The Latest Local News

Avon Park city council members will be taking a rather aromatic tour over the next week or so. They have been invited out to the city’s wastewater treatment facility to see why staff has been asking for a new headworks to be installed there. The request was made by former Public Works Director Rick Whalen Continue reading

After better than an hours worth of discussion hammering out terms and language of a draft agreement, a short-handed Avon Park city council voted to move ahead with a plan to lease the Avon Park Executive Airport. Officials of Florida Airport Management have applied to take over the operation of the airfield and establish a Continue reading

The Avon Park fire assessment is going up. Following a dust-up between Avon Park Mayor Garrett Anderson and outgoing city councilwoman Brenda Gray at last night’s city council meeting, council members by a 3-1 vote moved to set the rate at $130 per residence for the upcoming fiscal year. The $18 hike brings raises in Continue reading

Four people were killed and Highway 98 was shut down for several hours last night as the result of a three car crash south of Sebring. The incident occurred last night shortly after 9:30. Florida Highway Patrol reports say a car driven by a 38-year-old Lorida man was traveling west on US 98. His car Continue reading

Officials in Highlands and Polk counties are calling on residents to take it easy on dialing 9-1-1. Apparently, there has been an increase in numbers of those calling the emergency line to report coronavirus cases. While those may be severe, authorities say the 9-1-1 number should be used only for immediate situations such as fires, Continue reading

During a discussion of coronavius protocols at this week’s Highlands County School Board meeting, a number of parents came forward. They asked that board members listen to other voices on the disease, and that parents be allowed to bring forward medical experts with information the board might not have heard. They pointed to pending policies Continue reading

T According to Highlands County commissioners, the county is in good shape – financially. In receiving their budget report yesterday, officials from the county’s Office of Budget and Management told commissioners that through work with the county’s constitutional officers, they were able to trim a little over one percent from the budget, to get it Continue reading

The City of Sebring will be adding land tonight at its regularly scheduled council meeting – the owners of the old Harder Hall Golf Course land have requested annexation of the 49 acres of property behind the old hotel. Assuming Council approves, the acreage will be part of the city when developed into housing units. Continue reading

US Marshals have arrested a man wanted here in Highlands County in connection with a June shooting in Avon Park. 18-year-old Elijah James Worsley was picked up last week in New Jersey on a warrant connected with a June 20 shooting that wounded a 16-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man. Worsley will be returned to Continue reading

An Avon Park teen reportedly has been arrested in New Jersey. Highlands County Sheriff’s officials say 18-year-old Elijah James Worsley was picked up yesterday by a United States Marshal Service Task Force Worsely is wanted in connection with a shooting incident at Hal MacRae Blvd and Delaney Avenue in Avon Park that injured a 21-year-old Continue reading