Okeechobee schools hold open house for the new school year tonight.
Elementary schools are scheduled from 5-7 pm, Middle Schools and the Okeechobee Achievement Academy from 6-8 pm, and Okeechobee High School and the freshman campus from 7-9 pm.
The first day of instruction is Aug. 11.
Okeechobee County received an award from the National Association of Counties for the new public safety cadet program in Okeechobee schools, fire rescue, and the sheriff.
Commissioner Terry Burroughs accepted the award on behalf of the county and those involved in the program were recognized at a recent county commission meeting.
Fire Chief Earl Wooten said there have been great partnerships in this program which has attracted students to learn careers in law enforcement, dispatch and the fire department.
Sheriff Noel Stephen said it has helped with hiring new dispatchers
“We are all raised here and have professions and we want to show the local people that they can do it to and stay here.”
Superintendent of Schools Dylan Tedders said it has been a great collaborative effort among all the agencies.
“It takes a village to raise our students. All of these organizations working together to be able to produce for our own community just speaks volumes of all the work that you guys do everyday. It is what makes Okeechobee special.”
A Highlands County man arrested in Okeechobee for a high speed chase back on December 6, 2023.
The charges in Highlands County related to the chase were dropped.
David Kingsley still faces numerous traffic related charges for allegedly fleeing Highlands law enforcement officers in the past few years.
Kingsley will face a charge in Okeechobee of fleeing and attempting to elude at high speed.
Okeechobee deputies joined the chase down US 98 from near Lorida to just south of Dixie Ranch Acres. Speeds reached 100 miles per hour.
Twice deputies deployed stop sticks to try and end the chase in Okeechobee one at 700A in Basinger and once at NW 80th Avenue.
The second time the tires were impacted, the vehicle a 2008 Chrysler Pacifica Van, went out of control and it left the road, entered the west side ditch, ran through a barbed wire fence and went into the cattle pasture flipping three to five times.
Kingsley was seriously injured in the crash. The arrest report said Kingsley was ejected 40-50 feet from the SUV in the pasture. He was flown to HCA Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce for treatment of serious injury.
Highlands County also charged Kingsley that day with fleeing and eluding, fentanyl trafficking, methamphetamine possession and multiple driving charges including driving with a suspended license.
The deputy report said Kingsley drove right at a deputy on Thunder Road in order to flee.
In August, 2024 a chase involved the suspect resulted in another drug charge and reached speeds of 80 miles per hour.
The chase ended in a citrus grove off Arbuckle Creek Road near Lorida. A Highlands sheriffs patrol car was damaged.
Glades County did not receive a $3.6 million grant they wanted from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for improvements at the Indian Prairie Boat Ramp.
The county will use their own funds to design and permit the facility improvements.
They want to at least shore up the boat ramp and will apply again for state funds.