The Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a Modified Phase II “Severe” Water Shortage due to ongoing dry conditions. Starting February 8 through July 1, residents—including those on private wells—in multiple counties must limit lawn watering to one day per week. The move follows below-average rainfall and declining water levels in aquifers, rivers, and lakes. Officials urge residents to follow local schedules and conserve water as drought conditions persist.
The Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency Board has approved a three-month extension on a $10,000 Downtown Revitalization Grant for a property on Circle Park Drive. The extension allows time to complete renovations to a former pottery shop, including ADA bathroom upgrades and added fire safety measures. The grant, originally awarded in January 2025, will now remain active through the board’s April 13 meeting.
Two Central Florida teenagers are accused of plotting a classmate’s death in Seminole County. Some details are now out on last week’s arrest of two girls who attend Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs. According to the arrest report, the investigation started Thursday night when investigators got an anonymous tip about the plot. Deputies from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office visited the 15-year-old suspect’s home Friday morning, and she denied knowing anything about the plot. She and her 14-year-old best friend were arrested hours later at school for premeditated attempted murder. There’s no word on a motive.
Florida’s state bird could get a bold makeover. The House State Affairs Committee is unanimously approving a bill that would replace the long-standing mockingbird with the American flamingo. Experts at Zoo Miami insist the flamingo meets native-species criteria and could flourish as Everglades restoration continues. A matching bill is also advancing smoothly in the Senate.