The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board approved spending up to $483 million on the Lower Kissimmee Storm Water Treatment Area.
Okeechobee County and nearby residents have been opposed to the project located east of the Kissimmee River and south of state road 70 west on the former Rio Ranch.
The neighbors expressed concerns about drainage and flooding threats, decline of property values, and possible impacts on small planes that use nearby airstrips and airports.
The project will take most of the remaining river front property in Okeechobee between 70 south to the Okee-tantie Recreation Area.
District officials said the location is perfect because there are a number of natural inflows north of the property. They intend to capture water in the river and treat it before it reaches Lake Okeechobee.
An Okeechobee man won’t face charges in Tennessee of trafficking a child at a motel in Chattanooga.
Tennessee prosecutors dropped all charges of human trafficking and promoting prostitution against Hector Velasquez of Okeechobee.
Velasquez had absconded as a sex offender from Florida at the time. He was returned to Okeechobee and was sentenced to 89 months in prison. He pled no contest to one count of failure to register as a sex offender in Florida.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Velasquez had trafficked a 17 year old girl and advertised her for sex on backpage.com
An undercover detective made contact with the child in a hotel and placed her in protective custody.
The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization added projects to the long range transportation plan.
They added widening to four lanes all of 441 north between NW 36th Street and the Osceola County line.
They also added a four lane project on route 78 from the intersection of 441 in Okeechobee to US 27 in Moore Haven.
Publix will allow open carry of firearms.
The state’s largest grocery store chain is going along with a new gun law. The company announced it’ll allow shoppers to openly carry firearms in its stores. The company has over 900 locations in Florida. Winn-Dixie, Walmart and Sam’s Club all have said they will not allow open carry of firearms.
The state reported there has been a rapid increase in accidents and injuries involving e-bikes.
Martin County Master Deputy Eric Day said the bikes can go 20 miles per hour and some are road worthy while others must use bike paths.
He noted anyone 16 and under must wear a helmet when riding the e-bikes.
Day said there has been many traumatic injuries as the users are not unfamiliar with the speed and power of the bikes.
There is also an inadequate amount of bike trails and lanes that can accommodate these bikes.