Busy detour begins today
Traffic bottlenecks are probably along South Parrott Avenue this month.
Construction detours will begin today at the intersection of SE 4th Street.
Southbound traffic on South Parrott Avenue will be redirected onto SW 5th Street.
Northbound traffic on Parrot Avenue will be detoured to SW 3rd Street.
City Police will be on hand to assist motorists.
Law enforcement in St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties are not optimistic they will find stolen horses taken in November from ranches.
One horse was stolen on Nov. 8 in St. Lucie and three in Okeechobee on Nov. 9, authorities said.
Law enforcement has urged people to keep a closer eye on their pets and farm animals, and to record and take photos if they see suspicious activity on or near their property.
Detectives have been scanning hundreds of hours of video tapes taken from surveillance cameras near these thefts.
St. Lucie sheriff Keith Pearson said several hundred people have called in tips to his agency.
“More than likely the animal in our county was put on the black market and sold for meat.”
Pearson said his agency won’t give up and will continue to pursue leads in the case.
“This many days later, the reality of it is I don’t think we are going to find this horse but I hope to God that we do. In the event we are able to locate the suspects responsible for this we will hold their accountable and make sure they are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen said the horse owners were broken hearted by the theft of the three horses. He said agriculture units across the state have been investigating similar complaints.
“We have a lot of people that move here because they love our rural setting and they love to have those animals. When a horse withers, just like we do when we are in our 80s, that is where a horse is in their 30s. They just want to live out their old age and go on to heaven just like us.”
The Animal Recovery Mission offered a $25,000 reward leading to information in these cases.
Horse owners are advised to ensure your property is secure, double-check all gates, fences and barns routinely and check for any security vulnerabilities. Also check your property for any sign of tampering with locks.
They also request you keep your horse records up to date with recent photos, microchip information, and registrations.
Okeechobee Police rolled out new body cameras for offices in November.
Police said it should help solve crimes, provide valuable evidence to prosecutors, reduce the number of bogus complaints against officers, and hold officers accountable at the same time.
Sgt. Jarret Romanello said it will also help witnesses and victims of crimes, “If we are trying to get video surveillance, we can send a link to a victim and that victim or witness can upload the evidence. It will make the collection of evidence much quicker for police officers and detectives.”
He said all patrolmen were equipped with the cameras that were purchased by the city earlier this year.
“We are very happy about the evidence that these cameras will collect. It will help promote transparency within our police department that ultimately creates trust in our community while holding our officers and the public accountable.”
The Town of Lake Placid will welcome a regional distribution center.
The Town Board approved a 25 acre project along US 27 that could result in 120,000 square feet of industrial space.
The applicant did not announce what companies they expect to bring to town or the number of jobs they plan to create.
The applicant wants to begin construction early next year and have the facility ready to operate by the end of 2025.