Local News 8-17-21

The City of Sebring will be adding land tonight at its regularly scheduled council meeting – the owners of the old Harder Hall Golf Course land have requested annexation of the 49 acres of property behind the old hotel. Assuming Council approves, the acreage will be part of the city when developed into housing units. The Council is also expected to review transfer of the building at 301 Circle Park Drive to the owners of Sugar Sands Distillery from the CRA for a combined Italian eatery, spirits and entertainment venue.

If your kids come home with upturned noses at their school lunches and breakfasts, well – the lunch lady isn’t cheaping out. The Highlands County School Board says like everywhere else, product and staffing shortages are affecting menu planning in the lunchrooms. Among the things they’ve been having trouble finding and in short supply – Chicken, Potato Products, Ketchup and those paper based, five section trays for serving. They’re working on it, but if your kids tell you they’re rationing ketchup it isn’t because of a food fight. Breakfast menus may be a moveable feast as well – they’ll have it, but what it IS may be subject to what’s available.

Tropical Storm Fred made landfall near Cape San Blas in Florida’s Panhandle a little after 2pm Monday afternoon as a 65 mph Tropical Storm – next in line is Tropical Depression Grace, who started out on a similar track as Fred but is skewing to the south of Cuba and heading for the Yucatan, probably returning to Tropical Storm status once in open waters south of Cuba. The third active system in the Atlantic basin – Tropical Storm Henri – is projected to wander aimlessly around Bermuda before heading into the North Atlantic. So, it looks like a break in our alert status for a short while. The peak of the hurricane season doesn’t hit till September 10, though, so we’re watching.

A Walmart Supercenter in Lake Wales closed over the weekend for cleaning amid community concerns about a possible COVID-19 outbreak. The company ordered the temporary closure of the store at 2000 State Road 60 E. on Friday, Walmart’s communications department said. The store closed at 2 p.m. Friday for a “company-initiated program” to allow third-party crews to clean and sanitize the building, a company statement said. The store remained closed Sunday for employees to restock shelves and prepare the location to reopen Monday morning.