SEBRING — By mid-January, Highlands County is likely to become the third county in the state to give county residents serving in the military in combat zones a monthly stipend. The proposed stipend being considered is $75 per month of combat duty. The idea has been pending before the Highlands County commissioners since early November, but is likely to move quickly now that Joseph Dionne, the county's veterans services officer, is ready to make a recommendation. Dionne said Thursday he plans to send to county Attorney Ross Macbeth a proposal for the county to award the $75-per-month stipend to all full-time Highlands County residents currently serving in the military and deployed in what the federal government classifies as combat zones. ...more

December 21, 2007

She wore many hats in her 23 years at Hillsborough County Animal Services, but Barbara Bailey says it's time to enjoy life. ...more

December 10, 2007

As a child in the 1940s, trains were an integral part of Ellen Brown's life. She lived in a small town in the Catskills, so the comings and goings of the passenger trains appealed to her childhood curiosity. ...more

December 10, 2007

When I was a youngster, there was a saying that we loved to recite, and it went something like this: "Never judge a book by its cover because you may miss out on some good reading." That is the way I feel about the history of black schools in Pasco County, because you could easily be misled into thinking they were not up to par. Compared to instruction today, I would have to beg your pardon. ...more

December 9, 2007

Bye-Bye, Officer Bailey Barbara Bailey touched many lives - both human and animal - during her 23 years at Hillsborough County Animal Services. One thing she has learned: "Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant." The Plant City resident retires Wednesday. ...more

December 9, 2007

Coworkers say Hillsborough County Animal Services won't be the same without the hard work and smile of ...more

December 8, 2007

As a child in the 1940s, trains were an integral part of Ellen Brown's life. She lived in a small town in the Catskills, so the comings and goings of the passenger trains appealed to her childhood curiosity. ...more

December 5, 2007

As a child in the 1940s, trains were an integral part of Ellen Brown's life. She lived in a small town in the Catskills, so the comings and goings of the passenger trains appealed to her childhood curiosity. ...more

December 5, 2007

DEAR ABBY: My mother died when I was 27. It was a very difficult time in my life -- everything seemed to fall apart. I lost my job, and then my utilities were turned off. I had to take cold showers for six months. ...more

November 22, 2007

Chief Radio Operator Russell Rosene eased into a chair in the officer's mess. It wasn't that easy as the chair is bolted into the floor to keep it from sliding across the room in heavy seas. ...more

November 20, 2007