WOKC Local News – May 18, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Another graduating class with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. Indian River State College hit a milestone with their 100,000 graduate this month as they celebrated the class of 2026 in Fort Pierce. The keynote speaker was Taylor Gary, an IRSC alumni. He had this message to graduates. You can never know how life will turn out, but to make the most of it, you will need to jump in with both feet, show up consistently, and celebrate wins. He says they need to be willing to say yes to new opportunities and take challenges. Go out there, be your unique self, and live the absolute best life you can. Three people freed from state custody after the state attorney dropped drug trafficking charges against them in Okeechobee. Brittany Stephens, Christopher Ernest, and Isaias Mojica were also charged with possession with intent to sell narcotics. January 30th, our deputies pulled them over in a vehicle on the 3100 block of Highway 710. They smelled an odor of marijuana and saw a firearm and drug paraphernalia. They located 40 grams of chocolate mushrooms, various types of marijuana called Candy Eruption, Superior Candy, and Dunkin’ Donuts, along with $3,251 in cash. Prosecutors say they couldn’t prove possession because of the drugs being not on any of the individuals. They say the charges can be refiled should additional evidence like DNA come forward. Today is Police Memorial Day. The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office will have a somber ceremony at noon at the Sheriff’s Office, 504 Northwest 4th Street. 88 acres due to be developed near the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. The developer looking for some mixed uses like housing, commercial, and even industrial. County Commissioner Larry Leet says he thinks this development can help the fairgrounds next door. The fairground can be another, quote, destination area for our area for our citizens to go in and to enjoy rather than traveling way north and way south. Senator Erin Graw wants only citizens to vote. She got a bill passed by the governor, signed recently that requires photo IDs when you vote and requires you to be a U.S. citizen. Graw says there should be no debate over citizens voting against non-citizens. What an opportunity to do something, though, that was really pretty common sense. I mean, I couldn’t believe that it was a debate about whether or not you had to be a citizen in order to vote in the state of Florida. That’s not debatable, and it’s in our Constitution. Some $3,100 in damage is done to three vehicles, parked vehicles in the 2400 block of 441 Southeast. Juveniles apparently masked, broke out the windows, and then fled on foot. Apparently were motivated by an online Snapchat threat. The juvenile said if he didn’t break out the windows of the vehicle, he would be swatted. He says the person on Snapchat also wanted him to kill a dog, but he refused. The juvenile did suffer a hand injury and agreed and admitted to having suicidal thoughts. He was transported to the St. Lucie Regional Juvenile Detention Center and will face criminal mischief charges. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).