WOKC Local News – October 26, 2026, 7:41 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. A new housing development? With WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. While farms got the go ahead from county commissioners who rezoned a residential general, the 199 proposed homes will be built in cattle pasture on 75 acres between Southwest 28th and 32nd Streets across from Osceola Middle School. There was some concern about traffic and also drainage. Commissioner Mike Sumner says water management will have to issue permit for drainage. The flooding issue will be mitigated and there will be proof positive of that at the stage when that comes up. Activist Serge Kelly says the county is ruining its rural areas. And if you approve this, what’s the next one gonna be? You know, and it would just take this area, which is still a very rural, wild and beautiful area of Florida, which is fastly disappearing in the state. It would only set, get the ball rolling. A town hall meeting hosted by superintendent of schools, Dylan Tedders, residents and parents complained about slow communication. Some parents want more extra help for their students academically. The district also seeing an enrollment increase of about 30 students this year. Last year, reductions in enrollment cost the district 1.6 million in state aid. Superintendent Dylan Tedders says there is a cost to using facilities and they’re considering some fees. Because my opinion is if you’re charging them several hundred dollars a month to play in this elite travel organization and you’re using our facility, well then our custodians are having to clean that facility. We’re having to use it. You know, it’s something that we’re going to consider for that down the road. Tedders also says the district plans to increase salaries in the future. This year, they’re only giving a one-time check. We know we cannot keep doing this forever. People are not gonna continue to work for a bonus. So legislatively, we’ve got to figure this out. State Road 60 could become a more popular tourist route for travelers. A group is seeking a coast-to-coast scenic highway designation between Clearwater Beach and Vero Beach. They want to turn State Road 60 into Route 60, taking inspiration from the iconic Route 66. Sarah McCarley says State Road 60 has some beautiful areas. The Kissimmee River, my brother is a cattleman and he and his wife have a cattle business and they lease land from the state on the Kissimmee River. So we’re very familiar with that stretch, just east of Lake Wales before you exit Polk County. And it’s a beautiful, it’s a very pretty drive. While there were still orange groves out there and there still are some, you know, driving at certain times of the year and smelling the orange blossoms. That’s how I used to remember I was coming home. Okeechobee County had fewer people unemployed in September, 866 out of work in August and 800 in September. The amount employed in August, 15,616, rose to 15,660 in September. Around the area, St. Lucie County had 5%, Osceola County at 4.5%, Okeechobee was at 4.9% and Martin County at 4.6% unemployment. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).