News Update for 2/9/23

Hearing or seeing more jets in the area? Yes, officials from the Avon Park Air Force Range say they are training again today from late morning until midnight. Noise levels will be high.
They have declined to indicate what kind of aircraft are utilizing the facility or where they might be from.

It’s a big day at the Highlands County Fair, as the Junior Livestock Auction winds up the agricultural portion of the annual exposition. All the goats, swine and cattle that have been shown over the past week now will go on the block for sale.
This will be an educational experience for the youngsters who have shown these animals, as they hope the selling price will exceed the amount of money, they have put into raising them.
For those who cannot afford to bid on or buy an animal, they can donate in the form of add-ons. That money goes to youngsters to help in their efforts.
The auction gets underway this evening at 6pm in the Junior Livestock Arena.

Highlands County officials say they are excited about yet more state dollars being funneled into the coffers here. The money comes from the Broadband Opportunity Grant Program. Local internet providers will be getting cash to bring the world wide web to what are termed “underserved locations” such as Venus.
Avon Park and Sebring also are in line for more than $1.3 million dollars. That will be used to deploy fiber optic cable internet service to over 700 unserved households in those communities.

Florida Highway Patrol officials say there were no injuries yesterday afternoon when a sport utility vehicle rear-ended a school bus. According to reports, the bus was stopped on Lake Francis Road at the intersection of Highway 27 when the accident occurred.
Neither of the drivers, nor the four elementary school children aboard the bus were injured.