Just a reminder – the old adage to spring forward and fall back comes into play this weekend. We leave Daylight Saving time and go back on Standard time Sunday morning at 2am. The fall time change always gets fewer complaints than in spring – even from opponents of the twice yearly time warp. Maybe it’s the EXTRA hour of sleep you can get Sunday morning.
Traffic on Highway 17 was rerouted near the intersection with Highway 64 in Zolfo Springs for hours early this morning due to an auto accident overnight. Reports are sketchy, but word is there was a fatality in the accident. FHP reports both north and southbound lanes are blocked.
Voting continues steady and heavy by early vote standards in Highlands County. As of day’s end yesterday, the County Elections Supervisor’s office reported about 54% of eligible Highlands County voters as having already cast ballots. Mail-in voting had a slight edge still in numbers, but the numbers were trending toward even. About 58% of registered Democrats had cast votes; a little over 58% of Republican registrants had voted. Independents seem to be the voting group holding their fire; only a little over 40% had voted as of yesterday.
The old Nan-Ces-O-Wee hotel in downtown Sebring is going down – but who’s going to take the wrecking ball after it is in some doubt after the city’s Code Enforcement Board gave the owner of the building until Monday to knock it down. The vote came Tuesday night at the Board’s meeting, and gave Tony Collins a deadline of November 2, after which the City may do it. The hotel’s roof has collapsed after storms damaged the place, along with a portion of the rear wall of the historic structure. Ownership had given notice of intent to demolish the building back in September, but the Code Board saw no movement in that direction.
Sherriff Paul Blackman ran his department for a bit less than planned last fiscal year, and the County is getting a refund. This year, checks totalling around $699,000 will go back to the County from unused funds during the last fiscal year that ended September 30th. The returned funds range from a little over $600 from the College Resource Deputy fund to $347,000 from the Detention and Correction funds. The Department makes adjustments and refunds each year at this time for unused funds in the department.
If you don’t feel great taking the kids out Trick Or Treating this weekend, maybe a trip downtown can fill the bill. First Baptist Church in Sebring is running their Fall Festival tonight from 5-8pm. There’s the usual collection of candy, along with bounce houses, games and prizes. Some of the spoke streets around the church and Sebring Middle School will be closed until 8:30 tonight with detours posted. By the way, most districts and communities around the County ARE allowing Trick or Treating Saturday – if you’re offering treats, you’re urged to leave them in a bowl so the kids can take them from a six-foot distance. In Sun N Lake of Sebring, homes welcoming Trick or Treaters will be displaying a fall colored door hanger showing that goblins are welcome.