SEBRING — The Highlands County Sheriff's Office resumed its search at the county landfill Thursday morning for a discarded baby. Investigators were in their third day of searching the landfill for a possible fetus or full-term baby thrown out by a 24-year-old Lake Placid woman after she had it about 1 a.m. Friday in her home. Sheriff Susan Benton said about 9 a.m. Thursday that deputies were having a briefing on the case and establishing a work order for the day. Fresh cadaver search dogs from other counties are arriving to aid in the search, she said. By 11:30 a.m. investigators were regrouping and "taking a new approach," Benton said. "They're going to be moving the garbage to a clean area to be going through it by hand." Benton said at the very least it is a misdemeanor to dispose of human remains in this manner, however it could range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on what is found. ...more

November 29, 2007

SEBRING - Sheriff Susan Benton confirmed today that the Highlands County Sheriff's Office was searching the county landfill for a fetus or full-term baby that might have been put there by a Lake Placid woman. ...more

November 28, 2007

SEBRING –– There is both good and disappointing news regarding the condition of the 1,200 miles of roads maintained by Highlands County. First, the good news. The county will resurface 25 miles of roadways, eight more than last year, in the new fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. The disappointing news: At least 30 miles, and preferably 40 miles, should be resurfaced each year to keep the county road system in top shape, according to Brian Miller, the county's road construction inspector. There is also hope for expanding county road maintenance in future years, if Ken Wheeler's optimism about the county's asphalt plant bears out. In May, Highlands County is scheduled to open the state's first government owned asphalt plant at the county landfill. Wheeler, the county's director of solid waste, has predicted a cost of $69 per ton for paving with asphalt from that plant, $13 per ton less than the county's current contract price of $82 per ton. ...more

October 29, 2007

It may not be the least expensive option, but county commissioners agreed Tuesday that expanding their waste-to-energy plant in central Pasco is 'the right' decision for the future. ...more

September 26, 2007

SEBRING — Highlands County government is going into the asphalt production and paving business. In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, county commissioners decided to build the first government owned and operated asphalt plant in Florida. ...more

September 19, 2007

A proposal to build a $3 million asphalt plant at the Highlands County landfill, using methane gas blow off to fuel their asphalt, is being voted on by the Highlands County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Sept. 18. ...more

September 18, 2007