The owners of Caddyshack Bar & Grill say they expect to relocate next year after the Sebring City Council approved a one-year extension on their lease. Caddyshack has served food and drinks for 19 years at 3122 Golfview Road, next to the city golf course, but its future has been uncertain since the Blackmon family proposed taking over the course as part of the Harder Hall hotel project. Under the extension, tenant Juan Gabriel Mendoza will continue paying $3,477.19 per month until the lease expires Sept. 30, 2026. Mendoza and his wife Sonya thanked customers for nearly two decades of support and say they hope to relocate during their 20th and final year at the location.
The OneBlood Big Red Bus will be at South Florida State College’s Highlands Campus Monday, Sept. 8th, and Tuesday, Sept. 9th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Business Office. All donors will receive a $20 e-gift card, a Support Squad t-shirt, and a free wellness checkup — including blood pressure, iron count, and cholesterol screening. A photo ID is required for participants. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged at oneblood.org/donate-now using the sponsor code 9786. OneBlood reminds residents that blood is needed every two seconds, and just 3% of eligible donors give each year.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Auburndale Police raided multiple illegal gambling operations this week, including a store on Pilaklakaha Avenue. Sheriff Grady Judd and Police Chief Terry Storie announced the raids Wednesday, with video showing deputies hauling gambling machines out of a back room. Officials say 10 other locations were hit in the countywide operation. Sheriff Judd called it a message to anyone running illegal gambling, saying “good things happen, bad guys go to jail.”
A Polk County elementary school teacher has been arrested for allegedly hitting a student. Officials say Jane McGinn, a teacher at Floral Avenue Elementary, was taken into custody on a child abuse charge. The Bartow Police Department is leading the investigation. Polk County Public Schools says they are moving forward with terminating McGinn’s employment, stating they will not tolerate a student being harmed by a staff member. Parents at the school were notified Wednesday, and the district says it is fully cooperating with law enforcement.