Highlands County School Board members last night pulled the plug on a proposed April 11th workshop after Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brenda Longshore announced plans to not renew a contract with the iMAD – or the I Make A Difference program – which had been providing comprehensive sex education for the schools.
In making the announcement, Longshore said it was only in recent weeks that she discovered problems in the six-year-old curriculum. Parents and interested citizens lobbied for a public forum, where members of the community could make suggestions to the board.
However, instead of a public workshop, Longshore said she would select a committee of educators, parents and the public to come up with a new plan. Applications for that committee are slated to go up on the internet this Friday.
Highlands County commissioners may soon get a bit of help in their decision on whether or not to impose impact fees on new construction in the county. Staff members yesterday were given instruction to begin the process of crafting a citizen’s impact fee committee that would look at the pros and cons of establishing the new charges.
The number of committee members and restrictions on what professions would be be required for committee membership has yet to be determined.
Lake Placid voters returned one incumbent and elected a new face yesterday in their municipal balloting. Top vote-getter was incumbent Gregg Sapp in what was termed "light voting."
Former Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Nell Hayes was second in the best two-out-of-three race. It was her first foray into politics.
Incumbent Deborah Worley finished out of the running. Sapp and Hayes will be sworn in at this coming Monday’s regular Lake Placid Town Council meeting.
Highlands County firefighters were called out to another a brush fire yesterday. Units from Desoto City, Leisure Lakes and Placid Lakes were joined by Florida Forest Service crews in putting down the blaze off Williams Road in Lake Placid.
When units arrived at the scene, they found a brush fire in heavy fuel that was moving toward a structure and boat. According to reports, they were able to stop the fire with minimal damage.
No injuries were reported and no dollar damage estimate or cause for the fire has been released.
NEWS 4/6/22 BF
HSR
There will be cars on the track again today as the annual Historic Sports Car Racing Spring Fling gets underway at the Sebring International Raceway.
It’s the season opener for the series. Today will be test and tune for cars in all divisions.
Qualifying and competition will start tomorrow with both the Sasco Sports International American Challenge and the Stoner Car Car Gobal GT Race