Many boys see professional sports and entertainment as their passports to fame and fortune. Such dreams are particularly strong in small towns. ...more

November 13, 2008

The Florida Gators' bandwagon is filling up in a hurry. Averaging almost 50 points over its past five games, Florida is quickly becoming the darling of college football insiders, many boldly predicting the Gators will roll undeterred through their remaining schedule and past Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship game. ...more

November 12, 2008

Candice Clark, a small-time thief who snatched her toddler from Florida custody in 2006 and was arrested later in Wisconsin with a dead woman in her backyard and a severely abused boy in her closet, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison. ...more

November 12, 2008

Candice Clark, a small-time thief who snatched her toddler from Florida custody in 2006 and was arrested later in Wisconsin with a dead woman in her back yard and a severely abused boy in her closet, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison. ...more

November 11, 2008

A local man charged with animal cruelty and battery in reference to the beating of a Sebring woman and her pet pig will face a jury of his peers starting Dec. 1. ...more

November 8, 2008

Dozens of people attended the free rally at Lykes Gaslight Square Park in downtown Tampa from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rays pitchers Dan Wheeler and Andy Sonnanstine and pitching coach Jim Hickey signed autographs while fans, some of them still sporting Rayhawks, signed a banner that will be presented to the team later. ...more

November 6, 2008

Readers at TBO.com responded strongly to news that the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans put up a 30-by-60-foot Confederate flag at the Interstate 75 bridge over U.S. 92. The flag was raised Oct. 12 and is even larger than the one raised there last summer, sparking widespread controversy and national attention. The flag is the centerpiece of a 1.9-acre memorial park. To see a picture of the flag, read related stories or add your views, go to Brandon.tbo.com, keyword "Confederate Flag." Below is a sampling of reader views. ...more

October 22, 2008

Readers at TBO.com responded strongly to news that the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans put up a 30-by-60-foot Confederate flag at the Interstate 75 bridge over U.S. 92. The flag was raised Oct. 12 and is larger than the one raised there last summer, sparking controversy and national attention. The flag is the centerpiece of a 1.9-acre memorial park. To see a picture of the flag, read related stories or add your views, go to Brandon.tbo.com, keyword "Confederate Flag." Below are some reader views. ...more

October 22, 2008

Amid economic turmoil and a fast-approaching date with Election Day, some 500 members representing organized labor in Florida will fan out through Lakeland on Saturday. Their goal: Flip a traditional Republican hotbed on the pivotal Interstate 4 corridor by invading neighborhoods with odes of praise to the most pro-union major party presidential candidate in 40 years. ...more

October 17, 2008

Apologize to the Florida Gators now and you can avoid the rush. Struggling? Vulnerable? Uninspired? Those were only some of the things being suggested recently about a team with high hopes but heretofore little foundation to build them on. That was until Saturday night. ...more

October 12, 2008