Wouldn't it be nice if we could just wish this bad economy away? Actually, that's not too far from the truth – at lease locally. Much of what ails the Highlands County economy is consumer confidence, not any one particular factor beyond our control with the possible exception of gas prices. William Pittenger, senior vice president and chief real estate economist with Seacoast National Bank, recently told members of the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce that the local economy isn't as bad as a lot of people believe, and that with a better outlook, it could turn around much quicker. Pittenger is right about that. Our economy depends on consumers feeling confident to purchase goods. If they are scared jobs might not be there tomorrow, consumers are much less likely to spend. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. ...more

June 18, 2008

NEW YORK - Drivers are paying an average of $4 for a gallon of gasoline for the first time. AAA and the Oil Price Information Service say the national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose to $4.005 overnight from $3.988. But consumers in many parts of the country have already been paying well above that price for some time. ...more

June 8, 2008

The U.S. dollar is strengthening. And with that, the record-setting gas prices in Florida and across the country could stall, according to AAA Auto Club South. ...more

June 3, 2008

TAMPA - A woman who worked in a Bartow nursing home performed the duties of a certified nursing assistant although she was never issued a license, authorities said. ...more

May 20, 2008

Consumer borrowing rose in March at the fastest pace in four months, more than double the increase of the previous month. ...more

May 8, 2008

Are you selling a house and want to stand out from the competition? Consider this: A research team at Cornell University has found that people will pay more for a house if its listing price does not end in a bunch of zeros. ...more

February 19, 2008

People should always be wary when government, on any level, tackles a seemingly big problem. Often in such cases, Murphy – his famous law warns that if anything can go wrong it will – tends to be an optimist. Even worse, the resulting storm and stress can provide cover for either mischief or plain wrong-headedness. ...more

February 16, 2008

TAMPA - News of the federal government doling out rebates in May that range from the hundreds to thousands of dollars was greeted with a bit of skepticism as well as musings of how to spend the cash this morning. ...more

January 25, 2008

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said a brand of cheese made in Miami may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Officials say the naturally aged white cheese made by Santa Rosa Cheese could have a type of E. coli bacteria, though not the more dangerous strain. ...more

January 17, 2008

Seniors and the disabled flocked to the pharmacy counter in 2006 with their new Medicare drug cards, fueling a 6.7 percent increase in health spending, the federal government reported Monday. ...more

January 8, 2008