I am appalled that Mr. Grimming has employed the PBA to slander and misrepresent the facts regarding Sheriff Benton. Mr. Grimming was hired as director of the Florida Highway Patrol because the PBA lobbied for his hiring. Mr. Grimming has been in bed with the PBA for many, many years. While Mr. Grimming was the director of FHP, he was instrumental in a movement to regulate the sheriff's offices in Florida to nothing more than a processing agency. This aroused the ire of the sheriff's association, and immense political pressure was brought against the governor, cabinet and some legislators, by the Sheriff's association, and the movement was stopped. Because of the above political pressure, Mr. Grimming was only the director of the Florida Highway Patrol for just over four years. In other words he was asked to resign, or (you fill in the blank.) ...more

November 4, 2008

Truancy is more than a student and school problem, retired educator Gabriel Read believes, it's a community problem that will take a united effort of counties and individuals to toughen the state's truancy law. ...more

October 24, 2008

Dear Editor: In 2007, the Florida Legislature amended section 393.0661, Florida Statues, to implement a four-tiered waiver system to serve clients with developmental disabilities in the DD and Family and Supported Living Waivers. ...more

October 19, 2008

Well, the Congress passed the bailout bill, sweetened with $150 billion extra to get malingering representatives, needing something other than duty to their country, to vote for the bill. The bill now totals $850 billion. ...more

October 5, 2008

Democrat Elton Gissendanner said a major focus of his race against two-term Republican incumbent Denise Grimsley for the District 77 state representative's seat is redeeming politics from the heavy influence of lobbyists and special interests. ...more

September 29, 2008

The recapture rule associated with the Save Our Homes will cut into or eliminate savings. ...more

September 24, 2008

Highlands County Commissioner Guy Maxcy asked an interesting question at this week's meeting where next year's budget was approved. He asked if anyone in the audience thought they received tax relief from the governor or the legislature last year. All that was heard was a groan from the large crowd. That is a perfect example of how the Legislature and governor have passed the buck to local governments, claiming they are cutting taxes, when in fact they are not. ...more

September 19, 2008

Florida's Board of Governors and others routinely criticize the Bright Futures scholarship program. ...more

September 16, 2008

At 33, John Legg considers himself a sapling in an old-growth forest. Never mind his two elections to the state Legislature nor, counting his days as an aide to then-state Rep. Heather Fiorentino, that he has spent nearly a third of his life racing around the corridors of power in Tallahassee. ...more

September 12, 2008

A deadly American-led raid on a Pakistani village embarrassed the government and eroded support for the pro-U.S. presidential front-runner Thursday just two days before the election. ...more

September 5, 2008