Local News from NewsTalk 730

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. Continue reading

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 Continue reading

The Sebring City Council has voted to reissue its request for proposals to lease the Sebring Municipal Golf Course after lease negotiations with the Blackmon family stalled. Council members approved reopening the bidding process with a 30-day proposal window and a preference for an operator ready to take over by October 1. City officials say Continue reading

The School Board of Highlands County unanimously approved the 2026-27 Code of Student Conduct while raising concerns about plans to move the District’s alternative Academy program to a virtual format. Several board members questioned whether students facing expulsion would receive the structure and accountability they need at home. The Board plans to continue discussions on Continue reading

The effort to recall three Avon Park City Council members is moving to the next phase after none of the officials resigned before the state deadline. A special recall election will now be scheduled within the next 30 to 60 days, giving voters the chance to decide whether to remove Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Continue reading