Historian Minson Rubin honored as a South St. Petersburg Pioneer and Trailblazer

Minson Rubin grew up in the Jordan Park Projects, graduated from Gibbs High School during the segregation era, and after earning a degree in education at FAMU, came back to teach in Pinellas County. A few years ago, he retired from Bay Point Middle School after 33-year teaching career. Along the way, Minson Rubin always had a fascination for local history. He collected memorabilia from the early days of Gibbs High School, the Jordan Park projects, and historic 22nd Street, heart of the old African American business district and the home of the famed Manhattan Casino.

So, it was a great pleasure to see this man, who has done some much to contribute to the good of the community, honored as a Pioneer and Trailblazer by the Jordan Park Projects Nostalgic Association. Minson Rubin was cited among a dozen former Jordan Park Projects residents in the organization's annual Black History Month program.

The Minson R. Rubin Collection is on display at the St. Petersburg College Midtown campus as a major part of the St. Petersburg College Foundation's new exhibition, In Black and White: Stories of 22nd Street South. The exhibition gives a glimpse into everyday life in the South St. Petersburg area during the segregation and civil rights eras. Minson Rubin served as a resource for two books about the African American community in St. Petersburg, Black America Series: St. Petersburg, Florida (2003) by Sandra W. Rooks and St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods (2008) by Rosalie Peck and Jon Wilson. 

Dr. Padgett featured for civil rights class

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College is a community treasure, and we were delighted to see a feature in The Weekly Challenger about Dr. Gregory Padgett, who recently was teaching a class on the civil rights movement at the institute. Dr. Padgett is a community treasure, too. He has been teaching history at Eckerd for 26 years.

The OLLI class is called What's Past is Prologue: The Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Dr. Padgett may be the perfect person to teach it. He lived the history he was teaching. As a young man in the 1950s and 1960s, Dr. Padgett experienced the changes and challenges in society as a result of civil rights legislation.

Building community: Beautillion Militaire seeks to mentor and grow strong young men

There are amazing things happening in South St. Petersburg – things that contribute to building community. This is just one of them we have come across recently. Some 27 young men -- high school junior and seniors -- are participating in a program of mentoring, lectures, workshops, and cultural activities designed to give them a positive outlook on life.

The program will culminate with the Beautillion Militaire Creme de la Creme Scholarship Ball, a formal affair that recalls the tradition of the cotillion or debutante ball in which young women are introduced to their community. The event will be held beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront.

The St. Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is organizing the project that sessions on college preparation, building one's personal brand, discovering leadership skills, effective relationships with law enforcement, spiritual transitions from boyhood to manhood, proper etiquette, proper dress, African American history, and more. April 9 7 p.m. Hilton Bayfront.

The organization and its foundation, the St. Petersburg Chapter Alumnae Education Services, is raising money to provide scholarships to the young men in the program. You can support the program through a sponsorship or buying an ad in the scholarship ball program. Sponsorships include a Platinum at $1,000 or more, Gold from $750 to $999, and Silver from $500 to $749. Deadline is March 4. For more information contact Tamaira Heyward or Kathy Cason at (727)-228-0096, or email at dstbeautillion@gmail.com.

We received the text of a letter by one of these young men that gives you an idea of their hopes, dreams, aspirations, and, indeed, their caliber. The letter is below:

My name is Kasamba Mosi Kokayi. I am a student at the St. Petersburg Collegiate High School. I plan on getting a Masters in Engineering after pursuing a Bachelors of Arts degree and studying abroad in a foreign country like Brazil. Currently, I am an honors student and I volunteer weekly with Junior Achievement. I am also the Vice President of the Multicultural Committee of St. Petersburg Collegiate High School and a certified Lifeguard and Microsoft Specialist. My most recent achievement includes the Dr. Mac J. Williams award for academic excellence among African Americans by St. Petersburg College. 

I am writing to request your donation to an important cause, the Beautillion Militaire, which I am a part of. This program immerses high school youth, such as myself, in study, practice and discussion regarding our growth and role as men of color and many other forms of social and professional etiquette that will help us throughout our lives. I enjoy this program and would love to see other youth participate in it as well. It would teach them essential life skills that many high school aged youth would otherwise not have the opportunity to learn. I’m confident that it would benefit them as much as I know it has me.

It is gratifying and inspiring to see these young men making the transition into manhood in such a fine style. It bodes well for the future of our community.

Which David Hastings will you support? Support the David who rides for good

David Hastings, SPIN-A-RAMA record holder.

We’re not talking today about David Hastings, the well-known local CPA, who going to be getting busier and busier right about now because it’s tax season. We’re not talking about David Hastings, the public servant, who once served on the Gulfport City Council and as the city’s vice mayor. We’re not even talking about David Hastings, the restaurateur, owner of one of the most popular local eating establishments, Habana Cafe.

We could talk about any one of these endeavors of this very accomplished man and have plenty to say.

