WOKC Local News – November 24, 2025, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Honoring perfection with WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. The Okeechobee County School Board and Superintendent Dylan Tedder is honoring 16 special kids that achieved a special accomplishment this year. And I will tell you up front that, and my wife will agree, that I’m not perfect. I’ve never been perfect. But tonight we’re going to honor some students that have been perfect on their assessments last year. The board honored Brady Williamson and Lily Larson. They put a science fair project together on ways to fight citrus greening and won a berth in the national FFA finals. Student enrollment is up 36 more students than predicted at 5,849 students. And the board introduced 19 employees that took advantage of an opportunity to become teachers after working in support positions in previous years. Another ranch will be added to the Florida Forever program, this one in Keenansville, the Hammock Ranch, 9,000 acres not far from the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area. It’s valued at $36 million. The state will buy the development rights and the ranch operations will continue. The Heartland Transportation Disadvantage Program continues to be busy, traveling some 155,000 miles over the past two months. Mary Beth Soderstrom says they’ve had 13,600 trips in the last 60 days. Where there is a little bit of a decline in DeSoto, Hardy and Okeechobee as far as total trip numbers, Highlands, there was a little bit of an increase last year and then a slight, but I mean pretty level as far as overall trip numbers go. Most of those trips are for medical appointments, 40% for kidney dialysis. They are concerned that the government may be cutting funding, which would reduce services. Our Congressman Scott Franklin introducing the Weather Act Reauthorization Act. It would strengthen weather forecast, accelerate the use of artificial intelligence, and make sure that Americans are safe when severe weather hits with accurate forecast. Congressman Franklin also continues to support ICE and immigration activities. He says they secured the border and now want to do more. The border incursions by illegal crossings has come almost to a complete stop. Visit Central Florida concerned the state legislature might do away with tourist or bed taxes or let them be used for other purposes. Robert Abruzzo addressed Osceola County Commissioners urging their support on the bed tax issue. Nearly 40% of our local workforce is now employed by the hospitality and tourism industry and our number one issue is protection of the tourist development tax. Okeechobee City officials admit they’re thrilled by the response to the light show downtown, Christmas in Okeechobee. They do urge motorists to be careful and to pull over to look at the lights rather than driving through. They note there have been several pedestrians nearly struck. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).