BEN WOLFORD

• In Recovery? Health of economy a key decision-maker in 2012 political season Published 04/28/2012 at 7 p.m.

  Special report: Scenes of the recession have dominated the narrative of the 2012 election cycle since the candidates lined up. Now, indications of a recovering economy are emerging in Florida, changing the narrative and potentially dulling the edge of challengers ...

• Lighthouse Project – What We Do: What a day can say Published 04/22/2012 at 12:02 a.m.

  By the time the sun rose at 7:14 a.m. on April 5, Southwest Florida was already alive. Maintenance crews prepared practice greens, and construction workers hit their job sites. It was just another weekday for hundreds of thousands who call ...

• Lighthouse Project – What We Do: More than 10 percent of area workers in leisure-related jobs Published 04/22/2012 at midnight

  On a recent afternoon, Charlie Palmer polished water glasses as the lights dimmed at Chops City Grill in Bonita Springs.He adjusted the chairs, ground the coffee and ducked into a pre-dinner staff huddle. Six hours later, on a good day, ...

• Lee County projects land on TaxWatch turkey list Published 04/13/2012 at 6:32 p.m.

  A taxpayer watchdog group is asking the governor to veto $1.5 million for a new children's hospital in Lee County, among other local projects, as part of $149.6 million worth of "turkeys" in the proposed state budget.

• Dealers: Increase in gun ownership, concealed carry permits part of 'Obama boom' Published 04/04/2012 at 7:54 p.m.

  Local arms dealers and shooting range operators say they are busier, and they attribute it to the uncertainty of a presidential election year. But they also point to the primary reason for owning handguns: p

• As gaming businesses spread, Lee leaders to again weigh slots at Bonita dog track Published 04/01/2012 at 7 p.m.

  Opponents of Internet cafés say the establishments expose a loophole in state gaming laws. Patrons pay to use a computer game that resembles a slot machine, which reveals whether they have won a sweepstakes. To critics, that sounds too much ...

• Unemployment continues positive trend, down to 8.3 percent in Collier Updated 03/30/2012 at 4:20 p.m.

  The Department of Economic Opportunity said Friday that unemployment in Florida dipped to 9.4 percent in February — its lowest number in three years. The report also noted that 10,100 new jobs were created.

• Quinnipiac poll: Obama ahead of Romney, Santorum in Fla. Updated 03/28/2012 at 5:23 p.m. 120 Comments

  President Obama leads both former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in polling of voters in Florida, according to a Quinnipiac University Polling Institute survey released Wednesday.

• Opponents challenge Rep. Passidomo on foreclosure bill Published 03/21/2012 at 5 p.m.

  Political opponents of a Naples state legislator running for re-election have found ammunition in her fast-track foreclosure bill, which brewed statewide controversy before it died earlier this month.

• From education to environment, Southwest Florida sees share of state budget cut Published 03/10/2012 at 9:15 p.m.

  Clerk of Court offices throughout Florida along with hospitals, universities and school districts have learned of cuts, both shallow and deep, in a $70 billion state budget. Florida's public sector must be more frugal next fiscal year, local officials said ...

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