News Cast for December 11th:
Okeechobee to honor veterans
Wreaths Across America will lay wreaths on graves at Okeechobee, Fort Drum and the Basinger Cemeteries on Saturday morning.
Volunteers are needed. The dedication ceremony will begin at 12 noon at Evergreen.
Joanne Rhoden said over 1,300 wreaths will be placed for fallen veterans in Okeechobee this year.
She said in many gravesites there are no family members left alive to honor their service to the United States.
“For so many of our fallen veterans there is no one left. They are there, we need to honor them.”
A Port St. Lucie man who allegedly vandalized a road way memorial for an Okeechobee teen who died in a crash will face lesser charges.
Nicholas Pense, 27, had been facing one felony charge of destroying or demolishing a memorial or historic property. Instead he will face a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge.
A Port St. Lucie police officer said he watched as Pense vandalized the memorial on March 21 on Veterans Parkway.
On March 15, Jimmy Brown, 18 of Okeechobee, was killed along with Draiden Frank, 16 and Leah Herman, 20 of Port St. Lucie were killed in an alleged alcohol related crash.
Dylan Ray Boully of Okeechobee is facing a host of charges that include three counts of DUI manslaughter and DUI causing serious bodily injury.
Port St. Lucie Animal Control enhanced efforts to control the city stray cat population. Earlier they trap and removed and euthanized cats. Now they provide free traps to residents to capture cats and then provide animal control services for transportation, spaying, vaccinating, microchipping and release.
Okeechobee Schools honored Jessica Lyng as the School Related Employee of the Year this year.
She works as an IT technician at Osceola Middle School.
“I’m super appreciative. This means the world to me and will never be forgotten.”
She said it was very much a surprise to get the award.
“It is very much appreciated. I will go home feeling like a million bucks tonight. I tried to get off the stage before I cried but the tears started coming.”
She said she knew she wanted a job in the school system after her daughter was born and has never regretted the decision.
“We do it for the love of the students, you make a difference every day, when you are recognized for doing that it changes your life.”
Other nominees included Maria Rodriguez of Central Elementary, Kellie Chapman of the District Office, Anna Plummer of Everglades, Hannah Moore of North, Emily Gaucin of Seminole, Thomas Garrett of South, Kourtney Bennett of Yearling Middle, Kimberly Gosa of OAA, Kenia Cabezas of the freshman campus, Cheryl Meigs of Okeechobee High School, Joseph Hubbard of Operations and Richard Wohlschlegel of the Transportation Department.
Okeechobee Sheriff deputies named two other suspects charged in a Nov. 2 shooting at Wright’s Plaza at 600 NE 13th Avenue.
Sheldon Fortune, 36, and Drayton Billie, 26 were also charged and held on $1 million bond.
Fortune is charged with attempted first-degree murder. Billie is charged with principal to attempted first-degree murder.
Earlier the sheriff announced Robert Futch, 24, had been charged with attempted first-degree murder. He was arrested in Glades County over the weekend.
Two people were shot in the incident and transported to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. Investigators said the two victims were not the intended targets of the gunfire.
All three suspects have a history of arrests.