I have watched the political landscape very closely this year, especially the sheriff's race. I have a concern for candidate Ron Grimming. First of all, he has lived in our county only two years and at the helm of the FHP lasted only four years, 1993-1997. Referred to as the first outsider when hired for this job, Grimming had the opportunity to respond to a reporter with the St. Pete Times after leaving office in regards to the criticism of his leadership. This researcher-reporter mentioned Grimming's "innovative attempts to modernize the FHP and splintering its focus, his weakening performance and his alienating of command staff." The writer gave Mr. Grimming three opportunities to respond, but he preferred not to defend this record of bringing in helicopters, community policing squadrons, a car theft hotline, taking troopers off the road and putting them in special units, angering Florida sheriffs. ...more

September 27, 2008

A woman who was looking at her cell phone while driving drifted across traffic and crashed into another car, seriously injuring the driver, the Florida Highway Patrol reported. ...more

September 27, 2008

Regarding Mr. Garcia's letter to the editor in Friday's Highlands Today, dated Sept. 19, where he states Mr. Grimming brought the FHP into the 21st century, let me tell you my experience with this modern organization. While driving on I-4, heading north for a vacation, we lost the tread on the left inside rear tire on our motor home. I pulled off onto the shoulder and was attempting to get the jack under the axle when I was stung some 25 times by fire ants. A state trooper pulled up and wanted to know if we were OK? Handing him my Good Sam Road Side Assistance card, I asked if he could have his dispatcher call the number on the card. I also told him Good Sam policy was to have someone here to help within 30 minutes. The trooper had a good laugh at that but did ask the dispatcher to call the toll free number. ...more

September 22, 2008

Mark Darling's recent guest column, "In Defense of Sheriff Benton," is not a defense of the sheriff, but rather a diversion from issues. Darling, who will ramble to anyone who will listen to him, is friends with Sheriff Benton and former FHP command personnel who retired or were demoted during an internal affairs investigation. Mr. Darling doesn't even know Ron Grimming. Sour grapes and dirty politics? You bet! ...more

September 19, 2008

A Sebring woman and her passengers sustained minor injuries Monday in a head-on collision on State Road 50, which left the passenger in the other car dead and its driver in critical condition, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. ...more

September 3, 2008

A Zephyrhills man died Sunday night after he allegedly drove off from a minor hit-and-run crash in Pasco County, the Florida Highway Patrol says. ...more

September 1, 2008

Two people died Sunday morning in a collision between a car and a wrecker at the Pasco County intersection of U.S. 41 and Carson Drive, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a release Monday. ...more

September 1, 2008