News Cast for March 25th:
The Okeechobee County Planning Board recommended the county commission approve a dark sky ordinance for north and north west Okeechobee County.
The boundary would run from west of US 441, north of Eagle Island Road, or route 724 and NE 224th Street.
The Mayor Dowling Watford requested the entire county be included in the designation but no action was taken on that request.
The county commission was to hear the ordinance at a public hearing this month.
The Avon Park Bombing Range supported the designation as they stated it will help air force pilots train in dark sky conditions.
The Kissimmee Prairie State Preserve Park has a dark sky designation which attracts many visitors to watch the stars.
Indian River State College Vice President Andy Treadwell said the college continues to flourish with over 23,000 students and an annual economic impact of $2.7 billion for its four counties.
He said as South Florida grows and Miami and Fort Lauderdale push north, IRSC is in a good position to grow.
The college continues to have a large percentage of students attending part-time.
They also have kept tuition flat in recent years.
Treadwell said one of the college’s main priorities is development of a data center in Okeechobee County at the former Okeechobee School for Boys.
“Advancement of artificial intelligence and data is a priority. We are building a data campus in Okeechobee and we think there is a lot of future industry in that. We are setting up programs for jobs that don’t exist today but we want to be on the forefront of that. This will be one of our largest initiatives moving forward.”
He added that 76 percent of Okeechobee graduates from IRSC stay and work in the community.
The Village of Indiantown expressed some concern about recent operations to detain illegal immigrants in the village.
11 people were taken into custody in February by immigration officials.
Village Manager Taryn Kryzda said she spoke directly with the Sheriff Jon Budensiek who told here there are no special operations conducted only by the sheriff.
“The sheriff told me directly that there is no order at this time from the sheriff’s office asking deputies to do anything other than their normal day to day activity. If somebody’s tail light is out or there is a reason to pull somebody over that is a different issue.”
Kryzda said deputies cannot randomly or arbitrarily go toward somebody unless they are doing something that they deem as being inappropriate or illegal.