NewsTalk 730

A 300-acre brush fire near Turkey Track Road and County Road 731 in the Venus area was fully contained Tuesday night after crews from Highlands County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service battled the wind-driven blaze for several hours. No homes or buildings were threatened. While smoke and flames remained visible within the containment…

Highlands County Fire Rescue is expected to ask commissioners today to approve the purchase of two new tanker trucks. The 2026 E-One vehicles, costing more than $2 million, would provide additional water capacity for emergency responses in areas without nearby hydrants and help strengthen fire protection efforts throughout the county. Despite concerns from teachers, the…

A decision is expected this week following Friday’s hearing over the legal challenge to Avon Park’s recall election. Circuit Judge Peter Estrada has directed attorneys to submit their final written arguments by Tuesday before issuing a ruling. The case centers on whether the wording on recall petitions for Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard,…

Highlands County Emergency Management and the Public Information Office will host the county’s first Caregivers Preparedness Workshop on Thursday, July 30th from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center in Sebring. The free workshop will help caregivers prepare for emergencies, learn about local resources including Alert Highlands and the…

A key court hearing is scheduled Friday in the ongoing effort to recall three Avon Park elected officials. A Highlands County judge will hear an emergency motion seeking to stop the August 4th recall election involving Mayor Garrett Anderson, Deputy Mayor Jim Barnard, and Councilwoman Brittany McGuire. The motion argues the recall petitions are legally…

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying a man accused of stealing a truck from Bill Owens Auto Sales in Avon Park. Investigators say the theft happened around 5:17 a.m. on July 1, and the truck was later recovered in Hollywood, Florida. Anyone with information is urged to contact the…

The two men accused in the April shooting death of a Placid Lakes man are scheduled to appear in Highlands County court Wednesday for their first pre-trial conference. Investigators say 38-year-old Leon Jarrell Simms is accused of fatally shooting 30-year-old Marvin Sholtz Jr. from a pickup truck driven by Andrew Anthony Berry. Both men have…

Health officials are urging residents to thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables after at least one case of Cyclospora was reported in Highlands County. The intestinal illness, caused by a parasite, is part of a multi-state outbreak being monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include serious gastrointestinal symptoms that may…

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after human remains were discovered Tuesday afternoon on a firebreak road near State Road 70 and Dexter Avenue. The remains were found by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer around 3 p.m. Detectives say there are currently no signs of foul play. The District 10 Medical…

Four more candidates have qualified for Avon Park’s Aug. 4th special recall election. Former Deputy Mayor Brenda Gray Snell filed to run for mayor if Mayor Garrett Anderson is recalled, while former Councilmember Maria Sutherland, CRA board member Chris Downie, and CRA Vice Chair Gerald Snell qualified for potential council vacancies. Polls will be open…