The deaths of Nicholas Marcotrigiano, 17, and Hailey M. Weatherly, 15, in an early-morning crash on State Road 60 in Plant City Aug. 4 drew hundreds of messages of condolence and comments at TBO.com. The Florida Highway Patrol said Weatherly, of Valrico, was driving a 1999 Jeep Cherokee east alongside a 1996 Ford Ranger driven by Marcotrigiano, of Plant City, when the vehicles collided about 12:10 a.m. just east of Mud Lake Road. Marcotrigiano's passenger, Brandon L. Simonds, 17, and Weatherly's passenger, Amelia Lee Gold, 16, both of Valrico, were seriously injured in the crash. All four attended Bloomingdale High School last year. Simonds and Gold will be juniors there this school year. None of the teens were wearing seatbelts, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. ...more

August 13, 2008

He was never one for distractions, endlessly preaching to his players the virtue of a mind that can overcome any ordeal. "There are no small plays when we are doing it," U.S. men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon would forever tell his players. Hardly words of great insight but a window into the soul of a man who disdains the kind of clutter that pulls an athlete down. ...more

August 11, 2008

Here are some of the condolences on TBO.com to the family of strawberry grower Roy Parke, who died last week at age 87. To view the entire guest book, go to PlantCity.tbo.com. ...more

June 14, 2008

The death of the Bell Shoals Baptist Church's Rev. Forrest Pollock and his 13-year-old son, Preston, in a plane crash prompted hundreds of users at TBO.com to leave online condolences for the pastor's family. Pollock's plane crashed about 20 miles southwest of Asheville, N.C. The popular pastor was in North Carolina visiting his mother, church officials said. To read the whole story or to leave a message, go to Brandon.tbo.com, keyword "Pastor Pollock." ...more

May 21, 2008

SEBRING — The father of Dorothy "Dolly" Trevelyan confirmed Wednesday that she's the Sebring resident who died Tuesday as a result of injuries she sustained during a Saturday night ATV accident. Thornton Trevelyan, of 7203 Sparta Road, said that Dolly, 50, was involved in the accident at approximately 11 p.m., Saturday, while driving on Cherry Road near Sebring. ...more

February 13, 2008

Nine people were killed and four were injured in an errant U.S. airstrike southeast of Baghdad, the military said Sunday. ...more

February 4, 2008

A chance encounter after the conviction of Jean Claude Meus in 2003 led to something that the word special is too small of a word to describe it. A chance encounter lead to a group of supporters for Jean Claude that no one would have expected, the family of Nona and Lindsey Moore, the mother and daughter that perished in the accident. From the day I offered my condolences to Beth Jahna and introduced myself to her as the sister of the woman engaged to Jean Claude the flickering candle of hope was lit. It was Beth's inquiry on how Jean Claude was doing and then her shock to find out that he had been convicted and would be going to prison that showed me that this family is indeed a very special one. Phone numbers were exchanged and the support of this family began. ...more

February 3, 2008

The suicide attack that killed Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Thursday cut short an epic life, one bathed in blood and awash with controversy. ...more

December 28, 2007

Welcome to Week 16, championship week for most fantasy leagues. Congrats to those of you who have made it to your league's final game, and to those of you who are still alive in the playoffs and looking for a berth in a championship game to be played next week. ...more

December 19, 2007

It was one cross among hundreds: White stone, about three feet high, glittery flecks sparkling in the sun. ...more

December 19, 2007