News Cast for September 6th:
IRSC sets enrollment record for fall semester
Indian River State College has bucked national trends by increasing enrollment rather than losing students.
The Promise Program with two years of free tuition has increased the number of students in Okeechobee as well.
The report showed 15 percent of graduates from OHS went to IRSC before the Promise Program. The number of graduates increased to 44 percent from OHS in recent years.
Andy Treadwell said they have brought back more kids on campus as well since COVID.
27 percent of their students have taken at least one online course.
The efforts to develop a data center at the former Okeechobee school for boys continues. Recently the college completed a cultural resources study of the campus required by the state.
The Okeechobee Board of County Commissioners honored the Lake O Track and Field Athletes that competed in the junior Olympics this year. The national competition was held in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Aven Fonseca, Marqus Coleman, Nehemiah Evans, Calum Stephens, Camry Evans and Ja’Quan Bentley were honored with a resolution of appreciation and recognition.
The commission also honored the members of the OHS bass club that finished fifth in the nation at the Bassmaster High school national championships on Lake Chickamauga.
Those members included Finn Taylor, Tanner Seabolt, Ragyn Mohney and Hunter Daniels.
The commission also set EMS fire and garbage rates. They combined will increase your bill by $38.28. They are a total of $679.13.
The village of Indiantown signed a 20-year lease with Sedron Technologies to use 7 acres at the waste water treatment plan to take biosolids and residuals from waste water treatment plants.
It is expected to reduce land application of these bio products on pastures.
Village councilmember Janet Hernandez wanted to know if this will help or hurt residents predicting the facility will have foul odors and bother neighbors.
The village will receive $20,000 per month to lease the land.