WOKC Local News – October 16, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Too many bugs? With WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. Okeechobee County is getting a lot of requests for more mosquito spraying due to the rains and the bug population. Commissioner Mike Sumner joked with Public Safety Director Justin Haseley when he said their vendor actually counts the number of mosquitoes in Okeechobee County. Who in your department sits there and counts 10,000 mosquitoes? It’s a monotonous task. I take that on myself, Commissioner. One, two. Okeechobee Commissioners also invited the new director of the Okeechobee Utility Authority, Greg Kennedy, to speak to them at next Thursday, October 22nd’s meeting. Commissioner David Haseley wants to get accurate data on water and sewer capacity as they face future growth stress. The mealy bug now reported in 27 Florida counties and South Georgia. Producers here have been taking precautions, cleaning equipment and vehicles before they leave pastures and giving more thought to fertilizers and harvesting hay. Dr. Chai Buck with the University of Florida says they may have come across a cure for the damage to sugarcane. This shows that there may well be something that could be a fix for what PMB is causing to sugarcane. The mealy bug likes to feast on various grasses in our pastures. Rainy afternoons have been plentiful in the last several weeks in Okeechobee and South Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol out with an advisory to motorists to slow down even after the rain stops because it can even be more dangerous than during storms. Lieutenant Greg Bueno says you can’t drive the regular speed when it’s raining or even after it rains for a time till the road dries. You have to slow down, increase your following distance. The St. Lucie County Fire Board learned that board attorney Kim Sable will resign at the end of the year. This week came word the union members of the fire department voted to give a no confidence to their fire chief. A hazing incident brought attention to the fire board. Three firemen were terminated for using a modified bug zapper to shock probationary firemen. There’s been a lot of public comment at these meetings against the administration and to rehire the firemen. Ashley Boudreaux alleges that other incidents that were worse were swept under the rug. Three firefighter paramedics submitted written eyewitness reports concerning alleged inappropriate conduct by a supervisor involving an unconscious female patient. We are now being told that no discipline resulted from that incident and the investigation file cannot be produced. An Ocotillo man accused of refusing to get out of his vehicle during a DUI investigation. Alan Campos allegedly drove off from the traffic stop in the 1900 block of 441 Southeast. Charges against him include failure to obey law enforcement, refusal to submit to DUI testing and DUI is bound with $8,000. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).