Pasco cutting library services ...more

March 10, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist says Florida is applying for its first installment of federal Medicaid stimulus money. ...more

March 9, 2009

Local high schools will see plenty of new faces in the fall after the Florida High School Athletic Association released its official district realignment for baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball. ...more

March 6, 2009

The 2009 regular session of the Florida Legislature is under way. The issue dominating the proceedings is the dwindling state government revenue stream. According to current estimates, planned spending for the state's 2010 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, will have to be cut by $5 billion. If not, there would be a budget deficit, which the state constitution bans. The Legislature could reduce the future red ink potential by asking the Florida voters to do away with the class size amendment to the state constitution they approved in 2002. Unfortunately, lawmakers may only delay class-size compliance a year and ask voters to approve a change in the way compliance is determined next year. ...more

March 4, 2009

President Barack Obama unveiled a $3.55 trillion spending plan Thursday that would boost taxes on the wealthy, curtail Medicare, lay the groundwork for universal health care and leave a string of deficits dwarfing any in the nation's history. ...more

February 27, 2009

Most of us felt better after hearing President Barack Obama reassure the nation Tuesday night that today's hard times are merely a prelude to future greatness. ...more

February 26, 2009

If the U.S. Postal Service has its way, people will be getting mail only five days a week. ...more

February 24, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he won't order any state agencies to investigate former Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson, preferring instead to let federal investigators take the lead. ...more

February 14, 2009

Don Kruse, twice defeated in prior runs for the Hillsborough County Commission, said he will try again in the November 2010 election, this time for Commissioner Jim Norman's countywide seat. ...more

February 7, 2009

Hillsborough County's elections office is still in deep financial trouble despite getting an emergency $2.2 million allocation today from county commissioners to pay for optical scan voting machines. ...more

February 4, 2009