Links from the Times for July 1: Mark Sanford, painkillers, baby tossed from car

Audio: Hear excerpts from the Associated Press exclusive interview with South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

Video: Watch a report about an FDA panel's recommendation to lower maximum daily dose of Tylenol and other painkillers.

Backstory: Baby tossed from car on I-275

Gotta watch: New koala bear at Lowry Park Zoo

Bundaleer, a Queensland koala and the latest attraction to the Lowry Park Zoo, made his debut Monday before groups of families and kids in zoo camp. Tampabay.com videographer Jack Rowland was there to capture the excitement of campers and zoo visitors. Watch it, then give Bundaleer a thumbs up on tampabay.com's Facebook page.

No magic needed. Giraffes entertain Darren Romeo at Busch Gardens

Performer Darren Romeo hangs out with the giraffes at Busch Gardens’ Sunset Safari in this photo submitted by Matt Marriott from Busch Gardens. Darren, a singing magician, is performing six days a week at Tampa's Busch Gardens through August 16.

Links from the Times for June 30: Ginny Brown-Waite, Ray Sansom, Bundaleer the koala

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite's financial net worth drops
The Brooksville Republican's net worth decreased significantly, according to recently released financial disclosure forms.
Download a PDF of her financial disclosure forms

Sansom helped write job description of post he sought
Former House Speaker Ray Sansom not only accepted a $110,000 job at Northwest Florida State College — he helped write the job contract.
Download a PDF of the contract
Learn more about Sansom's case at this special report page and from a Sunday Perspective document timeline of his problems.

Lowry Park Zoo welcomes its first koala, Bundaleer
The 16-pound Queensland koala slept through most of his introduction Monday morning.
See a video of the new marsupial.

State drops DUI charge against Ch. 13 anchor Russell Rhodes
Instead of going to trial, Rhodes will plead no contest on Wednesday to a misdemeanor obstruction charge.
Surveillance video may show his arrest.

No-zero grades: Will it help Hernando students or dumb down education?

Under a new policy up for a vote by the Hernando County School Board next month, the new grade for a missed assignment or test at the elementary level would be 40 percent. Translation: no more zeros.

The goal, district officials say, is to give kids a statistical fighting chance to turn around their overall grade — something tough to do even with a couple of zeros or a few very low marks on the books. But tampabay.com readers are asking: What lesson is this teaching the students?

Today's story is one of the most commented on tampabay.com; here's a look at what readers are saying:

"Wow. And what whill happen when these kids have to pass the FCAT on their own and are unable to?" asks Rene from Spring HIll. "The parents will be confused because their kids did well in school but can't pass the FCAT or did lousy on their SAT's. This does the children no favors."

Sully from Boston wrote: "The dumbing down of the dumb. How bizarre."

"This is ridiculous!" wrote Stephen from Tampa. "If they truly feel it is a problem (which I don't believe) allow the the kids to turn in missed assignments at a 20%/day penalty. At least the kids would still have to actually do the work. And if they don't do it at all, tough!"

Links from the Times for June 29: Random Acts, Billy Mays

Random Acts: For his 70th birthday, surprise gift at Tropicana Field is a home run
Barry Siebold is celebrating his 70th birthday. A pitcher decades ago in the Cleveland Indians farm league system, he has since attended hundreds of games. But he has never caught a genuine major-league baseball. A 10 year-old fan made his wish come true.
More stories of kindness.

TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead in Tampa home
Billy Mays' trademark voice helped sell everything from cleaning supplies to baking soda, was found dead this morning by his wife at his Tampa home. No cause of death has been reported and no foul play is suspected, according to Tampa police.
Guest book: Pay your respects to the Mays family
The Feed TV Blog: Legend's death stuns family, friends

Links from the Times for June 28: Sansom evidence and e-mails

The tale of the trail left by e-mail and evidence
Here is the annotated paper trail of the dealings among a onetime House speaker, a college president and a developer. It begins with a proposal to use $6 million in tax dollars to put up a private airport building and ends with their indictments. To read each of these items in detail, click on the links.

Who's Who: Sansom: Sansom: State Rep. Ray Sansom, Republican from Destin; Richburg: Bob Richburg, former president of Northwest Florida State College; Odom: Jay Odom, owner of Destin Jet, Sansom contributor

Jan. 2, 2007: What it is: Minutes from the Jan. 2, 2007, meeting of the Destin City Council, which supported Odom’s plan to request $6 million in state funding for an airport building. Odom’s proposal: an aircraft hangar for his company that would double as a staging area for emergency workers during hurricane strikes. What it means: Before Sansom and Richburg ever talked publicly about a dual-use airport building, Odom proposed one.

April 3, 2007: What it is: An e-mail from Richburg to Sansom (Odom is copied) talking about the proposal for an Emergency Operations Center/classroom building. Richburg said, “a lease will need to be developed between Odom and the college for Jay to use some of the facility for a commercial (aircraft) maintenance and storage facility. ”What it means: Even before state funding is secured, the major players are planning for Odom’s private jet company to use the building.

Links from the Times for June 28: Iranian women, Pride parade, four teens killed

For years, women's defiance in Iran came in carefully planned flashes of hair under their head scarves, brightly painted fingernails and trendy clothing that could be glimpsed under bulky coats and cloaks. But these small acts of rebellion against the theocratic government have been quickly eclipsed in the wake of the disputed presidential elections. In their place came images of Iranian women marching alongside men, of their scuffles with burly militiamen, of the sobering footage of a young woman named Neda, blood pouring from her mouth and nose minutes after her fatal shooting. In a part of the Muslim world where women are often repressed, these images have catapulted Iran's female demonstrators to the forefront of the country's opposition movement. View photos of Iranian women in Iran and around the world.

Photo gallery: The Pride parade in St. Petersburg | Share your photos

Backstory: Four teens killed in auto accident

Your photos: This Golden Doodle gets a bit goofy

Tampabay.com reader Craig Blevins shares cute photo of  Bella, his 2 ½ year old Golden Doodle.

Wedding beat: Smile at Krewe of Venus ball led to romance

[Courtesy of Phillip Lloyd Photography]

St. Petersburg Times society writer Amy Scherzer profiles Tampa Bay area couples with interesting proposals or wedding tales in her Heart Beat column. This week she writes about Alexandrea Denis and Tye Reedy, who met at the Krewe of Venus ball in 2004.

"Soon as she smiled at me, I knew,'' Reedy said. The relationship flourished as Reedy attended West Point and Denis went to the University of South Florida.

Reedy and Denis married in South Tampa June 20, just two weeks before Reedy leaves for his second tour of duty in Iraq.

We'd like to know about your courtship stories and see your photos: Share your tales with Scherzer. E-mail your pictures to submit@tampabay.com with your name and photo details in the body of the message, then view your photos in tampabay.com's Wedding Photos gallery.

You also can place your wedding or engagement announcement in tampabay.com's Bliss section for free.