Highlands County is about to begin making asphalt and history. The first government owned and operated asphalt plant in Florida should start production next week at the Highlands County Landfill, fueled mainly by methane gas that is now burned off. ...more

October 10, 2008

Ken Wheeler, the director of solid waste, is into recycling, and Highlands County should be grateful about that. The county is likely to pick up more than $3 million in two grants – nearly one-third of the $10.5 million allocated – that Gov. Charlie Crist convinced the Legislature to award in local-government grants for innovative recycling projects. Highlands had lots of competition. A total of 140 cities and counties applied for the grants. After reviewing all 140 applications, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection picked the top 33 projects based on merit. ...more

February 3, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County is likely to snag nearly one-third of the $10.5 million that Gov. Charlie Crist convinced the Legislature to award in local-government grants for innovative recycling projects this fiscal year. One hundred and forty cities and counties applied for these grants, officially called the "Fiscal Year 2008-09 Innovative Recycling/Waste Reduction Grants." After reviewing all 140 applications, the state Department of Environmental Protection picked the top 33 projects based on merit. The Legislature has appropriated $10.56 million for this grant program for fiscal 2008-09, a reduction from the $12.4 million allocated for this program the year before. ...more

February 2, 2008