Today, police agencies across Florida recognized the work the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office did during the tense hours Jeffrey Lane Dudney held five people hostage. ...more

July 14, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - The Police Department's small cadre of school-based officers has been recognized as best in the state by the Florida Association of School Resource Officers. The honor is especially sweet for Tarpon police, who lobbied to have their own officers patrol local schools. Other schools in the county have SROs from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. ...more

June 14, 2008

TAMPA -- At its annual statewide conference this week, the Florida Association of Hostage Negotiators named the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Crisis Negotiations Team the 2008 Team of the Year. The crisis negotiations team responds to incidents involving hostage situations, high-risk or armed suicide attempts and armed and barricaded suspects, a sheriff's office news release states. ...more

June 13, 2008

TAMPA Hundreds of Hillsborough County families can rest a bit easier now about the rising costs of a college education, thanks to the generosity of others. ...more

May 31, 2008

Members of the Hillsborough County Medical Association Alliance are participating in Smoke Out!, a campaign to make movie companies aware of parental concerns about smoking imagery in films rated G, PG and PG-13. The goal is to get R ratings for movies featuring smoking. ...more

May 31, 2008

When the first wave of state budget cuts came, the Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens looked for savings wherever it could. ...more

May 26, 2008

TAMPA BAY AREA Labor Survey Pans Pulte Fifty-nine percent, or 236, of 400 Pulte and its Del Webb homeowners surveyed in Arizona reported construction defects in their homes in a report released Friday by Building Justice, which represents labor unions. Respondents with defects described faulty electrical wiring, peeling paint and bad air conditioners. The labor group says it plans to conduct the survey in other states where Pulte builds, including Florida. Pulte spokesman Mark Marymee said the group's motivation is to unionize the workers of subcontractors who build Pulte homes. Pulte has done well on other quality surveys, he said, such as J.D. Power & Associates'. "That is the survey we care about," he said. ...more

January 26, 2008

A fifth-generation Pasco resident, retiring County Attorney Robert Sumner will be hailed for many years of service during the CARES Annual Benefit Dinner and Toast next month. ...more

January 9, 2008

SEBRING — When the Florida Association of Community Colleges lobbies in Tallahassee, it has the support of South Florida Community College faculty. SFCC has the second highest percentage of membership in the state in FACC, a group that lobbies for community college legislation in Tallahassee. About 93 percent of SFCC's full-time employees are members of the professional organization that represents the state's 28 community colleges and has more than 8,000 members statewide. Adam Martin, who served as president of SFCC's FACC during 2007, said the local chapter has challenged itself to add seven more members in 2008 and bring its total membership to 200. If the chapter adds 30 members, it will boost the membership to 100 percent. "The college supports FACC, which, in turn, supports the college," Martin said. SFCC President Norm Stephens said the college has historically had a strong membership in that organization. ...more

January 6, 2008

LAKE PLACID — School superintendents in the six-county Heartland area agree there is a need to review educational practices at the high school level. ...more

January 1, 2008