The National Hurricane Center dropped all tropical storm warnings for the northern Gulf Coast. Winds in a weakening Tropical Storm Ida dropped enough this morning for the storm to be declared a tropical depression. Forecasters expect Ida to be swallowed by an approaching front on Wednesday. As Ida fizzles, its remains will influence weather in the Tampa Bay area. ...more

November 10, 2009

our oceans. There are currently two bills up for discussion in the Senate that would allow offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, an area teeming with marine wildlife and valuable fisheries. ...more

August 26, 2009

William Oehlecker of New Port Richey says Carl Orth's views on buying foreign cars are correct, ...more

May 16, 2009

This stimulus plan of the Democrats is the biggest joke yet to hit the bull's-eye inside the beltway. The Democrats in Congress must be rolling in the aisles over the naivety of the American voter. ...more

March 6, 2009

Ask Americans about their biggest frustration with government over the decades and they'll most likely say it's the power of lobbyists and special interests to get favors over the needs of the people. Americans are absolutely right about that, and President Barack Obama is ready to rumble to change the way this operates. ...more

March 1, 2009

I realize that we seem to have beaten a dead horse when we talk about prices at the pump for gasoline. But after seeing a story in Highlands Today I couldn't resist adding a few more comments on the subject. ...more

February 19, 2009

As I sit here typing this little epistle my TV tells me that the price of crude oil on the market is below $40 per barrel. This tells me that the price at the local pumps should be dropping, right? I was right, the price has dropped at some pumps in Avon Park and maybe elsewhere in the county but not in good old Sebring. ...more

January 11, 2009

Let's face it, gasoline not only fuels our cars, it basically drives our economy. ...more

December 31, 2008

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Saturday delayed a decision on whether to cut the cartel's oil output, but demand that is falling in the United States and unexpectedly weak in China makes it likely that the group will lower production at its Dec. 17 meeting in Algeria, analysts and OPEC ministers said. ...more

November 30, 2008

It seems inconceivable: Somali pirates in speedboats foil warships from the world's most powerful navies to prey on shipping lanes crucial to the oil supply. ...more

November 19, 2008