WAFC Local News – November 20, 2025, 8:42 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. A second search warrant has been served in the city of Clewiston by Henry County Sheriff deputies. Criminal investigators executed the search warrant at the Community Development Building, which is zoning and planning at 121 Central Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say the second search warrant is a result of information uncovered so far and is concerning business practices within the city. Henry County detectives said they located and removed substantial information to review related to the investigation. They called it an active and ongoing investigation and that detectives will be working to close the case in the upcoming weeks. The LaBelle City Commission approves a new hotel and commercial project. It was a 3-2 vote. Nine acres will be rezoned near Captain Henry Drive and many residents weren’t happy about it. The land will be annexed into the city limits. Some of the commercial space, due to be leased by the Henry County Road Patrol Division, is planned along State Road 80 at South Captain Henry Drive. The four-story hotel was the only issue to be debated as the land was already zoned to build commercial business and a hotel. They couldn’t build to 45 feet, however. 35,000 square feet of commercial use is also planned. Privacy concerns, extra traffic, crime and drainage were the biggest worries of neighbors. The city will require a wall or fence and trees around the property. The applicant withdrew plans for a car wash, gas pumps and a convenience store. Margaret Tassone with the developer says they can build most of the project already. I think just an important point to touch on from the beginning is that this property is already zoned for commercial uses. A hotel can already be built on this property and we have 23 conditions. Estela Hernandez says this will just bring more traffic to LaBelle. I don’t know if you’ve ever been down 80 from 6 or 5.30 in the morning to 10 and seen the amount of traffic that is already congesting our neighborhoods. Jennifer Curtis worried this will impact the value and possible sale of her home. If you guys don’t think this will depreciate our values, it absolutely is. People don’t move to LaBelle for a hotel in their backyard. This is going to impact my family financially and our future. A structure fire at 8th Street and Avenue E in Moorhaven, a single white trailer with carport and shed was damaged. Glades County Public Safety Chief Larry Factor says seven people from his office were on the scene in less than a minute. The hydrant was accessed for water supply and the fire was contained to the structure. No injuries were reported. The state fire marshal will investigate the cause. The American Red Cross and the Glades County School Board No Child Left Behind program offering aid to the family. Chief Factor says it was a large community effort to help the family as a social media post told them about the fire. The Palm Beach School Board heard from teachers and the union upset with the 1% salary hike proposed in contract negotiations. Shane Zaleski says teachers need higher pay. I am assigned more kids than I’ve ever been assigned before yet I’m effectively earning less when considering inflation. The 1% raise offer should be a non-starter. I understand we’re down a lot of students which ultimately means $40 million less for the district to spend. We have to lower costs and when you have less students you don’t need as many workers. We need to lower the headcount at the district office and potentially schools as well. The board gave a perfect evaluation to Superintendent Mike Burke. Burke says he’s very pleased with the board, his employees and the job itself. I’m as excited today as I was four years ago when I first got this opportunity and I greatly appreciate the support of the board and your feedback and look forward to great things in the future. We are all part of a larger team, Team Palm Beach and I really feel like we’re heading in the right direction. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).