The Okeechobee County Chamber of Commerce introduced Samantha Watson as Executive Director this summer.
Watson is a Florida native who grew up in St. Lucie County and has a background in both business and agriculture.
“I’m super excited to be here and I’m very optimistic,” she said.
Watson was a teacher for three years. She focused on business administration and business law. She also shadowed chambers while in high school with Future Farmers of America and enjoyed her time. She started to think of it as a career in high school.
Watson also said she would like to have more of a social media presence with the chamber. “More getting out there, interviewing some of the businesses to help them get their names out there. Try and promote some more out of town business rather than just constant regulars.”
A lot of the businesses are very optimistic with several developments that are starting in western Fort Pierce, east Okeechobee, north Okeechobee and everywhere in between.
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested a semi-truck driver Tuesday for a traffic crash in Northern St. Lucie County at mile marker 171.
Harjinger Singh was attempting to make an illegal u-turn in an official use only lane in the north bound lane.
A sport utility vehicle also headed north bound slammed into the trailer of the truck and three people from South Florida were killed.
Singh was also an illegal alien.
He faces three counts of vehicular homicide. He had a valid commercial drivers license issued by the state of California.
St. Lucie County Commissioners may extend the amnesty period for code enforcement cases.
They would like to give residents more times to come into compliance, clean up their properties where applicable, and work out payment plans with the county.
Commissioner Kathy Townsend who represents much of western St. Lucie County said if they bring properties into compliance, they waive the costs, and they pay 10% of the lien.
“We started this to encourage people to clean up properties to come into compliance, give them a path forward to help them out, and its been very successful.”
St. Lucie might also encourage less fireworks and more drones next year.
Commissioner Larry Leet commended the city of Port St. Lucie offered a drone show in lieu of fireworks on July 4th. He said that is kinder to the trash piles and the environment than fireworks, especially on the beaches.
An Okeechobee man pled no contest to charges of methamphetamine possession.
Daryl Tomblin, 43, had been charged with trafficking 17 grams of methamphetamine in Basinger after a traffic stop near US 98 and NW 176th Avenue on April 29, 2024.
Tomblin served 462 days in jail and will pay $805 in court costs.
He lost his driver’s license months under terms of the plea.
Tomblin scored over five years in prison due to prior offenses for drug possession, grand theft motor vehicle, scheme to defraud, carrying a concealed firearm, dealing in stolen property and fleeing and attempting to elude police.