What will Pete Warhurst do next? His friends keep asking. Investors want to know. Pretty much anyone else he meets lately wonders about it. ...more

December 20, 2007

Under a bill considered Friday by local state legislators, taxi drivers who ferry passengers around Tampa for the 2009 Super Bowl may face federal background checks but will be free of out-of-state competition. ...more

December 8, 2007

A head-on collision between two pickups on the Hernando County / Sumter County line killed one person and sent several to the hospital, Florida Highway Patrol troopers said. ...more

November 23, 2007

LAKE PLACID — At 8 a.m. last Thursday, paramedic John Dyess and EMT Todd Kreulen parked a Highlands County EMS ambulance at the Tomoka Heights station, unlocked the door and staffed this station for the first time since mid-April. That put county EMS back to its full daily staffing level of eight ambulances, including two in the Lake Placid area. About four hours later, Dyess and Kreulen responded to their first 911 call from the Tomoka station, a former model home just north of Florida Hospital on U.S. 27 South. They reached a patient in respiratory distress in less than five minutes, well within EMS's goal of a six-minute average response time. Steve Coltharp, acting EMS director, said reopening the Tomoka station improves response times not only in the Lake Placid area but also throughout the county. The county's recent hiring of two paramedics and three EMTs solved a manpower shortage that forced EMS to reduce its ambulance crews from eight to seven. ...more

November 13, 2007

The expansive ER is part of a new six-story building that cost $190 million. The ER is equipped to handle sick and injured children, stroke victims, trauma sufferers and people contaminated from biological, radiological and chemical terrorist attacks. ...more

November 6, 2007

SEBRING – You don't need to be a doctor to know that quicker treatment of a heart attack can make a life-or-death difference. Steve Coltharp, Highlands County EMS director, took delivery last week of new, high-tech cardiac monitors that can make such a critical impact. Without a doubt, Coltharp said, lives will be saved by this major upgrade in the heart monitoring equipment which will be carried soon on all Highlands County EMS ambulances. Coltharp's assessment is backed up by Dr. Don Geldart, medical director for county EMS and an emergency room doctor at Florida Hospital's Lake Placid and Wauchula locations. "Absolutely, yes," Geldart answered when asked if the new heart monitors will save lives. ...more

November 5, 2007

An overturned dump truck had traffic backed up for miles on northbound Interstate 75. The accident happened at 9:05 a.m. just north of Big Bend Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Initially, all four northbound lanes were closed. ...more

October 19, 2007

The ambulance stationed at the Lutz Volunteer Fire Department gets so few emergency calls that Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials want to find a better use for it. ...more

October 10, 2007

Two weeks after the former head of a regulatory agency was given $25,000 in severance pay, Hillsborough County commissioners said they need a policy to deal with high-ranking employees who are fired or resign under duress. ...more

September 20, 2007

As the sun rose over our beautiful Lake Placid last Sunday, everyone was there. The American Legion passing out flags in their crisp white shirts. The Greater Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce with CEO Eileen May decked out in shimmering patriotic red. Our first responders, sheriffs, police officers, firemen and women and EMTs in their starched uniforms and shiny patent leather shoes. The fire trucks, squad cars and ambulances were all clean and shiny. The musicians were well rehearsed. The speakers all had carefully, thoughtfully prepared notes and messages. The bagpiper was ready for Amazing Grace. The bugler prepared for Taps. Even Stanford from The Heron's Garden was sporting a red, white and blue tie while setting out complimentary coffee and donuts. Yes, everyone was there. Everyone but you, our community. ...more

September 14, 2007