News Update for 8/14/19

There was flooding in Highlands County yesterday, and there may be more today as a large weather system is headed toward Central Florida. Sebring Police officers put up barricades along DeSoto Road yesterday due to higher than normal water levels there.
They reportedly took the action to try and make certain that drivers didn’t leave the road and drive into the retention pond, which had been occurring.
Weather again delayed a school dismissal. Cracker trail elementary was held up yesterday afternoon due to lightning.

The Avon Park municipal election still is not for several months, but council members in the City of Charm already are working on it. Council is mulling over the possibility of early voting. The pre-election day balloting will come at a cost of about $500 a day.
Council members discussed having voting the weekend before the election. They now will take a look at where they’ll get the money. Voters will have an opportunity to cast their ballots for the mayor’s post, a city council seat and several changes to the city charter.

A Polk County man who struck and killed a motorcyclist while trying to pass two cars on a rural road was sentenced to 90 days in jail and a year without driving.
33-year-old Jarrod Witt Lee was facing up to a year in jail Wednesday for culpable negligence in the 2017 death of motorcyclist Philip Brown.
Judge Larry Helms handed down a lesser sentence instead. Lee cannot drive during his year on probation.
Lee’s car hit the motorcycle head-on. The 40-year-old Brown was thrown from his bike and died.
Prosecutors were seeking a vehicular homicide conviction but jurors found Lee guilty of the lesser charge. The judge said the jury’s decision limited his sentencing options.