Local News Headlines 12-6-18

There’s still help available if you’re among those not fully put back together after Hurricane Irma’s 2017 appearance. Highlands County was one of twelve counties in the state that hadn’t yet fully recovered from the storm as of earlier this year, and a mobile Rebuild Florida office is set up this week in Avon Park to help get you a bit closer to one piece. It’ll be in the CVS parking lot off the corner of Main Street and Highway 27 through Saturday. Rebuild Florida has priority funding for housing affected by the storm for lower income residents, as well as the elderly, disabled and parents of kids under five.

Other recovery options still exist, too – Habitat for Humanity in Highlands County announced this week they’ve gotten another $20,000 grant in-hour from State Farm Insurance and their national organization to help repair homes still under duress from the storm.

There was a little excitement on social media around town Monday afternoon about a story of a school bus fire. The real skinny on the event generally isn’t as exciting as the rumor – a bust carrying 23 kids from Lake Placid Middle and High Schools had an alternator belt break, and rubber smokes when it lashes around inside an engine compartment. The fire department was called out of caution, the kids were transferred to another bus and the day ended for all just a bit behind schedule.