Roadside bombs killed four U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq, the military said Wednesday, in a spike of violence that pushed to at least nine the number of Americans who have died here this week. ...more

June 26, 2008

TAMPA - With gasoline prices topping $4 for a gallon of a regular unleaded, more and more Floridians are just plain running out of gas, reported one roadside-assistance club today. ...more

June 24, 2008

Ridership on THE Bus didn't spike on Thursday, but officials say at least a few dozen new riders gave the system a try. ...more

June 22, 2008

Ridership on THE Bus didn't spike on Thursday, but officials say at least a few dozen new riders gave the system a try. ...more

June 21, 2008

Bob Tankel wants you to know that he's not Snidely Whiplash. As an attorney for more than 500 homeowners associations, Tankel is foreclosing on people's homes for unpaid association dues with surprising frequency. Although some are investors, others live in the homes and lose them because of a few hundred dollars in back dues, he says. ...more

June 18, 2008

SEBRING — The number of tax certificates being advertised for Saturday's annual certificate sale is about 50 percent greater than last year's, showing a huge spike in the number of delinquent property taxes. Investors looking to make interest off the unpaid property taxes will have 16,458 properties to choose from, compared to the 10,895 certificates for sale from the 2006 tax roll. The county creates a certificate on a property when its owner owes taxes that are more than two years overdue. Investors buy them for the amount owed and earn interest until the property owner pays them off. After two years, the certificate holder could also try to get back the investment by forcing a foreclosure. Highlands County Tax Collector Charles Bryan blamed the increase on both the growing number of properties on the tax roll and on two property owners in Sun N' Lake of Sebring that owe taxes on 2,885 properties. He acknowledged the current economy has a role in it as well. ...more

May 25, 2008

Three years after submitting plans, the developer of Denton Oaks has won approval to build 78 homes on 39 acres off Denton Avenue. ...more

May 5, 2008

The local labor force has grown by nearly 3,000 since 2006. That has not translated to a stronger job market. In fact, the opposite is true. ...more

April 19, 2008

Flu shots delivered in October are rolls of the dice, health officials say, and the losers are those who went under the needle then and are afflicted now. ...more

February 22, 2008

UPS Inc., the world's largest shipping carrier, reported Wednesday that it swung to a hefty loss in the fourth quarter because of a $6.1 billion payment to shift 45,000 of its employees from one pension plan to another. ...more

January 31, 2008