News Cast for June 9th:
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners and Martin Metropolitan Transportation Organization have both placed the widening of state road 710 as the number one road priority in the county.
Commissioner Stacey Herrington mentioned a recent school bus accident on a remote section of the road that proves the road still poses a danger.
“The bus had stopped on 710 and had all its lights on when a box truck slammed on its brakes and ended up hitting the bus. A semi-truck then nearly hit the box truck.”
There were no serious injuries reported.
Herrington said there was a student entering onto the bus at the time and likely narrowly avoided injury. “We need to document that and let FDOT know this is an ongoing hazard. This could have been a very different story with many injured passengers and or fatalities, this is just completely unacceptable.”
Okeechobee Commission Chairman David Hazellief said there is not 100 percent unanimous support for the way commissioners have been trying to end the attacks, combative and inappropriate behavior of first amendment advocates at commission meetings.
Hazellief said he has heard comments of opposition to how the county has now started to trespass the violators from the court house for one year.
“Right now, we have a cancer eating at this community. I know we can figure out how to stop this. I know how we would have stopped it years ago.”
He went on to state it has become a divisive issue.
“A lot of people say its our fault, a lot of people say its other people’s fault. Everyone has a different opinion on it.”
Hazellief said he wants to work it out and bring the community back together.
“This his Okeechobee we all love each other, we work together and we will continue to do that.”
A Florida Highway Patrol Sgt was shot at making a traffic stop on I-95 near Midway Road Sunday morning, officials said.
A 29 year old Miami Gardens man, not yet identified, allegedly fled from Hillsborough County deputies and was later spotted on I-95 headed north bound.
The trooper attempted a traffic stop which led to a short chase on the interstate. The trooper conducted a pit maneuver to end the chase.
The suspect then started shooting multiple rounds at the trooper. He was not struck or injured.
Other agencies from St. Lucie County responded as back up and the suspect was taken into custody after a brief standoff.
The suspect was transported to HCA Raulerson Hospital with non-life threatening injury.
The interstate was closed for several hours as lawmen conducted the crime scene investigation.
Florida voters will likely have a vote next year on whether to give farmers a tax break on land they use.
The legislature voted to place a constitutional amendment question on the ballot that would exempt tangible property from taxes on agriculture land used for agriculture production or tourism.
The measure enjoyed near unanimous support, 37-0 in the senate and 111-1 in the house.
The amendment must earn 60 percent of the voters to pass.