HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Tuesday, February 11, 2020 VOL. 101 | NO. 042 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun Marking population density Popular seats at SNL may depend, in part, on urban areas JARED FRANKLE/NASA VIA AP By PHIL ATTINGER In this photo provided by NASA, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V STAFF WRITER rocket, lifts off from Launch Complex COURTESY PHOTO/VISITSEBRING 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force SEBRING — While Sun Station in in Cape Canaveral, Fla., ‘N Lake of Sebring looks at Children play in the ‘fossil bones’ at Donaldson Park in Avon Park, a family park and lakeside beach at the east end of the city’s historic Mall, near the equally historic Jacaranda Hotel. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. European moving to a popular vote, its Space Agency and NASA’s Solar current configuration with Orbiter rocketed into space Sunday landowner votes makes it night on an unprecedented mission unique in Florida. to capture the first pictures of the Reportedly, it may be the High fun without high cost sun’s elusive poles. only — if not one of the few — improvement districts in TDC lists 10 things to do in the Highlands, for free the state as old as it is without Solar Orbiter having made the conversion By PHIL ATTINGER from having any landowner STAFF WRITER seats to having all five seats blasts off to of the Board of Supervisors SEBRING — Looking at paying bills from elected by popular vote. Christmas and Uncle Sam hasn’t given a return Currently, the board consists yet? capture 1st look of two landowner seats and Don’t fret. Aside from annual events like three popularly-elected seats. the Roaring ‘20s Festival and Lake Placid’s At a recent landowner election, at sun’s poles Arts and Crafts Country Fair that took place By MARCIA DUNN Craig Herrick won a vacant this month, the Highlands County Tourist AP AEROSPACE WRITER landowner seat on the board, Development Council (TDC) has compiled a filling in the last two years of a list of attractions that can provide family fun term vacated by Dan Stegall. without straining the wallet. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Herrick joins Mike Gilpin, According to the TDC, Avon Park, Sebring — Europe and NASA’s Solar who was reelected without and Lake Placid have a “blend of quaintness Orbiter rocketed into space opposition for another four and quirk” to satisfy the need to get out and go Sunday night on an unprec- years to his landowner seat. without giving up all your dough. edented mission to capture The board now consists of the first pictures of the sun’s Gilpin, Herrick and the three Maxwell Groves elusive poles. popularly-elected supervisors: The quintessential Florida experience, for “We’re on the way to the sun. Joe Branson, Raymond Brooks tourists or residents, is a sip of orange juice in Go Solar Orbiter!” said Cesar and Neal Hotelling. a rocking chair at a grove house, like the one at Garcia Marirrodriga, project The list would be very Maxwell Groves, a fruit stand since 1935. manager for the European different, according to one Delight yourself also with citrus-flavored Space Agency. “It’s a fantastic former board member, if it had treats, such as preserves, jams, honey and a moment ... it’s like, well, we’re already been converted to a dairy-free orange soft serve ice cream made unstoppable.” popular vote, in part because from freshly squeezed Florida orange juice. The $1.5 billion spacecraft the management company Steve Maxwell himself might be there, to will join NASA’s Parker Solar tell stories about his family, business and the that owns Tanglewood — a KIM MOODY/STAFF Probe, launched 1 1/2 years large subdivision of the district citrus industry over the past several decades. ago, in coming perilously close — owns a large number of Sun ‘N Lake Preserve Rebecca Peitz puts her brush to a mural during an to the sun to unveil its secrets. lots and still participates in On the far west end of Sun ‘N Lake Special art class excursion from Lake Placid Middle School. While Solar Orbiter won’t elections. Improvement District is an undeveloped area, Students got to learn from muralist Keith Goodson venture close enough to It’s the contention of David much of which has been conserved into “The about what it takes to put artwork in the town’s penetrate the sun’s corona, or Halbig, former board member, Preserve,” a “go-to place for locals and visitors center. The town has 49 murals and dozens of other crown-like outer atmosphere, that if Tanglewood hadn’t alike,” according to the TDC, with a mix of forms of street art to delight the senses. like Parker, it will maneuver voted in the Jan. 24 landowner hiking and biking trails and opportunities to into a unique out-of-plane