WOKC Local News – October 30, 2026, 7:41 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Behind closed doors with WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. It’s not just a Charlie Rich song, but now a call from groups in Florida about the Lake Okeechobee Coordinating Council meeting behind closed doors. They’ve met twice without minutes being taken, public attendance or public comments. The FWC says they’re only a fact finding body and has no decision making. They are presumably talking about Lake Okeechobee health and a controversial herbicide program. Activist Newton Cook is blasting the Lake Committee. They had a meeting right here in this room, I think, or somewhere, a secret meeting in June, and included the CEO of Bass Pro Shops and included Ducks Unlimited person and included someone from the district, I’m sure, although I don’t know who that was yet, but we’ll find out. The charter document for the council directs the group to undertake fact finding to reach conclusions on priorities, positions and potential policies or actions for the management of Lake Okeechobee, with a focus on aquatic plant management. The Central Florida Regional Planning Council heard from Okeechobee’s government at their quarterly meeting in Okeechobee, Lofton Road, finishing the new Okeechobee County Jail, pursuit of a new sheriff’s administrative offices and building a new fire station near the lake, highlighted the county presentation. County Administrator Jessica Becerra says they recently received one and a half million from the state. We did receive a state appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars for a new special needs shelter. So we’re in the design phase of that. We also have fire station number five that is in the design phase as well. And we received a state appropriation for that for a million dollars. The city of Okeechobee mentioned the renovations of City Hall and the public safety building. Administrator Denise Whitehead says taxpayers also have caught a break. Both of these projects were funded through state funds. So luckily, our local taxpayers didn’t have to foot the bill on these projects. Two people are charged in a burglary in progress call. Randall Milner and Johnny Guerrero are charged with burglary of a conveyance. They were found at a property on Southeast 23rd Court, reportedly scrapping and taking items without any kind of permission. Markham County’s fire chief was asked to cut spending. Eileen Vargas, who voted against the county budget, was opposed to 10 new fire trucks being purchased. Vargas wants the fire rescue department to get leaner. This is not the time to be making decisions that could affect the pocketbooks of our taxpayers. This is not the time to do that. So I make a motion to deny this at this moment. We can revisit it again, depending on what happens after November and take another look at your budget, too. No one was injured in a crash on 70 West at Northwest 9th Avenue. Thirty one year old Paige Yates of Erie, Pennsylvania, was charged with DUI causing property damage. Okeechobee police say they also found a small amount of cocaine in the vehicle. A speeding ticket turned into an arrest for Orlin Haggins of Okeechobee in the 1000 block of U.S. 98. Deputies pulled him over and found some illegal contraband, allegedly during a canine search, some small amounts of methamphetamine. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).