Deputy Sherriff William Gentry’s name figued prominently again yesterday, this time among the longer list of the fallen and passed, at the annual Peace Officers’ Memorial Day ceremony at the Highlands County Government Center. The morning program featured reading of the names of the twelve Florida officers lost during 2017, color guard from the VFW and gun salute, and an emotional reading of a poem entitled "When God Made Police Officers."
Almost everyone who uses the intersection seems to agree work’s needed to modernize and improve the intersection of Highways 64 – better known as Main Street – and US 27 in Avon Park. The Florida Department of Transportation agrees, and has work slated to begin at and around that busy intersection early next month. If you’re concerned or curious about the impact on you, FDOT staff have scheduled an informational meeting next Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on East Pine Street. The work will extend out a few blocks in each direction, will include lane closures, will take until Spring of 2020 to finish and carries a bill of around $8 million.
Lake Placid will be losing its Recycling bin soon – there’s been a set of recyling bins in the parking lot of the Health Department off Main Street in town to augment the town-funded garbage pickup service, but the town was informed that Waste Connections now needs $20,000 a year to pick up the containers. That was a TON more than the Town Council could swallow, and they voted this week to trash the recycling program for the time being.
The Lake Placid Town Council will have a vacancy – in six months. Councilwoman Arlene Tuck submitted her resignation to the Council on Monday with an effective date of November 13. Tuck is taking on incumbent Jack Ritchie for Highlands County Commission, and had been told by the Supervisor of Elections office that the resignation needed to be submitted 10 days before qualifying deadlines for the upcoming primary. If she wins, she’d take her Commission seat on November 20th, hence the November 13th resignation. Tuck has served on the council for four years.
South Florida State College has announced the appointment of four faculty members to “endowed chairs” funded by the SFSC Foundation. Dental Education Professor Darlene Saccuzzo, Nursing Professor Dawn Pisarski, Dental Assisting Professor Bob Sconyers, and Developmental Math Professor Cheryl John were appointed as teaching chairs and awarded $5,000 per year for two years. Half going toward equipment, professional development, or to attend a conference related to the faculty member’s discipline of study. The other half is a salary stipend.