News Update for 4/14/21

Avon Park city council members learned about a new proposal for their airport – but they haven’t learned much. Consultant Lowell Clary revealed the existence of a new, unsolicited offer from Florida Airport Management to run the Avon Park Airport – but said confidentiality rules prevented him from revealing any details.
FAM has put in a bid to manage the airport on a 30 year contract, and conduct an extensive marijuana growing operation there as well.
Council members say there has been additional interest in the airport. They gave suitors 21 days to submit their proposals before they took any additional action.

More local students are picking up honorariums.Three Highlands County youngsters who qualified to participate in the 66th Annual State Science & Engineering Fair received awards and recognition.
Sebring High’s Camila Rimoldi Ibanez netted a $1,000 scholarship in the Cellular/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry division. Two Hill Gustat Students also placed. Meredith Reser in the Engineering category with Elisa Virkler in the Behavioral & Social Sciences category.

The school year may be over, but some local programs still are picking up steam. Highlands County Superintendent of Schools Brenda Longshore was at the Highlands Tea Party last night promoting the school’s mentoring program.
It allows adults to have lunch with children and discuss the things they are learning in class. Longshore is pushing toward a goal of 200 mentors and said the program might well extend into the summer school program.
Those interested can find out more on the Highlands County School Board’s website.

Highway 27 has been ranked one of the deadliest roads in Florida. According to GeoTab experts, with over 600 fatal accidents over the last decade, US-27 is the third deadliest highway in the state.
Near Lake Okeechobee, there is a narrow stretch of this road that was called “Bloody 27” due to the many fatal accidents occurring there.
With 1.25 fatal car crashes per mile, Interstate 4 in Tampa was deemed the nation’s deadliest highway. The most dangerous stretches of this road, also known as the “Haunted Highway”, include those from I-75 to Malfunction Junction, the stretch near Plant City, and from Lakeland to Orlando.