Competitors practiced yesterday and qualifying will start today in all classes at this year’s edition of the Sebring Classic 12 Hours presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network. It’s the third go-round for the event which draws classic race cars and vintage aircraft from all over to the historic track.
In addition to the qualifying sessions and a couple of afternoon races today, there will be a night practice this evening. The vintage aircraft are slated to fly in tomorrow afternoon.
It was a year ago that a former Avon Park city council decided to spend nearly $100,000 in unbudgeted money to put a new roof on the Brickell Building downtown to help save it. However, this week, new Avon Park city council member Maria Sutherland reported that the building now is full of black mold and may have to be gutted.
That comes in addition to the Wild building next door, which apparently now is little more than a shell itself. That structure was to have been demolished – but is in the midst of litigation.
At least one citizen urged council to leave the Wild Building standing so as not to have a “gaping tooth” in the downtown area.
While the clean-up from Hurricane Michael continues in the panhandle, officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency say they plan to come to Highlands County again to deal with the remnants of Hurricane Irma.
A mobile “Rebuild Florida Center” will be in Avon Park next week. The unit is equipped with intake specialists to help families through the registration process, to rebuild or replace homes damaged in the storm.
A Lake Wales man has been arrested by Polk County Sheriff’s deputies for allegedly driving 94 miles per hour through the town of Dundee. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Javeon Robinson after a brief foot chase.
After clocking Robinson’s Cadillac at 94 in a 50, they gave chase. He reportedly cut down several roads, parked the car and ran. He was discovered by an officer with a K-9.
Robinson was charged with speeding, having no valid driver’s license and drug possession.
At least four cats were killed and a dog was seriously injured in a Florida house fire. Reportedly a fire destroyed a Lakeland home on Monday. Polk County Fire Rescue says no humans were home at the time of the blaze.
Family members indicate there were eight cats in the house. Four were found dead, while the other four were missing.
A 4-year-old husky named Zeus was found alive under a table that had been covered with drywall as the home burned. He was being treated in an oxygen chamber at a local veterinarian’s office.
Cause of the fire is under investigation.