News Update for 7/15/2025
Highlands County is strengthening its disaster cleanup plans ahead of hurricane season. County Commissioners have renewed a contract with Tetra Tech — the same company that helped clear debris after California’s massive 2017 Thomas Fire — to monitor local storm debris removal through the end of 2025. Tetra Tech will ensure cleanup work meets strict FEMA rules so the county can get fully reimbursed. The county also extended agreements with Phillips and Jordan and Ceres Environmental Services to handle debris pickup if storms hit. Officials say these preparations aim to avoid the delays seen during last year’s lengthy Hurricane Milton cleanup.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is helping kids get ready for back-to-school season with a community supply drive. The COPS-ADAPT Unit is collecting backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, and other classroom essentials to hand out at local events before school starts on August 11. Donations can be dropped off at the Sheriff’s Office in Avon Park at 304 W. Pleasant St., or at the main office in Sebring at 400 S. Eucalyptus St. For details, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 863-402-7825.
More power pole upgrades are underway in Sebring, with Duke Energy expecting the project to wrap up by March 2026. Crews are replacing nearly 58 miles of power lines with stronger, storm-hardened poles to better handle extreme winds. So far, 20 crews are working in the area, replacing older poles with sturdier concrete or wood poles sized for durability. Duke Energy says similar upgrades will reach Lake Placid in 2027, while efforts to strengthen Florida’s grid continue statewide — including underground lines, substation upgrades, and smart tech that reroutes power during outages.
Florida is joining four other southeastern states this week in Operation Southern Slow Down, a regional campaign targeting speeding and aggressive drivers. The Florida Highway Patrol says the goal is to reduce deadly crashes through increased enforcement and public education. The effort is part of a partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and includes Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Troopers will focus on high-crash corridors and remind drivers that speeding significantly increases the risk of serious injury or death.