A Sebring man has died after being hit by a truck. Florida Highway Patrol officials say 33-year-old James Horace Tucker was walking on County Road 17 last night when the incident occurred. Reports indicate he was in the northbound lane, when he was hit by a pickup driven by Jerry Randall Jestes of Lake Placid.
Tucker was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers say the investigation is ongoing. The roadway was shut down for a time while the scene was cleared.
Avon Park city officials now say Utilities Director Ronnie Jones has rescinded his resignation. Jones reportedly had said he would step down – but offered to stay on with a 10-percent raise and a promise that the city council would not interfere with him doing his job.
By consensus, council members agreed they could not abide by those provisions. Nevertheless Jones has reconsidered and has informed the administration he will stay on.
After selling off several acres of some county-owned land, it appears Highlands County commissioners have their eye on another piece of property. It’s a 35-acre tract out by the Sebring International Raceway that once was home to the ill-fated Sebring Utilities Commission power plant.
County officials say they’d like to put a fire and EMS station there. It also could be home to a law enforcement training center. That’s been proposed by Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman and would be named in honor of slain Highlands Sheriff Deputy William Gentry.
Commissioners gave staff the go-ahead to get an appraisal on the property.
Sebring city council members last night voted to go along with the Highlands County commission and pull the plug on a Hydrology Study for Lake Jackson. The project was proposed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Former Highlands County resident, the late Bill Youngman had lobbied against getting involved – saying the formula seemed to be that when it rained, the lake levels increased, when it didn’t the lake ebbed.
In any event, council voted to go along with the county and close out the project.