SEBRING — Ever since a citizens advisory committee on impact fees was proposed, one rumor has swirled around it – that some members would recommend suspending impact fees as a financial incentive to kick start the sluggish building industry. That rumor never was verified, but it doesn't matter now. Suspending impact fees, and suspending building permit fees, too, will be discussed openly at the top level of county government as a means to lift up the local economy. County Commissioner Guy Maxcy guaranteed that will happen Tuesday when he brought the idea up at the county commission meeting. ...more

February 19, 2008

SEBRING – The persistence of one man looks like it will pay off in an additional tax break for Highlands County's 1,500 low-income, senior-citizen homeowners. Frank Parker got the proverbial cold shoulder from the Highlands County Commission in November when he asked commissioners to raise the "Save Our Seniors" homesteaded tax exemption from $5,000 to $50,000 for seniors meeting federal household low-income thresholds. ...more

February 13, 2008

Monday morning, a manatee named Hurricane experienced something he hadn't seen in his 24 years: open water. ...more

February 11, 2008

The week that voters overwhelmingly voted to approve Amendment 1, the switchboard at the county's property appraiser's office went wild. ...more

February 9, 2008

Durant High School's drama department, under the direction of Edward Mason, will present "Pillow Talk" at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the school's auditorium, 4748 Cougar Path. ...more

February 4, 2008

Low-income seniors who applied for the Senior Citizens' Homestead Exemption program should know today if they will get an even deeper cut to their property taxes. ...more

January 30, 2008

Amendment 1 passage would give them deeper tax cut. ...more

January 29, 2008

In the annals of "Boy, what the ^%$#@ was I thinking?" this probably ranks up there with Nick Nolte saying, "Sure, I'll have one more for the road," and Richard Nixon musing, "An Oval Office taping system, what a great idea!" ...more

January 24, 2008

City Councilman Luis Lopez ended his 32-day hunger strike Thursday with a few bites of a simple boxed lunch from East Pasco Meals on Wheels. ...more

January 4, 2008

This week's Smackdown pits Tampa Bay running backs coach Art Valero against defensive backs coach Raheem Morris to determine who is ''The Best Assistant Coach.'' The winner receives some well-deserved recognition for their coaching abilities. ...more

December 28, 2007