Gov. Charlie Crist told state agency heads Thursday that he wants construction projects sped up so more money can be pumped into the sluggish state economy. ...more

August 15, 2008

The Florida Department of Corrections plans to add 80 beds to the Avon Park Correctional Institute's work camp, a spokeswoman said. ...more

July 29, 2008

Good-bye summer gas tax holiday. Hello, higher gas taxes. ...more

July 21, 2008

Hernando County's Citizens Advisory Committee has voted unanimously to request the county not shift money away from slated State Road 50 improvements to use on other projects. ...more

July 1, 2008

Five businesses have closed in the last year; storeowners complain of high rent, fees. ...more

June 29, 2008

After more than 20 years of serving as a collection point for the remains of stripped-down junk cars, a private landfill on Kingsway Road is closing. ...more

June 14, 2008

Drivers using one of central Pasco County's busiest intersections could see their travels get complicated this summer. ...more

June 3, 2008

What chutzpah! First the state intrusively reduces local governments' revenues, tacitly accusing them of wasting money. Then it proposes House Bill 683 designed to kill one county's innovative money saving idea – building its own asphalt plant – in order to endear itself to a special interest group. Our leadership should join forces with officials of other counties that either currently do or contemplate doing their own road construction in aggressively fighting this legislation that forces them to use private contractors for non-maintenance roadwork. ...more

January 30, 2008

SEBRING — A proposed state law, introduced for the Legislature's new 2008 session, would shut down most of Highlands County's road building projects, and severely limit the cost-effectiveness of the county's new asphalt plant. That is the assessment of House Bill 683 by Ramon Gavarette, Highlands County Engineer, and Ross Macbeth, attorney for the Highlands County commissioners. The county asphalt plant, which is scheduled to start production this spring, would be the first asphalt plant owned and operated by a local government in Florida. Commissioners have borrowed $3.3 million to build the plant, based on Ken Wheeler, director of the county solid waste department, estimating it will save $700,000 per year on road work. House Bill 683 apparently was pushed by the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida, which tried unsuccessfully to talk the county commissioners out of building the first county-owned asphalt plant in the state. ...more

January 26, 2008

Night-owl drivers will have to find a way around parts of Boyette Road, starting Monday night. ...more

January 19, 2008