Meet your candidates for Florida State House

Florida House District 67 is a sprawling geographic area including all of East Manatee and more.

The seat is currently held by Braden Woods resident Ronald Reagan, who served as speaker pro tempore of the Florida House the past two sessions. Reagan is term limited and won't be able to seek re-election.

Candidates who have stepped forward to seek the seat are set to appear at the Lakewood Ranch Civic Action Forum Town Hall Candidates’ Night 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

They include Democrat Z. J. Hafeez; and Republicans Joseph Guccione, Robert McCann, and Greg Steube.

The event will be moderated by your's truly. Questions for the candidates may be e-mailed to me at jajones1@bradenton.com.

Here's the format as provided to me by Jo Anne Dain:

AGENDA

6:15 p.m. -- Open doors, check setup and microphones, put out refreshments

6:30 p.m. — Candidates arrive with aides and literature. Keith Davey and Jim Jones meet with candidates in Board room to make them welcome and discuss format.

7-7:10 p.m. -- Introductory remarks--Keith Davey, CAF President

7:10 p.m. — Microphone goes to Jim Jones, Moderator

7:10-7:25 p.m. -- 4 candidates have 3 minutes each to introduce themselves

7:25-9 p.m. -- Questions from the moderator

Each candidate has 3 minutes to answer. After all candidates speak, each candidate has l minute to reply/rebut. Should be time for at least six questions.

9 p.m. -- Candidates have 3 minutes for closing remarks

9:12 to 9:30 p.m. -- Audience and candidates mingle at rear of salons.

9:30 p.m. --cleanup

Jim

Credit card fraud unit calling

There have been pickpockets since pockets were invented.

But they've never been so sophisticated as the thieves who use cyberspace to do their dirty deeds.

What you don't want is to receive a call from the fraud unit at your credit card company, saying someone in Paris is trying to put a charge of $6,000 on your plastic.

For more, see the East Word column in Sunday's Herald.

Jim