WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 Here are the top stories with the most-watched videos from this week.<\/p>\n
Pump station to move 3 billion gallons of water from Lake Okeechobee to Everglades daily<\/p>\n
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 When it rains too much in South Florida, Lake Okeechobee fills fast. With nowhere for the extra water to go, the Army Corps of Engineers has long pumped it east and west \u2014 toward the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers \u2014 carrying pollution that fuels toxic blue-green algae, closes beaches, and hurts local businesses.<\/p>\n
Governor Ron DeSantis says that cycle is finally changing.<\/p>\n
Standing on the edge of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) project site in western Palm Beach County on Thursday, DeSantis called it \u201canother major step\u201d in restoring the River of Grass and cutting those harmful discharges.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday is another major step that we are taking to restore the country\u2019s most unique and prized ecosystem, the Florida Everglades,\u201d DeSantis said.<\/p>\n
Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Why St. Lucie County residents pay the highest property taxes in Florida<\/p>\n ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 St. Lucie County residents pay the highest overall property-tax rate in Florida, and many are asking why. At recent commission meetings, frustrated homeowners said rising bills are outpacing wages. \u201cIt\u2019s hard for working-class people to have their property tax jump up so much,\u201d resident Maureen Kennedy told commissioners. \u201cWhere are we supposed to get this money? Our salary\u2019s not being increased by that.\u201d Another resident, Kurt Ferguson, called the taxes \u201cridiculous\u201d and \u201ctotally ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s latest tax data shows St. Lucie\u2019s combined millage rate sits near 22 mills \u2014 higher than Palm Beach, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties, and well above the statewide average. Millage refers to the amount paid per $1,000 of a property\u2019s taxable value, and St. Lucie\u2019s higher rate means a larger bill before factoring in rising values.<\/p>\n Real-estate agents say the tax burden is starting to shape the housing market. Treasure Coast Realtor Natalia Rhinehart says some buyers immediately look elsewhere. \u201cI have a lot of buyers who start here in St. Lucie County but end up in Indian River,\u201d she said. \u201cWe already have a reputation \u2014 people say, \u2018We heard you\u2019re the most expensive for taxes.\u2019 And it\u2019s true, so they don’t even bother.\u201d<\/p>\n County leaders point to rapid population growth, aging tax structures, and low property values relative to neighboring counties. \u201cSt. Lucie County is sort of a victim of its popularity \u2014 its natural beauty, its geographical location,\u201d said County Commission Chair Jamie Fowler. \u201cThey came with more disposable income and created this buying frenzy.\u201d She noted that retirees, Northeast transplants, and families from South Florida have driven up demand for housing and services.<\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n See also: Miami deputy ‘brutally attacked,\u2019 shot and killed while on duty<\/a><\/p>\n President Donald Trump hosts Gatsby-inspired Halloween party amid government shutdown<\/p>\n PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 Mar-a-Lago celebrated Halloween on Friday with an “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” event, complete with flapper costumes.<\/p>\n According to the pool report, the theme of the Palm Beach Halloween party was ‘A Little Party Never Killed Nobody,’ a Fergie song from the 2013 movie “The Great Gatsby,” with Leonardo DiCaprio.<\/p>\n The event was held amid an ongoing 31-day government shutdown, and hours before 42 million Americans lost access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.<\/p>\n The report called the lawn of Mar-a-Lago a “smoky party scene,” with guests dressed up in flapper costumes at “decked out” tables.<\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Boca Raton Mayor feels Mamdani win is a big opportunity for the city<\/p>\n BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 In Boca Raton, the reaction to Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City Mayor’s race is a mixed bag.<\/p>\n Lots of New Yorkers have ties to Boca Raton. They go back and forth between the two. But the Mayor of Boca Raton predicts that could become a one-way trip soon.<\/p>\n Boca Raton’s Mayor says the city is ready to welcome with open arms any business that wants to flee the Big Apple. Mamdani’s platform has ruffled a lot of feathers in Manhattan.<\/p>\n So will they fly south for the winter and stay for good? <\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mother accused of allowing teen Halloween drinking party in PSL<\/p>\n PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 A Halloween night party ended in handcuffs after officers say minors were caught drinking outside a home where adults were gathered inside.<\/p>\n On Halloween night, officers with the Port St. Lucie Police Department say they responded to the 11000 block of SW Fieldstone Way after receiving complaints of a large party with crowds of minors.<\/p>\n Upon arrival, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) was also investigating the homeowner, 41-year-old Audrey Mahaney, who is allegedly known to allow house parties where teens consume alcohol.<\/p>\n Before DCF arrived, large crowds of teens were reportedly seen going in and out of the home and gathering on the lawn where bottles of alcohol were scattered.<\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter<\/a> to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel<\/a> for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. 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