News Update for 3/1/23

There was quite a discussion at the Avon Park city council meeting about the installation of a couple of lights on Fred Connor Street. The action comes at the request of neighbors, who said there have been seven shootings at the basketball courts there – four of them have been fatal.
There was a dust-up between councilwoman Bernice Taylor, who maintained it was the city’s job to test lights, and other members of council, who called on citizens to report locations and pole numbers of broken street lights to Duke Energy who provide repair and replacement services.
Mayor Garret Anderson admonished citizes to say something if they see lights that are not operable.

Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman says he’d like to have a dedicated traffic enforcement unit as part of his operation. Blackman discussed the issue last night at the Highlands County Tea Party meeting. He said that while his deputies now do some speed enforcement, he would like to develop a unit soley devoted to traffic patrols.
The plan reportedly will be part of budget discussions for the upcoming 2023-24 fiscal year when Highlands County commissioners discuss their planned outlays for county departments and constitutional officers.

Lake Wales police have recovered nearly a half million dollars in stolen motorsports good in a Miami Street raid. Recovered were two Ford Cobra jet drag race cars, a Polaris ATV, a couple boats including a 23-foot Skeeter, as well as a pair of trailers.
One, a Haulmark Hauler they found, reportedly had been taken from Lake Placid.
Authoritites say the entire cache was valued at about $400,000. Arrested was 51-year-old Billy Joe Byrd. He was booked into the Polk County jail on numerous counts. Police say more arrests are expected.