Marcia Lightsey of Lake Wales, whose family owns several Central Florida cattle ranches known for their progressive environmental practices, has been selected to receive the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award for 2009. ...more

December 27, 2009

Jobs trump airplane After reading the story, "Unequipped pest plane idle 6 years" (front page, Dec. 20), I started shaking my head in disbelief over our local government at work. All I can say is that I hope come mosquito season the overpriced 1979 King Air finally gets in the air and does the job it was meant to do in 2003, or I say let's go back to the trucks. It just might save a few county workers their jobs in 2010! ...more

December 24, 2009

David O'Hara was bagging groceries at the old Winn Dixie on the corner of Parsons Avenue and State Road 60 when he gave his life to Jesus. Today, he is pastor of Central Baptist Church, the church his family attended years ago. ...more

December 23, 2009

There was a party going down recently at the Brandon McDonald's when 31-year-old Jenny Weilbacher of Valrico celebrated her fifth anniversary of employment at the restaurant. Her parents, Kevin and Susan Weilbacher; sister, Katie Weilbacher; other family members and friends came to honor her. ...more

December 9, 2009

IN UNIFORM ROTC GRADUATES: These Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) members graduated from the Leader's Training Course: ...more

November 25, 2009

Josh Chapin knew the kid playing high school basketball for him was something special. ...more

November 4, 2009

Theo Smalling, a Hampton University basketball player who attended Bloomingdale High School, died Monday night after being accidentally shot over the weekend in Virginia. Prosecutors in Hampton will have to determine whether to file manslaughter charges in the accidental shooting, the Daily Press in Newport News, Va., reported. ...more

October 27, 2009

In September Troop 610's Harrison Hatcher of Riverview became one of a small brotherhood in the history of Boy Scouting to have earned all 121 merit badges. ...more

October 21, 2009

The Community Roundtable announced the winning floats that participated in Brandon's 51st annual Fourth of July Parade. The winners are: ...more

July 7, 2009

Megan Biretz, 17, never had an easy life. Her single mom struggled to support her while battling cervical cancer, then complications. Family demons - alcoholism, drugs and mental illness - hovered over the household with three adults and one child. Then, in two short days in early March, even that precarious family life vanished. ...more

March 29, 2009