Links for Oct. 6: Ray Sansom, swine flu death, dead whale, boat crash, USF shooting

Judge delivers major blow to case against former House Speaker Ray Sansom
The case against former House Speaker Ray Sansom suffered a major blow Monday when a judge dismissed an official misconduct charge related to a $6 million project that a grand jury said was to be an airplane.

• Read the judge's ruling

• Read an April 2007 e-mail between Sansom and former Northwest Florida State College president Bob Richburg about the facility's use.

Cause of death still unknown for whale found in Tampa Bay
The gruesome task of determining why a 41-foot whale died brought numerous scientists to Fort DeSoto Park Monday. | Video: The whale is pulled ashore. | Photo Gallery: Volunteers and spectators came to watch.

Visibility is just one factor under investigation in fatal St. Petersburg boat crash
Previous story: St. Petersburg teenager killed in boat crash near Albert Whitted Airport
Video: Teen killed in Friday night boat crash

Random Act: Swine flu family finds caring at Hampton Inn in Ybor City
While Bryan Post's wife, Valerie was in Tampa General Hospital dying of complications of swine flu, the staff the Ybor City Hampton Inn gave the young dad, his daughters and their family a free place to stay, rides to the hospital, favorite snacks and even baby-sitting services.
Sept. 1: Put into a coma, mom with swine flu fights for her life
Sept. 30 Young mother dies of swine flu complications at Tampa General Hospital
Watch video: Young mom dies of Swine flu complications

Man taken into custody after reports of gunman at USF Tampa campus
University of South Florida police have arrested a student who spoke out on a school shuttle saying he was the suspect in a campus-wide lockdown and that he had a bomb.
Video: The scene on campus
Map: See how and where the situation developed

Links from the Times for Sept. 18: Oil drilling, Mari Mercado, ACORN, Gus Bilirakis, John Bryan

Special report: Texas oil rigs | Graphic: The loop current in the Gulf of Mexico

Special report: The effects of hurricanes on oil in the gulf

Let's Talk: What book would you recommend for IB student Mari Mercado?

Backstory: Undercover videos put the heat on ACORN

Backstory: Rep. Gus Bilirakis bashes ACORN

Perspective: Privatizing Medicaid in Florida is helping fewer people, costing more

Backstory: St. Petersburg city councilman commits suicide

Random Acts: Good news about people making a difference

Surveillance video: Sink-head robbers strike again

Mom surprised by stranger's kindness while shopping for kids' school supplies

 

Money was tight for Ronda Roberts, and she told her kids they would need to wait until her next paycheck before they could buy backpacks for school. Then a woman flanked by two granddaughters turned to her.

She told them about a free backpack giveaway at Dr. James Pitt's dentist's office on Curlew Road that Friday. As the Robertses left the store, one of the granddaughters ran to them. She had $40 in her open hand. Ronda told her they wouldn't need it. They kept walking.

But the woman wouldn't accept no.

Every day, people are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area: getting groceries for a sick neighbor; giving a bonus or day off to workers at a small business; visiting an elderly person who lives alone. How about a business performing a free tire repair for Cindy B. Smith or the story of a stranger paying $800 to save cancer patient Tammy Horsley's dog.

The opportunities for goodwill are seemingly boundless. We would like to share with readers the many ways that people, randomly, selflessly, take the time and effort to help others. Do you have a story about someone who goes beyond the call of duty? E-mail your tale to kindness@sptimes.com; make sure to include your name and phone number. Or share your story here and let us know if we can contact you.

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 9: Random Acts, gas prices and drought

Random Acts: Thief takes her purse, stranger returns her faith
Patricia Smith has had a string of bad luck that was turned around by a kind stranger who helped out when her purse was stolen.
Other stories of kindness.

Gas prices: Climbing, but peak is near
While we're not hurting as badly as we were a year ago, when a gallon hovered around $4, we're noticing the price seems to climb every day, which keeps us from wanting to hit the road.
The Fueling Station blog has the latest on energy.

Howard Troxler on water management: Let's call it 'Tampa Bay NO Water'
The officials on the Tampa Bay Water board who are responsible for the cracked C.W. Bill Young Reservoir are from nine separate city and county elections — Howard Troxler finds there's no way to fire them for the faulty project.
More on the reservoir's cracks.
What you need to know about Florida's Water Crisis.

Links from the Times for June 2: Toytown, random acts and Paris Whitehead-Hamilton

Potential ballpark site under scrutiny
Environmental hazards at the Toytown landfill could lay waste to hopes of building a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium at the mid-Pinellas site.
Read more at the Ballpark Frankness blog

Random Acts
Suffering from cancer, a woman can't afford pest control. Her pest control company said not to worry - and they took care of it anyhow.
Previous stories of kindness

Fourth suspect named in Paris Whitehead-Hamilton's murder
Duong Dai Nguyen has been identified by police as the fourth suspect in the murder of 8-year-old Paris Whitehead-Hamilton.
Paris died on April 5 when her home was hit by a barrage of semi-automatic gunfire. Members of the Bethel Heights neighborhood gang were targeting a member of rival 8-Hype inside, police say. Instead, they shot and killed Paris, who was living with her aunt.
Previous stories:
Drive-by victim, 8, was a playful, curious little dynamo
Hundreds gather in St. Petersburg for Paris Whitehead-Hamilton's funeral

Deputies release new video of missing Town 'N Country woman spotted in Tallahasse
Authorities reviewing surveillance video from a Tallahassee greyhound bus station say they caught a glimpse of Susan Jordan, the 57-year-old from Tampa who has been missing for more than three weeks.

