The economic realities of the present moment are stark: the nation's financial system has been teetering on the brink of disaster; businesses are finding it nearly impossible to borrow money; people are having trouble finding the money to buy houses and many of the people who have houses are finding it difficult to keep up with mortgage payments; the unemployment rate is rising; the revenue from taxes and fees governments rely on is coming in way below the estimates of only a few months ago. ...more

November 22, 2008

Developers will be urged, but not required, to think mass transit when proposing projects in Hillsborough County. ...more

October 27, 2008

I had already written a letter to the editor stating Bob Germaine's qualifications to be elected as the Clerk of the Courts. I speak from experience, having worked for several years with Mr. Germaine. There is no question that he is the only qualified candidate on the ticket. ...more

October 27, 2008

For many people, a public park without a fountain is like a beach without water. But when city officials worked out cost estimates for the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park project this year, they reluctantly decided to shelve plans for fountains and other amenities. That is, until philanthropist Norma Gene Lykes came into the picture. Her nonprofit group, the F.E. Lykes Foundation, last week donated $1 million to pay for a giant fountain at the gateway to the park and two smaller ones on the riverfront. ...more

September 8, 2008

Hernando County has discussed two major capital improvement projects – a new judicial center and an expansion to the crowded jail. ...more

September 7, 2008

We take it for granted that a vote means a secret ballot but it was not always that way. Moreover, it will not remain that way for workers who vote on whether or not they want a labor union, if legislation sponsored by Congressional Democrats and endorsed by Senator Barack Obama becomes law. ...more

August 20, 2008

Five years after bombings forced the United Nations to pull out of Iraq, the world body is back. It announced plans Wednesday to help Iraq rebuild and create jobs after complaints the government has been unable or unwilling to spend its oil riches. ...more

August 14, 2008

Being an Avon Park City Council member is tough work these days. They are tasked with figuring out how to cut large amounts our of the city's budget for next year. It's a job a lot of our elected city and county officials are dealing with these days, and will continue for some time to come. ...more

July 22, 2008

Alonso, Hillsborough, Newsome, Riverview, Plant, Bloomingdale, Sickles, Tampa Bay Technical, Freedom and Gaither. Only three high schools got A grades in 2007. Of all Hillsborough schools, 143 got A's or B's in the report, up from 137 last year. Here are excerpts from user posts. ...more

July 16, 2008

Last week's report card for Florida schools showed that there were two failing schools in Hillsborough County - neither of which were in South Shore. ...more

July 16, 2008