University of Tampa - Moroccan Yearbook (Tampa, FL)

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STATE % LOCAL City councilwoman and restaurant owner Helen Chavez (of brick-saving fame) made waves when she became the swing vote on a proposal that would allow liquor to be sold off-prem- ises at her new downtown restaurant. “I’ve never vot- ed for anything I didn’t think was right, and whether it’s a conflict of interest or not, I’m voting for it,” she stated. By taking that posi- tion, Chavez risked possible suspension, impeachment, or fining. Tampa witnessed the gradual and messy owner- ship transfer of the Tampa Bay Bandits. The United States Football League fran- chise had fallen on hard times as had its owner, John Bassett. Bassett’s health problems and the instability of the USFL resulted in his sale of the team to a group of local investors headed by Lee Scarfone. Governor Bob Graham, Grand Marshal at the Gasparilla Parade, greets the public. Governor Bob Graham announced that he would seek election to the United States Senate, hoping to unseat Republican Sena- tor Paula Hawkins. Flor- ida law does not permit Graham to be elected to a third term as governor. Hawkins, active on Capital Hill in her crusade for missing children and in the Parent’s Music Re- source Center, should not prove easy to remove from office. Drinking Age Hiked Being a teenager in Florida became a different kind of experience on July 1, when the legal drinking age jumped to 21 years old. Florida had considered such a move before, but was one of several states to be strongarmed into making the change. Earlier, the federal government had proposed to withhold highway repair funds from any state not instituting a drinking age of 21. The confirmation of the change set off a mild hysteria among the state’s 19- year-olds. It had been only four years since the last increase, when the age was raised from 18 to 19. Many feared that their new privilege would be stripped from them after years of gleeful anticipa- tion. College began to lose its luster, and many thought that if it was to be an out- of-body experience, it would have to be an out-of-state experience as well. Eventually, those 19-year-olds born on or before July 1, 1966 retained their right to drink. This was less than popular on most college campuses, where new care had to be taken with parties and on- campus taverns. Deadly Crud Stalks Florida Citrus Florida fought another losing round with citrus canker. The deadly crud made its grand entrance in November 1983, after being almost completely eradicated in the 1930’s. It has been popping up steadily ever since. The growth ruins citrus plants by destroying their ability to bear fruit. The trees do not actually die, but are useless for agriculture. It can be transmitted by touch, wind motion, or simply over- ground. The outbreak in 1985 came as little surprise to officials in the Florida De- partment of Agriculture and Depart- ment of Plant Industry. The disease has been chased all over the state from several, original, known infected nurser- ies, and can lie dormant in plants for up to 18 months without showing visible lesions. Over 9 million trees (and everything within a 50 yard radius of them) have had to be destroyed in the last three years, and another 2 million will likely be destroyed before the end of 1985. The Florida citrus industry may not be back on its feet for ten years. There was goo news and ba news for the Flor ida Gators. A1 though posting second straight 9 1-1 season, thei late season driv for a nations champion ship (the only hono that their three year NCAA pre bation would al low them) wa ruined by th Georgia Bulldog! 24-3. 26 FEATURES

