We didn’t make the bottom ten – but we came close. A new report by the internet site Smartest Dollar has found that the Sebring-Avon Park area has the 11th lowest mortgage loan approval rate in the United States.
Despite the booming housing market, only 72-percent of mortgqage loans were approved locally. That compares to a nationwide figure of nearly 84-percent.
The least likely to be approved were home improvement loans. Just 61-percent of those were OK’d.
Avon Park city council members last night approved a three year pact with the Highlands County Sheriff’s office. Since the dissolution of the Avon Park police nearly a decade ago, the sheriff’s office has provided law enforcement for the City of Charm.
Outgoing Avon Park city councilwoman Brenda Gray said at the time, she did not want to dissolve the department there , but said the local force there was corrupt.
Most of the displaced Avon Park officers subsequently were absorbed by the Sheriff’s office.
A two car accident in the Bird Streets last night reportedly caused a car to hit a house. The sedan and a sport utility vehicle reportedly came together shortly after 6:30 last night near the intersection of North Heron and Wren streets.
The car then careened off the road and into a nearby house.
Highway 70 west of the Kissemmee River has been closed for a time due to a traffic crash. The area was shut down due to a semi tractor-trailer rig that went over and leaked a significant amount of fuel.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
Highlands County school officials say they are short on substitute teachers. The system reportedly is looking for fill-ins at all grade levels. They say schedules are flexible and there are opportunities for both long and short-term positions.
Pay scales range from $77 to $171 per day depending upon applicants’ levels of education.