Two administrators at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg are suspected of having stolen tens of thousands of dollars in state funds by having checks made to companies that didn't provide any products in return, according to court documents. ...more

March 23, 2009

A county jail addition now under construction could relieve overcrowding of inmates as the number of prisoners begins to swell again and inspections turned up "notable violations" at the two existing jails. ...more

September 10, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY An addition to Pasco County's main jail might finally escape from the drawing board. ...more

May 2, 2008

With nearly 280 inmates sleeping in temporary bedding at Pasco jails, Sheriff Bob White was perturbed today by the latest delay in building a permanent jail addition. ...more

February 1, 2008

SEBRING — In the 1960s, Virginia Neel worked behind the front counter at Sebring's first public library, and soon she will be working in the same exact site –– this time as the president of Highlands County Genealogical Society. Members of the genealogical society will be manning the front desk of the renovated downtown Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce office in exchange for storage space for the genealogy books. Neel said she thought of the idea one night when she couldn't sleep. "I had been in another welcome center with a genealogical society office, and it was very convenient," Neel said. "I knew this building had been a library, so there is plenty of space, and it just worked out perfectly." ...more

January 29, 2008

SEBRING — What do the Highlands County Courthouse and NASA Kennedy Space Center have in common? Both buildings are now cooler, thanks to Winsulators. The clear, acrylic interior window attachment uses magnets to fasten to the inside of windows and keeps the heat trapped outside, much like a double-pane window. Winsulators have been added to all 94 windows in the historic courthouse, with hopes of reducing the electricity bill. "Installing new windows would have been cost prohibitive," said Edward VerVane, inventor of the Winsulator. "The change also would have taken away from the historic look of the building. The Winsulator creates a 'green' facility that is friendlier for the environment." ...more

January 19, 2008

SEBRING — For the 21st straight year, the Lake Placid Art League will hold its annual art show on the fourth Saturday in January at the Highlands County Agri-Civic Center. ...more

October 17, 2007

Barring unforeseen circumstances, a desperately needed jail addition could open early in 2009, county officials learned recently. Only one problem: The extra space is needed now to relieve overcrowding of inmates. ...more

September 12, 2007