The trouble caused by the patas monkeys that escaped Lex Salisbury's rural Polk County exotic animal park in April has extended beyond the mostly unsuccessful effort to recapture the wily primates. ...more

May 31, 2008

Signs of increasing risk along the shore are apparent from space. Satellite photos released by NOAA show steady development of coastal lands between Texas and North Carolina. ...more

May 5, 2008

Leave it to Florida Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham to come up with a way to reform growth planning without the impossible demands of Hometown Democracy. ...more

February 16, 2008

Despite winning the latest skirmish over a proposed apartment complex, residents aren't claiming victory. ...more

January 23, 2008

County commissioners will play musical chairs prior to the start of their Land Use Hearing on Wednesday as a new chairman and seconds-in-command are chosen. ...more

January 9, 2008

Agenda also includes large retail project. ...more

January 8, 2008

SEBRING — County and state officials have no control over when Highlands County's home building industry will recover. That depends on whether the economy keeps slumping or starts jumping. But government officials will control where the the new development occurs, and that's at the heart of the county commissioners' pending adoption of what the state calls "urban services boundaries." Commissioners laid the groundwork this week to do just that before the end of this month, with a few twists. ...more

December 13, 2007

Last year, the inclusion of Hickory Hill on a county government agenda was guaranteed to pack in emotional crowds. ...more

December 12, 2007

Despite several unresolved issues, the county commission on Tuesday agreed to send the state a plan to achieve school concurrency. ...more

November 7, 2007

SEBRING — The county's long-running dispute with the state over development plans in Highlands County should be settled by mid October. At stake is final state approval that would allow: * Development of 4,637 acres; * Construction of 6,438 housing units, broken down into 4,537 single family homes, 192 mobile homes and 1,739 multi-family units; * Commercial projects totaling 5.1 million square feet; and * Industrial/warehouse projects totaling 5.9 million square feet. That is the total potential growth within 42 large-scale amendments to the Highlands County Comprehensive Plan which were approved by county commissioners in 2004, 2005 and 2006 but not yet approved by the Florida Department of Community Affairs. DCA recently sent the county a final settlement offer to approve all of those comp plan amendments. County commissioners will vote on DCA's settlement offer following a public hearing at their Oct. 16 meeting. ...more

September 30, 2007