SEBRING — The Florida Department of Children and Families has released $42,897 in funding to programs operating in both Highlands and Hardee counties, the agency announced Friday. The announcement was made in a memo from Circuit 10 Contract Manager, Jacqueline Burt. Richard Reinhardt, executive director for the Highlands County Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. said typically, they're given about half that amount. "This grant is received annually, but this is the most ever awarded to these two counties," he said. Funding for the state's Department of Children and Families Grant-In-Aid program is statewide, but is left up to each DCF Circuit to administer these funds. Circuit 10 covers Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties. ...more

June 23, 2008

SEBRING — It came in the mail last week, although it's dated Jan. 15, a collection notice from FEMA. "I have no idea why they sent this," said Gail Fotheringham, 57, a grandmother who lived in a FEMA mobile home for 18 months with her daughter and three grandchildren. "You have not paid the amount you owe the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Mobile Home Rental," said the letter, which seeks a balance due of $1,357.58. Mary Hudak, a spokeswoman in Atlanta, said FEMA, on an ongoing basis, is collecting money owed to the federal agency for a variety of reasons. After the hurricanes of 2004, which ravaged Central Florida, FEMA provided $1.184 billion in assistance to individuals and households in Florida, and hundreds of mobile homes to families in Highlands and Hardee counties. "If people needed money, FEMA advanced it to them," Hudak said. But they were expected to pay back the federal government. ...more

February 16, 2008

The reasons many of Estrella Clement's patients wait so long for breast and cervical cancer tests often come down to fear and lack of health insurance. ...more

January 26, 2008

Many of Estrella Clement's patients wait so long for breast and cervical cancer tests because of fear and lack of health insurance. ...more

January 16, 2008

The reasons many of Estrella Clement's patients wait so long for breast and cervical cancer tests often come down to fear and lack of health insurance. ...more

January 12, 2008

The Polk County Medical Examiner's Office urged patience as it works to identify the badly burned bodies of the four people killed in Wednesday morning's fiery pileup on Interstate 4. ...more

January 11, 2008

The reasons many of Estrella Clement's patients wait so long for breast and cervical cancer tests often come down to fear and lack of health insurance. ...more

January 9, 2008

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mark Cook. ...more

December 31, 2007

SEBRING — Around the holidays and on Fridays, there's a greater chance students will be facing a substitute teacher in their classroom. With so many teachers taking off the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving, on a "proposed" calendar for the 2007-08 school year there is no school for the entire week. The school districts in Polk and Hardee counties, and some others in the state, take the week off, Deputy Superintendent Rodney Hollinger told the school board Tuesday. It should be considered for Highlands County because of the large number of substitutes who work on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, he said. ...more

November 26, 2007

AVON PARK — Apparently, a lot of cops want to live here. In the six weeks since the police chief's job has been advertised, 58 officers have applied, and they are qualified. "I have applications from three who claim they have law degrees," said City Manager C.B. Shirey. "Two have Ph.D.s. I have a lot who have been in the education side or the administrative side of law enforcement, or who have had special duties." One, a United Nations police officer, is an expert knife fighter, Shirey said. "Some are retired already, and some are overqualified," Shirey said. "It makes you wonder why they want to come to Avon Park. Some may just have the moving-to-Florida syndrome." Advertisements were placed in local newspapers, on the city's Web site, with the Florida League of Cities and the International Police Chief's Association. ...more

November 17, 2007