News Update for 3/9/20

The Avon Park city council reportedly will be taking tonight off. Due to the set up of early voting in the city council chambers, council members in the City of Charm have cancelled tonight’s meeting.
Apparently they will take up any new business at their next session. That’s set for Monday, March 23rd.

High winds over the weekend caused problems for firefighters across Highlands County. Units from Highlands Lakes, West Sebring and Avon Park joined the Florida Forest Service in battling the flames at a fire on State Road 17 and Altvader Road yesterday. That one consumed a couple of acres.
There were no injuries. Apparently it began from an illegal burn pile.
Later, volunteers from the Lorida Fire Department were called to an address on Sherman Terrace on the north side of Lake Istokpoga when a burn pile started getting out of control there.
Fire officials ask residents to consider wind speeds when attempting to burn.

It’s still two weeks out from this year’s running of SuperSebring 2020 but officials at the Sebring International Raceway say preparations at the track are ramping up quicly.
The massive covered entertainment area that will house Celebrity Cruises’ Luxury Lounge is in place on the midway. The service will host hospitality at The Race, then later will have a cruise featuring IMSA drivers, sponsors and officials.
Meanwhile, fans continue to line up in the field awaiting the gates to open. That’s set for early next Wednesday morning.

Since the beginning of the year, Highlands County school students have been required to carry Zonar-brand tracking devices. Currently they are being used to mmonitor the comings and goings on school busses.
Kids have been known to loose things. If they lose one of these, it’s going to cost. Highlands County School officials say starting today students will be charged $5.00 for any lost or misplaced Zonar School Bus passes.

A Polk County man allegedly shot and killed a couple while they slept and then asked his stepdaughter to help bury the bodies in a swamp.
Polk County Sheriff Grady says they learned of the killings amid reports that 19-year-old Amberlyn Nichols was trying to sell the dead man’s truck for $200.
When authorities questioned her, the sheriff said she revealed her stepfather Todd Jackson killed Raymond and Crystal Cline while they slept and then asked her and her boyfriend to help clean up the crime scene and dump the bodies. Todd Jackson has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.