News Update for 1/4/19

There were some tense moments at the fire/rescue station in downtown Sebring yesterday when a resident arrived with what has been described as “a suspicious package.”
The Highlands County Hazardous Materials Team was dispatched to do an evaluation. After testing, the package was cleared of having any harmful substance in it.
Authorities remind citizens that should they have such concerns, they need to call 9-1-1 and personnel will be dispatched to their location. They say handling such items is NOT a good idea.

Police in Lake Placid are warning residents to be on the lookout for funny money. Authorities in the Caladium Capital say they have had a few cases of counterfieit bills being passed there and will be working with the Secret Service to find out where the money came from.

Emergency crews say a deadly crash involving two big rigs and two passenger vehicles is being treated as a homicide investigation after 7 people were killed, but they’re not saying why. The crash happened Thursday on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, and it sparked a massive fire when diesel fuel spilled across the road. The Gainesville Sun is reporting that several other people were taken to the hospital, some with critical injuries.

A mugger in West Palm Beach apparently picked the wrong senior citizen to attack.
68-year-old Steve Shepherd was limping to his car last week, a pulled muscle impairing his stride, when a mugger hit him in the head with a bottle and demanded his cellphone.
Bad choice.
Shepherd is a five-time world kickboxing champ. Though retired 18 years, he’s been training to become the oldest professional fighter. He has a March bout scheduled.
Shepherd threw a right cross to the attacker’s head, and then smashed a hook to his ribs, crumpling him. Bystanders interceded and the man escaped. Shepherd suffered a ruptured eardrum, a cut and bruise.
The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office says security video shows the attacker is about 20 and had prowled the area for hours, seeking a victim.