They used food stamps to buy a dozen cans of Michelob Light, three packs of Marlboro Lights and two Magnum condoms. ...more

March 19, 2010

A tiny beetle carrying a fungus deadly to avocado trees turned up in a trap about 10 miles from commercial avocado groves in Miami-Dade County that generate $13 million a year. ...more

March 18, 2010

TAMPA -- A tiny beetle carrying a fungus deadly to avocado trees turned up in a trap only about 10 miles from Florida's commercial avocado groves in Miami-Dade County, which generate $13 million a year. It is the first time the redbay ambrosia beetle has been found south of Martin County. ...more

March 17, 2010

What a difference three months make. In December, Habitat for Humanity's request for $500,000 to build 20 single-family homes on Martin Luther King Boulevard was turned down on a 2-2 vote. ...more

March 17, 2010

Official test results show that wells sampled for aldicarb in the Desoto City area showed no presence of the pesticide, according to a Highlands County Health Department press release. ...more

March 15, 2010

Grocers, restaurants and consumers all rely heavily on Florida's extensive tomato crops during the cold weather months because it is typically one of only a few places in North America where it is warm enough to grow them. ...more

March 14, 2010

About 50 to 80 birds were found dead in Avon Park near Grove Circle, south of Lake Damon and east of U.S. 27, after they reportedly ingested the berries of the rosary pea plant, which contain toxic seeds, according to the Highlands County Health Department. ...more

March 11, 2010

Despite what looked like a disastrous winter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has increased its March orange crop forecast for the 2009-2010 season by 2 million boxes. Florida is now expected to produce 131 million boxes. ...more

March 11, 2010

The University of South Florida Polytechnic is applying for federal stimulus funds that would bring faster high-speed broadband services to local schools, hospitals and libraries at lower rates. ...more

March 11, 2010

The outlook for the state's orange crop brightened slightly in the latest federal forecast, which boosted the estimate of the season's yield by 2 million boxes compared with the February report. ...more

March 11, 2010