In my mailbox this morning
Good morning,
I received my copy of the St Pete Times this morning and as I read through today's paper I looked for the City Times section which I have come to expect and enjoy with my weekend paper and I finally figured out it has been replaced with the North of Tampa section. Not a problem as change happens. My curiosity over this new section quickly changed from interested to having a bad taste as I see the inside cover for the section.
The map denoting the coverage of neighborhoods and the listing of reporters has set the tone for my introduction for this new section. Noting the beats for the reporters and the exhaustive listings of the neighborhoods covered, I note a large hole in the area around the location of route 92 (Hillsborough Avenue) and I - 275 - specifically the neighborhoods of Seminole Heights. I am finding it a bit ironic that the photographer for your section - Mike Pease lives in this area/neighborhood which covers a very large geographic area yet it is not listed as a coverage area nor is there a reporter assigned to cover the neighborhood. I do note that your reporters cover every other direction north of downtown with two in New Tampa and two for the Carrollwood area. I am aware of at least two reporters for the St Pete Times that actually live in Old Seminole Heights (and your section photographer!) - therefore I am sure the paper is aware that the neighborhood exists. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth Bettendorf has a story (with a color picture) on page 9 of the North of Tampa section this very morning on a home featured on our 8th neighborhood home tour this Sunday, April 2nd.
You may be aware of the furor that the Tampa Tribune created when they dropped the "Central Tampa" section. Subscriptions to the Trib were cancelled in favor of the city-wide coverage that was being offered by the Times. As a result of a neighborhood meeting with the publishers of the Trib, we have been told that the Central Tampa section will be returning in early April. The neighborhoods of Seminole Heights, which embraces three extremely active neighborhood associations, will note the exclusion of our area from you listing of covered areas and I will suspect that this will not be the only e-mail you receive on this glaring omission.
I would be curious to hear your thoughts regarding the missing Seminole Heights neighborhood and your upfront statement of the lack of importance for the area - I think it stings more as your neighborhood coverage area breaks out pretty much every subdivision in the Tampa Palms/Hunter's Green direction but misses a whole part of Tampa which is a larger geographic area and which includes two national historic districts.
I will be sure to say hello to Mike Pease (my fellow neighbor) when I see him at the 8th Annual Old Seminole Heights neighborhood home tour that is expected to host between 1,200 - 1,500 guests this Sunday - assuming they don't use your coverage map for directions that is.
Regards,
Greg Barnhill
a long time subscriber in Old Seminole Heights
Are you serious? Complaining about not being on a map? You stated yourself there was an article about the home tour, which means they obviously recognize the neighborhood. Starbucks, old log cabins and now not being on a St. Pete Times map. What else can we complain about in Seminole Heights?
ReplyDeleteWe can complain about anonymous cowards.
ReplyDeletewow!? you got me didnt you.
ReplyDeleteI know of a st pete times writer that lives in sulphur springs
ReplyDeleteliving in seminole heights is like owning a MAC
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI am posting this after having been out of town until tonight (Monday).
My point to the St Pete Times was not so much as not being on a map as not noting the efforts of the individuals that live in the area and the on-going strides that many indivuals make to better improve the neighborhood and the pride we have for the area and for those that chose to live here and I do not necessarily mean by gentrification - we all pay taxes and we all deserve the services that Tp Palms and South Tampa take for granted.
It is not a bad thing that the neigborhood strive to regain the positive image that it once held. I get a little angry when I tell poeple where I live and their first comment is - "is it safe there". Now they may not get out of their car when they get their latte at the new Starbucks but I damn sure want them to know that they have to go further out Hillsborough or further up Nebraska to get their hookers.
BTW,
I had a message from someone at St Pete Times assuring me that it was a coalation error that we got the North of Tampa section by mistake and that we would still get the City Times Section and the neighborhood is most definately covered in the City Times section and as a matter of fact they would be mailing a City Times section to me and apologized that it would be late.
Greg Barnhill
Yes, this was absolutely a mistake. RARELY the wrong section gets stuck in someone's paper and this is clearly what happened. Seminole Heights was not on the map because the section you received was specifically meant for people who live in Carrollwood, New Tampa, Tampa Palms... The City Times is a very successful section for the Times, so don't worry, it's not going anywhere!
ReplyDeleteEveryone in my area (Evelyn City) got the North of Tampa Section a week ago. I complained and the St. Pete Times mailed me the City section, apologize profusely and said they have changed things at their distribution center so it won't happen again. This week I got the City section. You go St. Pete Times! Much more responsive than the Trib.
ReplyDelete