News Cast October 31st:
Schools mostly spared by the storms
Okeechobee Schools solved more problems than they faced from the tornadoes. The only noticeable damage to facilities was a fence down at Seminole Elementary.
400 people stayed at shelters opened by the schools at Osceola Middle and South Elementary.
The district also provided hot showers for the public who were without power.
Superintendent Dylan Tedders said operating shelters is no vacation for staff.
“People think once you close school you go on vacation and have time off. No. When we close schools we immediately open shelters. We have administrators, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, we man those shelters. We are there to protect our facility and we have Red Cross support.”
The district does not have to add any instruction days in the first semester due to the closure of schools.
Three people died in a head on collision in Glades County.
The accident around 6:30 am on Wednesday west of Palmdale on State Road 29 near Chaparral Avenue.
A 37 year old Lehigh Acres in a pickup truck. was north bound, crossed the center line and caused the collision with another pickup, troopers said.
Also killed were two Labelle men, ages 24 and 26. Another LaBelle man, age 37, was in critical condition at Gulf Coast Medical Center.
The three men who died were not wearing seat belts, the one who survived did.
The two occupants in the other truck, both from Polk County, were not hurt.
The Florida Highway Patrol continued to investigate this.
An animal complaint turns into a dead cow in a ditch in the 16700 block of North West 268th Street. County firemen arrived to find the cow still smoking after it had been set on fire.
Animal control is investigating.
The initial call was someone had dumped a cow there and started it on fire.
Martin County’s new sheriff John Budensiek said there have been no traffic fatalities this year on either Martin Grade or route 710.
“That is not because there hasn’t been opportunity after opportunity in a negative way for something catastrophic to occur. People are still driving poorly. Our deputies have issued literally hundreds of citations.”
Budensiek said there is still a lot of dangers even though passing lanes have been added.
“That road is busier now than ever. A lot of large trucks, people passing, people passing when they shouldn’t be passing.”
He points out they will continue to emphasize traffic enforcement out of the Indiantown substation when he takes office in January.
He has seen more issues with cell phones leading to traffic disputes and road rage.
Okeechobee firemen help out Glades County firemen put out a 10-acre wildfire south of Buckhead Ridge on October 24 at 7 pm.
The fire happens in the 25342 state road 78. There were no homes or buildings threatened.
The cause of the fire was listed as heat from an open flame.
Some minor damage done by a structure fire sparked by a vape pen left charging on a bed. The estimate of damage at $5,000.
The fire happens at 914 North West 11th Street. There were no injuries. The American Red Cross assisted the six people living in the home.