Uncategorized

Avon Park city council members will gather for a special meeting this evening. They again will take a look at the possibility of revamping Main Street. The plan, presented by Renaissance Planning already has had a couple of hearings. Among other things, it involves reverse angle parking, chicanes and the narrowing of the roadway to Continue reading

A new memorial may be coming to Avon Park. The effort apparently started after representatives of the Battle of the Bands Inc, were asked to remove a first responders’ flag from the Veterans Memorial on the mile-long mall. They were told it ran afoul of the dedicated purpose of Veteran’s Square. Council members told organization Continue reading

An arrest incident yesterday turned into a fatal shooting. It happened in Spring Lake as Highlands County Sheriff’s Deputies went to the Concord Street home of 63-year-old Bradley Frank Begens. According to reports, the fugitive offender had multiple active arrest warrants against him and would not answer the door. Deputies breached the house and reportedly Continue reading

It will be a lot of housekeeping work for Avon Park city council members when they meet in regular session this evening. They’ll look at final approval for ordinances on docks, boat houses accessory structures and fences. They’ll also hear a handful of requests for code enforcement lein reductions. In other action, new Avon Park Continue reading

Officials from Highlands County’s tourism sector yesterday unrolled their proposal for the addition of another cent to the local tourist tax. Apparently, they are looking to expand the county’s ballfield complex, and want to add yet another tourism asset, described as a "multi-use facility." Although the ballfields generate only about a third of what it Continue reading

Overriding objections of Highlands County Commissioner Don Elwell, the board of commissioners agreed by consensus to pursue another penny on the dollar tax on tourists visiting Highlands County. Elwell had objected to the lack of a plan for the money, noting that if a facility were built, tourists might pay for construction – however, local Continue reading

An Avon Park Middle School teenager was killed yesterday when he was hit by a train. 13-year-old Malik K. Pearson was struck by a northbound Amtrak passenger train. It happened after school near the Bell Street crossing. Apparently, Pearson was walking by the tracks near Feagin Avenue when he was hit. So far there’s no Continue reading

An Avon Park couple reportedly were killed in a weekend traffic crash in Glades County. Florida Highway Patrol reports say the 72-year-old man was on a motorcycle north on State Road 29 with a rider, when a sport utility vehicle driven by a Melbourne woman went left of center and slammed head-on into the bike. Continue reading

It’s been 80 years and tens of thousands of miles, but the remains of a local World War II veteran finally are coming home. 2nd Lieutenant Pharis E Weekly was shot down during a mission he was flying with the 93rd Bombardment Group. Modern technology was able to identify his remains at a mass grave Continue reading

It appears that the scrambling for a president for South Florida State College is over. Officials at the SFSC Board of Trustees yesterday announced Osceola County state lawmaker Fred Hawkins as the only finalist to be their president. The 55-year-old Hawkins represents the 42nd District in St. Cloud in the Florida House. He first was Continue reading