News Cast 3/16
News Cast for March 16th:
Late on the rent
Okeechobee County Commissioners are doing all they can to keep a manufacturing business at the industrial park.
Bautech USA has been behind schedule on lease payments.
Each time the commission opted to work with them to keep the business in town and employ local residents.
Commissioner Kelly Owens raised concerns about these delays. She said three times now the company has been behind schedule.
“I need assurances other than you standing there saying something because I’ve been hearing the same thing every time.”
The latest figure was placed a 31 thousand dollars owed to the county.
Company officials said the reason for the late payments are their major customer out of Broward County has been chronically late in paying them.
A death after a Seminole Tribe event on June 4, 2022 continues to be investigated in western Indian River County.
The body of a 42 year old man was found alongside State Road 60 near Yeehaw Junction.
Indian River deputies found the vehicle involved in the incident and have processed it at the crime lab.
Lt. Joe Abollo said the case is in the hands of the State Attorney.
He noted they know all they can know about the vehicle thanks to new technology.
“The suspect vehicle was heavily processed, not only the physical aspects of the vehicle but also some of the technology. Newer pickup trucks have features where a lot of the activity of the vehicle is tracked and monitored like the black box of an airplane.”
Lt. Abollo said it appeared an altercation occurred, alcohol was involved, the truck struck and killed the victim, and then fled the scene.
Two Polk County residents pled no contest to reduced drug charges after originally being charged with fentanyl trafficking.
26 grams of fentanyl was seized during a traffic stop on Everglades Boulevard in Treasure Island.
Saide Cerullo, 24 of Lake Alfred received two year’s probation for marijuana possession.
Victor Salas, 28 of Auburndale pled no contest to methamphetamine possession and fleeing and eluding police. He received 13 months in prison.
Anyone caught with four grams of more of fentanyl in Florida is subject to a minimum mandatory prison sentence. Over 28 grams can result in a life sentence and a $500,000 fine.
Foggy mornings and bike riding are not a good combination.
That the opinion of Highlands County Commissioner Scott Kirouac who said reduced visibility puts bike riders at risk.
Kirouac said time and time again he sees bicyclists on the side of the road during foggy mornings in his county and he worries that something tragic will happen.
He calls riding a bicycle in the fog is a bad choice.
“I just feel I’m making a choice that could affect a lot of people if tragedy strikes. You would not be the only victim. The person that hits you would be a victim also because they would have to live with that for the rest of their life.”
Glades County Sheriff deputies made several warrant arrests on felony battery related charges this week after a fight at Chalo Nitka on March 4th.
Sheriff David Hardin said felony charges have been filed against the suspects.
Hardin said a video was taken of the right which he called disturbing.
“I can’t elaborate on the nature of the injuries sustained and the type of battery. The videos that we obtained were very graphic and certainly disturbing to witness.”
The sheriff’s office in a Facebook post, said the fights began after the dance inside the Doyle Connor Building on March 4 and took place in a grassy area near the rodeo arena.
A couple of the fights were ‘very serious and people were rushed to the hospital for their injuries.”
Five suspects had been charged at last report.