For the first time since 1981, every living U.S. president came together at the White House on Wednesday to hash over the world's challenges over lunch with President-elect Barack Obama. "All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office," Obama said. "And for me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary." President George W. Bush, playing the gracious host, said: "All of us who have served in this office understand that the office transcends the individual. And we wish you all the very best. And so does the country." The get-together was Obama's idea, and Bush liked it. ...more

January 8, 2009

I've always loved Brevard. When my folks lived in this small North Carolina college town it was sort of a Mayberry accented by the town's iconic white squirrels. ...more

January 4, 2009

TAMPA City officials and representatives of Tampa's largest union meet today to select a mediator to intervene in a contentious dispute over pay raises and a longer contract. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1464, representing about 2,000 of the city's blue-collar, technical and clerical employees, declared an impasse in the talks last month. ...more

December 10, 2008

Mediation between the Hernando County Housing Authority and a man who says his Section 8 housing voucher was illegally revoked has reached an impasse. ...more

November 3, 2008

A judge's ruling Tuesday endangered the claims of 41 nudists who sued Caliente Resorts last year over what they say were bait-and-switch sales tactics. ...more

July 16, 2008

President Bush on Monday signed a deal setting the foundation for a potential long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq, with details to be negotiated over matters that have defined the war debate at home: how many U.S. forces will stay in the country and for how long. ...more

November 27, 2007

The county commission and school board will try one more time Tuesday to resolve differences on school concurrency. ...more

November 17, 2007

It's disheartening that two elected boards, plus their legal staffs and administrators, cannot settle a simple dispute over who should pay for off-site road improvements needed for new schools. Yet, that's been the case for years between Pasco County government and the school board, and another round of talks last week failed to solve the issue. ...more

November 4, 2007

If Joe Maddon and Delmon Young didn't hash out their differences Sunday, it would have been a long time before they had another opportunity to do so. ...more

October 1, 2007