WOKC Local News – December 02, 2025, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. County project complete with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. Okeechobee County announced their lobby renovations at the building department are complete. The community development lobby at 1700 Northwest 9th Avenue reopening this morning. It’ll be open now from 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. going forward. They have services including planning and zoning, building permits and code enforcement. Okeechobee City Hall will have some changes. Gary Ritter announcing he intends to retire next year in June. He wants the city to hire his replacement early in 2026 so he can work with them and get him ready or her ready to lead the city. The city is also losing longtime general services director Patty Burnett to retirement. The city announced they’ve issued 28 certificate of occupancies for Mallard Landing Homes and they’ve also recently issued a permit for Culver’s Restaurant. A motorcyclist recently lost his life on the Treasure Coast, did not wear his helmet. The Florida Highway Patrol urges motorists to keep an eye out for these motorcycles and for motorcyclists to make sure that people can see your bike. Stay vigilant. Some people are very distracted and they’re not seeing your bike. To have as many lights as possible that’s legal attached to the bike or properly working on the bike. Prosecutors need higher salaries. South Seattle State Attorney Office Executive Director Camille Terry wanting attorneys to be paid $95,000 per year. They’re requesting 13 new prosecutors in that office. She says there’s a lot of turnover. They likely stay about five years because of the low salary. That leaves a lot of inexperienced prosecutors. We have these babies that are being promoted and they’re doing felony cases, rapes, violent crimes and they’re not ready. The Gators have their next football coach. State Director Scott Strickland introduced John Summerall as their new coach. He head coached at Tulane and will be allowed to finish the season with the Green Wave. They’re 10-2 and will play in the American Conference Championship game this weekend. Four firefighters were arrested and removed from their jobs in Marion County after they kidnapped, robbed and battered a fellow first responder. Pierre Billy Woods called it a hazing incident. He says Edward Kenney, Seth Day and Tate Trothwine faced charges, along with 25-year-old Kaylee Bradley. Woods says the four tried to get the victim’s phone so they could watch a TikTok video. The whole thing began because the four that arrested or individuals at the firehouse wanted a video from TikTok that the victim had. Florida can now enforce its 2024 law restricting social media access for children. A federal appeals court lifted a June injunction that found the policy likely unconstitutional. It allows the state to begin requiring parental consent for 14 and 15-year-olds and to ban most platforms for children under 14.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).