Every Christmas for the past 10 years, Peggy Arnold's handmade angel has adorned a Christmas tree at the Plant City Living Center. ...more

November 13, 2007

At Alex's Southern Style BBQ, ordering smoked meat has become synonymous with helping needy kids get bikes for the holidays. ...more

November 7, 2007

SEBRING — It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and it's barely November. Decorations hang in the stores, commercials advertise the latest toys and Santa Claus even made his first appearance of the season at Wal-Mart on Saturday. Frances Williams and her brother Ron Sykes spent Monday morning shopping for trimmings for their Christmas tree. "We wanted to buy everything while it's still in stock," Williams said, as she loaded blue ornaments into her shopping cart. "They have it out, so why not get it and avoid the rush … But we won't put up the tree until after Thanksgiving." ...more

November 6, 2007

When the Burnside family took up residence in the suburbs of Sebring last year there was a noticeable blip in the county's population. Edward and Jennifer, who moved down here from Pennsylvania, were accompanied by their six children. Two boys and four girls ages 8 to 13. Three of the children were born into the family and three were selected to become members. Ed and Jenn, who like large families, decided after having their natural born children to adopt a child. They applied through the non-profit organization Adopt America Network and after about 2 ½ years were matched with a foster home child. Since they had said that they were open to adopting a sibling group the Burnsides eventually were approved to adopt three sisters all about the same age as their own children. "We talked to them on the phone a few times and then we all went to Dallas (Texas) to meet them," Jenn related. It was a match at first sight. ...more

October 13, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Billy Nobles (left, with Reel Animals partner Mike Anderson). ...more

September 14, 2007