Almost two decades into collecting a tax to foster a nearly nonexistent tourist industry, Pasco County keeps plugging away. Its latest attempt to use the portion of the revenue for that tax earmarked for the construction of tourism-related facilities could be in danger of foundering like previous attempts. ...more

December 9, 2009

It will soon cost a lot less to see a mermaid. The state is lowering admission to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park near Spring Hill from $26.57 to $13 for adults and from $18.05 to $5 for children. ...more

June 17, 2009

Lorne H. Spence of Hudson says people need to vote in the 2010 mid-term elections in a way that will help President Barack Obama solve the nation's problems despite resistance from Republicans. ...more

January 10, 2009

The Florida tourist industry, backed by almost all state, county and municipal government leaders, has for decades opposed exploring for oil and natural gas off the state's coast. The risk of damage to the tourism industry from, for instance, a drilling rig blowout that fouls Florida beaches, was too great, industry leaders have said. ...more

November 29, 2008

We have taken Charlie Crist to task for successfully campaigning for the governor's mansion on a pledge to continue the policies of his predecessor, Jeb Bush, and then breaking that promise more than once. We have no problem with Crist having his own ideas on how to address the state's problems. We just thought he should have been a bit more forthcoming when he was running for governor about the various ways he was planning to tack away from the course Bush followed. ...more

June 21, 2008

South Africa announced Monday that it would allow the killing of elephants as a population control, a move strongly condemned by animal welfare groups. ...more

February 26, 2008

Regarding "Rolling The Dice On Ambition" (Metro, Nov. 27): State Rep. Marco Rubio may be the political opportunist that Dan Ruth infers, but that is not what has created this clamor. ...more

November 30, 2007