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Joshua Lee Altersberger and Quintin Kinder are in police custody.
Video: FHP Press Conference | Photos
LAKE PLACID — Two men were in custody today in the shooting death of a Florida Highway Patrol officer, authorities said.
Joshua Lee Altersberger, 19, was arrested at his home in Sebring about 4:30 a.m. and was charged with killing Sgt. Nicholas Sottile a day earlier. A second man, Quintin Jerome Kinder, 21, of Bainbridge, Ga., was also arrested, after giving himself up to a search team at about 6 a.m.; charges against Kinder were pending.
Authorities also recovered a vehicle and a gun believed to have been used in the shooting.
Sottile, 48, had stopped a car driving erratically on northbound U.S. 27 near Witmore Curve, south of Hwy. 66, and pulled it over. As Sottile approached the vehicle, Kinder, the passenger, fled on foot, said Ernie Duarte, a spokesman for the highway patrol. Sottile went back to his patrol car to call for backup and then began walking toward the suspects’ car when Altersberger shot him in the chest at 3:22 p.m., Duarte said.
Altersberger fled; Sottile was flown to Florida Hospital Lake Placid and pronounced dead.
Sottile had worked for the FHP for nearly 24 years. He is survived by a wife, Elizabeth; a daughter, Heather, of Orlando; and a son Nicholas, of Tampa, who also works for the FHP.
The last time a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was shot and killed was in May 1998, in Pasco County. James B. Crooks, 23, was attempting to apprehend a suspect who had just shot and killed two Tampa Police Department detectives. Crooks had been with FHP for nine months.
About 200 law enforcement officers from surrounding agencies descended on the scene of the shooting, searching for the suspects. Law Enforcement from Polk County poured into Highlands County to assist, hauling bicycles and ATVs.
Helicopters and planes searched the orange groves on either side of the highway in regular search patterns. Officers and canine units also searched on foot.
Grim-faced officers comforted one another at the scene, as crime scene investigators used metal detectors to search the ground for shell casings or other evidence around the patrol unit of the officer.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Funeral Schedule
Visitation for Sgt. Nicholas Sottile will be held Monday from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Memorial United Methodist Church, 500 Kent Ave., Lake Placid.
Funeral services are set for Tuesday at 1 p.m., at the Restoration Church of the Highlands, 8475 Sparta Road, Sebring.
Sign The Guest Book For Nick Sottile
===================
By MANDY SHEETS
LAKE PLACID — Now that discussions about eliminating the police department have simmered, officials say there are no grudges over the issue.
Town Council unanimously voted to keep the Lake Placid Police Department after more than 100 residents showed up at Tuesday’s meeting to support the issue.
Mayor Tom Katsanis said he was happy to see so much civic participation, even if people weren’t supporting his idea. He and Chief Phil Williams continue to have a good working relationship, Katsanis said.
“We had lunch together the next day,” Katsanis said. “Phil Williams and all his officers are such good people. I’m glad we had closure on the issue and now can move forward.”
Williams said although he won’t be losing his department, some of his officers may leave on their own terms. A few officers submitted resumes to other departments when discussions first started, he said.
“I can’t blame them for putting their applications out there,”
Williams said. “When we first heard first about this, it seemed like it was a done deal and our department would be gone.”
Williams said he knows at least one of his officers will likely be moving to another agency.
“Losing personnel to other agencies is part of law enforcement, especially with the younger generation,” Williams said. “And I can’t say I blame them for wanting to broaden their scope.”
Williams said the meeting showed him how much support his department has from the public, and he doesn’t think any negative feelings resulted.
Highland County Sheriff Susan Benton said the sheriff’s office and police department will continue to work together.
“Chief Williams and I were friends before this mess and we are going to remain friends after,” Benton said.
As far as lowering taxes, Katsanis said he doesn’t have any immediate plans. Although Town Council members suggested annexing new residents as a way to widen the tax base, Katsanis said this is easier said than done.
“Since I’ve been mayor, no one wants to be annexed,” Katsanis said. “There is nothing I can share with them as an advantage, so they prefer to stay in the county.”
