Girding for battle as the rest of the GOP contenders descended upon Florida, Rudy Giuliani challenged them for the first time by name. ...more

January 20, 2008

St. Joseph's Hospital is appealing last month's decision rejecting its bid to build a new hospital on Big Bend Road in Riverview. ...more

January 19, 2008

Upscale homebuilder WCI Communities Inc. renegotiated loan terms with two banks Wednesday, sending its stock prices higher and setting aside speculation that the company was headed for bankruptcy. ...more

January 17, 2008

Music Opera Lovers Club will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Forest Glen Retirement Community Center, 1431 Friar Tuck Lane, off Osowaw Boulevard, Spring Hill. The program will be "Before the Curtain Rises" by Nicole Benson, opera club member and soprano. Benson has studied vocal performance, with an emphasis in opera, at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and will be presenting a backstage look at what is involved with an opera - from the lighting man to the set designers to the singers themselves. The club is a group of opera lovers who want to learn more about opera and enjoy the fellowship of kindred spirits. For more information, call Kathy at 352-688-4741, e-mail nsauer@tampabay.rr.com or visit the club's Web site at www.naturecoastwebsites.com/~opera. ...more

January 16, 2008

The Opera Lover's Club will present an educational event on opera from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Jan. 19 at the Forest Glenn Retirement Community off Osawaw Road. ...more

January 11, 2008

PARRISH - Residents of The Gardens, a retirement community, feared that someone would be killed crossing U.S. 301 to get to a new Publix. ...more

January 10, 2008

Arts/Crafts Nature Coast Decorative Artists will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Weeki Wachee Senior Citizens Club, 3357 Susan Drive, Spring Hill. The feature of the month will be a "White Elephant Sale" between members along with a soup luncheon cook-off. Monthly projects are designed for all skill levels with an array of mediums and surfaces. A brief meeting, skill building demo and monthly project are featured. The artists are affiliated with The Society of Decorative Painters. At its monthly meetings, the artists collaborate on philanthropic projects as well as projects to improve their painting skills. The meetings are held the first Saturday of each month and several other workshops are held throughout the year. For information, call Ellen at 352-688-6875 or Andi at 666-9091. ...more

January 5, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain has stocked his arsenal with a variety of weapons over the years, like fists when he was in school and bombs when he was at war. But his WMD is a mouth that won't quit. He possesses wisecracks of mass destruction. ...more

December 29, 2007

State officials on Friday gave South Bay Hospital permission to move out of this retirement community to a site eight miles north along Big Bend Road in Riverview. ...more

December 15, 2007

LAKE PLACID — Local builder Chuck Oakes is poised to capitalize on the steady graying of county residents. On Tuesday, Oakes threw open the doors during a grand opening of a $6.5 million, 50,000 square foot, assisted living facility, located just north of town on U.S. 27. Oakes said he expected to open immediately after gaining state approval within 15 to 30 days for the Southern Lifestyle Assisted Living Facility. Oakes is not alone in an effort to capitalize locally on demographics that point to a large senior population in the county. Statistics provided by the U.S. Census Bureau show that 35 percent of Highlands County's residents are 65 and older, with a state average of 16.8 percent. George Hougthon, Inc., broke ground this year on Windsor Lakeside Village, a 70,000 square foot retirement community, with 129 independent living suites and 26 townhomes. Windsor Lakeside Village is located on County Road 621, on the shores of Lake Huntley. Sandy Foster, executive director of NU-HOPE, cited a large number of area seniors who should keep the new centers busy. ...more

December 2, 2007