Nothing gets my blood boiling like reading the letters section in the Tribune. One woman suggested the economy would be in better shape if abortion was illegal. Another compared global warming to a banana conspiracy. So here is a challenge for all the letter-to-the-editor people: Before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, do five minutes of research. If you are pro-choice, read about pro-life. If you are pro-life, read about pro-choice. If you think leaving produce on the counter is comparable to global warming, at least read the Wikipedia article! If you think the bananas are out to get you, well ... get help. ...more

July 15, 2009

Evelyn Johnson Taylor of New Tampa never expected to be a published author. Growing up as a pastor's daughter in North Carolina, putting pen to paper never crossed her mind. Years later, after raising two daughters, working as a nurse and earning a degree in women's studies, she felt led to try something new. ...more

February 4, 2009

If you've been following this column for a while, you're no stranger to my feelings on wills. In a nutshell, if you're an adult with a family or assets that you care about, you should have one. In particular, if you have children and have yet to start a will, you're doing your family a major disservice. But what about a legacy plan? ...more

September 14, 2008

Drawn by an old familiar song, growing numbers of travelers are seeking out the tea-colored waters of the Suwannee River. And galvanized by the song, environmentalists and legislators are fighting to keep the stream unspoiled amid thirsty Florida's development. ...more

August 18, 2008

'A Dear John Letter' Or 'Hooray! We're Saved!' Dear Sen. McCain and Clinton, ...more

May 7, 2008

SEBRING — Sam Robinson and T.J. Williams put pen to paper and took the next step in their athletic and academic lives on Wednesday, as both Sebring football standouts signed letters of intent to play football at separate community colleges in Mississippi. Robinson, a multi-talented, multi-position offensive weapon, will head to Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., while Williams, a bruising running back, will take his talents to Holmes Community College in Goodman, Miss. "I want to continue to work on my game, be coachable and be the best I can be," said Williams, who has family in Mississippi and noted he'll likely line up as a running back for the Bulldogs. "There's more speed and physical play at the next level, so I'll have to adjust to that." Robinson, too, said he'll have to make adjustments: He said he'll likely play wide ...more

February 8, 2008

There are football scholarships, and then there are football scholarships. We are referring to the one just signed by King punter Daniel Zychlinski. He put pen to paper for Stanford University on Wednesday morning and if you looked closely at that paper, you will notice two very important lines: the percentage of the scholarhship the school is giving Zychlinski and how much one year at that school costs. ...more

February 6, 2008

The culmination of a months-long process for senior high school football players that included non-stop phone calls and text messages, countless visits to college campuses and constant hounding from members of the media will occur Wednesday when several Tampa Bay area prospects put pen to paper and sign college scholarships. ...more

February 4, 2008