When I was a child, Christmas at our house revolved around the tree. It wasn't Christmas until the tree went up, and the holidays were not over till the tree came down. In that respect, not much has changed; the tree is still the focal point of our holiday trimmings. But these days it fights for attention with one other decoration that is slowly taking over the spotlight, and my living room – my Dickens Village. What started in 1995 with just one little ceramic house, The Old Curiosity Shop, has grown into an entire Victorian town. The display now has 12 buildings, including some with moving parts. All of them are lighted and one even plays music. The village also has 10 trees, a road, a bridge, and a town square complete with mailbox, stone fences and a dozen different sets of tiny Victorian people doing everything from selling newspapers to lighting the street lamps and peeking in windows. My village grows every year, because friends and family are continually buying new pieces for it. They know that village "stuff" is a gift I'll always love. ...more

December 30, 2007

Tracy L. Traver stood behind three men who forced their way into a man's home, beat him and stole two garbage bags filled with Christmas gifts from his living room floor, Hillsborough County deputies say. ...more

December 27, 2007

Tracy L. Traver stood behind three men who forced their way into a man's home, beat him and stole two garbage bags filled with Christmas gifts from his living room floor, Hillsborough County deputies say ...more

December 26, 2007

A fire displaced a mother and her two young daughters from their mobile home Monday morning. ...more

December 11, 2007

After what seemed like months of a hectic schedule the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Yours Truly were enjoying a relaxing evening in the parsonage living room catching up on a pile of newspapers. It is amazing to me how much the new news is like the old news, which only increases my admiration for those who write the news. ...more

December 4, 2007

An arson team from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating a house fire at 10705 115th Ave. N. in Seminole. ...more

December 3, 2007

Calli had flown the coop. The eclectus parrot, beloved companion of Deborah and Dale Boyll for 10 years, was missing for three days and the family was frantic. ...more

November 17, 2007

TAMPA - After shattering his neighbor's windows with bricks Thursday night, a Tampa man kicked in her front door, shoved her and smashed in the windshield of her car, authorities said. ...more

November 9, 2007

A Seffner man touched a 7-year-old girl inappropriately while playing a game with her where he acted like a dog and she lay on the ground with her legs spread, Hillsborough deputies say. ...more

November 7, 2007

TAMPA - After breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home this morning, a Tampa man brandished a knife and threatened to kill her and another person, Hillsborough County deputies say. ...more

October 14, 2007