HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Tuesday, September 17, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 260 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun District’s settlement Delayed by weather offer accepted in lawsuit By MARC VALERO STAFF WRITER SEBRING — A settlement offer from The School Board of Highlands County has been accepted on behalf of a student who attended Avon Park Middle School and suffered “emotional distress and injuries” due to incidents at the school, according to a court document. Morgan & Morgan law firm attorney Adam Kemp DEWBERRY filed a civil negligence lawsuit in November against MARC VALERO/STAFF the school district on behalf Barricades were removed from the U.S. 27 and State Road 64 intersection improvement project for the Hurricane Dorian threat, but crews are of a 13-year-old female student who was now working on items that need to be addressed before completing the job, according to a Florida Department of Transportation spokesman. the alleged victim of then-teacher Kevin Dewberry over the time period of Oct. 1, 2017 through Feb. 4, 2018. AP intersection work still ahead of schedule The complaint claimed the district was negligent for allowing the student to enter By MARC VALERO and remain in a classroom with Dewberry STAFF WRITER SUIT | 3A AVON PARK — It appears to be the calm after the storm with little work being done on the intersection improvements at U.S. 27 and State Road 64 (Main Street). When Hurricane Dorian appeared to be a threat to Highlands County, the road crews prepared for the storm, but now there is more work to be done. Florida Department of Transportation Public Information Specialist Brian Rick said barricades were removed for Dorian and it KIM LEATHERMAN/STAFF did impede work while the weather was bad, Southgate Shopping Center is the new site for a but crews are now working on items that SunTrust branch to open in December. need to be addressed before completing the job. They are waiting 14 days to apply a final pave on some areas of the road because New SunTrust the asphalt has to cure, he said. Permanent markings will be placed on the roadway, including on the concrete pavement, over the next couple of weeks. to open in It appears there is a break from the frequent lane closures that were necessary for the extensive project that started in June 2018, December but Rick said the project will still require additional lane closures. By KIM LEATHERMAN “While permanent markings are placed on STAFF WRITER concrete pavement there will be intermittent lane closures for motorists,” Rick said. “Once SEBRING — Commuters and residents the asphalt has cured, intermittent lane who travel to and from downtown closures may occur while crews final pave historic Sebring have undoubtedly seen and stripe with permanent markings.” construction happening at the south end The contractor is ahead of schedule and of the Southgate Shopping Center near fully expects to finish the project earlier than Publix. SunTrust will be opening a new spring 2020, Rick said. branch on Dec. 6 at that location just Avon Park Community Redevelopment before Santa slides into town. Agency Advisory Board President Gaylin Long-time residents will think of the Thomas said she didn’t know what other work new bank location as the old movie was needed at the intersection, but with all theater, while others might remember the cones (barricades) removed it was “won- derful. It is definitely much improved.” a Blockbuster and more recently Azure MARC VALERO/STAFF College School of Nursing. Let’s hope The project included the replacement of The U.S. 27 and State Road 64 intersection project is ahead of schedule and should be SUNTRUST | 3A DELAY | 3A completed prior to the original completion period of spring 2020. Restoring pride and respect Cemetery re-dedicated at Highway Park By JERRY MEISENHEIMER CORRESPONDENT HIGHWAY PARK — Just south of the town of Lake Placid lies a community that was platted back around 1935. It’s known as Highway Park. But even before it was officially recognized, families lived and died there. Just one block off of U.S. 27, there’s a cemetery on Crestmore Drive. Over the years, gravesites became over- grown with tree roots from trees planted by well-meaning relatives years ago. So, the residents of Highway Park formed a cemetery committee to restore the property to a place of respect and pride. According to cemetery president Selvin McGahee, it has been a work in progress. With the help of Affordable Tree Service, the larger trees have been removed and the entangled root system has been taken care of as well. With grant money received through the efforts of JERRY MEISENHEIMER/CORRESPONDENT JERRY MEISENHEIMER/CORRESPONDENT the Highway Park Neighborhood Council, chaired by Evelyn Colon, improvements to the cemetery have been Selvin McGahee, president of the Highway Park As part of the renovations at the cemetery a new concrete sign has Cemetery Committee, is proud of the veterans been erected. RESPECT | 3A section that is part of the renovated cemetery. Classifieds ......................B5-8 Sports ............................ B1 Viewpoints ....................... A6 Good morning To Comics ................A7-8, B9-10 TV Listings ....................... A9 Weather .........................A10 Garry Fitzgerald Lottery ........................... B2 facebook.com/ twitter.com/ Thanks for reading! newssun.com newssun TheNewsSun A2 | HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN | September 17, 2019 www.highlandsnewssun.com Sebring homecoming week in full swing By MIGUEL ARCEO Students will also be Game. CORRESPONDENT looking forward to vari- The game will also ous activities, beginning host a pre-game SEBRING — Sebring with the homecoming processional of the High School’s home- processional ceremony Homecoming King coming festivities on Tuesday during and Queen candidates, kicked off Monday, school. Following this with the winners being marking the beginning is the annual Thunder crowned at halftime. of the annual home- Games on Wednesday All of these coming week. The night at Fireman’s events lead up to week includes dress Field, in which the Saturday night’s 2019 up days, beginning different grade levels Homecoming Dance, with Monday’s twin and students face off held at Alan Jay Arena. day. Today’s theme in a series of games. This year’s dance will will be Grandparents Thursday will then see be held from 7-11 p.m., Day, Wednesday will the Homecoming pa- with students not be Patriotic Day, then rade take place around being allowed to MARC VALERO/STAFF Thursday will be Sebring High School. leave any earlier than Throwback Thursday. To wrap up the school 10:30 p.m. without a The agenda for today’s meeting of the Avon Park CRA Advisory Board includes three facade grants The week will fi nish week, the Sebring High parent contact. All other from Big T Tire. full of school pride School Varsity Football Homecoming informa- as Friday’s theme is Team faces Clearwater tion can be found on Sebring High School Central Catholic in their the Sebring High School AP CRA Advisory Board Spirit Day. Homecoming Football website. meeting today Avon Park elementary schools By MARC VALERO similar, but have some The facade grant STAFF WRITER differences. application for Big T benefit from golf tournament “What we will do is Tire, at 1109 W. Main St., Special to the Highlands AVON PARK — The create a facade grant shows a project to repaint News-Sun Avon Park Community that will encompass all two front buildings the AVON PARK — The Redevelopment Agency three areas [Main Street, same color at a total cost three elementary schools Advisory Board will meet Southside and Airport] of $5,200 with a grant in Avon Park are benefi t- today at 5:30 p.m. today that is simple and the request of $5,000. ing from the 3rd Annual to address the agenda same for all,” she said. Another facade grant River Greens Golf Classic from the Sept. 3 meeting “There may be some application is for Big T held this past summer. that was postponed due facade restoration and Tire at 101 Hart Ave. to The tournament was to Hurricane Dorian. construction that needs to replace the shingle roof sponsored by Bill Jarrett Old business on the happen at the airport as with a metal roof at a total Ford and Heartland agenda includes the CRA well.” cost of $3,520 with a grant National Bank. grant application revision They have never had request of $2,500. Each school received with the current Main facade grants at the air- The third facade grant $500 to be used however Street CRA and Southside port, Thomas noted. That for Big T Tire, at 1125 the faculty wished. CRA facade grant is a possibility that they Paulk St., is to replace a Avon Elementary COURTESY PHOTO applications. (Airport CRA) may want front entrance thatch roof School Assistant Principal CRA Advisory Board to change their budget to to a metal roof at a total Kadi Ogburn brought From left: Rodney Davis, owner of River Greens Golf Club, Chairwoman Gaylin include. cost of $2,500 with a grant along two students to presents $500 to Ashley Culverhouse, assistant principal at Thomas explained Also the agenda in- request of $2,500. accept the donation to Avon Elementary School, and students Kadi Ogburn Kennadey the Main Street and cludes three Main Street The CRA Advisory Board their school. Romeo. Southside facade CRA facade grants for Big will meet in the Council Ogburn said the school grant applications are T Tire. Chambers, 123 E. Pine St. will use the funds to help students who cannot afford to go on fi eld trips. They will also use the money for beautifi cation Sebring CRA picked for projects on the school campus.