Despite a hiring freeze and other cost-savings measures in place at the state's 11 public universities, President Bernie Machen has received an extension and a healthy pay boost from the University of Florida trustees. ...more

December 22, 2007

Hillsborough County is looking for a volunteer to serve on the University Area Enterprise Zone Development Agency Board. ...more

December 22, 2007

The notion of not seeing Alonzo Mourning play basketball again is a difficult one for the Miami Heat to accept. ...more

December 21, 2007

It's a choice between convenience and lifestyle. County planners and consultants warn that unless Lithia-Pinecrest Road is widened to six lanes from County Road 39 to State Road 60, the 10.7-mile drive will consume more than an hour's worth of a driver's time 10 years from now. ...more

December 10, 2007

AVON PARK — After 22 games and two seasons without a playoff appearance, Earnest Perkins has been fired as Avon Park High School varsity football coach. AP Principal Stu Guthrie said the decision "was his alone," and although he characterized the move as "not easy," Guthrie said a change at the top was "one that was necessary." "Sometimes in coaching, much like life, things just don't work out the way we would have liked for them to," Guthrie said in a written statement. "I think this is the case in this situation. I have the utmost respect for coach Perkins, but a change was necessary." ...more

November 28, 2007

Dennis Dixon will have surgery on the left knee that buckled early in second-ranked Oregon's upset loss to Arizona on Thursday night, spoiling his chance to win the Heisman Trophy. ...more

November 17, 2007

The city is planning a two-pronged approach to smooth the bumps on Bayshore Boulevard and make the road safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. ...more

November 14, 2007

Two residents have applied to fill a seat on the Community Development District board of supervisors, left open when Cory Thomason resigned last month. ...more

November 12, 2007

SEBRING — An old approach to avoiding foreclosure is finding new life in Florida's depressed real estate market. When a homeowner can't repay the loan, banks will sometimes accept a "short sale." That is, the mortgage holder will allow a real estate agent to sell the property for less than the balance of the note, and the remainder is forgiven by the bank. "This is becoming more and more popular due to the rate of foreclosure," said Jenifer McMullian, a real estate sales agent with C.S. Edwards Realty Inc. Grace Bloodwell, who writes for HowToDoThings.com, suggested asking a real estate agent to confirm the value of the property with a comparative market analysis. Then total the cost of selling the property, which may include mortgage payments, legal fees and closing costs. Subtract that against the expected sale price. If it doesn't equal the total of all loans against the property, consider a short sale. ...more

October 27, 2007

Three weeks into the marathon NHL season and Tampa Bay has yet to get its engine revved up to speed and motoring along at a steady clip. ...more

October 23, 2007