SEBRING — When Ave Maria opened last year in Collier County, two large landowners in Highlands County started working on a plan to conserve their land so they could organize the same kind of city, minus the controversies that surround that development. But after a series of fits and starts, the Rural Land Stewardship Area Program appears dead in Highlands County. First, Lykes Bros. dropped out of the program. Now, Atlanticblue has put in a more traditional rezoning request. Susie Bishop, an Atlanticblue spokeswoman, said Atlanticblue got tired of waiting for the state to review the program rules, and was discouraged by what she described as a new leadership in Tallahassee that stripped the program of incentives. ...more

June 8, 2008

The county commission on Wednesday is slated to sign off on an agreement to ensure Pasco has enough schools to serve its growing population. ...more

February 25, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School Board gave approval Tuesday to an interlocal agreement with the county commission that includes a school concurrency plan. ...more

February 20, 2008

Ruth and I took a ride out into the country earlier this week to the visit Edd and Rita Vowels, who just about a year ago sold off all but one of their McDonald's restaurants. Last Feb. 15, I wrote the final chapter on the couple's highly successful business ventures in the tri-county area as well as their influence on so many of the area's community affairs. Then on the 21st of that month they signed the papers that closed out that phase of their life. They then officially joined the ranks of the relaxed retired ones. "One thing about retirement," Edd says in his soft-spoken manner, "when I wake up I wonder, 'What day is this?'" ...more

February 9, 2008

Every now and then, a list of some sort comes out showing Tampa somewhere near the bottom of whatever quality the list is ranking. ...more

January 29, 2008

Edward John Trombetta, who served as a top official under Gov. Reubin Askew, has died. He was 69. ...more

January 29, 2008

Last year saw the city plan for growth in a large sector mostly north of Interstate 4 and an 85-acre area south of historical downtown, and officials braced for the lower revenues that the state's property tax reforms would bring. ...more

January 28, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School District eventually may need to beef up its staff once school concurrency goes into effect and the school board takes a more active role in the permitting process for housing developments, district officials said Tuesday. ...more

January 16, 2008

The editorial of Dec. 20, titled "Balancing Needs For Cash And Land Critical As Area Grows," covered an important subject and the reference to the fact that endangered species need certain habitats in order to survive, was a statement all of us should ponder; as wildlife is such an important segment of our "quality of life." Thank you for your thoughtful opinion. However, a headline in your Dec. 17 issue screamed, "Grove Owners Want Development Of 4,600 Homes." ...more

December 31, 2007

SEBRING – John Tallent told the Highlands County commissioners last week he "didn't want to be the skunk at the church picnic." ...more

December 25, 2007