Donning wetsuits and rubber shoes and carrying funky shovellike instruments, students from Lakewood High School recently took their lessons to the shores of Tampa Bay. ...more

March 16, 2009

I saw that Ronda Bumgardner resigned as your "Straight Answers" columnist. What's going to happen with the column? - Readers. ...more

March 15, 2009

Dan Pasternacki knows that running a mortgage brokerage in a frigid place like Denver is no day at the beach. It's become a month at the beach. ...more

March 14, 2009

A library card, in the eyes of Loraine Cors, is like "a card that unlocks a door to the world." ...more

March 14, 2009

Where in the world is Matt Lauer? Staying home this year. ...more

March 13, 2009

The newspaper and television company Media General Inc. will shutter its Washington bureau at the end of the month, trimming an additional six reporters from the dwindling pool of journalists in the nation's capital. ...more

March 13, 2009

An impassioned debate was sparked at Monday's Community Redevelopment Agency meeting when Commissioner Jim McCollum asked the board to reevaluate its role in two stalled construction projects. ...more

March 12, 2009

Many people are digging in to get through these hard economic times the best way they can. ...more

March 11, 2009

The Pasco County Commission recognizes the difficult economic times facing our residents and the county. As you have probably read, Pasco County faces a $28.8 million shortfall in revenue because of the decline in property values. We want our residents and our employees to know that we are doing everything we can to proactively deal with these uncertainties and continue to provide quality service to our residents. As a result, we are looking closely at every service we provide to continue to serve our residents in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. ...more

March 11, 2009

Nothing lasts forever, but a growing number of cost-conscious consumers are finding a quick fix to address the old adage by choosing to repair, rather than replace apparel and household items such as shoes, clothes, televisions and vacuums. ...more

March 11, 2009