Stack and Deehan prefer to see high attendance for all classes; see themselves fulfilling a community service. ...more

July 6, 2008

PALM HARBOR -- Six Palm Harbor firefighters can already feel their adrenaline pumping, as they prepare to represent fire and rescue professionals throughout the country. Next month the Palm Harbor Fire Rescue contingent will compete in the World Rescue Organization's Extrication Challenge. The competition will be held in Cardiff, Wales. ...more

July 3, 2008

At 7 a.m., Louis Kopenkoskey's New Port Richey home smells of cinnamon, kneaded dough and sweet things. The 92-year-old Kopenkoskey has been baking since 6 a.m. Most days, he starts even earlier, at 5 a.m. He has many people for whom to bake, including his doctor, bankers, dentist, optometrist and laboratory technicians who have become friends. He doesn't know all their names, sometimes no more than a first or last name, he said, because he's not much for names, but never mind. His car can almost follow the route by itself because Kopenkoskey makes his rounds usually five days a week, week after week. He usually visits the people on his list once a week, he said. ...more

July 2, 2008

AVON PARK — When Mark Sauls first met Brandon Ball, he was just a kid hanging around the Avon Park Firehouse. "I worked with his dad and his grand-dad here," Sauls remembered. Ironically, the Avon Park Firehouse is where both the state fire marshals got their career starts — sort of — even though they are separated in age by several years. ...more

June 29, 2008

Consider that some 10.5 million of America's "tweeners" - children between the ages of eight and 12 - were estimated to have a cell phone by the end of 2006. ...more

June 27, 2008

MILLIONS OF 'TWEENERS' HAVE MOBILE DEVICES ...more

June 26, 2008

TAMPA - A trainee with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue has been jailed on charges of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and aggravated stalking, according to an arrest report. ...more

June 25, 2008

SARASOTA COUNTY — A firefighter was treated at a hospital after a sheriff's deputy accidentally stunned him with a Taser at a fire station. ...more

June 25, 2008

The Pasco County Democratic Party is considering a legal challenge to remove write-in candidate John Taylor from the November ballot after the District 1 county commission candidate's residency was called into question. ...more

June 24, 2008

HIGHLANDS COUNTY — A fire that burned down the Rancher restaurant early Sunday morning was set deliberately, according to Sam Venzeio, State Fire Marshal spokesman. The 40-foot-wide-by-120-foot-long eatery was located at 15765 State Road 70, on the border of Highlands and Okeechobee counties, he said. The fire was called in at 1:12 a.m. Sunday. "We have developed a person of interest," Venzeio said Monday. "But, we're not releasing any name." One man, who is not a firefighter, was hospitalized at Okeechobee Hospital with serious burns and later was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital. His condition was unknown. ...more

June 23, 2008