News Cast for October 4th:
Teen killer wants out of jail
Another appeal for convicted killer Kevin Cutts. The Okeechobee man was convicted in 1996 of murdering a local mother, Elisabeth Hatfield, while her infant slept beside her, was under 18 at the time of the slaying and had a resentence hearing for that a few years ago.
Cutts now is entitled to a further review after serving 25 years. He’s pushing 30 years behind bars. He is serving the sentence at the Bowling Green Correctional Facility in Hardee County.
The next hearing date is December 4th. An earlier hearing was postponed.
Cutts is now 47 years old. The co defendant who encouraged him to shoot the woman, Ryan Harris, has long been since released from prison. Harris was convicted of manslaughter and received seven years.
Later he was convicted of a sex crime with a child in north Florida. He was released from prison but is under state supervision until 2033.
President Joe Biden took a helicopter tour and beach walking tour in North Florida to see the damage done by Hurricane Helene.
Biden promised to make residents and businesses whole again with federal funding.
He said FEMA will stay until the work is done.
“Three storms in a row, you have been through hell. I want you to know, I see you, I hear you, I agree with you and I promise you we have your back.”
The U.S House Committee on Veterans Affairs takes testimony on congressman Scott Franklin’s bill to prevent the VA from abruptly stopping health coverage to veterans.
It is called the Continuity in Veterans Health Act.
Franklin said he has seen a reduction in health care benefits for veterans which is upsetting.
“The primary duty of this panel is to insure these brave Americans receive the best care and the benefits they’ve earned. Despite the sacrifice veterans and their families have made there are reports they are being cut off from the services the VA is obligated to provide them.”
Franklin said the VA has been pushing veterans back into VA facilities from community care providers without consideration for continuity of care when deciding in the veterans best medical interest. This cuts off veterans from long term treatment plans and providers they trust.
“It is difficult to build a rapport with a provider. They the veterans are forced to find a new provider and that creates gaps in care,” he added.
Brightline and the city of Stuart may not be done. The city commission supported trying to renegotiate with the rail system for a downtown train station.
Resident Nina Brodie points out that Stuart always wanted this train station.
Other residents want a better deal negotiated without having to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to build the station.
Supporters said it will create new customers for businesses downtown while also reducing traffic on local roads and I-95.
An Okeechobee man was in the Glades County jail for allegedly breaking down a door, damaging a vehicle and threatening to kill a Glades deputy.
37-year-old Joshua Cummings was facing charges related to threats to law enforcement and burglary.
Deputies said the domestic squabble occurred south of 70 west on Fulford Camp Road.
They arrived to find the suspect covered in blood. Deputies said alcohol may have been a factor.
The report quoted Cummings with telling the deputy, “Me and my boys are going to hunt you down and kill you.”
Two people were unhurt after their single engine plan made an emergency landing in a cattle pasture in North West Okeechobee County.
Fire Chief Earl Wooten was among the first on the scene and found the airplane in a small pond on the property.
He carried a female out of the swampy terrain to safety.
Okeechobee deputies also responded. They said neither of the occupants were injured.