One by one at just past dawn, five vibrantly colored balloons poked through a rapidly clearing fog, during the start of a 12 mile hour-long journey. ...more

November 7, 2008

Sheik Island Farms, a 360-acre property in rural Pasco County, features a state-of-the-art equestrian facility, two houses and a two-story office building with a three-bedroom apartment. ...more

October 15, 2008

Citrus grower Bob Stallings is used to battling citrus disease and skyrocketing production costs. ...more

October 13, 2008

Sunlight glinted off Lake Pasadena as a warm breeze eased through Spanish moss hanging low on the surrounding oaks and sweet gum trees. ...more

October 12, 2008

A Division of Forestry firefighter is accused of stealing aluminum piping from his employer and selling it to scrap metal dealers, Polk County deputies say. ...more

August 27, 2008

Four suspects in the attempted burglary early Tuesday of the M&H Food Store, located on State Road 17, were behind bars after one was captured driving from the scene and three were tracked by a sheriff's K-9 unit. ...more

July 22, 2008

It was like a slice of heaven for Gary and Bonnie King. A couple of years ago, they found the home they loved in a quiet subdivision of a rural town. ...more

July 19, 2008

Florida has one less citrus packing house. Four years after moving his citrus-packing business from Wesley Chapel, Jim Guedry has shut down the commercial side of Citrus Country Groves. Guedry owned the fruit-packing business for 17 years. ...more

July 17, 2008

I read recently about local government's decisions to allow several large tracts in Hardee County to be developed in major fashion. This brought sadness to my heart. Pastoral views from my truck window may soon be replaced with construction cranes and vegetation destruction. ...more

July 9, 2008

State Can't Afford Deal Regarding "In 'Huge' Everglades Win, State To buy U.S. Sugar" (front page, June 25): ...more

June 28, 2008