Hurricane Idalia has rolled past most of the peninsula of Florida on its way to the Big Bend area, now classified as a Category 4. Highlands and surrounding counties still have seen some effects of the big storm with some tropical force winds and plenty of rain overnight. Still, law enforcement and safety service officials say they have not yet received any reports of significant damage.
All Highlands County schools and district offices are closed today, and all afterschool and school related activities are cancelled.
Local schools and district offices will be open tomorrow for normal operations. All extracurricular and school related activities will resume at that time.
Classes for South Florida State College also have been called off for today.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s main office lobby, the jail lobby and the lobby of the North District substation in Avon Park will be closed today. As always, dispatchers and deputies will be on duty and ready to answer calls for service.
Highlands County offices, the three local libraries and Fire Rescue administrative offices are closed today. They will reopen tomorrow. Fire and emergency medical services are continuing to operate normally.
All three Highlands County Tax Collector sites will be closed today and will reopen tomorrow. Florida Department of Health offices in Sebring, Lake Placid and Avon Park also are closed today.
Highlands County Clerk of Courts Jerome Kasubowski says his office will remain open today and all
court hearings will be conducted as normal.
The County Landfill and garbage collection services will continue as normal today.