Highlands County Sheriff’s deputies will be out again tonight for round two of the “Pieces for Peace” gun buy-back program. This time they will be set up in the Martin Luther King complex on the southside of Avon Park.
Like the Lake Placid event, it will run from 5-8pm and everybody turning in a weapon will receive a $50 gift card. Sheriff’s officials say they were happy with the participation in the inaugural event – even though it was cut short by a lightning storm.
They remind residents that this is a “no questions asked” event.
There were no serious injuries, but traffic was tied up for hours yesterday afternoon when a semi tractor-trailer rig overturned on Highway 27 at the intersection of US 98 and State Road 66.
Witnesses said the driver and a passenger were able to climb out of the cab on their own accord. The box-style trailer reportedly did not spill its load, however, firefighters did have to clean up approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel that leaked from the truck.
Florida officials say insured losses in the state from last year’s Hurricane Michael have reached nearly $7 billion. Newly posted figures by the state Office of Insurance Regulation show nearly 14% of the claims haven’t been resolved. The Tallahassee Democrat reports estimated insured losses were $6.9 billion as of July 26, up about $250 million from a June report.
The Florida Highway Patrol says a man has died after jumping from an Interstate 95 overpass while running from a traffic stop. The agency says a trooper pulled over a speeding car early Thursday in Palm Beach County. The vehicle stopped abruptly in the middle of a ramp to Interstate 95 and the man ran. Troopers say the man jumped from the overpass. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
Forecasters are predicting a tropical wave will bring several inches of rain to South Florida just in time for the highest tides of the year, known as “king tides.” National Weather Service meteorologist Larry Kelly tells the Miami Herald the highest tide window will occur around 11 p.m. Friday. The King Tide coupled with rainfall from the tropical system could create a drainage problem along low-lying areas of the coast.