Mention the name Kayla Reigner among teachers and counselors at Riverview High School and you will undoubtedly hear the praise of people proud to know her. ...more

May 24, 2008

AVON PARK – It may have been just three games, but for Tyrone Perry, they were the toughest three games of the season. ...more

May 21, 2008

AVON PARK — Austin Stadie's two-run double proved to be more than a well-timed hit, but the fuel that ignited a rally that ended in a 4-3 victory for the Laye's Tires, Inc. Royals over Long's Air Conditioning Reds in Monday's Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) game at Durrah Martin Sports Complex. ...more

May 20, 2008

SEBRING — Teachers seeking affordable housing have a new option with the School Board of Highlands County approving an agreement with a local developer. The school district will help get the word out about Las Villas Phase 2, an affordable housing development on Kenilworth Boulevard, east of Sebring High School. Project developer Caribbean Realestate Developers has qualified for a grant to provide workforce housing for personnel considered essential to the county. Teachers are considered essential personnel. "The bottom line is you have the opportunity to provide $50,000, maybe even $70,000 off the purchase of a villa for a teacher," school district teacher recruiter Sean Rego said at a recent school board meeting. The housing agreement requires no monetary responsibility of the school district. ...more

February 4, 2008

SEBRING –– Displaying a nice blend of determination and power, the girls from the Heartland made quite an impressive showing in Saturday's sub-sectional high school weightlifting meet at Firemen's Field. Six schools participated in the event and the top three finishers in each weight class advanced to the sectionals, which will be held at Port Charlotte High School on Jan. 24. Avon Park led the way with eight girls moving on, while Sebring had seven and Lake Placid had four advance. ...more

January 14, 2008

SEBRING — It felt like beach weather last week, but as you're picking up this newspaper from your doorstep or out of the rack, you'll wish you had a skull cap, gloves and a scarf to go along with that jacket. The National Weather Service in Ruskin predicts temperatures to dip into upper 20s by tonight until Thursday morning, bringing in the coldest weather seen in Highlands County this season, and possibly a hard freeze that's rarely seen south of Polk County's so-called "frost line." ...more

January 2, 2008

I am writing to publicly thank the Lake Placid Jaycees for the generous donation they made to my Support Our Troops fundraiser. These wonderful people have made it possible for me to ship 18 care packages to our soldiers in Iraq, in time for the Christmas holiday. And there is money left over to send packages to some of the soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Hospital. The Jaycees have been very supportive of this cause in the past, but exceeded themselves with this Christmas donation of $1,000. I know that the soldiers on the receiving end of this generosity will be very grateful, and I want everyone to know what these kind people have done. So, thank you to Steve Davis, Cheryl Davis, Niki Gregor, Kim Miller, Vicki Spires, Colleen Lee, Leah and Lyle Wilson, Kerry Stanridge, Curt Matthews, Misty Matthews, Mike Waldron, Anita Reiley, Kathy Yacoboni, Denise Mullins, David Austin, and Connie and Pam Fentress! God bless you all and Merry Christmas. ...more

December 8, 2007

He said he's certainly not ready to sprout wings, and he can hardly be described as angelic. ...more

November 26, 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

She was consistently first in line with a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand or a hot meal whenever someone was in need. ...more

November 7, 2007