OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Concern is mounting for smaller, more rural areas across South Florida in wake of the Aldi supermarket chain's takeover of Winn-Dixie grocery stories.

On Wednesday, ALDI announced it was buying 400 Winn-Dixies in an effort to expand across the Southeast, but in some communities, like Okeechobee and Belle Glade, the well-known red and white chain is one of few options, and a major employer.

In Okeechobee, for example, there are four major grocery store chains to choose from, as opposed to the average 70 the U.S. Department of Agriculture said are often an option in more urban areas.

As of right now, Aldi is already an option for Okeechobee County residents. By creating two Aldis, Okeechobee Mayor Dowling Watford said the choices dwindle.

"If we lose Winn-Dixie, that's just one less choice we have," Watford said.

The bigger concern for him is employment. According to both companies' websites, ALDI typically employs about 8-10 people per store. It's part of the reason they are able to keep prices so affordable for families.

On the flip side, Winn-Dixie averages dozens more per store, prompting Watford to wonder: What happens to those extra employees if the store transitions to an Aldi?

“Fifty or 60 jobs in a community like Okeechobee is a huge deal where we fight to get companies to come in that have 10-12 jobs," Watford said.

Not everyone was opposed, however. Some residents, like James Grueber, were thrilled to have another ALDI coming in.

"I love Aldis!" Grueber said, citing low prices and fresh produce.

Anthony Infante, however, disagreed.

"I've been coming here since my parents came here," Infante said. [The store is] somebody I grew up with, actually, you know what I mean? It's where I've been shopping all my life."

Infante added he trusts Winn-Dixie, and fears the lack of options he'd have if it was replaced by an ALDI.

"I like this stuff, I know where this stuff comes from," said Infante.

"It's kind of like you're about to lose an old friend," Watford added.

WPTV reached out to Aldi and Southeast Grocers, the company that owns Winn-Dixie.

ALDI released this statement to us on behalf of its CEO, Jason Hart, reading in full,:

"ALDI will operate Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores with the same level of care and focus on quality and service, as we also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format to better support the neighborhoods we’ll now have the privilege of serving. For those stores we do not convert, our intention is that these continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores.”

An ALDI spokesperson also released the following:

"This acquisition is an opportunity to continue the growth we already had planned for the region as part of our strategic and deliberate national expansion. ALDI has been committed to continued growth in Winn-Dixie’s headquarters state of Florida. With 209 ALDI stores and 8 more slated to open by the end of 2023 in Florida, we have invested more than $1.5B in the state and created more than 3,900 jobs to date. With food prices still on the rise and the need for access to affordable groceries more important than ever before, ALDI has a significant opportunity to help residents in the Southeast save up to 40% on their grocery bills."

Aldi did not, however, answer our questions regarding the employment of Winn-Dixie workers, despite us asking multiple times.

Meredith Hurley, senior director of communications and community at Southeastern Grocers, released this statement to us, reading in full:

"While we cannot comment or speculate on any forward-looking strategies or another company’s plans, we can confirm that nothing changes today. We understand that ALDI does not intend to convert all of our stores. ALDI’s current plan [prnewswire.com] is to continue operating Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores with the same level of care and focus on quality and service as they also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format to better support the neighborhoods they will now serve."

"I hope we keep both," Watford said.

For more information on the history of Winn-Dixie, click here.

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Algae has covered about half of Lake Okeechobee—Florida’s largest freshwater lake—for much of June and early July 2023. The algae bloom led to the closure of parts of a marina and health warnings in neighboring counties.

Swirls and tendrils of blue-green algae can be seen in this image, acquired on June 12, 2023, by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9. Around this time, a NOAA analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite data indicated that algae blooms covered about 380 square miles of the lake. That equates to more than half the area of the lake.

Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are single-celled organisms that rely on photosynthesis to turn sunlight into food. The bacteria grow swiftly when nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen are abundant in still water. The bloom pictured here may contain blue-green algae, as well as other types of phytoplankton; only a surface sample can confirm the exact composition of a bloom. Some cyanobacteria produce microcystin—a potent toxin that can irritate the skin and cause liver and kidney damage.

Microcystin was found in water samples taken from the lake on June 17 (five days after the image was acquired), including near the floodgate and canal used to release water into the St. Lucie Estuary on Florida’s southeastern coast. Excess lake water is typically released into the estuary and to farmlands to the south. But in mid-June, amid high lake levels, water managers prevented discharge because of the presence of harmful algae, according to the Miami Herald.

The Florida Department of Health in Lee, Martin, and Palm Beach counties issued public health warnings in late June and early July, cautioning residents not to swim or boat in the lake due to the presence of harmful algal toxins. The harmful bloom grew to cover 420 square miles on July 4, and spanned 440 square miles by July 11.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Emily Cassidy.

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — There's some storm damage left behind in Okeechobee County Friday morning after several severe thunderstorm warnings shook the area Thursday night.

One of the hardest hit businesses is Home Depot and the Winn-Dixie not even two minutes down the road on US-441.

