A circuit court judge today ordered a former offensive guard for the Buccaneers' winning Super Bowl team to stay away from the mother of his children after she said he struck her with a box of candy. ...more

February 22, 2008

I've been told that fast food isn't good for your health, but what happened last Monday was a bit over the top. ...more

February 19, 2008

SEBRING — Going home for a turkey dinner will be a little easier for teachers and families with school children next year with the school calendar featuring the entire Thanksgiving week as a holiday. Deputy Superintendent Rodney Hollinger told the school board recently the district should consider taking the whole week off because many teachers already take the Monday and Tuesday off before Thanksgiving requiring a higher number of substitutes to be brought in. The School Board of Highlands County approved its 2008-09 student calendar Tuesday with no school for the fourth week of November. ...more

December 13, 2007

AVON PARK — An Avon Park man was free Friday on $50,000 bail, after he was charged with child abuse in the case of a 3-year-old girl. Also a Sebring man was freed on his own recognizance Friday in a third child cruelty case involving a teenage victim. Jeff Roth, director of the Children's Advocacy Center, which provides victim counseling and family referrals, said his agency has definately seen an increase of activity over the last few weeks, but he doesn't know why. "It has been a busy, busy time down here," he said. "Something's in the water, or a bad phase of the moon - I haven't had time to even think what's going on." David Robert Metz, 34, of Avon Park, became a suspect in the case when Avon Park police received a report of child abuse on Nov. 13 that was made to the Department of Children and Families regarding a 3-year-old victim who had a large bruise on her face and nose and a scratch under her chin. ...more

November 17, 2007

A Hillsborough County land-use hearing officer has approved a private preschool's move from the east side of Lutz into the downtown historical district. ...more

November 17, 2007

At least 15,000 families are expected to register for the annual holiday food and toy distribution that begins today at Metropolitan Ministries. ...more

November 15, 2007

Riverview Elementary School is closed for a second day today because there were no assurances late Tuesday that a nearby ammonia leak could be fixed in time. ...more

November 14, 2007

It's anyone's guess where Stefanie Francique could be more than a week after she vanished. ...more

November 14, 2007

It's anyone's guess where Stefanie Francique could be more than a week after she vanished. But here's what she left behind: a doting little daughter with fuzzy - sometimes braided hair- and an enormous smile. ...more

November 13, 2007

At least 15,000 families are expected to register for the annual holiday food and toy distribution that begins Thursday at Metropolitan Ministries. ...more

November 12, 2007