HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Monday, July 1, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 182 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun Sebring man now facing manslaughter charge State upgrading previous aggravated battery charge STAFF REPORT Kissimmee deputies that he went to deputies he struck him in said his brain was herni- her if she needed assis- on June 4 Miller’s Ale House on the the face with a closed fist, ated at the brain stem and tance to let him know. He Benjamin Hernandez Jr., and resulted night of June 4 for a couple which knocked him to the there was nothing that stated Benjamin came of Sebring, is now facing a in the death of drinks. He witnessed ground, where he hit his could be done. Srinivasan over several minutes later manslaughter charge after of 51-year- Srinivasan and his wife head on the floor. was taken off of life and told the husband to the state attorney’s office old Srikanth having a verbal argument. Srinivasan was airlifted support on June 6. stop being “disrespectful filed the upgraded charge Srinivasan. Hernandez said he to Osceola Regional The bartender at the and aggressive” towards last week. Hernandez had According HERNANDEZ went over to the couple to Medical Center, where time of the incident her and the next thing he been previously charged to the try and “de-escalate the neurologist Gus Arriola reportedly told deputies saw was Srinivasan on the with aggravated battery for Orange County Sheriff’s issue.” When Srinivasan said he was “clinically he saw Srinivasan being ground. an incident that occurred Office arrest report, would not calm down, brain dead” and elected verbally aggressive towards at Miller’s Ale House in Hernandez allegedly told Hernandez reportedly told not to operate. Dr. Arriola his wife and he informed STATE | 2A 2 killed Local alien movie brings money to county By KIM LEATHERMAN in State STAFF WRITER SEBRING — The aliens have Road 70 left the building. However, the alien cast of the movie “Thalon” has left a sizable fiscal crash imprint in the county. Thalon STAFF REPORT was “wrapped” on Tuesday evening at Dimitri’s Back Alley LAKE PLACID — Two Bar & Grill. people were killed Saturday “Thalon” is a short movie afternoon in a crash that oc- written by R.A. Miller, of curred on State Road 70 near Sebring and was filmed in Robert McGree Road. The Sebring. The two executive identities of the two victims producers and one actor live have not been released by within the county. Filming sites the Florida Highway Patrol were at Dimitri’s and South pending notification of next Beach Beauty Academy in of kin. Sebring. According to the FHP The cast and crew of accident report, the crash “Thalon” brought a unique happened at 1:43 p.m., as product to Sebring to create Francisco Cordova, 72, of and the movie has already Lake Placid, was driving a brought some revenue to the 1999 Freightliner Century area, along with the attention semi-truck and trailer of movie makers from out COURTESY PHOTO/LINDON CUMMINGS westbound on State Road of the county. The cast and crew rented hotels in Sebring 70 and was east of Robert Rafael Roman, an extra, was made up into an alien for the filming of “Thalon.” McGree Road. A 2012 Toyota and ate meals in the local Tacoma pickup and trailer restaurants. Ortiz, Demi Shultz and Olivia was heading east and began Future projects are already Lopez, volunteered their time to hydroplane and the truck being planned in the near to help with the alien make- veered into the westbound future. Dennis Mallen, actor overs and wounds necessary lane directly in front of and executive producer on for the movie. Hemings also Cordova. “Thalon” said he will be filming let the crew film a scene in the The front of the a mafia movie at Caddyshack’s back of her business. Freightliner made contact starting in July. Another Miller “This is great for the town with the right side of the movie, “Caffeinated Psycho,” and for the people who want Toyota. After the collision will be filmed about the same to learn the makeup industry. the Freightliner continued time locally. Mallen and Miller We are not about a pretty face; to travel westbound with are planning on creating a we transform. There is so much the Toyota lodged under the short film festival within the talent out there that they need front of the semi. When the county. to have an open door for it.” Freightliner came to a stop, “Making this movie was Hemings and her husband, the Toyota was still partially such an incredible experience! Terri, were thrilled to have under the front of the semi in From the cast, to the crew helped in the movie. She said the westbound lane of SR 70. and especially all the great she was grateful her students The incident report stated local partners, everyone was were able