Parts I, II, and III of this story were published April 20, 27 and May 4. They are also available on www.highlandstoday.com. Gemma knocked on my door at nine the next morning. I barely recognized her. Her hair was shiny clean and curled softly around her face. She wore only a little makeup and a modest black dress with a white lace collar. Lisa stood beside her in a pretty pink dress, white socks, and black patent leather Mary-Janes that looked brand new. Her hair was combed and pinned back with pink bows, revealing two small hearing aids. "We have to look our best," Gemma announced, "so the lawyer will know I'm a good mother. My ex wants to take Lisa and send her to live with his mother, the old cow, on some farm in Virginia." She squeezed Lisa's hand. "He's bloody well not gonna get her." All the way to the base, Gemma kept up a steady stream of chatter. "My ex will be there, ya know. We ain't seen him in three months." She winked at me. "That was the last time he came sniffin' around. O' course, like a fool, I let him in. Even slept with the bastard, and now I think I'm preggers again." ...more

May 11, 2008

One person died in a single-car crash this morning, police said. ...more

February 23, 2008

A man who was bitten on the chest in a front yard brawl went from victim to suspect when he broke into a car parked at the hospital upon his release from the emergency room, a report shows. ...more

February 5, 2008

Amendment 1 passed by an overwhelming margin Tuesday by voters crying for property tax relief. ...more

February 2, 2008

BRADENTON - Johnny "Creep" Vazquez, a middle school dropout, grew up in one of Manatee County's toughest neighborhoods and had joined a street gang by the time he was a teenager. ...more

January 24, 2008

The city attorney sought permission Friday to inspect the car and cell phones belonging to the two brothers who survived tiger attacks at the San Francisco Zoo, but the victims are balking, the attorney said. ...more

January 5, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Two men barely escaped with their lives Thursday night when someone tossed an incendiary device into the back seat of the car they were in, St. Petersburg police say. ...more

December 28, 2007

SEBRING — A Sebring woman was seriously injured Friday afternoon at the intersection of Skipper Road and U.S. 27, after driving her mini-van into the path of a southbound mini-van, a Florida Highway Patrol report stated. ...more

October 12, 2007

A 4-year-old boy was left alone in a vehicle with the windows up and strapped to his car seat in the parking lot of a Lowe's on Tuesday afternoon, police reported. ...more

October 3, 2007