HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Tuesday, September 3, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 246 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun Neighborhood surveillance AP board member proposes cameras By MARC VALERO STAFF WRITER AVON PARK — Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board Vice Chair Gerald Snell believes part of redevelopment is security and having SNELL safe neighborhoods. Surveillance cameras can be a part of making neighbors safer, he said. Snell spoke with members of the Florida Redevelopment Association about cities that had high crime areas where cameras were placed through grants and partnerships with local law enforcement. RAMON ESPINOSA/AP PHOTO Statistics show there is a decrease in crimes in the areas with the Strong winds from Hurricane Dorian blow the tops of trees and brush while whisking up water from the surface of a canal that leads to the sea, cameras, he said. located behind the brush at top, seen from the balcony of a hotel in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. Hurricane Dorian “We had some little minor hovered over the Bahamas on Monday, pummeling the islands with a fearsome Category 4 assault that forced even rescue crews to take shelter until problems at the Aileen McWhite the onslaught passes. Park at one time, but once we installed cameras there, we pretty much don’t have any problems at Dorian hammers Bahamas all,” Snell noted. Snell plans to discuss it with someone from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office to see what At least 4 dead; Florida continues weary watch available grants could fund the effort and how to get cameras for By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN and DÁNICA COTO the area. to take shelter until the onslaught passed ASSOCIATED PRESS “The main area I would like to Monday. target is the Hal McRae/Delaney Officials said they received a “tremen- NASSAU, Bahamas — Hurricane Avenue corridor,” Snell said, dous” number of calls from people in Dorian unleashed massive flooding because a few years ago more than flooded homes. A radio station received across the Bahamas on Monday, pum- $750,000 in grant funding was used more than 2,000 distress messages, meling the islands with so much wind for improvements in the area. including reports of a 5-month-old baby and water that authorities urged people Snell said he spoke to a couple stranded on a roof and a grandmother to find floatation devices and grab ham- of business owners in the area who with six grandchildren who cut a hole in mers to break out of their attics if neces- support having extra security. a roof to escape rising floodwaters. Other sary. At least five deaths were blamed on He estimates the cost would be at reports involved a group of eight children the storm. least $70,000 to $80,000, but hopes and five adults stranded on a highway “We are in the midst of a historic trag- a government/neighborhood and two storm shelters that flooded. edy,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said, FRANCOIS DUCKETT grant could cover the cost of the Forecasters warned that Dorian could calling the devastation “unprecedented surveillance cameras that would How Dorian compares with other hurricanes. generate a storm surge as high as 23 feet and extensive.” be connected to the Sheriff’s Office (7 meters). National Oceanic and Atmospheric the east coast of Florida as the steering North Substation. Police Chief Samuel Butler urged peo- Administration Meteorologist Stephen currents that were sending it west have “From what I have been told, ple to remain calm and share their GPS Shiveley told the Highlands News-Sun stopped. when something does occur they coordinates, but he said rescue crews that even though Hurricane Dorian has “We are waiting for a trough to the can role back the footage,” Snell had to wait until weather conditions been downgraded to a Category 4 storm, southeast to push it north,” Shiveley said. said. improved. he is still very dangerous. Parts of the county are under a Tropical According to the personal money “We simply cannot get to you,” he told “We are not focusing on that, there Storm Watch. The meteorologist said matters site sapling.com, grants Bahamas radio station ZNS. is only about a 10-15 mph difference,” Highlands County will feel the effects of funded by the Department of On nearby Abaco Island, Parliament Shiveley said. a tropical storm today. Tropical storm Justice would allow the purchase member Darren Henfield said he re- On Monday’s 5 p.m. advisory, winds are between 39-74 mph, which will of surveillance cameras and other ceived reports of deaths but officials had Hurricane Dorian had sustained winds be felt intermittently, especially in the equipment. not been able to confirm them. of 150 mph with stronger gusts and did a