WOKC Local News – December 22, 2025, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. One cleared in Douglas Park shooting with WOKC News. Charles Murphy prosecutors opted not to charge Drayton Billy of Brighton with second-degree murder for a November 2nd of 2024 shooting near Wright’s Plaza. James McElroy and Mac Mitchell Jr. were hospitalized. It was an apparent dispute over a dirt bike or some gambling. Others facing charges in the shooting are Robert Futch and Sheldon Fortune. Both Mitchell and McElroy didn’t know who shot them and didn’t want to press charges. Far House Speaker Paul Renner is having a rough time in the polls as he runs for governor. He says he would be a big supporter of rural areas like Okeechobee if he’s elected. He supports widening Route 70, for example. He says the state needs to do what it can to benefit rural areas. A place like Okeechobee is a wonderful place to live, to raise a family. It’s safer, less traffic, less crime. And so we need to just make sure people know that that’s an option and you don’t want to be overrun either. But we want to make sure that there’s money flowing there, there’s good jobs for people to stay in those counties. Renner says he intends to campaign in every county in Florida, including Okeechobee, and win the voters over with his policies. The Sentinel Grove Data Center is certainly controversial in western St. Lucie County. The planning board is recommending against the land use map change on 1,218 acres on Route 68 near Minute Maid Road. Nearby neighbors are worried about traffic, light pollution disrupting the agriculture operations nearby, and the large use of water. Patty Tobin told the planning board she doesn’t want her neighborhood changed. The intent is to maintain the rural agricultural character along Orange Avenue. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis handed out checks at the Sebring Airport yesterday. We got nearly $5 million, $2.7 million for the county for bridge repairs, $1.2 million for the city, and $1 million for the OUA. DeSantis also continues to want to eliminate property taxes and also is proposing to eliminate tolls on Florida roads for Florida residents. I want my people right now who are here, who are residents, to get relief. That’s what I’m looking to do. The Okeechobee Value Adjustment Board turned down some ag exemption requests on three properties. The Jamila Ranch and the Zerif Ranch were ranches that were sold in 2024. The new owner, Ian Kish, did not keep the property’s bona fide agriculture operations. Although he did put in some cows, repaired some fence, and added 80 sheep and some donkeys, he didn’t do it in time by January 1st. Member of the Value Adjustment Board, County Commissioner Brad Goodbred, says the county gave the new owner time to add these ag activities. Actually, I was trying to figure out a way to try to help, but it seems like there was plenty of time between the closing date and January 1st to build fence and put some cows on it. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).