This could be trouble

While Debbie is harmlessly spinning in the central Atlantic and posts no threat to land, a tropical low that has not even reached depression status is a much more real threat. Check out this satellite loop. The system is just entering the far eastern Caribbean. A NOAA aircraft will investigate the system today. The Caribbean is highly charged with warm water and if this system forms it could grow explosively. Long range models indicate that the system could very well enter the Gulf of Mexico sometime the week before Labor Day. Watch this one closely.

Football season

Starting to get pumped about prep/college/pro football getting cranked up.

Quick assessment on "my teams." (don't have a local prep favorite -- I'll leave handicapping of that Fab Four to Alan and Randy.)

Panthers: Always makes me nervous when my team is the trendy pick, as the Panthers are this pre-season.
Key questions:
1) Will D. Foster stay healthy and if not, will D. Williams be ready to take his place?
2) Will Dan Morgan stay healthy and if not, and with W. Witherspoon gone, will the LB corps hold up.
3) Will the OL continue last year's improvement trend.
4) Will Keyshawn shut up?


Florida State Seminoles: This is a "no-excuse" year for Bobby Bowden. No more Chris Rix to blame (Weatherford is a very experienced sophomore now). No big pre-season injuries (yet). The schedule is as easy as its ever been (Troy, Rice, Western Michigan along with ACC slate and Florida).
Key questions:
1) Will Oline perform. If not, it's another 3-5 loss season
2) Will young D-line step up?
3) Will Weatherford continue to grow, or regress like Rix did his sophomore season?
4) Can the Noles get by Miaim to open season and establish positive momentum?

Let the politics begin!

I received this e-mail today:

I assume you will be publishing the republican response to the Chairman of the Democratic party on gas prices. Also your front page head line indicates because these people attended a breakfest they are supporting Don Allen for sheriff. If you read the article none of them say they are supporting this candidate.

Here was my response:
Thanks for writing.
Regarding a response to Betsy Wells, we open up our editorial page to commentary from all who want to write. As I'm sure you saw, we recently published a column by Wes Westmoreland, the GOP candidate for state senate. If the head of the local Republican Party would like to write and respond, she is more than welcomed.
Regarding today's story, I think our headlines (and this certainly isn't always true!) were quite accurate. We basically posed the question -- are these Democrats being loyal to their party by going to a fundraiser for a sheriff's candidate in another party? I think that's a fair question that was accurately captured by our headline. I didn't see anything that said those folks were necessarily supporting Don Allen. You're right -- none of them said they were. Of course, they didn't say they weren't either!
Thanks again for writing.

Skip Foster

Keep an eye on Chris

If you are headed to Florida next weekend, or anywhere on the Gulf coast next week, you'll want to stay closely tuned to the weather.

Here is the latest tracking map on Tropical Storm Chris.

As you can see, it is forecasted to be approaching the southern tip of Florida by late in the weekend.

Stay tuned.