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Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 21-23, 2014
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Deputy injured when cruiser flips Tried to avoid another car on U.S. 27 Tuesday morning By TOM STAIK
CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING — A Highlands County sheriff’s deputy was injured Tuesday morning when he rolled his cruiser trying to avoid smashing into another vehicle on U.S. 27 near the entrance to Tanglewood. Deputy Michael J.
Helms, of Sebring, was on his way to his post as school resource officer at Hill-Gustat Middle School when the accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. The driver of the vehicle Helms swerved to avoid, Rae W. Cole, 72, of Sebring, called 911 and waited on scene until first responders could arrive,
Downtown preps for Small Business Saturday sales By BILL ROGERS
CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING —Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28 is not just about those who have storefronts. The Sebring Chamber of Commerce, working in partnership with the Downtown Sebring Business Alliance and the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency, is helping to organize this year’s Small Business Saturday, according to Liz Barber, CEO/president of the chamber. “Our goal is to have the downtown businesses work together on a united front by keeping our stores open for consistent hours for the ease of the shoppers and offering specials to encourage early birds and all-day shoppers.” Barber wrote in a letter to downtown businesses. “There will be some fun activities to draw additional people out to the event.” Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 as a way to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the
SMALL | 7
according to reports by Sgt. Allan M. Carter of the Florida Highway Patrol. Helms was treated at the scene by first responders from the West Sebring Volunteer Fire Department and Highlands County EMS before being transported to Florida Hospital Heartland with what troopers
labeled as “serious” injuries, which is the label troopers give any injuries that require a trip to the hospital. He was able to walk himself to the ambulance, deputies at the scene reported. “He was alert and talking to supervisors,” Chief Deputy Mark
DEPUTY | 10
Tom Staik/News-Sun
Deputy Mike Helms received minor injuries when his cruiser crashed into a power pole and flipped end-over-end Tuesday morning near the entrance of Tanglewood. His coffee cup, incidentally, stayed firmly seated in its holder.
Parkway Phase III going ahead
WANTED FOR MURDER
County to pay $374,981 for skink mitigation By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER
Courtesy photo
Security camera footage shows the man, gun in hand, who is wanted for killing a store clerk during a robbery Saturday morning in Sebring.
Sebring police release image of man who shot and killed store clerk during robbery Saturday By TOM STAIK
CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING — Investigators have released the first images of the man suspected of shooting and killing a local convenience store clerk Saturday morning. Det. Sgt. Thomas Gilliard released two images of the suspect that were taken from the in-store video surveillance system
SEBRING — Sebring Parkway Phase III will move forward. County commissioners, after lengthy discussion on the proposed 4.2-mile road, decided they can’t afford to cancel it, nor can they build without mitigation land. They voted 4-1, with Chair Ron Handley dissenting, to pay $374,981 to Collany Mitigation LLC for 25.2 acres of credits to replace 12.6 acres of sand skink habitat. James Parker of Collany Mitigation said the purchase relieves the county of liability of maintaining habitat. He said the company was holding mitigation credits in good faith — without a contract — until Dec. 18. After that, he said, it would have cost the county more, since other entities wanted those credits. In examining costs to date, County Engineer Ramon Gavarrete said the county has spent $275,165 on right-ofway, starting with $1,500 in Fiscal Year 1992-93. More recently, the Florida Department of Transportation
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Tom Staik/News-Sun
Crime scene technician Kathy Perez samples fingerprints at the downtown Shell
MURDER | 4 station following Saturday morning’s robbery.
Swamp Hammock decision delayed again By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER
SEBRING — Advisory board members have continued a public hearing on the temporary use permit for Swamp Hammock, but approved a request
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for 30 hogs in Venus, with conditions. Donald Skipper, who opposes owners of the Swamp Hammock enterprise having a permit to set up a mud bog on the 1,125-acre parcel, asked for a 90-day continuance,
Warm & sunny High: 86 Low: 69 Details on D12
reportedly out of discussion between Skipper and Swamp Hammock owners. It’s expected to return to the board in January. The matter last came before the Zoning Board of Adjustment in July when attorneys for Skipper
argued that a proposed four-wheel drive mud and off-road course mud bog at 1200 Marguerite Road in Lake Placid is inconsistent with the county’s comprehensive plan and
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Phil Attinger/News-Sun
John Nelson of Highlands Tea Party asks county commissioners on Tuesday to justify why Highlands County needs Sebring Parkway Phase III.
Around Town ........................ D1 Local Snapshots .................... D8 Obituaries ..........................A8-9 Comics/Crossword .............. C5-6 Lottery ...................................A2 Viewpoints .............................A6 Highlands Health ...................C1 NASCAR This Week .............. B10 2do........................................ D1
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