eastern half of the county. Feeder bands The Department of Justice spon- Meanwhile in the United States, the small two-step to the east. Shiveley said might be coming through with stronger sors the Public Safety Partnership National Hurricane Center extended the wobble to the east brought the storm gusts. and Community Policing Grants watches and warnings across the Florida about 10-15 miles away from the coast- “It will be breezy and wet,” Shiveley program and The Justice Assistance and Georgia coasts. Forecasters expected line. Dorian was 105 miles east of West said. “Not too bad, but not a great day.” Grant program, which can be used Dorian to stay off shore, but meteorolo- Palm Beach on Monday evening. Shiveley did not have a Magic 8 Ball for surveillance cameras. gist Daniel Brown cautioned that “only a Unfortunately for the Bahamas, the but felt Wednesday would be a nor- The Department of Homeland small deviation” could draw the storm’s stationary storm had been hammering mal weather day for the county and Security funds grants to assist state dangerous core toward land. away at the islands since about 1 p.m. on Highlands County has probably dodged a and local government agencies By 5 p.m. EDT Monday, the storm’s top Sunday. Shiveley said the storm was not catastrophic storm with Dorian. in making neighborhoods safer sustained winds fell slightly to 145 mph moving consistently in any direction at The fearsome Category 4 storm slowed for its citizens. These grants cover (230 kph). It was crawling along Grand the 5 p..m. update. almost to a standstill as it shredded roofs, surveillance cameras, equipment Bahama Island at 1 mph (2 kph) and then Dorian’s stall-out might be favorable for hurled cars and forced even rescue crews purchases and training programs. DORIAN | 8A Shirley named Real Estate Agent of the Year By KIM LEATHERMAN Congeniality, which she won, a STAFF WRITER couple of times, among other Highlander awards. SEBRING — Laura Shirley Shirley has been a Realtor has won the 2018 Highlander since 2004. Real Estate Agent of the Year as Highlight “I got in right before the part of the Highlands News- An occasional series boom,” she said. “Right about Sun’s annual awards ceremony. highlighting the the time I figured out what I The coveted award was ac- winners of the 2018 was doing, the bust came and Highlander Awards cepted by her daughter, Katie we almost starved to death for Wilson, as Shirley was traveling a few years.” during the July 18 ceremony. Bell Ringer and Boys and Girls Shirley has been through the As owner of Re/Max Plus II in Club. She currently sits on the ups and downs of her industry Lake Placid, she has been a di- Professional Standards Panel but wouldn’t change it for amond sponsor for the annual for Heartland Association of anything. Lake Placid Noon Rotary’s Wild Realtors. “I love it,” she said. “I would Game Dinner for 10 years. “Laura stands out as a have done anything to have Shirley has been on many Realtor for her involvement in done this my entire career. I boards of directors includ- the community,” Wilson said. KIM LEATHERMAN/STAFF had no idea I would enjoy it as ing the Greater Lake Placid “She sells homes and then much as I do. It doesn’t matter Chamber of Commerce and becomes so close to those Laura Shirley proudly shows off her 2018 Highlander Real Estate Agent of the if it’s buyers or sellers, they are the Lake Placid Mural Society. she sells to that they become Year award. each unique. I just love it and She has been an integral part friends and go out to dinner or something right, as she has 27 North. Her contemporaries meeting new people.” of fundraising for groups such even camping trips.” several awards sitting on the at the Heartland Association of as The Salvation Army as a Shirley must be doing shelf in her office at 801 U.S. Realtors nominated her Miss AGENT | 8A Classifieds ......................B5-8 Good morning To ............................ B1 Comics ................A7-8, B9-10 Sports Viewpoints ....................... A6 Linda Campbell Lottery ........................... B2 TV Listings ....................... A9 Weather .........................A10 facebook.com/ twitter.com/ Thanks for reading! newssun.com newssun TheNewsSun A2 | HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN | September 3, 2019 www.highlandsnewssun.com Jahna Concrete to vacate downtown in 2 months By MARC VALERO driving in there. That is really community.” STAFF WRITER our only concern,” he said. Jahna Concreate has moved Mayor Garrett Anderson said into a new facility at 103 AVON PARK — Jahna the Jahnas have made leaps County Road 17A West, Avon Concrete plans to vacate in and bounds over the past cou- Park. October the Main Street city- ple of weeks moving the items In June it was announced owned property it has leased by truckload after truckload.