SEBRING — Gawkers keep asking Eddie Talley whether the 38-foot-long missile at his welder's shop could blow up. "It's a running joke," said Talley. "They ask if it's real, and we say it is. You should see the expression on their faces. It freaks them out." The missile at T-N-T Welding near Sebring HiIls, just a block off U.S. 27, is a reproduction and a fake. The Avon Park Air Force Range hired Talley to repair the two mock missiles. U.S. Air Force personnel at the range use the mock missiles for bombing practice. Talley said welding repairs were warranted, due to what appeared to be direct hits to the 2,000-pound missile, which is made of sheet metal. ...more

May 22, 2008

The orange-suited emergency workers had just pulled someone out of the rubble alive Saturday when a chilling cry reverberated around the tilting high-rises, the toppled construction cranes and the market littered with bodies: The valley was about to flood. ...more

May 18, 2008

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May 13, 2008

After munching a bagel breakfast at Congregation Beth Shalom in Brandon, more than 90 members and their families spent Mitzvah Day on March 30 helping people, organizations and animals throughout Brandon and South Shore. ...more

May 7, 2008

A Tampa family laid their 26-year-old son to rest Friday, honoring the sacrifice he made for his country. ...more

February 23, 2008

VENUS — Along an isolated road near the Highlands-Glades county line, a single-engine plane with Iraqi Air Force insignia was grounded Wednesday afternoon. ...more

February 22, 2008

VENUS — Highlands County Sheriff's Office deputies are continuing to guard a single-engine airplane with Iraqi air force markings that made an emergency landing here on Wednesday afternoon. ...more

February 21, 2008

Part of a fleet of new refueling tankers could be headed to Tampa if MacDill Air Force Base is selected from among 27 installations across the country being considered as bases for the new aircraft. ...more

February 15, 2008

Officials overseeing the transformation of a retired U.S. Air Force missile tracking ship into an artificial reef off Key West said Saturday that they are planning to sink the ship May 15. ...more

January 27, 2008

AVON PARK — It's like having every student raise his or her hand to answer a classroom problem. But answering algebra questions using instant responders is less chaotic and the teacher instantly knows what percentage of his class is understanding the concept being taught. Avon Park High math teacher Marc Davis said students using the technology knew immediately how they performed Tuesday morning on a mid-term Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) prep test. Similar to a television remote control, the instant responder allows students to answer true/false and yes/no questions, select answers from multiple choice or enter numeric answers. ...more

January 23, 2008