C M Y K www.newssun.com EWS UN NHighlands County’s Hometown-S Newspaper Since 1927 A special bottle No place like home Commemorative 60th Race SFCC baseball, softball wine being served locally teams roll at Panther Field LIVING, 1C PAGE 2A SPORTS, 1D Wednesday-Thursday, March 7-8, 2012 www.newssun.com Volume 93/Number 32 | 50 cents Forecast Armed men rob bank Warmer and breezy Witness said shots were fired; nobody hurt with partial sunshine By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY bers entered the bank and only confirm that three armed High Low [email protected] everyone was told to get men had been involved in the SEBRING — The down on the floor. The man incident. He added that the MidFlorida Credit Union said his wife had their young Polk County Sheriff’s Office 80 63 branch at 6105 U.S. 27 North daughter, a toddler, with her had sent a helicopter, to help Complete Forecast was robbed of an undisclosed and covered the child with look for the suspects and K-9 PAGE 8A amount of money at around her body. Law enforcement teams were on the ground. 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. No one would neither confirm nor Schrader said the FBI had Online was hurt. deny that weapons had been been notified and an agent News-Sun photo by KATARA SIMMONS The husband of woman discharged. was on his way. As of 1 p.m., Highlands County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Manny Gonzalez rolls who was inside the bank told Highlands County the suspects had not been out the crime scene tape Tuesday morning after three men the News-Sun his wife said Sheriff’s Office Chief found. robbed MidFlorida Credit Union by gunpoint in north shots were fired as the rob- Deputy Mark Schrader would See BANK, page 7A Sebring. Question: Do you support the effort to repeal the tourism tax? Clean up on aisle 27 Biofuel Yes plant 55% back on No track By ED BALDRIDGE 45% [email protected] SEBRING — Commissioners voted 5-0 Total votes: 89 Tuesday to support an exten- sion on a state grant for Next question: Highlands Ethanol, LLC Should student- making it the fourth amend- initiated ‘inspirational ment since the project began messages’ at school in 2008. The State of Florida functions be allowed? Department of Economic Make your voice heard at Opportunity Division of Strategic Development www.newssun.com agreed to cover the costs for the construction of accelera- Obituaries tion and deceleration lanes, News-Sun photo by KATARA SIMMONS Violet Kinyon A front end loader operated by Carl Beckman works to remove fruit from the roadway Monday in Sebring. intersection improvements Age 99, of Sebring and and a signal light at S.R. 70 Avon Park and C.R. 721, according to Spilled citrus causes traffic tie-up County Engineer Ramon John W. Faucett Gavarrete. Age 88, of Sebring By KATARA SIMMONS U.S. 27 at the intersection of U.S. 98 Clean-up took over three hours to Planting of part the complete. 20,000-acre farm is under Obituaries, Page 6A [email protected] at around 5:15 p.m. SEBRING – “It looked a lot worse “The semi was making a right turn Traffic was diverted down a way, but the construction frontage road while the clean-up was start of the proposed $36 mil- Index than it was,” Florida Highway Patrol onto 27 when a cable snapped, it was under way. lion ethanol plant has been Celebrations 6B Trooper Jay Spencer said Monday frayed you could see it,” Spencer said. night after a flatbed truck hauling The truck lost all but four crates of A front-end loader was used to clear delayed by a change in own- Classifieds 1C the fruit from the roadway and then ership and other factors oranges lost its load and caused a oranges, causing major traffic conges- Clubs & Organizations 3B major mess on the northbound lanes of tion and very slippery road conditions. See FRUIT, page 6A See BIOFUEL, page 7A Community Briefs 2A Crossword Puzzle 2B Dear Abby 2B Dinner Diva 2B Editorial & Opinion 3A Altersberger Night of Friends & Neighbors 5B Lottery Numbers 2A appeal before Movie Times 3B champions Online 7B Supreme Court NASCAR This Week 3D celebrated Sports On TV 2D Cop killer trying to get Follow the Avon Park Champions Club News-Sun on death sentence reduced inducts 6 to Hall of Fame By ED BALDRIDGE By ED BALDRIDGE [email protected] [email protected] SEBRING — Were Joshua Lee Altersberger’s AVON PARK — It is called the City of www.twitter.com/thenewssun actions cold, calculated and premeditated when he Champions for a reason, and a new organi- and shot and killed Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. News-Sun file zation in Avon Park took time out Saturday Nicholas Sottile in January of 2007? Joshua Altersberger listens to