A man implied he had a gun and robbed a Wachovia bank in Temple Terrace this Tuesday morning, Temple Terrace police say. ...more

September 2, 2008

If John McCain becomes president, he will be confronted by a Congress with significantly larger Democratic majorities than today's - majorities furious about high hopes dashed by an eighth Republican victory in 11 presidential elections. And if the normal pattern of off-year elections obtains in 2010, those majorities will expand. So McCain would have to deal with a hostile legislature for four years, as Arnold Schwarzenegger has done for almost five years. For that reason, and because these two self-styled post-partisan, reach-across-the-aisle mavericks admire one another - McCain has given Schwarzenegger a starring role Monday at the Republican convention - it is pertinent to survey Schwarzenegger's governorship of one-eighth of America's population. ...more

August 31, 2008

Happy Endings Come In Fairytales I read an article written by one of your readers against the county commission wanting to expand the area where they are now situated. The amount of money requested or desired is astronomical at this time, especially with very little reserve cash coming in. ...more

August 30, 2008

A man walked into the Wachovia Bank, 8740 Mitchell Blvd. in New Port Richey about 11:30 a.m. today and demanded money at gunpoint, deputies said. He was last seen heading behind the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. ...more

August 26, 2008

It took seven years, but Charles Ulrich did something many people dream about: He beat the IRS in a tax dispute. ...more

August 25, 2008

Part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 authorizes up to a $7,500 tax credit for qualified first-time homebuyers. Based on the questions I'm getting from readers, many people are ready to jump at this money like Scooby Doo panting after Scooby snacks. ...more

August 24, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay's winds and rain largely missed the Tampa Bay area, but that doesn't mean their effect wasn't felt by taxpayers. ...more

August 20, 2008

Our school superintendent announced that the county has received the first application for a charter school in years. ...more

August 15, 2008

It is not certain which environmental organization came up "Pave it or Save it," but I am beholden to them as it stirred my recollection of words to that effect, thrown as a challenge; "If you want to save that piece of wild land, buy it!" How many times have I heard that from local and other bureaucrats, and even a newspaper whose editorial staff must have been influenced by developers or big agriculture? ...more

August 13, 2008

Some Floridians say confusion has kept them from claiming their economic stimulus checks. There are more than 405,000 Floridians who have not claimed their checks. The bulk of the unclaimed money belongs to seniors. You have to file a tax return to get paid but many seniors stopped filing years ago. ...more

August 6, 2008