If Pinellas County commissioners give it a thumbs-up, the county could start negotiations soon with a Los Angeles company to develop a major retail and office project on a former county landfill site in St. Petersburg. ...more

January 9, 2008

Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) is a private enterprise initiative by the University of South Florida's Small Business Development Center at SFCC. The purpose of the program is to promote local economic development through self employment and private enterprise. During the 12 week REAL course, attendees are exposed to business basics, entrepreneurship and the mechanics of writing a business plan. To date, the program has awarded certificates of completion to 26 attendees who are either currently in business or are planning to start a business. ...more

January 7, 2008

SEBRING – Businesses in Highlands County that want to add employees in 2008 might be able to tap into a fund that will offset some of the cost. The Highlands County Economic Development Trust Fund was established by the county commission in 2006 to support the economic development goals of the county and to mitigate the possible negative effect of impact fees, which were initiated in January of this year. The program is designed to support the expansion of existing industry as well as the recruitment of new industry to the county. To be eligible, companies must meet certain criteria that include meeting minimum average wage requirements for new as well as existing employees and creating a minimum number of new jobs. Companies meeting the guidelines may receive $500 per new job with a maximum program benefit of $50,000 for each company. ...more

December 23, 2007

SEBRING — The town of Lake Placid wants $2.7 million for a new water plant. ...more

December 6, 2007

AVON PARK – There was a huge turnout at Thursday's South Florida Community College Employment Fair, and the fact that unemployment is up in the area might be the reason. Close to 500 people showed up to talk with representatives of more than 40 companies and government agencies, according to Paul Fox, director of the Campus Career Center. There were some job seekers who came to the event 30 minutes before it began in Building B on the Highlands campus in Avon Park. The large crowd impressed employers. "This is absolutely the best year," said Randy Leonard, operations manager of the Alan Jay Automotive Network. "We've seen over 60 people and all are very good prospects." Leonard said the company has three open positions – sales consultant, service technician and entry-level car detailing. ...more

November 4, 2007

The Highlands County Tourist Development Council will hold a workshop – perhaps the most important session in two years – today in Sebring. ...more

November 1, 2007

SEBRING – The Highlands County Tourist Development Council will consider three options in deciding how to replace former Tourism Director Jim Brantley during a workshop on Nov. 1. The workshop will begin at 8:15 a.m. in Room 3 at the Highlands County Agri-Civic Center, located at the corner of U.S. 27 and George Boulevard, in Sebring. Brantley left the position in September, but is continuing to work as a consultant for the county. The council will make a recommendation to the Highlands County Commission. The commission will make the final decision on how the council will be run. Before he departed, Brantley and Highlands County Administrator Carl Cool talked about the situation and came up with a suggestion. However, it was not presented as a recommendation from either Brantley or Cool. ...more

October 28, 2007

AVON PARK ? Shannon Peacock summed up in four words the reason small businesses may be hesitant about exporting their products: ?fear of the unknown.? Peacock?s fears were alleviated after he attended an exporting workshop earlier this month that was hosted by the Hardee County Economic Development Council, Hardee County Chamber of Commerce, Florida?s Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative and the Florida Foreign Trade Association ?It was informative,? said Peacock, the plant manager for Bowsmith Irrigation Inc. in Avon Park. ?They laid everything out in a way that I could understand.? ...more

October 28, 2007

SEBRING — One of the county's largest employers received the 2007 Business Excellence Award from the Highlands County Economic Development Commission on Tuesday night. ...more

October 17, 2007

AVON PARK — John Barben admits the Avon Park Executive Airport is troubled. As it bled more than $3.8 million in state grants since the 2005-2006 fiscal year ending Sept. 30, it generated only about $345,000 in business revenue. ...more

October 11, 2007