News Cast for October 16th:
The Okeechobee County School Board and county expressed interest in a land swap.
The schools want to use permanently the land north of Country Cooler for a parking lot to serve Okeechobee High School.
The county could always use land near the sports complex in return. There was discussion about the value of the land being equal of close to equal.
Superintendent Dylan Tedders said the deal appears to work for both local governing bodys.
An attempted manslaughter arrest in Glades County.
It follows a stabbing inside a residence on Avenue K in Moore Haven.
Glades County Sheriff Deputies said 32-year-old Danielle Johnson said to have stabbed Jeremy Smith in the right abdomen, apparently without provocation.
Smith had to be flown to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center for surgery.
The village of Indiantown is seeking grants and funding to upgrade their sports facilities.
The Mayor Carmine DiPaolo said he doesn’t want tractor trailers and heavy equipment going onto the fields and damaging them.
The organizers of Swamp Fest in Booker park object because they claim they won’t be able to use the upgraded field.
Kimberly Jackson Brown said the event bent over backward to comply with the village regulations.
“I don’t understand where the hoopla is right now because you don’t have anywhere for us to go. We are not going to be forced out of our community. That is going to be a fight.”
Resident Laura Hernandez said Indiantown has become a dictatorship with no regard for what the public wants.
“IF you take Swamp Fest out of Booker Park it is no longer Swamp Fest. So why are you limiting this? Are you targeting a group? You hypocrites. First take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye.”
The city of Okeechobee getting closer to approving a new 7 Brews coffee shop.
The planning board recommended approval of the rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment for the property that will be on 70 east near SE 8th Avenue.
The planning board had concerns at an August meeting about traffic flows and backups.
Member Mac Jonassaint said he still thinks there will be traffic problems on 8th Avenue and also at the intersection with NE Park Street.
“I have some issues with this because it doesn’t address the long term effect on local residents and traffic. When you are leaving that establishment that will cause some serious problems.”
The applicant has enlarged the land being used and promised to make more room so cars can stack on the property at the dual drive thru windows and not be standing on 8th Avenue.