Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill to change the state’s approach to handling offenses like truancy, running away and ungovernable behavior for at risk youth.
Sponsor Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis (D) said the bill will provide more services to at risk youth who are running away, skipping school and being unruly at home.
She said she wants to reduce the number of kids that are becoming delinquent or dependent in the state.
The bill will focus more on prevention for kids rather than punishment with more rehabilitation services.
It also enhances family access to medical care and other voluntary family service programs.
“It is about securing a future where our children are seen, supported and giving every chance to thrive. We aren’t just refining policy, we are reinforcing our collective responsibility to protect and empower our most vulnerable, our youth,” she said.
Okeechobee County has begun thinking of things to ask our state delegation when they meet here on Oct. 1 for the annual delegation meeting.
One of the projects they would like to fund is a planned expansion of the county administration building.
Commissioner Terry Burroughs said the county is struggling to do projects and he’s tired of that.
“We need to do things that will help us and not have to try and figure out how to pay for it with taxpayer money.
Burroughs said he would like a proposal to what it would cost to repair or enhance the administration building and put it as one of the county appropriations.
The increase in high speed chases continue in Florida this year despite tougher penalties on extreme speeders.
FHP has also relaxed policy to allow troopers more discretion when they pursue reckless and or speeding drivers.
Lt. Greg Bueno said drivers that refuse to stop for a simple traffic infraction are making a bad situation much worse.
“If you make a mistake, and a local agency or the FHP tries to stop you. You have to stop. A lot of our pursuits are individuals that are traveling at egregious, reckless and extreme speeds, or doing something extremely reckless like an impaired driver going the wrong way.”
Sending extreme speeders to jail and losing licenses for longer periods could make roads safer.
“We are supportive of anything that makes our road safer. We want our family, neighbors to get there safely. If every driver does their part, the fatality rate of losing 3000 lives or more each year, will go down in Florida.”
Five suspects were hunting violations after a gator was shot to death and placed in the bed of a pickup truck.
The incident on August 16 in the Viking Property began as the report of an alligator illegally captured.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says a street set line was used to capture the alligator. They found it still attached to the line.
Officers said a pickup truck with five people inside pulled into the area as they were investigating. The officer prevented the truck from leaving and found a second alligator in the bed of the truck.
It had been shot in the head.
Four of the suspects had no valid identification and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued detainers for them.
New Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said he won’t be changing his agriculture and marine unit and add manpower in the rural communities in southern Osceola just yet.
He will add more traffic enforcement. He wants to help make route 441, 60, and other rural roads safer in Kenansville and Yeehaw Junction.
“We have a large area to cover and down there it is so remote. It is our job to keep our people in the area where they think are issues. Criminality will survive in our day and age, it is our job to find those people, make charges and arrest those people.”
Blackmon said the former administration forgot about traffic enforcement.
“Traffic enforcement was my career as a former State Trooper. I don’t think that was a priority of the last administration.”