Davis Islands Today

From our friends at United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bayand Achieve Tampa Bay:

The 7th Annual Cigar City Celebration will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2008 from 7-11 pm at the Cuban Club in Ybor City. This year’s event will feature cigars from JC Newman Cigars, Arturo Fuente, Cuvee, Reyes Family Cigars, Thompson Cigars, Heavenly Cigars, Drew Estate, South Tampa Cigars, Alec Bradley Cigars and more! Enjoy complementary drinks and food from Events by Amore. Try your hand at the dying art of cigar rolling with a master cigar roller from Rodriguez and Menendez Cigars. For more information please contact the UCP events department at, 813.239.1179 or events@achievetampabay.org. Register online at www.achievetampabay.org and get $25.00 off the ticket price.

Here is an email we received this morning:

To Parents and Tax payers,

My name is Mimi Conneely, I have seen people in wheelchairs negotiating Bayshore to go from Davis Island to Publix and some who just want to wheel up and down Bayshore. There is no safe access from Publix to Bayshore or vise versa, until Howard. There is, however, an overpass for the ambulatory on the Davis Island bridge leaving the island.

We need support when we present to the Mayor. Please sign petition at, http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bayshoreforall/

For more information, including pictures of light locations, go to www.bayshoreforall.com.

What do you think? Answer the poll question found in the sidebar, and leave additional comments below.

Dear Fellow Islanders:

Our commitment is to maintain Davis Islands as a safe, beautiful, healthy, and fun community. I would like to share a few updates with you on our work and concerns. Charner Reese, immediate past president, chairs the community plan implementation committee. She recently met with City personnel for a status report on programs and projects on Davis Islands, and we will be making that information available on our website. Also, Charner reports that the Parks and Recreation Department has decided at this point not to lease the main area of the Marina building for commercial retail space, which is good news. The retail activity will probably be confined to one of the smaller rooms. We have asked the City to assure that the attractive larger main room will continue to be available for community gatherings such as the Spring Ice Cream Social.

Jeffrey Siewert is chairing our traffic safety committee. In January, the City Public Works Department repaired a gas line that went under the bridge and along the sidewalk, causing significant traffic delays in leaving the islands. The City also replaced some mis-aligned panels and put new sod in near Bayshore. Hopefully, this project has been completed on schedule. We are asking the City, however, if in future they will let DICA and residents know ahead of time about the nature and duration of any projects that will cause such serious traffic delays.

Denise Cassedy, another past president, is chairing the Social Committee, and is planning the Spring Ice Cream Social. This is a fun event for all ages. If you would like to work on this committee, please let us know.

A final concern continues to be the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) plan to construct additional hangars and runway pavement at Peter O. Knight Airport (POK). DICA opposes the POK expansion plans, based on our research and the concerns of many residents. We want to make it clear that we value and support the airport, and want to see it continue to be an asset for pilots and residents. We also hope that all DI residents will have respect and forbearance when the views of their neighbors differ, and not let this become a contentious issue. As this letter goes to press, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority vote on the POK expansion is scheduled for February 7, 2008.

For more about on-going projects, if you have an issue, or to sign up for a committee, visit www.davisislandscivic.com or call me at 259-9744.

Sincerely,
Lisa K. DeVitto, President
Davis Islands Civic Association

The Florida Museum of the Photographic Arts gives us a peek at some Panoramic Views of the Past.

The “Panoramic Views of the Past,” is a presentation of twenty-four panoramic or “Cirkut” photographs of the Tampa Bay area by the Burgert Brothers. Many of these images, from the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection of the John F. Germany Public Library, have never before been exhibited. Their photographic collection presents a unique pictorial record of the commercial, residential and social growth of Tampa Bay and Florida’s West Coast from the late 1800s to the early 1960s.

