News Update for 11/11/24
A FEMA employee is out of a job after advising a disaster relief team to skip homes with Trump yard signs. The incident reportedly happened last month in Lake Placid in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, and that at least 20 homes in the area were skipped because of Trump signs in the front yard. FEMA has not confirmed these reports. In a statement on Saturday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell called it “reprehensible” and a clear violation of the agency’s core values and principles. Criswell noted the employee involved was fired and the incident was referred to the Office of Special Counsel. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also ordered a full state investigation.
The Lake Placid Planning Agency has approved a zoning change for Grand Isles of Lake June despite pushback from some local residents. Developers hope to build the 55-acre gated community of single-family homes on Catfish Creek Road in Lake Placid. Grand Isles of Lake June will also feature a pool and recreation area, boat access to Lake June, as well as other amenities. The approval took months as some current Lake June Pointe residents worried that the development would cause disruptions to their own community, bring down property values, and that short term renters could cause problems. Reportedly, the developer, Fuxion Biotech USA Corp., has worked over several months to address the concerns and has made numerous adjustments including relocating the pool and rec area towards Catfish Creek Road and away from Lake June Pointe homes.
A grateful Polk County woman wants to reach out to the man who helped save her baby’s life. Sarah Love says she was at SeaWorld during Fourth of July weekend with her husband and six children when a man approached. She says he told her he was a firefighter, and her newborn, Lincoln, looked like he was jaundiced and needed medical help. Love later took Lincoln to a hospital, and doctors told her he needed surgery immediately. Lincoln was in the hospital for over a month, and he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. Lincoln is now home and recovering. Love wants to contact the firefighter who first alerted her to the problem. She tells WESH News the firefighter showed a lot of courage in approaching her, and she thanks God for putting the right people in the right place at the right time.
Today is veteran’s day, honoring all veterans and active-duty military members. Highlands County Veteran’s, their families, and residents are invited to The Highlands County Veterans Day Red, White and Blue Car Show and Parade, starting and ending at Sebring’s Firemen’s Field. The car show starts at 3 p.m. and the parade will start at 6:30 p.m.
A Polk County community is dealing with its second sinkhole in a year. Officials say homeowners in Highlands City called 9-1-1 after an eight-foot wide and 20-foot-deep sinkhole reopened on Wednesday afternoon. First responders did not issue a mandatory evacuation for residents along Royal Crest Drive, but told them it’s their choice whether they want to leave. Crews were called out to the same location to fill an even larger sinkhole back in January. The county is monitoring the area to determine what next steps officials should take.
A central Florida woman is facing murder charges in connection to the disappearance of her roommate nearly two years ago. Forty-two-year-old Runyleidy Medina-Pacheco was reported missing two days after Christmas in 2022. The suspect, Gisselle Victoria-Gonzalez, made the call to police, saying the victim was last seen at their Orlando apartment. Investigators say they found inconsistencies with Victoria-Gonzalez’s story. She was later found living in Connecticut, where she was charged yesterday with murder, tampering with evidence, and grand theft. The victim’s body has still not been found.
Racing fans are paying tribute to a NASCAR legend. Bobby Allison passed away Saturday at the age of 86. The Miami native and NASCAR Hall of Famer won the Daytona 500 three times in the 1970s and ’80s. He’s also well known for a fight he got into at the 1979 Daytona 500 with Cale Yarborough. NASCAR.com says that fight that also involved Allison’s brother, Donnie, captured the attention of a nation. After hearing about Allison’s death, fans took to social media. One fan wrote Allison was an absolute legend who won at a lot of different tracks in a lot of different equipment, and he did it for a very long time.