This will be quite short -- but at least not non-existent, as was the case last week. The reason is that Hubby was in the VA hospital for more than a week, with most of that time in ICU. He had pneumonia with some heart complications, but is visibly better everyday. Assuming everything goes well, I’ll have some thoughts on hospitals and the VA next time, but I’m writing on another topic now because I promised to do so for La Gaceta’s edition of Friday, October 2. That’s because I want to alert you to what will be a fun event at our truly independent bookstore, Inkwood, on Thursday the 8th. Yes, even with the internet, the writing biz does require planning. Read More
Doris writes a weekly column for LaGaceta, the nation's only trilingual newspaper, which has pages in English, Spanish, and Italian. Begun in 1922 for Tampa's immigrant community, it continues to thrive more than a century later. Her column is titled "In Context," as it aims to put contemporary issues in the context of the past.
Everything is about the status of women
September 14, 2015
I see that Attorney General Pam Bondi is calling attention to the thousands of rape kits that have been waiting for testing in Florida crime labs. These kits provide evidence that is crucial to successful prosecution of rapists, especially semen and its DNA. Such cases, however, appear to be less than a priority for law enforcement: according to reporter Anna Phillips of the Tampa Bay Times, Bondi “acknowledged how little state officials know about the accumulation of rape kits. She could not say how many there are in Florida or how long it might take to complete their testing.” At the same time, the sub-heading of the story quoted the attorney general admitting, “there are thousands.” Read More
Pulitzer Prize Plays as Historical Measurement
September 7, 2015
I recently joined the board of Winthrop Arts, Inc. As you may know, Winthrop is an award-winning mixed-use community in Riverview. Once a dairy farm, it now is a walkable small town, featuring homes, offices, restaurants, shopping, and even medical services in the area south of Brandon that is bounded by Providence and Bloomingdale. Owners Kay and John Sullivan have an uncommon commitment to the community and especially to the arts, and from the beginning, they have employed a full-time artist, Gulf War veteran Bryant Martinez. The Winthrop Arts Fest will have its tenth anniversary next March, and for several years now, the Arts Factory has offered opportunity to kids. Read More