Tampa Bay Times

tampabay.com — Charlie Crist, almost unique among political figures of his stature, has never had a consistent inner circle of advisers at his side.Ask anyone who knows the former Florida governor well - or as well as anyone can know the ever-sunny but often inscrutable Crist - and they will tell you he has two primary confidants: Carole Crist, his wife, and Dr. Charles Crist, his father."He keeps his cards very close to the vest," said Eric Johnson, a South Florida Democratic consultant who worked on Crist's unsuccessful U.S.

tampabay.com — Former Florida Rep. Connie Mack said today he and his wife, Mary Bono Mack, are divorcing. "We are saddened to announce that we have reached the difficult decision to end our marriage," they said in a statement.

tampabay.com — Former Florida Rep. Connie Mack said today he and his wife, Mary Bono Mack, are divorcing. "We are saddened to announce that we have reached the difficult decision to end our marriage," they said in a statement.

tampabay.com — ST. PETERSBURG - Lyndsey Staub put on a little bit of makeup. It was Friday morning and she was headed to Dixie Hollins High School to hug-hello her teachers and eat breakfast with the senior class. But Lyndsey was going to Dixie on official business, too.

tampabay.com — WEEKI WACHEE - Marcus Applefield was as hidden as a 6-foot-7, 275-pound teenager could be. He had the quickness, good grades and blue-collar work ethic of a blue-chip recruit, but he seemed stuck at an obscure new program in an out-of-the-way Hernando County town more famous for its landlocked mermaids than massive linemen.

tampabay.com — The Republican Party of Florida came to Gov. Rick Scott's defense Friday after former state Senator Dan Gelber wrote a letter asking the governor to return a $110,000 contribution he received from an insurance startup that could get $52 million from the state-run insurance giant.

tampabay.com — Charlie Crist, almost unique among political figures of his stature, has never had a consistent inner circle of advisers at his side.Ask anyone who knows the former Florida governor well - or as well as anyone can know the ever-sunny but often inscrutable Crist - and they will tell you he has two primary confidants: Carole Crist, his wife, and Dr. Charles Crist, his father."He keeps his cards very close to the vest," said Eric Johnson, a South Florida Democratic consultant who worked on Crist's unsuccessful U.S.

tampabay.com — You know online TV shows have reached a tipping point when NPR and PBS' NewsHour taps you to talk about them on the same day. It's also because we're on the cusp of Memorial Day weekend and no one has much news going on, I'm sure.

tampabay.com — The list of lawmakers criticizing Citizens Property Insurance Corp. for a $52 million takeout deal continues to grow, as House Speaker Will Weatherford said Friday that he had "serious concerns" about the plan. Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said Citizens did not provide sufficient notice to the Legislature before quickly approving the $52 million deal that was unveiled and voted on this week.

tampabay.com — A jury today found Virgil DeBose guilty of raping and murdering a 78-year-old woman in 2007. He will be sentenced this afternoon. DeBose wasn't accused of directly killing Audrey Mulligan, but rather causing injuries that led her to hospitalization, where she caught an infection that later killed her.

tampabay.com — Gov. Rick Scott is signing the texting while driving bill (SB 52) at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School in Miami, but the state law doesn't take effect until Oct. 1.

tampabay.com — HOLIDAY - The beige stucco house was unassuming from the outside. A pink, flowered "Welcome" sign hung from one of the eaves in front, and a Rays sticker was posted in a window. In the first lot of a quiet, dead-end street, neighbors say the people they saw living there were equally subdued.

tampabay.com — Rep. Mike Fasano is the latest official to raise questions about a $52 million take-out deal between an upstart St. Petersburg insurance company and Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Fasano, R-New Port Richey, penned a letter to the state's Insurance Commissioner on Friday questioning whether Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance has already violated a May 17consent order from the Office of Insurance Regulation.

tampabay.com — If you know anything about Tampa's not-exactly-shy Mayor Bob Buckhorn, it will not surprise you that he had dreams of being a fighter pilot.In fact, after college, Buckhorn was picked for Navy flight school, only to be diagnosed with degeneration of his cornea.

tampabay.com — Grab the sunblock and beach towels. Forecasters are predicting gorgeous weather for Memorial Day weekend in Tampa Bay.Temperatures in the mid to high 80s will combine with a breeze and low humidity through Monday, said Mike Clay, chief meteorologist for Bay News 9.