The Latest Local News

Highlands and Hardee County sheriff’s deputies combined last night to recover a stolen car and arrest a suspect. Picked up in connection with the incident was Jimmy Ray Jackson. According to reports the 41-year-old Avon Park man was at the wheel of a stolen car that was spotted at the CVS drug store at Highway Continue reading

South Florida State College presidential finalist Fred Hawkins reportedly will start a two-day visit at the school today. On his schedule are a tour of the district, including the Highlands, Hardee and Desoto campuses. Hawkins also will stop by the Lake Placid Center as well as the Hotel Jacaranda. This afternoon at 4:00 Hawkins will Continue reading

Today is Memorial Day and there are observances slated across Highlands County. At 2:00 this afternoon, Memorial Day observances will be held at the Military Sea Services Museum on Roseland Avenue in Sebring. It will be a rare appearance by Congressman Scott Franklin, who will give the keynote address there. This morning an observance was Continue reading

If you use Stryker Road heading across the northern part of the County, good news – it’s open again this morning. Crews completed the culvert work yesterday and Stryker is back open. That said, there IS still sod and driveway work being done to finish the job, so care and caution is in order. And, Continue reading

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