Firefighters from all over the southern portion of Highlands County were called out early this morning to an address south of Lake Placid to extinguish a blaze. Apparently, the mobile home on Melrose Lane had been added onto several times and was fully involved when units arrived on the scene.
Tankers had to shuttle water, inasmuch as there were no hydrants available. Authorities say the owner got out, but a pet remains missing.
The State Fire Marshal’s office has been called in to determine the cause of the blaze.
A Lake Placid youth has died in a traffic accident. Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate 15-year-old Joseph Dixon of Venus was driving a pickup on Sheppard Road, when he lost control of the big truck.
The vehicle went off the road, through a ditch and hit a fence post. The Nissan Titan went airborne, hit a barbed wire fence and a stand of trees then overturned.
Troopers say Dixon was not buckled up.
For weeks, people have been donating to a Sebring Strong GoFundMe page for the families of the victims of the January SunTrust Bank shooting in Sebring. It now stands at just short of $330,0000
Tonight there will be an open meeting at the Highlands County Commissioners’ chambers to discuss the dispersal of those funds and the dispensation of the building where the shooting occurred.
Reportedly, is is slated for demolition – but no schedule has yet been released. The meeting is set for tonight at 6pm.
It looks to be a busy night for the Avon Park city council. They first will gather at 5:30 to sit as the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency Board, then will take over their regular council duties at 6pm.
Among other things, they are slated to talk about financial help for the Avon Park Chamber of Commerce, look at the composition for a new CRA advisory board and mull over proposed changes to the City Charter.
In other action, City Manager David Flowers is set to give updates on the Brickell Building, the Church Service Center and the collection of municipal recycling containers.
There was a lucky winner locally in Saturday night’s Fantasy Five drawing. The ticket is worth a cool $174,853.33 – before taxes. It was sold at the Murphy Express gas station in Avon Park. So far, no winner has yet stepped forward.