The Latest Local News

Tropical Storm Elsa is on her way out. The bulk of the big storm passed by in the Gulf overnight. So far, officials say there have been no reports of any wind damage or flooding although there has been a LOT of rain. Highlands County Road & Bridge staff will continue to hand out sandbags Continue reading

Tropical Storm Elsa is coming ashore at the Florida Keys. The storm system’s top winds have been clocked at about 60 mph, and a hurricane watch is in effect for parts of Florida’s Gulf coast. Locally we have been forecast for a couple of inches of rain and possibly some wind events. Highlands County officials Continue reading

A weekend-full of pyrotechnics and more begins tonight -celebrating America’s 1776 Declaration of Independence from Great Brittan. Sun ‘N Lake will kick things off with activities, a food truck rally and fireworks. That will commence this evening at 7:00 in and around the community center. Avon Park will have their display over Lake Verona tomorrow Continue reading

A Fort Meyers man was seriously injured yesterday in a Lake Placid traffic accident. According to reports, the unidentified 50-year-old driver was in a sport utility vehicle and attempted to cross railroad tracks near the intersection of Harris Drive and Sunset Terrace. The SUV was hit broadside by a southbound freight and pushed for a Continue reading

The long arm of the law has nabbed “Tex” Gifford.” Lake Wales police with the assistance of the Winter Haven Police Department arrested the Sebring man. He was taken into custody without incident at a home on Summit Circle in Winter Haven. Gifford is wanted in connection with a fatal shooting incident in the Lincoln Continue reading

Lake Wales police have announced they have captured Tex Gifford. With the assistance of the Winter Haven Police Department, Gifford, was arrested and taken into custody at a home on Summit Cir in Winter Haven. The Sebring man is wanted in connection with a fatal shooting incident in the Lincon Heights community of Lake Wales. Continue reading

It should be a short meeting for the Avon Park city council tonight. Council members will take a step toward downtown revitalization with the first reading of an ordinance that would allow artisan manufacturing and craft food & beverage production in the downtown area. Proponents say that would allow such places as hand-made jewelry, soaps, Continue reading

One person was killed and another was injured last night when a limosine and a semi tractor-trailer rig collided at the intersection of Highway 27 and Alternate 27 in Sebring, in front of the Village Inn Restaurant. The busy roadway was closed for several hours while Sebring police completed their investigation. They have not yet Continue reading

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Department reported a death at the County Jail yesterday. 49-year-old Pedro Jose Clemente-Haddock was exercising with other inmates in a recreation yard when he collapsed about 1:30pm. Deputies and medical staff immediately responded, and EMS arrived approximately five minutes after he collapsed and transported him to Highlands Regional Medical Center, where Continue reading

County 9-1-1 calls coming from some cellular phones got rerouted to the Sheriff’s Department’s main business number for a while yesterday afternoon and early evening – given that it was only one cellular carrier, officials were pretty sure it wasn’t on their end and worked with the company to clear it up. For the record, Continue reading