Ending an impasse
Residents are frustrated over traffic gridlock on Bruce B. Downs, with some talking about selling and moving on. A proposed east-west road might help.

19 miles in 60 minutes: I could have biked it
NEW TAMPA -- A curious parade of commuters is making its way through the otherwise empty parking lot in front of the Publix in New Tampa. It's only 7:20 a.m. and none of the stores are open, so what's the deal?

At this speed, Mustang feels like an Old Paint
I got into my red Mustang feeling confident I would win. Sure, I had construction on Interstate 4 to deal with and more miles to travel. But what I didn't have was Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Or not much of it at least.

Road fix may work -- if Pasco goes along
Hillsborough commissioners have agreed to pay extra to move the road away from some Pasco homes. But now they want Pasco officials to step back from their own road plan.

Nature park tops guv'na money list
LUTZ -- The biggest chunk of money from the guv'na competition may help pay for a gazebo at the Lutz Nature Park.

Drainage fixes moving forward
LUTZ -- A long wish list of drainage improvements, particularly in southeast Lutz, is being proposed following a study of the Cypress Creek Watershed.

U-turn idea does not sit well with opponents of road expansion
CITRUS PARK -- The planned expansion of Gunn Highway in front of Sickles High School should make travel easier for motorists, but harder for about 10 families who live on a dead-end street north of the school.

Hillsborough to make offer for park
NORTHDALE -- Lake Park, north Hillsborough's longtime site of BMX, archery, horseback riding and picnics, and lately a hot air balloon festival, is the focus of a plan to make sure such activities will have a home for decades to come.

Reclaimed water in Van Dyke Farms on hold
ODESSA -- Residents opposed to bringing reclaimed water to Van Dyke Farms have managed to derail the project, at least temporarily.

Problems plague club owner
CARROLLWOOD -- Elias Abusaid has opened a new club in downtown Tampa, weeks after his landlord evicted him from the AV-O2 club in Carrollwood.

Somerset may grow beyond its 2 homes
TAMPA PALMS -- Somerset, the subdivision where only two homes have been built in three years, and where retail and office plans have failed, may yet have a residential future.

Commission listening to New Tampa
The Hillsborough County Commission decided Wednesday to mingle with the people of New Tampa and schedule a town hall meeting early next year in the fast growing area.

Kingshyre homeowners group is chosen
Residents of the Kingshyre subdivision in Cross Creek on Thursday elected five board members to oversee the homeowners association formerly run by the builder, Southern Crafted Homes.

The week in review
FADE TO BLACK AT DOLLAR THEATERS: Main Street 6 in Carrollwood and University 6 on E Fowler closed for good on Friday, a spokeswoman for Carmike Cinemas said. Carmike, the nation's third-largest theater chain, has filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Both theaters charged patrons $1 admission to watch recent films released in a second run.

Florida athletes soar on fields and courses
Chamberlain High golfer Mallory Code made the most of her summer. Continuing to emerge from the shadows of older sister Whitney and brother Jordan, Mallory won the American Junior Golf Association Rolex Tournament of Champions in July. Code, 15, shot an even-par 288 at Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, Calif., to capture the tournament. Even more impressive was that the field included 17 of the top 25 girls in the national junior rankings, including highly regarded Bradenton twins Aree Song Wongluekiet and Naree Song Wongluekiet. The Rolex victory was Code's second win of the year.