In contrast to the way he lived, Brandon resident John Paton died quietly Jan. 29 at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center nursing home in Tampa at age 87. ...more

February 7, 2008

When Melissa McGhee had surgery 16 months ago, the former "American Idol" finalist feared that she would lose her distinctive "smoky" voice. ...more

February 4, 2008

Ravi Jakhotia asked his parents for a drum set when he was 12. But when his father said no, he threw himself on the floor at Kmart. ...more

February 3, 2008

Free-agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez and the Florida Marlins reached a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract. ...more

February 1, 2008

Susan Toll couldn't believe it. She had been in well over a dozen Gasparilla Pirate Fest parades, as a member of the Krewe of Alegria and the Rough Riders, and had loved Gasparilla ever since she was a child in the 1950s, when the pirates threw blank bullets and candy. But this was something new and pretty cool. ...more

January 24, 2008

At first glance, the scenery of the 14th annual Tampa Am skateboarding contest at the Skatepark of Tampa on Sunday resembled an underground rock concert rather than a competition featuring the top amateur skateboarders in the world. ...more

January 21, 2008

Before and after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. riveted the nation's attention on civil rights, individual crusaders in cities across America took it upon themselves to shake open the locked doors of society's institutions. ...more

January 18, 2008

It's less than three weeks into the new year and any resolutions about weight loss are a ridiculous fantasy. ...more

January 17, 2008

Just before midnight, LSU defensive line coach Earl Lane could be awash in confetti at a Superdome celebration. Just before midnight, he could be hugging his players, wiping away tears of joy. Just before midnight, he actually could be lifting that crystal football trophy. ...more

January 7, 2008

The din at the West Tampa Sandwich Shop has reached a noon-day crescendo. ...more

December 22, 2007