Dave Onsted

Halloween weekend is here, and there’s no excuse for a hungry goblin. Avon Park and Sebring announced official Trick Or Treat hours this year as Saturday night from 6 till 9, but that’s just one chance at free munchies. The Downtown Sebring Halloween on The Circle is tonight, Sun N Lake of Sebring has their Continue reading

It’s Election Day. Kind of. Early Voting starts today in Highlands County, and runs through Saturday, November 3. If you’re ready, registered and prepped, the usual early-voting places are open from 8:30 till 4:30 today – The Kenilworth Operations Center south of Sebring High School, the Avon Park Council Chambers, and the Lake Placid Town Continue reading

The annual Florida Back to School Sales Tax Holiday is officially on for today through Sunday. It means MOST of the items parents need for back to school are tax free. “Most,” as in sneakers for $60 and under – sorry, no hundred dollar Nikes, kids. Back packs, lunch boxes, clothing, notebooks and the like Continue reading

Sun N Lake commuters saw what looked worse than it turned out yesterday afternoon just east of the golf course, as a 2005 GMC Yukon flipped over on the westbound shoulder of Sun ’n Lake Boulevard. The driver and his family were maneuvering through an afternoon rainstorm when the driver told deputies his steering locked Continue reading

The report cards are in for the Highlands County Schools from the past year, and … we’re average – most schools scored a "C" in the Florida Accountability scores from the state Department of Education. All three public High Schools scored a "C" – same as last year, Hill Gustat Middle School imrpoved from a Continue reading

If you noticed a lot of activity around the two local hospitals yesterday, don’t worry – the flurry of activity was only a drill. Both Highlands Regional Medical Center, Florida Hospital and other local organizations including the School Board "practiced" for what they’d do in the case of a serious wreck involving a school bus. Continue reading

The Spring Lake residential district south of Sebring on Highway 98 finally has a backup water source. Last week, the District’s Board signed the papers to buy the water treatment plant portion of the old power and water plant on Heywood Taylor Boulevard near the racetrack west of Spring Lake. District officials say it’ll be Continue reading

The state Health Department thinks they have the virus nailed than caused last week’s outbreak of nausea, the sweats and worse at Camp Cloverleaf, but where it came from is still a question. The Norovirus is a very contagious bug – it can be communicated any number of ways … contaminated food or water is Continue reading

Summer Camp is supposed to be fun – but it turned scary for a bunch of kids last week at a 4H Camp south of Lake Placid. 33 campers from 8 to 15 years old and three adults from Camp Cloverleaf headed for the hospital after a mysterious illness gave campers and staff headaches, vomiting Continue reading

Deputy Sherriff William Gentry’s name figued prominently again yesterday, this time among the longer list of the fallen and passed, at the annual Peace Officers’ Memorial Day ceremony at the Highlands County Government Center. The morning program featured reading of the names of the twelve Florida officers lost during 2017, color guard from the VFW Continue reading