Mitch Traphagen
The perfect day
By MITCH TRAPHAGEN
mitch@observernews.net
I am a hopeless optimist. Every single day I hold out hope for the perfect day; but for reasons I can’t quite explain,
The cell phone cell
By MITCH TRAPHAGEN mitch@observernews.net Let’s see a show of hands. Who here has a cell phone? Yeah, that’s right, raise your hand if you have a cell ...The grass is greener on the beach
By MITCH TRAPHAGEN mitch@observernews.net In Iowa there are approximately two people and 15 cows and pigs per square mile and the threat of being shot while behind ...The next thing I knew...
By MITCH TRAPHAGENmitch@observernews.netI got the much-feared “call in the middle of the night.” Except it wasn’t night — it was in the afternoon. My Mom ...
Storms cut power, down trees in South County
Mitch Traphagen photosA line of severe thunderstorms barreled through the Tampa Bay area Sunday night and Monday morning causing power outages and minor damage across ...
Ruskin paleontologist puts the hip into bones
By Mitch Traphagenmitch@observernews.netRUSKIN — Frank Garcia has a way of making paleontology hip. On Saturday nights, Garcia and his guests grab microphones to belt out ...
Bay Area Idols: Becker and Gardner Live
By MITCH TRAPHAGENmitch@observernews.net KINGS POINT — Roy Gardner and Joe Becker have the stuff American idols are made of. Both men, residents of Kings Point, ...
HCSO goes after criminal bad habits
By Mitch Traphagenmitch@observernews.netRUSKIN — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has long held a philosophy of community policing. The principle is the very essence of law ...
HCC Celebrates International Month
The Ruskin campus of the Hillsborough Community College celebrated International Month in April. On April 21, the college’s 4,800 students had the opportunity to ...Author info
Mitch Traphagen
Mitch Traphagen is a photojournalist, columnist and online editor for the Observer News Publications. He is the recipient of 55 awards of excellence from the Community Papers of Florida for his photography and writing. He has worked for some of the nation’s largest corporations, as Press Secretary for a U.S. Congressman, owned and published a weekly newspaper, and produced a commercial documentary video on sailing. He is a Commodore in the Seven Seas Cruising Association (ssca.org). Mitch is a writer, photographer, sailor and traveler with a bit of a geek thing going on. You can visit his personal website at mitchtraphagen.com