A Highlands County man is behind bars after deputies say he stabbed his mother about ten times during an argument Sunday morning. Deputies responded to a home on West Lacey Street around 8:40 a.m. and found a 66-year-old woman bleeding heavily outside. She told deputies her son, Fredrick Burns III, was responsible. The victim was airlifted to a trauma center and is expected to recover. A knife believed to be used in the attack was found in a nearby trash can. Burns was arrested shortly after and charged with attempted homicide and tampering with evidence.
The ongoing government shutdown has forced the U.S. Army Field Band to cancel its highly anticipated November 9th performance at South Florida State College. In a letter to Cultural Programs Director Cindy Garren, Brigadier General Antoinette Gant said all military community outreach events, including band tours, are suspended until Congress passes new funding. The concert at SFSC’s Wildstein Center had been sold out for weeks, marking the first time the Army Field Band has canceled in Highlands County. Due to scheduling conflicts, officials say the group won’t return this year or next.
A Lake Wales business owner is facing multiple charges after allegedly attacking an officer during a dispute at his dry-cleaning shop. Police say 68-year-old James Franklin Brow, owner of Long’s Dry Cleaners on West Central Avenue, threatened to kill a customer, then became violent when officers arrived. Brow allegedly struck a female officer several times before being subdued by backup units and a K-9. The officer was treated for minor injuries. Brow was taken to Lakeland Regional and charged with battery on an officer, resisting arrest with violence, and making threats.
Help may be coming to those without access to SNAP benefits. Governor Ron DeSantis announced yesterday the state agriculture department will step in, but he didn’t offer specifics. He did say, though, he would not declare an emergency or use emergency funds. DeSantis says Democrats have asked him to create his own SNAP program, but they’re the ones filibustering SNAP.