Racing fans, get ready! The 7th Annual IMSA Twelve-Hour Fan Fest returns this afternoon from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in downtown Sebring. This free event kicks off Race Week with IMSA team parades, driver Q&As, live music, and show car demonstrations. The IMSA team parade starts at 6 PM, with top racing teams cruising through North Ridgewood Drive and Circle Park Drive. Arrive early and bring a chair for the best views! Kids can also join the fun with the Power Wheels Race at 5:45 PM. Several Road closures and detours will be in place starting at 2:00 PM, affecting North Ridgewood Drive, South Commerce Avenue, and other key roads around Circle Park. The parade begins at 6:00 PM, with additional closures until 6:15 PM. All roads will reopen by 10:00 PM. Drivers should plan ahead and follow posted detours.
Sebring residents are heading to the polls today to vote on a City Charter Referendum Amendment that could change the City Clerk position from an elected role to an appointed one. Polling locations are open from 7 AM to 7 PM at: The Sebring Elks Lodge for Precincts 7 & 11S, the Jack Stroup Civic Center for Precincts 8 & 15S, the Boys & Girls Club for Precinct 9, and the Sebring Recreation Club for Precinct 10. The amendment would also remove residency requirements and adjust the clerk’s job duties.
A 47-year-old man is behind bars after a witness spotted him riding a bicycle near a crime scene and identified him to investigators. Cirillo Molina-Lopez was arrested on March 2 by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office and charged with second-degree homicide. Deputies found a man fatally stabbed near SW U.S. 17, with a trail of blood leading to a repurposed school bus where Molina-Lopez had been living. Authorities say he had blood on his face, clothes, and shoes when taken into custody. He later changed his story multiple times during questioning. Molina-Lopez remains in DeSoto County Jail without bond and is set to appear in court on April 28.
The state is making what the governor calls a strategic transportation investment in Polk County. Governor Ron DeSantis was in Winter Haven yesterday to announced he was awarding one-and-a-half million dollars to the city. The money will be used to extend rail access within the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park. The park covers over 900 acres that can accommodate over eight million square feet of development. It’s close to major roads and a dedicated CSX Rail Intermodal Facility. DeSantis hopes this will help businesses expand operations in the area and add 200 jobs.
Over 3,700 acres of land in Charlotte County, bordering DeSoto County, is now officially protected from development under the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The land, part of the Ryals Citrus and Cattle Ranch, will remain preserved for agricultural use, despite growing pressure from developers. This marks the second phase of conservation for the Ryals family, who previously placed 3,000 acres under protection last year. Conservation groups say preserving this land is critical for protecting water resources, wildlife habitats, and local agriculture. The property plays a key role in filtering water flowing into Charlotte Harbor and supplying drinking water to nearby communities. Supporters say this move helps secure Florida’s natural resources for future generations.
A Davenport man has been arrested for stealing landscaping plants and bushes from his own neighborhood, Highlands Reserve.48-year-old Jose Manuel Codero Tosado was taken into custody on March 7 after an investigation linked him to multiple plant thefts in February and March. Detectives say he used a black Ford F-150 to transport the stolen plants. The truck was found parked on the same street where many thefts occurred, with loose soil and plant debris as evidence. Codero Tosado is now in Polk County Jail, facing charges of grand theft, criminal mischief, and trespassing.
Florida is announcing a huge settlement with e-cigarette giant, Juul, for targeting children. Attorney General James Uthmeier says Juul has agreed to a 79-million-dollar settlement with the Sunshine State. It’s part of a larger, one-billion-dollar settlement that involves nearly every state in the nation. Uthmeier says the money will be used to open a "Vape Free Future" fund. He also says more fines will be levied against other companies targeting Florida youth with vaping products.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wants to end Google’s search monopoly. He’s part of a coalition of attorneys general who are proposing a package of remedies to end the search engine’s illegal monopoly and restore competition to benefit consumers. A hearing on the proposed remedies is scheduled to begin on April 21st.