Kim Wirick will sign copies of her book, "The Boy with Magic Ears," from 2 to 4 p.m. March 1 at the South Shore Gallery, 447 Apollo Beach Blvd., Apollo Beach. ...more

February 16, 2008

It's not often that that five city commissioners voice agreement on an issue up for discussion. During last week's City Commission meeting, however, all members agreed that City Manager Robert "Rob" DiSpirito has done an excellent job during his first year at the helm of the city. ...more

January 26, 2008

A quarter century spent behind the counter has been "a labor of love" for the owner of Mott & Hester Deli in South Tampa. ...more

January 19, 2008

The 19th Tee is a neighborhood roadhouse where patrons and bartenders mingle easily. Owner Richard Oaks bought the place two years ago, and for him and his wife of six years, Stephanie, it was a labor of love. ...more

January 15, 2008

LAKELAND - The 19th Tee is a neighborhood roadhouse bar where patrons and bartenders mingle easily and everyone knows everyone else. Owner Richard Oaks bought the place two years ago, and for him and his wife of six years, Stephanie, it was a labor of love. ...more

January 14, 2008

SEBRING — After countless hours of scanning photos and sorting through records at the Sebring Historical Society, Susan MacDonald was overwhelmed when the book "Sebring" was finally completed. "All the pictures and captions turned out just how I wanted them to," said MacDonald, a previous Sebring resident. "Now I just hope the people of Sebring will like it." Through 200 vintage photos, the book chronicles the history of Sebring from its founding as the City on the Circle. MacDonald lived in Sebring from 1969 to 1978 and is a 1976 graduate of Sebring High School. She called the book a labor of love for her father, Tom Priest, who affectionately called Sebring his adopted home, living here from 1969 until his death in 1999. ...more

January 14, 2008

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Growing up, it was tradition for Jason Dittman to help his father decorate their house for Christmas. ...more

December 22, 2007

AVON PARK — Jeremy Machia's labor of love is a few tons of manicured dirt. And he likes nothing more than watching folks make a mess of it. The track director at Highlands BMX got hooked on bicycle racing at a young age, and more than 25 years later, Machia enjoys playing in the dirt more than ever. "Normally, we're out two or three times a week, hand-shaping jumps," he said. "We're not using heavy equipment, so it's a lot of fine-tuning." Much of that meticulous work is done to ready the track for weekly races that draw riders from Highlands County and beyond. And while most tracks are closed around the Christmas holiday, Machia's welcoming racers from across the state this weekend to grab some last minute points in order to qualify for the upcoming Sunshine State BMX's Florida state championships. He never knows how many riders will show up until race day, but Machia said up to 100 racers of all skill levels cold descend on the Avon Park track, which is known around the state as the fastest in Florida. ...more

December 21, 2007

Gene Turner of St. Petersburg is a legend in the lore of kingfish, mostly because without his booming voice during the 1970s, there would be few kings today. ...more

October 28, 2007

One of the best examples of the speed of change these days is podcasting. The Internet tools that can make anyone an audio celebrity came together just three years ago. ...more

September 30, 2007