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r The Ultimate Killing Machine “The Boss” and other American performers were impressive on their world tours. At the 1985 Grammy Awards. Tina Turner racked up an incredible three gol- den gramophones. Later in the year, she co-starred with Mel Gibson in the box office smash Mad Max Beyond Thunderdomc. The devout Buddhist and mother of four went on to set the stage on fire when she began her Private Dancer tour by sell- ing out Madison Square Garden for three nights straight. With three straight victo- ries, including an 11-0 blowout in the final game, the Kansas City Royals overcame a flighty St. Louis Cardinals team to win the World Series. Royal’s third baseman George Brett was selected as the series’ most valuable player and Royal’s pitcher Bret Saberhagen went on to receive the 1985 Ameri- can League Cy Young Award. The jungle. Central America or Southeast Asia. They all look alike to me. I am suspended in a pool of mud, leeches clinging to my pectorals and deltoids. Above me stands (I was going to say looms, but I am the only one allowed to loom in this movie) the maniacal Rus- sian, Podovsky. His Russian accent is actually German, but that is OK since this movie will be seen by Americans who won’t know the difference. “Rainbo,” says Podovsky with sa- distic civility, “Do not make it hard on yourself. Tell me, vat is it about zis movie zat has made it so big.?” “How many times in our lives,” 1 reply, “have we wanted to go back to a certain situation and strive to rectify all the wrongs, to go back to a war that was lost and perhaps win a little peace of mind by doing it our way this time?” “But surely your fans over twenty know that history isn’t as easy to edit as a movie? Zat Vietnam may have been unvinnable, zat in real vars (mit real bullets and real blood) even people like you come out vounded, paraplegic, or even dead!” “I stand for ordinary Americans, losers, a lot of them. They don’t under- stand international politics. 1 could make a film that is hard-edged, insight- ful, realistic. But I would rather do something that is meaningful to the masses.” “But Rambo, it is precisely the masses you are misleading. Do you know zat teen-agers are valking into your private he-man cartoon and tinking it is the real ting?” “I don’t work these things out intellectually. I’m not political. But I love my family. I love my country. Where’s my nautilus machine?” Podovsky sinks to his knees. He gives a feeble cry and dies of frustration on the spot. Once more they have underestimated me. I am the perfect killing machine. The Koyals celebrate victory. The over-55 set flexed its wrinkles on prime time with new hit television series like “Murder She Wrote,” “The Equalizer,” “Crazy Like A Fox,” and “The Golden Girls.” Elderly viewers began to find themselves portrayed as intelligent, attractive, vital — even sexy — as silver-thatched suavity and geriatric ribaldry spread from network to network. Even movie legends Charl- ton Heston and Barbara Stanwyck jumped on the bandwagon, costarring in the spinoff “Dynasty II: The Col- bys.” FEATURES 25

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Friends to Remember: Elena, Juan, Kate New UT students may have won- dered where Florida got its “Sunshine State” nickname. Hurricane Elena ruined Labor Day weekend by doing a slow dance in the Gulf of Mexico and forcing Pinellas county and most of Hillsborough county to evacuate. Most of the UT students who did not find their own shelters were relocat- ed to King High School in Temple Terrace. For non-residents, it was no kind introduction to Florida. Later, weather was again a topic for discussion. Hurricane Juan had hit land in Louisiana, and was expected to take a turn toward the panhandle. Eventually, Juan broke into scattered, but copious, rainfall over the state and dissipated. The fun didn’t stop there. Hurricane Kate showed herself in late November, and UT was once again facing the possibility of evacuation. True pessimists dragged out their “EVACUATION SUCKS” T-shirts for another go-round. Fortunately, Kate only treated us to several cloudy, windy days and a few inches of rain. Florida’s reputation as “the next great place to make movies,” was solidi- fied by the success of “Cocoon,” a science fiction fantasy film directed by Ron How- ard. “Cocoon” was shot in Pinellas Coun- ty, and some scenes were shot in Plant Hall on the UT cam- pus. Those scenes were later cut from the film. Hillsborough High School, the county’s oldest high school, celebrated its centennial year. The school began in 1885 in an upstairs room in a building on Franklin Street. The cur- rent Gothic-style structure was built in 1927 and renovated in 1977. Over a thousand people attended the day- long celebration held on November 10, 1985. Madman Billy Ferry was put to trial and convicted for the 1983 firebombing of a Winn Dixie grocery store. The bombing caused the death of three innocent bystanders including a mother and her child. The trial had been delayed for over a year to determine whether Ferry was fit to stand trial. St. Pete Shows Off St. Petersburg, still burdened with the delusion that a professional baseball team is on its way real soon, was host to a real sporting event. The St. Petersburg Gran Prix rolled through Tampa’s Little Buddy November 1, 2, and 3. The course incorporated most of downtown St Pete’s brighter spots: The Pier, The Bounty, the St. Pete Yacht Club, A1 Lang Stadium and the Bayfront Center. It was indeed St. Pete at its dreamiest. For Race Director Bill McVey, it was a 10-year-old dream come true. McVey first conceived the race in 1976, while running the Precision Driving School in Tampa. After several years of hobnobbing with city officials, the go- ahead was given, supporters were mus- tered, and over 2,000 concrete barriers that would line the racecourse construct- ed. The city spent more than $1.5 million to construct the two mile circuit and its safety system. Of course, that cost could easily be deferred by the sale of 3 million or so Pepsis. FEATURES 27