Davis Islands Today

Tampa Bay & Company is proud to announce that the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has selected Tampa Bay, and the University of South Florida, to host the 2015 NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four Championship.

“This announcement serves as tremendous validation for all of the hard work that went into the 2008 Women’s Final Four,” said Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission Rob Higgins. “Hosting an event like this is usually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but our great community will fortunately experience the Women’s Final Four a second time through the efforts of numerous organizations, countless volunteers, and the entire hospitality industry that comprises Team Tampa Bay.”

After submitting an intent-to-bid form in November 2007, representatives of 12 cities attended a pre-bid seminar in January 2008 and met with NCAA staff for individual planning and progress updates in April and June 2008. After selecting eight finalist cities in August 2008, women’s basketball committee members made site visits to each finalist city in September and October 2008.

Following the site visits to each city, potential host-city representatives made final presentations to the committee on Nov. 11-12 in Indianapolis, Ind. When evaluating prospective host cities, the committee reviewed each city’s competition venue, convention center, hotel community, transportation plans, legacy programs and financial commitment, as well as the community’s and prospective host institution/conference’s overall commitment to the event.

“I was proud to be the only female on Team Tampa Bay. The excitement and energy that the 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four brought to Tampa was memorable, and I can hardly wait until 2015!” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita. “Thank you to the Women’s Basketball Committee for the selection and congratulations to our community.”

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From Climb Tampa:

Join us for one of the most unique events in Tampa Bay. On March 21, 2009, hundreds of people will huff and puff their way climbing the 42 flights in the Bank of America Plaza in downtown Tampa. This is more than your same old 5K this event is a vertical race to climb 42 floors/914 steps. Whether climbing for a winning time or simply to cross the finish line in honor or in memory of someone with lung disease, this event is a great way to challenge yourself physically. We guarantee that all finishers will have a newfound respect for healthy lungs!

All proceeds benefit the American Lung Association for lung cancer research, education, and prevention programs. Many do not realize that lung cancer is still the number one cancer killer in both men and women.

Whether you call them farmers’ markets or fresh markets, downtown markets are great gathering spots that attract a diverse collection of people into one location looking for fresh produce, cut flowers, homemade baked goods, organic products and more. The Tampa Bay area is blessed to have several markets in communities like Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Ybor City and Dunedin to name a few. Now it’s time to add downtown Tampa to the list.

In October the Tampa Downtown Partnership launched the Tampa Downtown Market. Open on Fridays from 10am to 2pm, the market is set for Lykes Gaslight Square using the Franklin Street quadrant for the initial launch. This location offers downtown workers easy access to the high quality vendors offering an array of specialty items.

Tiffany Ferrecchia will be running the weekly market. Ferrecchia is an accomplished organic caterer and executive chef who has been working the past several months on securing vendors, coordinating with the City of Tampa on details relating to site location and organizing special market events, such as arranging for WMNF 88.5 to provide music during the market hours.

The focus is simple… bring to downtown Tampa the best products and produce available in the region while at the same time creating an economic development tool to encourage more people to explore all the downtown has to offer.

The market hopes to serve as a community-gathering place where local farmers, producers, and artisans can offer fresh agricultural and related products to generate a sense of local pride and further the economic development of Downtown Tampa.

With a strong focus on sustainability, the Tampa Downtown Market intends to provide a vehicle to educate the community on the importance of good health as they create more business opportunities and residential benefits.

Long term goals include expanding the market to a second day – Sundays – in order to drive more downtown residents and people in the surrounding communities to downtown Tampa.

For more details about the Tampa Downtown Market make sure to log onto its Web site, www.tampadowntownmarket.com. There you will find a list of vendors, directions to the site and event details.

The Tampa Downtown Market is sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times, TBT Tampa Bay , WMNF 88.5, Trickey Jennus, the City of Tampa and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

SS AMERICAN VICTORY SALUTES MARINERS, VETERANS and ACTIVE MILITARY DURING NOVEMBER 8 CRUISE. FREE ADMISSION TO VETS ON NOVEMBER 9.

The SS American Victory is the only restored merchant cargo vessel of its class on the East Coast and the only museum ship in the Southeast U.S. able to steam under her own power.

And steam she will on her ‘Salute to Veterans’ Cruise on Saturday, November 8, 2008. Special ceremonies during the cruise on Tampa Bay will recognize America’s past and present merchant mariners and honor veterans and active duty military of all services.

A ship of the famous Victory Class of cargo vessel built in 1945, the American Victory is herself a veteran of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, carrying ‘guns, gear, grub and gas’ to GIs. Since 2000, restoration tours, cruises, youth maritime education and other programs have allowed thousands of visitors to view the restoration of the vessel into a mariners’ museum and cruising ship.

The American Victory is one of only three of 534 Victory Class cargo vessels built between 1944 and mid-1946 that have been restored or under restoration. Victory Class vessels replaced the venerable Liberty ships and were significantly faster (17 knots vs. 11), allowing Victorys to sail on their own instead of in convoys and were fitted with improved navigation equipment.

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Wine Tasting is just the first Big Party in Stageworks’ new neighborhood: The Channel District!

Friends of Stageworks are hosting a Wine Tasting on Saturday, November 1 to help raise money to build out donated space for their new theatre at Grand Central at Kennedy.

