WOKC Local News – January 20, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. The importance of cattle with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. The Great Florida Cattle Drive will be happening in Okeechobee County next week. It starts Sunday and ends next Saturday at the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Arena where they’ll have a festival. It begins up in Yeehaw Junction. Some 250 people and cowboys will take part along with 600 head of cattle. They also plan to live stream the cattle drive each day between 10 and 10.30 in the morning to feature the people on the drive and open up the experience to fourth graders across the state. Trail boss Travis Brown says it’ll be a great way to reach people about the importance of agriculture. Very excited to bring this to Okeechobee. We know all our northern visitors are down now and we feel like what better way to reach people from all over the country and perhaps the world to educate them and show them about our Okeechobee’s rich cattle history. Brown notes that Florida was the original cattle and cowboy state. Our goal is just to promote our beef cattle industry and Florida’s rich history in our nation. A six year prison term for an Okeechobee woman, 34 year old Kristen Andrews, in St. Lucie and Vero Beach drug cases. She pled no contest to several charges after the Fort Drum woman was arrested twice in a seven month period in July and January between 2023 and 2024. Traffic stops, allegedly found felony amounts of pills, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, 14 grams of rock methamphetamine and 2.7 grams of crack cocaine. The OUA is still working with the county on the Bass Pro Project. They ranked engineers in their starting design work on a water main extension down State Road 78. Staff reported they’re close to starting connecting septic to sewer for 50 homes in Okeechobee. The Florida Senate Agriculture Committee approved the Florida Farm Bill for 2026. It creates a farmers feeding Florida program. The bill prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting policies that restrict or ban the use of gasoline powered farm equipment. The bill also adds criminal penalties for receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on a commercial driver’s license exam. Senator Keith Trudeau introduced the bill. He’s the bill sponsor. This year’s Florida Farm Bill builds upon the progress we achieved last year with Senate Bill 700 by continuing to protect farms, ranches, and consumers throughout the state of Florida. Okeechobee police have made an arrest of Jared Beachum in connection with a January 4th shooting in Dean’s Court. He’s the alleged hit and run driver that struck a pedestrian was trying to get away from all that gunfire. Jamya Turbox was flown to Lawnwood and was seriously injured. Beachum is facing failure to stop at a crash involving serious bodily injury. Police are still investigating the shooting. Martin County Sheriff Deputy is able to locate a trail bicyclist who got lost at the Dupuy Park Management Area in Port Myakka on Sunday. The man was on a bicycle visiting from out of town and went off the trail, was unable to find his way back. A sheriff’s helicopter, road patrol, the ag unit, and a cell phone GPS signal able to locate him safe and sound. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).