Local News 10-21-24

An early Sunday morning crash claimed the life of a pedestrian trying to cross Highway 27 just north of the SFSC campus. Highway Patrol units were dispatched around 2:30am to the corner of Marble Avenue and Highway 27 where a vehicle travelling north by a Kissimmee man struck a male pedestrian evidently trying to cross the road. Identity of the victim has not been released. Traffic was diverted around the site till after dawn Sunday morning while FHP personnel investigated and cleared the scene.

The Joseph Ables murder trial resumes this morning at 9am in Sebring. Friday’s testimony included graphic descriptions of the porch were Ables allegedly killed Deputy William Gentry in 2018, plus testimony on the necropsy done on the neighbors’ cat, which Ables is also accused of killing.

Just to get everyone on the same page … County trash pickup is back on the normal schedule this week, and it’s regularly-scheduled yard waste day. Yard waste needs to be placed in a separate container, bagged, or tied in bundles; maximum 50 lbs. per bundle, bag, or container. The usual rules.

As for the “big stuff” left over from Hurricane Milton – starting TODAY, the County’s debris hauler will start picking up hurricane waste the regular pickups can’t do. There’s going to be ONE pass Countywide for plant matter and ONE pass for construction and demolition debris. Your neighborhood might not get touched first, but if your neighbors’ stuff disappears and yours wasn’t out in time, indelicately put … it’s your problem now.

A reminder – Operation Blue Roof is now accepting applications for free temporary tarping while you work to permanently repair your roof. Yes, we’re included here in Highlands County. Log onto BlueRoof.gov or call 888-766-3258 – that’s 888-ROOF-BLU. The program closes on Nov. 5.