HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Tuesday, August 6, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 218 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun AP man County arrested to discuss for armed fire fee Funds on agenda robbery for Parkway By ROBERT MILLER NEWS CLERK Phase 3, Silver AVON PARK — James Tyrese Fox access Ancrum, 20, of Avon Park, has By PHIL ATTINGER been charged with one count STAFF WRITER of felony robbery with a firearm SEBRING — County com- after an incident missioners have slated a spot Tuesday, July 30. SHARON WEATHERHEAD/CORRESPONDENT on today’s meeting agenda According to discuss the to a Highlands Guests gather information at the “Tummies to Teens” event last week. The program was put on by a number of countywide fire County Sheriff’s community organizations to help empower youth. assessment and Office report, at how to spend it. approximately ANCRUM In addition, The 12:28 a.m. Board of County Tuesday, July 30, Commission must an armed robbery was report- vote on putting ed in the area of Ridgedale Empowering youth money toward Apartments, at 720 S. Fairview Sebring Parkway BASHOOR Terrace in Avon Park. The two Phase 3 and a new victims, identified as Kristen Group addresses ‘Tummies to Teens’ access road to Pressley, 22, of Sebring, and “landlocked” residents of Silver her juvenile companion, were By SHARON WEATHERHEAD Fox subdivision, and on the contacted via Snapchat by a 2019-20 Tourist Development CORRESPONDENT subject using the username Council (TDC) budget. “_Your_Rican_” to purchase They also will discuss how to SEBRING — The Healthy Start Community marijuana. revamp the employer/employ- Action Group of Highlands County presented According to reports, the ee payment portions for health its annual community educational event last victims were instructed to insurance and the project to Saturday at the Jack Stroup Civic Center in meet the subject at Fairview replace the roof on the Florida downtown Sebring. The theme of this year’s Terrace in Avon Park. Upon Health Department’s Highlands event was “Tummies to Teens – Empowering arriving, reports said, the County office in Lake Placid. youth, one family at a time.” victims contacted the subject The meeting starts at 9 a.m. “The Healthy Start Community Action Group again through Snapchat and in the board’s chambers at 600 is a collaborative group of community mem- he met them a short time S. Commerce Ave. bers and health service providers,” said Aisha later. The subject reportedly The county fire assessment is Alayande, co-chair of the event. She is also the told the victims that he was structured to increase gradu- executive director of Drug-Free Highlands. Her out of marijuana but still ally over the years to meet the co-chair was Khalila Montague, breast feeding collected $40 from them and full amount recommended by coordinator with Florida Department of Health. informed them that a second consultants to upgrade and “We come together every year to put on a subject would contact them sustain a paid fire service for fun and educational event for the community. via Snapchat to deliver the the county. Our emcee this year is Larry Moore, who is marijuana. Highlands County Fire the program director with the Heartland Rural “_Your_Rican_” was later Rescue Chief and Public Safety Health Network,” Alayande said. identified by law enforcement Director Marc Bashoor has Tummies to Teens is an educational event SHARON WEATHERHEAD/CORRESPONDENT as Rafael Davilla Jr. who was submitted a proposal to the where information and resources were shared on house arrest, according to Aisha Alayande served as co-chair of the “Tummies to board for the next five years of with the community to enhance and support reports, a fact which he told Teens” event last week. She is executive director of capital improvements and new family health and wellness, at all stages. It is a the two victims during the Drug-Free Highlands. hires. learning exchange with professionals in many incident. This was confirmed His presentation states that areas of public health. Attendees leave with iMAD, RMCA, Healthy Start, Nurse Family through probation and parole, during this first year under tools to grow their family successfully. Partnership, Best Behavioral Solutions, Central reports said. the fire assessment, with just Participating vendors included CARD (Center Florida Health Care (CFHC), Barefoot Baby’s, A short time later, reports 68% of the needed assessment for Autism and Related Disabilities at USF), Healthy Family Highlands, Peace River (victim said, the victims were contact- available, many plans have ed on Snapchat by username Florida Department of Health (breast feeding), services), Move Beyond, FND (Family Network on Disabilities), Early Steps, Art come to fruition. “TAY WORLD tm (snake In February this year, Fire cartoon)...RIP.” who requested for Happy Minds, and Small and Simple Acts of Art. Rescue hired three lieutenants, them to walk down the street six firefighters, and three where the victims met the