NewsTalk 730

The Highlands County Master Gardener Volunteers, in partnership with UF/IFAS, will host an educational class titled “Making Tea From Your Garden” on Saturday, June 21st, at the Jack Stroup Civic Center in Sebring. The program will provide participants with practical guidance on preparing herbal teas using homegrown ingredients. Attendees can also expect demonstrations, seasonal infusion…

A Lake Placid man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly attacking a 79-year-old neighbor and then resisting arrest. Deputies say 35-year-old William Kip Newby assaulted the elderly victim during a dispute over a dog, punching him and kicking him after he fell. When officers attempted to arrest him, Newby, appearing intoxicated, fought back—grabbing a…

Highlands County Schools could see 63.5 positions cut in next year’s budget, including 33 from school-level staff, under the superintendent’s second draft plan for 2025-26. Superintendent Brenda Longshore says the district aims to reduce spending by $6 million, despite uncertainty over state funding. Sebring High would lose five teachers, while Woodlawn Elementary gains four due…

Sebring’s municipal golf course lease may be back on the City Council agenda June 17 or in July, as talks continue with the Harder Hall redevelopment team. A revised agreement could include a five-year lease and tie progress to securing a certificate of occupancy for the historic hotel. City officials stress that golf course staff…

Five young defendants, including 19-year-old Jyermarkis Jenkins, are set to be arraigned June 9 for the first-degree murder and robbery of 21-year-old Elijah Joredell Daley at a Lake Placid motel. Prosecutors say the group lured Daley into an armed robbery that ended in his fatal shooting. One suspect, Latrivius Johnson, is believed to have pulled…

A tragic crash Tuesday night claimed the life of a 36-year-old Ft. Meade woman. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the woman was driving aggressively on Highway 640—speeding, passing in a no-passing zone, and running a flashing red signal—when she collided head-on with a semi-truck near Watson Road. The woman was pronounced dead at…

It was Graduation weekend for area High Schools, and almost 900 new graduates from Sebring, Lake Placid and Avon Park are heading into the world for more school, or the job market. Alan Jay gave away cars #108, #109 and #110 to graduates in the group’s “Wheels For A’s” promotion at the close of each…

The Highlands County School Board has voted 4-1 to enter a due diligence period for the potential purchase of a property at 710 W. Winthrop Street, directly across from Avon Elementary. The $199,900 property, which includes a house, has long been used for parent parking during school events. Board members cited the property’s continued utility…

Graduation week has already started in the County – 28 students graduated from Highlands Virtual School last night at Sebring High’s Smith Center. The big numbers come this weekend, when 887 more seniors from Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid High are expected to graduate in ceremonies at SFSC. Power got cut to around 400…

Aline McWhite Park in Avon Park will officially reopen at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 22nd, following four months of renovations. The park, located at 240 E. Hal McRae Blvd., received $50,000 in improvements funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency. Enhancements include a resurfaced basketball court with new poles, backboards, and rims. City officials regard…