Senior Airman Ashley Tubbs is the Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Airman of the Year for the period of Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 30, 2008. Tubbs, a Tampa native, graduated from Plant High School in 2001 and attended Hillsborough Community College before joining the Air Force in 2004. During the Airman's recent 12-month deployment to Iraq, she was part of the Air Force Police Transition Team and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for her efforts. She instructed Iraqi police on law enforcement operations, and trained and mentored more than 3,000 recruits toward independent operations. Tubbs also received the Combat Action Medal after engaging the enemy on three IED strikes resulting in no squadron or battalion casualties. On Jan. 9, she received a commander's coin from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during his visit to Eglin Air Force Base. ...more

February 4, 2009

Two exhibits will open Friday in two studios in the building that houses the West Tampa Center for the Arts. ...more

January 7, 2009

Jan. 20 marks the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. And the first time in U.S. history a black president will be sworn into office. With Inauguration Day only weeks away, Tampa residents are preparing for the trip of a lifetime. Here, they share their reasons for wanting to trek to the nation's capital. ...more

January 2, 2009

Lissette Corsa ducks left and weaves right. Her opponent kicks over her head, and she spins and grabs him from behind. He arches his back as he moves downward. He slips out of her grasp, spinning to face her. Corsa is a student of Capoeira, a 500-year-old Brazilian martial art gaining popularity in the Bay area. The studio Corsa attends, Tampa Capoeira on East Bearss Avenue, is one of several schools in the area injecting rhythmic flow into exercise and self-defense. ...more

December 5, 2008

A new event will give a sneak peek at Karamu, Lowry Park Zoo's signature black-tie fundraiser, while raising money for the zoo. ...more

December 3, 2008

A day after downing their Thanksgiving meals, both the Central Bears and Nature Coast Sharks will take the court this weekend in a pair of holiday tournaments. ...more

November 28, 2008

Each of the past 10 years, local glass artist Susan Gott has celebrated the holiday season by offering a free glimpse of the inner workings of her atelier, "Phoenix Glass Studio & Gallery," in Seminole Heights. ...more

November 26, 2008

The death of former Circuit Judge Vincent Giglio last week probably went unnoted by most Hillsborough residents. ...more

November 25, 2008

You can always tell when another Tampa Super Bowl is imminent. ...more

November 19, 2008

You can always tell when another Tampa Super Bowl is imminent. The sprucing up of downtown gets serious, and there's typically a civic project or two hurrying to completion. ...more

November 19, 2008