Links from the Times for May 26: Memorial Day and Random Acts

Memorial Day
See a photo gallery of images from Memorial Day celebrations in the Tampa Bay area and across the nation, including one at Bay Pines National Cemetery.

Random Acts: Good news about people making a difference
Every day, people are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area: getting groceries for a sick neighbor; giving a bonus or day off to workers at a small business; visiting an elderly person who lives alone. This time, it was a woman who bought a $30 child's bed for someone who couldn't afford it. Consider other bay area residents recently featured in this Times series:

• Seminole crossing guard Cyndi McCants, who looks out for all children in an 80-yard stretch of Portulaca Avenue.

• Theresa FairLady paid for a stranger's vet bill so her puppy wouldn't have to be euthanized.

• Jean Mary Arnold, 83, and Christopher Pacifico, 90, had trouble starting their car at an Arby's in Seminole. Some young people helped them get their car started, helped them get in touch with AAA, and even wanted to get them a Frosty.
• The "Jersey girl," a 74-year-old grandmother who prefers to remain anonymous, leaves money at the Spring Hill Publix to pay for prescriptions when people can't afford to pay for them.
• A blond, broad-shouldered man at Tire Kingdom repaired a tire free and inflated the spirits of Cindy B. Smith, who was laid off in January.

Links from the Times for May 14: SBA, middle school rape, Bernard Madoff, boat sinking, Random Acts

Backstory: How to scramble the state's nest egg (Jan. 25, 2009)

Backstory: Boy, 13, raped at school, cops say (May 9, 2009)

Exhibit 25: Bernard Madoff's American Express bills (PDF)

Video: Search for survivors of boat sinking in the Atlantic off Boynton Beach

Random Acts: Good news about people making a difference
Every day, people are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area: getting groceries for a sick neighbor; giving a bonus or day off to workers at a small business; visiting an elderly person who lives alone. Or consider these bay area residents recently featured in this Times series:

• Seminole crossing guard Cyndi McCants, who looks out for all children in an 80-yard stretch of Portulaca Avenue.

• Theresa FairLady paid for a stranger's vet bill so her puppy wouldn't have to be euthanized.

• Jean Mary Arnold, 83, and Christopher Pacifico, 90, had trouble starting their car at an Arby's in Seminole. Some young people helped them get their car started, helped them get in touch with AAA, and even wanted to get them a Frosty.
• The "Jersey girl," a 74-year-old grandmother who prefers to remain anonymous, leaves money at the Spring Hill Publix to pay for prescriptions when people can't afford to pay for them.
• A blond, broad-shouldered man at Tire Kingdom repaired a tire free and inflated the spirits of Cindy B. Smith, who was laid off in January.

Links from the Times for May 8: Random Acts, Rachel Hoffman

Random Acts: Good news about people making a difference
Every day, people are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area: getting groceries for a sick neighbor; giving a bonus or day off to workers at a small business; visiting an elderly person who lives alone. Or consider these bay area residents recently featured in this Times series:

• Seminole crossing guard Cyndi McCants, who looks out for all children in an 80-yard stretch of Portulaca Avenue.

• Theresa FairLady paid for a stranger's vet bill so her puppy wouldn't have to be euthanized.

• Jean Mary Arnold, 83, and Christopher Pacifico, 90, had trouble starting their car at an Arby's in Seminole. Some young people helped them get their car started, helped them get in touch with AAA, and even wanted to get them a Frosty.
• The "Jersey girl," a 74-year-old grandmother who prefers to remain anonymous, leaves money at the Spring Hill Publix to pay for prescriptions when people can't afford to pay for them.
• A blond, broad-shouldered man at Tire Kingdom repaired a tire free and inflated the spirits of Cindy B. Smith, who was laid off in January.

Backstory: Rachel Hoffman died in a drug sting gone bad

Jim Van Valkenburg performs in Hyde Park: The sun comes up, Jim Van Valkenburg comes out. Out to his little corner of the world, the southeast corner of Swann and Newport avenues, guitar in hand.

• Watch video of Valkenburg performing.

Links from the Times for May 7: History Tea, Pasco awards, Random Acts

50 students, dressed as influential women from yesterday and today, attended the Third Annual Women of History Tea Party at Coachman Fundamental Middle School in celebration of National Women's History Month.  View photos.

Pasco Turnaround Achievement Award winners | Story

Random Acts: Good news about people making a difference
Every day, people are making a difference in the Tampa Bay area: getting groceries for a sick neighbor; giving a bonus or day off to workers at a small business; visiting an elderly person who lives alone. Or consider these bay area residents recently featured in this Times series:

• Seminole crossing guard Cyndi McCants, who looks out for all children in an 80-yard stretch of Portulaca Avenue.

• Theresa FairLady paid for a stranger's vet bill so her puppy wouldn't have to be euthanized.

• Jean Mary Arnold, 83, and Christopher Pacifico, 90, had trouble starting their car at an Arby's in Seminole. Some young people helped them get their car started, helped them get in touch with AAA, and even wanted to get them a Frosty.
• The "Jersey girl," a 74-year-old grandmother who prefers to remain anonymous, leaves money at the Spring Hill Publix to pay for prescriptions when people can't afford to pay for them.