Tony Hawk Catches Some Air & Shoots The Breeze In Tampa

By Sean Bowes

Every job has its perks — teachers have summers off, airline employees fly for free and once in a blue moon, a news reporter is assigned to interview one of his or her idols.

A few of weeks ago, Tony Hawk’s public relations department called to inform me that the skateboard legend would be visiting the Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) with his skate-entourage on August 22, and he was willing to do an exclusive interview with me, a veteran skateboarder of 12 years who knew Hawk’s name even before I ever stepped on a board. Of course I would interview him! If you’re a skateboarder, you know that meeting Tony Hawk is like being a basketball player and getting to meet Michael Jordan. It just doesn’t get any cooler than that.Continue reading

Tony Hawk Catches Some Air & Shoots The Breeze In Tampa

By Sean Bowes

Every job has its perks — teachers have summers off, airline employees fly for free and once in a blue moon, a news reporter is assigned to interview one of his or her idols.

A few of weeks ago, Tony Hawk’s public relations department called to inform me that the skateboard legend would be visiting the Skatepark of Tampa (SPoT) with his skate-entourage on August 22, and he was willing to do an exclusive interview with me, a veteran skateboarder of 12 years who knew Hawk’s name even before I ever stepped on a board. Of course I would interview him! If you’re a skateboarder, you know that meeting Tony Hawk is like being a basketball player and getting to meet Michael Jordan. It just doesn’t get any cooler than that.Continue reading

Frog-Loving Wesley Chapel Girl Wins International Eco-Award

By Sean Bowes

Do you know the difference between a toad and frog? Do you know how amphibians and reptiles are different? If you cannot answer either of those questions with absolute certainty, then it doesn’t seem likely that you could list the six most populous frogs in the Wesley Chapel area and be able to identify each of them just by hearing their unique frog calls.Continue reading

Second Endangered Rhinoceros Thriving At Lowry Park Zoo

By Sean Bowes

For the second time in two years, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is home to a new baby Indian rhinoceros. The endangered Indian rhinoceros (also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros) was born July 13 at Lowry Park Zoo’s “Rhino Barn” within the zoo’s Asian Gardens exhibit.Continue reading

Taking The Orangetheory Fitness Challenge Is…Challenging!

By Gary Nager

I can’t yet guarantee you that the 60-minute group personal training workouts at Orangetheory Fitness (located off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Highwoods Preserve, next to Cold Stone Creamery and Starbucks) will deliver the best possible results of any gym or personal training studio. What I can tell you is that the workouts are definitely intense, unique and even fun.Continue reading