WAFC Local News – September 17, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Aerial adult mosquito treatments continue this week in Henry County. They’ll be conducting spraying in Colusa Estates, Colusa Shores, Double J Acres, Felda, Fort Denoad, Fort Denoad Acres, LaBelle Acres, Case and Evans Road, LaBelle Ranchettes, North LaBelle, Northwest Henry County, South LaBelle, Port LaBelle and Phillips and Murray Roads. The treatments begin tonight and will go on what they’re permitting through next Tuesday. Protesters disrupted the Palm Beach County budget hearing Tuesday night over the county’s substantial investments in Israeli bonds. Demonstrators objected to Palm Beach County holding hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds, making it one of the largest government investors. Sheriff Rick Bradshaw says his bailiffs were able to clear the room quickly. I think you I think you all got a good look at how effective and efficient these men and women are to do what they need to do without a lot of violence involved. But I got to tell you, I’ve done 22 budget sessions as the sheriff for 22 years. This was the most exciting one I’ve ever been on. The groups constantly disrupted the speakers and deliberations as the budget hearing went on, and it caused a 30 minute delay. Department of Transportation is issued an update to their weight restrictions on the State Road 29 LaBelle drawbridge. Effective immediately, the drawbridge is subject to vehicle specific weight restrictions of 26 ton, 32 ton and 34 ton, depending on the vehicle configuration. The designated regional detour continues to be State Road 78, US 27 and State Road 80. A Pahokee man received 15 years in prison for aggravated battery, a deadly weapon and other charges that stem from a shooting in August 2025. Jacoby Jones also pled no contest to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm in public. He was sentenced as an habitual felony offender and a prison releasee reoffender. He had prior convictions for carjacking and robbery and scored 103 months in prison. Jones allegedly was wearing a mask and tried to rob the victim who was riding an ATV at Alabama Avenue and 11th Street. The victim suffered a minor gunshot wound to his right calf. 28 shell casings were found by investigators. The shooting in Clewiston. A Glades County judge found William Steinle in violation of Chapter 54, nuisances and abandoned property. He lived at 10347 Street in Buckhead Ridge. He’d been living in a tent. There was a lot of debris and garbage and junk on the property. And a phone call to a code officer on May 4th of 2025. Steinle admitted he and a woman were living in the tent. He said he was preparing the RV to live in, was told it was against county code and then stated he would move the unit to an RV park. An inspection on July 15th of 2025 found the property still violating county rules. At that time, a fine of 25 days per day was imposed. The code officer alleged the property is operating an RV as a living facility and accumulating piles of trash. Captains for Clean Water continue to want local governments in southwest Florida stay vigilant in the fight for water quality improvements. Chris Whitman says they still oppose U.S. Sugar and other sugar farmers. There’s very powerful special interests in Florida, in the industrial sugar industry that push for the status quo. And so we we we have to stay so focused. Low water has kept problems out west to a minimum this year in the Caloosahatchee. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).