to experience COURTESY PHOTO/LINDON CUMMINGS so professional and on top of something others in the beauty the driver of the Toyota was Alex Ortiz, Demi Shultz, Olivia Lopez and their instructor Dianna Hemings wearing a seatbelt, while it things,” Miller said. “I’m eager industry offer. She said it will and excited to get to work on open other doors for them. applied their makeup knowledge to special effects makeup for the movie was unknown if the passen- “Thalon.” ger had on any type of safety the next one.” “The students liked the restraint. Dianna Hemings, owner of special effects,” Hemings said. it.” Christmas movie from a Tampa State Road 70 was closed South Beach Beauty Academy “It gave them a chance to be Hemings will be feeling production group and has also in both directions as first re- donated her time and talents creative and transform people. financial gains from her work been asked to makeup for an sponders worked the scene. to produce the special effects The movie people were very on “Thalon.” She has been “internet television.” makeup needed for the movie. pleased. Whatever they came asked to do makeup for a Three of her students, Alex up with, we were able to create LOCAL | 2A Duke Energy to hold public presentation On site readiness program By MARC VALERO provided some back- included in a final report STAFF WRITER ground on the Duke at the conclusion of the program noting that program. AVON PARK — Duke Highlands County was • A detailed “buildable Energy will be holding a one of only three com- area” assessment and public presentation of the munities selected by development of concep- Site Readiness Program Duke Energy’s Economic tual plans for the site(s) findings at 2:30 p.m. Development’s team to by expert land use / site July 11 at South Florida participate in their 2019 planners / engineers State College’s University Site Readiness Program. (Ardurra). Center Auditorium. The program includes • The entire cost for the The Duke Energy the following: program is covered by program involves the • Initial assessment of Duke Energy Florida as a industrial site near the industrial sites (existing commitment to develop- Nucor Steel Florida’s or potential) from the ment product in Florida. $240 million micro-mill perspective of a top site DiGiacomo states that steel rebar facility that selection consulting while the site undergoing is being built just north firm (Global Location the program is about 120 of the Polk/Highlands Strategies). The firm will acres in north Avon Park, County line. also evaluate the quality all interested parties are DUKE ENERGY PHOTO Meghan DiGiacomo, of the RFI (request for encouraged to attend this Duke Energy’s Site Readiness Program looks for sites which ‘provide the greatest potential for of Highlands County information) submittal attracting businesses and bringing new jobs to the area.’ Economic Development, and site visit, to be DUKE | 2A Classifieds .................... B7-10 Good morning To Comics ..................... B11-14 Lottery ........................... B2 Viewpoints ....................... A9 Harold Plagens Local Sports ...................... B1 TV Listings ......................A13 Weather .........................A14 facebook.com/ twitter.com/ Thanks for reading! newssun.com newssun TheNewsSun A2 | HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN | July 1, 2019 www.highlandsnewssun.com DUKE LOCAL FROM PAGE 1A FROM PAGE 1A presentation including Mallen moved to Sebring a couple of county and municipal years ago. He has been an actor for two leadership, commission- decades and played John Noble in the ers, council members, movie. planning and zoning “We sent a lot of people to the restau- boards, chambers, CRAs, rants, especially Dimitri’s and Panera’s,” land owners, brokers, etc. Mallen said. “We made a big impact in “A lot of work goes into a short period of time.” developing a shovel ready, Usually Mallen travels for fi lming but competitive, industrial since moving to Sebring, he has fallen site for business pros- in love with the area and wants to keep pects, and this program everything local when possible. and fi nal presentation “We have so much talent right in the including an economic Heartland — God’s country,” he said. development overview “I was thinking, ‘What if we could do and detailed fi nal report something in Lake Placid, Sebring and on the site, including a Avon Park?’ Then I met R.A. Miller and presentation of conceptu- read his scripts.” COURTESY PHOTO/LINDON CUMMINGS COURTESY PHOTO al plans will be extremely Miller and Mallen are looking for- ward to making more movies together Shirley Di Simone, Rafael Roman and Bonnie is a beautiful nine-year-old Tortie cat. informative to all parties, Samantha Mrozowski, extras, fl ock to Dimitri’s as there are more devel- locally.