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Hardship and hope
HARDSHIP AND HOPE"It’s tough out there."
We hear that a lot as people try and weather the worst recession in recent memory. We heard it from a father who once made six figures and now tries to hang on with a lawn care company. From a grandmother who put off retirement when her daughter and grandchildren moved back in.
Yet we’ve also found that people are resilient. They make do, and help out others if they can. A schoolteacher collects prom dresses because some students can’t afford one. A family cooks Thanksgiving Dinner for the shelter they once lived in.
In this recurring series, the Herald-Tribune will take a look at how ordinary people are coping with these extraordinary times.
We want to hear about your experiences dealing the recession. To share your story, contact writer Anthony Cormier at anthony.cormier@heraldtribune.com.
Recent Articles About Hardship and hope
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Oil falls to 6-month low near $92 on larger US supplies
Published May 16, 2012
SINGAPORE -- Oil prices dropped to fresh six-month lows near $92 a barrel Wednesday in Asia after a report showed U.S. crude supplies surged more than expected last week. Benchmark oil for June delivery was down $1.84 to $92.14 a barrel, the lowest...
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4 questions for a pro: Lawyer S. William Moore
Published May 11, 2012
For more than 35 years, S. William Moore was an attorney in Sarasota with Brigham Moore, the largest eminent domain litigation firm in the United States. To lower overhead costs in response to the recession, the firm disbanded this year, and its...
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Record month for Sarasota, Manatee tourism
Published May 10, 2012
Tourism-related tax collections in Sarasota and Manatee counties hit record levels in the first months of 2012.
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Read all about it: Florida's business reputation growing
Published May 7, 2012
Sun Hydraulics Corp. got some international attention last week, and with it Southwest Florida. The maker of hydraulic valves used in construction, utilities, oil drilling and factories was written up for what might be a somewhat familiar topic...
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Nordstrom coy about Sarasota, for now
Published May 7, 2012
Coveted retailer is no longer coming to University Town Center, but could that change in the future?
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Biden: Jobs numbers not stagnant
Published May 6, 2012
Vice President Joe Biden says the latest job numbers show an economy still struggling to recover, but not one where hiring suddenly has stalled.
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As job growth slackens, a mystery
Published May 5, 2012
Not only are employers not hiring, but thousands of people have stopped looking for work. The question is, why?
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County considers grants to help businesses spruce up
Published May 5, 2012
Program could give small businesses up to $7,500 in matching grants to improve their properties
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More than 250 dogs seized in raid at Venice home
Published May 4, 2012
Authorities seize hundreds of dogs during investigation of animal hoarding at a rural South Venice property.
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Water district cuts may undo decade of work
Published May 3, 2012
In its heyday — especially for thirsty cities and counties — the Southwest Florida Water Management District was the closest thing to a rainmaker. Nicknamed Swiftmud, the agency during the last decade granted nearly $1 billion —...
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World workers express anger, gloom on May Day
Published May 1, 2012
Banging drums and waving flags, hundreds of thousands of workers marked May Day in European cities Tuesday with a mix of anger and gloom over austerity measures imposed by leaders trying to contain the eurozone's intractable debt crisis. Taking the...
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Immigrant, labor, Occupy groups join for protests
Published May 1, 2012
The most visible organizing effort by anti-Wall Street groups since Occupy encampments were dismantled last fall are being planned for May Day, a change from recent years when protests on the international workers' holiday focused on immigrant...
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Sunday's letters
Published April 29, 2012
Higher pay = more taxes It is sad to read that almost half of Americans earn so little that they pay no income tax. Back in the 1950s, those with ordinary jobs paid income tax. To attend college I worked three summer months making food cans. I had...
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Zakaria: The better Buffett Rule
Published April 27, 2012
NEW YORK This pudding lacks a theme, Winston Churchill once said of his dessert. The same might have been said of Barack Obama's re-election campaign, which started strong with his State of the Union address in January and then meandered. It appears...
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Saks and the city
Published April 27, 2012
If you think shopping is just for fashionistas, think again. Retail malls are intricately entwined with fundamental community priorities.
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US growth slows, but consumer spending spikes
Published April 27, 2012
The U.S. economy grew more slowly in the first three months of this year. Governments spent less, and businesses cut back on investment. But consumers spent at the fastest pace in more than a year. The result suggests that the economy will continue...
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Except some bright spots, Southwest Florida business growth slows
Published April 27, 2012
Sales by the region's businesses continued to slow in February, posting a second consecutive month of just 3 percent growth.
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Medicare and Social Security alert
Published April 24, 2012
Depressing though Monday's report from the trustees of Medicare and Social Security is, Americans -- and the politicians they elect -- ignore it at their own risk. The trustees' report, like several before it, reaches the following conclusion:...
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Who will be seen as hero of recession? (Hint: It's not Buffett)
Published April 23, 2012
The U.S. Senate voted down the so-called Buffett Rule, an election-year gimmick inspired by the billionaire's angst that the tax rate he paid represented a smaller percentage of his income than the tax rate paid by his secretary. First off, Warren...
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Krauthammer: Farewell, the New Frontier
Published April 21, 2012
WASHINGTON As the space shuttle Discovery flew three times around Washington, a final salute before landing at Dulles airport for retirement in a museum, thousands on the ground gazed upward with marvel and pride. Yet what they were witnessing, for...
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Boats are selling again, dealers say
Published April 20, 2012
Southwest Florida is once again awash in wealth and populated by those with the discretionary income required to spend six figures on transportation that is not a car.
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Scott's split decision on budget
Published April 18, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott let stand a $5 million allocation for a single rowing center in Sarasota County, yet vetoed a $2 million appropriation by the Legislature for Florida's legal aid organizations. The rowing facility, under construction near border near...
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John DeGrove's legacy
Published April 17, 2012
Not long after the death a Florida farm boy who eventually became one of the state's most influential planners, a Sarasota resident posted on Facebook: "Sad that growth management more or less predeceased John DeGrove." DeGrove, 87, was an advocate...
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US homebuilders request most permits in 3-1/2 years
Published April 17, 2012
U.S. builders requested the most permits in March for single-family homes and apartments in 3½ years, suggesting that many expect the housing market to improve over the next year. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that permits, a gauge of future...
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Benderson scales back plans for University Town Center
Published April 17, 2012
Benderson Development Co.'s high-end mall continues to inch closer to reality, albeit a scaled-down reality courtesy of the Great Recession