Socialism and communism have been slithering across these fruited plains, like some dark and evil plague. Their poisonous progress has accelerated wildly under the current administration. ...more

November 7, 2009

With development rapidly encroaching upon rural parts of Florida, the need to maintain green space has resulted in unprecedented purchases of land by governmental agencies and environmental advocacy groups. The resulting costs to taxpayers for acquisitions and management were onerous in good economic times, but, given today's financial environment, have become cost prohibitive. During the past several years there has been increasing pressure to find creative, innovative and cost effective ways to protect and preserve Florida's natural habitats. The most popular and widely accepted method is the use of conservation easements. ...more

January 27, 2009

We salute the Palms of Sebring on their 50th anniversary. A number of their residents had been volunteers in our community, especially for our youth in the public schools. Also, we salute the civic and governmental agencies that continue to aid our youth in spite of the economic downturn, statewide and nationally. ...more

January 13, 2009

A public records request of all 67 school districts in the state relating to school employee health insurance coverage has been upheld by the State Attorney General. ...more

November 16, 2008

Any former felons trying to stay on the straight and narrow have some help today. More than 40 social service and governmental agencies will be on hand at the Pinellas Technical Education Center to help former felons in their efforts to start new lives. ...more

October 17, 2008

A successful newspaper will reflect the hopes, fears, beliefs, desires and preferences of its readers. ...more

September 17, 2008

Monday afternoon the Indian Beach area of Sarasota was soaked for hours by a dying thunderstorm. Tuesday, on my predawn bicycle ride through the neighborhood, three sprinkler systems were watering (drowning) lawns. It's a given that these are automatic watering systems which take no account of moisture in the soil. Therein lies a small part of our water conservation problem. ...more

August 7, 2008