A state ethics investigation has cleared Pinellas Property Appraiser Jim Smith and other county officials of wrongdoing in a controversial land deal between Smith and the county. The report by the Florida Ethics Commission, released Wednesday, also cleared former Pinellas County Attorney Susan Churuti and County Commissioner Ronnie Duncan. ...more

October 23, 2008

County commissioners carved out time at their Tuesday meeting to inform people of the ordinance they crafted spelling out what would happen should the district become independent. ...more

October 23, 2008

Will still get $300 car allowance. ...more

October 22, 2008

Garth will stay on as county attorney for at least another year. County commissioners on Tuesday refused to take any action to settle the impasse over the attorney's contract, preferring instead to wait until after the election and the board has a better grasp on the ongoing government restructuring. ...more

October 22, 2008

County attorney Garth Coller's counterproposal to a contract offer has been rejected, prompting the county commission to schedule time at its Tuesday meeting to try to break the impasse. ...more

October 16, 2008

I was sent a letter posted on the Sun 'n Lake commentary Web site written by a Joe Eck. It was a plea for Guy Maxcy's re-election to the county commission, repeating Maxcy's campaign theme of "Please, just four more years." I wonder how many readers know why another term is so necessary for Maxcy? Maybe Eck and others know that if Maxcy gets 20 years in he becomes eligible for a retirement benefit? In other words, he gets paid for not working and we the taxpayers have to fork over monthly public funds to him. ...more

October 15, 2008

Pasco residents are fortunate to have a county commission that works well together. Teamwork will be needed to tackle the economic challenges facing the county, which for too long has relied upon residential building and sends nearly half its workforce to other counties for jobs. ...more

October 13, 2008

Sheriff Susan Benton's office has completed an inventory of about 8,000 evidence items, said the office's attorney, Mike Durham. ...more

October 8, 2008

Dodging small craters in front of the Ruskin post office has become more than an annoyance. ...more

October 8, 2008

The Hillsborough County School District does not have to pay for roads or other traffic improvements that do not touch school property, a circuit judge ruled Monday. ...more

September 30, 2008