C M Y K www.newssun.com EWS UN NHighlands County’s Hometown-S Newspaper Since 1927 North nabs win Garbage changes Lights, camera, action! Sirk leads North All-Stars County to change days Easy strategies to help you to FACA Classic blowout for garbage pick-up make better home movies SPORTS, 1B PAGE 2A LIVING, PAGE 14B Friday-Saturday, December 23-24, 2011 www.newssun.com Volume 92/Number 151 | 50 cents Inside Teachers have issue with Students from Avon, budget numbers Cracker By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY I don’t want to be unreason- Trail [email protected] able when I come to the SEBRING — With the table,” Picklesimer said. PAGE 2A elementary teacher’s union and the The union’s concern, he Forecast schools let school board at an impasse in added, is that for years the their contract negotiations, district has often missed the big guy Steve Picklesimer, president those line item targets. know what of the Highlands County “In the 2010-2011 school Educational Association and year,” Picklesimer said, “we they want a chemistry teacher at asked for a better salary Partly sunny and Sebring High School, spent package than we got. Their very warm this year time with the News-Sun budget for salaries was $39.7 recently explaining why the High Low million. What they actually PAGE 6B union was having difficulty spent was $35 million and reaching an agreement. change. There’s a $4.7 mil- 83 61 Every year a school board lion difference between the Complete Forecast must submit a proposed number they budgeted and PAGE 14A budget for the coming year, what they actually spent. Picklesimer said. “Now, that was over bud- Online Each budget, he said, is geted in their salary package, Down to the wire broken down into line items, so where inside the budget called functions, which show did that ($4.7 million) sprin- exactly how much money has kle itself? been allotted for every cost “In ‘05, ‘06, ‘07 they were — including teacher salaries averaging being over $2 mil- and benefits. lion under budget; they were Question: Do you “We all know that finan- decorate the outside cially we’re in hard times, so See TEACHERS, page 7A of your home for Christmas? Yes Commission seeking 58% creative solutions for elections building By ED BALDRIDGE ures can be taken and let’s No [email protected] move forward,” Elwell said. SEBRING — “At the very least, we will get 42% Commissioner Ron Handley a good understanding of this reported to the board on issue so that it will never News-Sun photo by SAMANTHA GHOLAR Avon Park resident, Patty Scott, does some last minute Christmas shopping at Sebring’s Tuesday that he was working happen again.” Total votes: 81 KMart Thursday morning. on ideas that could trim extra Handley’s goal is to try costs and time from the reno- and use county labor to finish Next question: Have vations of the Kenilworth out the building and cut the you stuck to any of Last minute shoppers fill building. cost for the renova- the new year’s Purchased in 2008 tions while keeping it for $1.2 million, the from going through a resolutions you made department stores “shell of a building” lengthy bid process. in January? has turned out to be a Handley asked for Make your voice heard at By SAMANTHA GHOLAR validity this year. “I’m shopping for my $2 million-plus boon- clarification on the [email protected] Customers looked daughter. She is 17; I just doggle from a public state statute surround- www.newssun.com SEBRING — Shoppers through racks of clothes, picked this up because it is perspective, and has Handley ing the bid process, slowly filled the depart- aisles of shoes, toys and so cute. I love this,” Scott some commissioners trying to maneuver Obituaries ment stores in the electronics as they made said. looking into the diligence taxpayer money through the Daniel G. Bennett Lakeshore Mall Thursday their last few purchases for Scott had just about fin- county staff applied before legal jargon and still accom- Age 90, of Sebring morning, most hunting for the holiday season. ished up all her Christmas the building was purchased. plish the goal of having a last minute deals and bar- Patty Scott of Avon Park shopping that morning but “We know that some mis- complete and useful building. Obituaries, Page 5A gains. had a cart full of toys and was hoping to find a last- takes, maybe some bad judg- Handley quoted state stat- The final days of pet supplies Thursday when minute special item for her ments were made,” ue 255.041. “It clearly states Index Christmas shopping she was spotted roaming daughter Commissioner Don Elwell that you can prepare