Requests for proposals have come back on new playground equipment for Mary Toney Park, and Sebring Public Works Director Rob Miller said Friday that he is ready to recommend his choice to the city council. ...more

November 2, 2009

The final draft of the Washington Heights Neighborhood and Urban Design Plan is in, and now comes the question: Is a large-scale plan like this doable in the current economic climate? ...more

February 25, 2009

Hundreds of children in Highlands County will be opening gifts for Christmas thanks to the generosity of people contributing to toy drives. ...more

December 13, 2008

The city of Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency board of commissioners will listen to a presentation Monday by Keith and Schnars, a planning company hired to work on the Washington Heights Neighborhood Plan. ...more

December 8, 2008

Washington Heights residents will get a chance tonight to offer their input on a conceptual plan that aims to revitalize the neighborhood. The Washington Heights Neighborhood Development Plan will be unveiled at 7 tonight at the Boys and Girls Club, by Keith and Schnars, the city's planner. ...more

November 6, 2008

While the Washington Heights Neighborhood Development Plan is still in its early stages, a new phase is about to be unveiled when Keith and Schnars, the city's planners present its conceptual plan to the community. ...more

October 26, 2008

SEBRING — The 9th Annual Sebring Juneteenth Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., June 21, in the Washington Heights Neighborhood, on Lemon Street, from Railroad Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard. The family-fun multicultural block party will feature music, vendors and entertainment. Tim McGahee, pastor of Bountiful Blessings Church of God, is ready for the day-long celebration. "Not only does it talk about the issue, but Juneteenth brings the community together," said McGahee. "It brings people of different races and cultures together, which is very important. "It's not something government can do, only communities can do that." Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Twenty six states observe June 19 as an annual holiday or holiday observance. ...more

June 17, 2008

SEBRING — Habitat for Humanity has a new way to help the environment — recycling houses. Instead of demolishing one of the houses on Magnolia Street slated to eventually become a parking lot for county offices, they moved the house to a new location a few blocks away. "We took a house that was donated to us by the county to a piece of property donated to us by the city," said Jane Breylinger, executive director of Highlands County Habitat for Humanity. "It's was a good way for us all to work together." ...more

May 31, 2008

SEBRING — Free was the key word of the day Tuesday as Progress Energy kicked off its Neighborhood Energy Saver program. "Free is a great four-letter word that we love to use," Mayor George Hensley said. "We are very pleased Progress Energy is starting this free program in Sebring." Sebring is the sixth city in the state where Progress Energy has implemented the program, which targets the low-income area near the Washington Heights neighborhood. The project will make improvements at no cost to participants, including compact fluorescent lighting, water-heater wraps and insulation for water pipes, water conservation shower heads and faucets, refrigerator-coil cleaning and brush, a year's supply of air filters and additional weatherization measures. ...more

May 27, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County commissioners will consider seeking grant money to continue the neighborhood revitalization of the Washington Heights neighborhood from the city of Sebring into the abutting Lincoln Heights area, which lies in the unincorporated area. Commissioner Barbara Stewart raised that idea last week after the five commissioners voted unanimously to donate $1,000 for equipment rentals for the June 21 Juneteenth community festival in Washington Heights. Both Stewart and Edgar Stokes, chairman of the county commissioners, said they were impressed by the streetscape project, which is improving the appearance of Lemon Street at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the center of the Washington Heights neighborhood. Further improvements to the neighborhood will be discussed by neighborhood residents and city leaders at two "visioning" sessions, scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 18 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19. ...more

May 25, 2008