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Today in Clearwater, Florida Nick Bollea (son of wrestler Hulk Hogan) pleaded no contest to reckless driving relating to the August 2007 accident that left his passenger John Graziano incapacitated. He was sentenced to eight months in county jail, five years probation, 500 hours of community service (though that service may not include public speaking), and a revoked drivers license for three years.

“Something has to be done to show this is not acceptable,” the judge said.

During his five years of probation, Bollea is not allowed to drink alcohol and he must undergo an alcohol evaluation and treatment. Within the next year, he is expected to attend DUI and advanced driving school.

Graziano’s father urged the judge to consider jail time. He commented that, “This has gone on long enough and needs to be stopped.” Members of Graziano’s family claim Bollea has not shown remorse or apologized for the crash.

There is still civil suit in the future, because Graziano’s legal guardian Peter Musante is suing Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan), Bollea’s estranged wife, Linda, and Nick Bollea. Reports say that millions of dollars are needed to care for Graziano, who resides at James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa.

“Florida leads nation in boating deaths” screams a headline on one of the local news station’s website.

Really? How terribly shocking. Florida, which is almost completely surrounded by water, leads the nation in boat deaths? Florida, the state that is warm enough for water recreation all year around? This information is just so very perplexing that I do believe I have a headache.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says there were 77 people killed on Florida’s waters in 2007, making it the 16th time in 20 years our state has had the highest number of fatalities in the nation. I don’t want to make light of the deaths. In fact, I feel terrible for each one that happened. Certainly, nobody goes out to play in our lovely waters thinking they won’t go back home afterwards.

My dismay is that this information would be considered out of the ordinary. Have you looked at a map of Florida? It’s like running an article now that says mortgage lenders are losing their jobs or the Democratic party is deeply divided and expecting people to see the headline as fresh and interesting. It’s just plain obvious.

It’s coming up on nine months since Nick Bollea, son of wrestler Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) was a Toyota Supra on Court Street in Clearwater, Florida and lost control. He crashed into a palm tree in the median and his passenger, John Graziano, was grievously injured. He has been unresponsive and in the hospital since. He may never be able to care for himself again.

Multiple witnesses have come forward to say that Bollea was racing with Danny Jacobs. Both Bollea and Jacobs were charged.

Initially, Bollea pleaded not guilty to his charges of reckless driving with serious bodily injury. However, in a risky move, he is expected to make an open plea in court tomorrow during a 1: 30 p.m. pre-trial hearing Friday. Circuit Judge Philip Federico will then conduct a sentencing hearing.

Speculation is all over the map as to what sort of sentence Bollea will receive. He could get merely probation or as much as five years in prison.

Captain Jeffrey Young of the Tarpon Springs, Florida Police Department just now confirmed that Deborah Jean Palfrey, had been positively identified by her mother, Blanche Elizabeth Palfrey.

Blanche Palfrey woke up from a short nap and started looking for her daughter. She noticed a bike had been moved out of the shed, went inside the shed, and found her daughter had hung herself using a nylon rope attached to a metal beam. She immediately called 911.

Information about the suicide notes (plural) that were written by Deborah Jean Palfrey and found inside the home in a notebook are not being released just now.

The situation is touchy, as the mobile home park is private property. Press is being told that there is no public property there and they need to leave immediately after the press conference. The press plans to camp out at the police department for future live shots.

Just up the road, in Tarpon Springs, there is a lot of action right now. Police are currently investigating what looks to be the suicide of Deborah Jean Palfrey, aka the “D.C. Madam.”

The body was found this morning when police were called to the Sun Valley Mobile Home Park on U.S. 19 at 10:52 a.m. They found handwritten suicide notes a body in the shed adjacent to the mobile home.

Palfrey was convicted April 15 by a federal jury of running a prostitution service, money-laundering, using the mail for illegal purposes, and racketeering. She was facing up to 55 years in prison.

A press conference is scheduled for a few minutes from now, at 3:30 p.m. I’m watching the local news now for more information.

Riding on the coattails of the High School Musical phenomenon is the upcoming “High School Musical: Summer Sessions” reality TV show. The show is to be hosted by Nick Lachey and will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Sundays and Mondays for three weeks beginning July 20 and then at 8 p.m. Mondays through mid-September.

