The Latest Local News

Highlands County Sheriff’s officials are thanking the FBI and the Wilson Police Department in North Carolina for picking up a fugitive. Daniel Luis Galarza was charged with attempted first degree murder in connection with a December robbery and shooting in Avon Park. He is being held in the Wilson County jail awaiting extradition. During that Continue reading

Highlands County Commissioner Arlene Tuck continued to call for accountability from the Economic Development Department about the work they are doing to increase business in the county. At this week’s meeting, Tuck asked when the next economic development update was slated before the commission. At a meeting yesterday, local ED officials said they were reviewing Continue reading

Five people were injured, one of them seriously yesterday, when two vehicles came together on Highway 27 and Lakeview Drive just north of Lake Placid. Early reports indicate a sport utility vehicle was coming onto 27 when it collided with a pickup truck. Again, rescue workers had to cut open one of the vehicles to Continue reading

Last week Highlands County sheriff’s deputies busted up a drug trafficking operation with international ties. Now, officials say, they also will be hit with murder charges. The body of 22-year-old Jonathan Diaz was found last week in a shallow grave behind a home on Longview Drive near Sebring. Deputies say he apparently was killed in Continue reading

The search for a missing Highlands County woman has ended tragically, with the discovery of her body in Indian River County. 24-year-old Khadijah Anderson had last been seen a week ago and had been on her way to Lakeland. She never arrived. Sheriff’s officials have released no details, other than to say her car was Continue reading

It appears a solid waste problem in Highlands County may be solved. For a time, the Avon Park wastewater treatment facility had not been able to accept loads from independent contractors, who said they had noplace else to go. Reportedly, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has given The City of Charm the green light Continue reading

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has released their annual county health rankings. In Florida, Highlands came in a bit below average. When it comes to Health Outcomes, Highlands trended down – 38th out of the 67 counties. That’s measured by how long people live and how they feel when they are alive. In Health Factors, Continue reading

A new farm is coming to Highlands County – but they won’t be growing anything. Officials of Duke Energy have announced they plan to put a solar farm in north of Lake Placid. The sprawling 380-acre facility is set to go in off St. John’s Street across from Lake June-in-Winter with some 180,000 tracking solar Continue reading

There was some spirited back-and-forth last night at the Avon Park city council session about plans for utility services to the planned NuCOR steel manufacturing facility that involve the City of Charm. It began with Councilwoman Maria Sutherland expressing her displeasure with plans by Duke Energy to erect 100-foot power poles through the city. Apparently Continue reading

Firefighters from all over the southern portion of Highlands County were called out early this morning to an address south of Lake Placid to extinguish a blaze. Apparently, the mobile home on Melrose Lane had been added onto several times and was fully involved when units arrived on the scene. Tankers had to shuttle water, Continue reading