Highlands County school officials are reassuring families after a hoax bomb threat email circulated to multiple school districts across Florida yesterday. The School Board of Highlands County says the message matched other non-credible threats sent statewide and was not specific to Highlands County. Officials immediately notified the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed there was no danger to students or staff. The district says safety remains its top priority and thanked law enforcement for their quick response and support.
A Highlands County man has been sentenced to six years in the state’s youthful offender prison program following a conviction for inappropriate conduct involving a minor. 20-year-old Eli Clay Howard Jr. will serve his full sentence without early release and has been designated a sexual offender, requiring lifetime registration and monitoring. The incident occurred in October 2023, and a jury found Howard guilty after a one-day trial. Judge David Neal Horton handed down the sentence, emphasizing that Howard must serve all 72 months in custody.
Two people were taken to the hospital Tuesday morning after a crash at one of Lake Placid’s most dangerous intersections — U.S. 27 and Lake Francis Road. First responders say no one was seriously injured, and both drivers were wearing seatbelts. The collision happened around 9 a.m., when a southbound Lincoln MKZ hit a Dodge Avenger turning onto Lake Francis Road. The intersection, located at the bottom of a hill, has a long history of wrecks. A state transportation study ranked it the most hazardous in the area, with several fatal crashes in recent years.
Rick Scott is celebrating what he calls big wins for Florida. Senator Scott talked yesterday about the National Defense Authorization Act. The senate passed the NDAA last week. Scott says it includes pay raises for our troops and 950-million dollars for critical military construction projects throughout the state. He says the NDAA supports our troops and keeps future generations of Floridians and Americans safe.