The Latest Local News

Two Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies and a trainee reportedly are on administrative leave and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been called in to investigate following a weekend shooting incident. A man identified as 43-year-old Dustin Alexander Nealis was shot and killed in the incident at a residence on Bridle Path, south of Sebring. Continue reading

Avon Park set a record yesterday. Officials of the Old Farts Flying Club said they had their best meet-up ever. More than 80 planes came in at the Avon Park Executive Airport. Planes ranged from home-built aircraft to twin engine planes. Even a helicopter showed up for the event – hosted by the city of Continue reading

Polk County Sheriff’s officials now say at least one person has died in a two car accident that had traffic snarled on southbound Highway 27 near Frostproof this morning. According to reports. a northbound vehicle went across the median just south of Warner Southern University and hit a southbound vehicle. Traffic was stopped at the Continue reading

Following charges that Highlands County officials were not penalizing illegal construction in Avon Park, Building Official Eric Longshore showed up to explain his duties to council members in the City of Charm. Addressing what he called slanderous statements at a December meeting, Longshore explained disciplinary actions were not his purview. He told the council that Continue reading

A 42-year-old Lake Placid man has died in a traffic crash. Florida Highway Patrol officials say Kenny Lee Jenkins of the Caladium Capital was westbound on State Road 70, approaching County Road 29 when he hit a cow. The big rig hit a guardrail, a fence and a tree. Troopers say Jenkins apparently was not Continue reading

Local racers will start the new decade by putting vehicles on the track starting today. At the Sebring International Raceway the annual Hoosier Racing Sports Car Club of America’s Super Tour begins in earnest. Practice and qualifying sessions are set to begin this morning. More than 300 cars and drivers are slated in for the Continue reading

Units from all over Highlands County responded to a fire at Camp Cloverleaf yesterday afternoon. A maintenance shed at the 4-H camp reportedly caught fire and burned to the ground. Officials say the building and all its contents were lost. Cloverleaf Road was closed while firefighters fought both the flames at the structure and a Continue reading

As we approach the January 23rd anniversary of the SunTrust Bank shooting in Sebring, it appears that a memorial park is all but completed. Published photos show an open area which occupies roughly the footprint of the original structure. There are five walls, arranged like a pentagon – apparently representing the five women who were Continue reading

Thousands of Highlands County School students went back to classes this morning after a long Christmas break. Motorists are cautioned to watch for youngsters this afternoon walking or riding their bikes home from school. Drivers also are reminded to slow down in School Zones. A Highlands County Sheriff’s deputy reportedly was involved in a crash Continue reading

Officials of the Highlands County Tourism Development Council want to see if they can make this a sports destination. Reporteldy, they have hired “The Huddle-Up Group” to make an assessment of the county. “HUG,” as they are known, say if the goal is to expand sports tourism in an area – they can help. HUG Continue reading