Featured

Lake recession could hit recovery level even if releases east stop

WEST PALM BEACH – Lake releases to coastal estuaries may be slowing soon, but Mother Nature could bring the Big O lake level down anyway.

Forklift 'fell' onto trailer, men claim

Two men allegedly claimed a forklift just fell onto their trailer as they were turning around last week.

SFWMD approves grants to increase water storage

At their March 13 meeting, the South Florida Water Management (SFWMD) Governing Board approved four projects to expand water storage in the Caloosahatchee River Watershed.

Okeechobee County Fair is open March 11-16

OKEECHOBEE -- The Okeechobee County Fair opened March 11 and runs through March 16 at the Okeechobee County Agri-Civic Center, 4601 State Road 710.

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Community

AAA activates 'Tow to Go' for St. Patrick’s Day

AAA is activating ‘Tow to Go’ in select states for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day weekend, in hopes that partygoers do not press their luck by driving impaired.

Touch a Truck and Career Expo help inspire the next generation

The Okeechobee County Economic Devlopment Corporation (OCEDC) was proud to partner with Okeechobee Touch a Truck for the second year.

MOORE HAVEN -- World War Ii veteran Leonard Nichols, 100, was "Sheriff for a Day" at the Chalo Nitka Festival on Saturday, March 1. [Photo by Katrina Elsken/Lake Okeechobee News]

100-year-old veteran was sheriff for a day

MOORE HAVEN -- Leonard Nichols, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Feb. 23, was honored in the 2025 Chalo Nitka Parade as Sheriff for A Day.

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Lake Okeechobee

Direct rainfall slows lake recession

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

S-65A Boat Lock will be closed March 9-13, 2025

SFWMD announces public meetings

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Current conditions

Observed from: Okeechobee County Airport

A Few Clouds, 88 °F

Partly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Get the full forecast

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Lake levels

13.16 feet

Last year: 15.77 feet

Depth given in feet above sea level.

Water Flow Chart

Sports

FWC: Splash into license-free freshwater fishing weekend!

Mark your calendars for an opportunity to go freshwater fishing during the upcoming FWC license-free freshwater fishing weekend!

Cowtown Rodeo awards thousands in cash prizes

OKEECHOBEE – The Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Arena on U.S. 441 N hosted the Okeechobee Cowtown Rodeo March 8 & 9. This was a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event, attracting …

Two Brahman wrestlers advance to state

Two Okeechobee High School Brahman wrestlers are advancing to the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament.

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Human Interest

Woman fights to have benches returned to Walmart

Okeechobee resident Mary Kennedy has made it her mission in life to bring benches back to the local Walmart.

Chamber of Commerce honors Jessica Lea

Honoring Jessica Lea – Community Leadership Award Recipient

Off duty nurse saves choking baby

An off-duty ER nurse credits God with saving a toddler from choking Sunday morning...

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Schools

OHS Fishing Club honored by school board

At the Okeechobee County School Board meeting on Tuesday, March 11, a young man signed a rather...

OHSFC Assistant Principal Ashley Kidd awarded by governor

Okeechobee native and Assistant Principal of the Okeechobee Freshman Campus Ashley Kidd...

YMS has staff party

On Thursday, March 6, the Sunshine Committee Sponsor, Mrs. Doyle, put together a staff...

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Wildlife & Environment

Help conserve Florida’s wildlife this spring

Much of Florida’s diverse wildlife becomes more active in springtime.

Now is the time to plan for bat maternity season

While Florida’s 13 native bat species are beneficial and typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces...

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Government

Ordinance protects Dark Sky park from light pollution

OKEECHOBEE – A new ordinance passed by Okeechobee County Commissioners at their March 13 meeting creates a buffer zone...

Hall recognized for 10 years of service

Maintenance Foreman Willie Hall was recognized during the March 3 city council meeting for 10 years of service to the community.

Mayor proclaims month of March as Irish American Heritage Month

Mayor Watford Proclaims the month of March 2025, Irish American Heritage Month.

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Police/Fire

Okeechobee Arrest Report

The following individuals were arrested on felony or driving under the influence (DUI) charges...

