A Florida priest who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $370,000 from his church has been sentenced to 14 months in prison. ...more

March 24, 2009

Val Perry loves writing, and she loves a good book. Most of all, though, she is motivated to help other people discover their own stories and to learn how to write them. ...more

March 18, 2009

PLANT CITY Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Hannon, who is deploying soon for his eighth tour of Iraq, wanted to surprise his wife, Andrea, with the chance to meet her favorite entertainer, Jessica Simpson. ...more

March 12, 2009

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that he would agree to postpone the presidential election until August, bowing to pressure from election officials and Afghanistan's international backers who do not believe that fair and safe polls can be held by spring. ...more

March 8, 2009

As school budgets shrink, so does the state's ability to reduce the size of classrooms. ...more

March 7, 2009

The Polk County Sheriff's Office today announced 21 arrests in what authorities say is a multimillion-dollar baby-formula theft ring operating in at least three states. The men and women arrested face a variety of charges, including organized retail theft, shoplifting, possession of fake driver's licenses, larceny and fraud. All are in the country illegally. ...more

March 6, 2009

The first time Gaither coach Mark Kantor met Billy Turner, the legendary coach threatened to kick his butt. ...more

March 6, 2009

Bruce Rodwell, a retired produce buyer who came here to establish a strawberry operation - and never left - is Plant City's Outstanding Citizen of the Year. ...more

February 25, 2009

NBC says Andy Richter and Conan O'Brien will be back together again on late-night TV. ...more

February 24, 2009

All Tim Beckham could do was sit back and take it. One day last week, the youngest Ray was subjected to a carefully choreographed verbal beating from a man who has been handing them out for years, wisecracking Tampa Bay first base coach George Hendrick. ...more

February 23, 2009