Wine Design, the Channel District’s wine and gift shop is supplying the wine, and to add to the festive atmosphere there will be entertainment by local favorite Rick y Cona. You know him from Stageworks’ “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and M.A.D. Theatre’s “Bat Boy.” Local restaurant Zelda’s will provide the food and District Design is providing the art work.

Proceeds from the event go toward building the second floor of the theatre to house Stageworks acclaimed Rainbow Tribe Outreach Program for At Risk Youth.

“Stageworks uses theatre to change the lives of children at risk, one by one,” says Anna Brennen, Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Stageworks. “We develop workshops and shows to teach anger management, anti-bullying, empowerment, pride in heritage, AIDS prevention, energy conservation, and much more to youth who are in the juvenile justice system, the Tampa Housing Authority, and at risk schools and neighborhoods. We need a home to work on expanding our programs to meet the need out there as well as have a place to bring the kids to after school, on weekends and during the summer. ”

Mark Alma, Board Member of Grand Central at Kennedy and the Stageworks Board can’t wait for the theatre to open. “I am ready to have entertainment here in the Channel District not only for myself, but to help create the dream of establishing the Channel District as an entertainment district,” says Alma. “And I am especially touched by the Outreach Program because I was an at-risk kid 20 years ago. I wish I had a theatre company to help me along.”

The event will bring together local vendors and dwellers of the Channel District in a community wide event. Local vendors are contributing items to the Silent Auction including Dominique of Rustic Steel, Jill Lifsey of District Design and Frederico and Victoria from Argentine Tango Dance Studio. Surrounding condos such as Seaport Apartments and Grand Central at Kennedy will have displays at the event as well as the architectural drawings of Stageworks’ new theatre to be built at Grand Central at Kennedy.

The event is Saturday, November 1, from 6 to 9pm at the Bayside Building, 1105 E. Twiggs St., at the corner of Twiggs and Meridian. Parking is free. Entry is a $25 donation to the building fund.

Reservations requested at stageworks[at]earthlink.net. For information call event organizer Mark Alma, Stageworks Board Member at 813-484-6160.

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.

From a recent press release:

This month, First Watch Restaurants, the nation’s fastest-growing daytime-only cafe, eliminated all artificial trans fats from their menus.

“We knew it wouldn’t be too difficult to fully transition First Watch’s menu to artificial trans fat free, as we have always focused on offering healthy fare that also tastes great,” said First Watch Executive Chef Kevin Hall. “First Watch has never used fryers, and we only use the freshest ingredients available in our dishes. We are very happy to now offer an additional healthful benefit to our guests by presenting an artificial trans fat free menu.”

Researchers have established a link between artificial trans fats (also known as partially hydrogenated oils) with higher cholesterol, which can lead to a number of serious health problems. First Watch set out to be in the forefront among restaurants to eliminate artificial trans fats completely from menus and assure a continued emphasis on healthy offerings. According to nutrition expert Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, a physician and registered dietitian, artificial trans fats – which are created from modified vegetable oils and used to make food more stable – are unhealthy because they increase inflammation, which can be a starting point for heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Eliminating artificial trans fats can significantly reduce the risks and complications of certain diseases and also promote a healthy heart, according to Gerbstadt.

In order to complete the transition, First Watch took a comprehensive look at its menu, identified items that contained artificial trans fats and also sought out new vendors for healthier ingredients and products. For example, First Watch tested more than 10 healthy alternatives to margarine and successfully settled on a whipped-European blend, which combines the best aspects of margarine and butter, with none of the unhealthy artificial trans fats. According to Hall, all of the menu items will maintain the great taste and consistency that First Watch customers have grown to love.

“First Watch has been one of the leading innovators in creating healthy choices for consumers, and the company’s move to remove all artificial trans fats is another huge step,” said Gerbstadt. “First Watch already offers healthy side dishes, fresh fruit, vegetables and a full nutrient profile of menu items.”

In addition to the menu modification, First Watch recently expanded its Web site to offer an a la carte nutrition guide for consumers to check the nutritional information for each menu item separately.

First Watch specializes in daytime dining with unique breakfast, brunch and lunch creations freshly prepared to order. The company recently introduced its new Sunrise Select Premium Blend™ coffee, a full-bodied specialty combination of Panamanian beans and 100% Colombian coffee, hand selected for its rich flavors and pleasant aromas. Complimentary WiFi Internet access is also available at all First Watch restaurants.

First Watch Restaurants, Inc. is one of the largest, privately owned, daytime-only restaurant companies in the United States. Headquartered in Bradenton, Fla., First Watch has set the standard for quality daytime dining since its inception in 1983. It is the frequent recipient of “Best Of” accolades in cities where it operates. Currently operating 76 restaurants in 11 states, expansion plans call for two additional new restaurant openings in 2007 and continued growth in 2008 and beyond. Each new restaurant creates between 25 and 30 jobs, and First Watch currently employs approximately 2,000 people. Projected annual total system sales for 2007 are $77 million. First Watch has been health-conscious since its inception and will launch an artificial trans fat free menu on November 1. For locations and more information, please visit www.firstwatch.com.

There is a First Watch in Downtown Tampa at 520 Tampa Street.