A volunteer with the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary rescued an eagle this afternoon in Seminole that appeared to have an injured wing, according to the organization. She is bringing the creature to the sanctuary's hospital in Indian Shores, said a volunteer there. ...more

January 26, 2009

A reportedly unoccupied home that was damaged by fire early Tuesday yielded a body Wednesday afternoon. ...more

June 19, 2008

HOLIDAY A home that was declared empty when it was damaged by fire early Tuesday yielded up a body Wednesday afternoon. ...more

June 18, 2008

CANADA - A man who claimed that he became depressed, anxious and phobic after finding a dead fly in a bottle of water will no longer get the judgment he won against a bottling company, Canada's top court ruled Thursday. ...more

May 25, 2008

BRADENTON — Prosecutors are expected to review a case of animal cruelty after police say they found more than 24 cats and 100 hamsters living in poor conditions. ...more

February 6, 2008

In the 17th century, the Catholic Church rejected the teaching of Galileo on the grounds that it contradicted Scripture. Today, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who would not accept Galileo's position. The problem was not with Scripture, but with the church's understanding of both Scripture and the science Galileo taught. Apparently, some members of the School Board of Highlands County have not learned that lesson and persist in making the same error the Catholic Church did centuries ago. The creation myths of Genesis I and II affirm our belief in God as creator but cannot be understood as giving us a scientific historical description of creation itself. The first two chapters of Genesis both say the same thing but their particulars vary and contradict one another. Did God create man and women both at the same time and after he created animals as in Genesis I or did God create Adam and then the animals before taking a rib from Adam to make Eve as in Genesis II? ...more

February 1, 2008

It is good that our county leaders are seeking sound suggestions for the future growth of our county. It would have been more significant if they had actually accepted and followed through on suggestions in the last five years. For instance, a number of citizens had pleaded for alternate arterial roads parallel to U.S. 27. There are still no through arterial roads unless you count the Sebring Parkway, which has a number of traffic lights, and is a number of years from completion north of Avon Park. Even the 2025-year bypass from south Sebring will stretch west into Hardee County and come back to U.S. 27 in Polk County. Great concern had been expressed about development in wetlands and flood-plains, to no avail. The recent decision to rebuild State Road 8 at twice the cost, because of the low-lying topography, apparently ignored that concern. Even after the county government bought a number of houses in that area due to flooding, the county commission approved another permit to build in Venus. The fact that some areas in this county are un-developable apparently is not a logical deterrent to development. The issue of conserving water run-off has been in the news recently, and the related agencies have expressed concern about employing a number of measures to achieve that goal. This includes preventing pollution of our lakes. Rain run-off must have a place (wetlands and flood plains) where it can be filtered into the aquifer. ...more

December 21, 2007

CLEARWATER - A 24-year-old woman was arrested today, charged with leaving two cats in her apartment without food and water. The cats died. ...more

December 10, 2007

That fly you're trying to swat just might be a big help in scientists efforts to eradicate a weevil that's killing wild bromeliad's living throughout the area. Then again, it might just be a house fly that's driving you crazy. It's difficult to tell. But just in case, chase it outside. ...more

October 24, 2007