Ford, the only Detroit automaker to dodge direct government aid and bankruptcy court, surprised investors with net income of nearly $1 billion in the third quarter and forecast a "solidly profitable" 2011. ...more

November 3, 2009

Jon Brown is finishing a room addition - and that's all the work in the pipeline for his 41/2-year-old construction company, which used to build custom homes. ...more

December 22, 2008

AVON PARK — The national economic disaster that was 2007 also whacked Highlands County's home building industry. According to figures released by Building Official S.Y. Moseley's office, the value of building permits dropped 30 percent last year. About twice as many single family homes were built two years ago, 1,156 in 2006 versus 563 building permits in 2007. It's affecting contractors and their subcontractors, said County Commissioner Don Bates: "There are a lot of guys who are looking for work, who are ready to go to work, and they're out of work." Because they're skilled tradesmen, some are taking lower wages than they were earning in good times, ...more

January 13, 2008