A 24-year-old Miami man is facing multiple felony charges after Highlands County detectives say he traveled to Lake Placid to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex. Investigators say Franklin Leonel Uriarte communicated with the girl through a dating app after she told him she was underage. Deputies stopped him near the girl’s home on August 18th. Uriarte is being held without bond, and the investigation remains ongoing.
South Florida State College says it has made the difficult decision to permanently close the Jacaranda Restaurant inside the historic Hotel Jacaranda. The decision was approved by the college’s Board of Trustees following ongoing financial losses. The restaurant has been a longtime staple in the community, and the college says it recognizes the many memories and support the restaurant has received over the years.
The Sebring City Council has again selected the Blackmon family as its first choice to lease the city’s golf course, following ongoing discussion over the future of the property. The decision came Tuesday in a 3-to-2 vote. The Blackmon’s now have until August 28th to finalize a city-approved lease. If they don’t, the council says H&L Golf Group will have the opportunity to negotiate a lease.
A Fort Meade burglary attempt was reportedly foiled when the suspect’s getaway bicycle had two flat tires. Polk County deputies responded to a suspicious person call early Sunday and say 42-year-old Dianna Lynn Bradshaw entered an unoccupied travel trailer before taking a bicycle from a fenced yard. Deputies later found her nearby on Keller Road. Bradshaw faces multiple felony charges, including burglary and theft.