Usually cities offer residents water and sewer connections as an incentive, but Katsanis said many county residents who live just outside Lake Placid town limits already have water provided by the town. Sewer service could be an incentive for annexation, though, Katsanis said.
“We need some kind of carrot that we can use to lure them in,” Katsanis said. “Sewer service could be a way to annex in homeowners, especially with lakefront property, whose septic tanks aren’t working out for them.”
Katsanis said the best result of the meeting will likely be everyone paying more attention to frugality.
“The department heads now know that the citizens are going to look carefully at each of their budgets,” Katsanis said. “I think they will all try to operate within their budgets and be much more sensitive about asking for more money.”
By MICAH DYAL
SEBRING — Deputy Superintendent Jim Bible and Anne Lindsay, director of curriculum and instruction, announced this week that they would be stepping down from the Highlands County School District after a combined total of 56 years in local schools.
The news came Wednesday afternoon during a principal and administrative meeting at the school board office when Bible announced that he was retiring and Lindsay said she was stepping down to work in the family business.
“It is a huge loss,” said Pat Kules, an executive secretary to the superintendent. “It’s a major void that will be hard to fill.”
Bible began as a teacher in the district in 1968. He later became an assistant principal and was eventually promoted to principal. In 2001, he became a deputy superintendent for the district.
“He’s a guy who wore a lot of different hats,” said Kules, who mentioned Bible helped acquire land for the district, handled many legal issues, and had a knack with families. “When a parent was distraught he had a way of talking to them. He was very compassionate. I guess that’s because he’s been in the business so long.”
As deputy superintendent, Bible was responsible for providing assistance to the superintendent, principals, directors, coordinators and managers concerning school-related issues. He also dealt with student conduct, school attendance zones, school board policies and other issues.
Lindsay announced that she was stepping down from her job as director of curriculum and instruction to help with the family business – Baker Septic Installations – located in Sebring.
She was hired on in 1990 as a teacher and later became an assistant principal and eventually principal. In 2001, she became the director of curriculum and instruction.
“She was the driving force for curriculum,” Kules said. “She helped with training and implementing new curriculum.”
The district is currently on the lookout for replacements to fill both administrative positions.
AVON PARK - The Highlands County Sheriffs Office is looking for Joanne Miller, 16, who went missing after a night out in Avon Park.
Eugenia Ruiz, Joanne’s grandmother, fears that Jocaquin “Moyo” Reyes, 20, who ran with Miller, may be pressuring Joanne into running with him. Jackie Swan, Joanne’s mother, was concerned Reyes might be aggressive and would respond violently if Joanne tried to leave him.
“I’m scared something’s wrong” Ruiz said.
Eugenia Ruiz said Joanne Miller, 16, told her Sunday afternoon that she was visiting a friend in Avon Park. Ruiz drove her to a motel on Main Street and dropped her off to see Reyes and other friends for a party.
At 9 p.m. that day, Ruiz called Joanne, telling her it was time to come home. Joanne said she didn’t want to be picked up.
Ruiz tried calling again to tell Joanne that she was coming to pick her up.
This is when Reyes, 20, took the phone from Joanne.
“We’re telling them we’re going to call the police,” Ruiz said. “He said ‘she’s my wife, she’s fine,’” mentioning they were in Orlando.
The next day, Ruiz contacted Reyes again asking for him to return Joanne. He said he would drop her off at Ruiz’ house.
That never happened.
The next time they called, they realized Reyes sold his phone to someone in front of a Wal-Mart in Lakeland.
This case has been considered one of a missing person, which means there is no knowledge on the person’s safety.
“If we had a person come missing out of the blue and that isn’t their usual habit, that’s a missing person,” said Lt. John Chess, who coordinates missing persons investigations with the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. Chess was not aware of any previous incidents involving Joanne.
Chess said his office just got the case Tuesday and detectives are still gathering information. Ruiz speculated that Joanne and Reyes may be heading to either Las Vegas or Mexico.
“We need at least a phone call from them to know that they’re okay,” Chess said.
Jocaquin Reyes also goes by the names “Moyo” and “Jorge.”
