Acting on a tip from Highlands County Sheriff’s officials, Lakeland Police and Polk County sheriff’s deputies yesterday captured Doranda Jo Ussery. The 24-year-old Avon Park woman was found holed up in a Lakeland motel room. She has been wanted in connection with an incident at the Lake Wales Wal-Mart, where she allegedly sprayed mace at Continue reading
Barry Foster
News Update for 10/10/19
Residents have been asking about increased air traffic in the area. Thedy’re right. Officials at the Avon Park Air Force Range have confirmed that they are in the middle of a large training exercise. The activity is slated to run through the end of the month. You may be seeing cars on trailers today as Continue reading
News Update for 10/9/19
It was a short meeting for the Highlands County School Board last night. After sitting through an afternoon workshop on insurance, they breezed through their regular session in less than an hour. Board members learned that new state mandates have ordered that they must have a policy on the administration of medical marijuana on campus. Continue reading
NEWS 10/8/19
More than 100 people turned out last night at the Sebring Middle School to hear Florida Chancellor for K-12 Public Education Jacob Oliva about new provisions from Governor Ron Desantis that will do away with the Common Core instructional. Some came from Polk County and from as far away as Naples to participate. It was Continue reading
News Update for 10/7/19
Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Chancellor Jacob Oliva are due in Highlands County tonight. It’s the kickoff of their state-wide tour to hear from the public about the Florida State Standards. The session will be held at Sebring Middle School commons. Doors will open at 5:00. In January, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Continue reading
News Update for 10/4/19
It looks like Avon Park City Clerk Kimberly Gay will be running the City of Charm – at least for the foreseeable future. The city council last night promoted her to interim city manager after Mark Schrader turned down the post. Council had offered the former Highlands County undersheriff the interim position after they dismissed Continue reading
News Update for 10/3/19
The agenda for Avon Park’s special city council meeting tonight just keeps growing. Originally, it had been set to waive the background check and hiring process for Mark Schader. The former Highlands County undersheriff has accepted an invitation to act as city manager in the City of Charm. Now, council members will look at approval Continue reading
News Update for 10/2/19
Avon Park Mayor Garrett Anderson has called for a special city council meeting tomorrow night. The council is expected to suspend the hiring process and background check for Mark Schrader. They note the former Highlands County Undersheriff underwent that scrutiny when he applied for the city manager’s job last year. Schrader yesterday accepted a nomination Continue reading
News Update for 10/1/19
NEWS 10/1/19 BF FLOWERS AXED By a 3-2 margin, the Avon Park city council last night voted to immediately terminate city manager David Flowers, instead of letting him work on and make a transition to a new manager. They did, however, vote to pay him through the end of November as severance, noting that he Continue reading
News Update for 9/30/19
Avon Park city council members will meet tonight to decide what to do next after the departure of current city manager David Flowers. Flowers offered to step down last week – a move which was accepted by a 3-2 vote. Councilman Jim Barnard and Mayor Garrett Anderson attempted to retain him. The council will look Continue reading