Today through Saturday should prove to be the best fishing days of this month due to the full moon, which happens on Friday at 4:37 p.m. It will be the strongest of full moons because the moon is closest to the earth on the same day. ...more

December 10, 2008

The boat ramps at lakes Verona and Lotela were both re opened last Wednesday after they were damaged in washouts, city Risk Manager Kathy Bennett said. ...more

July 31, 2008

The recent rains might make it a little easier for you to float a boat in some of the lakes, but for lakes Verona and Lotela, the ways in and out of the lakes have literally been washed away. ...more

July 12, 2008

Since its creation, I've been an active participant in each of the Lake Denton Committee meetings. It's been my shared opinion with others, this issue revolves around overcrowding at the boat ramp by scuba divers seeking certification, a lack of parking space in the immediate neighborhood for them, and some of the illicit and/or illegal activities that too often occurs in secluded areas. Working together, committee members, county employees and several other concerned people have developed a short-term plan that will reopen Lake Denton to the public. I'm glad to say they've made a lot of progress and presented the proposals to the Board of County Commissioners. However, I am very much opposed to one particular aspect of the committee's recommendation. In order to pay for (or at least offset) the costs of improvements and needed personnel, a per diver fee of $25 per day was agreed upon. This amount, after much discussion by the divers present, was deemed to be reasonable and a customary cost incurred as part of their normal certification process. This fee would be waived for the instructors and "Dive Masters" present. ...more

January 6, 2008

It sounds like someone didn't do his or her homework regarding Lake Denton. And if that's true, the county is in a bad situation. If it is, it's because too much was done too quickly regarding closing the lake without enough research. Lake Denton has been closed for several months after complaints from residents living on the lake prompted the Highlands County Commission to take action. Commissioners voted to temporarily close the boat ramp and restrict access for scuba divers, boaters, swimmers, etc. Residents complained that the weekend visitors to Lake Denton were clogging the road, stripping off their clothes, openly going to the bathroom, having sex and just about everything else imaginable. Most divers, swimmers and other visitors claimed that was nonsense, that perhaps a few people did bad things, but overall, visitors were well behaved. They argued that it was an law enforcement issue. ...more

December 30, 2007