DESOTO CITY, LORIDA AND LEISURE LAKES FIRE CREWS RESPONDED TO A REPORTED STRUCTURE FIRE ON ELLIOT ROAD ON LAKE ISTOKPOGA YESTERDAY MORNING. A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM CAUSED THE SCARE. NO INJURIES TO REPORT, BUT A REMINDER – CHECK AND SERVICE THAT FURNACE AND AIR HANDLER, KEEP SPACE HEATERS AWAY FROM WALLS AND DRAPERY, AVOID EXTENSION CORDS AND – IN GENERAL – BE CAREFUL WHEN TRYING TO STAY WARM.
JUST A REMINDER TO DRIVERS AND PARENTS – SCHOOLS GET OUT EARLY TODAY AS THE HIGHLANDS COUNTY SCHOOLS BEGIN THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BREAK. THE KIDS GO BACK ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 7. SCHOOL ZONES WILL GET BUSY EARLIER TODAY THAN YOU’RE USED TO AND THE KIDS WILL HAVE CANDY CANES AND TWO WEEKS OFF ON THEIR MINDS, SO PLEASE DRIVE THE SLEIGH A LITTLE MORE CAREFULLY THIS AFTERNOON.
SEBRING’S CITY COUNCIL POSTPONED A CONTENTIOUS REZONING DECISION AT ITS MEETING THIS WEEK WHEN IT WAS ASKED TO APPROVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY ON THE LAKE SIDE OF LAKEVIEW DRIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR THE KENILWORTH LODGE. THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HAD VOTED EARLIER TO DENY THE APPLICATION, BUT THE COUNCIL’S SIGN-OFF ON THE DECISION, YEAH OR NAY IS NEEDED, AND CITY STAFF WANTED MORE TIME TO RESEARCH IT. THE HEARING ON THE REQUEST HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE COUNCIL’S 6PM MEETING ON JANUARY 7TH.
DOWNTOWN SEBRING MAY HAVE SOME MORE PUBLIC PARKING, AND THAT UNUSED OLD BANK OF AMERICA DRIVETHROUGH MAY DISAPPEAR SOON. THE CITY HAS A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT TO BUY THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DOWNTOWN FLEA MARKET FOR $200,000, PURPOSING IT FOR OVERFLOW PARKING FOR DOWNTOWN, THE LIBRARY, CIVIC CENTER AND ARTS FACILITIES ACROSS LAKEVIEW. THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AND ARE WAITING FOR THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION TO GREEN LIGHT THE SALE BEFORE FINAL APPROVAL IN JANUARY – THE ETHICS BOARD COMES INTO PLAY BECAUSE COUNCILMAN CHARLES LOWRANCE IS AN OWNER OF THE PROPERTY. HE’S ABSTAINED FROM VOTES ON THE MATTER.