News Cast for February 18th:
Okeechobee County Commissioners agreed to consider an ordinance that has been deemed the “The Dark Sky” Ordinance.
The ordinance would regulate exterior lighting in northern Okeechobee County, specifically around the Viking Property and the Kissimmee Prairie State Park.
Commissioner Terry Burroughs supported the ordinance and predicted it would not have huge impacts on future growth in north Okeechobee.
“If its an existing development and has existing lights, then you have a new development next door to it, you’re going to make them use these lights? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Mayor Dowling Watford lobbied for the regulations and contends the park is an asset to the community and a draw for tourists interested in star gazing.
The park also is designed a dark sky park.
Watford said some Floridians can no longer see the stars because of light pollution.
“To think one day I could go outside and not see the stars just breaks my heart,” he added.
One person died in a head on collision that led to a fire on route 710 in western Martin County Saturday night.
Sheriff deputies said a pickup truck and a van collided head on at the intersection of Silver Fox Road.
It is the fourth serious accident on 710 since the beginning of February.
The fatality was a 60 year old woman, no address given.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said deputies had just completed a DUI arrest near this intersection of a motorist allegedly driving in the wrong lane of 710 before this crash occurred.
Congressman Scott Franklin (Fl-18) filed a bill that is designed to streamline the grant and loan process for small governments.
He maintains that big cities have an advantage with large staffs capable of filling out all the paperwork and do the research to find grants and federal funding opportunities.
All of his cities and counties would benefit from the bill.
“The big urban areas have large teams of grant writers that understand where the money is hidden. They find ways to shake the bushes. Our small communities, even if they know about the opportunities, find it hard to have the staff members to put the requests together.”
Cities and counties under 50,000 population would qualify for a streamlined grand process that is simpler and easier for the city.
Okeechobee County began construction on the airport parking lot expansion Monday.
The project will increase the number of parking spaces from 30 to 90 at the airport.
The construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025.
The county urged residents to pay attention to all the construction signs, use caution, and follow all detour signs.