News Cast for September 10th:
Will Basswood complain
Okeechobee County Commissioners objected to staff signing a lease with a new tenant at the airport.
Some on the commission felt left out of the loop.
The commissioners said they worry the tenant will create too much noise and upset the neighbors. Another concern was dust the operation might create.
Tangle Fox Trot Services plans to test airplane engines. In the future they propose an aircraft maintenance facility.
Chairman David Hazellief said the commission was not involved in the process.
“For some reason this was top secret and it didn’t come back to us. We are just an email or a phone call away. I’ve very disappointed we weren’t notified. I don’t intend for this to happen ever again.”
Airport manager Thomas Black said the company received permits to do business in July. He estimated the company could spent close to $200,000 per year at the airport with lease, tie downs and fuel purchases.
“This the first step in their business goals. They want to do a long term land lease and build a large hangar to bring engine overhaul and other aviation services to Okeechobee. This would provide jobs for the community.”
The county is putting in a new security system at the airport for $300,000.
An Okeechobee man was charged with sending sexually explicit comments and a nasty or lewd photo to a 13 year old girl.
Daniel Downard was held on three felony charges that include using a computer to seduce or solicit a child and lewd and lascivious conduct.
The child immediately shut off the communication and alerted an adult who contacted Okeechobee County Sheriff Deputies.
911 lines were down this morning in Okeechobee. A fiber line in town was damaged and was being repaired.
The 911 calls most likely will go to other counties and they will alert our county on the emergency.
$1.1 million in property damage was done by Sunday’s fire at Sanctuary 51.
Okeechobee County Deputy Fire Chief Justin Hazellief said crews battled that largest fire they have seen in quite awhile.
“It’s the largest one I can remember square footage wise. My bureau chief said it was the largest fire he had ever fought. It was pretty impressive.”
The cause was determined to be an ATV parked in the barn. They were able to get the exotic animals out unharmed.
“I’m just glad that none of the staff or the animals or our firemen were hurt. I was also glad we were able to keep it confined to one building.”
An estimated 75,000 to 80,000 gallons of water was used to put out the blaze, much of it provided by a tanker truck from Kenansville’s Osceola County Fire Rescue station.
Osceola county congressman Darren Soto said federal money will help build the largest solar plant in the world north of route 60. Florida power and light purchased 30,000 acres for the facility which ties in with the Okeechobee power plant.
Soto also helped get federal money and support for Tesla to develop a large electric charging facility in Yeehaw Junction.
Another project has been federal grants to improve broadband internet in rural areas like Yeehaw Junction and Kenansville.