News Update for 8/20/25
An irate parent was arrested at Woodlawn Elementary School in Sebring Tuesday afternoon. Police say the parent refused to follow student pickup procedures and became confrontational with school staff during dismissal. When asked to leave by administrators and School Resource Officer Diego Serrano, the parent refused and was taken into custody. The parent faces charges of trespassing after warning, disrupting a school function, and resisting an officer without violence. Officials stress this was an isolated incident, and the school campus remained safe throughout.
Two Highlands County Commissioners are taking on new statewide roles. Arlene Tuck has been appointed to three Florida Association of Counties committees — including Finance, Tax and Administration, Community and Urban Affairs, and Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Chris Campbell will continue serving on the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Their work will help shape policy on affordable housing, transportation, rural infrastructure, and more. Both will serve one-year terms as the association prepares its agenda for the 2025 legislative session.
Highlands County is honoring the legacy of fallen Deputy William Gentry Jr. with a highway dedication. On Tuesday, county commissioners approved a resolution naming a stretch of U.S. 27 as the “Deputy William Gentry Jr. Memorial Highway.” Deputy Gentry was shot in the line of duty in May 2018 and later died at the hospital. The Florida Department of Transportation has prepared the memorial signs, and Sheriff Paul Blackman will coordinate a dedication ceremony with the Gentry family. The tribute ensures Deputy Gentry’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.
A Fort Meade man is facing multiple charges after an incident at a local Dollar General. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 20-year-old Marcos Carroll was being trespassed from the store Monday when an employee identified him as the suspect in a cellphone theft two days earlier. Carroll admitted to stealing the phone but claimed he had broken it. Deputies say Carroll was also found with methamphetamine. He was arrested and charged with petit theft, possession of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia.