SEBRING — Ken Melvin and Ray Napper, two of the seven members of the Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee, were not happy with the committee's recommendations to re-open this closed public lake with severe restrictions. Melvin, though, reluctantly endorsed the Highlands County commissioners' decision Tuesday to reopen the popular lake –– closed since early September –– despite the number of controversial restrictions on public access. He described the lake reopening plan as too little, too late and nowhere near a good solution to a big problem. Unlike the other speakers who harshly criticized the plan, though, Melvin didn't oppose the commissioners adopting the committee's unpopular and controversial plan. ...more

January 3, 2008

The Augusta State University softball program does not venture outside of Georgia to recruit very often. Most of its players are from Georgia, a few others are from the Carolinas. ...more

December 1, 2007

SEBRING –– Public access could be restored to Lake Denton as soon as January, under a plan tentatively adopted by a special seven-member citizens committee. Highlands County commissioners may receive the proposal in December. It calls for restricting access through limited parking, weekend user's fees, and closing the county boat ramp at 4 p.m. daily. During summer weekends, dozens of vehicles carrying scuba divers, swimmers, sunbathers and a few boaters often overflowed the county's parking lot at the lake. Committee members are recommending that parking be limited to only eight spaces. Vehicles parked outside of the designated spaces could be ticketed or towed. ...more

November 16, 2007

One afternoon in early September, an architect boarded his commuter train and became a cell phone vigilante. He sat down next to a 20-something woman who he said was "blabbing away" into her phone. ...more

November 4, 2007

A controversial road plan is on hold, and some of the projects that received the most objections have been whittled away, but that didn't stop about 300 people from packing the Riverview High School cafeteria last week to sound off about it. ...more

October 31, 2007

A controversial road plan is on hold, and some of the projects that received the most objections have been whittled away, but that didn't stop about 300 people from packing the Riverview High School cafeteria last week to sound off about it. ...more

October 29, 2007

When the family goes out to eat, Holly Covais brings sanitizing wipes to disinfect the sides and bottoms of tables. ...more

October 25, 2007

When the family goes out to eat, Holly Covais brings sanitizing wipes to disinfect the sides and bottoms of tables. ...more

October 22, 2007

TAMPA - The local weather service isn't even bothering to tease us with hope for a drop in the temperatures for, oh, this week. In fact, today and Tuesday will feel more like late August or early September, and Wednesday should be only slightly better. ...more

October 22, 2007

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Members of Living Faith Baptist Church have toiled for the past five years to raise money for a permanent home, hoping to move in Nov. 1. Then thieves and vandals struck recently, delaying the move-in day and upsetting the congregation, but not shaking their faith. ...more

October 20, 2007