They weren't at the podium at the same time, but the comments coming from Florida State's and Gonzaga's players and coaches sounded almost like what you'd hear before a prize fight. ...more

March 19, 2010

The Lightning's playoff push has taken a hit in recent days, and not just in the standings. ...more

March 16, 2010

Listen carefully and you're likely to hear a giant sigh of relief as thousands of local students complete their FCAT tests for this school year. What's impossible to hear, though, is the stress that teachers and administers likely feel this time of year, too, knowing that the results of these tests could affect them and their schools. ...more

March 12, 2010

The life of an eighth-grader sounds pretty stress-free. No bills to pay. Ample days off for spring break, summer and Christmas. But could you handle it if you went back to middle school? This is the time of year when pressures are high for students to perform. Public schools start administering the reading, math and science portions of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test today. Test your knowledge. (The questions have been edited slightly from their original format for brevity). ...more

March 9, 2010

There were a lot of moves over the winter in baseball, but Philadelphia's gambit to acquire Roy Halladay for the top of its rotation by far was the most interesting. ...more

March 8, 2010

The cold front and low-pressure system that slashed across the Tampa Bay area early Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and high winds, are but a memory - and you know the rest of the story. Skies will clear today, but it will still be breezy and much colder than it should be this time of year. Highs today and Thursday in Tampa will struggle to make it to the upper 50s. However, highs will be in the middle 60s Saturday and lower 70s Sunday. By Tuesday, we may even see 75 - above normal for this time of year. ...more

March 3, 2010

A wayward otter pup has found a new home: the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. ...more

March 2, 2010

Freezing weather has taken a heavy toll on Florida growers' tomato plants. Even before the freezes Wednesday night, some growers had lost 70 percent of their plants. ...more

February 26, 2010

Retail gas prices likely bottomed out last week, and they're headed to above $3 a gallon this summer, experts said Monday. ...more

February 23, 2010

If there's one subject that makes novice gardeners anxious, it's pruning. I receive so many e-mails from readers who want to prune some of their shrubs or trees but are nervous about the process. I can just imagine someone, standing before a prized bush with palms sweating and hands trembling, convinced that their surgery is about to kill the patient! ...more

February 21, 2010