separate Business/Money 9A brought out mostly females the baby toy aisle in K- On the other side of said at the Dec. 13 meeting. specifications for each of fol- Classifieds 11A shoppers, giving the old Mart. Lakeshore Mall, Bealls “We are all human, it hap- lowing branches of work. stereotype — men always “Isn’t this just the cutest manager Anthony Marley pens, let’s go ahead and And it’s broken down exactly Community Briefs 2A wait to the very last minute thing?” asked Scott as she address them and let’s see Dear Abby 13B to shop — a little extra held up singing doll. See SHOPPERS, page 7A what kind of corrective meas- See COUNTY, page 5A Editorial & Opinion 4A Healthy Living 5B Letters to Santa 6B Lottery Numbers 2A Religion 10B Highlands Rotary to see whose chili is the best Movie Review/Times 13B By SAMANTHA GHOLAR Crazy Pepper Chili Cook Off on Jan. 21 artists and craftsmen and vendors and Sports On TV 2B [email protected] plenty of food. Sudoku Puzzle 13B SEBRING — The Highlands “The chili tasting and judging will County Rotary Club will hold its first as well as a fun event for members of Everyone likes chili,” Golden said. start at 12,” Golden said. ever Crazy Pepper Chili Cook Off on the community. Entry into the cook-off is $75 per The Crazy Pepper Chili Cook Off Jan. 21 at the Highlands County Registration coordinator, Missy team. Vendor space will be available will benefit the St. Jude’s Hospital Convention Center. Golden, explained the reason behind at $50 per first space and $25 for any Foundation as well as the Highlands www.twitter.com/thenewssun Gates will open for vendors begin- the cook-off. additional booth space. County Rotary Club. ning at 8 a.m. The cook-off will be “This is our first year and we were “We will have lots of other things Interested participants or vendor held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. just looking for a way to get out and going on that day also. We will have may contact Golden at 253-1360 or The event was thought up by mem- mingle with the community. What door raffles and prizes, kids games 386-4325 for registration or more 0790994 01001 bers of the rotary to work as a benefit better way to do that than with chili? and activities, there will be local information. Phone ... 385-6155 Fax ... 385-2453 Online: www.newssun.com WAUCHULA STATE BANK; 11.25"; 1.5"; Black plus three; process, #1 front strip; 0 0 0 1 5 2 0 6 C M Y K Page 2A News-Sun ࡗ Friday, December 23, 2011 www.newssun.com COMMUNITY BRIEFS County trash pickup changing in 2012 Blood drive today Humane Society By ED BALDRIDGE starting on Jan. 2, residents munity more efficiently.” Hammock Road, Lakeview in Lake Placid Sale-a-thon Jan. 14 [email protected] in the unincorporated areas According to Rybinski, for Drive and all residents on LAKE PLACID — The SEBRING — The HIGHLANDS COUNTY of the county, will have new all residents north of Kenilworth Boulevard the Lake Placid Jaycees is Humane Society will hold — As the New Year trash pickup schedules. Hammock Road north of new trash pickup days will be hosting a blood drive on its second annual Sale-a- approaches, county residents Trash pickup within the Lakeview Drive and all resi- Tuesday and Friday. the bus from 12-5 p.m. thon from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. need to look for changes in city limits of Avon Park, dents of Arbuckle Road, trash Yard waste pickup will be today at Highlands at the Ag-Center on Jan. trash pickup when they make Sebring and Lake Placid will pickup will be on Monday the second and fourth Independent Bank in Lake 14, 2012. their resolutions. not be affected, Rybinski and Thursday. Wednesdays of the month. Placid. The Humane Society is In a press release on said. Yard waste pickup will be Anyone seeking clarifica- All participants will asking the public for dona- Thursday, the County’s Rybinski stated that the on the first and third tion or more information is receive two Fandango tions of furniture, jewelry, Public Information Officer new schedules will be imple- Wednesday of the month. encouraged to call Choice vouchers that can be tools, collectibles/ Gloria Rybinski stated that mented “to service our com- For all residents south of Environmental at 655-0005. redeemed for two free antiques, pet products and movie tickets! general household items. Your blood donations Clean wearable clothing saves three lives in our will be accepted. Billing community. For more information, Triumph over tragedy please call Pat Hoffer at issue Royal Care to cater 835-1491 or the Humane Meals on Wheels Society Shelter at 655- 1522.