Highlands County is awash with new royalty. No fewer than four girls were crowned in pageants over the weekend at the Highlands County Fair.
It began Friday evening when Carly Vega was tapped as Junior Miss Highlands County on Highlands Radio Group Day. Wearing the tiara as Miss Highlands County this year will be Lauren Lower.
Teen Miss Highlands County is Braylyn Cassill – she also was voted "People’s Choice" in that competition.
Little Miss Highlands County for 2024 is Kiley Lang.
It’s day four at the Highlands County Fair – that means that admission will be half price when the gates open this afternoon at 5pm. On tap for today will the the Commercial Heiffer Show & Showmanship, and the Pee Wee Show for youngsters with large animals.
The Sea Lion Splash Show has a trio of performances with blacksmithing and chain saw carvings also on the schedule.
The fair runs through Saturday.
A traffic stop turned into a drug bust for Hardee County Sheriff’s deputies. After being pulled over for a possible window tint infraction, deputies smelled the aroma of burnt marijuana coming from a vehicle being driven by Alfredo Barcenas.
A subsequent search found multiple baggies, a scale and a green leafy substance. Barcenas reportedly also had a glas pipe and a crystal substance in his pocket.
The Wauchula man now has been charged with multiple counts including; Possession of Drug Equipment, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Cocaine, and Cocaine Distribution within 1000 feet of a place of worship.
He was booked into the Hardee county jail.
A Lake Wales man reportedly was killed in a Polk County traffic accident over the weekend. According to reports, 33-year-old Max Beagen was riding his motorcycle on the New Tampa Highway, when a pickup went left of center in an attempt to pass a cement mixer.
Beagen’s Suzuki hit the truck head on. He was thrown from the bike, and the Chevy overturned. Began was pronounced dead at the scene. Florida Highway Patrol Troopers say there was low visibility due to fog. The incident remains under investigation.