News Update for 11/8/24
Veteran’s Day is Monday, November 11th. Several ceremonies and celebrations will be taking place in Highlands County to honor our local vets.
Veterans and their families are invited to join the VFW Post 4300 in Sebring for a flag raising ceremony at 11 a.m., followed by food and music throughout the day. The American Legion Post 69 is also hosting a ceremony followed by a meal starting at 1:00pm in Avon Park. South Florida State College’s annual Veterans Day Commemoration at 10:45 a.m. Monday at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for Performing Arts in Avon Park. And in Lake Placid, The fourth annual Veterans Day honor service will be held at Tobler Park starting at 10:00AM. Residents are also invited to enjoy 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.
Nearly two dozen women are facing charges in connection to a Polk County investigation targeting sex workers. The sheriff’s office says 21 suspects were taken into custody at a dozen different massage spas over the course of the two-day undercover operation earlier this week. Deputies made the arrests at businesses in Davenport, Dundee, Lakeland, and Winter Haven. The massage therapists are accused of committing sex acts in exchange for money. The Sheriff Grady Judd is also giving a warning to customers. He says they weren’t videotaping them….this time. He also says his deputies will continue to crack down on businesses that operate outside the law.
A multinational company known for its food storage products is shutting down its Central Florida headquarters at the end of the year. Tupperware Brands Corporation says it will end operations at its Orlando facility on December 31st, laying off more than 140 employees. Tupperware filed for bankruptcy in September due to financial hardships and a drop in demand. A notice sent to the Florida Department of Commerce earlier this week, states that a group is expected to buy certain assets of the operation and extend job offers to some workers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are helping a grieving family. The team has donated 10-thousand dollars to the family of a teenage fan from Oklahoma who was killed in a car crash Saturday in Kansas. Eighteen-year-old Connor Barba had just gotten tickets for his birthday to last Monday night’s game against the Chiefs in Kansas City. He was looking forward to seeing his favorite player, quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield tells ESPN he’s honored and humbled knowing Connor was such a big fan.
President-elect Trump says campaign manager Susie Wiles will be his White House chief of staff. The Florida native will become the first woman to hold that post. Wiles was Trump’s campaign senior adviser and ran his campaigns in Florida in both 2016 and 2020. Trump said in a statement that Wiles just helped him achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history. He added that Wiles is tough, smart, innovative and is universally admired and respected.