IT IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26. I’M NATALIE POZO WITH YOUR NEWS TO GO THREE SOUTH FLORIDA NURSING SCHOOLS, INCLUDING ONE IN OUR AREA, ARE NOW ACCUSED OF GIVING OUT FAKE DIPLOMAS. 2000 OF UNTRAINED NURSES. SO FAR, 25 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN THE INVESTIGA ATION. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SAY PALM BEACH NURSING SCHOOL, SIENNA COLLEGE AND SACRED HEART NURSING SCHOOL IN BROWARD COUNTY ARE ALL INVOLVED IN THE SCAM. PEOPLE PAID $15,000 FOR FAKE NURSING DIPLOMAS AND DIDN’T DO ANY WORK TO EARN IT. THE US ATTORNEY SAYS ABOUT 7600 FAKE DIPLOMAS WERE SOLD. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES DO NOT PLAN ON FILING ANY CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST STUDENTS WHO BROUGHT THE FAKE DIPLOMAS. A NEW STUDY RANKS PORT ST LUCIE SECOND IN HOME OWNERSHIP RATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NEARLY 84% OF PEOPLE IN PORT SAINT LUCIE OWN THEIR HOME. A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATE THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN OUR AREA. A REAL ESTATE AGENT TELLS US THE TREND DATES BACK MORE THAN 60 YEARS WHEN A COMPANY PURCHASED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES AND SOLD THEM IN QUARTER ACRE LOTS FOR $10 DOWN PAYMENT AND $10 A MONTH. HE ALSO SAYS HOUSING PRICES PLAY A PART, WITH ST LUCIE COUNTY OFFERING LOWER PRICED HOMES THAN SOME COUNTIES TO THE SOUTH. A NEARLY TWO DECADE PROJECT TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE FROM FLOODING IS NOW COMPLETE. IT INVOLVED WORK ALONG 143 MILES OF HERBERT HOOVER --, WHICH SURROUNDS THE LAKE. THE GOAL IS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE AREA SAFE WHEN IT FLOODS DURING HURRICANES. LEADERS BELIEVE THE PROJECT WILL ALSO HELP THE LOCAL ECONOMY. OFFICIALS SAY THE PROJECT WAS FINISHED THREE YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SAVING THEM ABOUT $300 MILLION. SANDRA. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, NATALIE. AND WEATHERWISE, WE’RE WATCHING A COLD FRONT MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA. AS A RESULT, WE’LL NOTICE SOME CHANGES TODAY. MORE CLOUD COVER AND THE WINDS SHIFTING DIRECTION OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST. NOW OUT OF THE NORTH NORTHWEST. LATER ON THIS AFTERNOON TONIGHT, IT BOTTOMS OUT. AND THEN TOMORROW WE WAKE UP IN THE FIFTIES, IN T