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Apr 7, 2011
Welcome wagon: The Church of Scientology moves into Ybor City — Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Mitch Perry Source:
Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida) Three days after more than 2,000 Scientologists crowded into the historic Ybor Square courtyard to celebrate the opening of the Church of Scientology Tampa's new home — a landmark 88,000-square-foot former cigar factory in Ybor City — Creative Loafing editor David Warner and I found ourselves in a COS conference room facing several of the Church's top-ranking public relations officials. They were decidedly not happy with a blog post I'd written that quoted a handful of protesters from the group Anonymous ...
Feb 25, 2011
Enquête JE // Clearwater, la "Mecque" de la scientologie — TVAMore: Unofficial English translation
Type: TV
Author(s):
Dominique Trottier Source:
TVA L'église de Scientologie n'aime guère les journalistes, pas plus que la critique, et donne rarement des entrevues. Les responsables ont d'ailleurs refusé les deux demandes que nous avons faites, aux États-Unis et au Québec. Le pouvoir absolu du grand leader David Miscavidge, (qui a succédé à Ron Hubbard après son décès) suscite de la grogne. De nombreux hauts dirigeants ont quitté le mouvement. Ils dénoncent le climat de violence qui y règne depuis l'arrivée de Miscavidge. Une équipe de JE s'est ...
Feb 25, 2011
Enquête JE // L'équipe de JE prise à partie — TVA
Type: TV
Source:
TVA D'anciens dirigeants et scientologues accusent l'Église de scientologie de violence et d'exploitation de travailleurs. Une équipe de tournage de TVA s'est rendue à Clearwater, en Floride, pour réaliser une enquête sur ces allégations. Sa présence a entraîné la colère des dirigeants de l'Église de scientologie. Les accusations visent le grand leader David Miscavige qui aurait instauré un régime de violence et battrait ses collaborateurs. Le FBI enquêterait même sur des allégations de trafic d'êtres humains et d'exploitation de travailleurs, dont plusieurs ...
Nov 12, 2009
For Times, an obsession trumps facts — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Pat Harney Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) The American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed., 2009) defines "obsession" as "(a) compulsive, often unreasonable idea or emotion." There could be no better example to illustrate this definition than the Times' ongoing coverage of the Church of Scientology. Once again, the Times turns a deaf ear to any voices save those of a handful of disaffected former Scientologists — people who have admitted lying, suborning perjury and obstructing justice — because their falsehoods support the Times' compulsive and unreasonable views ...
Aug 11, 2009
Church of Scientology rolls out new ad campaign in bay area — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Eric Deggans Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) The advertisement is sleek and subtle, surfacing on the upper right side of the St. Petersburg Times ' Web site, tampabay.com. The text floats onto the screen: "Love" then "Hate" then "What is the answer?" The final display comes in a flash of light: "Scientology.org." It's a small spot, rotating among a lineup of online ads that includes commercials for Radio Shack and BlackBerry. But it has drawn some attention, partly because the newspaper has published several stories recently featuring serious allegations ...
Aug 10, 2009
Scientology launches Tampa Bay TV ad campaign — WTSP-TV (Florida)More: wtsp.com
Type: TV
Author(s):
Grayson Kamm Source:
WTSP-TV (Florida) Clearwater, Florida – The Church of Scientology is launching a TV ad campaign in Tampa Bay this week. But the controversial group, which is based in Clearwater, insists the ads are not connected to recent news stories that slam the church and its powerful leader. The ad push will target multiple channels, but very particular time slots. The goal's to catch the eyes of anyone watching TV at that moment, even if they flip the channel. Turn to another station, and ...
Jun 27, 2009
Letters to the Editor // Report lays bare the Times' bias against Scientology — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) The ''St. Petersburg Times June 24 editorial The abuse behind Scientology's facade proves beyond doubt that any aura of objectivity in the ''Times so-called "special report" was illusory. The report attempted to give the appearance of balance by quoting statements from Church of Scientology representatives, but the editorial exposes this exercise as a hollow pretense. The editorial uncritically accepts as true statements from a handful of former church staff without ever addressing their lack of credibility, their underlying motivations and the ...
Feb 28, 2009
Scientology to open center in downtown Ocala / The church bought the downtown property for $465,000 in January 2008 — Ocala Star-Banner (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Fred Hiers Source:
Ocala Star-Banner (Florida) OCALA - The Church of Scientology will soon call Marion County home following the controversial group's announcement that it plans to open a church and education center downtown.
The church, which can claim such notables as actors John Travolta and Tom Cruise among its ranks, bought property at 50 S.E. 1st Ave., formerly home to the Weiner and Argo law firm.
