News Cast for May 28th:
Okeechobee remembers the fallen
Okeechobee celebrated Memorial Day with a short ceremony with a speech, prayer, taps, and a flag salute.
AMVets Post 200 in Okeechobee organized and put on the event in Veterans Memorial Park.
Veteran Joseph Mansfield spoke about the nations freedoms that were created and protected by those that died in battle.
He quoted General George Patton, said a poem about Flanders Field in France and quoted a philosopher on the bravery of these men and women.
“The bravest are surely those that have the clearest vision of what’s before them, glory and danger alike, and yet non withstanding go out and grab it.”
He said the purpose of the event was to honor the heroes, remember their achievements, their courage, their dedication and to say thank you for your sacrifice.
Nearly 4,000 people attended Saturdays graduation celebration for the OHS class of 2024.
The graduates included 246 students who had dual enrollment or earned a certificate in career technical education, 170 with a
grade point average of over 3.0. 191 who received more than one award, 204 listed as career ready, 33 who earned scholar designation, and 103 deemed college ready.
The class held a moment of silence for Anatalya Garcia Navarette who died last fall.
Colton Collins who earned the highest honors says some success will come from determination, disciple and ambition.
The other students with highest honors were Lillian Maxwell, Torrie Trent, and Melony Bannermen.
The class had a combined 9,642 hours of community service. Eight graduates plan to enlist in the armed forces.
The senior class received $1.2 million in scholarships this year included more than $552,000 from the Okeechobee community, $104,000 thousand from the state and $560,000 thousand from the military.
Navigation Notice: The S-135 Boat Lock on Lake Okeechobee at the J&S Fish Camp in Martin County is temporarily closed to navigation until further notice. The boat lock will re-open as soon as possible. Recreators can visit SFWMD.link/30QLmka to sign up for navigation alert text messages and emails. Visit SFWMD.gov/Navigation to learn more.
Ribbon was cut on a new bunk house at the Kissimmee Prairie State Preserve.
The bunkhouse will be used by staff, researchers, visiting firemen and others throughout the year.
Dr. Paul Gray said the park preserve continues to have more and more visitors much of it due to the dark sky designation.
In the courts, a charge of methamphetamine trafficking was reduced to possession with the intent to sell.
Candace Waters of Okeechobee received one year in jail and two years drug offender probation.
A K-9 unit at the sheriff’s office said they located nearly 28 grams of methamphetamine during a traffic stop on January 17th of last year on NW 27th Avenue.