And, if you are an aspiring actor between the ages of 16 to 22, you can audition in Orlando, Florida on May 7 at Champion Stadium in Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

Although the prize involved in the competition has not been completely clear to the public yet, I am assuming it could very well involve a role in the next High School Musical film. I base that on the quote, “one talented newcomer will receive the opportunity of a lifetime, becoming a part of ‘High School Musical’ history.”

Download your application for the High School Musical Audition.

Economically, there is at least one advantage to living in Florida. We do not have a state income tax. We do, however, have outrageous property taxes in most counties, as well as a system that is not adequately protesting homeowners from the criminal homeowner’s insurances prices.

Our state sales tax is currently 6%, but nearly every county in the state tacks on at least another penny to cover things like roads and bloated county government salaries. I pay 7% where I live.

You don’t get anything for free. That is a universal truth. With so many people complaining about the cost of property taxes, the state government is offering to make some changes that would cut 25 - 40 percent (or more) off a typical tax bill.
But, at a price!

On November 4, when elections occur, we will have to vote on whether or not to add another cent to the base state sales tax. That would mean 7 cents on most purchases, excluding food, drugs and some other products. Only then would the Legislature eliminate a portion of local property tax.

Since all of the counties in the Tampa Bay area already tack on that extra penny, that means sales tax around here would move to 8 cents on the dollar.

Even with what would look like an extra burden on residents, the proposed change would actually cut a lot of money from schools in the state. The bill would take $7.9 billion from local school budgets statewide, but the extra penny would only give back $3.9 billion.

As distasteful as this increase initially sounds to me, I do see it as a valid way to make some of the illegal individuals working and living in Florida pay a little more tax. It’s a small ray of sunshine.

It was big news in Florida today, as news agencies waited to see what the sentencing phase in the Wesley Snipes case would bring. In the end, a federal judge in Ocala, Florida sentenced Snipes this afternoon to three years in federal prison. That is the maximum sentence he could have received and many people believe he is being used to show an example.

Snipes must also serve one year of probation and he is still expected pay for back taxes after a civil trial.

Eddie Ray Kahn, Snipes’ tax consultant, was convicted of conspiracy and filing a false tax return and received a maximum 10-year prison sentence. Douglas Rosile, the accountant who prepared a fraudulent tax return for Snipes, received 54 months.

Here in Florida, we have a selection of over 100 specialty license plates. Nearly every cause seems to be represented and for just a small additional fee, drivers can show the world what they stand behind ideologically.

The University plates are popular, as are the ones for education and “Choose Life”. Now, Florida Legislature is considering a specialty plate that includes a Christian cross, a stained-glass window and the words “I Believe.”

If it gets approved, Florida will be the first state to have a license plate featuring a religious symbol (that is not part of a college logo).

There are other new license plate designs under consideration as well. One is an “In God We Trust” (also the official motto of both the United States and the state of Florida) plate that would benefit the children of soldiers and law enforcement officers whose parents have died.

It’s hilarious to watch some of the locals duke it out in discussion forums on this issue. So many people cry “separation of church and state,” but they fail to understand that that said separation is only generally implied in our Constitution. The actual phrase was “building a wall of separation between church and state” and was only was written by Thomas Jefferson in a January 1, 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association. It is a concept and an idea, but not law exactly.

By now, most of you have heard about the group of teens who filmed themselves beating 16-year-old Victoria Lindsay back on March 30. They had intended to put the video on sites like YouTube and MySpace in order to create a viral video frenzy of the incident.

Also by now, most of you have heard that the brainiacs got caught and are facing serious charges that could lead to life in jail.

So, now news is emerging about what, other than the mysterious “trash talking” that has been referenced already, may have sparked the beating. It turns out that earlier that same day; Lindsay and Mercades Nichols had bickered over a hairbrush and razor that Lindsay borrowed from Nichols without permission. Nichols supposedly followed the argument up by sending Lindsay threaten text messages.

A hairbrush and a razor? Seriously? There is petty and then there is small-minded and selfish.

Holy cow.

I wrote on April 18 about how Florida was probably going to ban ”truck nutz“.

Thank goodness for a glimmer of good taste in our state. Today,  the bill that makes  hanging “truck nutz” from your vehicle a moving violation passed the Senate by 37-2. The odd-balls who voted against it were  Republican Sen. Bill Posey and Democrat Sen. Frederica Wilson.

Finally, someone stood up and said something about the tacky fake bull’s testicles that too may low class morons are hanging from the back of their trucks.

