News Update for 6/6/23

It’s a double-header for the Highlands County commission today. This afternoon, commissioners will convene for a workshop on the county’s budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. There they’ll hear presentations from the directors of the county’s business services, community programs, development services, parks & facilities, engineering, critical infrastructure, road & bridge and public safety divisions.
This morning they met in regular session. Among other things, the board looked at extending a moratorium on the county’s impact fees, and considered lifting the county’s burn ban.

There will be a prayer vigil on the Circle in downtown Sebring this afternoon. Members of the community have called for the session in preparation to go to this evening’s Sebring city council meeting. There they will ask the council to reconsider their vote on the upcoming Pride observance in the City on the Circle.
Concerns have been raised over the sponsoring group’s ties to the Democrat Party of Florida.
The prayer session will be held on the Circle from 4:30 unto 5:15 this afternoon.

A couple traffic incidents kept Highlands County first responders busy yesterday. Skipper Road west of 27 was closed for a time when a dump truck went over on its side. No injuries were reported.
The southbound lanes of Highway 27 were blocked for a couple hours yesterday due to an accident north of Avon Park. Apparently two cars collided near the Highlands Blvd. intersection. At least one person was injured in that one.

A medical episode is responsible for a deadly crash in Polk County. It happened Saturday in Winter Haven on Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
The sheriff’s office says 29-year-old Andrew Hensley was driving when he suffered a medical episode. He drove off the road, hit a man and the Economy Inn Suites motel.
Deputies say the 33-year-old man he hit died at the scene, and the motel sustained substantial damage. Hensley suffered minor injuries. No charges have been announced, but an investigation is underway.