There may be a new attraction coming to Avon Park. City council members last night heard a presentation from longtime optometrist and baseball enthusiast Ronald Sevingy, proposing the establishment of the Thomas "Flash" Gordon Baseball Hall of Fame.
The facility would not only include Gordon and his sons’ major league accomplishments, but also Hal MacRae and a number of other baseballers from the City of Charm who made good.
Also noted would be other baseball greats such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, who played here when Avon Park was a spring training facility for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Sevingy said organizers are about half-way to their goal of $450,000 to build the facility.
About 2,000 military members from active and reserve units are taking part in combat training at facilities in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida – including the Avon Park Air Force Range.
The Southern Strike exercise is slated to run through May third, with training for conventional operations, counter insurgency, close air support, search and rescue, noncombatant evacuation and maritime special operations.
Local residents may see and hear more Air Force planes and helicopters with the increasing activity during the exercise.
The 29th Alan Jay/Sebring Chamber of Commerce Scholarships saw five local students walk away with more than $10,000 in scholarship money.
Earning $3,000 stipends were Heather Stewart and Allison Smyth. Taking home $1500 scholarships were Emma Rowe, Caden Watts and Amber Elder.
During the presentation luncheon, donors – with a match from Alan Jay – raised over $24,000 toward the fund. All nine finalists received a swag bag with goodies including $500 in gift cards.
The Hardee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a number of weekend drive-by shooting incidents. One was on Poplar St. in Zolfo Springs with the second along Center Hill Rd. in Bowling Green.
A third location is possibly in the area of Boyd Cowart and Jack Jones; however, the exact spot has not been pinpointed.
Sheriff’s officials are looking for witnesses or anyone with information on any or all of the incidents.