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A Polk County woman is accused of robbing the place she used to work. Lakeland Police announced yesterday that Iesha Williams was arrested for robbing the McDonald’s where she used to work on South Florida Ave. Police say she wore a mask, but employees recognized her anyway. She was found about half-an-hour later and arrested. Continue reading

Three weeks of painstaking juror qualification wrapped up on Friday for the Stephen Xaver sentencing trial. Friday afternoon concluded with the successful selection of 14 jurors. Xaver pled guilty and was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder. The sentencing trial is set to begin this morning more than 5 years after the execution style Continue reading

A traffic stop for illegal tint led to a high-speed chase in Zolfo Springs on Wednesday. The chase ended when Hardee County Deputies deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle as it travelled the wrong way down US 17. Nelson Tyrone Lee of Wauchula was arrested on multiple charges including possession of a large amount Continue reading

A couple has been arrested after being found with more than a kilo of cocaine. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Unit made the arrests after a traffic stop on Hwy 27, near Stryker Road in Avon Park late Tuesday night. Detectives pulled over 45-year-old Noel Hernandez-Alvarez and his passenger, Luz Maria Carrasquillo-Figuero, both Continue reading

Fire rescue crews and Florida Forest Service were dispatched to a brush fire off Grace Lane in Sebring late yesterday afternoon. In a 9:00 PM update, Highlands County Fire Rescue has reported that the brush fire has been contained at 6.5 acres. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. The Florida Forest Service Continue reading

A search is still underway for a man accused of violently attacking a woman in Winter Haven. Police say the victim told officers that Randy Leon Gillis hit her in the face and strangled her until she lost consciousness last Friday. The woman was sent to the hospital with serious injuries. Gillis took the victim’s Continue reading

A cyclist was struck on US 27 Friday morning, when the rider tried crossing from a shoulder by a Schooner’s BBQ Shack driveway- toward a turn lane meant for southbound traffic. A woman driving a gray Dodge Charger was not successful in evading the rider and hit the cyclist. Several motorists were able to block Continue reading

A burn ban is now pretty well universal around our neck of the woods – yesterday, Glades County joined Highlands and Hardee County is banning any open fires without a state permit. It’s dry – the State Patrol is still issuing traffic advisories for that blaze near Bowling Green they got under control the other Continue reading

Had enough of brushfire season yet? Yesterday afternoon, residents in the Blue Moon, Moon River Avenue and Jack Weissner Boulevard in Sun N Lakes Estates south of Lake Placid got evacuated from their homes for a while because of a flareup in the Sunflower Drive area … Highlands County Fire Rescue and the state Forestry Continue reading

The City of Avon Park released a notice of collective bargaining May 23rd in regards to the labor negotiations for the Avon Park Professional Firefighters Association, Local 3132 that began 2 years ago with former City Manager Mark Schrader. The process has been slow and was further impeded by Schrader’s removal earlier this month. Negotiations Continue reading