Community members will gather this evening at Reflection Park for the 7th annual Cruise for Jessica, a memorial event honoring Jessica Montague and four other women killed in the 2019 SunTrust Bank shooting. The cruise begins at 6:30 p.m. and serves as a tribute to the victims’ lives, while offering families and residents an opportunity to reflect, remember, and stand together in solidarity and healing.
The Lake Placid Arts & Crafts Country Fair is set to return with a weekend full of creativity and family-friendly fun. Hosted by the Greater Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce, the two-day event will take place February 7th and 8th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at DeVane Park. More than 95 vendors will showcase handmade art, jewelry, décor, and more, with a car show planned Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Admission is free, and thousands of visitors are expected to enjoy art, food, and local talent while supporting small businesses.
Two Lee County men were killed Wednesday morning after their vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with a semi tractor-trailer in Hardee County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash happened around 11:40 a.m. at the intersection of State Road 64 and Florida Cracker Trail near Ona. The driver, a 35-year-old man from Fort Myers, and a 22-year-old passenger from Cape Coral were pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger, a 25-year-old man from Fort Myers, was critically injured. The semi driver, a 71-year-old man from Wauchula, was not injured.
A former police officer in Polk County is accused of killing his girlfriend’s dog in Hillsborough County. The sheriff’s office announced yesterday Edwin Campuzano poisoned the three year old Maltese Poodle in May because he didn’t like it. The woman contacted deputies last month, and Campuzano turned himself in last week. He’s charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. At the time he allegedly poisoned the dog, Campuzano was a police officer in Bartow but he’s no longer no with the BPD. Sheriff Chad Chronister says Campuzano’s alleged actions reflect a serious failure of the values those who wear the badge are sworn to uphold.