News Cast 2/20

ByTaylor

February 20, 2024

News Cast for February 20th:

Two people were shot and injured as seven people were shooting a firearm at a tree Saturday night.

A report from Okeechobee County Sheriff Deputies did confirm one arrest for reckless discharge of a firearm.

A male was shot in the neck and a female in the leg but neither injury was considered life threatening.

The report did include the address of the name of the person arrested.

Okeechobee City police report some counterfeit $50 bills circulating.

They did post photos of two suspects, a black male and black female, who allegedly passed the bogus bills.

They are asking for people to contact Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers to earn a reward or call the police department asking for Detective Dray Pal.

Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers can be contacted at 1-800-273-8477.

A 55-year-old Miami woman died Monday in a traffic crash in Glades County.

The Florida highway patrol said a south bound Sport utility vehicle collided into the rear of a loaded log truck and trailer on US 27 near Woodward Road.

The driver of the SUV, a 60-year-old Miami man, was hospitalized with serious injury.

Releases from Lake Okeechobee began on Saturday.

The South Florida Water Management District got funding requests in on time for the 2024 water bill to fund the large LOCAR reservoir in Highlands County.

Many interests said the lake remains too high for this time of year. The releases will go west, east and south of the Lake.

Fishermen Scott Martin who won a recent bass tournament with 90 pounds of fish, said even despite his success, he remains worried about the lake’s future.

“We had over 250 from around the country visiting our beautiful lake and most of them were shocked at the amount of destruction they saw. They came to me during the tournament and said why is so Lake Okeechobee so ugly. What happened to Lake Okeechobee? Why is the water so muddy? Why can’t I catch any fish other than two to three spots around the lake? I said well it’s because we have no submerged vegetation.”

Activist Newton Cook said action has to be taken to save the lake. He said the amounts of bass taken during these

tournaments was indicative it was easy to find fish because they are only in one or two locations.

“The fish are all jammed up on the lake in little five acre spots on the lake. All you have to do is go there. They are trying desperately to find a place to spawn. They can’t because the corps has the lake too high and there is no vegetation and no clean water.”

Okeechobee County will make it easier to rent a vehicle at the airport. They will provide a peer-to-peer car sharing platform online where you can even rent your own vehicle out.

Airport manager John Hurst said there would not be any insurance liability for the county should there be an accident.

It would bring new revenue into the airport including a 10 percent concession fee, and a 25 dollar delivery fee.

ByTaylor