News Cast for April 1st:
EPA Helps Farmers
The US Environmental Protection Agency created the new office of agriculture and rural affairs.
Administrator Michael Regan said they want to improve communication and give more economic opportunities to America’s farmers and ranchers.
Spokesperson Rod Snyder said one of the focus’ will be climate friendly agriculture.
“Cover crops, no till, methane capture from manure, enhanced efficiency fertilizer with fewer emissions. There are new funds available through EPA and USDA to help farmers enhance this work and really reduce emissions.”
He notes more emphasis is being placed on indoor and urban agriculture as well.
Congressman Scott Franklin voted against the budget deal in congress. He noted there was never any chance of a border security deal during an election year. He also questions the plan ahead for the Ukraine.
Franklin said he supports giving the Ukraine military supplies and weapons but no boots on the ground.
“We put measures in place so there is more accountability for the aid we have been giving them. In the future if we chose to help the Ukraine, the most it should be is military hardware.”
He said the Biden administration is more willing to secure the borders of other nations than they do our own.
Franklin said he does not approve of what Putin is doing in Ukraine and we need to support democracies.
He said he would like to see more of a long range plan for the UW involvement in the Ukraine.
Glades County Schools and the Sheriffs office are asking input from residents there on the Guardian program. The onlin survey closes today.
They are discussing arming additional school staff, or volunteers, or maybe adding a second deputy at each school.
The sheriff’s office received a grant to do the training.
A small plane crashed at the Treasure Coast International Airport on route 68 Saturday afternoon just after 1 pm, St. Lucie Fire Rescue said.
One person died and one person was hospitalized.
The NTSB is investigating.
A neighborhood dispute in Lorida involves over $350,000 in code enforcement fines.
Other complaints are photographing children, aggressive dogs, and trespassing.
Resident Ricky O’Neill said the neighbor has no regard for the law or his neighbors. He said the neighbor is currently building a fence without a permit and is putting cows on the small property.
County Commissioner Don Elwell said the county is doing stuff on these issues but the wheels of justice have been moving really slow for these residents.
The neighborhood is Underwood Terrace.
The issues were discussed during public comment at a recent Highlands County Board of County Commissioners meeting.
The sheriffs office said they had responded to two calls in this neighborhood regarding this neighbor. On December 28, 2022, a resident reported to a deputy that the neighbor had been taking pictures of children as they walk down the street.
On April 14, 2023, the neighbor was listed as the victim of an alleged battery with his 24-year-old neighbor. No charges were filed.
Family, friends and law enforcement were on hand to unveil the marker for Kyle Patterson highway during a roadside ceremony on Friday.
A segment of the road was named after the FWC Senior Investigator who was killed by a wrong way driver on route 70 near County Road 613 in June, 2022.