WOKC Local News – January 19, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. More on child abuse case with WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. Three children between the ages of 5 and 18 were victimized allegedly by their father, Terry Farmer. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro says the transient lived in Okeechobee for a time and also Fort Myers. Del Toro says the alleged abuse went on for a while. Quite a long time. I don’t know the exact specifics, you know, years, but, you know, anywhere from probably six to seven years going on right now. The man was living out of a vehicle. DCF started the investigation. Del Toro says there may be other victims as he had lived in other states and would like those people to come forward. South Florida Water Manager is committing another $50 million to install injection wells around Lake Okeechobee. Gil Smart told the governing board that ASR wells won’t do a thing to help the estuaries. We’re not fans of ASR wells, to put it mildly. We worry the water pumped into the wells could be contaminated by arsenic and other materials that could ultimately find their way into Lake O. The rural renaissance bill again passes the Florida Senate. Bill sponsor Corey Seidman predicts it gets through this year. Hope springs eternal for these communities. You know, I won’t go back and dive on last year. We’re on to a new year and a new year, new me, a new year, new rural communities. The House State Affairs Committee voted 15 to 6 on Thursday to approve a plan that would eliminate all non-school property taxes on homestead property in the next 10 years. Sponsor Monique Miller was asked if this will hurt renters and businesses across the state. It’s up to the voters to decide what they want for their communities. And so this is going to have an impact on reducing the cost of living for homesteaded properties, homesteaded owners, property owners in Florida. It does not contemplate other property owners in Florida, but they have a voice in their communities to decide how money is spent and how those costs are allocated. A new poll from Mason-Dixon found about half of Florida voters oppose eliminating non-school property taxes. If it gets on the ballot next year, it would have to get 60% support. Governor Ron DeSantis says the initiative would shift the property tax burden away from Florida residents. We’re going to focus on Floridian’s primary homesteaded residents. Most property tax, two-thirds of the revenue as is, is non-homestead residential and commercial properties. Two cocaine sales allegedly conducted by Cameron Carter, a local gang member, put him behind bars on a $120,000 bond. He allegedly sold two amounts of cocaine in two separate incidents at a convenience store. An Okachubi man who ran from Martin County deputies in a high-speed chase after allegedly shooting into an Okachubi home pled no contest and received three years in prison. 27-year-old Gustavo Morales Alvarado faced up to 12 years in jail. The incident was on November 1, 2024, off Farms Road. Three recent deaths on State Road 710 apparently did not stop an Okachubi man from driving drunk at 100 miles an hour on the road this week. 64-year-old James Perry is facing those allegations. Deputies say he was traveling 100 in a 60 zone that is marked no passing while towing a trailer. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).