An Okeechobee man was accused of shooting down a drone with a shotgun.
A report from Okeechobee County Sheriff Deputies noted the incident happened in the vicinity of an RV park in the 12700 block of US 441 Southeast.
The drone was reported to be flying over the road and not on private property, the owner said.
The man said he shot down the drone because he felt uncomfortable with the drone flying overhead and didn’t want to be recorded or have his image used on social media outlets.
He agreed to repay the cost of the drone or $813. No arrest was made.
Okeechobee County had 4.6 percent employment in June compared to 4.1 percent in May.
The state department of commerce said 757 people were out of work in Okeechobee last month. That compared to 662 in May.
The labor force grew from 16,276 to 16,315.
Around the region Martin County had 4.2 percent, Osceola four percent, St. Lucie 4.7 percent, Glades 5.5 percent, Highlands 5.6 percent, and Indian River 4.9 percent unemployment.
The Okeechobee County School Board renewed its contract for legal services with Conely and Conely. The firm will be paid $7,500 per month.
The district had fewer teaching positions to fill this summer. They had 15 teacher vacancies and four non instructional positions to fill this summer.
Out of field teachers were reduced to six percent.
The board learned from staff that 888 industry certifications were earned by students this year in the career and technical education programs. This was an increase of 113 students certified during the 2023-2024 school year.
Superintendent Dylan Tedders praised the human resources department for doing a great job recruiting teachers and putting teachers in the right position to succeed.
Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman reduced his proposed budget by $1.7 million. He had requested a 14.4 percent overall increase.
He requested a 10 percent across the board salary hike.
He said they continue to lose deputies to larger agencies due to higher salary and also requested an increase in the beginning salary of deputies.
The Polk County Sheriff created a new division in Lake Wales and is expected to hire 125 new deputies. They now allow deputies to live outside Polk County.
The Florida Police Union wants a $20,000 per year increase in salary for each law enforcement officer they represent.
Glades County Manager Paul Carlisle presented his operating budget to commissioners in a short 30 minute budget workshop without much debate.
His requests this year included approval of a five year capital improvement plan, the hiring of an assistant County Manager, and a six percent salary hike for employees.
Carlisle also would like to fund a salary study to make sure county employees are properly compensated for the skills and work they do.
“We are the epitome of living within our means in Glades County.”
Two fatal crashes occurred in Okeechobee in recent days, one near Fort Drum on July 24, and the second this morning on 710.
The Fort Drum crash occurred just south of US 441 and NE 300th Street.
A 42 year old woman from Hillsboro, Missouri, was killed in the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban was headed north bound when for an unknown reason it traveled across the center line and collided with the front end of a 2007 Freightliner box truck.
The SUV rotated counterclockwise and overturned onto the grass shoulder on the west side of the road. The truck also ran off the road and came to rest on the east shoulder.
Both drivers were transported to HCA Raulerson Hospital where the Missouri woman succumbed to her injuries.
A 13 year old female and an 11 year old female passenger, both from Missouri, who were in the SUV was hospitalized with non-life threatening injury.
The truck driver, a 68-year-old man from Lithonia, Georgia, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injury.
Today’s accident involved a tractor trailer and a GMC pickup truck and occurred near the 4600 block of SR 710.
An unidentified man driving the pickup truck, died in the crash.
The pickup truck driver was headed north bound and crossed over the center line into the tractor-trailer’s path just after 3 a.m. this morning. The pickup caught on fire and the driver was partially ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The truck driver, a 65-year-old man from South Bay suffered minor injury.