Commentary
Being the alpha dog is a lot harder than you think
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010By Diane Kortus Helene Scott is one of those people who make a difference from the first day you meet her. The owner of Florida Dog Training School in Land O’ Lakes, Helene came into my life earlier this summer when I hired her to help me get my Airedale Terrier, Jonas, under control. Walking [...]
Too much water spells trouble for lawns
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010By B.J. Jarvis, Pasco Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent and Director and Jack Tichenor, Manatee Extension Service Horticulture Agent August marks the peak of Florida’s rainy season with 3/4 of the year’s rainfall occurring during the summer months. This can be a blessing and a curse. The good news is rainfall replenishes thirsty lakes and underground [...]
Commentary
Monday, August 2nd, 2010By Randall Grantham Community Columnist As you know, we spent a week at the Georgia cabin last month and I told you about the good times — the T-shirts, the motorcycle rides and the trout catching, among other things. But I didn’t tell you about the hard times or the scary times. Of course, we [...]
Commentary
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010By Randall Grantham Community Columnist Years ago I read and wrote about a study funded by our tax dollars that proved something that everybody already knew. The CDC had released findings that cheap beer increases the number of sexually transmitted diseases in society. I could not believe that somebody would waste their time and our [...]
Someday I’ll be dog free and carefree
Monday, July 5th, 2010By Diane Kortus Publisher I didn’t want a second dog after Princess, my 13-year-old Airedale, died two years ago. We still had Zeke, our goofy yellow lab whose 90 pounds is more than enough dog for me, especially when sweeping up his endless fluffs of hair. Jonas Back then Zeke was 8 and my youngest, [...]
Commentary
Monday, July 5th, 2010By Randall Grantham Community Columnist I am outraged! After everything else the government has done to waste money and over-complicate what should be quite simple things, I am outraged and in disbelieving shock over this latest stunt. In today’s tough economic times, especially for state governments which are having to make deep cuts, raise fees [...]
Gardening
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010Growing culinary herbs By B.J. Jarvis Pasco Horticulture Agent and Extension Director Edible gardens are gaining in popularity as Floridians prefer a landscape that is both functional and beautiful. Gardeners and cooks look to fresh culinary herbs to add a little spice to the dinner table as well as the garden. As a group, herbs [...]
Commentary
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010By Randall Grantham Community Columnist Sorry about last week. Even though I was in a Central American country on vacation, I fully intended to get a dispatch off. We were in Belize to celebrate my wife’s birthday and our 25th anniversary. With a totally different cell phone frequency in use, I knew I would be [...]
Commentary
Monday, June 14th, 2010By Randall Grantham Community Columnist Many years ago, when I was a young assistant public defender in Dade City, I regularly appeared before Judge Wayne Cobb. Now as you know, I’m a country boy, born and raised in Lutz, but Dade City and Judge Cobb out countried me. They were bonafide. After having worked in [...]
Publisher finds ‘Minnesota nice’ in Annapolis
Friday, June 11th, 2010By Diane Kortus Publisher ANNAPOLIS, Md. (May 29, 2010) — I’m sitting in Annapolis writing at the kitchen table of Gene and Kathleen Severens, a couple whose townhome I’m renting during Commissioning Week at the U.S. Naval Academy. My son, Andrew Donald Mathes, graduated yesterday and is now a second lieutenant in the Marines. Joining [...]