Puppy professor [Times photo: Mike Pease] Angela Bubley uses plenty of patience and praise and a pocketful of pet treats to teach dogs manners and discipline.

School, neighbors to air views about lot
Independent Day School, which seeks a parking lot, and Original Carrollwood residents face a zoning hearing master Monday.

Explain Florida? Let's give it a try
Maybe you were born here. Maybe you grew up here. No one is calling or e-mailing and demanding that you "explain Florida" to them.

Red tape? Sure, but maybe good development takes time
It's probably a complaint as old as Imperial Rome, when the builders of the Colosseum griped about the emperor's toga-wearing minions monkeying with their construction plans.

Creative shopping
The Lutz Arts and Crafts Festival offers a chance to buy unique gifts.

Out & about
MUSIC FROM THE PHILIPPINES: Bay area residents will have a chance to hear the powerful vocal trio III of a Kind, a popular group from Manila and winner of a World Wildlife Fund Award. III of a Kind will sing Philippine oldies and current pop music in Tagalog and English, played to a Latin beat.

Steakhouses join SR 54 stampede
An Outback Steakhouse and a Remington's Steak House will open this month in Wesley Chapel.

Bridging the loop
A newly built bridge across Trout Creek completes the 15-mile main Wilderness Loop Trail forbicyclists and hikers.

Cold spell is a reminder to protect plants in winter
December is just beginning and we've already had one short cold snap.

Weekly calendar

Site plans finalized for controversial Kash n' Karry
KEYSTONE -- Construction on a controversial Kash n' Karry store at Gunn Highway and Van Dyke Road is close to becoming a reality, a participant in the deal said this week.

Neighbors sore at owner of tower site
LAKE MAGDALENE -- Homeowners opposing a planned antenna tower on Indian Mound Road have had some harsh words for the former neighbor who owns the land where the tower would go.

Firefighters are forced to wait a year for roomier station
OLDSMAR -- Firefighters will have to wait a year longer than expected to move into a new fire station more than twice as large as their current home.

Tis the season
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: Celebrate the holiday season by dressing up in a Christmas costume and joining the children's parade when the Carrollwood Area Business Association presents the 10th annual Holiday Tree Lighting Festival from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Carrollwood Village Shopping Center, located at Fletcher Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway.

Apartment rezoning proposal withdrawn
Protesting neighbors convinced authorities that the 43 acres of land off Livinston Avenue should not be zoned for student apartments.

Basketball clinics
Learn to pass and shoot, defend and rebound at a pair of weekend basketball camps this month.