News Update for 11/15/22
A 77-year-old Sebring woman was killed yesterday in a chain-reaction accident on the Sebring Parkway. Florida Highway Patrol reports say the unnamed driver was westbound on the Parkway near the intersection of Spring Garden Road, when she lost control of her car and ran into oncoming traffic.
The woman first sideswiped a car being driven by a 52-year-old Sebring man. In all, five vehicles were gathered up in the crash.
Troopers say the woman was NOT, buckled up. Only one other person had minor injuries.
An item on the Avon Park city council’s agenda to close a dirt road as part of a development plan, sparked controversy as residents of the southside of the city turned out to protest the measure.
Councilwoman Bernice Taylor maintained that the path – she referred to as “the Old Beachfront Road,” is a long-term connector with Highway 27.
At one point, Mayor Garrett Anderson had to pull out the gavel when Taylor got into a verbal dust-up with Councilwoman Brittany McGuire.
Anderson called on engineers for the 326-unit housing project to get with developers to find a solution.
Highlands County commissioners this morning gave the go-ahead to Spring Lake Partners to move ahead with a plan to convert some 28-acres from Agriculture to a Planned Development District.
The project, slated to be placed in the Fairway Lakes sub-division off Duane Palmer Blvd, would be known as “The Farm,” and would consist of a community farm, micro farm, parks, ponds, walking trails and waterfront.
It also would include farm estates, farm homes, cottage homes, and townhouses. No timeframe for the buildout was announced.
Today is the last day that residents can take advantage of the waived tipping fees at the Highlands County landfill for Hurrican Ian-related debris.
Meanwhile the county’s contracted hauler is continuing their sweep through Highland County. Residents are reminded to separate their debris into individual piles of vegetative debris, inert building materials and furniture and other like items.
The final push through the county is slated to start November 28.
A judge now will determine if the state can get the medical records of a Polk County murder suspect. Bryan Riley is accused of killing four people in Lakeland last year.
Defense attorneys reportedly are considering an insanity defense for the veteran. Prosecutors say they want a judge to grant them access to Riley’s medical records from a Tampa VA hospital.
The defense argues the records are not relevant, and the prosecution’s request is too broad. The judge did not make a ruling.