News Cast for November 18th:
Okeechobee Commissioners said they would like the Department of Health Environmental Health Unit to issue permits quicker for septic tank installations.
Commissioners said some contractors have complained about the slow pace of permits.
The health department said they have met the state requirement of issuance of a permit within 30 days.
They have been looking to hire more inspectors and right now are sharing staff between the St. Lucie County Health Department and the Okeechobee Health Department.
Health Department Director Clint Sperber said they have been working to solve the issue.
“This has been a theme prior to me being in this role with permitting, saying it is taking a little too long. I’m not disagreeing with you. I know it does take longer than one would appreciate.”
Commissioners approved the annual contract with the state for the health department of $210,000.
Commissioners were clear that they were very pleased with the other services the health department provides in Okeechobee.
Terry Burroughs said the county is willing to help the department get more funding from Tallahassee.
“Let us know what you need to get the timeline down to something that is reasonable. Reasonable is about five days from 15 days. What do you need to get down to five days.”
A 26 year old Okeechobee man Mark Russelberg pled no contest to drug trafficking charges and was sentenced to nine years in prison and 11 years probation.
Russelberg will also pay a $150,000 fine and over $3,500 in court costs and fees.
The Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force said Russelberg was involved in five separate drug crimes in 2021 and 2022.
They charged him with the sale of $100 worth of cocaine at 3093 US 98 north on September 2, 2021.
They charged him with the sale of $350 worth of cocaine, or about 3.78 grams, on NW 46th Avenue on September 10, 2021.
He was also charged with the sale of $1,700 worth of cocaine, about 28 grams, on September 16, 2021 on NW 46th Avenue.
The other transaction involved $4,800 for three ounces of cocaine, on October 26, 2021 at a home on NW 46th Avenue.
The fifth incident was a traffic stop on SW 7th Street on March 9, 2022 where Russelberg was charged with possession of 125 grams of marijuana.
The Glades County Board of County Commissioners were encouraged to speed up the approval process for the Lakefront Estates project just south of Buckhead Ridge.
A representative for the developer told commissioners that funding is in serious jeopardy because of the slow pace of approvals.
They pointed out that, in their opinion, the project may be too big for the Glades County Building Department to handle on its own.
The county promised to work closely with the developer, improve communications, and get the necessary permits and approvals issued.
This month the planning board reviewed plans for a model home center on the property.
County Attorney Richard Pringle said reviews like this do take time for any government.
“It’s not just hurry, hurry, hurry. It is striking a balance between hurry, hurry, hurry and doing it the right way.”
Engineer and planner Steve Dobbs said he felt the county had the necessary information now to approve a development order.
Attorney John Fumero said he thinks a few changes might be needed for the approval process in Glades County.
“This is a great new era for Glades County. Hopefully you will get more master plan communities so your tax base will go up accordingly. Sometimes the old mold doesn’t fit where this county is going in the future.”
An active shooter call for Clewiston Police and Hendry County Sheriff Deputies at the Walmart on US 27 Friday at 6:40 pm.
Jires Tyleak Thicklin, 21, allegedly got into a verbal argument with other parties in the men clothing section, pulled out a .22 caliber Glock handgun and fired 6-7 rounds.
Other customers scurried and ducked down to safety and there was no one struck by the shower of bullets.
Thicklin tried to flee the store but was taken into custody by Hendry County Sheriff Deputies in the automotive department.
Thicklin is charged with two counts of attempted murder. He was held in the Hendry County Jail without bond.
A horrific murder in the Sun and Lakes area of Sebring.
Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman said it was the worst crime scene he has seen in his 30 years of law enforcement.
A 13 year old girl wearing only a diaper was found bound in the garage area of the home, deceased on Friday morning.
The sheriff said Diane Mack, 34 is charged in the homicide. She is the child’s adopted mother.
Mack told deputies she had found the girl unresponsive Thursday morning, but later said it was closer to 3 p.m. Regardless of when she made the discovery, she still took the time to drive the four other children who lived in the home to Titusville and return to Sebring before she called for help for her child, who was lying unresponsive on the floor of the home.
“As bad as that is, it only gets worse,” Sheriff Blackman said. “The girl, who was nude except for a diaper, had clearly been severely abused. She was extremely emaciated and obviously malnourished. Her body was covered in wounds in all stages of healing, including open lacerations that were clearly recently suffered.”
Further investigation of the home revealed evidence that indicates the girl, who was home-schooled, was restrained in the garage. Detectives don’t yet know how long she had been held there, but it appears she was secured to the garage door and monitored from inside the home by a security camera that had been mounted in the garage.
“While her child lay dead on the floor, the suspect had clearly used pool chlorine in an effort to destroy evidence in the garage before calling 911,” Sheriff Blackman said.
“This is one of the most disturbing crime scenes I have encountered in more than 30 years of law enforcement. There
are no words I can say that can truly convey the nightmare that this child’s life must have been.
“Parents have a duty to love our children and make sure no harm comes their way. To see a child treated this way is not only heartbreaking, it is infuriating. What makes it even more appalling is that the suspect is a former employee of not only the Department of Children and Families, but also worked as a guardian ad-litem. That someone whose job it was to look after the welfare of children could treat their own child in this manner is simply beyond belief,” Sheriff Blackman said.
The agency’s Critical Incident Stress Management resources were made available to all the deputies and detectives who have the duty to investigate this case.
“This is something that no amount of law enforcement experience can prepare you to face,” Sheriff Blackman said. “I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to make sure that there is justice for this child.”
As of now, the suspect is charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse as well as aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, and destroying evidence. She is being held without bail in the Highlands County Jail.