WAFC Local News – April 10, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Henry Regional Medical Center would like to put speed tables on Sagamore Avenue and slow people down. Beatrix Acosta told the city of Clewiston their staff and patients are put at risk every day when they walk across the street. They get calls all the time about crossing the street. Nothing stops them and it is extremely dangerous. As motorists disregard signs and brush off requests to slow down from staff. When you tell them to slow down, they look at you like you have four heads. Acosta says the city needs to do something now before it’s too late. God forbid something happen and somebody does get struck. You know, who’s liable for that? We are, you are, the city. I mean, it’s terrible. And we don’t even want to cross that bridge. She says it’s not overkill to put in speed bumps and encourage motorists to take another route. City staff says they’ll try and come up with some solutions. The Palm Beach County School Board approved 29 contracts that provide various services to students. There was some concern though about the process and the increases in cost for these services. School board member, Virginia Savietto, requested a workshop to review school board contracts with various vendors. Today will not be the day to kind of debate me on those things. That’s school board member, Edwin Ferguson. He says he understands the need to review these contracts. He says in the past, district administration has not been prepared to answer basic questions. And he says they should be answered. Board member Savietto was right to pull this. And I think that we owe it to the taxpayers and to our students and our parents and everyone as well to be able to account for why we’re doing whatever. Even if it’s on consent, be prepared for it to get pulled. Stop getting caught flat footed. It doesn’t look right. When I review these meetings, it looks kind of bad when you say, well, let me get back to you. Why? You put it on the agenda, so be able to account for it. Superintendent Michael Burke defended himself and his staff saying they’re always on hand and ready to answer any and all questions. But we will speak to any item on this agenda. We prepare for this, we review the agenda. And I just take a little issue with that characterization that we get caught flat footed. I don’t, I’m not recalling a lot of those instances. The Glades County School Board honored Doreen Sabella for 22 years of service as she retires as director of student services. Superintendent Dr. Beth Barfield says Sabella was very professional and reliable. The word that I think comes to mind is consistency. And you knew that if you asked her to do something or if she was involved in a project, you didn’t have to go back and say, how are you doing this? Or you knew it was getting done correctly. She’s a former principal at West Glades and a former Glades County Schools Teacher of the Year. She was the first teacher of the year at West Glades School. The county commission will decide on school and other impact fees next Tuesday. Moorhaven is also getting a charter school. A non-resident is charged with organized dealing in stolen property in Hendrick County. 39-year-old Joslandi Brahejo Mirabal was facing other charges related to a scam and theft allegations. Hendrick County’s finest says Mirabal was involved in the sale of $14,000 worth of meat at a local store. He says he’s new to the country from Cuba and was sent by a relative to pick up and deliver the meat to Tampa for $500. Deputies say he presented a false ID and a false date of birth. He’s been charged with two counts of grand theft, one for under $5,000. The second for over $10,000. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).