FALL DRAG RACING AT SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY STARTS TOMORROW WITH “THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE” AT THE TRACK. LOCAL STRAIGHT-INE DRIVERS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO STRUT THEIR STUFF ON THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY OF THE TRACK. CARS AND DRIVERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ARE EXPECTED. GATES OPEN AT 2PM TOMORROW, THERE’LL BE A CAR SHOW, DRIFTING COMPETITIONS AND THE DRAGS THEMSELVES STARTING AROUND 6PM TOMORROW.
A TRAFFIC STOP TURNED UGLY WEDNESDAY EVENING IN AVON PARK AND ENDED UP WITH FOUR LOCALS BEING HAULED OFF TO JAIL BY COUNTY SHERRIFF’S DEPUTIES ON CHARGES INCLUDING INCITING A RIOT. IT STARTED AROUND 9:30 NEAR THE CORNER OF WEST SHORELINE DRIVE AND TULANE DRIVE – A CROWD GATHERED AROUND DETECTIVES WORKING THE STOP, AND FOUR RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED AFTER URGING THE CROWD TO HURT THE COPS. TASERS HAD TO BE USED AND ONE SUSPECT HAD TO BE SUBDUED BY FORCE AFTER HE REFISED TO COME OUT OF HIS HOUSE, BUT NO SERIOUS INJURIES RESULTED FROM THE BORDERLINE MELEE.
THE HIGHLANDS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TURNED THUMBS DOWN THIS WEEK ON A RATIFIED CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH ITS UNIONIZED NON-INSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES AFTER HEARING FROM SUPPORT EMPLOYEES THAT THEY WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT THE UNION HAD RATIFIED BY AN 83-4 VOTE EARLIER. THE VOTE WAS 3-2 TO SEND THE CONTRACT BACK FOR RENEGOTIATION OVER SUPERINTENDANT BRENDA LONGSHORE’S URGING TO PASS THE DEAL.
TWO FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE COUNTY FOUND THEMSELVES ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BENCH THIS WEEK, BOTH RECEIVING PROBATION SENTENCES FOR DIFFERENT VIOLATIONS. FORMER DEPUTY SHERRIF ZACHARY LEHMAN WAS FOUND GUILTY OF MISDEMEANOR BATTERY WEDNESDAY AFTER PLEADING DOWN FROM MORE SERIOUS CHARGES STEMMING FROM A 2018 INCIDENT IN WHICH HE ALLEGEDLY HARRASSED AN OFF-DUTY FEMALE OFFICER ON THE SFSC CAMPUS. HE’LL UNDERGO COUNSELING AND SERVE 12 MONTHS OF PROBATION. IN AN UNRELATED CASE, FORMER SEBRING POLICE OFFICER EZELL GAMMAGE WILL ALSO SERVE A YEAR OF PROBATION AND DO COMMUNITY SERVICE AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF FLEEING A SHERRIFF’S PATROL CAR TRYING TO STOP HIM FOR RECKLESSLY RUNNING AN ATV ON THE STREETS OF AVON PARK BACK IN APRIL.
SHERRIFF’S DETECTIVES ARE ASKING FOR HELP VIA THE HIGHLANDS COUNTY SHERRIFF’S OFFICE FACEBOOK PAGE. THERE’S A CELLPHONE SNAPSHOT POSTED THERE SHOWING WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE CARPETING IN A HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM. IT’S PART OF AN INVESTIGATION, AND IF YOU RECOGNIZE IT, THEY’D APPRECIATE A CALL – THE INSIDE LINE TO MAKE CONTACT IS POSTED WITH THE PICTURE.
UP IN POLK COUNTY, THEIR DEPUTIES ARRESTED AN AUBURNDALE FELLOW FOR AIMING A LASER POINTER AT A DEPARTMENT HELICOPTER YESTERDAY MORNING. JOHN MARSH GOT ARRESTED FOR UNLAWFUL USE OF A LASER LIGHT DEVICE, BUT GOT THE BOGO DEAL WHEN DEPUTIES DISCOVERED HE HAD AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT OUT FOR HIM AS WELL. ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS ELEMENT OF CALLING ATTENTION TO ONE’S SELF WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY WANTED, IT MIGHT BEAR REPEATING THAT EVEN THOSE INNOCENT-LOOKING CAT TOY LASERS CAN BLIND A PILOT AND MESS UP NAVIGATION. DON’T DO IT.