The latest Coronavirus numbers released by the Florida Department of Health show that there have been 0 additional positive cases and 132 new negative results in Highlands County.
Of the 14,597 tests administered locally over the past five months – 13,454 have been negative with 1,115 positives. There have been 136 people hospitalized at some point during their illness and 26 deaths have been tied to the corona virus since numbers started being kept.
That tropical system in the eastern Caribbean now has a name. Tropical Storm Isaias is heading for Hispaniola carrying the threat of flooding and landslides. Highlands County Emergency Management officials continue to ask area residents to review their storm preparedness provisions.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm is following a path that could take it around or through Florida by this weekend.
In preparation for the possibility of storm activity this weekend Highlands County are providing the public with sand bags. Those who want them will be able to get up to 10 bags per person through Saturday.
The bags will be available at the Road and Bridge office on George Blvd. south of Sebring, The Road and Bridge office on East Winthrop Street in Avon Park and the Road and Bridge office on County Road 621 in Lake Placid. Bags will be brought to your car by a county employee.
Sand for the bags is available at South George Boulevard just north of the Emergency Operations Center in Sebring, the intersection of County Road 17 East, Old Bombing Range Road and Isabelle Lake Road in Avon Park and the intersection of County Road 619, County Road 621 and Highlands Lake Drive in Lake Placid.
Highlands County soon will have a new assistant county administrator. Reportedly, Highlands County Extension Director and Citrus Agent Laurie Hurner is resigning her post to take the new position.
That action reportedly is slated to happen next week. Hurner previously worked as a field representative for Florida Citrus Mutual and has served as an agriculture instructor at what is now South Florida State College in Avon Park.
Officials at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office say deputies have arrested a candidate for the Polk County Board of Commissioners there.
Martin Grenfell faces counts of false swearing with regard to voting – a third-degree felony. Grenfell reportedly had pled guilty in 2012 for felony trafficking in counterfeit labels and received three years’ probation.
However – Grenfell signed a Candidate Oath, which attests that he is qualified to hold office under the Constitution and the Laws of Florida which includes the prohibition against holding an elected office by a convicted felon.