Florida is long overdue to increase the tax/user fee on tobacco products. Florida is currently 46th in the country in cigarette tax at 33.9 cents per pack. Florida ranks second in cancer incidents and sells the most packs of cigarettes in the country, with 1.3 billion sold each year. ...more

March 23, 2009

Fans of The Dirt: Penny and I will be at the Tampa GreenFest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and we'd love for you to stop by and say hi. We'll swap stories about our gardening successes, commiserate about our failures and suck up every tidbit of advice you might give us until you swat us away. GreenFest will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and March 29 at Plant Park on the University of Tampa campus. Children 12 and younger get in free; there is a $3 suggested donation for adults. ...more

March 22, 2009

Hernando-Pasco Hospice (HPH) invites anyone who is grieving the loss of someone who died to attend a supportive remembrance service hosted by the agency's chaplains and bereavement counselors. The inter-faith services are intended to recall and celebrate the lives of those who have gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. ...more

March 12, 2009

Rescuers evaluated two adults and two children who jumped overboard Sunday night to escape a burning boat north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. ...more

March 8, 2009

Spruce up your running shoes and prepare to hit the beach for the 23rd annual Run for the Turtles. ...more

March 7, 2009

Hillsborough County will open shelters tonight for the homeless and those in homes without adequate heat. ...more

March 1, 2009

Pasco County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a suspected drug dealer during a shootout this morning. ...more

February 20, 2009

Marching bands, miniature horses and dozens of tiara-wearing pageant queens helped usher in the 62nd annual Pasco County Fair with Monday's parade through Dade City. ...more

February 18, 2009

Firefighters responding to a call of two buildings ablaze on North Dixon Avenue Monday night had to regroup when a power line fell over a truck and on the front yard of a home, authorities say. ...more

February 16, 2009

pasco county fair starts with parade ...more

February 16, 2009