C M Y K Empty Bowls www.newssun.com Luncheon set to help Heartland Food Bank INSIDE, A2 Friday’s scores NEWS-SUN Sebring 44 Lemon Bay 46 Highlands County’s Hometown Newspaper Since 1927 Avon Park 14 Lake Placid 7 Sunday, November 10, 2013 Volume 94/Number 135 | 75 cents SPORTS, B1 Brush fire quickly contained in Placid Lakes By PHIL ATTINGER bay. [email protected] “There was no damage LAKE PLACID — at all,” Andrews said. Fire crews contained a The fire stretched over small but suspicious approximately 10 acres, brush fire Friday within give or take a few acres, three hours of it starting. he said. Five acres was Charles Andrews, the largest part. Highlands County Fire Fire crews got “100 Services supervisor, said percent containment,” he the fire call came in said, and left a 30- to 40- shortly after lunch — at foot “wet line” inside the 12:44 p.m. perimeter to contain any It was out by 3:45 wind-whipped flames. p.m., according to Nell Winds were blowing Hays, Highlands County strong Friday and were Sheriff’s Office public expected to stay strong information officer. through Veterans Day Deputies were sent to the weekend, he said. scene to help evacuate Florida Forest Service homes near Lake August had at least five firefight- and provide traffic con- ers on scene while he had trol, if needed, she said. 13 from various depart- It turns out that wasn’t ments. necessary, Andrews said. The fire is suspicious Skip O’Rourke/MCT Although two homes until arson is ruled out. This black bear was spotted atop a tree May 17, near 2817 Broad St. W in Tampa. Highlands County is also having and were in danger, firefight- Florida Forest Service is increased trouble with bears, especially in the Sylvan Shores and Highlands Park Estates areas, as well as in the Lake Placid area and most recently near Avon Park. ers kept the flames at doing the investigation. Bruins in search of bear necessities CCC Festival merges By BARRY FOSTER tive measures. generations, nature News-Sun correspondent “We will be making general presen- SEBRING – Highlands County is tations about bear biology and how to By SAMANTHA GHOLAR in Maine where he having increasing trouble with bears. deter bears from coming into urban [email protected] recalled the cold weather. Officials of the Florida Fish and areas,” she said. SEBRING – Former “I worked on the roads. Wildlife Conservation Commission say Last week FWC officials canvassed Civilian Conservation The snow was this high; it it starts with the bruins getting into the Highlands Park Estates, putting out Corps members were the was so cold,” Bonniville trash, which leads to other problems. door hangars and today they will be highlight of the 28th said. Areas of concern include; Sylvan making a presentation to the homeown- annual CCC Festival at One former member, Shores and Highlands Park Estates as ers association there, giving out addi- Highlands Hammock Hamm, who worked in well as a number of ongoing issues in tional information, answering questions State Park Saturday morn- Chipley just celebrated the Lake Placid area and most recently and taking any further reports. ing. Five former members his 99th birthday and was around Avon Park. “We’re trying to get the message out visited the park during the happily telling stories “The number of reports is up signifi- there about securing their trash cans event where attendees about what he recalled cantly from last year,” said FWC Public and such. It’s pretty easy to coexist showed their respect to from his years working Information Officer Gary Morse. Skip O’Rourke/MCT with bears as long as the attractions are Law enforcement personnel load this the men. for the CCC. The bulk of the reports have been secured,” Scotten said. black bear, spotted atop a tree May 17 Victor Weiger, Purvis “I worked for 27 bears getting into garbage cans – near 2817 Broad St. W in Tampa, to Although it is not until spring that Hamm, Peter Athanasas, months. I was in the although there have been some relocate it. bears go on the move in search of new Herbert Byrd and Ralph kitchen and out doing instances of them trying to get into territory, this is the time of year they Bonniville were all other things in the park,” unsecured chicken coops and even tak- idents observing bears getting into the do look to put on fat for their winter smiles, posing for pic- Hamm recalled. ing some free range fowl. So far, there trash. hibernation. That means that activity tures while telling stories CCC volunteers have been no reports of bears trying to FWC Wildlife Assistance Biologist can be any time of the day or night. of their work at various