News Update for 11/3/20

Today is election day. It’s the designated day for voters to turn out to make their voices heard. Elections officials say voting has been busy but so far, there have been no incidents of note to report.
Several amendments to the Florida Constitution and judges also will be on the ballot. All of the county’s precinct offices will be open today for voters. The polls will be open until 7:00 tonight.
Despite just over 60-percent of the ballots being in locally, Highlands County Supervisor of Elections Penny Ogg says she expects what could be a record crowd today.

Units from all over Highlands County were out this morning fighting a fire at the county landfill. The call came in shortly after midnight this morning from the facility on Arbuckle Creek Road.
The Florida Forest Service brought “old foam” that firefighters used to bring it under control, along with landfill heavy machinery with landfill staff.
So far there’s no word what caused it. However, here is a history of landfill fires during periods of dry-high-winds. Tiny sparks or embers can cause an embedded fire that smolders unnoticed for long periods before breaking through
At this time, no injuries have been reported.

Sebring police say they have found Stephen Craig Sholtz. The 28-year-old Sebring man has an active homicide warrant for Sholtz in connection with an October 13th shooting incident in the Washington Heights neighborhood that claimed the life of an unidentified man.
Sholtz reportedly was found in an apartment in Augusta, Georgia by officers acting on a tip. He remains there, awaiting extradition.

It was a contentious meeting this morning for Highlands County commissioners, four of whom will step down after today’s session. They first had a set-to with a local realtor about plans to waive a two-step procedure for the disposal of tangible personal property. County Administrator Randy Vossburg said it would allow the commission to maximize profits for the commission.
The commissioners also had a back and forth with a resident about provisions allowing for the permission for consumption of alcohol in some county owned facilities.