The Highlands County Health Department (HCHD) would like to respond to a letter written to the editor on Oct. 29 about "free dental care." ...more

November 5, 2009

two bills that deal with court funding and are now before the Florida Legislature. ...more

March 28, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist lived up to his promise to protect Florida's most vulnerable citizens by vetoing cuts in line items 128 and 129 in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Budget. ...more

February 5, 2009

Nine years ago, the Alzheimer's Association spearheaded the designation of Feb. 6 as "Florida Alzheimer's Day." This day, approved by the Florida Legislature, is to raise public awareness about the disease and to dedicate this day to persons and families coping with Alzheimer's. ...more

February 5, 2009

Deputy Jim Powers circled the house, banging on windows and doors. He was trying to determine if anyone was home after a neighbor called authorities to say the homeowner hadn't picked up his paper from the driveway recently. ...more

January 22, 2009

The state of Florida is facing an unprecedented budget crisis. Our lawmakers will be meeting in special session in early January, where they will need to make difficult decisions to address the pressing needs of our state. One area of the budget under consideration is the Medicaid hospice benefit. Because of that, I am writing on behalf of some of our most vulnerable citizens, the terminally ill and their families that receive dedicated end of life care from hospice organizations across the state. The demographics of hospice patients might surprise you. Along with our aging population and cancer patients, hospice organizations also care for children, teens, young and middle-aged adults, heart disease patients, Alzheimer's patients and kidney disease patients. Anyone of any age diagnosed with a terminal illness is able to receive hospice care, where healthcare professionals and trained volunteers address all medical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. ...more

December 30, 2008

The family of former Gov. Lawton Chiles said they will sue state leaders if they decide to raid the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund for children and seniors in an attempt to balance the budget. ...more

December 7, 2008

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is preparing to turn their back on the children of Florida. ...more

September 6, 2007