If anyone has any information on Joanne or Reyes and their whereabouts, contact Peter Barone or the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office at 863-402-7200.
VENUS — Homestead Police apprehended two of the three teens who escaped from the Last Chance Ranch by overpowering and beating two guards.
Edward Russo Woodruff, 14, and Jesus A. Duran, 15, were arrested Tuesday afternoon after a citizen, who spotted two people fitting the descriptions of two of the escapees, notified Homestead Police, Glades County Sheriff’s Detective Terrence Deese said Wednesday.
Woodruff and Duran were being held Wednesday in a juvenile detention facility in Dade County.
Remaining at large is Andrew James Helderman, 16, 5-feet 11-inches tall, 175 pounds with green eyes and black hair. He was sentenced to the ranch program for two counts of battery.
The teens fled the rural lock-up facility Dec. 31 in a guard’s 1989 Honda Civic, Deese said. Woodruff and Duran said Helderman wanted to go out on his own so they dropped him off, but being unfamiliar with the area, they could not provide authorities with even an approximate location.
The three teens were initially charged with felony battery, false imprisonment, criminal mischief, burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle and escape.
Robbery has been added to the list of charges.
After they beat guard Winston Leroy Harvey, the teens took the guard’s wallet, which contained about $400, Deese said.
Harvey was critically injured from being struck repeatedly with metal baseball bats.
He had two or three large cuts on the head, a concussion, a few broken ribs and a broken arm, Deese said.
Guard Robert Morris was punched and kicked and stuffed into a mattress cover and locked inside a bathroom closet.
Anyone with information regarding Helderman is asked to contact Detective Deese at the Glades County Sheriff’s Office at 863-946-1600 or your local law enforcement agency.
Lake Placid To Keep Police Department
By MANDY SHEETS
LAKE PLACID – The police department usually protects the public but at Tuesday night’s Town Hall meeting, it was the public that protected and saved the Lake Placid Police Department.
After hearing more than 90 minutes of discussion supporting keeping the police department, and no speakers in favor of disbanding it, the council unanimously voted to keep the police department as is and review all town departments when constructing next year’s budget.
Mayor Thomas Katsanis suggested reducing or eliminating the department after consistently hearing complaints about high taxes since he took office eight months ago. One way to reduce taxes is to eliminate the $940,000 police department budget, he said.
Katsanis said after the public hearing that he regretted bringing up the issue, especially right before the holidays.
“I would like to apologize to the police department and anyone else I caused stress to over this meeting,” Katsanis said. “I read about other cities in Florida eliminating their police departments and thought we could do it too. But I guess I was wrong for bringing it up.”
Chief Phil Williams said after the meeting that he was relieved by the decision to keep his department.
“It feels much more secure to know the department won’t be dissolved,” Williams said. “I am happy to have so many people come out in favor of our department.”
Councilman Jim Waller said he thinks expanding the town’s tax base would be a better approach than making cuts.
“(Eliminating the police department) is not the answer,” Waller said. “Something that could help the situation with taxation is annexation. Geographically speaking, we serve a lot of people who don’t pay taxes. I believe annexation is the answer.”
Council members said they defend the budget they created last year and didn’t think this was the appropriate time to make such a drastic change.
“This Town Council made a decision at budget time to commit to this department, and it shouldn’t have been questioned now,” Councilwoman Debra Worley said.
Councilman Charles Wilson said the town should continue to look at ways to be good stewards of taxpayers’ money.
“When we come up for budget, we want people’s input, and no one comes,” Wilson said. “What galls me the most is people second-guessing after the fact instead of getting involved in the process.”
Residents who spoke in favor of keeping the department said they didn’t want to sacrifice the high level of service the have now.
Sheriff Susan Benton said because the sheriff’s office services about 79,000 people and the police department services about 1,700, the quality of service would not be the same.
“It’s very different policing,” Benton said. “There is a special place for small town police department. There are many things they do every day that we would never have time to do because we are running from call to call to call.”
Ron Grimming, a Lake Placid resident, said checks on businesses, area checks based on crime trends, traffic stops and security for special events are services he doesn’t want to see sacrificed.
