The cause-and-effect cliche is well known. As for exorbitant gasoline and related prices, we should reverse to effect, cause, who? Effect: Incredibly costly gasoline and thousands of other things directly and indirectly related to the cost of petroleum products, and hostage to foreign oil, which is the primary supporter of global terrorism. Cause: Legislation which forbids drilling for oil in Alaska, off shore, and many other areas of our country; establishing impossible hurdles to building oil refineries, (none in about the last 30 years,) nearly impossible hurdles to building nuclear and coal fueled power plants. Blasted powdered coal emits little pollution. Trees and other vegetation need carbons to survive and emit oxygen, which all animals need. ...more

January 21, 2008

KEY BISCAYNE - How cold was it in South Florida this week? Cold enough to cause iguanas to drop out of trees in Key Biscayne. ...more

January 4, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE – Temple Terrace City Hall, the public works department and other city government offices will be closed Monday, Tuesday and New Year's Day. ...more

December 20, 2007

The rain started falling early Sunday, followed by heavy thunderstorms. As it moved east across Pasco County, the storm spawned a tornado that downed trees and power lines and damaged the county jail off U.S. 41 in Land O' Lakes. ...more

December 16, 2007

After three nights in a freezing, powerless home, Jeanetta Plunkett couldn't take any more. She picked up her two young grandchildren and sought refuge at a shelter for people who lost electricity after a huge ice storm. ...more

December 13, 2007

The idea of planting 1,000 trees was a speck in Garland Forbes' rearview mirror going into this year's campaign. This time the root-canal specialist gave away 4,000 seedlings, double last year's, with help from the newly enlisted New Port Richey Public Library. The first-generation longleaf pines were passed out at the library Friday. This week, Forbes and friends are distributing trees to other area dentists. This is the third year the endodontist has conducted the tree planting effort coordinated through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. ...more

December 12, 2007

Almost done with the holiday shopping? There's still time to enter our holiday photo contest. The contest ends at midnight Dec. 31. ...more

December 4, 2007

No one denies that trees are cool. But must we say so on a Florida license plate? ...more

December 3, 2007

Fifty trees, one representing each state, covered the front lawn of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, 7050 Gall Blvd., for its 23rd annual tree decorating and lighting program. Also featured was an international tree, one representing Canada's provinces and territories as well as a "Support Our Troops" tree. ...more

December 3, 2007

The day shoppers have been waiting for is here. It's Black Friday, which marks the start of the holiday retail shopping season - even though some stores have had their trees trimmed and their holiday ditties playing for weeks. ...more

November 23, 2007