News Update for 1/13/25

A motorcyclist was injured Saturday morning in a two-vehicle accident on State Road 17 between Home Avenue and Arbuckle Creek Road, when a GMC pickup failed to yield the right of way. The pickup truck was reportedly exiting a private driveway and pulled into the path of the motorcycle, causing the motorcyclist to lay down the bike in an attempt to avoid a collision. The bike and its rider ended up sliding down the roadway and colliding with the driver’s side of the truck. The Motorcyclist sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. There were no reported injuries for the driver of the pickup truck.

The first reading of an ordinance to implement a moratorium on new mobile home and RV parks was recently approved by the Sebring City Council in a unanimous vote. The plan is that the moratorium will last a year but could end sooner. The moratorium would start after approval of a second reading which will be conducted at the January 21st City Council meeting. The expected end date would be January 20th, 2026.

A 58-year-old Bradley Junction man, dubbed the fishing pole bandit, has been arrested in Polk County. The suspect was caught after a concerned neighbor spotted him grabbing fishing poles off of her neighbor’s porch and called authorities. Deputies were able to quickly locate the suspect after the neighbor provided a detailed description of the man and the direction that he took off in. The man was located several blocks away in possession of five stolen fishing poles. James Prine, a career criminal, now faces charges of burglary and felony petit theft. He is being held on a $10,000 bond at the Polk County Jail.

A former Central Florida police officer and local Proud Boys member is heading to prison after storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. A federal judge this week sentenced Nathaniel Tuck to 14-months behind bars, 36 months of supervised release and ordered him to pay four-thousand dollars in fines and restitution. The ex-Apopka officer pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from his actions during the riot. Federal prosecutors say Tuck was a member of the Space Coast chapter of the Proud Boys based in Central Florida.

The Highlands County School Board is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Lake Placid Middle School Principal. Hilary Hathaway will be vacating the position in a few weeks’ time after accepting the Director of Finance position with the Hardee County School District. Filling the position has seen challenges over the years with as many as 5 changes in the last decade alone. Most recently, Hathaway was recommended to fill the position by Superintendent Brenda Longshore in May of 2023, after transferring Hathaway’s predecessor Shane Ward to Hill-Gustat Middle School. Applicants interested in the position are able to apply through January 21st on the School Board of Highlands County’s website page.

The Highlands County Ag Tours are back for the 2025 season starting January 23rd. It will feature an Agriculture and Natural Resources Tour that highlights different agricultural operations throughout the county. The tour is open to the public and tickets are $100 per person which includes transportation and a steak lunch. Registration will start at 7:30am at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agricultural Center located at 4509 George Blvd. in Sebring. For more information please call the Highlands County Extension Office at 863-402-6540.

A Lake Wales Substitute Techer has been arrested for sharing sexually explicit images of herself with elementary school students. Gayle Wessel, a 60 year old substitute at Park Avenue Private School, was arrested this past Tuesday after a month’s long investigation by Lake Wales Police Department. Reportedly, officials at the school were made aware of the incident in early November 2024, relieved Wessel of her position, and alerted authorities. The investigation showed that Wessel had allegedly been showing the images to multiple students and a search of her phone revealed hundreds of graphic photos and videos. Wessel also reportedly tried to delete the images. Wessel faces six counts of showing obscene material to minors, and one count of tampering with evidence.

Some people from Central Florida are living through the devastating wildfires in Southern California. Stuart Morrell used to live in Orange County, and he says he’s used to natural disasters like hurricanes, but he never thought he’d see smoke thousands of feet in the air. Former Orlando resident Lizzi Wilson is riding it out, but she says she has her ‘go’ bag packed, just in case. Things may look bleak now, but Morrell feels confident in Los Angeles’ future. He says it will get rebuilt, and the city will come back stronger.