NewsTalk 730

It’ll be a somber day at a school in Polk County. A 10th grade girl at Winter Haven High School was killed yesterday morning in a school bus crash. The sheriff’s office says a car crossed the center line and hit the back of the bus, which then swerved into the opposite lane and hit…

Two men are in custody after four people were shot during a large outdoor gathering near Lake Wales. Polk County deputies have arrested 20-year-old Richard William Fante of Lakeland and 19-year-old Cordae DeShawn Hammonds of Avon Park. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the September 27th shooting left four people injured. Investigators interviewed more than…

A new perpetual trophy has been unveiled ahead of the 75th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, set for March 20th, 2027. Named for race founder Alec Ulmann, the trophy features several nods to Sebring’s history — including its World War Two roots as Hendricks Field. Its six panels honor the original six-hour endurance race,…

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit and the State Attorney’s Office say two sex offenders have recently been sentenced to prison in separate cases. Jamarkis Lamon Allen received 15 years for unlawful sexual activity with a minor and aggravated battery stemming from a 2024 case, and was designated a sexual offender. Timmy Allen…

A verdict is in in the TJ Wiggins murder trial. A Polk County jury has found Tony Lee “TJ” Wiggins Jr. guilty on all three counts of first-degree murder in the 2020 deaths of Damion Tillman, Brandon Rollins and Keven Springfield. The three men were killed while meeting for a night of fishing near Frostproof.…

A dramatic outburst interrupted closing arguments Monday in the trial of Tony Wiggins, who is accused of killing three men during a 2020 fishing trip in Frostproof. The father of victim Brandon Rollins interrupted the defense attorney, saying his son had told him Wiggins was the killer, before storming out of the courtroom. Prosecutors told…

Sebring City Councilman David Leidel says he plans to resign from the council as he and his wife, Michelle, prepare to relocate to the Huntsville, Alabama area. Leidel was elected to the council in March. His wife recently accepted a dean position at Calhoun Community College. Leidel has not yet announced his resignation’s effective date.…

The Highlands County School Board has now approved a $9 million short-term loan to help cover payroll and other expenses until property tax revenue comes in. The district had been considering the loan in recent weeks. The Tax Anticipation Note carries a 3.9% interest rate and is due February 1st, with about $124,000 in interest…

The Highlands County Hospital District Board meets today to discuss the future of the property leased to HCA Florida Highlands Hospital. The board is considering whether to pursue a new long-term lease or potentially sell the hospital property and assets when HCA’s current lease expires in July 2027. Members will review a 93-page consultant’s report…

The Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency is moving forward with plans for new gateway signs at the entrances to downtown. The CRA voted unanimously to seek proposals for updated signs on North and South Ridgewood Drive, based on its existing wayfinding plan. The project comes after board members discussed the lack of clear “Welcome to Downtown…