To borrow a line we once heard attributed to the late Rich Litowchak, a former publisher of this newspaper, "The fact that you've been doing a job 30 years doesn't mean you've been doing that job well." On all the available evidence, that line can't be used to describe Daniel Azzariti's tenure with the New Port Richey Fire Department. ...more

September 20, 2008

President Bush got a firsthand look Tuesday at the fury that Hurricane Ike unleashed on the Gulf Coast. He was greeted by a virtual ghost town in Galveston, where Ike made landfall. Bush urged frustrated storm evacuees to keep it that way until local officials say it is safe to return. ...more

September 17, 2008

Water management officials will set controlled burns in the Jack Creek area north of Lake June during the next two months, according to a press release from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. ...more

August 30, 2008

Tarpon Springs City Commission members want a status report on staffing levels at the Fire Department. At their meeting Tuesday night commissioners asked interim City Manager Mark LeCouris to have a report responding to complaints that Fire Department personnel are under stress as a result of understaffing at the department by their next meeting, Aug. 19. ...more

August 14, 2008

BOWLING Clint Bullock has left his mark on Hernando County bowling, as much with his coaching as his own accomplishments. ...more

August 10, 2008

The smoothie world welcomes a new player today. And it's a big one. Starbucks, the venerable coffee shop chain that parlayed humble Seattle beginnings into more than 12,000 outlets in 37 countries, fires up its blenders today to introduce the Vivanno "nourishing blend." It's a health-oriented option that a local manager said was created in response to patrons' demand. ...more

July 15, 2008

Starbucks fires up its blenders today to introduce the Vivanno "nourishing blend." ...more

July 14, 2008

Why are there no stories about home insurance in places other than Florida? Factual stories appear about the financial failure of some companies, claims filed for several years after hurricanes, state liability through its intermediary, Citizens, and legal filings against Allstate. Ironically, not one word about insurance in California, Missouri or anywhere outside of Florida. ...more

July 11, 2008

Likely time channel thinking is more pervasive and indelible than any other category of channel thinking. How long would it take to build a three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two-car garage, cement block stucco house, move-in ready? Once each year contractors in Broward County would build such a house in one day. The house was then sold with the proceeds going to charity. After World War I, the war to end all wars, the United States military was essentially dissolved. When World War II demanded that we re-arm promptly, a decade of re-arming was done within a year. ...more

July 3, 2008

With hundreds of wildfires raging across remote, rugged parts of California for a second week, fire officials have been forced to strategically choose which to fight and which to leave to burn for weeks, even months. ...more

July 1, 2008