It’s been more than two months now since the Tampa Bay area became a one newspaper town, after the Tampa Bay Times purchased the Tampa Tribune and dissolved it on May 3.
A handful of Trib reporters were retained by the Times, and while a few others (Keith Morelli, Joe Henderson and Tom Jackson) have become contributors to SPB, many other staffers are still looking for work.
This coming Sunday, July 10, WMNF radio and Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa are putting on a tribute to the Tribune, which began operations in 1895. The event is called, “The Final Edition…Tribbers’ Appreciation Day.”
Three local bands – the Acme Jazz Garage, the Johnny G. Lyon Band and the Vodkanauts, will provide the entertainment. Acme Jazz Garage features Phllip Booth, who once wrote about music for the paper. The other two bands were identified as favorites of former Trib staffers, according to WMNF Program Director Randy Wynne.
Former film critic Bob Ross and TV critic Walt Belcher will serve as master of ceremonies.
The event starts at 5 p.m. Admission is $10, with former Tribune staffers getting in for free. Wynne says that all the proceeds from the event, including from a raffle to be held, will go to the former Trib stafffers.
For more information, you can go the event’s Facebook page.
(This reporter hosts a weekly talk-show on WMNF).