“It’s highly unlikely the sheriff’s office would have the manpower or time to handle these responsibilities,” Grimming said. “All of us are concerned about increasing property taxes, but I don’t think any of us want to sacrifice our public safety without having all the facts.”
Lake Placid To Keep Police Department
By MANDY SHEETS
LAKE PLACID – The police department usually protects the public but at Tuesday night’s Town Hall meeting, it was the public that protected and saved the Lake Placid Police Department.
After hearing more than 90 minutes of discussion supporting keeping the police department, and no speakers in favor of disbanding it, the council unanimously voted to keep the police department as is and review all town departments when constructing next year’s budget.
Mayor Thomas Katsanis suggested reducing or eliminating the department after consistently hearing complaints about high taxes since he took office eight months ago. One way to reduce taxes is to eliminate the $940,000 police department budget, he said.
Katsanis said after the public hearing that he regretted bringing up the issue, especially right before the holidays.
“I would like to apologize to the police department and anyone else I caused stress to over this meeting,” Katsanis said. “I read about other cities in Florida eliminating their police departments and thought we could do it too. But I guess I was wrong for bringing it up.”
Chief Phil Williams said after the meeting that he was relieved by the decision to keep his department.
“It feels much more secure to know the department won’t be dissolved,” Williams said. “I am happy to have so many people come out in favor of our department.”
Councilman Jim Waller said he thinks expanding the town’s tax base would be a better approach than making cuts.
“(Eliminating the police department) is not the answer,” Waller said. “Something that could help the situation with taxation is annexation. Geographically speaking, we serve a lot of people who don’t pay taxes. I believe annexation is the answer.”
Council members said they defend the budget they created last year and didn’t think this was the appropriate time to make such a drastic change.
“This Town Council made a decision at budget time to commit to this department, and it shouldn’t have been questioned now,” Councilwoman Debra Worley said.
Councilman Charles Wilson said the town should continue to look at ways to be good stewards of taxpayers’ money.
“When we come up for budget, we want people’s input, and no one comes,” Wilson said. “What galls me the most is people second-guessing after the fact instead of getting involved in the process.”
Residents who spoke in favor of keeping the department said they didn’t want to sacrifice the high level of service the have now.
Sheriff Susan Benton said because the sheriff’s office services about 79,000 people and the police department services about 1,700, the quality of service would not be the same.
“It’s very different policing,” Benton said. “There is a special place for small town police department. There are many things they do every day that we would never have time to do because we are running from call to call to call.”
Ron Grimming, a Lake Placid resident, said checks on businesses, area checks based on crime trends, traffic stops and security for special events are services he doesn’t want to see sacrificed.
“It’s highly unlikely the sheriff’s office would have the manpower or time to handle these responsibilities,” Grimming said. “All of us are concerned about increasing property taxes, but I don’t think any of us want to sacrifice our public safety without having all the facts.”
BROOKSVILLE – Highlands County is officially in the grips of a severe water shortage, and water restrictions are on the way.
Faced with critically low levels of rainfall, the executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District signed an order Tuesday tightening watering restrictions.
After Jan. 16, Highlands County will join the other 60 percent of the district’s 16 counties that allow lawn watering only once a week. The order also shortens watering times by two hours to 6 p.m. until 8 a.m.
The decision was made after an hour long public hearing at the district’s headquarters south of Brooksville. “I’m strongly of the opinion that action is needed to be taken,” said David Moore, executive director. The “appropriate action is in this order.”
The restrictions will remain in force until July 31, unless the governing board extends or cancels it before then.
The district’s governing board gave its executive director authority to implement the new rules last month in a meeting. Moore came to his decision after some dismal projections were made for the upcoming year.
The district’s entire area, from Charlotte County to Levy County, was roughly 11 inches short of its typical annual rainfall in 2006.
Highlands County is one of 11 counties whose rainfall deficits are labeled critically abnormal, and it shows in its water sources.
Some local lakes show the effects of this dry season, with Lake Jackson showing sand where normally water is found.
