WOKC Local News – September 24, 2026, 7:41 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Just look at me now with WOKC News, I’m Charles Murphy. The FWC says Lake Okeechobee is in the best condition it’s been in in a while. They had a busy summer with the Water Management District and Corps and other groups moving muck from the JNS Fish Camp boat lock, Brazilian peppers from the northern end of the lake and planting 66,000 plants. They also burned 31,000 acres. The 1.2 million cubic yards and two billion pounds of sediment were removed from the north end. Tom Reinhardt with the FWC says he likes how the lake is looking. For all reports I’ve heard, the Northwest March is looking fantastic. Clear water, good plants. Sebring City Council looking at an open container policy for alcohol in the downtown business district. Councilwoman Rebecca Kogelschatz said her concern was the noon start time on an everyday basis. She said it seems a little early. A CRA request of looking at how we can possibly do an open container around the circle in the future for businesses, how we could possibly allow the circle area to have an ordinance available that they can have some policy on how we can do open container. They’re getting input from downtown merchants before putting an ordinance on their agenda. Okeechobee County named Amanda Joiner, a strategic planning and grants administration director. They also are considering 200 new homes on 75 acres west of Oak View Church, south of 28th. Jennifer Busbin with the applicant Lenore Holmes says it’ll be good for the town. They’re excited about being a part of Okeechobee. I think it fits within the characteristics of the southwest section. I think it’ll be a welcomed project. I know no one likes development. They appreciate looking out and seeing the pastures. But I think this will be welcomed being in close proximity to the schools and the churches in that area. And then the commercial, of course, to the east. Vice president of the Florida Mosquito Control Association, Sherry Burrows, says districts will be hit hard if property tax reform is approved. Buckhead has 37.5 percent of the property homesteaded. Right now, they collect about thirty five thousand dollars per year to spray for mosquitoes at Buckhead Ridge Mosquito Control. She says Buckhead Ridge is basically taxed out. They only bring in about thirty five thousand dollars in epilogue revenue as it stands today. And they’re already at a one mil for their millage. The legislature went through and capped what mosquito control districts could do. And we have a one mil cap. So where other programs across the state may be able to increase their millage rate to offset some of these impacts, Buckhead Ridge is going to be one that cannot. There’s also mosquito control in Moorhaven. Oogachooee Police say an incident of road rage was caught on video near the Burger King on Southeast Sixth Avenue. A passenger yelled at the vehicle as they passed it and they clipped the front end. There were two small children in the victim’s vehicle. Well, Anisha Evans allegedly fled the scene. I’m Charles Murphy. WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).