Officials of the Highlands County school system say it was a busy but uneventful start to the 2021-22 school year. They say there were lots of students showing up at the facilities across the county to resume classes – but there were no major incidents to report.
Motorists are urged to be on the lookout for children this afternoon riding bicycles or walking home from schools.
Students also will be riding buses home. Remember there are stiff fines for passing a stopped school bus and for exceeding the posted speed limits in school zones. Also, it is illegal to have a cell phone in your hand while driving through a school zone.
Avon Park city council members last night gave their seal of approval to a new “Artisan Manufacturing and Craft Food & Beverage” ordinance. With only a couple of tweaks to the measure, council gave their approval to the ordinance that will allow on-site manufacturing of small batch goods such as jewelery, soaps, computer parts, craft beer and foods.
Council members hope the new statutes will draw more businesses to set up shop in the City of Charm.
Highlands County sheriff’s deputies are joining a statewide effort dubbed “Operation Loose Wire.” The program is centering in on livestock neglect and abuse, as well as illegal dumping.
Highlands deputies are spending the opening weeks of the operation by increasing their focus on illegal dumping. They will be proactively looking for those who are illegally leaving trash and yard waste in unapproved areas, as well as looking for illegal dump sites.
Those caught illegally dumping trash can face penalties ranging from a fine to a prison term, depending on the severity of the offense.
One driver was killed and another seriously injured in a Lake Wales traffic crash. Police in the Crown Jewel of the Ridge say 63-year-old Jerry Lee pulled his sport utility vehicle from Washington Avenue onto Highway 27 and into the path of on oncoming pickup driven by Tristan Barber.
The pickup hit the SUV. The truck flipped, while the SUV went off the road, hit a fence and caught fire. Both drivers were airlifted out. Lee reportedly has expired from his injuries.
The incident remains under investigation.