Scientists have long known that the nitrogen that makes your lawn green also chokes the oxygen out of water, making it hard for fish, crabs, shrimp and other marine life to breathe. ...more

January 11, 2009

"American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century," by Howard Blum (Crown, $24.95) ...more

September 21, 2008

Bob Butterworth, who was hand-picked by Gov. Charlie Crist to straighten out the beleaguered Florida Department of Children & Families, resigned Tuesday, leaving many local child welfare advocates surprised and saddened. ...more

July 30, 2008

When Jeff Rainey took over Hillsborough Kids Inc. in 2005, the private agency was responsible for more than 5,000 abused and neglected children in Hillsborough County. ...more

November 10, 2007

The Sarasota Family YMCA will not compete for a $150 million, three-year state contract next summer to run child welfare services in Pinellas and Pasco counties. ...more

November 7, 2007

TAMPA - The Sarasota Family YMCA will voluntarily end its contract next summer to run child welfare services in Pinellas and Pasco counties. In exchange for agreeing to step away from those counties, the YMCA will receive a one-year extension of its contract to provide similar services in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. ...more

November 6, 2007

The Sarasota Family YMCA board pledged Tuesday to make changes to its foster care program, the day after a state report blamed arrogance and defensiveness for the agency's recent poor performance. ...more

October 31, 2007

Florida's first private agency to take on child welfare duties - the one held up as the state model for privatizing social services - may find itself without a contract next year. ...more

October 30, 2007

TAMPA - A panel ordered to review Florida's first private agency to take on child welfare duties for the state said today it cannot recommend renewing the agency's multimillion-dollar contract without serious internal changes. ...more

October 29, 2007

Bob Butterworth recently stood before more than two dozen child welfare leaders and told them the experiment that put private agencies in charge of Florida's social services system is a success. ...more

October 29, 2007