Council Chairman Jeff Danner has e-mail problems

ST. PETERSBURG -- City Council Chairman Jeff Danner can't access his e-mail.

Danner, who was recently elected council chairman, discovered he couldn't log onto his city e-mail account last week when he was moving from his district office to the chairman's office.

"I went to log on and it wouldn't let me log on," he said. "My entire identity was deleted."

When asked whether that meant all public records on the city's computer system had been deleted, Danner said staff were analyzing the problem.

Muslim Gadiwalla, director of the city's information and communications services department, said today that an unknown number of Danner's e-mails seemed to be missing from the city's computer server. Then, several hours later, Gadiwalla said he had misspoke and that the e-mails were in the city's backup files.

In the meantime, Danner said he is doing his work the old fashioned way.

"I pick up the phone," he said.

-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Kathleen Ford enters mayoral race

ST. PETERSBURG-- Add former City Council member Kathleen Ford to the growing list of mayoral candidates.

Ford has yet to file for the seat, but she sent a letter to the Times this week signed "candidate for mayor." Ford, a lawyer, finished second to Mayor Rick Baker in 2001.

Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

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Welch: Decision soon on St. Pete mayor's race

It's the bomb waiting to drop in the race for St. Petersburg mayor: Will County Commissioner Ken Welch enter the race? Welch, a Democrat, had said a decision would be made by the end of the month, but we may have to wait a few days into February for an announcement.

Welch said today he would go public with a decision by the middle of the coming week. He's to meet with Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, tomorrow. Kriseman has not entered the race but is considered a potential contender, and Welch has said he would bow out if Kriseman runs.

Friday night, Welch said with a chuckle, one of his "infamous" family dinners will take place, where he has traditionally discussed his future political plans.

Welch said the symbolism of being mayor of his hometown is very attractive, but he's also eager to be part of the reshaping of county government that's expected in coming years as revenues contract. Then there's the robust field of legitimate contenders already in place, he said.

"It's the toughest decision I have ever had to make in my political career," Welch said.

Will Van Sant, Times staff writer

Brown-Waite opposes stimulus, misses vote

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, said she opposed the $825 billion stimulus plan but would not make Wednesday's vote because of a family emergency.

In a statement issued by her office, she disparaged the bill with partisan rhetoric, calling the legislation a "pork-ridden bailout that produces few jobs" and compared it to a "deal with the devil." Aligning with her party, she said the best way to stimulate the economy was personal and corporate tax cuts.

For the full release, read below. And for ACORN's reaction to Brown-Waite's shot at the group, keep reading.

John Frank, Times staff writer

Pour some sugar on Jim Norman

The Super Bowl media party on Tuesday drew a huge number of Hillsborough politicos to Ybor City's Cuban Club, along with thousands of journalists from around the world.

Highlights of the evening were seeing Hillsborough County commissioner and state Senate candidate Jim Norman dancing wildly to Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me."

The open bar, open buffet no-cover-charge party at the Cuban Club included a concert by .38 Special.

Also spotted in the crowd were Hillsborough County commissioners Ken Hagan and Kevin White, land use attorneys Rhea Law and Vin Marchetti,  former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, City Council member Linda Saul-Sena, and Florida Rep. Rich Glorioso.

For Hagan, seeing .38 Special was a serious trip down memory lane. He said his first concert was a show at Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg with the double bill of .38 Special and Cheap Trick.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

Time for lawmakers to earn their pay

In the aftermath of a tight-fist meeting of Pasco County's lawmakers, CT Bowen of the Times opines about their budget cutting.

Writes Bowen: "This is what it has come to. Our elected representatives are happy to report that others are doing worse."

Read more here.

David DeCamp, Times Staff Writer

Iorio stoked about the Boss

Even as she considers a run for the U.S. Senate, Mayor Pam Iorio is swept up in Super Bowl mania this week with a calendar packed with appearances alonsgide football players, press conferences and parties. She’ll sit down for an interview with the Today Show on Thursday, and swing by a dinner for NFL team owners hosted by the Glazer family, owners of the Bucs, that night. On Saturday, she’ll do a turn with ESPN’s jock chefs.

But what is Iorio, 49, most excited about?  “I’m really looking forward to meeting Bruce Springsteen,” she said. “I’ve been a Bruce Springsteen fan since high school.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band are the Super Bowl’s halftime entertainment.

Deveron Gibbons' campaign releases more endorsements

ST. PETERSBURG -- Deveron Gibbons' mayoral campaign released another round of endorsements today.

Joining Gibbons' roster of campaign co-chairs are: Brent Sembler, vice chairman of Sembler; former state Rep. Everett Rice, R- Treasure Island; former state Sen. Les Miller, D-Tampa; and pastors Walter Ross, Troy Adams and Watson Haynes.

There has been plenty of talk that some of Gibbons' supporters might ditch him if Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch enters the race. Welch has said he will decide whether to run this week.

Gibbons' campaign manager, Nick Hansen, said the endorsements are firm and he doesn't expect any defectors if Welch runs for mayor.

Haynes, a well-known education activist, said he won't switch sides, but acknowledged that he does have a friendly relationship with Welch.

"I believe Deveron is able to not only take over the office, but he can run it effectively," Haynes said. "I have a lot of respect for Ken Welch and if Deveron was not running, I would support Ken."

--Cristina Silva, Times staff writer

Rep. Hooper on local projects: "No way to sneak one in."

The Pinellas County Commission and the Pinellas Legislative Delegation got together this morning for a meeting characterized by some affable yet sharp exchanges. Both groups took time to report on their dire financial prospects and the likelihood of significant cuts to government services.

Delegation chairman Rep. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, was talking about the broad challenges the state faces when he told commission members not to expect funding for local projects in the coming budget.

"We're not going to get any projects funded this year," Hooper said. "They didn't even print up the forms, so there's no way to sneak one in."

Hooper seemed to be making a reference to a comment by County Commissioner Susan Latvala earlier in the meeting. Latvala and Rep. Janet Long, D-Seminole, had pleaded with the delegation to put its legislative might behind efforts to consolidate fire services in Pinellas County. That help didn't come, though the delegation promised to seek a study of the consolidation issue.

Obviously, Latvala was looking for action with a little more teeth.

"There are ways to do it," she told Hooper. "You can slip something through the back door and get it done this year."

"That'll get you on the front page of the St. Petersburg Times," Hooper replied.

"Well, too bad," said Latvala.

-- Will Van Sant, Times staff writer

St. Petersburg gets new democratic club

ST. PETERSBURG-- A former Republican has started his own Democratic club aimed at supporting President Barack Obama's policies.

Alex Haak, a retired politician, said 30 people already have signed up for his Obama Democratic Club. He said the club will financially support candidates in the upcoming city elections.

Haak, a Democrat, was a longtime mayor in Dover, New Jersey.

UPDATE: Local Democrats aren't pleased with Haak's new club.

"Democratic Clubs have to be chartered through the PCDEC and then approved by the State Party. You cannot just start your own Club," wrote Ramsay McLauchlan, chair of the Pinellas Democratic Party, in an e-mail to Haak today. "If you are interested in starting up a club you must first meet with the Pinellas DEC Executive Board."

-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer