I was on a bus trip in mid- November as a guest of the Red Hatter's club. It was a very pleasant day with upbeat, friendly and cheerful people. It is a great way to begin any journey. We traveled to the Vero Beach Mall for an afternoon of shopping. We all stopped at a restroom, where I washed my hands. I said to my friends: "Did you hear that? I just heard a clink." I immediately felt this sick sensation in my stomach. I quickly checked my hands. I thought that I had lost my wedding ring. But it was not until we had returned to the bus that I realized I'd lost my mom's "Eastern Star" pinkie ring, a precious gift to me. I sat there stunned. What to do? What a loss! I was encouraged by many to call the mall management office and explain my dilemma. I did just that. When the bus ride was over, many said "I'll say a prayer that you'll recover your Mom's ring," Others joined in: "I'll pray to St. Anthony for you," "Prayers can only help," I said to myself. ...more

November 24, 2007

SEBRING — Highlands County Det. Sgt. Sharon Glisson resigned Oct. 12 for medical reasons, during an internal investigation into how a florescent camping lantern vanished from a growhouse and one just like it ended up in her garage. The investigation by Sheriff's Lt. Gaspar "Gus" Garcia, which sustained allegations of theft and misconduct by Det. Lawrence Daniel Schneider, of the Avon Park Police Department, who is on loan to the sheriff's drug task force, cast a dark cloud on the last months of Glisson's nearly 20-year career. On Aug. 28, the Sheriff's Special Investigations Unit searched a growhouse at 3010 Cedora Terrace, in Sebring. Glisson was supervisor on the case. As the growhouse raid was winding down, Schneider claimed he saw Glisson come out of the house holding something, which he said she put outside by the front door. He shined his light on the object and saw it was a lantern. ...more

November 17, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - He was back at practice Monday night, but when Florida State starting QB Drew Weatherford woke up Sunday morning - the day after suffering a concussion at Virginia Tech - football wasn't at the top of his priority list. Aspirin was. ...more

November 12, 2007

A larger-than-expected crowd breathed in the smells and savored the tastes offered by professional cooks who drenched their chicken with sauce, peppered their ribs with spices and charred their briskets to a crisp. ...more

October 24, 2007

A Polk County jury on Friday convicted Heizel Gonzalez-Martinez, a 26-year-old woman accused of luring the father of her child to a violent death at the hands of her boyfriend, on second-degree murder and accessory charges. ...more

October 13, 2007

BARTOW - A Polk County jury has convicted Heizel Gonzalez-Martinez, a 26-year-old woman accused of luring the father of her child to a violent death at the hands of her boyfriend, on second-degree murder and accessory charges. Jurors returned their verdict just before noon after deliberating for about 2 1/2 hours. Gonzalez-Martinez could face life in prison. ...more

October 12, 2007

A man was cleared of murder but convicted of reckless homicide Wednesday for the death of a man who was dragged several blocks by a car and flung against a utility wire. ...more

October 4, 2007

A fugitive sex offender wanted in two states was charged Saturday with strangling a woman and leaving her body under a bed at a Times Square hotel. ...more

September 2, 2007