TAMPA - A federal jury today found the fourth and final defendant guilty in the 1998 murder of a Haines City Police officer, wrapping up the decade-old case. ...more

June 17, 2008

AVON PARK — Quintin Jerome Kinder, expected to be the key witness in the trial of Joshua Altersberger, 20, has been set free by Georgia law enforcement authorities, even though Highlands County officials had requested he be held until they could bring him back here. Kinder, 22, who lived last year at 1800 Melady Ave., Sebring, was a passenger in January 2007 when Altersberger's car was stopped by Trooper Nick Sottile. Police allege Altersberger shot the Highway Patrol sergeant, who died at the scene between Lake Placid and Sebring. Kinder ran into an orange grove, so he was charged with misdemeanor trespassing into a posted horticultural property. He was returned to his native state of Georgia to face a violation of probation charge. ...more

May 23, 2008

No sooner have the little hands knocked on Helen Morrison's front door than they are in position on the piano keys, plunking out songs. ...more

May 21, 2008

No sooner have the little hands knocked on Helen Morrison's front door than they are in position on the piano keys, plunking out songs. ...more

May 21, 2008

The burned body found in the trunk of an abandoned and burned Lexus on Thursday has been positively identified as Gregory Dane Clarke, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. ...more

May 17, 2008

CARROLLWOOD Despite a rough housing market, developers for Ravinia Luxury Courtyard Villas say their product meets the right niche to do well. ...more

May 7, 2008

A 30-year Original Carrollwood resident, Bob Long, said he and neighbors have tried to get traffic-calming measures on Orange Grove Drive for several years. ...more

April 12, 2008

When the Gasparilla Film Festival screens "The Good Samaritan," Plant High School junior Rachael Stroud plans to be in the audience. She'll also be on-screen. ...more

February 11, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Police think a man stole a car New Year's morning on Catfish Lane, then crashed it within a few miles of the owner's residence, killing himself. "The people who live across the street heard a crash about 3 a.m." said Lake Placid Chief Phil Williams, "but they couldn't see anything through the fog. Sometime later this a.m., someone else discovered the car and called it in." ...more

January 1, 2008

A lot of big stories broke throughout 2007 that grabbed readers' attention and produced plenty of coverage. Several of the stories, unfortunately, involved heart-searing tragedy and, in some cases, justice being done. This is Highlands Today's annual year-end run down of the stories that we covered and had a major impact on our area. The ranking was determined by a poll of all Highlands Today employees. ...more

December 30, 2007