In the early decades of the 20th century, Al and Jean Burgert of Burgert Brothers Commercial Photography Studio in Tampa caught panoramic scenes of a May Day celebration in Plant Park; sweeping views of downtown Tampa including the Tampa Bay Hotel; Davis Islands still undeveloped; members of the Italian Club; graduates of Brandon High School; a rustic view of Bayshore Boulevard at Giddens Avenue; Hillsborough High School cadets; and the New York Yankees of 1927. (The Yankees image is also in a show at Tampa International Airport.)

Most of these photographs are forty inches long and ten inches high. They were made using Cirkut cameras, large-format rotational cameras made between 1904 and 1943. Rotating on a special tripod, these cameras could capture a 360-degree view. The negatives of the Burgert Brothers photographs were produced on nitrate film, which had deteriorated over time. Thanks to a special project undertaken by the Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County, Inc., the 430 Cirkut negatives have recently been preserved and scanned.

The exhibition is made possible through the courtesy of the Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County, Inc., and is sponsored by The Bank of Tampa.

The Florida Museum of the Photographic Arts is a museum dedicated to exhibiting important photographic art as central to contemporary life and culture. FMoPA collects, preserves and exhibits historic and contemporary works by nationally and internationally known photographic artists. FMoPA also enriches the community by operating outreach programs to educate children and adults.

The Florida Museum of the Photographic Arts is located at 200 N. Tampa Street, Suite 130, in downtown Tampa on the corner of Ashley and Jackson Streets. The suggested donation is $4, and Panoramic Views of the Past runs through March 15.

Paws for Thought
by Jennifer Fadal

Hello and Happy February!

Please join me in congratulating our February Pet of the Month:

Sydney!

Sydney’s Mom writes: “Syd thinks his time has come. Sydney is one of Abe’s friends and a frequent loiterer at Wag. He is a handsome mixed breed who loves to bark a very enthusiastic “hello” at every person, dog and car that passes by his house and is a classic nosy-neighbor type who has to check in on all his dog friends around the block each day. On the weekends, the still-spry 8 year old Sydney can be spotted running all the way from his house to the DI dog beach to play in the water and he loves to completely wear himself out. His owners Steve, Amy and Isabella found him at the ASPCA 3 years ago and Syd wants everyone to know that are a lot more wonderful dogs at area shelters that are looking for a place to call home!

Congratulations Sydney! If you would like to nominate your dog or cat for Pet of the Month, please email me their photo and a short paragraph listing their contributions to society by February 14!

The Importance of “The Walk”
If you are like me, by the time you get home from a full day of work and everything else you do after 5pm, the last thing you want to do is walk your dog. So, you resort to throwing the ball in your back yard a few times or wrestling the dog in your apartment to get out that pent up energy.

The dog may actually seem a bit tired after this minor activity….panting and frequenting his water bowl. Most likely, within the next 30 minutes your dog has just as much energy as he did when you first walked through the door. Trust me; he has MUCH more energy to get out of his system.

Unused energy can manifest itself in several ways. If, your dog is showing signs of anxiety, nervousness or aggression most of this can be remedied by walking. I know it sounds crazy and if you are a Caesar Milan fan you know with EVERY client he meets, the dog is not getting the exercise he needs.

If you consider that dogs are truly pack animals the idea of the walk makes sense. When their ancestors lived in the wild they were always on the go. Hunting and foraging for food and water was their daily routine. It meant survival. Walking as a pack gave them not only the exercise they needed but also a sense of purpose and an understanding of their role within the pack. Even though dogs have evolved over the years, they are still pack animals and need to maintain their rightful place within YOUR pack. Walking will create this bond with your dog and give him a sense of purpose.

Now, many of you are probably saying my dog pulls or my dog hates walking! The pulling part is easy to fix as is the hating the walk part. Here are a few recommendations:

1. Use the correct leash and collar. I am not a big fan of the retractable leash. Especially when you are training your dog to walk nicely. Retractable leashes give the dog far too much reign over the walk and it can cause accidents to occur. I broke my hand a few years ago using one of these!

Small dogs seem to do well on a harness. If they where a collar and you are constantly pulling on it, you could potentially injure their trachea. Harnesses will apply pressure to the chest and not the neck.