election, Mark Camp would see Florida wildlife. swamp, cutthroat grass seeps and environ- orbit that will take it over both have won that vote. The Preserve has freshwater marsh, cypress ments, home to alligators, deer, turtles and poles, never photographed Camp is also a former river otters, among the many animals there. before. Together with powerful ground observatories, the supervisor who resigned his Avon Park Air Force Range post last year. sun-staring space duo will be While the Avon Park Air Force Range is a like an orchestra, according There might be political military training facility, it’s 100,000-plus acres will to continue a move to to Gunther Hasinger, the are also open for outdoor recreation for both European Space Agency’s popular seats, Halbig said. He military personnel and the general public, states that four previous board science director. whether that fun is fishing, birding, hunting “Every instrument plays a members wanted to go to wildlife and other outdoor recreation. popular seats. different tune, but together The TDC reports that visitors may hike the they play the symphony of the Halbig also said when he trails or pitch a tent and camp overnight. served on the board, studies sun,” Hasinger said. Hunting permit holders age 18 and older may Solar Orbiter was made done to determine the amount bring up to three minors free of charge. of urban area in the district, in Europe, along with nine as well as population density, COURTESY PHOTO/VISITSEBRING Jacaranda Hotel science instruments. NASA varied in the percentage of Another piece of local history, the Jacaranda provided the 10th instrument Home to many unique Florida species, including this Hotel’s 1920s-style elegance will add a unique and arranged the late-night “urban area” the district has. gopher tortoise, Archbold Biological Station has Those maps, done in 2007, touch to any Sebring area visit. launch from Cape Canaveral. housed researchers for decades who have helped Admire the hotel that once hosted guests Nearly 1,000 scientists and URBAN | 4A increase the knowledge of the state’s unique environ- ments, and how to preserve them. FREE | 4A ORBITER | 4A Thompson, 22, dies Highlands County crowns royalty in car wreck By KIM MOODY COURTESY/MISS driving her 2017 Hyundai grass shoulder to the west HIGHLANDS COUNTY STAFF WRITER Elantra southbound on of Hallmark Avenue. PAGEANTS Hallmark Avenue nearing FHP said alcohol was LAKE PLACID — The Fillmore Avenue. At the not a factor in the wreck. 2020 Miss Highlands County Florida Highway Patrol same time, Thompson Parris was wearing a seat Pageant winners revealed released the report for was riding a bicycle also belt; Thompson was not after a tough weekend of a fatal wreck about in the southbound lane wearing a helmet. There competition. Back left is 2020 6:40 p.m. Sunday. of Hallmark Avenue in is no word on charges as Miss Highlands County Kinsloe According to the FHP the right side of the south the wreck is still under Barben, beside her in the navy report, Riley Carrington travel lane. investigation. blue dress is the first-ever Thompson, 22, of Lake The front of Parris’ car According to the 2020 Teen Miss Highlands Placid, died. The next of collided with Thompson. unofficial records kept by County Reagan Richards. kin has been notified. The report stated the Highlands News-Sun, Front left is 2020 Little Miss Highlands County Carly Vega The FHP report shows Thompson left the bicycle this is the sixth person to Jocelyn Megan Parris, and on her right, in the floral and and traveled south- die on roads in Highlands gown is 2020 Jr. Miss High- 32, of Lake Placid, was west, ending up on the County. lands County Maria Swaford. Classifieds ......................B5-7 Obituaries ........................ A4 Viewpoints ....................... A6 Good morning To Comics ................A7-8, B9-10 Sports ............................ B1 Weather .........................A10 Kevin Jonas Lottery ........................... B2 TV Listings ....................... A9 facebook.com/ twitter.com/ Thanks for reading! newssun.com newssun TheNewsSun A2 | HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN | February 11, 2020 www.highlandsnewssun.com 5 THINGS That Will Make You Bell gets 10 years probation in plea agreement SMARTER By KIM MOODY charged with his release, Bell was vehicle. STAFF WRITER four counts commanded to turn in Bell told the kids to wait 1. South Korea, so far, the extent that nearly of aggravat- all of his guns to law while the HCSO arrived, has the most Olympic every village has its SEBRING — Terrence ed assault enforcement and not have saying he would shoot the gold medals in archery own archery range. Arnold Bell, 73, of Placid and four contact with the victims. tire and them if they tried than any other country. 4.