News Cast for December 17th:
Mailing deadline tomorrow
The US Postal Service has been busy during the holiday mailing season.
The deadlines for mailing items to get there in time for Christmas is coming up this week.
The deadline for first class letters and cards and ground advantage packages is Wednesday, December 18.
The deadline for priority mail is December 19. Those items reach most destinations in three days or less.
The deadline for express priority mail is December 21.
USPS Spokesperson Debbie Fetterly said you must take precaution to avoid being the victim of porch pirates, or people that do Christmas shopping at our expense.
“IF nobody is going to be home, go to USPS.com and let your carrier you won’t be home. Ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for a package or tell the post office to hold a package that you can pick up at a convenient time.”
They added more machines and more employees to get the mail out quicker in many markets.
Other tips include keeping your walkways and driveways clear for package deliveries, keep your mailbox in good shape, try to use postal service supplies and boxes when possible, and be sure to include the right address and zip codes on packages.
“We recognize the importance of processing your mail, dispatching your mail and packages, delivering your packages, picking up your packages, that we are the connection between a lot of family members and family members that are overseas. We are ready to get the job done.”
Lonnie Steiert was named principal of the year for Okeechobee Schools. She is principal at South Elementary School.
“It is just exciting to represent the district. I have always been blessed to be a part of amazing teams, whether I was in federal programs, student services, all the school campuses the freshman campus and South. I work with amazing people and they make me look good.”
Steiert said her team is very organized. She also excited about a new roof that was funded for the school this year.
Other nominees included Alyson Shirley of Osceola Middle School and Vicki Goggans of the Okeechobee Freshman Campus.
Other administrative award this year went to Krista Stanley, Assistant Principal of the Year, Crystal White, Managerial Supervisor of the Year, and Katherine Williams, Director of the Year.
Stanley works at Osceola Middle School, White is payroll director at the district office, and Williams is Director of Mental Health and Behavioral Support.
Sebring bank killer Zephen Xaver was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the execution style slayings of five women in May, 2019.
A jury voted 9-3 last June to recommend the death penalty. Circuit Judge Angela Cowden followed the jury recommendation at a hearing Monday.
The killer showed no emotion at the sentence hearing.
Among Xaver’s victims was Ana Pinon Williams of Okeechobee.
Osceola County Commission Chairwoman Cheryl Grieb gave the annual state of the county address.
The 2025 goals include pursuing a solar power project in Kenansville, a large electric charging station for vehicles in Yeehaw Junction, and also a data center planned near Yeehaw.
Grieb said Osceola wants to become a leader in solar energy in the state.
Osceola County’s sheriff will pay a fine for his actions during the search for a missing girl. Sheriff Marcos Lopez recently agreed to pay a 250-dollar fine for publishing a photo on social media of Madeline Soto. The state attorney fined Lopez after he
posted an investigative photo of the 13-year-old to his Instagram page after her body was found nine months ago. That violated the state’s public records laws. Lopez agreed to pay the fine after entering a plea of no contest last week. Lopez previously said posting the photo was an accident.