SEBRING – The first babies born at Highlands Regional Medical Center and Florida Hospital Heartland Division wasted no time joining the world. ...more

January 2, 2008

People are counting on Romona Sutton. And Sutton is counting on assistance to help her agency thrive. ...more

December 26, 2007

WAUCHULA –– Hannah Shoop had 10 points and 13 rebounds and Whitney Wells led the Streaks with 12 points on Friday night as the Sebring girls basketball team continued its winning ways on Friday with a 51-33 victory over Hardee in Class 4A-District 10 action. ...more

December 2, 2007

SEBRING — Addiction does not discriminate by age, race or sex and it crosses all national or geographical boundaries. ...more

November 25, 2007

SEBRING — All you had to do on Thanksgiving Eve was head down U.S. 27 and pass by local bars to see that it's one of the busiest nights of the year for partygoers. Recent statistics provided by restaurant and bar associations say that most drinking establishments can expect a 25 to 50 percent increase over a typical Wednesday night. At Duffers Sports Grille, 6940 U.S. 27, vehicles were parked on the side of the highway and parking attendants were brought in to guide drivers. "It's the biggest night of the year we have," said Duffers manager Dianne Rose. "Our workers probably won't get home until 5 a.m." ...more

November 24, 2007

AVON PARK –– The sound eminating from an Avon Park boys basketball practice was by no means deafening, but the message was loud and clear. ...more

November 12, 2007

SEBRING – You don't need to be a doctor to know that quicker treatment of a heart attack can make a life-or-death difference. Steve Coltharp, Highlands County EMS director, took delivery last week of new, high-tech cardiac monitors that can make such a critical impact. Without a doubt, Coltharp said, lives will be saved by this major upgrade in the heart monitoring equipment which will be carried soon on all Highlands County EMS ambulances. Coltharp's assessment is backed up by Dr. Don Geldart, medical director for county EMS and an emergency room doctor at Florida Hospital's Lake Placid and Wauchula locations. "Absolutely, yes," Geldart answered when asked if the new heart monitors will save lives. ...more

November 5, 2007

LAKE PLACID — Having spent more than 3,000 nights in motels during his vast travels, Irving Baker thinks he knows what people like in overnight lodging. He was born and raised in New York, but ran away from home at age 16 and hitchhiked to Wauchula. He spent a year there picking cucumbers, oranges, and planting cabbages and then joined the Marine Corps. Loving to travel, he has been in every capital of the United States. He drove trucks, accumulating 2.5 million miles by the time he semi retired in 1994 as a teamster. It was then he settled down. For five years he owned a restaurant and a golf course in St. Paris, OH. ...more

November 4, 2007

For some local businesses, beginning a global outreach to sell products is a scary prospect. For others, it's a big opportunity. That's why a few businesses in Highlands and Hardee counties showed up to meet a delegation of officials from Peru Wednesday. The Peruvians stopped in Wauchula as part of a whirlwind tour of Florida looking for trading partners. Very few people from this area took part in the networking meeting, but the ones who did have high hopes of selling their goods. The idea of selling outside the country leaves a lot of people feeling weak in the knees, but the people who do it say many safeguards are in place, and there's no reason why local manufacturers cannot find new markets. We hope that's the case, and we hope more local business people take advantage of future trade meetings. ...more

October 19, 2007

FORT MYERS – The following is the Florida Sports Writers Association's state high school football poll, sponsored by Beef O'Brady's. Records and first-place votes are in parentheses: ...more

October 15, 2007