A brush fire off N. Highlands Blvd. in Avon Park yesterday was blamed on improper disposal of hot coals from a grill. Firefighters from Highlands Lakes VFD and Florida Forest Service responded to that one The small brush fire also ignited the contents of a small 10×10 shed. No injuries reported and an estimated $500 loss from contents and the structure. Be careful – the weather is drying things out quickly.
The Hotel Jacaranda in downtown Avon Park had to be evacuated for about an hour Saturday afternoon when a small fire in an exhaust fan in one of the historic building’s boiler rooms tripped a fire alarm. No injuries, and the residents of the building were back inside within an hour or so after exhaust fans were used to clear the smoke. The Jacaranda is owned by South Florida State College – the residential floors are used for student housing,
If you were wondering what the crowd was down near Don Jose’s Restaurant in Sebring Friday, it wasn’t a sale on tacos. It was the annual “Day Of Giving” for a group of local dentists led by Dr. David Willey in Sebring, whose current office is on that corner across Lakeview from the Gate station. People lined up at early as 12:30am to take advantage of free dental services for the day offered by Willey and four other area dentists, promoted in part by a heavy public service campaign on the Highlands Radio Group. 65 patients were seen by the doctors, and hygenists from the practices brought the total to the around 100 who registered before time ran out on the event. Willey says new offices soon to open on the south end of Sebring will have more chairs available for more patients next year.
The Avon Park city council is expected to wind up their budget when they meet tonight. They set their millage and an annual fire assessment at a special meeting last week before adjourning – the final ribbons should get tied in the package tonight.
Somebody around here is a little better off this morning – someone bought a Florida Lottery Fantasy Five ticket worth $53,400.75 at the Love Buggs C-store in Sebring. In all, there were four winners in that drawing.