Congressman Byron Donalds, the leading candidate for governor in 2026, predicted the federal government shutdown will end in the next 10 days.
He said federal workers who were mostly paid in October, have now missed a paycheck.
He said that will bring more pressure on lawmakers to end the stalemate.
The last vote had 54 Senators voting in favor of reopening the government. They have taken 13 different votes since the shutdown began Oct. 1.
“All republicans in the Senate voted for the measure including democrats in Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania and two senators from Georgia.”
He said WIC and SNAP benefits are expected to run out Oct. 31 because they have not been replenished and because Senate Democrats have chosen to keep the government closed.
Okeechobee county commissioners will return public comment to regular board meeting agendas.
They had suspended public comment on non-agenda items due to first amendment advocates showing up, cursing, making scenes, and disrupting meetings with impolite behavior.
As before, public comment will be limited to three minutes per person. That person must also fill out a card to speak before the meetings begin at 9 am.
County Attorney Gemma Torcivia said the county is unlikely to enforce prior rules that prohibit men from wearing hats in the commission chambers.
“The only reason you could reasonably say no to a hat is it was a dangerous hat. That you thought the hat was so large that you could place something dangerous under the hat, they you could say take your hat off.”
Two of the most disruptive parties who attended the meetings have been lawfully trespassed from county property for one year.
In the courts an Okeechobee man pled no contes to 14 felony charges of child pornography possession.
Wayne Adams, 61, faces a sentence of just over 15 years when he is sentenced on Dec. 3.
The arrest affidavit in the case from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said an investigation began on January 16, 2024 about online child pornography being shared.
They traced the computer link to 9100 SR 78 west, served a search warrant on Feb. 13, 2024, and collected evidence.
FDLE said they found 14 files of child pornography during the search.
Highlands County Fire Rescue paramedic Daniel Serraco wants the county to increase starting pay for firemen.
He said the county has lost 63 firemen before they had finished one year of service.
He blamed the low starting pay.
Serraco claims the starting pay for firemen is the lowest salary of any county employee.
Glades County schools reminded parents not to board school buses while your child is being picked up or dropped off each day.
There was a recent incident in Buckhead Ridge where a parent got on the steps of the school bus to talk to the driver who was busy buckling a child into their seat.
School Superintendent Dr. Beth Barfield said it was not malicious but is still a violation of policy.
The district reports it remains difficult to get people interested in driving school buses and hiring them.
Dr. Barfield reported there are fewer buses available for extra-curricular activities in the afternoon and evening.