AVON PARK — The fastball thrown from Trey Perry's arm mowed down the final batter of Avon Park's 8-4 win over Clewiston just as the darkened heavens' thunderclap signaled the coming rain on Durrah Martin Recreational Complex. ...more

June 21, 2008

SEBRING — Despite trailing Okeechobee American by four runs midway through the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) District 8 championship game on Monday night, there wasn't any panic in the Sebring dugout. The boys in blue and white simply went to the plate and began their assault on yet another pitcher. Sebring, which banged out 10 hits against three Okeechobee American hurlers, proceeded to score 14 runs in two innings on their way to a convincing 15-5 victory and the District 8 championship at Max Long Recreational Complex. ...more

June 17, 2008

SEBRING — Word around Max Long Recreational Complex on Friday was that this year's Okeechobee National team could be the strongest squad they've had in years. Somebody forgot to tell Tyler Farmer. The Lake Placid hurler crushed a triple into right field to score the tying run and pitched two scoreless innings for a 4-2 LP victory over Okeechobee National during the opening round of the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) District 8 tournament. ...more

June 15, 2008

Robert Butler has made a life doing what he loves. ...more

June 13, 2008

SEBRING — Area high school students will encounter a new set of classes when they go back to school in August. The set of 12 classes will not be on social studies and math but alcohol prevention. The new program is being funded through a grant totaling more than $432,000 to prevent alcohol abuse among high school students in the Florida Heartland, a top local education official said Wednesday. Frank Gibbs, the executive director of the Heartland Education Consortium based in Lake Placid, said it would be up to the Highlands County School Board to determine how the courses will be inserted into the high school curriculum. ...more

June 11, 2008

SEBRING – The search for an executive director for Florida's Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative will contine Monday, June 2 when the selection committee meets in Sebring. Six candidates for the position are scheduled to be interviewed, according to Roger Hood, who is a member of the committee. The FHREDI board of directors' regular meeting will be held Monday, June 16 at the Agri-Civic Center in Sebring. A recommendation will likely be made from the committee to the board at that time. Following the retirement of Lynn Topel earlier this year, the board advertised the position. The committee chose three candidates to be interviewed and offered the position to the top two, but both declined. Salary might have been an issue with those two individuals, according to Hood, who is also a member of the board. ...more

May 31, 2008

The plight of Mr. Anaya came to light in your paper over the last weekend. He was born in Texas in 1956 and promptly his parents were given deportation orders, it stated. He spent the next and first (15) fifteen years of his life in Mexico. This makes him a citizen of Mexico! He claims an American citizenship due only to his birth in Texas. In 1866, Sen. Jacob Howard clearly spelled out the intent of the 14th Amendment by stating: "Every person born within the limits of the US, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the US. This will not include persons born in the US who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of ambassadors of foreign ministers accredited to the Government of the US." This understanding was reaffirmed by Sen. Edward Cowan, who stated: "(A foreigner in the US) has a right to the protection of the laws; but he is not a citizen in the ordinary since of the word." ...more

May 23, 2008

AVON PARK — Congressman Putnam's office has called Lucio Anaya Sr. and to say his passport will arrive soon. "He called me," said Patricia Austin, who wrote Putnam on Anaya's behalf. "He said they have approved his passport. "That's wonderful," said Austin. "Hopefully, he'll get it within two weeks." Anaya, an Avon Park vegetable stand operator who lives in Frostproof, has applied twice for a passport, but was sent a letter with requests for more documents. ...more

May 20, 2008

TAMPA - Two men took part in a Dade City drug deal Monday that involved a kilogram of cocaine and nearly $20,000, police say. ...more

May 20, 2008

OKEECHOBEE – Despite a valiant fourth-quarter comeback, the Avon Park boys basketball team fell to Okeechobee 57-55 on Saturday night in the Brahman gym. Early foul trouble forced the Red Devils to sit freshman Alonzo Robertson, who finished with 11 points, and Tim Dennis, who did a good job on the boards. Okeechobee took advantage by taking a 35-18 halftime lead. Freshman Avierre Conner finished with 12 points and helped the Red Devils mount their second-half comeback. ...more

February 4, 2008