testimony during night to honor elite players, coaches and his 2009 trial for killing Florida Highway Patrol Should he be put to death? Sgt. Nick Sottile in January of 2007. supporters. Those are questions being argued before the The Avon Park Champions Club inducted www.facebook.com/newssun Florida Supreme Court this week by counsel for six into its Hall of Fame at the inaugural Altersberger as the convicted killer’s case progress- crimes by Polk County Judge J. Michael Hunter on dinner and picked the 1955 undefeated Red es through the appeals process. June 15, 2009. Devil baseball championship team for spe- Altersberger pleaded guilty on March 13, 2009 to Altersberger’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea cial recognition. shooting and killing Sottile in an attempt to avoid after hearing the sentence was denied. “We are trying to do everything we can to 0790994 01001 the death penalty, but was sentenced to die for his See ALTERSBERGER, page 7A See CHAMPIONS, page 7A Phone ... 385-6155 Fax ... 385-2453 Online: www.newssun.com WAUCHULA STATE BANK; 11.25"; 1.5"; Black plus three; process, #1 front strip; 0 0 0 1 7 6 6 5 C M Y K Page 2A News-Sun ࡗ Wednesday, March 7, 2012 www.newssun.com COMMUNITY BRIEFS Commemorative S-65C boat ramp plants to be repotted. closed for two days Plants will also be fur- nished for repotting. 60th Race wine LORIDA — The S-65C Meetings are open to boat ramp will be closed anyone interested in grow- today and Thursday while ing African violets. They being served the South Florida Water are held in the Founders Management District Hall Activities Room at (SFWMD) completes Highland Ridge, 3003 E Special to the News-Sun ing beverage option, but also repairs to ensure safe Fairway Vista Drive, on the SEBRING — Residents a collectible keepsake for this access for launching boats. second Thursday of each who want to get an early taste special anniversary year,” The ramp is located off the month. For more informa- of this year’s Mobil 1 12 said Tres Stephenson, presi- S-65C access road between Hours of Sebring Fueled by dent and general manager of tion, call 385-5765 or e- Cornwell and Lorida on the Fresh from Florida can do so Sebring International mail [email protected]. Kissimmee River. by visiting a couple of Raceway. As an alternate, boaters Sebring restaurants. Both Sales have been brisk. Friday Night Fever can launch at the nearby Chicane’s at the Inn on the Christine Hatfield an owner is Relay fundraiser Istokpoga Canal Boat Lakes and the Esperante and general manager at the Ramp located off U.S. 98. Restaurant at the Chateau Inn on the Lakes reports they AVON PARK – The entrance to the Elan Hotel & Conference have gone through two cases Contestants will dance the Istokpoga Boat Ramp is Center are serving the com- of the commemorative blend night away during Friday 2.6 miles northwest of the memorative wine of the and winery officials say there Night Fever on Friday to intersection of U.S. 98 and Race’s 60th anniversary. also have been good sales on raise money for American the S-65C access road. The cabernet/syrah/zinfan- the world wide web. Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. del blend is offered by the “We have sold several Sebring Scribblers award-winning California- cases of the commemorative Dancers will congregate based Adobe Road Winery. Redline over our Internet site meet today at Duffers Sports Grille for The boutique winery, owned already,” said Bob a the fun night of non-stop SEBRING — The and operated by The Racer’s Dickinson, chief operating dancing for three and a half Florida Writer’s Group team owners Kevin officer of the Buckler-owned hours with fun elimination Association group, Sebring and Debra Buckler, makes companies. “We have made it challenges to win prizes. Scribblers and Scribes, will small lot, hand-crafted wines available to suite holders and This will be a chance to hold its monthly meeting at primarily from Sonoma hope to add additional outlets see who will bop till they 7 p.m. today at Beef O’ County. in the Sebring area shortly.” drop. Registration is from Brady’s in Sebring. Come Adobe Road introduced Race fans will be able to 8:30-9:30 p.m. Competition earlier for dinner. the commemorative wine last order the wine at the track will be from 9:30 p.m. to 1 Ben Oswald, local novel- month during the American during Race Week by going Courtesy photo a.m. ist, will present a seminar Le Mans Series’ Winter Test by the TRG transporter in the Peter Marshall of Lake George, N.Y., relaxes at the Inn on It will cost $10 per entry the Lakes with a bottle of the Adobe Road’s Sebring 60th on writing and publishing and tune-up session at the Paddock.