C M Y K C M Y K MARCHING TOWARD HIS DREAM EWS UN Former AP student NHighlands County’s Hometown Newspaper-S Since 1927 75¢ Jake Howell has Pigman wants excelled in his new rules for Carr, Green Dragons blank pursuit of a career state’s nurse in the military B1 McKeel Academy, 5-0 A8 practitioners A3 www.newssun.com Sunday, March 9, 2014 Officials DIRTY hoping for better voter BIRDS? turnout Less than 300 voted in last Sebring election BY SAMANTHA GHOLAR Staff Writer SEBRING — Highlands Coun- ty Elections Office employees have their fingers crossed for a big turn- out for the municipal election com- ing up on Tuesday in Sebring, but if the early voting numbers are any indication of what’s to come, that’s not going to happen. Election of- fice officials rev- eled just after lunch on Friday that the total Phil Attinger/News-Sun number of bal- lots cast during A gaggle of gulls gather Friday in the frigid breeze at Lake Verona Beach. Some are saying that seagulls, which gather regularly in almost all Florida water bodies, may be the entire week responsible for the closing of Lake Verona’s swimming area from high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, from leaving droppings in the shallows. of early voting Sebring represented just City Council 3 percent of the election is registered vot- Tuesday Some blaming birds for bacteria ers. Candidates Lenard Carlisle, Rob BY PHIL ATTINGER Lakes Verona, Tulane in Avon Park both ter, which is the water that is Horne, Marty Roepstorff, Bud Whit- Staff Writer sampled. Go deeper, and it’s lock, Mary Ann Lewis, Nadine El- tested high, but only Verona closed clean.” liot Tedstone and Mark Stewart are AVON PARK — Birds could Clell Ford, Highlands County running for three open seats on the be one culprit of the high bac- as I know, it’s been closed and Staff at the lab could not say lakes manager, said the birds city council. teria levels that have closed opened intermittently for that conclusively what is causing could be a factor. Although he “We were hoping for a better the swimming area of Donald- time.” the high levels. They only test hadn’t seen any studies on the turnout because there are a lot son Park on Lake Verona. Both Lake Tulane and Lake the water; they don’t do inves- matter, he also hadn’t heard of more candidates this election but “It’s been testing positive on Verona tested high for fecal tigations. any sewage leaks. that didn’t happen,” said Assistant and off for several months, as coliform bacteria on Feb. 4, However, Sutherland be- The type of bacteria is pres- Supervisor Karen Kinsinger, an 11- long as the birds flock there,” but only Verona tested high on lieves birds could be at fault. ent in both humans and birds. year election office employee. said Maria Sutherland, admin- Feb. 28, when SHORT Envi- “The connection is abso- Narrowing the contamination “To date, we’ve had 80 voters istrative services director for ronmental Laboratories tested lutely there,” Sutherland said. the city of Avon Park. “As far them again. “Poop is in the inch-deep wa- SEE BIRDS | A6 SEE ELECTION | A7 ‘Trend at AP council to talk the Track’ is firefighters’ contract, dedicated Deleon’s salary BY PHIL ATTINGER proval from both city BY BARRY FOSTER Staff Writer staff and the city attor- News-Sun correspondent ney. AVON PARK — City If approved, the new SEBRING — The last brush strokes Council members are contract would take ef- are done, the paint is cured, and Barry Foster/News-Sun scheduled to consid- fect on March 19, the “Trend at the Track” now has been Hahn shows the ‘tessellation’ process that converted his artwork into thousands of Italian glass er changes to the city next pay period. completed. Sebring artist James R. mosaic tiles, which have become the ‘Trend at the Track’ mural, located directly across from the firefighters contract on Two major chang- Hahn rendered the images, saying famous Turn 10 at the Sebring International Raceway. Monday. es are in place for new the final product represented one of The city has just fin- hires, as well as chang- his largest to date. the Sebring Regional Airport Indus- original art is reduced to pixels. ished collective bar- es for all firefighters in “I have done some pieces that are trial Park. Those then become mosaic piec- gaining with the Inter- sick leave, holiday pay, taller, but this is the longest,” Hahn At 11 feet tall and 312 feet long, es that were done in Italian glass national Association of vacations and step-pay said, standing in front of the artwork the main portion involves a process Firefighters, with a rec- that adorns three walls of E-Stone at called “tessellation,” where Hahn’s SEE TREND | A5 ommendation for ap- SEE COUNCIL | A6 facebook.com/ Pleasant day with Arts/Entertainment . B3 Crossword ................ B2 Obituaries .............. A7 VOL. 95 newssun some clouds High 79 Low 56 Business ................ B8 Dear Abby ................ B2 Lottery Numbers ...... A2 NO. 27 twitter.com/ thenewssun Details on A12 Classifieds ............... B9 Horoscope ............... B2 Sports on TV ............ A9 C M Y K A2 | NEWS-SUN | Sunday, March 9, 2014 www.newssun.com Placid View Drive closed for work SNAPSHOTS Tour de Cure LOCAL NEWS LAKE PLACID — Placid View Drive at Sausage roast Local foot doctor State Road 70 in Lake planned at Estates NEWS-SUN Placid will be closed Highlands County’s Hometown Newspaper Since 1927 challenges herself from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. LAKE PLACID — http//:www.newssun.com Tuesday. A detour will be Everyone is welcome to The News-Sun (USPS – ISSN to ride 100 miles for posted. dine at a delicious sau- 0163-3988) is published every For further informa- sage roast in Highlands Sunday, Wednesday & Friday. Peri- tion, call the Highlands Park Estates from noon odical postage paid at Sebring, FL diabetes awareness and additional entry office(s). All County Engineering to 3 p.m. today on the material contained herein is the Department at 402-6877. shores of Lake Istokpoga Special to the News-Sun property of the News-Sun, which bike ride to raise funds at the Highlands Park is an affiliate of Halifax Media for the American Dia- Yarbour featured at Estates Beach Park. Group. Reproduction in whole or in SEBRING — Diabetes betes Association. The Scribes Night Out Grilled sausages and part is forbidden without the writ- affects 26 million peo- Tour de Cure on Sunday, hot dogs, baked beans, ten permission of the publisher. All material submitted for publica- ple in the US. It claims March 30, is held in 44 SEBRING — Scribes salad, dessert and bever- tion becomes the property of the the lives of one Ameri- states and all money the Night Out is a small, age will be served. newspaper and may be edited for can every three minutes bike riders raise goes to friendly group wishing Donation for adults is clarity and space, as well as re- and takes more lives than preventing and curing di- to foster writers, poets $5; children 5-12 is $2. printed, published and used in all breast cancer and AIDS abetes. The goal is to im- and story tellers. Read The Beach Park is east media. Postmaster: Send address change to: News-Sun, 2227 U.S. combined. prove the lives of all peo- or listen. The open mics of U.S. 27 on County 27 S., Sebring, FL 33870. So what exactly is dia- ple affected by diabetes. welcome any published Road 621 to Highlands betes? Diabetes occurs Dr Olga, as her patients or unpublished au- Lake Drive (C19), turn COMMITMENT TO ACCURACY when the amount of glu- call her, was encouraged thor over 18. There are left 1.5 miles to Nichele The News-Sun promptly cor- cose in your body is too by local winter resident no dues or entry fees. Boulevard, which enters rects errors of fact appearing in high because the body Paula Lunt, who signed The only cost is the cof- on left, immediately turn its news stories. If you believe we Courtesy photo have made an error, call the news- cannot use it properly. herself up to spread the fee you drink. The group east (right) on Deerglen Diabetics develop dif- word on diabetes due to Dr. Olga Luepschen will partici- meets at Brewster’s to Lake Istokpoga and room at (863) 385-6155, ext. pate in the Tour de Cure on Sun- 516. If you have a question or ferent types of foot prob- her own father being a Coffee Shop at 6 p.m. the Beach Park. Call comment about coverage, write to day, March 30. The 100-mile lems. Even simple ev- diabetic. bike ride raises funds for the every second and fourth 465-2468. Scott Dressel, editor, 2227 U.S. eryday problems can “I have never ridden a Sunday. 27 South, Sebring, FL 33870; American Diabetes Association. AP Meals on email [email protected].; or worsen leading to seri- bike this far in my life but Today, local award- call (863) 385-6155. ous complications. A foot I’m looking forward to washing every day in winning author Dottie Wheels has problem usually happens the challenge of complet- lukewarm (not hot wa- Rexford will present annual meeting OFFICE when there is nerve dam- ing the Tour de Cure ride ter) and moisturizing. Christine Yarbour as Location: 2227 U.S. 27 South, age causing a loss of feel- on March 30,” Dr.