There has been some improvement since October 2006, but the El Nino weather pattern that provided that reprieve will unravel soon.
Judy Williams, a self-styled “water activist”, was one of a handful of the public that spoke up during the hearing. She commended Moore for taking the initiative to conserve water. “I want to thank you for doing the right thing,” Williams said. “This is necessary.”
Though the times have changed, the same watering rules apply.
Even if you choose to skip sprinklers, hand-watering your lawn is forbidden, although plants, shrubs and gardens are allowed. Car washing is permissible only if the hose has a nozzle.
The exception is for new plant material, such as sod, which can be watered anytime for a 60 day period.
Penalties for violations grow with each infraction, ranging from $25 to a possible six months in prison and a $500 fine for the fifth violation.
WAUCHULA — Pole barns will be a hot issue when Hardee County develops a new fire assessment rate schedule, county commissioners believe.
Currently, the county-wide fire department receives fire assessment funds from only two categories – residential and non-residential (commercial).
A new fire assessment study will not yield more income for the county, but it will help to more fairly divide the assessment by adding more categories and additional payment tiers, said County Manager Lex Albritton Jr. It will give relief to small businesses and pass the cost equitably to the larger businesses.
The county has hundreds of pole barns that are not currently assessed for fire protection.
Pole barns, steel buildings and vacant lots are going to be huge issues, Albritton said.
“Pole barns burn and what’s a pole barn?” he asked. “If you choose to build something out of a pole, but it is not on an ag operation, is it a pole barn or is it just a commercial establishment?
“There are all kinds of intricacies that are going to cause people to get very upset and activities they are going to go through to minimize their assessment.”
The consultants conducting the study will help define the different structures and categories that will be considered for assessment, Albritton said.
The previous fire assessment study was conducted about five to six years ago and determined that the largest fire the department could effectively handle was 10,000 square feet, he said.
“So you are limited to assessing only what you can put out,” Albritton said. With only three assessment tiers in the commercial category, currently, a big box store pays the same as a 10,000 square foot warehouse.
“We have more firemen now and greater manning at the different stations and a little more apparatus and we’ve got a little more tankage,” he said.
Vacant land is another potential fire-assessment hot button issue.
“We don’t assess vacant land, but we spend hundreds of thousands fighting brush fires on vacant land and no one pays; general revenue has to absorb that,” Albritton said.
But when land is assessed, it is by the parcel, so five 10-acre parcels (50 acres total) would pay five assessments, but one 50-acre parcel would pay one assessment.
So land owners will go to the property appraiser and try to consolidate their parcels into one that is well above the upper limit, he said. You can’t keep passing that cost on, because when the general revenue dollars pay for it, everybody pays for it.
“As you learned in the impact fee study, things change, environments change and it’s pretty sound business practice to go ahead every three or so years and update all of the studies that you assess dollars to,” Planning and Development Director Nicholas Staszko said to the county commission recently.
The commission approved a $49,424 contract with Government Services Group, Inc. to conduct the fire assessment study.
Hardee County received confirmation of an $8,000 grant to off-set a portion of the study’s cost.
The study should be complete in May after which the county commission will review it for updating the fire assessment rates for the 2007-08 fiscal year budget.
SEBRING — Equine influenza, or horse flu, recently killed a half a dozen Florida horses – with no cases diagnosed in Highlands County – although area horse owners are taking precautions.
Heartland Horses & Handicapped, Inc., a stable in Avon Park which specializes in equine-assisted therapy for those with special needs, cancelled a Ride-A-Thon at Henscratch Farms on Jan. 20 because of the outbreak.
Joy Ongley, of Heartland Horses & Handicapped, said equine influenza “really hasn’t affected us,” but since the virus is highly contagious, the stable took a cautious course.
A release from the group reads that several participants were very apprehensive about transporting their horses and participating in a group event.
Local veterinarian Jeff Saunder works with about 50 horses regularly in Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties.
He said the current flu strain afflicted horses in the Palm Beach, Martin and Marion counties. The vet also said that there is no threat to people and the flu affects only horses.
“If it’s not an absolute necessity don’t take your horses somewhere with a lot of other horses,” said Saunders.