A spokeswoman for the church said there is no definite date set as to when the church would open, saying ...
Feb 27, 2009
Scientology mission coming to downtown Ocala — Ocala Star-Banner (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Fred Hiers Source:
Ocala Star-Banner (Florida) Scientology mission coming to downtown Ocala
By Fred Hiers
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, February 27, 2009 at 9:29 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 27, 2009 at 9:56 a.m.
OCALA - The Church of Scientology plans to open a church and educational center in Ocala.
The church bought property in downtown Ocala at 50 S.E. 1st Ave., formerly the Weiner and Argo law firm, but a spokeswoman for the church said there was no definite date for the facility to open.
The ...
Aug 9, 2008
Scientologists Buy 5 More Acres To 'Play With' — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Steven Girardi Source:
Tampa Tribune (Florida) CLEARWATER - The Church of Scientology has added to its downtown property holdings, buying a 5-acre waterfront parcel from church members whose plans for a condominium failed.
The church paid $10 million for the property along North Fort Harrison Avenue but has no plans for it, church spokeswoman Pat Harney said Thursday. It could become part of the church's expansion of the Sandcastle complex that fronts Clearwater Harbor, she said.
"Now we have a little more land to play with," Harney ...
Aug 7, 2008
Scientology buys prime parcel in Clearwater — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Robert Farley Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) CLEARWATER — In one of its biggest purchases in years, the Church of Scientology has added 5 acres to its already defining downtown presence. The $10-million cash purchase signals the demise of an ambitious waterfront condominium project proposed by a group of Scientology parishioners who assembled parcels immediately north of downtown four years ago and shared visions of turning downtown Clearwater into another Naples. Despite having no experience in condo development, Triangle Development partners Ben Kugler and Ron Pollack hoped to ...
May 14, 2008
Clearwater merchants upset over anti-Scientology protests — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Mike Donila Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) CLEARWATER — About three dozen downtown business owners are upset with a group of anti-Scientology protesters and want the City Council to do something about them. But city leaders Tuesday said there's little they can do. "Suspending the First Amendment is something we shouldn't spend a whole lot of time on," Councilman Paul Gibson said. The loosely organized group Anonymous has held several recent demonstrations against the Church of Scientology. Many Cleveland Street businesses say the masked protesters and the constant ...
Apr 12, 2008
About 200 Protest Scientology — Tampa Bay Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Jamie Pilarczyk Source:
Tampa Bay Tribune (Florida) CLEARWATER - The Internet-based group Anonymous held its third protest in about three months Saturday outside the headquarters of the Church of Scientology. Although it started with about 50 people at 3 p.m., the number swelled to about 200 an hour later. Joshua Nussbaum, 20, an organizer, said the point of Saturday's protest was to focus public attention on what he says is the church's practice of ostracizing loved ones perceived as a threat. Elizabeth Daly-Watts, Clearwater public safety spokeswoman, said ...
Mar 15, 2008
Group called Anonymous protests Scientology policies in Clearwater — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Robert Farley Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) CLEARWATER — While thousands of college kids on spring break enjoyed a gorgeous Saturday on Clearwater Beach, another group of young people descended on the otherwise-deserted downtown wearing surgical masks, fake beards and bandannas. A group of about 150 people, mostly college-age, spent the sun-splashed day protesting the Church of Scientology outside its spiritual headquarters. Timed to coincide with Scientology's celebration of founder L. Ron Hubbard's birthday, it was the second major protest in Clearwater by a loose-knit Internet activist group ...
Mar 13, 2008
Court again rebuffs Scientology's lawsuit — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Robert Farley Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) [Picture / Caption: "A bomb squad robot heads into the alley behind the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center at 336 First Ave. N in St. Petersburg on Thursday after the Scientology headquarters in Clearwater received a bomb threat. A large suitcase found in the alley behind the St. Petersburg office did not contain a bomb."] CLEARWATER — The Church of Scientology was told again Thursday it could not have a court order restraining Anonymous protesters this weekend, largely because the ...
Mar 12, 2008
Scientology fights back in court — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Robert Farley Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) The church is seeking a restraining order to stop a new round of protests. CLEARWATER - With the Internet activist group Anonymous threatening a second round of protests against Scientology this weekend, the Clearwater-based church went to court late Tuesday, filing a petition for a temporary restraining order. The petition was filed just before the close of court Tuesday afternoon, and the St. Petersburg Times could not obtain a copy of the petition. Pat Harney, a spokeswoman for the Church of ...
