News Cast for January 31st:
Staying in prison
The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal denied the latest appeal for Enrique Arellano Medrano of Okeechobee.
He was convicted of first-degree murder in the brutal stabbing death of Angelica Delacruz on April 15, 2010 in the yard of a home on NW 8th Avenue in Basswood.
Jealousy was the motive behind the slaying, committed in front of the victim’s son.
The appeal was based on the performance of his attorney at trial.
Medrano claimed the state did not prove premeditation, an element of first-degree murder.
He also claims he’s been taken advantage of by other inmates and attorneys filing frivolous claims in his case.
He is serving life in prison.
The former Car Circus could become a car lot again.
The City of Okeechobee Board of Adjustments approved a special exception to allow the sale of vehicles on the property on the west side of US 441 north at the railroad tracks.
Property owner Alex Estremera said he thinks the business is an asset to the city and he’s never had any problems there.
“I was just hoping that we can get this done. It has been a lot of years I’ve had this property empty. I’m still paying taxes and I’m not benefiting from it.”
The only discussion from the committee was in regard to an alley on the edge of the property and the need for more landscaping.
The Florida Senate Agriculture Committee approved a bill that creates a dangerous dog registry in the state. It would make it easier for animal control and police to take custody of these dogs.
It would also require a $100,000 insurance policy for residents who own a home and own a dangerous dog.
Tom Rock lost his sister in a dog attack as she delivered the mail in north Florida.
He said these dogs had a long history of trouble.
“These dogs were not new to the neighborhood. They had a significant history. They had been visited by animal control and the sheriff at least three or four times. There was one victim that was bit multiple times and required 200 stitches. There was no teeth in the law so they could take possession of the threat right away.”
The Pahokee City Commission remains split with the latest issue a state ordered audit of the books.
Representative Rick Roth requested the audit to look at money meant to improve the city marina. The city recently held a ribbon cutting on nearly $1 million in improvements to the docks.
City attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks said the opposition uses the word corruption all the time and they need to stop because the term is racist.
“You don’t have corrupt people working in your system. There is no corruption that I’m aware of in the city.”
Martin County Sheriff Deputies handled a school bus crash on Tuesday afternoon.
It happened one mile east of SW Indiantown Avenue on state road 76.
There were no students injured onboard the bus. The driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital.