News Cast for August 28th:
TDC approves budget
The Okeechobee Tourist Development Council plans to spend $140,000 in promotions and $95,000 in advertising local events in the coming year.
The list of events lined with rodeo and horse events at the Ag Center and fishing tournaments and series on the lake.
The events at county facilities will now be charged $142 per hour for EMS.
Monica Clark would like more advertising of the battle of Okeechobee.
“I think this is a worth while event I just think they need help with advertising the event. I really don’t believe enough people know that its happening.”
The festival is held in February each year and marks the re-enactment of the Christmas Day, 1837 battle of Okeechobee.
Chairman Brad Goodbread had a concern about $20,000 for the Florida junior high rodeo series.
TDC Coordinator Denise Whitehead said it would be a struggle for the event to continue in Okeechobee but she hoped they could work somethings out.
David DeSai said he’d like to see more information on the impact on the economy and tourism these events have. He said they may be funding too many rodeos.
“We have a lot of rodeo event grants that we are giving out and I think there are areas where we need to be a little bit tougher.”
The tourist tax mostly comes from motels and hotel stays.
The TDC will also help sponsor the Jack Links Cup competition at Quail Creek and the Yeehaw Junction Music Fest.
The Lower Kissimmee Stormwater treatment area project will be the subject of two workshop meetings today at Indian River State College.
The first starts at 2 pm and the second at 5:30 pm at the Williamson Center.
South Florida Water Management District staff will be on hand to answer questions.
Levels in Lake Okeechobee are 15 inches lower this year than they were last August.
The lake has risen seven inches in the past month.
There were few problems with algae this year.
Major Cory Bell said there is little to no water leaving the lake, as even to the south, there is no room in the reservoirs.
A Highlands County jury deadlocked in a murder trial of Virgil West of Lorida.
They found him guilty of shooting into a vehicle and evidence tampering.
They couldn’t reach a verdict on 1st degree murder and attempted 1st degree murder charges.
That case could be retried and was set for a hearing on Sept 4.
Shawn Ziegler was shot to death and Carrie Leaphart was shot and injured on July 15, 2015 on White Oak Road in Lorida after they had a verbal confrontation with West.
He will be sentenced on the other charges on October 4th.
Also in the courts, a drug trafficking charge reduced against an Okeechobee woman in Port St. Lucie.
Sierra McMullen was sentenced to three years of probation for selling over 14 grams of methamphetamines for $300 in November 2021 at a Publix plaza.
Cops were watching and recording the transaction.
Her co defendant Derrick Sheltra was sentenced to 30 months in prison. He’s already out of jail and facing new crack cocaine charges after a July traffic stop in St. Lucie County.