Take a look at this week's Top 10 tampabay.com stories. Hot topics included Scientology, caskets for sale at Walmart and a python trapper charged with misusing 911.
Make sure to register to comment on tampabay.com, and have your say:
1. Chased by their church: When you try to leave Scientology, they try to bring you back: For years, the Church of Scientology chased down and brought back staff members who tried to leave.
2. United Football League's Florida Tuskers say they could give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a tussle: Florida Tuskers coach Jim Haslett said though the level of competition level in the first-year United Football League "may not be the National Football League," he believes his team is "pretty close."
3. Man overboard: To leave Scientology, Don Jason had to jump off a ship: Don Jason says he was locked in his cabin and later was denied repeated requests to leave the Freewinds ship.
Read the full Top 10 list
Make sure to register to comment on tampabay.com, and have your say:
1. Chased by their church: When you try to leave Scientology, they try to bring you back: For years, the Church of Scientology chased down and brought back staff members who tried to leave.
2. United Football League's Florida Tuskers say they could give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a tussle: Florida Tuskers coach Jim Haslett said though the level of competition level in the first-year United Football League "may not be the National Football League," he believes his team is "pretty close."
3. Man overboard: To leave Scientology, Don Jason had to jump off a ship: Don Jason says he was locked in his cabin and later was denied repeated requests to leave the Freewinds ship.
Read the full Top 10 list
Since his daughter Jessica was raped and murdered in 2005, Mark Lunsford has become one of America's best-known child advocates. With the help of donations to his nonprofit foundation, Lunsford has lobbied nationwide for tougher laws against criminals who prey on children.
But unknown to most, Lunsford has had another source of income for the past two years — a Boca Raton company that could profit from the very child-protection measures Lunsford has sought to enact.
It is the latest revelation about a man who has been hailed as a hero but whose handling of the foundation's finances has also raised questions about the line between advocacy and personal enrichment.
Read the full story, share your feedback.
But unknown to most, Lunsford has had another source of income for the past two years — a Boca Raton company that could profit from the very child-protection measures Lunsford has sought to enact.
It is the latest revelation about a man who has been hailed as a hero but whose handling of the foundation's finances has also raised questions about the line between advocacy and personal enrichment.
Read the full story, share your feedback.
Tampabay.com reader Steph Wineteer was enjoying a walk in Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa last Sunday with her 5-year-old son when they spotted this alligator. Her son's reaction? "He jumped a mile after the alligator sneezed!" Wineteer wrote.
We'd like to see your favorite wildlife pics! Post them here on our wall or e-mail them to submit@tampabay.com. Then we'll publish them in tampabay.com's Wildlife Photo Gallery.
We'd like to see your favorite wildlife pics! Post them here on our wall or e-mail them to submit@tampabay.com. Then we'll publish them in tampabay.com's Wildlife Photo Gallery.
TampaBay.com's Notes
Top 10: This week's most popular stories on tampabay.comNov 7, 2009
Promotion deal raises questions about Mark Lunsford's financesNov 7, 2009
Your wildlife photos: Gator spotted in Lettuce Lake ParkNov 6, 2009
8 shot, 2 dead in downtown Orlando shootingNov 6, 2009
Did you know anyone at Fort Hood during shootings?Nov 6, 2009
Python trapper faces criminal chargesNov 5, 2009
St. Pete Times staffers perform in Battle of the Media Bands tonight in TampaNov 5, 2009
Five-month-old baby girl starved to deathNov 4, 2009
Frozen assets: Have appetizers waiting for unexpected guestsNov 4, 2009





















