News Update for 11/7/24
Sun ‘N Lake of Sebring voters have chosen Mike Gilpin, Greg Norton, and John Hunter for the Board of Supervisors. Gilpin previously served on the board, Norton retained his seat, and Hunter is newly elected. 3,265 votes were cast and in supervisor elections in Sun ‘N Lake, the top vote getters for the numbers of open seats get chosen. Voters had a chance to ask questions of the candidates back in August before voting. Those questions centered around topics like infrastructure, rate increases, management of the golf course and Island View restaurant, as well as traffic control.
A husband is in custody in connection to the murder of his wife in Central Florida. Fifty-year-old Deljie Tyson is accused of calling 9-1-1 dispatchers Tuesday morning to tell them he had stabbed his wife at their Polk County home. Lakeland police say Tyson claimed he had gotten into a fight with the 46-year-old victim, Sandra Green, after she had been acting erratic. Authorities say Green had been stabbed more than 20 times. Tyson was taken to the hospital for minor injuries before he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The fight between the governor and a local prosecutor could heat up. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell reclaimed her job after beating Andrew Bain on Tuesday. Governor Ron DeSantis removed Worrell from office last year for neglect of duty and incompetence. University of Central Florida political science Professor John Hanley thinks it’s possible Worrell could be punished by the governor again. He says DeSantis is not shy about using his removal power. Hanley also tells Channel 9 DeSantis could say at the end of Worrell’s first week on the job she’s not prosecuting people enough, not charging them appropriately and misusing the resources of her office.
A reminder for all Highlands County residents, that all Highlands County government offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th, in observance of Veteran’s Day. The Highlands County Landfill will be open and curbside collections will take place as normal. Government offices will reopen at 8:00am on Tuesday, November 12th.
Highlands County residents will be able to start pre-registering for D-SNAP starting Monday, November 11th through Friday November 15th. Once online pre-pre-registration is complete applicants will need to complete a phone interview by calling the D-Snap Call center or by attending an on-site event later. Calls for residents must occur during designated times starting Tuesday, November 12th. Phone interview times are between 8:00am and 6:00pm and are as follows- Last name beginning A-F, you call on Tuesday the 12th, Last Names beginning with G-N, Wednesday, the 13th, Last Names beginning with O-Z, call on Thursday the 14th. Any last name may call on Friday. The D-Snap Call center can be reached at 888-348-0408.
Some Lakeland residents believe the flooding in their neighborhood could have been avoided if city officials were more proactive. Residents addressed the city commission last night to discuss flooding near Lake Bonny. They say the city could have checked the water pumps before Hurricane Milton hit to make sure they were working properly, but that wasn’t done. Residents say their homes were flooded, and their belongings destroyed. They believe it was all preventable. One woman tells Fox 13 News we’re all underwater, and this is not how it should be.
Florida lawmakers will return to Tallahassee later this month with Republican supermajorities still in place. Twenty out of the 28 candidates in last night’s race for the state House were GOP members. In the Senate, Republicans Corey Simon and Rick Scott won their races against Democratic challengers. The latest victories come after the GOP-controlled Legislature redraw boundary lines during the 2020 redistricting process, giving them an advantage in traditionally Democratic areas. State lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene in the capital city on November 19th for a one-day session.
A day after Donald Trump wins the election, the Federal Reserve is expected to announce a quarter-point interest rate cut. Bankrate’s Greg McBride says this will lower the central bank’s benchmark lending rate to between 4-and-a-half and 4-and-three-quarters percent.The FED is expected to continue cutting rates at its next several meetings since inflation is measuring at two-point-one-percent, just shy of the two-percent goal. Consumers are advised to start paying down debt now.