The Sebring Fire Department hosted Florida CFO and State Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia yesterday at Station 14, along with state legislators, fire chiefs, and firefighters from across Florida. During the visit, Sebring was awarded $1.5 million toward a new 2026 Pierce Tower Ladder and an additional $7,497 through the Cancer Decontamination Grant Program. That grant helps departments statewide invest in protective gear, decontamination tools, and training to safeguard firefighters’ health. Officials say the funding is a major step forward in reducing cancer risks and supporting first responders.
Sticker shock is hitting mobile home parks, and residents say it’s no accident. A nationwide class-action lawsuit claims big-name park owners — including some right here in Highlands County — teamed up to push lot rents way beyond inflation. One longtime renter says her bill jumped from around $400 to over $800 a month, plus extra fees. The companies deny wrongdoing, but renters have until February 2025 to join the case. For now, many say affordable living has become anything but.
Barktoberfest returns to Stuart Park in Lake Placid this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, hosted by Pawsitive Effects, is now in its 11th year and brings together 11 rescues and shelters with pets of all ages ready for adoption. Families can also enjoy food trucks, vendors, a petting zoo, raffles, and a pet costume contest at 11 a.m. Proceeds benefit the participating shelters, which say adoptions are more urgent than ever as rescues remain full. For details, visit PawsitiveEffects.org.
Call it the ultimate mugshot mix-up—Sheriff Grady Judd’s portrait was stolen right off the wall at the Polk City Sheriff’s Station. Deputies say 51-year-old Mark Byrum swiped Judd’s photo, along with the major’s and captain’s, then hid them under a tree wrapped in a towel. The kicker? Byrum was already in jail on another theft case. When asked, he admitted he was “a little foggy that night” from drugs. The portraits are back on the wall—and Byrum’s facing even more charges.