WAFC Local News – May 11, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. A 79-year-old Belgrade man in trouble in Cluiston on charges of attempted petty theft, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting arrest. Willie McCance allegedly committed a retail theft at Walmart on Sugarland Highway and got in his Jeep Cherokee trying to leave the parking lot. He got as far as US 27 and Berner Road, where Cluiston police tried to pull him over. He traveled in turn lanes and came to stop at the Travel Inn Motel. Police officers tried to bring him into custody, but he attempted to pull away in an aggressive manner. After being threatened with a taser, he complied with officers. It’s alleged he took about $300 worth of merchandise from the store. Palm Beach County has been looking at land at 20 Mile Bend for some kind of racetrack or ATV or minibike park for the public. So far they have put out two requests for proposals, but have not gotten any interest. That’s according to Tom Reinert with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They put out an RFP and got zero response. So they’ve put it out there. Now how they’ve put it out and what their stipulations were may not have attracted the right folks, but they didn’t have any people come to bid on it. Bishop Wright told South Florida Water Management District’s recreation forum that this might be the last place for a mud park. There’s money and there’s an opportunity there and it needs to be put together basically from FWC and from Palm Beach County. But it’s been sitting there for 10 years and I guess it’s time to start talking about it, especially when you see development working its way out there. The land is owned by the South Florida Water Management District. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says Alligator Alcatraz was always meant to be a temporary facility. DeSantis says he’s okay if the federal government wants to close it. It’ll eventually break down. It’ll eventually be wound down and then it’ll return to status quo ante. And there’s not going to be development there. There’s not going to be any of that. Love bugs have been pretty bad this year. Norman Lepla, a professor at the University of Florida, says no, the UF did not invent love bugs. Car washes are benefiting from the activity. He says it’ll be a short visit for the love bugs. Well, if they bother you, just try to avoid them by using fans or driving at night or whatever you need to do. They’ll be gone in a couple weeks, wherever you live. He says they can damage your car and its paint job if they’re left on there too long. Another rumor is that they are acid. They’re not acid at all. They’re neutral. What causes the problem is that baking on the paint. And so the sooner they are removed, the better. Henry County Commissioner’s honored long-time engineer Shane Parker for 20 years of service. Commissioner Rowdy Howard says he gets great comments from the public about Parker’s performance. It is really amazing in this three and a half years, how many times that I’ve heard people within the community and even outside of Henry County say, you got Shane Parker, you better hang on to him. He is a good one. And that is a heck of a reputation you have. And we sure appreciate you using it here. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).