Highlands

Highlands County Commissioners are expected to approve additional funding today for a new 1.4-mile multi-use path along Memorial Drive in Sebring. The project, funded primarily through a Florida Department of Transportation grant, will provide a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists while connecting Sebring Parkway to Pompano Drive. Commissioners will also consider supporting a Lake…

>>> A new ordinance could allow campers to serve as emergency housing for Lake Placid Residents Lake Placid Planner Dana Riddell wants people to be able to live in their camper if their home gets damaged or destroyed during an emergency. Lake Placid High School serves as the main shelter during hurricanes, but officials say…

A 43-year-old Highlands County man has been arrested on multiple child sex crime charges. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office says James Roesner was taken into custody Thursday night in Ocala on warrants charging him with multiple counts of sexual battery of a child and lewd or lascivious molestation. The arrest involved several law enforcement agencies.…

The City of Sebring is once again seeking proposals to lease the municipal Sebring Golf Club. Interested parties have until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28th, to submit bids. City leaders reissued the request after deciding more communication was needed during the first proposal process. Officials hope to have a new operator in place before…

Land clearing is underway at 1383 Sebring Parkway, the site of a proposed 529-unit apartment community in Sebring. The project, known as Central Park Village, was approved by the Sebring City Council in 2023, but city officials say no building permits have been issued yet. The property is part of the former Kenilworth Lodge golf…

With the Fourth of July approaching, officials are reminding residents that exploding and airborne fireworks are only legal on July Fourth, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Highlands County Fire Rescue also warns fireworks can still spark brush fires despite the burn ban being lifted. Officials urge adults to use fireworks safely, keep water…

A leadership change is coming to Fred Wild Elementary School. Superintendent Brenda Longshore has selected Patricia Smith as the school’s new principal. Smith previously served as assistant principal at Lake Placid Elementary and was the only qualified applicant for the position. She replaces Megan Moesching, who resigned in May to accept a position with Florida…

Families and caregivers of individuals with special needs are invited to the inaugural Free to Be Me Resource Fair this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakeshore Mall in Sebring. The free event will feature local organizations, state resources, family activities, food, and support services designed to connect families with valuable programs and…

A 44-year-old inmate at the Highlands County Jail was found unresponsive during a routine cell check Tuesday morning. Detention deputies and medical staff immediately began life-saving efforts, but Joshua Ernest Snell was pronounced dead shortly after 8 a.m. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office says its Criminal Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.…

Five men are facing felony charges after police say they robbed a man at gunpoint for a $30 vape pen as he walked home from work in Winter Haven. Investigators say the suspects demanded the victim’s belongings but fled with only the vape pen after he refused to hand over his cellphone. The five men…