The community of Lake Wales said farewell to the 140 members of its National Guard unit Monday before the company heads out at 7 a.m. today for a year's deployment in Iraq. ...more

June 17, 2008

LAKE WALES - The community of Lake Wales said farewell to the 140 members of its National Guard unit today before the company heads out at 7 a.m. Tuesday for a year's deployment in Iraq. ...more

June 16, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - What happened to old-fashioned streetlights and decorative benches purchased by local merchants that once adorned the city's historic downtown? The owners of property in the downtown district along Tarpon Avenue who purchased the street-side amenities in the mid-1980s repeatedly raised that question. ...more

June 7, 2008

Letter Was A Joke, Right? As a writer, I enjoy satire, especially when it is so well written that it takes me a while to recognize it. I've even been fortunate enough to get some of mine published on these pages. ...more

May 24, 2008

SEBRING — In about 60 days, Highlands County will have to take over operations of the long troubled Thunderbird Hills Wastewater Treatment Plant. This past week, David S. Plank, owner of Landmark Utilities, filed legal documents informing the county of his intent to abandon the plant. ...more

May 4, 2008

Horror stories from parents who adopted children through the state only to discover the children had such serious problems they couldn't care for them have prompted one local agency to research ways to keep these fragile families together. ...more

February 25, 2008

Vonnie Largent recalls her alarm upon discovering that her 12-year-old son was sleeping with a metal rod in his bed, fearing his older adopted sister would sneak into his bedroom while the family slept and kill him. ...more

February 13, 2008

Vonnie Largent recalls her alarm upon discovering that her 12-year-old son was sleeping with a metal rod in his bed, fearing his older adopted sister would sneak into his bedroom while the family slept and kill him. ...more

February 13, 2008

TAMPA - Cruising down a boring highway, you look for anything that breaks the monotony. There, up ahead, you spot one. It may be laugh-out-loud funny or mildly amusing. Or you may scratch your head and conclude that it is just an inside joke you don't get. ...more

February 8, 2008

A Tallahassee lawyer and child advocate has sued a Hillsborough County foster care agency and the state, accusing them of treating foster children like "hostages." ...more

January 26, 2008