WOKC Local News – June 18, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. The muck removers. With WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. The River Coalition heard presentations from firms that are trying to remove muck out of Lake Okeechobee. The Army Corps of Engineers says so far they haven’t had any appropriations to do the job. Jim Moyer told the group they’re considering treating the lake with alum. Alum, or aluminum sulfate, is used in lakes to reduce phosphorus levels, control algae blooms, and improve water clarity. Mark Perry says he wants to get the muck removed as soon as possible. The answer is it’s going to cost a lot, and it’s going to cost a lot more if we don’t do it as soon as possible. So the sooner we do it, the less it’s going to cost. And it’s just going to be just astronomical when the bill hits it. Indian Town Village Council approved the planned unit development of 5,700 acres for Florida Power and Light southwest of the village. The desorial project details have not been outlined. The land has also been annexed into the village. Some have feared it will become a data center project. Many have spoken out at numerous public hearings. Mayor Carmine DePaulo says FPL remains a supporter of Indian Town. They’ve always been a leader in helping the community. They’re not going to hurt the community. They’re actually doing us a favor by applying for this PUD. Otherwise, they could take that property and do whatever they want to do with it. Water, noise, and power are the main concerns of data center opponents. The Silver Fox 606 data center was pulled from consideration Thursday, but a new data center has been proposed on Warfield Boulevard. Central Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost continues his battle with ICE. He’s urged Orlando to throw out all of the ICE agents, and he wants ICE agents to quit their jobs. He does not support funding any kind of domestic security. He also wants a complete investigation into the death of 19-year-old Royer Perez Jimenez’s death at the Glades Detention Center in Moorhaven this spring. Frost says he believes all people are Americans. United in rejecting ICE and rejecting what it represents to our community. A man was trespassed from a church when he started to parade a staff member. The man had gone to a church on 70 East asking for the pastor, and when they told him the pastor was not there that day, he became belligerent and began to call them racial slurs. A problem among neighbors on Southwest 35th Court. Deputies say they saw Rena Boswell throwing bags of dog feces on the neighbor’s yard and refusing to pick it up. She refused to talk to deputies at first. She also threw a bag of feces at deputies. She’s facing charges that include resisting arrest and assault on a sheriff’s deputy. Oogachobee County commissioners will celebrate renovations they’ve done to the Alderman Building today by the ceremony at 8 a.m. A man asked a trooper for a ride even though he was possessing narcotics at the time. Terrence Harper had been in a traffic crash near the Fort Drum Service Plaza and asked the trooper to take him to the service plaza. They found about two and a half grams of marijuana on the suspect. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).