For many people, a public park without a fountain is like a beach without water. But when city officials worked out cost estimates for the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park project this year, they reluctantly decided to shelve plans for fountains and other amenities. That is, until philanthropist Norma Gene Lykes came into the picture. Her nonprofit group, the F.E. Lykes Foundation, last week donated $1 million to pay for a giant fountain at the gateway to the park and two smaller ones on the riverfront. ...more

September 8, 2008

Hernando County has discussed two major capital improvement projects – a new judicial center and an expansion to the crowded jail. ...more

September 7, 2008

We take it for granted that a vote means a secret ballot but it was not always that way. Moreover, it will not remain that way for workers who vote on whether or not they want a labor union, if legislation sponsored by Congressional Democrats and endorsed by Senator Barack Obama becomes law. ...more

August 20, 2008

Five years after bombings forced the United Nations to pull out of Iraq, the world body is back. It announced plans Wednesday to help Iraq rebuild and create jobs after complaints the government has been unable or unwilling to spend its oil riches. ...more

August 14, 2008

Being an Avon Park City Council member is tough work these days. They are tasked with figuring out how to cut large amounts our of the city's budget for next year. It's a job a lot of our elected city and county officials are dealing with these days, and will continue for some time to come. ...more

July 22, 2008

Last week's report card for Florida schools showed that there were two failing schools in Hillsborough County - neither of which were in South Shore. ...more

July 16, 2008

Regarding "Fannie, Freddie Rescue Planned" (front page, July 14): The recent actions by our lawmakers in Washington have me worried me that we are headed down a dark path of government interference. While loaning money to the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is one thing, to actually have the U.S. government become stockholders is clearly another. ...more

July 16, 2008

Alonso, Hillsborough, Newsome, Riverview, Plant, Bloomingdale, Sickles, Tampa Bay Technical, Freedom and Gaither. Only three high schools got A grades in 2007. Of all Hillsborough schools, 143 got A's or B's in the report, up from 137 last year. Here are excerpts from user posts. ...more

July 16, 2008

DUNEDIN – The city could cut 18 full-time positions from its fiscal 2009 budget to make up for an expected $2.6 million revenue shortfall. In an interview today, City Manager Robert DiSpirito said the city has everything it could to prevent having to lay off any employees. The amount of property tax revenue the city will lose next fiscal year to state-mandated property tax rate cuts is so large, however, he will be forced to recommend staff reductions, DiSpirito said. ...more

June 26, 2008

Last year, city officials estimated they could save about $1.3 million by turning janitorial and security work over to the private sector. ...more

June 20, 2008