Community

Healthy Start’s spring cleaning yard sale

Healthy Start is excited to invite the community to their Yard Sale this Friday, May 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. ...

Red Cross offers water safety tips for National Water Safety Month

Drowning can happen quickly and silently. Unless rescued, it could take as little as 20 to 60 seconds for a drowning person to submerge. 

SAR member Jim Pippin presented stars for ancestors

Okeechobee SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) member Jim Pippin (left) was presented two stars by SAR President Preston Croslyn (right).
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Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Get the full forecast
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Lake levels
11.18 feet
Last year: 13.69 feet
Depth given in feet above sea level.
Human Interest
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A …
More than 70 years after her father’s death, his legacy lives on as Joyce Bussell gifted his prized violin to a young man she met by chance.
As a result of Jersey Mike’s annual “Month of Giving,” the restaurant chain was able to raise...
Schools
The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is proud to announce the celebration of Teachers Appreciation Month in July.
Berry College recently announced its newest class of graduates for 2025.
The meeting of the Okeechobee County School Board on Tuesday, May 13, was so packed...
Wildlife & Environment
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is a longstanding FWC program that connects people to over 500 birding...
Are you looking to help raise awareness about nonnative species and remove invasive Burmese pythons...
Government
During the May 6 Okeechobee City Council meeting, Robbie Chartier gave a presentation regarding the insurance coverages and services provided by PRM.
With National Mailbox Improvement Week (May 18 - May 24), the U.S. Postal Service is encouraging customers...
OKEECHOBEE – Sergio Park, of Bautech, made a presentation to the Okeechobee County Commission on May 8 ...
Police/Fire
Okeechobee County law enforcement officers gathered Thursday morning to pay homage to those who have fallen in the line of duty during 2024.
Did you know you can legally spank your child, within reason? In the last few decades, ...
Opinion
What a night! Our Purse Bingo Fundraiser on May 3, 2025, was full of energy, laughter, and generosity...
There has likely never been a more tendentious transfer of power in presidential history than the Biden-Harris team’s final act.
See how the “M” and the “ay” are connected? Here is something important to know about mothers...
Hurricane News
As National Hurricane Preparedness Week kicks off, AAA – The Auto Club Group urges residents to take proactive steps...
Given the damaging impacts of hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton last year, you may want to prepare your landscape...
Veterans

Welcome home Honor Flight Veterans

Saturday, May 31, Southeast Florida Honor Flight volunteers will be escorting a full load of veterans on the free trip of a lifetime...

Ancient Oaks supports veterans

Many residents at the Ancient Oaks Condominium Resort in Okeechobee are veterans or have a close family member...
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Agriculture
Not every child grows up with a deep understanding of the agricultural systems that supply the food we eat every day.
The screwworm could pose a threat to U.S. livestock, wildlife and domestic animals...
As they digest grass and hay, cows produce significant amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas. In the quest to identify an alternative livestock feed, seaweed has emerged as a promising contender. …
Health

Stay sun-safe in Florida: The truth about melanoma

May is Skin Cancer Awareness month, and skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.

Event speakers share stories of personal trauma

Two speakers at the May 14 Mental Health Awareness Luncheon had personal stories to share.

Breastfeeding provides health benefits to both babies and their mothers

Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants exclusively breastfeed during their first six months of life...

Raulerson Hospital recognized for hospital safety

The Leapfrog Group is an independent, national watchdog organization that advocates for health care transparency and safety.
Business
A Change.org petition calls for a change in the way commissioners are appointed to lead the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Chesaco RV, 4300 U.S. 441 South, held a Spring Showcase Block Party on May 10. Local partners included Gilbert Ford and Garrards Bait and Tackle Shop.
Florida gas prices fell below $3 per gallon last week. The state average dropped to $2.93 per gallon on Sunday.
Traffic & Road Work

Okeechobee County Road Watch for week beginning May 18

Road Watch report for Okeechobee County for the week of Sunday, May 18. Motorists are reminded...

AAA: 2.6M Floridians will travel domestically for Memorial Day

AAA predicts a record-breaking 2.6 million Floridians will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period...

AAA trends show a desire to travel this summer despite economic concerns

As temperatures rise, so does the desire to travel. A new survey from AAA – The Auto Club Group reveals...

AAA: Florida gas prices average $3.10 per gallon during the weekend

Florida gas prices seesawed again last week. The state average went from $3.04 per gallon on Monday, April 28...
State

Florida airport closes after vehicle catches fire in parking garage, officials say

Officials say a Florida airport was closed after a vehicle caught fire in a parking garage. Arrivals and departures were halted Friday at Jacksonville International Airport as firefighters contained …

Board of Florida's only public HBCU picks a lobbyist with ties to DeSantis as its next president

The board of Florida’s only public historically Black university has chosen a lobbyist with ties to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to be the school’s next president, alarming students, faculty and …
National & World

Cassie told Sean 'Diddy' Combs 'I'm not a rag doll' after 2016 hotel assault

R&B singer Cassie is back testifying at ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs' federal sex trafficking trial. She testified Friday under cross-examination about Combs beating her at a Los Angeles hotel …

10 escape from New Orleans jail through hole in cell wall while lone guard left to get food

Authorities say 10 men broke out of a New Orleans jail by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet. Nine of them are still on the lam. One was caught soon after the escape. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan …
HURRICANE NEWS
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