Names aren’t yet being released yet by the Florida State Patrol, but a traffic mishap last night around 8:30 near the corner of Maxanna Road and Highway 66 West of Sebring resulted in the death of a pedestrian last night. State Road 66 was closed in both directions for a time after a 43 year old male driving an SUV west on 66 hit the 39 year old female pedestrian while she tried to cross the travel lanes on 66. The SUV hit the woman in the westbound lane, and after being taken to Highlands Regional Hospital was pronounced dead. Later on, a little after midnight, troopers were called to an accident scene with injuries on Whatley Boulevard near the intersection with Heron Street, where there also were reported injuries.
It’s going to be another real active weekend for events around the County … if you can’t find something to do, you haven’t looked hard enough. Highlands Hammock State Park is celebrating its annual CCC Festival tomorrow, commemorating the role the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps had in building the state’s first State Park. Hours are from 10-4. There’s art displays, music, educational programs on stage and in the CCC Museum, in the picnic area of the park.
Heartland Horses Equine Center has its annual “Heartland Hoedown” at 6pm tomorrow night – that’s a major annual fundraiser for the organization, off College Drive near the Ridge Area ARC’s campus near SFSC. And speaking of the ARC, that organization’s annual “Night At The Races” video horse racing fundraiser is tonight at Sun N Lake of Sebring. Both events start at 6pm.
And Shannon Reed and Earl Mandrell take the stage at the Champion For Children’s Circle Theatre tomorrow night at 7pm as part of the theatre’s fall and winter concert series.
Winter the dolphin, the beloved star of the “Dolphin Tale” movies whose story of resilience with a prosthetic tail, and recent illness, captured attention around the world, has died. Winter died at about 7:45 p.m. as she was being prepped for exploratory surgery to treat an intestinal blockage at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, according to aquarium board chairperson Paul Auslander. She was 16.