News Update for 8/15/23
Sebring police are investigating a morning shooting incident. It occurres shortly after 8:30 this morning. According to early reports, someone was either shooting from or at a moving vehicle.
There were no injuries reported, but at least one parked car was hit by a round. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sebring Police Department at 471-5800.
Highlands County commissioners this morning passed a revised fire assessment for the county. Changes were made in response to new state laws exempting agricultural lands from such charges
The levy includes a seven percent increase in each of the eligible categories.
Commissioners agreed to change more agricultural land to housing. One is a nearly 20-acre site, the other is nearly 10-acres. Both reportedly are slated to become mobile home communities.
The commission plans to hold a workshop on the proliferation of mobile home communities. At least one Sebring city council member has indicated they’d like to be part of that meeting as well.
It was a marathon session for the Avon Park city council last night. They started with a two-hour budget workshop, trying to craft the municipal fire assessment and other such charges to bring relief to property tax payers and still meet the needs of the city.
They’ll take it all up again in at their next regular meeting on the 28th. In other action, the council decided to hold a special meeting next Monday to deal with the homeless problem in the city of charm.
Back to school can be bad enough for some youngsters, but in Polk County, the air conditioning reportedly is out at dozens of schools.
Polk Education Association President Stephanie Yocum said yesterday that 30 schools lack A-C. That’s double the number that didn’t have A-C on the first day of school.
There’s no word on when all the broken units will be fixed. One teacher has said it’s both “ridiculous and unfathomable.”