Randy Miller blames the financial crisis on the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 in his letter of March 25. In blaming the Democrats for the CRA, he seems to be unaware that the first George Bush signed a bill strengthening enforcement of its provisions. Even so, there is no way for any banker to be fined, let alone jailed, for violations. ...more

April 2, 2009

South St. Petersburg may not be the most obvious place for real estate investors to make a profit. Homes on some streets are abandoned or dilapidated in low-income neighborhoods tainted by crime. ...more

March 8, 2009

Two neighborhood recreation centers will expand this year thanks to the Super Bowl. ...more

January 2, 2009

SARASOTA - For the past century it has been illegal to spit on the streets, sidewalks, floors or stairways of any public space in the city limits, but no more. ...more

December 16, 2008

Debby is crying, and 12-year-old Solmeshia Hooks doesn't know how to make it stop. ...more

August 17, 2008

A former police substation is now an urgent care medical center for the homeless and uninsured. ...more

July 16, 2008

There's a new cog in the age-old argument of nature versus nurture. Nature proponents will say criminals were born as troublemakers while nurture advocates argue that it's a person's environment that leads them to a life of crime. ...more

May 27, 2008

SEBRING — Some Sebring residents could save up to $150 per year on their energy bills and help out the environment by taking advantage of Program Energy Florida's Neighborhood Energy Saver program. The program assists families in low-income neighborhoods with escalating energy costs by implementing electric conservation measures at no cost to the customer. The target area, which has been identified with help from the Department of Community Affairs guidelines, includes much of downtown Sebring and the Washington Heights neighborhood. The program will have an official kickoff Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Sebring Boys and Girls Club, located at 111 Martin Luther King Blvd. Progress Energy officials will present information about the program to residents. ...more

May 21, 2008

In the wake of a horrific firebombing Sunday where residents were fired upon as they fled their burning home, people in northwest Manatee County are wondering what it will take to stem the recent violence. ...more

February 12, 2008

SEBRING — Housing assistance offered by Highlands County to low- and moderate-income people has grown 15 times larger than it was seven years ago, when Penny Phillippi took over the program. That's one reason Phillippi is on the verge of becoming the first executive director of the new Immokalee Community Redevelopment Agency. When Phillippi became county housing director in November 2000, assistance programs totaled just under $700,000 per year. That figure is now more than $10 million annually. Phillippi confirmed that she has a contract offer of $85,000 to head the Immokalee CRA. With a $6,000 per year car allowance, her total salary package would be $91,000. While the new job would raise her salary by about $35,000, Phillippi said, "for me it was never an issue of money. I loved this job, I loved the challenge here, and I love Highlands County." ...more

October 5, 2007