Firefighters will be out again today trying to fully extinguish that blaze at the Highlands County landfill. Reports say the stinky, smoldering blaze was 95-percent contained when operations were suspended last night. The fire started Wednesday with units split between a blaze on the top of the pile and an accompanying grass fire.
The good news is there have been no injuries and no equipment has been reported damaged. No cause has been determined. Officials hope that today’s forecast rain will help both the landfill fire and the current Red Flag conditions.
Incidentally, trucks now have picked up Wednesday’s garbage. They hope to get Thursday’s in sometime today or tomorrow.
There was a bad traffic accident out on the east end of Highlands County last night. A pair of vehicles reportedly came together near the intersection of US 98 and Nine Mile Grade shortly after 8:00.
Authorities say four people were taken to the hospital from that one. No names or other details have been released.
Some bad news for Highlands County Sheriff’s K9 Waylon as he tries to take the gold in the Florida Sheriff’s Association Final Four K9 competition.
He’s lagging behind in votes to Brevard County Sheriff’s office K9 Junni. Local officials say that Brevard has about six times the Facebook followers we have here, combined with a concentrated effort.
Those wanting to vote for Waylon need to go to the Florida Sheriff’s Association Facebook page and use the "care emoji" on the competition post.
Voting will go through 3:00 this afternoon.
This year’s edition of the SodaFest will kick off tonight in downtown Sebring. Set to run from 5-9PM with entertainment, a silent disco, family fun & games and of course, soda tasting.
The main event will run all day tomorrow with vendors, entertainment and plenty of soft drinks to be sampled. Sampling tickets will be available online or on site.
The Sebring SodaFest will run through Sunday, rain or shine.
Officials at the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency reportedly are looking to increase their tax base by offering incentives to developers and qualified homebuyers with such things as the waiver of development fees and down payment assistance.
The idea is to waive water & sewer impact fees as a means of attracting new housing construction in what is called the DIP – Developer Incentive Program.