Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies last night arrested two people follwing the pursuit of a dozen All Terrain Vehicles and dirt bikes that had been speeding around Avon Park on public streets and through private property.
According to reports, deputies first attempted a stop at North Lake Avenue in Jackson Street but the vehicles fled – racing across Highway 27 toward the Avon Park Lakes community.
Two of the group were arrested and charged with fleeing to elude. Authorities say more arrests may be forthcoming as they review dashboard video.
A local man is trying to fill a need, by creating a pet cemetery in Highlands County. Scott Connor, who owns and operates a pet grooming facility on the Circle in downtown Sebring, is trying to find funding to purchase some land for such a facility.
It is unclear how much land is being sought or where it might be located.
There appear to have been at least a couple of pet burial facilities in Highlands County in the past, but at last report, both were filled and not accepting new entries.
It will be a jam-packed session for the Avon Park city council tonight, as the board takes up a list of old items. Among other things, they are slated to discuss a request for funding from the Avon Park Chamber of Commerce. That would allow them to hire some office staff.
The council also again will take up the grant agreement that would run municipal water & sewer system to the county line for the proposed NuCor steel plant. They’ll also re-visit a right of way request from Duke Energy that could see 100-foot utility poles run through the center of town and look at the city’s final payment to former city manager June Fisher.
An Avon Park man has perished in a Polk County traffic accident. Polk County Sheriff’s officials say 79-year-old Edward Parks was killed when he pulled his car from George Street in Frostproof, onto Highway 27 and into the path of another auto.
Parks was killed, his wife Joanne was taken to Lakeland Regional in Fair condition. Charges in the incident are pending further investigation.