Dave Onsted

THE FLORIDA STATE PATROL REPORTS HIGHWAY 70 NEAR COUNTY ROAD 721 EAST OF LAKE PLACID IS STILL BLOCKED AFTER A TRAFFIC INCIDENT AND FATALITY EARLY THIS MORNING. DETAILS AREN’T AVAILABLE YET. HEADING OUT OF HIGHLANDS COUNTY TOWARD OKEECHOBEE ON US98 MAY BE A BETTER CHOICE FOR A FEW HOURS. A SEMI TRUCK TRACTOR TRYING TO Continue reading

DESOTO CITY, LORIDA AND LEISURE LAKES FIRE CREWS RESPONDED TO A REPORTED STRUCTURE FIRE ON ELLIOT ROAD ON LAKE ISTOKPOGA YESTERDAY MORNING. A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM CAUSED THE SCARE. NO INJURIES TO REPORT, BUT A REMINDER – CHECK AND SERVICE THAT FURNACE AND AIR HANDLER, KEEP SPACE HEATERS AWAY FROM WALLS AND DRAPERY, Continue reading

Tuesday’s County Commission meeting should be an interesting one – and a big part of the fireworks will be over a proposed resolution with no legal teeth to it. At the last meeting of the Board, Commissioner Arlene Tuck proposed a resolution declaring Highlands County a Second Amendment Sanctuary County – a symbolic response to Continue reading

It was a great day in Avon Park yesterday for the Highlands Radio Group’s Thanksgiving In The Heartland drive for the New Testament Mission – listeners donated close to $1,200 and a vanload of groceries, blankets, jackets and more for the Mission. Next Thursday, the campaign makes its final stop in Lake Placid. The New Continue reading

It’s mid-November, and that means two traditions in Highlands County are asking for help. One is the Highlands Radio Group’s Annual Thanksgiving in The Heartland drive for the New Testament Mission. WWOJ and Lite FM personalities will be set up today outside Avon Park Bingo, right off the corner of Highway 27 and Main Street Continue reading

The annual frights are back at the Highlands County Humane Society. Beginning tonight, Terror Trail begins its annual run, and the wooded area behind the Humane Society shelter on Heywood Taylor Boulevard will be full of ghosts, goblins and other frights every Friday and Saturday through October. Performances begin at dark each night. Florida Fish Continue reading

Your Sheriff’s Department could use a hand. Highlands County Sheriff’s detectives are seeking help identifying the three other suspects involved in a home invasion robbery in Avon Park on Sept. 6. The alleged ringleader, Latrevieus Dionne Wiley, is in the County lockup on charges related to the robbery on Willie Hawk Avenue. He had three Continue reading

David Flowers is out as Avon Park City Manager effective October 20. Flowers offered his resignation at the Council’s Monday meeting, and it was accepted on a 3-2 vote with Mayor Garrett Anderson and Vice Mayor Jim Bernard voting “no.” Flowers just started the Job in January of this year, and friction with a couple Continue reading

Tonight’s School Board Meeting will probably be the last one you’ll see on streaming video for a while – and you may not get to see much of that. The top-of-the-meeting “Consent Agenda” includes a measure to cease broadcasting the meetings. Assuming it passes, they may kill the feed immediately. The board’s not trying to Continue reading

A brush fire off N. Highlands Blvd. in Avon Park yesterday was blamed on improper disposal of hot coals from a grill. Firefighters from Highlands Lakes VFD and Florida Forest Service responded to that one The small brush fire also ignited the contents of a small 10×10 shed. No injuries reported and an estimated $500 Continue reading