Highland County Residents are invited to have a say in local land conservation. Public voting for the Highlands County Land Conservation Program is open now through Friday, November 14, 2025. Residents are encouraged to watch a short explainer video and take a survey to choose their top three conservation priorities—from wildlife corridors and water quality to farmland, recreation, and cultural preservation. Your input will help shape a potential 2026 referendum and guide future conservation efforts. For details on how to watch the video or complete the survey, contact Heather Nagy with North Florida Land Trust or Sam Eriksen with Highlands County Natural Resources.
The Florida Department of Transportation and local crews continue work on several major road and utility projects across Highlands County. Drivers are urged to stay alert, obey signage, and allow extra travel time. Work zones include U.S. 27 at County Road 17A for turn lane improvements, U.S. 98 near Bluff Hammock for resurfacing and drainage upgrades, and S.R. 17 for utility work by Duke Energy. Night closures continue on Desoto Road through early November, with detours via Sebring Parkway and Home Avenue. Additional resurfacing is underway along U.S. 27 and S.R. 70.
A Polk County woman is making history. City Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley was elected mayor of Lakeland yesterday. She’s the first woman to ever win the mayor’s race. McCarley beat three others with over 50-percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Voter turnout was less than 20 percent. She says she’s grateful to the citizens, and she’s humbled to continue to serve the community she calls home. Lakeland has had three other women serve as mayor, but none of them were elected.
Four Florida hospitals are getting millions to try to find a cure for childhood cancer. Governor Ron DeSantis announced yesterday the state has awarded 30 million dollars in grants to hospitals in St. Petersburg, Orlando, Miami and Jacksonville. The money will be used to develop and improve access to clinical trials, advance treatment protocols and discover cures. DeSantis says he hopes this will eliminate the need for families to travel out of state for potentially life-saving care.