TAMPA - Responding to a complaint from a resident, trapper Julie Harder removed a 6-foot-long alligator from a man-made pond at the Tuscany Bay apartment complex Saturday evening. ...more

February 23, 2008

The director of the Hillsborough County Health Department was arrested during Gasparilla on Saturday. ...more

January 31, 2008

The director of the Hillsborough County Health Department was arrested during Gasparilla on Saturday. He was charged with boating under the influence, a misdemeanor. ...more

January 30, 2008

State forestry officials are re-examining their policies after a controlled burn in Polk County raged out of control, blowing smoke across Interstate 4 and perhaps contributing to a 70-car pileup Wednesday morning. ...more

January 11, 2008

The controlled burn blamed by some for contributing to one of the worst traffic disasters in Polk County history on Wednesday was conducted under treacherous conditions. ...more

January 10, 2008

THE VILLAGES - Retirees zip around in personalized golf carts from polo matches to the basket-weaving club to Wal-Mart. Days of the week are denoted by tee times. Sunset is washed down with a cold beer or margarita at outdoor happy hour. The backdrop is a town square, where a faux-rustic facade and classic oldies pumping from speakers festooned on street lamp posts make visitors wonder if Gene Kelly might emerge for an encore of "Singin' in the Rain." ...more

November 19, 2007

It's been more than a decade since Florida voters overwhelmingly adopted a ban on fishing nets in coastal waters, but poachers are still flouting the law. ...more

November 14, 2007

There have been more boating-related deaths in Florida than any other state this year, with most of the fatalities occurring in fresh water lakes, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. ...more

September 4, 2007

SEBRING — The beaches will be full, boats will be out, grills will be fired up, and people will be looking for things to do this Labor Day weekend. All the more reason to pay special attention to your personal safety while you're enjoying your days off of work. "Just be cautious," said Nell Frewin Hays, a crime prevention specialist with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. "Have a good time and enjoy yourself, but be responsible." The best tip Hays has for people may be obvious: don't drink and operate a motorized vehicle. ...more

September 2, 2007