It was back to school yesterday for thousands of youngsters across Highlands County. Other than some minor first-day glitches, school officials say there were no incidents of note. They say attendance figures will not be available for a week or so, as students drift back into their assigned facilities.
Motorists again are reminded to slow down in school zones and to watch for children who are walking or riding their bikes to school. Lake Placid police issued four citations for speed in school zones in the Caladium Capital.
Avon Park city council met in regular session last night. There was a lot of talk, but not much action. They decided to wait until their next meeting to make decisions on what Christmas decorations to use, where to put them and how to pay for any new ones.
Resolutions also are expected at the next meeting for pending changes to the city’s personnel manual and procurement policies.
Council did vote to ink a couple of agreements. One is for Kimly-Horne to act as consultants for the airport, the other is an agreement with CSX railway that will allow for expansion of the city’s water and sewer service.
A pair of Sebring teenagers have been arrested and charged in connection with a weekend drive-by shooting in Avon Park. Authorities say the incident occurred on Tulane Drive, and did not injure the intended victims. They say bullets, however, did damage a truck.
18-year-old Jatavian Tayshaan Holder and 17-year-old Pyshon Wanyae Mathis have been charged with attempted homicide and various other firearms counts. Holder also faces drug charges.
It appears that next year’s Mobil One 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts is getting an “Extreme Makeover.” Dubbed “Super Sebring,” due to the addition of the World Endurance Challenge race, officials at the Sebring International Raceway say there will be re-naming and re-numbering to put people in the right place.
The “North Paddock” now will be known as “Hendricks Field,” Parking passes now will be color coded to denote where they are on the track and at least one new security post will be established to help route traffic.
Presale tickets for Super Sebring 2020 go on sale next Monday. Officials say there will be no price increases.
A Polk County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for getting into a fatal crash with drugs in his system. 40-year-old Oliver Simons Jr. was sentenced after pleading no contest to vehicular homicide and four drug-related charges.
Authorities say 31-year-old David Bryan was helping a friend move a disabled car near Lake Wales in March 2016 when Simons hit the car and then hit Bryan. Bryan remained in a coma until he died last year.
Prosecutors say blood samples taken from Simons after the crash showed the presence of methamphetamine and marijuana.
A Desoto County man is in custody after telling narcotics officers during a traffic stop that he had a live grenade. The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office called in a bomb squad to disarm the explosive after taking Donald Reid Jr. into custody on Saturday.
Reid was arrested and charged with multiple counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Authoritis say he had a cache of weapons, including a pistol, rifle and what the authorities described as an M67 grenade.
When deputies approached the vehicle, Reid said he had a grenade, with its pin in place, inside his vehicle. He told the deputies it was “live.”