WAFC Local News – June 30, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
Flora repeatedly struck her in the head with the same rock. According to the arrest report, the victim sustained a laceration to the back of her head and mild bruising on her upper back. She was treated at the scene by Glades County EMS. A Belle Glade woman arrested in Leesburg after she was in a traffic stop and authorities found baggies of cocaine in the vehicle. 35-year-old Erica Monique Dautin, arrested by Leesburg police. They allegedly found four small baggies of cocaine. She was booked into the Lake County Jail on a $3,500 bond. A 53-year-old LaBelle man, Gregory Benjamin, facing charges of resisting arrest after a rough traffic stop for Henry County deputies. It happened at Bridge Street and State Road 80. The deputies say that Benjamin was driving 50 in a 35 and then had an angry scowl on his face when he approached the vehicle. He refused to cooperate in the traffic stop or get out of the vehicle and then tried to record the deputy with a cell phone. He allegedly resisted arrest and a struggle ensued and was taken into custody. The Fish and Wildlife staff wanted to sunset the Hale-Sane program or commercial fishing permits on Lake Okeechobee. Currently there are only two of ten available permits filled and haven’t been filled since 2018. The last permit the state issued was 2015. Chairman of the Commission Rodney Barreto wanted to keep the program. Let’s try to be compassionate and understand how they make a livelihood and historically and everything. So I’m going to side with them. I don’t want to take someone’s ability to make a livelihood away if it’s not detrimental to the environment. Under the program net fishing of game fish like bluegill and red sunfish is allowed by the permit holders. Along with catfish and tilapia they have to throw back crappie and bass. Board member Josh Kellum wants to keep the program going. It’s extremely sad to see an industry like this die because I think it was such a vital part of our state for a very long time. Governor DeSantis signed the Florida budget in Tampa today nearly 118 billion dollars worth of spending. It’s the fourth consecutive year to year reduction in state spending. Future pay will include a 1.5 billion allocation to provide salary increases for teachers. They’re also looking at 30 billion for K-12 public education across the state this year. DeSantis says he will not take the lead and be the spokesperson for property tax reform initiatives on the ballot. I’m not going to do it. I think it’ll likely pass. I mean because if you read it I think most people are going to be supportive of it. But I don’t know that. I know ours would have passed because we did a lot of research on exactly how to structure it. A Bill Glade man is facing charges of sexual battery and a child under 12. Lewis Taylor is implicated in a case of historical sexual abuse. The victim says she was 10 years old and under when she was improperly touched approximately 10 times. Investigators say they spoke to three victims in the case. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).