One person was airlifted out and another taken to a local emergency room yesterday morning when a two-vehicle wreck on State Road 64 snarled traffic in the area of the Avon Park Airport. Police reports indicate a Chevy Malibu driven by Wendy Medina of Bowling Green collided with a Ford Transit van driven by Nehemius Cruz III of Avon Park. Medina was reportedly eastbound – Cruz westbound, and the two vehicles hit off-center but head on. Cruz was turning left into the parking lot of his employer. Medina’s statement says Cruz turned in front of her; Cruz’s statement says he was at a near stop. Medina was airlifted to Fort Meyers, Cruz transported by EMS to Advent Health Sebring.
It’s down to the waiting for the folks at Sebring International Raceway, to see if the Twelve Hours of Sebring made the finish line for the title of “Best Motorsports Race” in USA Today’s annual web survey. Before voting closed, our hometown race was sitting in second place, which would be an improvement over last year. Results will be released about noon today at 10best.com.
Today marks the start of an annual tradition – the Caladium Festival opens in downtown Lake Placid. The annual July event features and arts and crafts show along Interlake Boulevard, entertainment onstage, food vendors and TONS of Caladium plants and bulbs in Stuart Park. The Jaycees annual dance and party is Saturday night, this year at Bo David’s south of town in Sun N Lakes, a 5K race starting at First Presbyterian Church tomorrow morning, and the annual car and bike show begins Saturday morning in DeVane Park. Hours for the festival are 9-4 today and tomorrow, 10-3 on Sunday.
The School Board and Teachers Union have agreed to a deal for the upcoming year – yesterday afternoon, the unionannounced to ts members that, pending acceptance by the union, the starting pay for a teacher in Highlands County next year will be $40,000 a year; graded effectiveness earns increases from $2,000 to $2,670. The union puts the agreement to a vote in mid August.