In an upshot, if 2009 made us all a little poorer, it also made us all cleaner and more hygiene-oriented. It brought heartaches, joy and astonishment to Highlands County residents. It also brought closure to the family of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper ruthlessly killed while on duty. The economy continued to roil; residents endured not one but three anthrax hoaxes; ordinary residents prodded city hall into action in Venus and Sun 'n Lake, and swine flu got us all a little closer to sanitizers. ...more

January 1, 2010

Much of Northeast Hillsborough is among areas recommended for a high priority of rebuilding if the county should experience a major disaster. ...more

March 11, 2009

A half-dozen Hillsborough County residents spent Monday night saying "yes" or "no" to plans for recovery following a disaster by placing red and green stickers on a map. ...more

March 4, 2009

A half-dozen Hillsborough County residents spent Monday night saying "yes" or "no" to plans for recovery following a major disaster by placing red and green stickers on a map. ...more

March 3, 2009

Everybody's talking about David William Earley. His former wife calls him a deadbeat dad. A state prosecutor wants him behind bars. And now a local community organization said maybe Earley is really just dead broke. If so, said Michael Bernstein of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, the New Port Richey man is in good company. Earley, who may face prison for failure to pay a quarter-million dollars in child support and for hiding from probation officers, is like a lot of people helped by Jewish Family Services, Bernstein suggests. ...more

February 5, 2009

The Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities, under the leadership of Director Jim DeBeaugrine, has shown clients admirable compassion by suspending a controversial cost-reduction program. The agency is considering revamping how it funds services. ...more

January 2, 2009

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president. ...more

December 9, 2008

Pasco County officials are in Tallahassee today to pursue a righteous cause: eternal preservation of Cross Bar Ranch's sprawling, untainted wilderness splendor. Sealing the deal might not require, absolutely, a nod from those they have been dispatched to lobby, but clearing the Florida Cabinet hurdle is important, nonetheless. ...more

February 26, 2008

County commissioners on Tuesday are set to consider renewing their contract with Joe Mannion, who has worked as Pasco's legislative consultant and lobbyist for 20 years. ...more

October 8, 2007