SEBRING — Going to build a new church? The impact fee has gone up another 5 percent, according to a new schedule released by the Highlands County building official's office. The charge is now $1,528 per 1,000 square feet. Last year, impact fees were adopted at 25 percent of the amount Highlands County commissioners plan to eventually charge on new homes and commercial buildings. In September, the five board members decided not to raise impact fees for 2008, then changed their minds a week later and went to 30 percent. ...more

January 16, 2008

A booming membership has forced a local gym to get a lot bigger. ...more

January 13, 2008

A recent assignment for the creative writing club I belong to was to prepare a story describing a job we had while in high school. Even though that was so very long ago, I still possess vivid memories. ...more

December 28, 2007

Watching Matt Cicanese dive is like watching a major-league ballplayer hit a home run. The movements are synchronized and appear effortless, as if in slow motion. ...more

December 28, 2007

In reading Mr. Herbert's column, from his clues, I determined that I lived in the gated community he was describing. Even more amazing was to discover that Mr. Herbert and I had both moved into the community in 2002. If Mr. Herbert didn't receive a copy of the covenants (deed restrictions for the community) at the time of his move-in, he definitely became aware of them a year ago when the residents voted on the revised covenants which clarified, strengthened and put more restrictions in place in this deed-restricted community. ...more

December 27, 2007

Watching the children skip across the church parking lot, singing "Jesus loves me, this I know," it's easy to forget where they come from, said Brandon resident Jo Powell. ...more

December 12, 2007

The Tampa Code Enforcement Division likely will start fining owners of two New Tampa houses that are in foreclosure and the subject of a lawsuit by a group of South Florida investors who say they were defrauded into overpaying for the houses. ...more

December 12, 2007

Watching the children skip across the church parking lot, singing "Jesus loves me, this I know," it's easy to forget where they come from, said Brandon resident Jo Powell. ...more

December 10, 2007

PLANT CITY - For more than 40 years, the Plant City Family YMCA building at 502 E. Young St. has offered programs for children. That era is coming to an end on Dec. 31. ...more

November 27, 2007

Standing on the edge of a swimming pool gone bad, public health worker Jeremy Tamargo scoops up a sample of murky, brown water to make sure the mosquito treatment he administered earlier is still working. ...more

November 22, 2007