The secrecy that enshrouded Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's plan to buy out U.S. Sugar now threatens to undermine this critical effort to save the Everglades. ...more

September 13, 2008

More than two months after the state announced plans to buy out U.S. Sugar, congressmen are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of information they're getting on the deal, and they're warning that the deal could do more harm than good to the Everglades region. ...more

September 8, 2008

U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Adam Putnam, who represent parts of Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Lithia, Plant City and Seffner, hoped to vote to rescind the congressional ban on offshore oil drilling. The area Republicans will have to wait, however, until the House returns from its summer recess. ...more

August 20, 2008

BUSINESS NOTES CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE: Winthrop Barn Theater, 11349 Bloomingdale Ave., Riverview. The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Congressional Update at noon today. Confirmed speakers include U.S. Reps. Adam Putnam and Gus Bilirakis, who will present an overview of current congressional discussions and how federal policies affect local businesses, education, health care and quality of life. There will be a question-and-answer session. Call the chamber at (813) 689-1221 or e-mail abraden@brandonchamber.com. ...more

August 20, 2008

Some of Florida's U.S. House members complained Wednesday about being kept in the dark during the state's secret negotiations of a $1.75 billion proposed buyout of U.S. Sugar Corp. ...more

July 31, 2008

Following the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that tomatoes were not the likely source of a recent salmonella outbreak, Congressman Tim Mahoney, D. FLA, has introduced a bill, H.R. 6581, to compensate tomato growers and packers nationwide for their losses due to the salmonella scare, which according to the Florida Tomato Exchange's estimates could be close to $100 million. ...more

July 27, 2008

Why is congressional candidate Hal Valeche contributing a half million dollars to his campaign? ...more

July 20, 2008

Freshman Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, is the second Tampa Bay area congressman to raise at least $1 million for his re-election bid this fall, exceeding $1.05 million. ...more

July 18, 2008

Connecticut is tops. Mississippi is at the bottom. And Florida is about in the middle. Where does your state and community fit in terms of standard of living? A new study modeled on the United Nations Human Development Report provides what it calls a "snapshot" of Americans' well-being, ranked by state and congressional district. ...more

July 16, 2008

The James A. Haley VA Hospital & Clinics is the busiest of the nation's 164 Veterans Administration hospitals and the fifth most complex in terms of medical care provided. ...more

June 11, 2008