Today was the first day back in the classroom for Highlands County students in the 2023-24 academic year. School officials say there were no incidents to report on the first day back, and things so far have gone smoothly.
Motorists are reminded that this afternoon school busses will be out again and school zones will be activated with their lowered speed limits. Drivers are cautioned to watch for students walking or riding their bicycles home and to keep an eye out for crossing guards near school facilities.
Highlands County and the entire state of Florida has been under a heat advisory for the past week or so, but it appears that local residents have been dealing with the situation well. Neither local law enforcement or health officials have reported any calls to deal with cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Meanwhile, heat advisories remain in place for the Sunshine State. Heat index values up to 115 degrees are expected in some parts of Florida.
Officials continue to advise people to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors.
A Hardee County man has been arrested in connection with a shooting in the Leisure Lakes community this past weekend. Highlands County sheriff’s officials say 19-year-old Cameron Lee Rios was arrested last night in DeSoto County
He’s been charged with two counts of attempted homicide and one count of improper exhibition of a firearm.
The incident occured early Saturday morning at a large gathering in a wooded area.
Apparently, Rios had been involved in an argument and was waving a handgun around, pointing it at multiple people, before he began firing as people fled.
A 16-year-old male from Okeechobee is still hospitalized after being struck in the torso and a 19-year-old Sebring woman was struck in the ankle and shoulder. She’s been released from.
Several people who witnessed the incident identified Rios in a photo lineup as the person who fired the shots.