Highlands County commissioners are deciding whether the county should lift its ban on private landfills. It's, no doubt, a difficult decision, but there are big potential problems if they allow private dumping, and we hope that if they do allow it, there are strong stipulations. ...more

January 23, 2009

When he sat down with a pen and paper and tried to reflect on the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with an eye to the future presidency of Barack Obama, Tampa Poet Laureate James Tokley didn't know what he would say. ...more

January 21, 2009

Along the National Mall in Washington, off Independence Avenue near Seventh Street, there once stood a building known as the Yellow House. According to Jesse Holland's "Black Men Built the Capitol," it appeared from the outside like other dwellings. In the basement, with iron bars on the windows and rings in the floor for chains, and in a yard enclosed by a 12-foot wall, enslaved humans were kept and sold. ...more

January 18, 2009

The rumor that Lecavalier could be dealt to the Montreal Canadiens is a runaway train, writes Joe Henderson. ...more

January 13, 2009

While we congratulate the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for taking what appears to be a positive step forward by establishing two standing committees to be headed by Commissioner Rocco (Budget) and Commissioner Druzbick (Economic Development), we hope these efforts produce better decisions. ...more

January 11, 2009

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Bruce Allen spoke with the media on Friday for 46 minutes about his team's disappointing finish in 2008. ...more

January 9, 2009

Florida and Oklahoma will play a dandy game Thursday night in Miami, befitting two programs of this stature. No one can dispute that they are among the best teams in the country. One of them is about to be the national champion. But here we go again. ...more

January 5, 2009

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington recently won the NFL Comeback Player of The Year Award. ...more

January 5, 2009

Within 48 hours of their seasons ending last week, four NFL teams fired their head coaches. The Bucs weren't one of them. A lot of their fans don't understand why. ...more

January 4, 2009

A lot of people make resolutions this time of year, and our county, cities, towns and schools should be no exception. Of course, most people break resolutions, and by the time you read this, several are already tossed, but it's critical that our governmental entities stick to theirs. ...more

January 2, 2009