SEBRING — A proposed state law, introduced for the Legislature's new 2008 session, would shut down most of Highlands County's road building projects, and severely limit the cost-effectiveness of the county's new asphalt plant. That is the assessment of House Bill 683 by Ramon Gavarette, Highlands County Engineer, and Ross Macbeth, attorney for the Highlands County commissioners. The county asphalt plant, which is scheduled to start production this spring, would be the first asphalt plant owned and operated by a local government in Florida. Commissioners have borrowed $3.3 million to build the plant, based on Ken Wheeler, director of the county solid waste department, estimating it will save $700,000 per year on road work. House Bill 683 apparently was pushed by the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida, which tried unsuccessfully to talk the county commissioners out of building the first county-owned asphalt plant in the state. ...more

January 26, 2008

Orders to U.S. factories jumped in November by the largest amount in four months. The increase was driven by higher petroleum prices and was not viewed as a sign of any newfound strength in manufacturing. ...more

January 4, 2008

Councilman John Dingfelder is asking the city administration to provide more information about impending city layoffs. ...more

November 30, 2007

A long-simmering dispute between the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the cable television industry has reached a boiling point, with a potential showdown shaping up for the agency's next meeting. ...more

November 23, 2007

Mayor Pam Iorio announced Wednesday that she is laying off 100 city workers, the second announcement of mass layoffs in roughly five months. ...more

November 15, 2007

TAMPA Mayor Pam Iorio announced tpday that she is laying off 100 city workers, the second announcement of mass layoffs in roughly five months. The layoffs are in response to shortfalls in the city's budget due to property tax reform. ...more

November 14, 2007

BRANDON - Apply for a job at one local restaurant chain, and don't be surprised by the fine print: Chain-smoking potty mouths need not apply. Cheddar's Casual Cafe in Brandon and Largo operates under a hiring policy that prohibits smoking, cursing and tattoos in the workplace. The idea, Director of Operations Andy Dennis says, promotes the ownership's set of values, creates a healthier working environment and weeds out workers who might not last. ...more

October 29, 2007

Plenty of eyes are watching a new project in Highlands County. Some are impressed and interested in seeing if the project is a success. Others want nothing more than to shut it down, and are possibly going to ask state lawmakers to do something about it. The county's new asphalt plant is drawing a lot of reaction. We hope the project is successful and saves taxpayers as much money as possible. Ken Wheeler, the county's solid waste director, pitched the idea to county commissioners some time ago. He said the county could produce its own asphalt for road repairs much cheaper than commercial companies. That means more roads are repaired for the same amount of money. Counties around Florida took great interest in Highlands County's newest venture. Some will buy the less expensive asphalt, while others might begin a similar project in their own county. ...more

October 12, 2007

The Internet never ceases to amaze me. The wealth of information, products, and services available at the click of a mouse is astounding. Granted, some of it is trash, and not worth the two seconds it takes to pull it up. But most of it is reliable, up-to-the-minute current, and verifiable in a few extra clicks. Wow! We are living Star Trek. ...more

October 7, 2007