Bill Rich wasn't from Pasco County, but he was as familiar to regulars at Sertoma bluegrass festivals as the ranch's rolling hills and tree-lined landscape. He spent last weekend at the youth ranch north of Dade City, accompanying daughter Amy's fiddle and son Nathan's acoustic guitar on the banjo that rarely left his side. The family had been participating in the Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival and other musical events at the venue for 20 years. Rich, 57, of West Palm Beach, died unexpectedly Tuesday, two days after the festival ended. "He had a bad heart and he just went into the hospital Monday to get some water taken out of his leg," said Nathan Rich, 24. "His heart just went out overnight." ...more

December 4, 2008

In the past few months, BK Jackson seems to have been everywhere. He released his first smooth jazz CD, opened for legendary vocalist Tony Bennett at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and performed the national anthem at four sold-out Tampa Bay Rays playoff games. ...more

December 3, 2008

Gov. Charlie Crist will honor a Hillsborough County sheriff's deputy for ending a gunman's rampage and saving the lives of two deputies. ...more

December 2, 2008

A small group of musicians sat in the shade of a recreational vehicle Friday afternoon, picking, grinning, singing and talking as a stream of people entered the Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival at Sertoma Youth Ranch. ...more

November 29, 2008

Julie Weintraub has been spending a lot of time on Facebook the past two days. The social networking site is the St. Petersburg woman's link to family members living in besieged Mumbai, India. ...more

November 29, 2008

Julie Weintraub's been spending a lot of time on Facebook the past two days. The social networking site is the St. Petersburg woman's link to family members living in besieged Mumbai, India. ...more

November 28, 2008

A small group of musicians sat in the shade of a recreational vehicle this afternoon, picking, grinning, singing and talking as a stream of people entered the Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival at Sertoma Youth Ranch. Beside banjo player Bill Rich was his daughter, Amy, on fiddle, and son, Nathan, on acoustic guitar. Family friend Jim Waldeck joined on a second six-string. Bill and Nathan Rich and Waldeck are from West Palm Beach; Amy Rich lives in Nashville. The ensemble went from one song to the next with the relaxed precision of an experienced quartet. As a stream of people converged on the campground, they sang with gusto: "Well, somebody robbed the Glendale Train ...more

November 28, 2008

In the past few months, BK Jackson seems to have been everywhere. He released his first smooth jazz CD, opened for legendary vocalist Tony Bennett at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and performed the national anthem at four sold-out Tampa Bay Rays playoff games. ...more

November 19, 2008

A Spring Hill teenager was killed in a two-car collision while driving home from theater rehearsal Monday night. ...more

November 12, 2008

It had been six months since they'd seen one another. But Gracy, a one-eyed, 12-year-old bichon frise, had no problem recognizing her best friend despite her drastic change in appearance. ...more

November 6, 2008