WOKC Local News – November 20, 2025, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. A caring crossing guard. With WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s quarterly awards luncheon included an award for a crossing guard who was dedicated to Everglades Elementary School, Bobby Bennett. He has retired. Lt. Heath Hughes honored Bennett for his dedication, effort, and positive attitude. I’d like to nominate Bobby Bennett for an employee of the border. Bobby takes great pride in his work and it consistently has been. He takes full responsibility for his role at Everglades Elementary, assuring that every student is greeted with safety and care. He says Bennett went above and beyond the call of duty helping students and staff and helped to train new crossing guards. Six suspected child predators arrested in a sting out of Martin County, Sheriff John Budensieg says. He had his detectives pose online as 14-year-old boys and girls between October 15 and 17, and 18 individuals took the bait. Six, as mentioned, have been arrested and warrants for 12 other arrests are out there. Budensieg also went into the case of an Indian town man from Russia who was here illegally. This pervert over here, Igor, a Russian illegal in our country and in our state, having sex with a 13-year-old female. And that 13-year-old female had met him online, chatted a little bit, didn’t know exactly what she was getting into, and she told our detectives that things had gone far past where she believed things were going to go, including her being sexually assaulted. Attorney General James Uthmeyer attended the press conference. He says in Florida predators are not going to get away with this. These individuals, they thought they could hide behind a screen and get away with it. They were wrong. If you are a child predator here in Florida, we’re coming after you like never before. The city of Moorhaven Learning, the Granger Group, purchased nine acres south of the river for a private marina project. The city would like to expand the seawall there and help bring more boaters to town with that private marina project. They went before the state delegation in October and requested $1.9 million to help the arena project. City Manager Larry Tibbs wants the seawall extension, saying it will cut down on erosion. A motorcycle crash near Indiantown on Allapattah Road at Route 710 claimed life on Tuesday. The other vehicle was a truck involved. No further details have been released. The state is planning to replace the bridge over the Kissimmee River on US-98 in Fort Passenger. They’re currently conducting a project development and environmental study. As they design the bridge, there have been some structural issues. One of the options is keeping the bridge as it is while doing regular maintenance. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).