The Latest Local News

Following a two day search, Highlands County Sheriff’s officials say 16-year-old Larry Huffman has been found. The Avon Park youth apparently was located yesterday. Authorities have declined to say where he was, or what he may have been doing. They only indicate he was found and is safe. Sheriff’s divers spent two days combing Lake Continue reading

Highlands County sheriff’s divers are out in Lake Verona again today. Reportedly, they are looking to see if 16-year-old Larry Huffman may have drown there. The Avon Park youth has been missing for better than a day and there have been reports he might have run into the water near Donaldson Park. Sheriffs officials remind Continue reading

A couple of grand openings are planned for this weekend. First, will be the Champion for Children’s Theater on the Circle in Downtown Sebring. Longtime resident and musician Harry Havery has taken over management of the facility, and has planned an ongoing series of entertainment in both free and ticketed events. The first will be Continue reading

Here are the upcoming road projects as reported by the Florida Department of Transportation; HIGHLANDS COUNTY US 27 from Glades County line to Polk County line: Maintenance contract project: Crews will be mowing and picking up litter along US 27 northbound and southbound from the Glades County line to the Polk County line. Please watch Continue reading

The last of the trio of WaWa stores in Highlands County opened this morning. The location, on Highway 27 across from AdVent Health of Sebring has the same kinds of offers as the first two – including free coffee and free T-shirts for the first visitors. The doors will opened at 8:00 with grand opening Continue reading

It appears a lot of stuff is going down the drain in Avon Park. Utilities Director Rick Reed told city council members that people have been flushing baby wipes, rags and other such things down the commode and gumming up the system. He said installing a new headworks at the municipal wastewater treatment plant would Continue reading

A new report by Smartest Dollar shows that when it comes to pay, local first responders are making below the national average. The survey indicates the average here for police officers, firefighters, EMT’s, paramedics and the like is just short of $50,000 annually – when adjusted for the local cost of living – which is Continue reading

The firm SmartAsset has released their latest study of the places receiving the most incoming investment. In Florida, Highlands County ranked 53rd of the state’s 67 counties. The business growth here was set at 2.4-percent with a Gross Domestic Product of about $103 million dollars. Highlands ranked below Desoto, Hardeee and Okechobee counties. Polk County Continue reading

Highlands County firefighters had their hands full last night with a brush fire. The flames charred about an acre of land off Blue Skies Drive in the Sun ‘N Lakes south community. Units from Sun ‘N Lakes and the Division of Forestry were able to get the fire under control in the largely wooded area. Continue reading

A new study by the firm Construction Coverage shows that carpenters in the Sebring area earn an average of $36,600 a year. Even with the figure adjusted to $42,000 annually based on the local cost of living, it pales in comparison to the national average of $49,500 a year – which is an unadjusted number. Continue reading