WOKC Local News – November 03, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Severe flash flooding with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. Over 10 inches of rain reported in parts of Okeechobee yesterday. From heavy thunderstorms, key roads were impassable, schools and government are closed for the day today. The National Weather Service has a flood watch in effect for this area until three this afternoon. There was a state of emergency as Okeechobee worked with water management to get the water off the roads. There were some problems this morning on State Road 70 East with a couple of cars hydroplaning with water on the roads. There probably wasn’t a street in Okeechobee that wasn’t partially flooded yesterday, especially around the city limits. City Hall is closed. As we’ve said, no school today. They plan to reopen tomorrow. No county. There is the courthouse. Courthouse is closed, but the judicial complex is open today. There was a shelter opened at Seminole Elementary. There was also some vehicles that tried to drive through the water and will never be the same. The Okeechobee School Board approving their contract with teachers and classified employees while the union members, by a large margin, approved the contracts. There is no raise this year. Every employee gets a $600 one-time check. Superintendent Dylan Tedder says both sides worked to get a deal, knowing the circumstances. With everything passing at over 90%, you know, that shows that they did some work on their side as a labor organization, and then we’ve had to work together through negotiations to come to that level of agreement. Enrollment of students has reduced funding in the schools. The classified employees approved the contract, 155 to five. The teachers approved them, 166 to 14. They get more flexibility, teachers do, as far as planning days and some more work at home days where they work on Zoom. Tomorrow is election day. Glades County Sheriff David Hardin is opposed to Amendment 3. His lieutenant, Gary Johnson, read a statement from the sheriff at the Buckhead Ridge Homeowners Association, saying if passed, Amendment 3 would be bad for Glades County services. Our local governments, law enforcement agencies, schools, and healthcare systems operate with fewer resources and tighter budgets. Any amendment that creates additional financial burdens limit local control or increase demands on already stretched public services. By the way, Glades County schools are also closed today. They had flooding, which closed down State Road 78 between US 27 and State Road 29 through Ortona. In the courts, Frank Platt had his drug case referred to drug court. He pled no contest to drug possession. The drugs were mushrooms and LSD. In Indian town, an alleged drug dealer, Bruce McKenzie, is facing felony charges. He allegedly sold some narcotics, crack cocaine, to a confidential informant in Booker Park earlier this year. In that case, they also arrested Felicia Holmes on similar charges, possession of crack cocaine. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).