Eight people have been arrested in Avon Park as part of a drug sweep there. Highlands County Sheriff’s investigators say the months-long probe ended Tuesday with the bust on North Lone Bay Boulevard on the west end of the Avon Park Lakes subdivision.
Charged were Christopher Bradley Owens, Brianna Mae Gilmore, Chaz Allen Demeere, Briana Tara Beumel, Wyatt Watson, Jessica Nicole Howell, Tracy Leigh Carerro and Christopher Kemble Owens.
Inside the mobile home, deputies found a large amount of illegal narcotics, including; 29 grams of fentanyl, 8.5 grams of oxycodone, 155 grams of marijuana as well as several grams of other prescription pills.
The search also turned up two firearms (one of them a stolen shotgun), and an electric scooter that had been reported stolen in California.
The investigation is continuing.
An early morning accident on State Road 60 this morning involved a Desoto County Sheriff’s Crusier. Early reports indicate the deputy actually lives in Highlands County and hit a deer.
Two cars came together yesterday afternoon on Highway 27 in front of the River Greens neighborhood. Traffic was tied up for some time there.
No word as to the extent of injuries in either mishap.
Highlands County commissioners held their regular session this morning. Their normal Tuesday meeting was pushed back to Thursday, due to Monday’s government observance of Labor Day.
Commissioners approved the next steps in the construction of both a traffic operations building and a special needs shelter. Commissioner Scott Kerouac noted that the funds all are from federal CARES act money – and not from the county’s general fund.
The commission also voted to declare surplus and donate some 21 acres of property to the co-called Spring Lake ECO Park. County officials say the parcel is extremely wet and not suitable for housing.
Frostproof city council members will meet tonight and will be expanding The Friendly City. More than 100 acres could be added.
They’ll first hear the second reading of a measure that will annex nearly 55 acres off Tyre Road into the Friendly City. Fifty more acres off Davis Keen Road also are up for consideration, as well as a seven acre parcel off Wes Mann Road.
Council members also will consider changing some six acres of property at Highway 630 East and Mullinsville Road from Agricultural to Commercial.
In other action the council will amend their land use map to allow 18-acres at Highway 630 East and Fort Meade Road to become a mobile home park.