News Cast for January 15th:
Florida lawmen pushed for the Move Over Law that requires motorists to take more caution when they see a traffic stop on the highways.
It requires motorists to reduce speeds to 25 miles per hour and if possible switch to the other lane so they don’t get too close to the officer and vehicles.
Lt. Greg Bueno said there has been an increase in arguments along the highway during traffic stops. There is also an increase in battery and assaults on troopers.
“Be courteous, be respectful and the police officer will exchange the same in return.”
Lt. Bueno said if you feel a ticket is unwarranted the place to argue that is in court and not along the side of the road.
Winter time can be the most costly time of year for our farmers and ranchers to feed their beef and dairy cattle.
The IFAS Extension Office in Okeechobee hosted a presentation from Dr. Marcello Wallau from the University of Florida to discuss winter time forage strategies.
Dr. Wallau said the key to being cost effective is have a diverse source of feed for your cattle ranging from pasture grasses to vegetables like corn and soybeans.
Everybody wants to have cheaper costs of production, he said.
“Cheap hay gets to be pretty expensive. When you think of hay and the nutrient value it is actually very expensive,” he added.
He said it is important to give pastures a break from grazing.
“Give an opportunity to your pasture to grow faster, remove animals from the pasture, its very simple, and you stockpile your food letting the pasture grow.”
Dr. Wallau heard from some producers about the lack of rainfall in the area since October. There has also been minor reports of frost in pastures from Osceola County as far south as Hendry County this winter.
St. Lucie County continued to grow westward with approval of the Rainbow Groves Project. The project includes 245 total acres along Range Line Road.
151 acres is set for heavy industrial, 72 acres for light industrial and 22 acres for commercial uses.
The land is part of the McCarty Ranch that has been in operation since the 1880s.
Owner Mike McCarty said agriculture and citrus groves are no longer compatible with the residential areas that are coming into that area.
The neighbors raised concerns about possible hazardous materials using the nearby Florida East Coast Railroad. Other
concerns were more truck traffic, and the noise that comes from industrial operations.