News Update for 12/12/24
The long-awaited dedication for the new Medal of Honor Memorial commences this morning in downtown Sebring. A pair of World War 2 P-51 fighter planes are scheduled to do a flyover as part of the ceremony. The dedication will feature keynote speaker Navy Petty Officer Third Class Robert Ingram, a recipient of the Medal of Honor in 1966. The VFW POST #4300, the Sebring High School Band, as well as various representatives of county and state organizations will also make an appearance. The Medal of Honor memorial features a park with walkways, a visitor’s center, and a memorial listing the names of all 24 Florida Medal of Honor recipients. Attendees will be able to start parking at 8:30AM on the north side of the park or at Fireman’s Field. The ceremony begins at 10:00AM at 442 South Eucalyptus Street.
The Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute is closing its Lake Wales office. The office is shutting down on January 29th. The clinic believes this change will allow them to focus their resources and provide patients with the most significant impact and benefit. Patients will have the option of continuing care at either their Davenport or Sebring offices.
A man is back in custody following a 2023 botched robbery that led to a deadly shooting in Polk County. Authorities say Robert Cruceta-Pimentel conspired with Harold Omar Sepulveda-Cruz to stage a robbery during a drug deal in December of 2023. The incident resulted in the self-defense shooting of Sepulveda-Cruz at the Tropicana Resort Motel. Cruceta-Pimentel was originally arrested on multiple charges on December 20th, 2023, including second-degree murder. He was released this past Sunday after the State Attorney’s Office dismissed charges. However, the charges were re-filed after the sheriff’s office located a key witness.
Citrus production is down across Florida. A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the Sunshine State is expected to produce roughly six-million fewer boxes of oranges this season compared to the previous one, which ended in July. Hurricane Milton’s destruction is listed as one of the main reasons behind the anticipated decline. In addition to oranges, the new forecast is also expecting a drop in grapefruit and tangerine productions. If everything is correct, Florida’s citrus industry would experience its smallest harvest this season in more than a century.
A Frostproof man was arrested in late November after allegedly firing a weapon at three hunters preparing for a legal duck hunt in Lake Clinch. On November 29th, the three victims were in kayaks and a Jon boat preparing duck decoys for a sunrise duck hunt on the Frostproof lake. They noticed a bright light being shone at them from a nearby residence and then heard around 20 shots being fired towards the lake. The suspect, Devon White, then approached the shoreline yelling at them as they began to pack up their gear. The suspect then allegedly fired two more rounds into the lake in front of them. While the victims sought cover, the suspect returned in a pickup truck, parked, and continued to shine lights at them. White has been charged with three counts of 2nd Degree Attempted murder, Three counts of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, unlawful use of a firearm during a felony, illegal discharge of a firearm in a residential area and interfering with the taking of game from a public waterway.
Two Central Florida women are formally facing murder charges in connection to a deadly Seminole County shooting that police say was live streamed on social media. Savon Tyler and Lakevia Pringle were indicted by a grand jury yesterday. They are accused in the death of 34-year-old Lauren Martin near the Greystone Townhomes in Sanford in early November. Authorities say the victim had driven to Tyler’s home regarding an argument before the situation escalated. Tyler says she acted in self-defense. However, investigators say the video that was recorded by the other suspect doesn’t support her claims.
Florida officials are debating a sanctioned bear hunt for the first time since 2015, citing population management and habitat loss. Supporters say a hunt is needed in high-density areas, while opponents argue the black bear population of 4-thousand cannot sustain it. Both sides agree on prioritizing habitat preservation.
A Florida lawmaker is trying to repeal a law that prevents people under the age of 21 from buying rifles or other long firearms. Republican Senator Randy Fine filed the proposal for the upcoming legislative session, which is set to begin in March. It’s similar to a measure that passed in the state House before losing traction in the Senate earlier this year. The age was raised from 18 to 21 back in 2018 after the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Fine, who currently covers portions of Brevard County, is running in a special election to replace Representative Mike Waltz. Waltz was recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next national security adviser.
Attorney General Ashley Moody is encouraging Floridians to help law enforcement combat crime. She is asking residents to use the Florida Crime Stoppers App to anonymously submit tips about suspicious activity or unsolved cases. The public-safety tool has generated more than 33-hundred tips between November of last year and this past October. Moody says people who provide information that leads to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward. Crime Stoppers is available by dialing star-star-TIPS.