A local political spokesperson said the reason there are so many people listed as independent voters these days is due to motor vehicle registrations, when people don't know what to put down for party affiliation. That's partially true, but there's something much bigger going on that neither major party seems to grasp. People are tired of the candidates they elect being so out of touch with their needs. During campaigns, these politicians seem all ears on the issues of the day. They talk about the problems, offer multiple-point plans on how to address then. Then, once elected, nothing is improved and special interests always hold much more sway than constituents. It's no wonder so many people are dropping party affiliations and becoming independents. ...more

January 10, 2008

LAKE ALFRED - Firefighters are battling a 500-acre brush fire near Interstate 4 and State Road 557. ...more

January 8, 2008

CLEARWATER - U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor is scheduled to present the Clearwater Police Department a $361,073 AmeriCorps grant on Monday. ...more

January 4, 2008

A man apparently jumped off the Sunshine Skyway bridge early Saturday, authorities said. ...more

December 29, 2007

Tony Giaccone had just gone to bed Thursday night when he heard a blast from the house next door, one so strong it blew out the windows in a bedroom. ...more

December 29, 2007

HAINES CITY - An autopsy will be performed Saturday on a 2-year-old found floating in a pond near his home, but investigators believe the death to be an accidental drowning. ...more

December 28, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - A St. Petersburg fireworks display operator lost his left hand Thursday night as he was trying to pry open a pyrotechnic mortar with a screwdriver and it exploded, authorities said. ...more

December 28, 2007

In an interview shown on Fox 13 on November 29, a Bright House Networks spokesperson stated that in order to show the NFL Network, all customers would have to pay for something only a few people wanted to see. If that were actually a valid argument, wouldn't this also apply to many other channels? ...more

December 1, 2007

The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, an agricultural cooperative, is right to encourage its members not to participate in so-called "penny-per-pound" agreements being pushed by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. The exchange has cited concerns with these deals related to federal and state antitrust, labor and racketeering laws. ...more

November 28, 2007

It's a happening that's meant to be a safe alternative to the sometimes-horrid antics of Halloween hoodwinkers. ...more

October 24, 2007