Floridians have requested 187,162 concealed-weapon permit applications over the last six months - an 82 percent increase compared with a year earlier. ...more

February 19, 2009

Highlands County commissioners are deciding whether the county should lift its ban on private landfills. It's, no doubt, a difficult decision, but there are big potential problems if they allow private dumping, and we hope that if they do allow it, there are strong stipulations. ...more

January 23, 2009

SEBRING — In a closed-door meeting last week, the owners and/or general managers of the top five hotels in this city met privately with new Highlands County administrator Michael Wright to make one request: don't get rid of Rocky Ellingsworth, the Highlands County Sports Complex manager. The hotel owners and managers all told Wright that Ellingsworth is almost single handedly responsible for filling most of their hotel rooms on many off-season weekends because he brings in first-class softball and baseball tournaments. They also said that league and tournament directors who had tournaments at the sports complex have told them they will cancel their tournament dates and hotel accommodations for the fall if Ellingsworth loses his job here. Many of the hotel owners and managers also said they've been told that some tournaments will leave and never come back if Ellingsworth isn't working here, and the teams will travel to whatever new location Ellingsworth works in to hold their weekend tournaments there. ...more

June 30, 2008

The traditional defenders of stronger trade are oddly quiet as voices appealing to discontented workers dominate the presidential debate. ...more

October 10, 2007

I couldn't do it. When the National Geographic Channel reran its award-winning documentary 'Inside 9/11' the other day, I couldn't bring myself to watch it again. ...more

September 9, 2007