Higgins building demolition kicks off phase one of jail renovation, hosts say

Podcast hosts Edna Adams, Olivia Walter and Emily Wilson said they witnessed the demolition of the Higgins building adjacent to the county jail, which they described as the start of phase one of a larger jail renovation project.

The hosts reported the mayor, the sheriff and a county commissioner — along with members of the sheriff’s office — were on site when the structure was taken down. The hosts said the building “just needed to go” and that the county plans to replace the site with a parking lot as part of the renovation; they also said a formal groundbreaking ceremony will be scheduled at a later date.

Why it matters: The demolition marks an early, visible step in a renovation project tied to county facilities planning. The hosts said local news stations were present and that the county will share photos and video of the demolition on social media.

Reporting notes: Claims in this article are attributed to the podcast hosts; the episode did not include a separate on-record statement from county officials about the demolition timetable, budget or contractor details.