The unemployment rate among Latinos is rising faster than the rate for all other workers in the United States, as the steep decline in the construction industry eliminates hundreds of thousands of jobs, according to a national study released Wednesday. ...more

June 5, 2008

In Tuesday May 13's paper on the front page, Jim Konkoly published a very good article titled "Mahoney Outlines Plan To End Recession." The article went on to tell of the talk Mr. Mahoney gave at the homeowners meeting on May 12. At the end of the article he talked about some of the questions that were asked and the answers that Mr. Mahoney gave. A good bit of the Mahoney plan to end the recession was based on putting the people to work in the construction industry. The first question that was asked in the question and answer session was, "How would he keep illegal aliens from taking construction jobs on public infrastructure projects aimed at putting American citizens back to work." The answer given was "We can get this problem fixed, but it cannot be a campaign issue." He said "It's not rocket science, you just have to have the will to do it." ...more

May 17, 2008

Job seekers flock to a local job placement center, where offers are scarcer but staffers remain optimistic. ...more

May 8, 2008

SEBRING — Suspending impact fees is just one of the ideas Highlands County Commissioner Guy Maxcy will propose for a "stimulus package" to jump-start the county's stalled economy. Since Maxcy first proposed suspending both impact fees and building permit fees to get the struggling construction industry going again, people have been giving him additional ideas. At least four of those ideas will be added to Maxcy's plans to suspend impact and building permit fees when he officially presents his "stimulus package" to the county commission. Maxcy said Monday he will ask Edgar Stokes, the chairman of the county commissioners, to schedule his proposed stimulus package as a discussion item at the March 4 commissioners meeting. ...more

February 25, 2008

At what point does a homebuilder's delay in fulfilling his contracts become a criminal offense? ...more

February 13, 2008

Tolbert cites continued housing downturn. ...more

January 29, 2008

County Building Director Grant Tolbert, citing the downturn in the construction industry, announced Monday the layoff of 10 employees in his department. ...more

January 29, 2008

The United States deploys far too many troops in too many places around the world. More worrisome to taxpayers are its plans to keep huge numbers of troops in distant, quiet outposts forever. ...more

January 21, 2008

SEBRING — The Highlands County commissioners appear likely to appoint a citizens advisory committee that will advise them on whether to raise or lower impact fees. Commissioner Don Bates brought the idea up for discussion for the first time at the commissioners' Tuesday meeting. No action was taken, but the five county commissioners agreed to discuss it again at their next meeting, Jan. 22. ...more

January 16, 2008

When David Simon was released from prison in November, he got $100 and a bus ticket home to East Tampa. ...more

January 7, 2008