The latest Florida Department of Health statistics released this morning now indicate Highlands County’s corona virus numbers have gone up by another two. There now have been 134 positive cases of the virus registered here.
According to the numbers, of the 4,519 tests now administered, 4,382 – or 97-percent – have come back negative. There have been 38 hospitalizations listed and nine deaths since records started being kept back in March.
Highlands County commissioners yesterday got the bad news about the budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year, Highlandsw County Administrator Randy Vossburg told the commission at this point it “wasn’t pretty.” He3 indicated that between a significant impact on sales tax revenues and requests for increases from some constitutional officers, he was projecting a revenue shortfall at this time.
That could mean an increase in property taxes.
In other action, the three commissioners not up for election agreed to turn down a request to have a candidates’ forum in the chambers – sayng they wanted to avoid any appearance of partisanship.
In the wake of restrictions imposed by the onset of the Coronavirus, officials of South Florida State College have rolled out a new program. Dubbed “You’re Ready, We’re Set, Let’s Go!” the program offers alternatives to students who are apprehensive about returning to a traditional classroom setting.
Options range from online learning, to smaller classroom situations and hybrid involving both forms of instruction.
There are lots of things to be worried about these days, there’s the coronavirus, threats of civil unrest and the upcoming hurricane season. Now officials are warning of a new threat – mosquitoes. They say the rainy season is causing the seasonal rise in lakes, meaning long-dormant eggs now will begin to hatch.
They urge citizens to take pre-emptive measures, such as dumping any standing water and wearing long pants and long sleeves during the evening hours among other things.
A lucky lottery player in Lake Wales is $350-thousand dollars richer – or maybe about half that after taxes. Lottery officials say a winning ticket to the Jackpot Triple Play was bought in the Crown Jewel of the Ridge.
There’s no information on exactly where it was purchased. No winner has yet stepped forward.