If the South Florida Water Management District comes up with $1.34 million to buy 180,000 acres from U.S. Sugar, your taxes will go up, says State Rep. Denise Grimsley. ...more

December 28, 2008

All three legislators representing Highlands County have been named to high positions in the Florida Legislature: Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, was appointed last week to what is one of the most powerful positions in the state, chairman of the Senate budget committee. ...more

December 9, 2008

It happens in every election; the candidates spend eye-popping amounts of money to get in - or remain in - an office that pays a relatively small salary. ...more

November 23, 2008

SEBRING — First-term Republican Highlands County Commissioner Barbara Stewart won a second-four-year term Friday afternoon when nobody filed to run against her for the commission seat from the Avon Park district. Meanwhile, state Rep. Denise Grimsley, R- Lake Placid, will have a potentially formidable opponent in her bid for re-election. At 3:30 p.m. Friday, three and a half hours after the noon deadline for certifying candidates, the Florida Division of Elections certfified a potentially formidable independent candidate who goes straight to the November general election. ...more

June 20, 2008

SEBRING – Zane Thomas, who works in the Highlands County planning department, has filed to run for county commissioner. As an independent, Thomas automatically goes into the November general election for the county commission seat held by Guy Maxcy. Maxcy, a Republican, is running for his fifth consecutive four-year term. Thomas unsuccessfully ran two years ago as a Democrat for the state representative's seat held by Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid. ...more

June 18, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County government leaders expect Gov. Charlie Crist and the Legislature to come through on their promise to this and the five other "fiscally constrained" counties. ...more

February 20, 2008

The Heartland Parkway has a pulse again. The state Department of Transportation recently committed $5.5 million to study one segment of the proposed toll highway - the part running through Polk County. ...more

December 29, 2007

SEBRING — The Highlands County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual meeting and public hearing from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 at the Highlands County Commission chambers, 600 S. Commerce. "This hearing is specifically designed to encourage the public to personally address their legislators on their concerns and issues involving state government," said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales. ...more

December 2, 2007

SEBRING — A rumor that he wouldn't run for a third term in the Florida Senate is not true, J.D. Alexander confirmed Wednesday. "I have every intention of running," said Alexander, R-Lake Wales. So far, he's the only candidate who's filed in District 17, but others, including Denise Grimsley, are keeping their eyes on the race. On Nov. 20, the Lakeland Ledger ran a five-paragraph story. "Rumors continue in Tallahassee that Alexander may not run in 2008," the Ledger reported. "Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, and Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid, want to run for the Senate seat if Alexander doesn't run. But they don't want to wait until the week of qualifying in June of 2008 to find out if he is really pulling out. By then it could be too short of time to raise the amount of money needed and to campaign for the Aug. 26 party primary." ...more

November 30, 2007

SEBRING — The ruling of a circuit court judge has removed the property tax relief proposal from the Jan. 29 ballot, but the Legislature has time to reverse that action. ...more

September 26, 2007