Scott Settlemire stood amid hundreds of cars at the 2010-Model Tampa Bay International Auto Show and wondered, for a moment, what it would be like if one vehicle fit all needs. ...more

October 24, 2009

Scott Settlemire stood amid the hundreds of cars at the Tampa Bay International Auto Show and wondered, for a moment, what it would be like if there was one vehicle that fit all our needs. ...more

October 23, 2009

Polk County emergency workers responded to a call about an explosion in Bartow this morning. The alarm came in just before 10:30 a.m. at the 1705 Mann Road industrial complex, authorities said. The complex includes Peace River Citrus and Ethanol of Florida. ...more

April 24, 2009

Those who accept Darwin's evolution philosophy consider the great apes to be the closest relatives of homo sapiens. In actuality, our closest relatives are sheep. Even most people with graduate degrees will blindly follow propaganda. ...more

March 21, 2009

Strawberries are one of the success stories in Florida's economic crisis, state Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said. ...more

March 11, 2009

Strawberries are one of the success stories in Florida's economic crisis, state Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said. ...more

March 2, 2009

Highlands EnviroFuels took another step toward building a biofuels plant at U.S. 27 and State Road 70 by securing a $305,000 state grant. ...more

February 28, 2009

I read in the paper about the ethanol plant or possible plants coming to Highlands County. This can be a most wonderful opportunity for the county, state, American citizens, real estate sales, businesses large and small alike. Since our tax dollars are in part funding this program, there should be in no way anyone working either on the building project or in the plant itself not be a United States citizen. Our commissioners, state representative, Congress, Senate and governor should see that our people are ready to take these jobs. ...more

January 24, 2009

Verenium Corporation announced Thursday it will construct the world's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Highlands County, in cooperation with Lykes Brothers supplying the biomass. ...more

January 15, 2009

Up until 2009, Lake Placid has enjoyed clean, unpolluted air as there are no smokestack industries that I am aware of. This has attracted senior mobile home parks as well as senior assisted living facilities to the area. But now the Highlands County Commissioners have decided to change that by giving permission for an ethanol producing plant to locate near U.S. 27 and S.R. 70 just south of Lake Placid (about six and a half miles.) This is one of the worst polluting industries in the country. Even if they agree to install some anti-pollution measures, as everyone knows it would be cheaper for them to pay fines and-or bribe authorities than it would be to install very expensive, adequate anti-pollution equipment. ...more

January 3, 2009