Okeechobee County Commissioners rezoned 1,100 acres for an industrial project west of town.
The site is currently vacant cattle pasture on the north side of route 70, about two miles west of US 98 and one mile west of Dewberry Gardens.
Commissioner Brad Goodbread said this could bring in high paying jobs to Okeechobee.
“Usually with industrial sites and industrial businesses there are much higher paying jobs than in the retail sector.”
County Planner Bill Royce said one of the land has been developed yet. He noted there is 200 acres adjoining this ready to develop.
“It will be first come first serve when development begins. The applicant would like some mixed use development ultimately with some commercial, industrial and residential.”
The Okeechobee Utility Authority held a budget workshop to fine tune the spending plan for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
They have proposed a four percent salary hike for employees, four percent rate hikes for water and sewer and a five percent overall budget increase.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection wants the OUA to improve the surface water plant.
That might cost millions of dollars.
They have 10 years to make the upgrades.
Executive Director John Hayford said the FDEP was not able to show the utility how they are impacting nutrients in the water.
“IF we don’t have nutrients in the water and were talking about a very small amount of nutrients, then the ranchers are going to add more fertilizer.”
An Okeechobee sex offender faces six new felony charges.
Okeechobee Sheriff Detectives investigated claims against Shane Travis Harper, 39, that he had activity online that is not allowed under terms of his probation.
Harper was convicted in 2024 of two felony sex crimes in Chambers County, Alabama.
The arrest affidavit said Harper had arguments online with other users and that he had four Facebook pages.
The charge is failure to report an internet ID web page or application. He was held on $60,000 bond.
The smishing scam related to text message or cell phone calls have picked up recently.
Osceola County Sheriff Deputies have raised awareness and asked residents to never respond to suspicious texts and phone calls.
They advise the public to delete the message immediately, block the number that sent the message, verify any claims independently by looking on the company official website or contact information and report the scam to the Federal Communications Commission.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he’s ready to back legislation that would allow Floridians to openly carry firearms in public.
Lt. Governor Jay Collins and Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka support the plan as a way to expand gun rights.
Opponents argue it could increase public tension and safety risks. Some gun shop owners see open carry as a deterrent, but others say it’s unnecessary with concealed carry already in place.
The proposal has repeatedly failed in the past, but DeSantis is urging lawmakers to take it up again in the 2026 session that begins in January.