The job cuts made at the Byrd Alzheimer's center helped save the troubled institute $2 million, but they won't be enough to sustain the enterprise for long, the center's chief executive officer told his board of directors today. ...more

October 20, 2008

Integrity is the most important quality of any human being to possess, especially politicians. Trust of the people is imperative! As a former mayor and city councilman for the city of Sebring and a member of the sheriff's rescue unit, I know how important it is to have a leader that you can trust. Three out of four of our children are in law enforcement: Major Mark Sauls, Sgt. Monica Sauls and Agent Gene Sauls Jr. of I.C.E. We the people expect and deserve honesty. I supported and voted for Susan Benton during the last election. I had high hopes that she would have the vision and integrity to make the needed changes in the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. Some of the changes she has effected have made a difference; higher salaries for the troops, some new technology, more deputies on the road. What she did was what should have been done. Nothing new or spectacular, simply what needed to be done. ...more

October 16, 2008

office. She took office in 2000, started working in the elections office when she was 17 and served as assistant supervisor of elections for seven years. ...more

October 14, 2008

Now that the bailout bill has been signed and the new players are being hired to make this plan work, my question is, will they be paid the obscene salaries that were enjoyed in the past? If the American taxpayers are now their employers, and I am one of them, I want to see exactly what they are being offered in the way of salary. ...more

October 7, 2008

As anyone who knows anything about K-12 education realizes, a school with an indecisive or less-than-fully competent principal soon finds itself in a bad way. Principals who don't have good assistants, especially at the high school level, will have a hard time doing their jobs. This is why the Pasco County School District is trying to lure more people into its slightly shallow pool of potential principals and assistant principals. ...more

October 1, 2008

When a member of the public addressed the Spring Hill fire board Wednesday clutching a copy of the proposed labor agreement, the chairman wanted to know how it wound up in his hands. ...more

September 27, 2008

The University of South Florida took control of the troubled Johnnie B. Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute this summer, and on Wednesday it announced that 19 of the center's 71 workers have been laid off, most of them administrators. The cuts will save the center $2 million a year, roughly 40 percent in salaries and benefits. ...more

September 25, 2008

After assuming control of the troubled Byrd Alzheimer's center in July, the University of South Florida laid off 19 of its workers today, most of whom are administrators USF says it can no longer afford. ...more

September 24, 2008

Where Do All TheTax Dollars Go? I am a mother of two, one in high school and one in elementary. My concern is I'm sure, like most parents every year, our taxes have gone up, and every year the school supply lists get bigger and longer. Also, there are now lab fees for my son in high school that are mandatory to pay now. I am sure we're not the only family feeling the cost of living going up considerably this year along with gas prices and groceries prices as well. ...more

August 27, 2008

AVON PARK - Churches and non-profit groups in the City of Charm will have to fork over more money for their fire protection after the council voted 4-1 to charge them 75 percent of the institutional rate for the city's fire assessment. This means that churches will have to pay 50 percent more to the city's fire department through the annual assessment than it did last year, when they were charged 50 percent of the institutional rate. Homeowners will still pay $165, while commercial and nursing home rates were unchanged. ...more

August 25, 2008