CBS12's News Dani Travis reports on severe storm damage at an Okeechobee County Home Depot. Workers there said they were lucky more damage wasn't done to the inside of the store. (WPEC)

At Home Depot, caution tape blocking off the Garden Center for damage. You could see a giant metal awning appeared to have been turned completely sideways, taking signs with it. You could also see the awning impaled by the wooden pavilion on display. But besides the entrance to the Garden Center, it didn’t appear there’s any other external damage.

At Winn Dixie, metal shutter doors signaling the store is closed. CBS12 viewer Michael Daniel sent a video to us of the damage inside the store. In that video, you can see pieces of the ceiling falling in and rainwater falling. Michael also sent us pictures that show more signs of the ceiling that fell to the floor. He says these were taken around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

See also:Rollover crash involving 4 vehicles closes all southbound lanes on Florida's Turnpike

Resident Cindy Maynard lives close by these two businesses and says the storm was scary.

“A lot of wind, I thought it was a tornado. Of course, we won’t know that for sure, but yes it was the lighting, and the wind was severe,” said Maynard. “You see it on the news, you see it in other areas happen and it does happen here sometimes, but this was one of probably the worst ones I’ve been in. It’s surreal for sure.”

CBS12 spoke with Home Depot employees earlier Friday morning, saying they’re lucky more damage wasn’t sustained on the inside and they re-opened at normal hours, which was 6 a.m.

Winn-Dixie officials at the store tell us they still must assess the damage inside and aren’t yet sure if the store will remain closed or re-open Friday.

The National Weather Service office in Melbourne will be working with emergency management to determine the cause of damage, meaning if this possibly could have been from a tornado or just strong winds.

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Shoppers at a Florida Winn-Dixie were surprised to see ceiling tiles collapse on Thursday during a severe storm that moved through South Florida.

Local emergency management reported parts of the roof of the store located in Okeechobee were torn off, allowing rainwater to enter the building.

The grocery store was open at the time, and shoppers said the entire incident came without warning.

Jodi Adele was picking up some last-minute items for a birthday dinner and messaged her family from the check-out counter that she would be late because of the storm.

"When I looked back up from that message, the wind outside had picked up so fast, and it immediately sounded like a train was coming. The store started shaking, the doors blew open, and ceiling tiles began to fall," said Adele.

DEADLY TORNADO SWEEPS ACROSS TEXAS DURING MULTIDAY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT

(FOX Weather)

Videos taken by the shopper showed tiles falling from the ceiling as rainwater poured over the floral department and produce stands.

Neither National Weather Service nor the local emergency management reported any injuries associated with the roof damage.

Nearby power lines were also reported to be impacted during the storm, but as of Thursday evening, the NWS did not believe the damage was caused by a tornado.

The Sunshine State is no stranger to thunderstorms during the summer, but the enhancement of moisture has allowed some communities to see storms that are more widespread than usual.

NEARLY 200 MILLION LIGHTNING STRIKES HIT US IN 2022. HOW MANY HIT YOUR STATE?

Adele chalked up her viral videos as simply the outcome of trying to pick up some birthday items.

"When you’re picking up a birthday cake for your dad at Winn-Dixie, and a tornado whips through while you’re checking out," she posted on Facebook.

Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie's parent company, issued a statement following damage to the store.

"The safety of our people – associates and customers – is of paramount importance and always acts as our guiding principle. As we assess the damage sustained to our Okeechobee Winn-Dixie store, we are making our best effort to reopen as quickly and safely as possible to continue to serve and support our local community," a spokesperson for Southeastern Grocers said.

Typical Rainy Season Start Date in Florida

Source: Various NWS Offices

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. —

Wednesday marked exactly three years since an Okeechobee woman, Kelley Sherman, disappeared.

Sherman’s sister, Amber Raub, described the years as miserable.

“Three years is long enough to put any family through this,” Raub said. “It’s way too long.”

Way too long since Raub has spoken to her sister or heard her laugh.

“She was always a fun person to be around,” Raub said. “Everybody always loved to be around her. She was always smiling, laughing, carrying on, acting silly.”

Previous coverage: Family searches for missing mom who vanished 16 months ago from Okeechobee

On Mother’s Day in 2020, Sherman was living in an apartment on Park Street in Okeechobee.

She was supposed to be with her father that day but canceled their plans.

She hasn’t been seen since.

“You don’t know what every day is going to be like,” Raub said. “You want the call to come in. But you don’t.”

Sherman has two young children, both under 10 years old.

For them, every day has been a day without mom.

For Raub, every day has been a day without her sister.

“The not knowing is the worst. And I say that every day,” Raub said. “Not knowing what happened to her or where she’s at or if we will ever get to bring her home,”

And Raub said that’s all she and her family want now: to bring Sherman home.

She said she knows someone in Okeechobee knows what happened to Sherman and knows where she is.

Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25

She is begging that person to please come forward.

“I’m never going to give up finding my sister,” Raub said. “And I hope that the person who did something to her gets to pay for what they did.”

If you have any information on the disappearance of Kelley Sherman, please call 863-763-9784.