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Hi Okeechobee County, hope you’re having a great weekend!

In today’s in-case-you-missed-it edition: Credit card crew at big-box stores, music & arts festival’s 10th year, and slow drivers and the law + the top stories from this week & a sneak peek at next week.

From today’s sponsor, FinanceBuzz: Many Florida drivers end up paying higher auto insurance premiums because they don’t shop around enough. The same driver with the same car can get wildly different quotes from different insurers, so it truly pays to compare. Their free tool makes it easy.*

📰 Most-clicked stories this week

Multi-county retail fraud spree: Okeechobee County deputies are asking for help to identify a credit card crew hitting Treasure Coast Walmarts and other big-box stores, seen in surveillance footage buying electronics and moving quickly — see suspects and how to help.

A milestone party awaits: Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival will celebrate its 10th year March 19 to 22 at Sunshine Grove, featuring GRiZ, LCD Soundsystem, T-Pain, The Lumineers, 130-plus acts, and 24-hour activities — get all the details.

When caution backfires on roads: In February, the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office warned that driving well below the limit on SR 710, called a death trap, raises risks and can violate Florida’s impeding traffic law — see what the law says.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*

Gold & silver are hot: Last year was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. Curious about precious metal investing? GoldCo has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.*

All the crowd favorites:

• Experience Okeechobee’s four-day music festival
• St. Patrick’s Day party with Billy T
• Experience Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival

💎 This week’s top finds

Serious hot-dog cravings: Big Tasty’s keeps it tight with 1/4‑lb all‑beef dogs piled with slaw, kraut, or chili cheese, plus The Tasty Dog loaded with bacon, sautéed onions, and BBQ sauce. Classic diner vibes meet creamy milkshakes for a craveable fix that hits exactly right.

Sushi night, sorted: Craving a break from the usual rotation? Omino Japanese Restaurant serves clean, comforting hits: fresh sushi, sizzling hibachi, and real-deal teriyaki, no fuss. It’s the easy weeknight plan that still feels like a treat, and the leftovers taste great tomorrow.

Small-town stage magic: Okeechobee Community Theatre continues its season with Witness for the Prosecution, a twisty courtroom thriller arriving this month. Familiar faces in sharp roles make each gasp land harder, and the neighborly energy turns community theater into an electric night.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements — they’re the local spots your fellow readers clicked on most this week.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Paying full price is officially optional: Blu Dot just marked down dozens of their best sofas, beds, dining tables, outdoor pieces, and lighting by as much as 60%. Not because something’s wrong with them, but because every great design eventually has to make room for the next one. The deals change daily, so it’s always a new adventure. *See what’s on sale today →

Most people have no idea what’s happening inside their body: Not because the data doesn’t exist, but because no one’s collecting it. Routine annual checkups miss things like body composition, biological age, and the biomarkers that can help predict long-term patterns. The good news? HumeHealth offers tools to help you track all of that at home for less than the cost of a specialist visit. *Use code NEW20 to save 20% →

Something in your house is about to break: It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’ll be staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast. An AHS home warranty covers these types of surprises + *select plans are $150 off right now →

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🏍 The Moto Academy @ MotoBros | Monday (3/16) at 9:00 AM – Whether you’ve been ripping trails since high school or your bike still scares the dog, MotoBros in Okeechobee has a legit skills boot camp with Coach Mitchell. Body position, braking, cornering, jumping, the works. AJ’s out, but spots go fast, register and pay online.

🛍 Market on Park @ Flagler Park Okeechobee Fl | Thursday (3/19) at 4:00 PM – Market on Park is back, with Okeechobee Main Street hosting the bi-monthly market that gets half the town comparing tomatoes. All are welcome for fresh produce, local goods, and small talk, so bring a tote, a neighbor, and pickle restraint. Questions, call Main Street office.

🎤 Bastiansé @ Sunshine Grove / Okeechobee Music Festival | Thursday (3/19) at 6:00 PM – Skip the guesswork and dive into Bastiansé on Shazam, where top songs, latest releases, videos, tour dates, and similar artists live in one tidy place. It’s a low-effort music rabbit hole, ideal for weeknights, smart playlists, and preserving your cool-parent cred.

👩 Okeechobee Businesswomen’s Networking Luncheon @ Lakeside Grill | Friday (3/20) at 11:30 AM – Think networking you’ll actually enjoy, with lunch you actually eat. At Lakeside Grill, local businesswomen swap cards, share projects, and toss a few dollars into a 50/50 that treats the servers, and maybe you, while you cover your meal and show up every third Friday.

🎶 Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival @ Sunshine Grove / Okeechobee Music Festival | Friday (3/20) at 1:00 PM – Nothing beats a lakeside groove when Sunshine Grove fills up with GRiZ, T-Pain, Freddie Gibbs, Gramatik, and the usual bass pilgrims. Expect art installations, late-night jams, and friendly neighbors. Pack patience, earplugs, and the good cooler, then surrender to the weird in style.

🎯 10th Annual Clay Shoot @ Quail Creek Sporting Ranch (Sporting Clays) | Saturday (3/21) at 7:30 AM – Quail Creek Sporting Ranch is calling. Round up a squad for the 10th annual clay shoot benefiting The Hope Center for Autism, with the Jupiter Light Masonic Lodge. Break clays, trade good-natured ribbing, support a real-deal cause, then brag responsibly.

🎯 Bowling Pin Shoot @ OK Corral Gun Club | Sunday (3/22) at 1:30 PM – Bowling without the smelly shoes, and the pins actually fly. OK Corral’s Bowling Pin Shoot is rolling in on first and third Sundays, where your favorite handgun or PCC, quick reflexes, and friendly trash talk meet for brisk rounds, bragging rights, and post-range camaraderie.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Okeechobee County report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 84°F – Low: 66°F – Precip: 60%

A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely between 2pm and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 3pm and 5pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny. High near 84, with temperatures falling to around 80 in the afternoon. South southeast wind 0 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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Tomorrow – High: 86°F – Low: 51°F – Precip: 74%

Showers and thunderstorms likely after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Most popular house this week

This 3-bed, 2-bath CBS home, built in 2005, offers 2,398 sq ft of living space with generous gathering areas and a dedicated garage. Set on 4.76 fully fenced acres in Okeechobee Little Farms, it delivers privacy, open space, and mature trees in a rural setting. A 2,400 sq ft metal building adds flexible space for workshops, equipment, hobbies, or business.

Take a peek inside →