WOKC Local News – May 22, 2026, 7:41 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. It’s halfway there with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. After several years of listening sessions across the state, the U.S. House has passed a farm bill. It’s now in the U.S. Senate. Democrats have some concerns about a lack of SNAP or food stamp programs and a lack of emergency disaster aid. Congresswoman Angie Craig. Do we want to lower costs for farmers, working people, or do we want to protect pesticide companies that lock in cuts to food assistance at a time when grocery prices are spiking? Osceola County has lifted their burn ban. Their drought index has been going down in the past seven days. Residents are strongly encouraged to continue exercising caution when conducting any outdoor burns or discharging fireworks. The city of Stewart is still interested in that Brightline station. Martin County is now considering property for that. Will there be enough parking is what the city is wondering. Councilmember Cameron Rich and former mayor Christopher Collins had these opinions on Brightline parking. It’s on county land. It’s in the city. I agree. They’re going to have to come in front of us. I agree with Mr. Baggett’s recommendation to send it to the county. I would not potentially throw a wrench into that grant application. It’s not a wrench. You’re making sure they can adequately park the project. They’re aware of that obligation. Apparently not. They didn’t include proper parking in their grant application. State Forest Service officials say lightning from summer thunderstorms will be picking up adding to all the wildfire activity. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson says since January we’ve had 2,100 wildfires that have burned over 35,000 acres in the state. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Angolia says they had some rain recently but it’s not enough. But we need to make sure that we’re putting common sense first, making sure that we do not start and spark these additional wildfires because of the drought that we are going in, that we are in right now. We know that we have had some rain over the past couple of days but that is nowhere near what is needed to fill our reservoirs and make sure that the ground is saturated enough to quell any potential fires. A boat accident didn’t leave any injuries but had some hard feelings near the Scott Driver boat ramp. One boat was going about 30 miles an hour when it hit another boat. The boat operator of a 2025 Tracker Marine said the other boat, a 2018 Skeeter Florida Hull, did not have proper lighting. Other than exchanging words, there was no real harm done. A freshman had to be disciplined and suspended after he boasted of having a bomb in his book bag. It turned out to be a laser with duct tape wrapped around a battery. The school system counseled him regarding appropriate humor and the potential consequences of making jokes of that nature. Mudding in the 11,500 block of 441 SE. The complainant says the people mudding threatened him when he told them to stop and leave the property. The Sheriff’s Department says a lack of evidence could not support that a crime occurred.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).