Prosecutors and Red Tides and bears! Oh my! All in the past week in Tampa Bay | Editorial
A roundup of the good, the bad and the worrying this week across Tampa Bay and Florida.
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Clockwise: The Safety Harbor bear, Attorney General Ashley Moody, Red Tide threatens Tampa Bay, Allison Miller [ Times files ]
This article represents the opinion of the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board.
Published 51 minutes ago
After decades, voters have a choice.For the first time in 30 years, voters will have a choice for the top law enforcement officer in Pinellas and Pasco counties. Allison Miller filed this week to run in 2022 as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Bruce Bartlett for state attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pinellas and Pasco. Miller, 38, a longtime assistant public defender, said she would make broader use of criminal diversionary programs and establish a civil rights division to track racial disparities in prosecutions. Bartlett took over in Janua
State lawmakers agree on new Bernie McCabe Courthouse in Pinellas County
The location led to an unusual clash between two powerful Republican lawmakers.
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Updated 1 hour ago
TALLAHASSEE â State lawmakers agreed Friday night to spend $50 million on a new courthouse in Pinellas County named after former State Attorney Bernie McCabe.
The new site of the 2nd District Court of Appeal would be called the Bernie McCabe Courthouse in honor of the late Pinellas-Pasco state attorney, who died in January after serving as the areaâs top prosecutor for nearly three decades.
Both the location and the name of the courthouse were a top priority of House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, a former prosecutor who worked for McCabe. He spoke in support for a Pinellas courthouse named after his former boss a week after his passing.
America needs a carbon tax now | Letters
Hereâs what readers are saying in Mondayâs letters to the editor.
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Published Jan. 25
We need a carbon tax now
The Biden administration needs to deploy many solutions to stop climate change. However, without pricing cheaper carbon fuels, all other solutions will operate at a competitive disadvantage. Grants and subsidies for clean technology solutions are helpful, but it does not make sense to create them while continuing subsidies for the petroleum fuel industry and not charging for pollutant emissions. A carbon fee (tax) approach would eliminate these flaws in our market economy. As mentioned in the article, the collected carbon fees could be returned to all citizens as a dividend. This way, low and middle income families will be protected from rising energy costs.
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State Attorney Bernie McCabe
Bernie McCabe, the longtime state attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties, has died.
McCabe, 73, who served as the chief prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit for decades, died on Friday.
McCabe started serving in the office soon after graduating from Stetson University College of Law in 1972. He eventually became division director, executive assistant state attorney, chief assistant state attorney and finally state attorney in 1992. He was most recently reelected to the position in November.
Though a cause of death was not released, McCabe had reportedly been in poor health for some time.
Chief Judge Anthony Rondolino appointed Bruce Bartlett as acting state attorney. Bartlett had served as chief assistant state attorney under McCabe for years.
McCabe served nearly three decades as top prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial District.
Posted at 1:25 PM, Jan 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-03 13:06:10-05
PINELLAS-PASCO CO., Fla Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe died late Friday after serving nearly three decades as the top prosecutor for the circuit.
The official Pasco Twitter account and multiple people within the legal community are referencing McCabeâs passing on social media.
State Attorney Bernie McCabe s passing Friday night=loss of a legend in arena of jurisprudence. We ll miss his intellect, empathy, & eye for innovation. Clerk Nikki Alvarez-Sowles extends heartfelt condolences to Mr. McCabe s family, loved ones, and colleagues.#ServeAndConnectpic.twitter.com/4l27pHn09g Pasco Clerk (@pascoclerk) January 2, 2021