SW 67th Drive to get speed monitoring signs

Two speed monitoring signs will be installed on Southwest 67th Drive. T

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Opinion

Florida Community Health Center may end prenatal care in Okeechobee

I write to you today with a sense of urgency and concern for the future of maternal and child health services in our community. Recently, the Florida Community Health Center (FCHC) announced …

Please DOT, fix the light!

I was involved in a car crash a few weeks ago, but thankfully, no one was hurt.

Sharing a great experience!

You never know what to expect from me! I was excited about the inauguration for Donald Trump, our 47th president.

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Hurricane News

FEMA opens recovery centers

FEMA has opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Glades, Okeechobee and Palm Beach counties …

Operation Blue Roof helps hurricane victims

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has placed tarps on more than 7,100 homes damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton...

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Adopt A Pet

Caloosa Humane Society seeks forever homes for pets

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

The Caloosa Humane Society has a mix of adorable dogs and cats who are in need of loving families!

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Veterans

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Eastern Region Virtual Career Fair for Veterans will be held Feb. 25

DAV & RecruitMilitary will break down barriers for veteran employment at the Eastern Region Virtual Career Fair for Veterans...

Record-breaking turnout at IRSC Foundation Clay Shoot

The Indian River State College Foundation’s Annual Clay Shoot attracted 136 participants and generated $153,000...

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Agriculture

Farm but no fowl: Florida aquaculture is growing the economy

Florida’s thriving aquaculture industry is a vital part of the state’s economy, generating more than $165 million in sales...

Florida farms reduce water use by 25% with simple change in crop beds

Lipman Family Farms wanted to mitigate flood risk associated with heavy rain on their 2,000-acre farm in Naples.

Two UF/IFAS-bred strawberries better at resisting nasty pest

Chilli thrips plague farmers worldwide, but new research from the University of Florida has found two...

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Health

Blood mobile visits planned for April

The OneBlood bloodmobile will visit Okeechobee on the following days:

Blood mobile visits planned

OKEECHOBEE -- The OneBlood bloodmobile will visit Okeechobee in March.

Chickenpox leaves victims at risk for shingles

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about one in every three people who have chicken pox will have shingles sometime in their lifetime.

Changes at the CDC could impact public health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works to protect the U.S. from health threats by researching a range of pathogens …

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Business

Veterans Job Fair, employers ready to hire

Disabled American Veterans and RecruitMilitary will break down barriers for veteran employment ...

Hometown Furniture Okeechobee open on N.W. Park Street

Jason Lamb and Michelle Braswell are excited to continue serving their community with a new adventure ...

A closer look at the South Florida Environmental Report

The South Florida Water Management District (District) makes it easy to access the extensive data...

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Traffic & Road Work

AAA: Florida gas prices decline 3¢

Florida gas prices declined 3¢ last week. The state average on Sunday, March 2, was $3.07 per gallon.

Okeechobee County Road Watch Report for week of March 2-8

The following column is the Road Watch report for Okeechobee County for the week beginning Sunday, March 2...

AAA: Florida gas prices are 7 cents more than last week

Florida gas prices jumped 12 cents last week, then declined 6 cents through the weekend.

Okeechobee County Road Watch Report for week of Feb. 23 - March 1

The following column is the Road Watch report for Okeechobee County for the week beginning Sunday, Feb. 23...

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State

NASA's stuck astronauts welcome their newly arrived replacements to the space station

A SpaceX capsule has arrived at the International Space Station, delivering the replacements for NASA's two stuck astronauts. The new crew pulled up Sunday, just 29 hours after blasting off. The four …

Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and issues new warning

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen say a series of airstrikes have hit the capital, Sanaa, on Saturday evening. It isn’t immediately clear which counties launched the strikes. U.S. President …

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National & World

- Operation Blue Roof extended
  
  Operation Blue Roof is a priority mission managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Federal Emergency...
- MARC is set up at the library to help with disaster recovery
  
  If you are in need of help after the recent hurricane and its accompanying tornadoes, turn to your local library.
- FWC addressing hundreds of vessels displaced by Hurricanes Helene and Milton
  
  Florida is a haven for boaters and is recognized as “The Boating Capital of the World.”