It remains unclear who will be on the ballot against Greg Steube for the District 17 Congressional Seat.
U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich yesterday rejected a bid by two potential candidates for the seat to overturn a state law that prevents them from replacing the late April Freeman as the democrat nominee.
In last night’s ruling, Kovachevich upheld the state law that says a candidate cannot run for two offices in the same election cycle. She noted the pair – each of who lost their respective races in August – “failed to demonstrate” that the law “is not a valid exercise of the state of Florida’s authority to institute time, place, and manner restrictions on elections in Florida for members of the United States House of Representatives.”
There was a lot of pink at today’s Highlands County commission meeting, as commissioners and many staff members were wearing special “Breast Cancer Awareness” T-shirts.
The commission also approved the re-branding of Highlands County Fire Services. It now will be known as Highlands County Fire/Rescue. It’s part of the consolidation of volunteer fire departments into a single unit overseen by the county.
The program is underwritten by the new fire assessment to be paid by businesses and residents of the county.
Ever want to have coffee with a cop. Highlands county Sheriff’s deputies will be available today for coffee and conversation at locations in each of the Highlands County communitiesw. Thjey will be there from 7-9am at The Depot on Main Street in Avon Park, Dee’s Place on Ridgewood Drive in Sebring and at Main Street America in Lake Placid.
There will be three more locations tomorrow evening.
Highlands County Sheriff’s officials say it was a 17-year-old that was shot in the back yesterday morning in Avon Park
They say the victim was sitting at a picnic table outside the Chevron station on U.S. 27 when he was hit.
A suspect, who apparently lives near the station, is in custody. Authorities say it appears to be an accidental shooting with a high-powered pellet rifle.
The victim was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Medical Center. His wounds are said to be not life-threatening.
Schools in Avon Park were put on a controlled campus status for a brief period while we investigated the incident, but there was never any threat to students.
Highlands Sheriff’s detectives now say they believe that the Sunday night robbery at the Avon Park Chevron station was committed by the same suspect that robbed the Citgo Station in the City of Charm back in May.
The thief, described only as a heavily disguised black male, apparently wore white athletic socks on his hands and used a silver and black handgun in the stick-ups.
Anyone with information as to the robberies is asked to call the Highlands County Sheriff’s office.