Essie Mae Reed, 78, is a Tampa treasure. That's how U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, described her recently when Castor stood on the floor of the House of Representatives to honor the community activist as a champion of the poor. ...more

May 24, 2008

Florida A&M University President James Ammons may be new on campus, but he appears to be quickly embracing the same old cronyism that has so damaged this university in recent years. ...more

January 28, 2008

Florida A&M University will remain on probation for at least another six months because of its financial troubles, the school's president said Tuesday. ...more

December 12, 2007

State Sen. Al Lawson is often seen as the Legislature's chief advocate and protector of Florida A&M University, but his push to disband a task force overseeing FAMU's reforms is unwise. ...more

December 7, 2007

Thanksgiving holiday hours at various spots across the Bay area: Malls Prime Outlets at Ellenton ...more

November 22, 2007

SEBRING — While interviewing 10 people for the job of launching the Healthy Families program in Highlands County, Mary Foy was looking for more than the necessary education and experience in social work. In Deborah Hadley, who started as program manager Monday, Foy said she believes she found "the spark plug that we need to get this program off the ground." Hadley, with 23 years in children's services work, will help select and train a seven-member staff to begin offering services by Jan. 1. Through voluntary home visits, home-support workers will help parents get the support, education and services they need to overcome obstacles in raising their children. ...more

October 31, 2007

Before the trial of seven guards and a nurse in the boot camp death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson even began, I told a friend that none of the defendants would be convicted. ...more

October 21, 2007

Hundreds of Pasco County students passed through Louise Gilbert's classroom in her 36 years of teaching. ...more

October 20, 2007

Federal authorities reached a temporary truce Wednesday with college students threatening a march on the Capitol next week to protest the acquittal of seven boot camp guards and a nurse in the death of a teenage boy under their supervision. ...more

October 18, 2007

About four years ago, the city bought the old federal courthouse for $1. ...more

October 10, 2007