The contents of a wallet often tell you what a person values, Royce M. Decker said today. "I thought success was having seven credit cards and maxing them out," Decker said with a chuckle about his youthful days to the audience at today's Business Development Week kickoff luncheon. West Pasco Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual business week, which continues through Jan. 31. ...more

January 26, 2009

I understand that everyone has a right to have an opinion, and I respect their right to voice that opinion. The part that I can't understand is the "Me" mentality from the people who write to this newspaper asking you to vote "yes" for an independent fire district. ...more

October 12, 2008

NATO defense ministers agreed Friday to allow troops operating in Afghanistan to attack drug lords and their networks that support the escalating insurgency in the country. ...more

October 11, 2008

Trevor Wyatt cannot speak, but there is happiness in his grin. The 6-year-old plops a hand on his dog's blond fur, stroking it from his wheelchair as he rolls past rows of houses on a balmy summer afternoon. ...more

August 27, 2008

AVON PARK — Robert Ray took the Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) class, and he recommends it to others who are interested in starting a business or currently own one. "I definitely say take the course before going into business," said Ray, the owner of Heartland Marble & Granite in Sebring. "It will save you a lot of trouble." The next REAL class will begin on June 30. It will meet Mondays from 6 – 9 p.m. in Building T at South Florida Community College in Avon Park. The cost is $100. However, those who complete the course may be eligible for a $90 refund. Ray, who sells and installs granite countertops and marble flooring, opened his business in 2006. He attended the first REAL class in January 2007 with his wife. ...more

June 21, 2008

One of our greatest joys is volunteering as facilitators of a weekly caregiver support group. Every Thursday at 1 p.m., we meet with a number of Highlands County residents who care for loved ones with dementia. Since October 2000, Crown Pointe Assisted Living Facility has donated its activity room, coffee and cookies. At present, the majority of caregivers in our group are spousal caregivers - they take care of their husbands or wives. Most of them don't work outside the home and a daytime meeting works best for them. However, there's also a growing need in the county for an evening group. Many adult children with daytime jobs care for elderly parents. Some spousal caregivers may prefer to attend an evening meeting. ...more

September 21, 2007