AVON PARK — The Avon Park City Council decided to form a seven-member committee to recommend a new police chief from the 61 applications the city received. In creating the committee, the council decided to fill the police chief's position before they found a new city manager, using the committee's recommendations to help interim City Manager Sarah Adelt pick out Frank Mercurio's successor. The city has not begun advertising for the city manager's position. ...more

January 16, 2008

To the Avon Park Police Department, we wish to take the time to thank you for all that you do, especially on the morning of Thanksgiving. Our business office was broken into and the officers caught the burglar within minutes after he had broken in and fled. ...more

December 31, 2007

AVON PARK — Police are looking for anyone with information on four men Thursday in connection with the robbery of a 27-year-old Avon Park man Saturday night behind the Village Lounge at 205 W. Main St. The victim was not a customer at the bar, but was cutting through the property to take a shortcut home when four men approached him and threatened him with a short bat. ...more

December 27, 2007

PINELLAS PARK - Police are looking for a suspect wanted in connection with a stabbing Sunday night that left a man in critical condition. ...more

December 25, 2007

The Pinellas Park Police Department is investigating the stabbing of a 25-year-old man in a wooded area of the 13300 block of 49th Street on Sunday night. ...more

December 24, 2007

AVON PARK — The city's search for a new police chief could be put on hold if City Manager C.B. Shirey becomes the Avon Park Executive Airport's manager next month. Shirey said that the council would instead try to find his replacement before they fill the vacant police chief position. He had no estimate on how long this could take, saying it depends on how quickly the city begins advertising the open position. The Avon Park Police Department has had its police chief position vacant since late September, when then-Police Chief Frank Mercurio was forced to resign. Since then, Shirey received 60 applications for the position. APPD Cmdr. Michael Rowan, who has assumed Mercurio's old duties while the city was searching for a new chief, said he did not expect this delay to have any further impact on the department. ...more

December 21, 2007

AVON PARK — It was about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, when members of the sheriff's drug task force descended upon a house at 205 Ballard Road, arresting four men on felony marijuana charges. This is the 58th bust of a growhouse since November 2006. Sheriff's Lt. Randy LaBelle reported, the house which is near the Highlands County border on State Road 64 West, was about 95 percent restored and while evidence of a growhouse operation remained, it was nearly dismantled. LaBelle said it appeared the four men, whose names have not yet been released, were at the house when sheriff's detectives Dewayne Proctor and Ernie Gelinas along with task force officer Dan Schneider with the Avon Park Police Department knocked at the door to investigate. ...more

December 5, 2007

PINELLAS PARK - Authorities have filed more serious charges against a man whose 2 1/2-month-old son suffered serious injuries while in his father's care. ...more

November 21, 2007

AVON PARK — Don't hide drugs from this 82-pound bilingual Belgian Malinois from Holland. Or don't be on the lam when he's around. He's likely to "pinch" you. ...more

November 21, 2007

PINELLAS PARK - A 31-year-old Pinellas Park man was arrested this morning after police say he dropped his 2 1/2-month-old son head-first on the floor Sunday night, causing the infant's skull to fracture. ...more

November 19, 2007