NewsTalk 730

A 29-year-old Lake Placid man’s crime spree has finally come to an end. Akinkawon Hawthorne, who had been wanted since New Year’s Eve, was arrested Monday night after leading deputies on a high-speed chase and stealing a work truck. Hawthorne had already racked up nine felony charges, including aggravated battery, child abuse, and kidnapping. His…

Police responded to a bomb threat at the North Sebring Winn-Dixie just after 10 a.m. Sunday. Authorities say a man called the store, claiming he had placed an explosive inside and demanded money, threatening to detonate it if his demands weren’t met. Sebring Police and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office quickly secured the area, evacuating…

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office has dismantled a major drug trafficking operation after a six-month undercover investigation. Authorities arrested 18 suspects and seized nearly 8 pounds of methamphetamine. The operation, dubbed “Lil Bit,” was named after the alleged ringleader, 37-year-old Dalia Elaine Gonzalez, who now faces multiple drug trafficking charges. Sheriff Paul Blackman praised the…

Where is 17-year-old Kaliee Durkin? That’s the question that concerned family and friends have after the Sebring teen vanished early Monday morning, just hours after chatting with her mother at home. Security footage shows her getting into a dark SUV around 3:50 a.m. with packed bags, but she left behind her car, keys, and phones.…

A man was found injured and wearing only his underwear on Cedora Terrace in Sebring Saturday morning, after surviving a violent attack. Authorities say 29-year-old Joshua Yamir Torres allegedly assaulted the victim after being offered a ride, then forced him to drive to a secluded area near Basket Lake where he attempted to shoot him—twice.…

The search for land to build a new fire station in Lake Placid may finally be over. County officials confirm that a landowner has agreed to sell a 7-acre property along U.S. 27 for the project. The new station will replace Fire Station 36 and could include a fire training tower to improve emergency response…

On March 25 at 11 a.m., the Florida Medal of Honor Memorial & Visitors Center in Sebring will hold a special ceremony to mark National Medal of Honor Day. The event will feature the reading of 23 names of Florida’s Medal of Honor recipients, with a bell rung after each name and taps played in…

A reminder to Highlands County residents that today, the Bayview Street retail center entrance at the corner of U.S. 27 in Sebring, will be closed during daytime hours so that Excavation Point may perform underground construction in the plaza for a future Century Bayview Storage. Motorists will need to use the U.S. 27 entrance next…

Get ready for a festive St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Sebring! Gavaghan’s Irish Pub will host a block party later on today featuring live music, great food, and cold beer from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. To accommodate the event, South Commerce Avenue from Circle Park Drive to Wall Street will be closed from 9…

Twenty-six-people in Central Florida are facing charges following one of the largest fentanyl busts ever in Osceola County. The Sheriff’s Office says deputies collected over 13-hundred grams of fentanyl during the three-month operation, called “My Brother’s Keeper.” They also seized various amounts of cocaine, marijuana, pills, cash, guns, cars, and a house during the investigation.…