Quarantines are in place for the current neurological form of the flu which attacks the brain and spinal cord.
The Florida Department of Agriculture has ordered quarantine of 10 impacted stables, said Saunders.
Horse owners at infected stables must take equine temperatures a minimum of twice per day and if fever reaches 101.5 degrees, it should be reported to a veterinarian, according to the state.
In addition to elevated temperatures, a horse might exhibit a loss of appetite and nasal discharge, not unlike a human suffering from the typical flu.
The horse flu is easily transmitted by sneezing or a harsh, dry cough.
Saunders recommended not sharing water and feed buckets, to disinfect with foot baths, to clean truck tires and incinerate manure.
The area’s rodeo, quarter and gated horses might all be symptom free, but preventive measures recommended by the state include regular hand washing, labeling individual equipment and minimizing shared equipment such as shovels, twitches, forks and bits which should be disinfected between uses.
Separate water buckets and feed trowels should be used while feed scoops should not have contact with a horse’s bucket or trough, according to Web site horses.about.com
Horses with influenza are best cared for in a clean, comfortable, draft and dust free environment, such as a box stall. Care includes, light exercise to start. With recovery, exercise should gradually increase, reads the website.
HIGHLANDS SCHOOLS WILL RE-OPEN TUESDAY
By MICAH DYAL.
SEBRING — Even though Christmas and New Year’s Day have come and gone, Highlands County students will have until Tuesday to enjoy the winter break, while Hardee County students head back Monday.
“I’m kinda excited (about school),” said Sierra Joseph, a third-grader at Sun ‘n Lake Elementary School. “I haven’t seen my friends in forever.”
Students in the area return to school this week after having about two weeks off. Thanks to a teacher work day going on today, classes resume for all of Highlands County’s public schools Tuesday.
“I’m excited to see what everyone got for Christmas,” said Mackenzie Wilk, a fifth-grader at Woodlawn Elementary School. She said she’s plans to wear the new clothes she got for Christmas, including her Heely’s, the shoes with wheels.
But not everybody is thrilled about having to return to school.
“No… I hate school,” said Dallas Goins, a second-grader at Fred Wild Elementary School. “I want to spend more time with my mom and dad.
“I’m not looking forward to it,” said Dallas, who spent her break watching TV, playing with her friends and fishing with her grandpa who she only gets to see about twice a year.
But there is plenty of days off and vacations for students in the near future.
Schools will be closed Jan. 15 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday and spring break is only about 12 weeks away. If that is not enough, summer vacation will begin in about 20 weeks.
Motorists should also be aware that slower speed limits for school zones will be activated again when school starts. Drivers should also be on the lookout again for school buses in the mornings and afternoons and to remember to stop when children are loading or unloading.
By MANDY SHEETS
SEBRING – Kids are “eating up” the new exhibit at the Children’s Museum of the Highlands.
The One World Diner opened Thursday and features various ethnic foods. In this hands-on exhibit, children can learn about food around the world and, in the pretend kitchen, they can prepare meals like falafels, enchiladas and sushi.
Linda Crowder, director of the museum, said food is featured from Japan, Mexico, the Middle East, Ethiopia, Italy and India, along with traditional costumes from each of the countries.
Chloe Fordham, 5, said that she likes to prepare the different foods, especially pizza.
Noah Friesen, 6, said he liked wearing a chef’s hat, cooking and pretending to eat.
With local schools on break last week, Crowder said the exhibit was crowded.
“We had lots of people in the museum, and the majority of them wanted to play in here,” Crowder said. “I even saw the parents enjoying learning about the different cultural foods.”
The exhibit replaced a boat exhibit that was repeatedly in disrepair, Crowder said.
The museum, located at 219 North Ridgewood Drive in Sebring, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.
The cost is $3 per person. For more information, call 385-5437.
By GARY PINNELL
The grand champion Saturday at the Central Florida BBQ Festival was HomeBBQ.com of Dothan, Ala., but Sebring and Lake Placid teams smoked the rest of the competition.
