After Hops and later Houlihan's closed their doors at 14303 N. Dale Mabry Highway, managers at GrillSmith say they have the goods to be the location's best restaurant. ...more

November 24, 2007

America has clearly undergone a cultural identity change since World War ll. It continues. Having lived through that period, I now realize it was amazing that such an ethnically diverse and geographically separated population pulled together for a common purpose. If you didn't experience those determined years of a "melting pot" going to war, these printed words won't help you understand those times. ...more

November 20, 2007

After Hops and later Houlihan's closed their doors at 14303 N. Dale Mabry Highway, managers at GrillSmith say they have the goods to be the location's best restaurant. ...more

November 19, 2007

One of my favorite things about Highlands County is that it's a melting pot. We have people here from every corner of the United States as well as many foreign countries. Just go to the mall or the circle in downtown Sebring and watch the parade of people. You'll see old, middle-aged and young, as well as every race and ethnic variety. Or go into any of our many fine restaurants and listen to the people around you. You'll hear accents from Brooklyn to Jamaican and everything in between. It's what gives our county a life all its own. That mix of people also gives us a mix of cultures that enriches our choices in everything from the clothes in our stores, to the foods in our restaurants, the music on our radios, and the art you'll find when you walk the streets of downtown Sebring during the upcoming Arts Festival. I'm not an artist, but I do appreciate art in all its myriad forms. I never cease to marvel at the creativity innate in the human spirit. The universal urge toward artistic expression, in everything from pottery to pastries to photography, is proof that we humans are all cut from the same cloth. ...more

November 4, 2007

City council gave its stamp of approval Tuesday to 11 improvement grant requests submitted by Temple Terrace area schools. ...more

October 20, 2007

The lifetime of an animal is short compared to that of a person. So why is our grief so heavy when pets die? ...more

October 14, 2007

How to make Avon Park grow has been the single biggest issue city leaders have grappled with for a while. That it will continue to be as important was evident at a recent Avon Park City Council candidate forum organized by a civil rights group –– the League of United Latin American Citizens. Those who expected race issues and the landlord ordinance to be discussed were surprised to instead find candidates being asked their opinion on growth matters. One of the organizers, who is Hispanic, emphasized to Highlands Today that fostering "unity" and growth are two of Avon Park's biggest challenges. He said he wanted to live in a vibrant, growing community where his kids wouldn't have to leave to look for jobs. Another member said he didn't want Avon Park to become another low-income community. ...more

October 8, 2007

Yearning to eat something different? Want a taste of the exotic? New flavors are waiting to be found right here. All you have to do is look for them. ...more

October 2, 2007