioner Jim Fowler. The county's new human resources director, Cheryl Welch, introduced herself during a commission meeting last week and noted that she was looking forward to living in the county. Although she has already started working here, she is commuting from her Clearwater home until she can find a home in Citrus County. "So, you're putting a lot of miles on your car?" asked Fowler, the owner of an oil change garage in Inverness. The other commissioners starting laughing, knowing a sales pitch was coming. "Good car care is a virtue," Fowler said, smiling. SPEAKING OF FOWLER: Self-promotion caught up with Fowler last Friday, when he shared the dirty little secret of politics with his fellow board members on the Economic Development Council. Some council members said the group may not exist after the Nov. 7 election, when three County Commission seats will be determined at the polls. Several candidates have vowed to cut off funding to the Economic Development Council, but Fowler said those promises shouldn't be taken too seriously. "Talk is cheap when you're a candidate," Fowler said. If that was Fowler's way of apologizing for any unfulfilled campaign promises of his own, his fellow board members were ready to take it. "Commissioner Fowler, confession is good for the soul," council member David Sallee said. BUMPER STICKERS WE LIKE: "If they don't have chocolate in heaven, I ain't going" and "My karma ran over my dogma." - Times staff writers Jim Ross, Bridget Hall Grumet, Greg Hamilton and Mary Ann Koslasky contributed to this report.
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