stressed the importance of get into structures or vehicles or con- Angeline Scotten now reportedly has Scotten said the bears now ramp up CCC camps. the original members, fronting humans in Highlands County – embarked on an educational tour to Bonniville, 94, worked See VENDORS, A8 although there have been reports of res- teach residents in rural areas preventa- See RESIDENTS, A10 Candy Cane Lane taking shape on Mall By PHIL ATTINGER by “candy cane” gates love for Avon Park. She a.m. Dec. 1 — the day [email protected] with banners guarded by moved from West Palm before the annual Some clouds AVON PARK — It’s 10-foot-tall toy soldiers. Beach for many reasons, Christmas parade, and High 84 beginning to look a lot Feeney said it’s a way but mostly for the char- pick them up no later Low 64 like Christmas, at least for businesses to adver- acter of the town. than 9 a.m. Dec. 27, or on part of Avon Park’s tise and encourage “It’s a better place to they will be discarded, Details, A14 Downtown Mall. pedestrian traffic. Plus, raise kids,” Hogan said. Feeney said. “Candy Cane Lane it’s a way for her to give Feeney plans not to Feeney chose artifi- Index Village” is going up on back to the community, place the trees until cial trees so there would Arts & Entertainment B11 the meandering side- she said. Dec. 1, to prevent giv- be no chance of having walk between Forest “I love this town. ing away too much of them dry out and catch Business B5 Avenue and Butler Anything I can do to the surprise early. The fire from a lit cigarette Chalk Talk B6 Avenue. Envisioned by make things better, I trees will be lit at a cer- or broken bulb. That Classifieds A11 Anne Marie Feeney of will,” Feeney said. emony 15 minutes would endanger historic Royal 4 Home Services Thursday found before the start of the oak trees her company Crossword Puzzle B13 Phil Attinger/News-Sun and sponsored by the Feeney on site with city Christmas parade, she recently cleaned of Dear Abby B13 Anne Marie Feeney of Royal 4 Home Services Avon Park Chamber of workers and her daugh- said. Spanish moss. Editorial & Opinion A4 places one of four ‘toy soldiers’ Thursday at Commerce and Main ter, Anna Hogan, to All trees will be arti- “Considering all the the ‘west gate’ to ‘Candy Cane Lane,’ a holi- Street Community measure out the site and ficial trees between 7 work my company did Living B14 day display on the Avon Park Mall that will have 40 Christmas trees lining the meander- Redevelopment Agency, place holders in the and 8 feet tall, lit and to beautify the trees up Tech Talk B10 ing sidewalk between Forest Avenue and it will have 40 artificial ground for each tree. decorated with no reli- and down the Mall, I Butler Avenue. She plans to light the trees decorated and lit Hogan, burying the gious items. Businesses want to keep it that just before the annual Christmas parade on Christmas trees along holders by hand, said must deliver the trees to Dec. 2 and keep them up through Christmas the pathway, accessible she shares her mother’s Feeney no later than 9 See LOVE, A10 0990994 01007 Day, Dec. 25. Phone ... 385-6155 Fax ... 385-2453 Online: www.newssun.com HEARTLAND NATIONAL BANK***; 11.25"; 1.5"; Black plus three; process, front strip; 00033389 C M Y K Page A2 News-Sun ࡗ Sunday, November 10, 2013 www.newssun.com Woman charged with stealing from ambulance By PHIL ATTINGER Ave. in Lake Placid. pen light/flashlight, Emesis [email protected] Emergency Medical Basin bags, oxygen/intuba- LAKE PLACID — An Technician/Paramedic Brad tion/airway and suction, unlocked ambulance proved Thompson and his partner syringe supplies as well as too much of a temptation Thomas Gould told Lake multiple vials of various for one local woman, Placid Police Officer Stuart drugs in liquid form according to Lake Placid Christian Troutman that designed to be injected. Police arrest reports. they came outside to wash Thompson said most of Samantha Rae Clark, 37, the ambulance that morn- the drugs were designed for of 340 Lake June Road in ing, but when they opened cardiac, seizure and diabet- Lake Placid, has been the back, they found dirt ic patients with the excep- charged with burglary and and sand inside and noticed tion of some over the grand theft of emergency the box was missing from counter medicines, such as medical equipment in con- where it was kept on the Diphenhydramine and nection with the theft of a stretcher. aspirin. Many of the con- medical box from a The miss- tents were catalogued by Highlands County ing box was looking at the contents of Emergency Medical an orange the team’s spare drug box, Services ambulance.