'Do Not Give In, Do Not Give
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C M Y K www.newssun.com State bound Sebring sends four to state track meet EWS UN SPORTS, B1 NHighlands County’s Hometown-S Newspaper Since 1927 Friday-Saturday, April 26-27, 2013 www.newssun.com Volume 94/Number 50 | 50 cents A MOTHER’S ADVICE: Feel proud, you are a chosen one. You were chosen to love and care for the most special Search of human kind. Embrace it and let it change causes ‘DO NOT GIVE your life for the better. Jennifer Stephens lockdown IN, DO NOT at APHS By SAMANTHA GHOLAR [email protected] AVON PARK — A sighting of three suspicious men near cam- GIVE UP’ pus caused Avon Park High School to go into lockdown Thursday morning. By SAMANTHA GHOLAR The lockdown was a precau- [email protected] tionary measure taken to protect SEBRING the campus, the Highlands parent’s job is a lifetime commitment. If County Sheriff’s Office said. they are fortunate, their children will live A post to the HCSO Facebook a full, healthy life of laughter and smiles page read: “We were investigat- A ing a suspicious persons inci- with maybe a few hard-learned lessons, dent in the area of the school plus a handful of mistakes and misadventures and the lockdown was precau- tionary only. There was an EMS mixed in. call at the school at the same But some parents are dealt a different set of time which was unrelated to the cards from day one, making that laughter and lockdown or the suspicious per- those smiles even more cherished. sons incident.” According to scanner traffic, From the day she gave birth to her daughter, Kenna, until today, students spotted three black Jennifer Stephens has had to sacrifice nearly everything to be a mother to males carrying what they an ailing young daughter. And she doesn’t regret a single minute of it. described as long guns near the “There’s just something so amazing about special children,” Stephens campus and. says of 4-year-old Kenna. Courtesy photo APHS Principal Tealy Special needs parents like Stephens often begin to feel lost and alone in Kenna Stephens, 4, has been diagnosed with a rare mitochondrial Williams was unable to be the fight to raise children disease. reached for comment following who suffer from special and the incident, but an employee of rare diseases and conditions the front office, who declined to like Kenna, who was diag- Kenna just wants give her name, told the News- nosed recently with an Sun the students were having a unspecified form of mito- regular day. chondrial disease, which is to be a princess “There’s nothing going on caused by failures of the here, it’s a normal day. Students By SAMANTHA GHOLAR mitochondria (compartments are still FCAT testing. [email protected] present in all cells of the Everything’s fine,” she said. SEBRING – Jennifer human body with the excep- Stephens’ young daughter, tion of red blood cells). Kenna, 4, has suffered from a Inside “We are still waiting on wide range of health ailments an exact diagnosis on since shortly after her birth. Kenna. What we do know is Eyes on the sky After two and a half years of that she has a mitochondrial testing and out-of-state visits to UFO symposium disease, (doctors) just specialists in Boston, doctors haven’t pinpointed her exact coming to Sebring finally discovered that Kenna type,” Stephens said. suffers from mitochondrial dis- A3 According to umdf.org, ease. Courtesy photo mitochondria are responsible Though mentally delayed by Kenna Stephens loves Disney for creating more than 90 princesses and wants to go to more than a year compared to percent of the energy needed Disney World with her mom. other kids her age, Kenna has by the body to sustain life become more and more active up from just a year ago, and can Go play and support growth. physically as well as vocally even identify and remember Mitochondrial disease through her many therapy places she’s seen and visited. Get kids affects cells of the brain, Courtesy photo Kayne Stephens, 12, helps his little sister appointments. She is now speak- outside See SPECIAL, A7 across a creek. ing in full sentences, a huge step See KENNA, A7 this spring B12 Online Time to clean out the This week’s question: Should Sun ’N Lake have a full-time fire shed and garage department? County collecting household hazardous waste Saturday Yes No By BARRY FOSTER especially old paint 69.1% 30.9% News-Sun correspondent cans — commonly SEBRING – It’s that time of found around the home. year again. The Highlands Also accepted during this Total votes: 149 County Recycling Department collection will be electron- will hold a Household Hazardous ic waste (or e-waste) such as Poll open through Friday. www.newssun.com Waste