About halfway through a 90-minute performance, the men and women of the Betmar Chorus produced bandannas and tied them around their necks. ...more

March 26, 2009

Drawn by an old familiar song, growing numbers of travelers are seeking out the tea-colored waters of the Suwannee River. And galvanized by the song, environmentalists and legislators are fighting to keep the stream unspoiled amid thirsty Florida's development. ...more

August 18, 2008

The media is watching this weekend as likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is off in Europe and the Middle East, hoping to impress the locals and build up some kind of resume on one of those "If-It's-Tuesday-It-Must-Be-Baghdad" junkets. ...more

July 20, 2008

for the first time in 73 years - the issues of art, race, culture and history move over to make room for the $64,000 question. ...more

June 17, 2008

Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday he likely will sign the state song bill, which would wipe clean slavery references from the old "Swanee River" - a song that has been on Florida's books since 1935 - and simultaneously adopt a new, upbeat tune to represent the Sunshine State. ...more

May 3, 2008

New Song Is Horrible Regarding "Don't Abandon Suwannee River" (Commentary, Feb. 10): ...more

February 16, 2008

The truth is, most state songs are wretched anyhow, so Florida's new song won't stand out any more than the bulk of them. In fact, with any luck by this summer it will have disappeared into the kudzu outside of Tallahassee, another bad idea from the same state that once changed the name of mullet to "Lisa" to make it sound more appealing. I haven't seen a Lisa in years. ...more

January 18, 2008

First of all, This Space wants to hear no fussing about the Legislature having better things to do than wrangle over naming a new state song. ...more

January 10, 2008

Update Our Old Song Regarding "State Song Finalists Vie For Your Vote" (front page, Dec. 12): ...more

December 23, 2007

Regarding "Which Song Strikes State's Chord?" (Nation/World, Dec. 12): OK, so I went to the Web site to listen to and vote for the song destined to replace that little work of genius, "Old Folks at Home" as our official state song. ...more

December 22, 2007