For the first time in 10 years, the Academy of the Holy Names has qualified for the state golf tournament, and the Jaguars pulled it off with one of the youngest teams in school history. ...more

October 27, 2009

Hernando County Sports Briefs (thru 01-18) ...more

January 12, 2009

The Highlands Today endorsement of Sheriff Benton publically acknowledges she "has problems" and in the same article, states the clear fact that "Ron Grimming has a lot to offer Highlands County. It's difficult not to endorse him. He doesn't have a weakness we can see and there are plenty of positives." I find this a bit contradictory. It seems you talk from both sides of your keyboard! ...more

October 28, 2008

As a retired police officer with over 36 years of experience, I feel compelled to voice my concerns regarding the upcoming Sheriff's election. I have followed this race very closely and found that Sheriff Benton willfully misled the public on the evidence issue. The missing evidence is extremely disturbing to me because as Mike Rowan so aptly said during the primary, "the evidence room is the integrity of the Sheriff's Department." When the original 13-page Newell report was submitted our sheriff missed a golden opportunity to stand up as a leader, acknowledge the problems and move towards resolving evidence issues. Instead she attempted to cover up this report. When the report surfaced, she misrepresented Mr. Newell's work and damaged his reputation in a public forum. ...more

October 26, 2008

Highlands County Sheriff Susan Benton compared past issues with evidence handling to "a tidal wave that drowned us." ...more

October 22, 2008

Berkeley Prep girls golf coach Tom Shea knows his team can play much better than it did during Tuesday's Class 1A-Region 5 tournament. The good news is, Shea's team will get a chance to do so next week. ...more

October 22, 2008

A second-place finish sends Berkeley Prep to next week's state tournament at The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland. ...more

October 21, 2008

Recently I received in the mail a red-on-white circular. In red letters it said "Evidence Scandal Erupts." It credits Stephen Newell with disclosing information about the operation of the Highlands County Sheriff's Department. I have two questions for Mr. David Murell, (Police Benevolent Association) PBA executive director. What does the state director of the PBA have to do with county operations (politics?) How can this be in any manner considered benevolence? ...more

October 18, 2008

Sheriff Susan Benton's office has completed an inventory of about 8,000 evidence items, said the office's attorney, Mike Durham. ...more

October 8, 2008

Reference is made to the Sept. 12 article in which the sheriff's attorney, Mike Durham, described the leader of a controversial evidence audit as "a disgruntled former employee." If Mr. Newell was a disgruntled part-time employee of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, it is apparently the first time in his reported 34 year career as a law enforcement officer that he had been, as described, "disgruntled." ...more

September 21, 2008