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GREEN FLAG: Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final at Sebring Raceway starting Thursday B1 Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 18-19. 2015
An Edition of the Sun
www.newssun.com
County OKs voting machines, skink money
Board to hear secret plan for Allen next month By TOM STAIK
CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING — Jackie Allen’s future with school district will likely remain in limbo at least until December. Deputy Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rodney Hollinger told the News-Sun on Tuesday that the School Board of Highlands County will be briefed on options for Allen at their meeting Dec. 8. District administration is keeping any details surrounding the principal’s future, and why she was removed from her post at HillGustat and placed on leave in September a closely kept secret. “It will be on the ALLEN agenda on Dec. 8 and that is all I am authorized to say,” Hollinger said. The board, meeting Nov. 2, voted 4-1 to deny a plan by Superintendent Wally Cox to transfer Allen from her school posting to the district office to work for eight months as a “principal-at-large” in the Exceptional Student Services department. Board member Jan Shoop was the dissenter. The move would have essentially staffed a position previously cut by the school board due to budgetary concerns. Allen had been on administrative leave from Sept. 11 through Oct. 9 as district officials conducted an internal investigation. The nature of that investigation remains secret.
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By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER
Phil Attinger/News-Sun
Jamija Douglas (left) and Keren Porres, both seniors at Lake Placid High School, serve soup at Monday’s Empty Bowls Luncheon to benefit the Highlands County Food Bank. The event sold more than 600 tickets, double the number from last year, by adding a dinner serving to the luncheon.
EMPTY BOWLS
Two servings, 600 tickets add up to hundreds of meals for area’s needy
By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER
SEBRING — What started as a way to make people aware of the problem of hunger in Highlands County has grown into a full-day event. This year, the sixth annual Empty Bowls Luncheon, to benefit the Heartland Food Reservior, also had a dinner — and sold twice as many tickets as last year. Barbara Cook, food bank volunteer, reported the event sold more than 600 tickets — at $10 each — when it normally has 300 participants. “We sold more for the evening event than for lunch,” said Mary Foy, president of the board for the food bank. She said the board decided to hold an evening event to give people who couldn’t take off for lunch a chance to take part. Cook said Olive Garden provided the soup for the lunch, while Chef Mac at The Palms of Sebring cooked soup for the dinner. Sebring Rotary
SEBRING — County commissioners accepted slightly less in state funds Tuesday to upgrade voting machines than they expended to purchase sand skink mitigation credits. However, with a 4-1 vote in favor of buying mitigation credits for $374,981, county commissioners hope to move forward with Sebring Parkway Phase III. Commissioner Ron Handley dissented. The matter was pulled from the consent agenda by Commissioner Don Elwell, who was elected to serve as vice-chair after
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Proposed mobile home park moves forward By TOM STAIK
CORRESPONDENT
2010 and helps 7,000 people in need of food assistance. During the 2013-14 fiscal year, the food bank helped distribute 1.2 million pounds of food, she said. Cook, who works for New Concepts by Visions Inc. adult
AVON PARK — The final 39-acres of what may one day become a 1,000-unit mobile home park has been annexed into the City of Avon Park. The property, owned by Crews Groves, is part of a larger tract of grove land between Little Bonnet Lake and Lake Denton near the Crystal Lake subdivision. The property is being eyed for rezoning to allow for the potential development of a mobile home park. The city council voted to annex the property on Nov. 9. The
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PARK | 3
Phil Attinger/News-Sun
Members of the Sebring High School Show Choir entertain with Christmas holiday favorites during Monday’s sixth annual Empty Bowls Luncheon to benebit the Highlands County Food Bank.
provided apples and Harbor Community Bank provided water. The event sponsor was Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center. “It couldn’t happen without our sponsors,” Cook said. Foy said the food bank has forged partnerships with 27 local food pantries since
Sebring set for Santa visit, Small Business Saturday By BILL ROGERS
CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING — It will start early with Black Friday and then biggest shopping weekend of the year locally
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will continue Saturday in downtown Sebring. Merchants there are getting ready for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28. The hours will be 8 a.m. from 4 p.m., a fact
Warm & humid High: 86 Low: 71 Details on D12
that camp up for discussion during this month’s Downtown Sebring Business Alliance meeting. It was initially suggested that stores should be open
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Around Town ........................ D1 Lottery ...................................A2 Sports ................................... B1 Comics/Crossword ............ C9-10 NASCAR This Week ................ B8 Viewpoints .............................A9 Clubs .................................... D2 Obituaries ..............................A8 2do........................................ D1
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