The park is one city block, 245 feet by 242 feet, and features a circular park design, public art (Freedom Sculpture), a covered gazebo, and a history walking trail.   The “dome” of the gazebo resembles the dome of the 1892 County Courthouse and the image on the County Seal.

Shade trees at the park are live oaks and the palms are the Florida state tree, the cabbage palm.  The ground cover is a native plant called coontie.  Ten times around the square is approximately one mile.

Joe Chillura Courthouse Square (map) is located on the block surrounded by Kennedy Blvd. on the south and Morgan, Madison, and Pierce Streets in the Government Center district of downtown Tampa.

Light Up the Season At The County’s Annual Holiday Festival

Share the holiday spirit and join in the fun at Hillsborough County’s 7th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Festival on December 4 from 5 – 9 p.m. Snow will fall over the entire festival at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Pierce Street in downtown Tampa. Bring a bear for the Rough Riders Teddy Bear Roundup – the first collection of the Season!

The Festival is FREE for everyone, courtesy of the Hillsborough County Commissioners and The Friends of the County Parks. Enjoy lots of FREE Yuletide treats including sodas, hot dogs, cotton candy and popcorn. Kids can delight in a variety of games and activities including a real snow slide, and arts and crafts for all ages.

Stop and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in their Christmas House and have your pictures taken for FREE. You can’t miss the 35-foot tall Christmas tree glowing with more than 30,000 colored lights in the center of the park. Entertainment will include recording artist B.K. Jackson, who recently performed at games 6 and 7 of the American League Championship Series, and the Bloomingdale High School Orchestra, which recently performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Cultural Festival.

FREE parking for the event will begin at 4 p.m. at the Pierce Street Parking Garage, located on the southeast corner of Pierce Street and Kennedy Boulevard in downtown Tampa. What better way to kickoff your holiday season!

Joe Chillura Courthouse Square (map) is located on the block surrounded by Kennedy Blvd. on the south and Morgan, Madison, and Pierce Streets in the Government Center district of downtown Tampa.

According to the St. Pete Times, it’s because of Q105:

According to the FCC, one of the radio antennas on top of the Colonial Bank building at 400 Tampa St. broadcasts oldies station WRBQ-FM 104.7. It uses a radio frequency that emits a harmonic, which is a byproduct of the main radio signal that occurs at a higher frequency. That harmonic might match the frequency that some car alarms use. The FCC’s measurements concluded that the harmonic falls below the FCC’s limits for frequencies, so the station isn’t violating any rules.

If you have any car trouble while in downtown Tampa, contact the helpful Downtown Guides at 813.267.2220.

Regional Citizens Join Tens Of Thousands World Wide To Call For An End To The Occupation Of Iraq

Iraqi and American Dead And Displaced Mourned On Five Year Anniversary Of Invasion

(Tampa Bay) Veterans, military family members, activists, clergy, and citizens of all political persuasions will be gathering at demonstrations outside of Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite’s Brooksville and Sen. Bill Nelson’s Tampa offices, mourning the death and suffering caused by the US occupation, and calling for it’s immediate end. This is part of a world wide call to action which will feature hundreds of demonstrations around the globe.

Protesters will gather on Wednesday afternoon at the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse:

March 19, 4pm-6pm Outside Sen. Bill Nelson’s office at the Samm Gibbons Federal Courthouse. There is ample street and garage parking around the courthouse. There will be plenty of signs and banners available but feel free to express yourself however you’d like. After the rally, people will be getting together at Four Green Fields Irish pub (205 W. Platt Street – driving directions from rally) for dinner and beverages.

The Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse (map) is at 801 N. Florida Av.