Feb 20, 2008
Scientology Critic's Death Thought To Be Suicide — Tampa Bay Online
Feb 19, 2008
Death Of Scientology critic 'does appear to be suicide' — MSNBC
Feb 19, 2008
Scourge of Scientology dies in apparent suicide — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Feb 8, 2008
New foe emerges against Scientology — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Dec 18, 2007
Scientology's Status Misrepresented — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Pat Harney Source:
Tampa Tribune (Florida) The Associated Press article, "Germany Officials Call For Scientology Ban" that ran in the Tribune Dec. 10 omits the fact that the German Ministers of Interior conference Dec. 7 did not vote for a motion to instigate procedures to ban Scientology.
Instead, those officials recognized that there is no evidence to support such a motion. Furthermore, Federal Minister of Interior Wolfgang Schauble in an interview with German Radio, also on Dec. 7, conceded that there is no legal basis for such ...
Dec 16, 2007
Goodwill plan meets opposition — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Lorri Helfand Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) A longtime dormitory for Church of Scientology staffers will become the site of a work-release program for more than 200 nonviolent inmates if Goodwill Industries-Suncoast buys the property near East Bay Drive and U.S. 19.
But that's a big if, said Goodwill spokeswoman Michael Ann Harvey.
"As the minutes tick by and days tick by, more problems are occurring with the condition of the building and what it would require financially for Goodwill to bring it up to requirements," Harvey said. ...
Oct 12, 2007
A magnet for Scientologists, Clearwater comes to terms with its status as a mecca — North County Times (California)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Mitch Stacy Source:
North County Times (California) Sure, says Mayor Frank Hibbard. It can be a little unsettling sometimes — throngs of Scientologists wandering Clearwater's streets in their blue or khaki trousers and crisp dress shirts.
Sometimes, it makes the neighbors a bit uneasy. "When you come to downtown, no one likes being a minority," Mr. Hibbard said.
But mostly, folks in this picturesque Gulf Coast city have come to accept that Clearwater is to Scientologists what Salt Lake City is to Mormons, what Mecca is to Muslims. ...
Sep 29, 2007
Scientology has big plans for landmark // Church leaders say the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater will have an extensive overhaul. — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Jacob H. Fries Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) CLEARWATER — The Church of Scientology is in announcement mode again, this time saying it will spend $20-million on a major upgrade of its iconic Fort Harrison Hotel. But what church officials aren't saying is exactly when the work will start. So, expect some eye rolls. That's because across the street from the Fort Harrison is Scientology's seven-story Super Power building. Stuccoed, trimmed and painted on the outside, the huge building is unfinished and vacant on the inside. And, remarkably, it's ...
Aug 11, 2007
Scientologists find unlikely allies in other faiths — Florida Times-UnionMore: jacksonville.com
Type: Press
Author(s):
Matt Sedensky Source:
Florida Times-Union TAMPA, Fla. - The Rev. Charles Kennedy travels the country preaching the brilliance of L. Ron Hubbard’s words. Children in his after-school program learn with the Scientology founder’s methods; church members study one of his books. The minister calls Scientologists the kindest people he’s met and their programs the best he’s found.
One thing sets Kennedy apart: He and his congregants are not Scientologists. They are Christians.
The Glorious Church of God in Christ here is among a number of houses ...
Mar 20, 2007
Scientology superstar draws crowds at opening — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Robert Farley Source:
St. Petersburg Times (Florida) ST. PETERSBURG - In her purse, she carried well-worn videos of The Boy in the Plastic Bubble and Saturday Night Fever. "Did you know John Travolta sings too?" Barbara Warren asked excitedly, pulling out a CD called Greased Lightnin' as proof. Warren, 38, of Tampa dragged her husband to Williams Park three hours before Travolta's scheduled appearance Monday evening as part of the grand opening of the Church of Scientology's first recruitment center in St. Petersburg. She hoped to catch a ...
Feb 2, 2007
Scientologists Pledge To Finish Vacant Shrine — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Feb 1, 2007
Scientology Moves On Languishing Flagship — Tampa Tribune (Florida)
Type: Press
Author(s):
Baird Helgeson Source:
Tampa Tribune (Florida) Scientology Moves On Languishing Flagship
Posted Feb 1, 2007 by Vidisha Priyanka
Updated Feb 1, 2007 at 03:37 PM
By BAIRD HELGESON
The Tampa Tribune
CLEARWATER - The Church of Scientology’s mammoth new spiritual shrine has stood vacant and unfinished for years, its dusty Mediterranean-style shell surrounded by patches of scrubby grass and “no trespassing” signs.
Now church officials say they are ready to resume work on the building as it has racked up more than $55,000 in fines for not ...
Dec 23, 2006
Still on church's drawing board — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Sep 17, 2006
Scientology's scourge — St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
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