News Cast for September 19th:
Okeechobee City officials said there is a growing problem of homeless sleeping in Flagler Park.
They are mulling over what to do.
Police Chief Donald Hagan suggested they close Flagler Park between 10 pm and 6 am daily.
He suggested 10 pm because that is when some restaurants close and they should be able to sell their products.
There is a new state law that prohibits sleeping in public other than in camp grounds and other permitted areas. The city has yet to develop regulations to comply with the law.
The city will finalize their budget on September 30th. The current proposal would raise property taxes collected by nearly 5.7 percent. The city payroll is up 8 percent.
Indian River State College has competition when it comes to data centers. They want to convert the old Okeechobee School for Boys into a data center and economic center.
Osceola County is being scouted for one of the world’s largest data centers.
The project will require the county to rezone agricultural land for industrial use in Yeehaw Junction near State Road 60, US 441 and the Florida Turnpike.
The proposed site is 434 acres.
The facility would measure 7 million square feet. They will be meeting between the county development review staff and the developer next month.
Highlands County voted to delay implementing impact fees.
They are conducting a new study and could review that before the end of the year.
Both realtors and builders spoke at public comment opposing the new fees.
An incident of road rage landed a Moore Haven man in the Glades County jail.
Luis Diepa allegedly told deputies he got upset when he saw another motorist littering by throwing trash out the window.
He confronted the other motorist during road construction near the county barn on route 78.
Deputies say the witnesses claim Diepa threw a large piece of asphalt at the victims vehicle.
No one was injured.
The felony charges are throwing a deadly missile and aggravated assault.