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The qualifying period for Avon Park’s upcoming city election begins today. Candidates have until 5 p.m. on Friday, August 7th, to file for the mayor’s seat and one city council seat at Avon Park City Hall. Several potential candidates have already picked up qualifying packets, including Mayor Garrett Anderson and Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard. The Continue reading

If you’re driving through the SpringLake community, be sure to slow down. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office says all roads in the district, including the entrance roads and Duane Palmer Boulevard, are now posted at 25 miles per hour. Officials say the change is designed to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and golf cart drivers. Continue reading

A Highlands County judge has halted the August 4th recall election for Avon Park Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard, and Councilwoman Brittany McGuire. Circuit Judge Peter Estrada ruled the recall petition was legally insufficient, saying it failed to identify any specific laws or city charter provisions the officials allegedly violated. As a result, Continue reading

A 300-acre brush fire near Turkey Track Road and County Road 731 in the Venus area was fully contained Tuesday night after crews from Highlands County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service battled the wind-driven blaze for several hours. No homes or buildings were threatened. While smoke and flames remained visible within the containment Continue reading

Highlands County Fire Rescue is expected to ask commissioners today to approve the purchase of two new tanker trucks. The 2026 E-One vehicles, costing more than $2 million, would provide additional water capacity for emergency responses in areas without nearby hydrants and help strengthen fire protection efforts throughout the county. Despite concerns from teachers, the Continue reading

A decision is expected this week following Friday’s hearing over the legal challenge to Avon Park’s recall election. Circuit Judge Peter Estrada has directed attorneys to submit their final written arguments by Tuesday before issuing a ruling. The case centers on whether the wording on recall petitions for Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard, Continue reading

Highlands County Emergency Management and the Public Information Office will host the county’s first Caregivers Preparedness Workshop on Thursday, July 30th from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center in Sebring. The free workshop will help caregivers prepare for emergencies, learn about local resources including Alert Highlands and the Continue reading

A key court hearing is scheduled Friday in the ongoing effort to recall three Avon Park elected officials. A Highlands County judge will hear an emergency motion seeking to stop the August 4th recall election involving Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard, and Councilwoman Brittany McGuire. The motion argues the recall petitions are legally Continue reading

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying a man accused of stealing a truck from Bill Owens Auto Sales in Avon Park. Investigators say the theft happened around 5:17 a.m. on July 1, and the truck was later recovered in Hollywood, Florida. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Continue reading

The two men accused in the April shooting death of a Placid Lakes man are scheduled to appear in Highlands County court Wednesday for their first pre-trial conference. Investigators say 38-year-old Leon Jarrell Simms is accused of fatally shooting 30-year-old Marvin Sholtz Jr. from a pickup truck driven by Andrew Anthony Berry. Both men have Continue reading