sec- Healthy Start had information available on several programs. battalion chiefs. In April, Fire ond subject, later identified as Rescue got credentials for three Ancrum. The victims followed “Teen pregnancy prevention is just one of our programs,” Savannah medics. Ancrum to 520 Malcolm However, none of the staffed St. where, authorities say, O’Steen said. “We also have programs like Safe Sleep and we stations met the two-in/two- Ancrum produced a handgun out rules of having two fire- and demanded money. coordinate intakes and referrals to other local service agencies as well fighters inside a structure with Ancrum jammed the hand- two more staying behind to go gun into the chest of Pressley, as in-home education.” Redlands Christian Migrant in after the first two come out. reports said, and demanded During this first fiscal year, money. Pressley pleaded with Association (RMCA) featured their child development centers. design work has been com- him and told him that she did pleted on new fire engines for not have anything. “We have quite a few programs,” said Yvonne Hankerson, center Station 19 (DeSoto City Fire Ancrum struck Pressley Department), Station 41 (Sun on the right side of her face, coordinator in Avon Park. “Some of our Head Start services ‘N Lakes of Lake Placid Fire reports said. He then demand- Department) and Station 39 ed money from the second SHARON WEATHERHEAD/CORRESPONDENT include early education focused on play, health and development (Placid Lake Fire Department). victim and took her cellphone. Mary Alexander with Small and Simple Acts of Art shows some of the Design work has been artwork that her clients have done. She said she welcomes people of ARREST | 8A all ages and with any type of disability. HEALTHY | 8A COUNTY | 8A School orientations today and Thursday By MARC VALERO Meet the house times for today: School — 4:30-6:30 p.m. STAFF WRITER veteran • Avon Elementary • Park Elementary educators School — 4-6 p.m. School — 4:30-6:30 p.m. SEBRING — The and the new • Cracker Trail • Sun ‘n Lake elementary schools are faces at your Elementary School Elementary School having their open house school such — 5-7 p.m. — 4-6 p.m. sessions today so parents as the new • Fred Wild Elementary • Woodlawn Elementary and students can meet assistant School — 4:30-6:30 p.m. School — 4:30-6:30 p.m. the teachers and staff and GERMAINE principal • Kindergarten Learning The middle school open learn about their school at Park Center — 4-6 p.m. house times for Thursday before the busy first day of Elementary • Lake Country follows: classes on Aug. 12. School, Blake Germaine, Elementary School • Avon Park Middle The School Board who was the dean at — 4:30-6:30 p.m. School — 4-6 p.m. of Highlands County’s Memorial Elementary • Lake Placid • Hill-Gustat Middle MARC VALERO/STAFF secondary schools will be School. Elementary School School — 3:30-6 p.m. having their open house Following are the — 4:30-6:30 p.m. The district’s elementary schools, including the Kindergarten sessions on Thursday. elementary school open • Memorial Elementary SCHOOL | 8A Learning Center, will have their open house today. Classifieds .................... B8-10 Money Market ..................A10 TV Listings ......................A13 Good morning To Comics ..................... B11-14 Obituaries ........................ A8 Viewpoints ....................... A9 Chris King Lottery ........................... B2 Sports ............................ B1 Weather .........................A14 facebook.com/ twitter.com/ Thanks for reading! newssun.com newssun TheNewsSun A2 | HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN | August 6, 2019 www.highlandsnewssun.com School supply drive and fun day this weekend By KIM LEATHERMAN Spencer is a barber been fortunate. I went STAFF WRITER who will be giving free to college and I own my haircuts to kids from own business. It is time LAKE PLACID — kindergarten to seniors to give back.” The Highway Park in high school. Some Branch said the Businessmen are giving clothing and shoes will supplies can get very back to the community be available also. Branch expensive, especially if a through one of their said they usually see single mother or parents favorite events, the annu- about 150 kids. are struggling already. He al School Supply Give Volunteers will be estimated a $50-70 per Away and Fun Day. The cooking hot dogs and child if all the items were long standing tradition is burgers and providing bought on the school in its 17th year and will drinks. From organizing, supply list. continue from 3-6 p.m. stuffing school supplies “That really adds up Sunday at Martin Luther into backpacks and when there’s four or five King Jr. Park/Star Center music, everyone involved kids in the house,” he at 13639 Josephine Ave. volunteers their time. said. “It can have a real “This isn’t just for The school supplies psychological effect on Highway Park kids, it’s for and backpacks were the the kids, you have to anybody,” Vice President donated by members have the proper tools for Frank Branch said.