Smokin’ Cracker-Creative Printing won the People’s Choice award, and was the reserve champion. The Sebring team also won for best sauce, best chicken, second best beer-can chicken, and third best ribs.
Smokin’ Cracker also was named the Highlands County Rib Champion, and the Highlands County Home Boy.
Other Local Winners
People’s Choice: Smokin’ Cracker; first; McGruff’s-Glades Electric, second.
Anything But: McGruff’s, first.
Hog Calling Contest: Ceil Pearman of Sebring.
Highlands County Rib Champion: Smokin’ Cracker, first; Woodhouse Grill-Heartland Motors of Lake Placid, second; FL Cracker BBQ, third.
Highlands County Home Boy: Smokin’ Cracker, first; Woodhouse Grill, second; FL Cracker BBQ, third.
Chicken: Smokin’ Cracker BBQ, first; Scruffs, fifth.
Beer Can Chicken: Smokin’ Cracker, second; Florida Boys-Budweiser of Sebring, third.
Pork: FL Cracker BBQ, third.
Ribs: Smokin’ Cracker BBQ, third; Woodhouse Grill, fourth.
Brisket: Woodhouse Grill, first.
Chili: Florida Boys, first; McGruff’s, second.
Top 10 Grand Champion teams: Woodhouse Grill, fourth; FL Cracker BBQ, 7th.
Water Restrictions
May Be On The Way
By DOUG CARMAN
SEBRING — Facing a rain deficit of more than 10 inches in Highlands County and varying shortages throughout the region, the Southwest Florida Water Management District will consider a water shortage order in a public hearing Tuesday.
The order, if approved, may limit lawn watering and other water-intensive activities to as little as once a week, although the extent of action will be determined at the hearing, spokesman Michael Molligan said.
The water district includes Avon Park, Sebring, most of Lake Placid and a section of Venus roughly surrounding U.S. 27.
The district-wide water shortage, resulting from a summer of little rain fall, has been more severe further north. Deficits as great as 14-inch have been experienced in the northern part.
“There were a few areas that got normal rainfall, but as regions go we definitely experienced a deficit,” Molligan said.
The southern district, including Highlands County, received 42.10 inches of rain in 2006. The January to December average for the area is 52.83 inches.
To reverse the deficit, Molligan said the area will need a rainfall that is 140 percent of the normal amount for the months leading into the rainy season.
Drought-like conditions exist in all 16 counties covered by the district.
The public hearing will take place 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the district headquarters in Brooksville.
SEBRING — A Tampa woman and a Plant City woman were free on bail Friday on drug-related charges after a sheriff’s deputy saw their pickup pass a semi-truck stopped at a railroad crossing, while pulling a camper.
It was about 8:33 a.m. Dec. 29, when the Mazda pickup truck passed the tractor trailer at the railroad crossing at old State Road 8 and State Road 70, crossing over a double-solid line, reported deputy Monica Griffith.
The driver, identified as Dorothy Marie Abney, 45, of Tampa, and her passenger Barbara Marie Denney, 27, of Plant City, were asked to step out of the pickup when Griffith reported she spotted a partially burned joint on the hump between the two seats.
“I further observed smoke emitting from said vehicle with a strong odor, which I clearly identified as marijuana due to my previous training and experience,” Griffith wrote.
Her experience includes working with a narcotics K-9, she reported.
She saw Abney trying to hide something with her feet, the report stated. She then told Denney, “Just give it to her,” the report states.
Also recovered were two cut straws with a white, powdery substance inside, opened containers of alcohol, a prescription pill bottle with no label, three capsules later identified as antihistamine, a small tin formerly used for mints with an oxycodone pill, a muscle relaxer, a prescription antihistamine, three tables of Famotidine, the report states.
The residue in the straws tested positive for cocaine, Griffith reported.
Neither woman was charged with cocaine possession, however.
Abney was charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia for the purpose of transporting drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of possession of a controlled schedule II substance, one count of possession of a new legend drug without a prescription.
She was set free on $11,250 bail.
Denney was charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of possession of narcotics equipment for use, possession or manufacture paraphernalia to transport drugs.
She was free Friday on $3,000 bail.
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