I have a 5-year-old daughter and there is not way in the world I want to have to explain to her what they are. Not yet. And, to those who feel I should just make up some clever reply to cover it up for her: I do not lie to my daughter, ever. Therefore, talking to her about testicles is something I want to just put off for a few years.

This week the Florida State Senate started discussions about products like Your Nutz and BullsBalls. One senator suggested that the owners be subject to a $60 fine. The fate of the proposed bull could be decided as early as next week.

The sellers of the lowbrow accessories insist, “It’s a First Amendment thing.”

That is what most people say when they cannot think of a better rebuttal.

They are lewd and classless. I am all for finding those who insist on driving the roads with them attached to their vehicles. If they want to display balls, let them hang some from their rearview mirrors, where they can admit the ornaments themselves. Don’t; put them where all the drivers behind have to look at them.

I had a dream last night in and it I was driving down the road and I passed a gas station where the regular gas cost $4.50 a gallon.

I’m not sure that is really only a dream. I could indeed happen.

Here is Florida Gov. Charlie Crist may introduce a proposal that suspend or reduce state gas taxes. He wants the cut, but admits that he has to look at the numbers carefully, since the state has such a tight budget currently.

Right now Florida has a 15.6 cent per gallon gas tax.

Crist’s suggestion on Wednesday came the day after Republican Presidential candidate John McCain suggested a suspension of national gas taxes during the summer. The federal tax, which is on top of the state tax, is 18.4 cents.

Currently, gas in Florida averages $3.42 in Florida, compared to $2.91 a year ago.

Many lawmakers in Florida did express the concern that the full tax savings would actually be passed on to consumers.

While I would look forward to a break that might make me feel as though I could afford more summer road trios, I still want to know what the United States is selling Alaska’s oil to Japan when we obviously need it right here at home.

And, if you really take a look at the breakdown of oil prices, $30 -$40 is added to each barrel due to commodities trading. Talk to the fat cats sitting at home smoking off the oil profits with their Cuban cigars.

Apples in Florida are not like the apples that grow in the north. I was born and raised in Virginia, so apples were part of the landscape there. I missed seeing apples blossoms and apple trees once I moved to Florida.

When I was living in Gainesville, I bought some trees that had been cultivated from Israeli varieties – the “Anna” and “Dorsett Golden”. I bought several trees of each, since they need one another for cross pollination.

I never did put them in the ground, because shortly after I bought them, I found out my then husband was probably being transferred back to Tampa. They came back to the Tamp area with us in the move.

Now I have them in very large pots on the back patio and they are doing so well, despite the fact that most people say they need to be further north in the state to do well. At almost all times throughout the year, we have trees in different stages of production. Right now we have some apples with nothing but buds, some with lovely pink blossoms, and some with ripening apples.

I took a photo of some of the apples. They are growing in droves, but they are small – barely 2 inches across. That is just the nature of these particular varieties.

The apples in the pictures are the “Anna” variety, I think. They are green with a red blush, so I am pretty sure that is what they are.

DO you want to know one of the best things about living in Florida? Some of the nation’s absolute best vacation spots are right here in the state. When I got married, we just spent a week in Key West. It was an amazing experience and we did not even have to leave the state. We are only about an hour from Orlando, but even so it is still often the place we head when we have a long weekend or even a week available and we just want to have endless fun.

Cross Creek, the home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, is here in Florida and it is worth the trip. We have Daytona and Miami and St. Augustine. Some of the best sea shells in the entire world can be found down on Sanibel Island. I quite literally live in America’s playground and it rocks.

While countless people head to Florida for Spring Break, we stay right here at home. This year we went to Clearwater Beach, various beaches at local state park, strawberry picking out in Dover, and even on over to Orlando for some theme park fun.

In fact, next year for Spring Break I am booking a villa in Orlando and we are hitting three different parks. If you know anything about Orlando, you know that it is one of the best cities anywhere for family style fun. There are theme parks, recreation activities, nature parks, water parks, and dinner theaters. Additionally, Kennedy Space Center is short drive away. There are tons of things to do in Orlando, but the individual ticket prices can add up. That is why I without fail check out Trusted Tours & Attractions. They sell discounted tickets for many of the must-see things in Orlando, as well as sightseeing tours and attractions in over 20 other cites in the U.S. (Like Miami, where I have been anxious to go so I can see the Miami Seaquarium).

In fact, if nothing lese you should check out their site and sign up for their newsletter, because they are giving away a handheld GPS and all you have to do to win is sign up. Just make sure you do it before April 30th, 2008.