But no. Today we’re talking about David Hastings, the athlete. And David Hastings, the competitor. And David Hastings, the cancer survivor. And David Hastings, the philanthropist.

For the last three years, this David Hastings, has participated in SPIN-A-RAMA, the St. Petersburg YMCA event to raise awareness and support for the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Program, and for the last three years David has been the only spin rider to ride all nine hours of the event. He’s doing it again but we’ll get to that in a minute.

The LIVESTRONG program is a free, 12-week, small group exercise program designed for adult cancer survivors. Participants don’t have to be members of the Y and their families are given free membership during this 12 weeks. The YMCA is one of 25 organizations throughout Florida to offer this program. Some 75 to 80 survivors graduate from the program each year. The cost is about $500 per participant.

SPIN-A-RAMA is the only fundraiser the Y has for the LIVESTRONG program. It is an exhausting endeavor. Riders are allowed only a five-minute break each hour. David Hastings expends 750 to 800 calories an hour. For David, its personal. He is a stage four cancer survivor and he benefited from the LIVESTRONG program. He rides to make it possible for others to participate, too. David will be riding in SPIN-A-RAMA on February 20 at the YMCA.

You can help David by supporting his effort to raise money for the LIVESTRONG program by clicking on the link. You’ll be taken to a page on the website Crowd Rise, which has the interesting tag line: “If you don’t give back no one will like you.”

We know that people like David Hastings. We suspect it has everything to do with his talent as a CPA, his career as a public servant, his ownership of a delicious restaurant, his stamina and prowess as a spin rider, his fortitude as a cancer survivor, and yes, his giving back as he spins away in SPIN-A-RAMA.

Tierra Verde watercolor artist Gene Rizzo paints, teaches, and helps with civic events

Artist Gene Rizzo shows casino night tickets. Click to enlarge.

On Saturday, we caught up with well known Tierra Verde watercolor artist Gene Rizzo making an appearance at Bronze Lady Home Furnishing’s Tropical Art Extravaganza in Madeira Beach. Gene’s breathtaking paintings of Florida coastal scenes adorn walls all over the area, and it’s no wonder he attracted quite a crowd at the event, where he demonstrated his painting technique. In the photo above, you can see a couple of Gene’s awesome paintings on the wall behind him.

In the photos, Gene’s holding a couple of playing card  and there’s a good reason for that, we learned. The artist teaches classes all around the Tampa Bay area, including at the Beach Art Center in Indian Rocks Beach. So, he’s known up there. When the art center decided to have a casino night fundraiser, they asked Gene to be the emcee for the occasion. Click on the picture at right to get all the details.

Gene gives watercolor lessons at his home studio in Tierra Verde. He’s a kind and generous teacher who inspires his students to immerse  themselves in the work and produce the very best they are capable of doing. You’re welcome to make arrangements to stop by to see him work or to take watercolor lessons. Gene's cell phone number is (727) 692-4176. Gene’s paintings are available at the Bronze Lady and other local stores.

We'll do another post later about Gene Rizzo and his amazing work but for now, this is just a quick glimpse at this talented and delightful Tierra Verde resident.

Skyway Marina District and St. Petersburg City Theatre to present iconic 1980s film

Okay, so Sixteen Candles was made more than 30 years ago, and Molly Ringwald isn’t the pretty red-headed heart-throb of millions of adolescent boys anymore but the iconic John Hughes movie remains one of the great romantic teenage angst films of all time. To refresh your memory or (if you haven't seen it), take a look at the trailer we've posted above.

It’s the perfect choice for the Skyway Marina District’s new Movie Night project, which happens to be on Valentine’s Day weekend. Skyway Marina District has teamed up with St. Petersburg City Theatre to present the film on Friday, February 12. Doors open at 7 p.m. The film starts at 8. Admission is free but seating is limited to 250. The theatre is located at 4025 31st Street S. Check the Skyway Marina Facebook page for more details.

 Beer lovers can try the offerings of Mastry's Brewing Company and coffee lovers will be able to indulge with Cold Brew Iced Coffee on draft from Voyage Cold Brew.

For the record, Molly Ringwald is 47 years old now and no longer a redhead. She is happily married, has three children, and pursues a career as a jazz musician, a discipline she learned from her father and to which she returned after acting. She counts music is just another thing that she does. She and her husband, writer Panio Gianopoulos, showed up on the red carpet last spring at the Billboard Music Awards.

On Friday, though, we can be transported back to the 1980s and that delightful teen love story. Can’t think of a better way to get the romantic weekend under way.

Tony Juliano to appear on Wednesdays at the Boardwalk restaurant in Isla del Sol

Congratulations, Tony Juliano, on a very successful opening night at the Boardwalk.  Look forward to seeing and hearing you again on Wednesday nights starting February 17 at the Boardwalk Pasta and Seafood in Isla del Sol. You drew a nice crowd on Monday night and everyone seemed to enjoy your show, which spanned the generations.