The latest Coronavirus test numbers released by the Florida Department of Health show that there have been 25 additional positive tests returned and 104 new negatives conducted in Highlands County.
Of the 15,258 tests administered locally over the past five months – 13,968 tests have been negative with 1,277 positive csess recorded.
There have been 144 people hospitalized at some point during their illness and 29 deaths have been tied to the corona virus since numbers started being kept.
Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies had the dogs out this morning searching the Avon Park area for a couple of armed robbers. Apparently, a couple of suspects entered the Marathon gas station at the intersection of State Road 64 and Highway 27 demanding cash.
They suspects are described only as two white or hispanic males dressed in black.
Today’s the day local residents can begin applying for CARES Act money. Highland has been allocated $4.8 million dollars in the first round of cash.
Applications began this morning. The paperwork only is taken on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from nine until noon for the so-called Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act cash.
Most of the work will be done online at HighlandsCares.com.
The Sebring Chamber of Commerce will host a couple of community events about the program. They will start with a meeting at 5:30 tonight at the County Commission Chambers on Commerce Avenue in Sebring
Highlands County officials say they’ll start the recycling program back up again today. But be aware, the green and yellow recycling carts will only be collected if they contain approved recyclable goods. Only cardboard, plastic bottles, plastic jugs, plastic jars and steel or aluminum cans are permissible.
Anything else is contaminants – they go into the blue bin and off to the landfill. Carts with unauthorized materials will be tagged and not collected.
Highway 27 was closed for a time this morning when a truck carrying pool chemicals caught fire near Lake Henry noerh of Lake Placid. Units from Sun ‘N Lakes South, Desoto City and Lake Placid responded to extinguish the hazerdous materials – so far, no injuries have been reported.
The storm Isahias – which has wobbled between a weak hurricane and a strong tropical storm, limped by Florida over the weekend. It appears there were few if any effects in Highlands County with most of the activity limited to the Atlantic coast.