Highlands Hammock State Park will play host today to the 24th annual Civilian Conservation Corps Festival, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ...more

November 7, 2009

There will be fun for the whole family from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at the 24th annual Civilian Conservation Corps Festival at Highlands Hammock State Park. ...more

November 4, 2009

"Going green" has become a popular catch phrase. But what does it really mean? ...more

February 25, 2009

The scrub habitat that runs down much of the center of Highlands County is home to 26 animal and plant species listed by the federal and state governments as endangered, threatened or species of special concern. ...more

November 12, 2008

That first cold snap of cooler, drier air might hit the area as soon as next Saturday night. ...more

October 13, 2008

Four of the five Highlands County commissioners are leaning toward letting voters decide in the November general election whether they want to pay an extra 2/10ths of 1 mill in property tax to fund purchase of conservation lands. ...more

July 9, 2008

SEBRING - Four of the five Highlands County commissioners are leaning toward letting voters decide in the November general election whether they want to pay an extra 2/10ths of 1 mill in property tax to fund purchase of conservation lands. On Tuesday, though, they agreed with county Administrator Michael Wright that more public discussion and input is needed before they decide to put it on the ballot. ...more

July 8, 2008

An overflow crowd jammed the Memorial United Methodist Church Sanctuary last Wednesday to pay respects to Mason Smoak, who died in an airplane crash June 20. There were so many people there that the Lake Placid church had to use its Fellowship Hall to accommodate all of them. According to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, a 1989 fixed wing, single engine, two-seater Piper Cub was returning to the Placid Lakes Airport and crashed near the south end of the runway. Smoak, who was the pilot of the airplane at the time of crash, and his passenger, Dave Maehr, died at the scene. Smoak and Maehr were conducting aerial surveys of black bears in Highlands County. Maehr was a visiting scientist at Archold Biological Station while on sabbatical from the University of Kentucky. ...more

June 29, 2008

In the timeless tragedy of the June 20 plane crash in Placid Lakes, Highlands County lost two influential, admired, and much-loved members of our community; Mason Smoak from Lake Placid and Dave Maehr, professor from the University of Kentucky, and visiting scientist at Archbold Biological Station. ...more

June 29, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Progress was achieved during what might have become a bureaucratic nightmare Thursday, when a dozen representatives from several state and federal agencies descended on Archbold Biological Station. Florida Gas Transmission Co. employees and public officials met to discuss a proposed natural gas pipeline that might skirt a property line at the 9,000-acre biological station. The session took place prior to a public scoping meeting designed to hear the concerns of the public, to be held later that night. ...more

June 12, 2008