SEBRING — The first asphalt plant owned and operated by a local government in Florida's history is under construction at the Highlands County Waste Management's 1,000-acre landfill. Ken Wheeler, director of the county's solid waste management department, said the plant should go into production by late June or early July. Asphalt paving costs are expected to be reduced between 10 to 20 percent at the plant, which will also add several forms of recycling to Highlands County's waste disposal system. First, methane gas, produced by garbage decomposing underground at the landfill, will no longer be burned off by flares. Instead, the gas will be used as the fuel to run the asphalt plant. ...more

June 10, 2008

SEBRING — Equestrian enthusiasts and people who enjoy peace and quiet will enjoy a new development in rural Highlands County. Saddle Ridge is the first of its kind — an equestrian development that is also "green." The 1,200-acre development, near the western edge of the county between Sebring and Lake Placid, will offer 10-acre to 18-acre parcels for homes and horse farms, and will ultimately have 96 homesteads. Because of the large lot size and their agricultural zoning, many of the homesteads will be eligible for significant breaks in property taxes. ...more

February 18, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY One person's trash is another person's artwork. ...more

January 29, 2008

One person's trash is another person's artwork. That's true each February when high-school-age teens compete in the Art of Recycling, showing off their creativity, promoting reusable resources and vying for monetary rewards and other prizes. ...more

January 26, 2008

Licensed drivers are invited to vie for a $1,200 purse at the Pasco County Fair's inaugural demolition derby Feb. 24, the last day of the seven-day 61st annual fair. ...more

January 9, 2008

The outside of the little white Clay Sink Baptist Church makes for a pretty sight, but it's the sanctuary interior that literally shines, especially for people who love historic buildings. ...more

December 26, 2007

In the architectural renderings, Prime Meridian Center is 20 stories of cool blue arched glass, banded with strips of precast concrete the color of sand. ...more

December 12, 2007

In the ongoing saga of whether Pasco County should approve at least the first phase of a proposed composting landfill in its eastern frontier, the time has come to add another anagram to the alphabet soup that so far has dominated the opposition. Thus, without delay, do we add MYOB - mind your own beeswax - to the thrum of NIMBY percussionists. ...more

December 5, 2007

SEBRING –– There is both good and disappointing news regarding the condition of the 1,200 miles of roads maintained by Highlands County. First, the good news. The county will resurface 25 miles of roadways, eight more than last year, in the new fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. The disappointing news: At least 30 miles, and preferably 40 miles, should be resurfaced each year to keep the county road system in top shape, according to Brian Miller, the county's road construction inspector. There is also hope for expanding county road maintenance in future years, if Ken Wheeler's optimism about the county's asphalt plant bears out. In May, Highlands County is scheduled to open the state's first government owned asphalt plant at the county landfill. Wheeler, the county's director of solid waste, has predicted a cost of $69 per ton for paving with asphalt from that plant, $13 per ton less than the county's current contract price of $82 per ton. ...more

October 29, 2007