News Cast for October 7th:

Storm headed to Florida

Hurricane Milton could be as strong as a category 4 when it strikes somewhere along Florida’s west coast this week.

In Okeechobee, schools will be closed Tuesday through Thursday. County government will shut down Tuesday at noon. Sand bags are available at the public works department.

In Glades County, schools are closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and county commissioners meeting today to declare a local state of emergency, they also have sand bags at the road department. They will open the West Glades Schools as a hurricane shelter on Tuesday at 1 pm.

Kenansville will open a shelter on Tuesday night at 5 pm at the community center.

The Brahman football game and homecoming festivities were rescheduled. The Brahmans will play Port St. Lucie on Oct.14. Homecoming week will be the week of Oct. 21-26.

National Hurricane Center meteorologist Michael Brennan said even interior counties will face some risks from Milton.

“The risk of hurricane conditions extends across much of the interior of the Florida peninsula as well as along the east coat from Lake Okeechobee, the Treasure Coast and up to the Cape Canaveral, St. Augustine and Jacksonville.”

Florida governor Ron DeSantis declared a disaster emergency for 51 counties. He said there is still a lot of uncertainty on whether the storm will go.

He said now is the time to prepare.

4 juvenile females at Yearling Middle School were arrested for allegedly making threats to other students in a group chat.

The schools urge parents to be more vigilant in checking their child’s online activity in social media and snap chat and Tik Tok.

Officials advise parents to advise about the importance of handling emotions in a healthy way and warn of the severe consequences of making threats online.

Authorities said threats are no longer a joke.

The sheriff and schools have a zero-tolerance policy for threats of serious bodily harm or murder.

The South Florida Water Management District said an application for a rock mine in the Everglades was withdrawn. They also learned that farmers reduced nutrients from the Everglades Agriculture Area by 46 percent this year.

Governing Board member Ben Butler gave reports on two recent public meetings on the lower Kissimmee storm water treatment area in Okeechobee and the Kissimmee headwaters revitalization schedule.

He said most of the public concern was flood protection as the district plans to hold higher water levels in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and Lake Okeechobee.

Martin County Sheriff elect Jon Budensiek is expecting more operations and immigration checks in the future. An operation in Booker Park found 20 illegal aliens.

Budensiek said some were convicted felons, while others have been deported before.

Budensiek said the new Tera Lago development will provide some badly needed housing for sheriff deputies and also impact their jobs.

He said 2,600 new homes will double the population of Indiantown and likely require the hiring of additional deputies.

ByTaylor