Larger breeds can do well with a Halti, Gentle Leader or a prong collar. I know many people believe that a prong collar is cruel but I think it is just misunderstood. But, this is for another article!

Using a sturdy leather leash is better than nylon, cotton or other material. Leather leashes give the dog less room to pull and are very strong. These are highly recommended for medium to large breed dogs.

2. Consult a trainer. If you are really having trouble walking your dog, consult a trainer. Many of them will provide a phone consultation for free. There are group classes and private lessons that you can choose from as well. Interview a few potential trainers and go from there. It may only take a lesson or two to get you and your dog on the right track.

3. If your dog hates walking, begin going on short romps around the neighborhood and lure him with treats. After you return home, give him a lot of praise and a very special treat of some sort. In this way, he will begin to realize that walking means great rewards!

Next month I will discuss each of the collars/leashes mentioned above and go in to detail about each….giving you the pros and cons and detailed use!

Have a great month and get out there on the walking trail!

Remember your dog on Valentine’s Day! Stop by wag to pick up a treat for your sweetie, bandana or party collar!

Jennifer, Cristan and Abe Fadal
Wag, 304 E. Davis Blvd.
Davis Islands, Fl
www.wagoftampa.com
813-258-9181

Young Islanders March in 2008 Children’s Gasparilla Parade

The Young Islanders of Davis Islands participated in the shortened version of the Children’s Gasparilla Parade on January 19, 2008. Sporting the popular Young Islanders shirts and lots of fun pirate garb, the Young Islanders joined with the Crewe of Bobbie C. Davis and their float in the parade. A mighty time was had by all! A big thank you goes out to the Crewe of Bobbie C. Davis for hosting the Young Islanders again this year. Look for this fun event next year.

Davis Islands Easter Egg Hunt
Get ready for the Annual Davis Islands Easter Egg Hunt, coming in March 2008! Please start saving your leftover plastic Easter Eggs that you have hidden away from last year. (We know you have them!) We will use these at our Egg Stuffing Party where we prepare the eggs for the hunt. Eggs can be dropped off at D.I. Body & Boutique. Watch for details coming soon on the Egg Stuffing Party, and of course the Easter Egg Hunt.

Get Your Traffic Safety Sticker!
The requests are still coming in! Be sure to get your white traffic safety stickers for your trash bins, before we run out! The Young Islanders have purchased these stickers with grant money from Hillsborough County. The goal is to remind D.I. residents and visitors so slow down to a safe speed when travelling around the islands. Many of you have inquired on how to get your own traffic safety stickers or how to obtain a yard sign. Please e-mail your request to youngislanders[at]yahoo.com. At this time, supplies are available for Davis Islands’ residents only on a first come first serve basis.

The Young Islanders wish to thank Hillsborough County Neighborhood Relations and the Hillsborough County Children’s Board for the grant monies used to fund this important initiative.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to satisfy your service hour requirements in your own community!
If you are a Davis Islands resident teen looking to satisfy service hours for school or other projects and would like to become involved with Young Islanders events, please e-mail us at youngislanders[at]yahoo.com. We welcome your participation – what a great way to become involved in your community!

Would you like to join the Young Islanders? The Young Islanders is a group of D.I. resident children who take part in community service events. For more information, please e-mail us at youngislanders[at]yahoo.com. We hope to see you at the next event!

Jeanne Lavettre has always sold serendipity. But now she’s selling Serendipity.

For 14 years, Jeanne has operated the popular Davis Islands gift shop. But now she’s ready to move on to a different part of town. She wants to eventually open a business in Seminole Heights, but must first wrap things up on the Islands.

Serendipity is up for sale in the hopes that a new owner will continue to sell gift items. The name, lease at 231 E. Davis Blvd, and current inventory all go along with the bargain.

Serendipity is open from 10am to 8pm six days a week, and 11am to 4pm on Sundays. For information, call (813) 254-1535.