WAFC Local News – September 22, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Clewiston Vice Mayor Hillary Hyslop commended the CRA board for the work they’re doing. The city are providing grant dollars to businesses to upgrade their properties. Hyslop says she’s looking forward to the finished product. I think that this might be the most impactful work that residents see, you know, visibly can see in the near future. A community town hall meeting will be held on Wednesday at 6pm at the John Boy Auditorium. Hendry County’s tax collector’s office will be hosting Looking Behind the Tax Bill, understanding property taxes in Hendry County. The goal is to educate and help people understand. They’ll take a closer look at what makes up your property tax bill, the different entities involved in the property tax process, where your tax dollars go, and the pros and cons of the proposed Amendment 3, or property tax reform. The City of Pahokee celebrated the academic success of local schools during the 2025-26 school year. Glade View was an A, Lakeshore Middle a B, Pahokee Middle High School a B, Pioneer Park a B, Rosenwald Elementary an A, and Pahokee Elementary a B. Catherine E. Cunningham the only C school in the region. Principal Albert Dowdell says he’s seen some growth in programs at West Tech. At West Tech we have had a bustling couple days. We’re nearly bursting at the seams with the number of students and we’re getting so many more requests for students who want to take programs at West Tech. Superintendent Dr. Angela Moore says she’s seen improvement in schools continue this past year. To earn an A or a B in the state of Florida is a huge task. Dr. Monique McTeer says Canal Point is rebuilding its staff and has a new principal. Our students in the Glades region can do anything you require of them. But we have to support the teachers and build in their capacity to give it to them. Representative Scott Franklin introduced a Temp Act to try and get federal insurance and revenue for Florida crops to pay during times of disasters and freezes. Franklin says he saw the freeze damage in February personally. We got all through the groves and talked to ranchers who lost grass for feeding cattle up toward sugar cane damages there. That was a really devastating series of night freezes we had three or four nights in a row. He says we need to get disaster relief out quicker to our growers. Time is money for everybody else other than government. If you’re having to cash flow these damages while you’re waiting for relief, it can be just as bad as never getting the relief at all if you end up going broke waiting for the government to do its job. An Okeechee man was arrested about a month after he allegedly led Brighton police and Glades County deputies on a high-speed chase on the reservation. It started near Jones Road. The deputy recognized the driver and knew he did not have a driver’s license. He tried to pull him over, but the chase with the white BMW continued on to Reservation Road and then Frank Huff Road. They did find a vehicle in a trail on the reservation. The tag on the vehicle was not a sign to the BMW, but rather a blue Ford utility vehicle. Billy Bailey is facing charges of fleeing to elude law enforcement and driving while license suspended. Palm Beach deputies in the fire department working a suspected arson fire. It happened to a residence last week at 201 Northwest 14th Street in Belle Glade. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).