WOKC Local News – August 12, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Helping the airboaters. With WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. Okeechobee County has had quite the ordeal working with a grant to put in a new airboat launch at Lock 7. Justin Nelson, their assistant county administrator, says he continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers to finalize the airboat launch. He says there’ll be plenty of room for airboats at Lock 7. So we will still have a significant amount of dry launch area there. I mean, we’re taking a very minimal amount of dry launch out with the actual airboat launch. The county also hoping to get the OUA to have their contractor resurface segments of Eagle Bay Drive that were damaged in recent years by utility projects. County Commissioner Terry Burroughs speaks the obvious about the condition of the road. But Eagle Bay Drive needs to be repaved. Operation Slowdown included Okeechobee County deputies this summer. The deputies put out a safety message on Facebook so you can safely navigate a traffic stop. Deputy Alexandra Burrell says deputies don’t want any problems with motorists alongside the road. We know it’s been a long day or night. One of the main reasons of traffic stops is usually to inform and educate to keep our roads safe. Once we’re complete with that, we normally send you on your way, if everything checks out. Her advice is to have your documents ready for the deputy, acknowledge, slow down, pull over quickly and be courteous. Osceola County has a sex offender operation called Operation Silver Spurs. Of 126 arrested, the US Marshals Service also took part. Bill Berger says they have 700 sex offenders in Osceola County. So about one in five were arrested in this checkup. The individuals targeted in this operation are all either convicted or pleaded guilty to sex offenses. They all knew they would be designated as sexual offenders and they were required to register and report their temporary or permanent residence and failure to do so would result in their apprehension and arrest. Investigators say many of the offenders provided false information on their vehicles and residences, cell phones and social media accounts. An animal hoarding case involving 36 border collies in Palm City. Paige McDonald, a 62 year old Martin County resident will be facing multiple felony charges. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek described some of the conditions his deputies found in the home yesterday. The food bowls, the water bowls in there are covered in feces. The animals themselves, the dogs, which are supposed to be border collies, beautiful dogs are covered in feces. They’re supposed to be white and black dogs and they’re solid black from the feces. The Martin County shelter will be taking care of the animals and preparing them for re-adoption. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).