Collection at the Skipper computers, monitors, cell Make your voice heard at Road Landfill area from 8 a.m. to phones, keyboards, TV’s, 2:30 p.m. Saturday. VCR’s and other end of life Index Forecast For nearly a quarter century, electronics. the county’s Recycling Established in Classifieds A9 Sunny. Department has provided a house- 1990, the idea Community Briefs A2 Low 63 hold hazardous waste roundup has been to col- Dear Abby B11 High 87 which allows for proper and safe Editorial & Opinion A4 Details, A12 disposal of various chemicals — See COUNTY, A8 Healthy Living B5 Gather up your unused paint and other household Lottery Numbers A2 chemicals and bring them to the Skipper Road Movie Review/Times B11 landfill on Saturday. Religion B5 0790994 01001 Phone ... 385-6155 Fax ... 385-2453 Online: www.newssun.com WAUCHULA STATE BANK/Cheryl Hen; 11.25"; 1.5"; Black plus three; goal front strip; 0 0 0 2 8 9 3 7 C M Y K Page A2 News-Sun ࡗ Friday, April 26, 2013 www.newssun.com Community Briefs Tickets still demos, dance-offs, and available for Art hoola hoop contest. There on the Waterfront will also be live music and a DJ. SEBRING – Time is For more information, running out to purchase contact the YMCA at 382- tickets for Art on the 9622. Waterfront Goes Cinco de Mayo. Morano to speak at One of Highlands Art Democratic League’s most successful Women’s Club events, held at the Art Village beach on the SEBRING — On shores of beautiful Lake Saturday, at 9:30 a.m., the Jackson, will be a perfect Democratic Women’s Club way to celebrate Cinco de of Highlands County will Mayo .... and support the have its monthly meeting, most active artist and art- beginning with a continen- related groups in South tal breakfast. Alison Central Florida. Morano, vice dhair of the Join the party for music, Florida Democratic Party, buffet, cash bar featuring will be presenting. mojitos and margaritas, as In addition, during this well as a live auction with meeting, Dave McCarthy, artwork, water sports Democratic Executive equipment, trips, Art Committee chair, will be Courtesy photo Uncorked private party, awarded an honorary Sebring City Councilman Scott Stanley holds the tree while others plant it during the Earth Day Tree Planting Ceremony in and more. membership to the Centennial Park. Tickets are limited, so Democratic Women’s call 385-5312 or buy Club. online at www.highland- All Democrats are sartleague.org. encouraged to attend. The Sebring’s Centennial Park dedicated event will be at the Big Red Bus visits Democratic Headquarters, Special to the News-Sun ver’s approach to downtown on the Parkway to create an aes- 4216 Sebring Parkway SEBRING — The Sebring Community Redevelopment thetically appealing experience. LP Elks (next to Ruby Tuesdays). Agency, in conjunction with the city of Sebring, held a International Mother Earth Day is a celebration of the LAKE PLACID — It’s For more information, call Sebring Centennial Park Dedication and Tree Planting Earth and its ecosystems, which provide all of its inhabitants time for the Big Red Bus 385 7447. Ceremony on April 22, Earth Day, in the park at Lakeview and with life and sustenance. Observed each year on April 22, this to visit the Lake Placid South Ridgewood Drive. day is a call to action as it acknowledges our collective Elks Lodge. It will be in Masonic District The property was purchased by the Sebring CRA, and the responsibility “to promote harmony with nature and the the parking lot from 9 a.m. park was funded by the Sebring CRA as part of its Downtown Earth” in order to “achieve a just balance among the econom- offers child IDs to 3 p.m. today. Sebring redevelopment initiatives. This project helps the CRA ic, social, and environmental needs of present and future gen- The Elks Lodge is SEBRING — Masonic accomplish its 20-year, seven-segment redevelopment plan erations” of humanity. Arbor Day encourages people to appre- behind Winn Dixie on District 25 will be doing and addresses the topic of beautification, to beautify the dri- ciate, plant and care for trees the last Friday of April. County Road 621. T-shirts child ID for children up will be given out as supply through 18 years of age lasts. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Sebring Animal Control YMCA hosts YMCA, 100 YMCA Lane. Healthy Kids Day This is free of charge. Get a CD with your child’s sets new date for SEBRING — More than pictures, voice, finger- 1,900 YMCA’s across the prints, emergency infor- country are taking part in mation and DNA. livestock auction Healthy Kids Day, holding For more information, free community events call Ross Canright at 452- By BARRY FOSTER there will be three horses put that are open to all kids 0346.