WAFC Local News – August 10, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. First day of school for both Hendry and Glades County school students today. It’s also one week before the primary election and early vote continues in Hendry County. You can vote at the Supervisor of Elections office on Hickpachee Avenue in LaBelle and also the one in Clewiston on South Olympia Street. Three candidates are seeking the District 4 Commission seat in Glades County in the Republican primary. Incumbent Hattie Taylor challenged by Tariq Coase and Linda Cisneros. They participated in a political forum at the Buckhead Ridge Community Association August 4th. Taylor was asked why they’re paying Okeechobee County for fire and EMS. Paying Okeechobee right now costs less than opening an entire fire department. We would love to be able to do that but I’m just going to say it like this you can’t get blood from a turnip. Coase says he would not support any data centers in Glades County. AI is good to cheat and you know get the results you’re looking for. It essentially steals all your personal information. Like where do you think all of that personal information is stored? You can do crazy things with AI. You can probably update your bank statements and it will do your taxes for you but it saves all that information. So no until there is stricter guidelines on data centers at least no I am not for them. Cisneros says she supports impact fees to a point. I would like to see commercial business developments I would like to see impact fees placed on those however on residential homes I really would not like to see impact fees on residential homes. Coase also raised some concerns about the third amendment. A lot of law enforcement agencies are against it a lot of fire departments are against it it’s going to kill their budget it’s going to negatively affect them and it’s going to affect the quality of services we receive. Taylor says the county is facing some financial worries with property tax revenues possibly going down by 3.6 million over two years due to the amendment three. There won’t be any getting around cuts so the essentials will do our best to keep providing for Glades County as we’ve always done. Cisneros who works for the clerk of the court says she’ll be an advocate for the people. I will not be a yes person I will think for myself ask the tough questions and stand up for what is right for the people of Glades County. I believe this community deserves a commissioner who will listen who will speak up and who will have the courage to make the tough decisions when they need to be made. Belgrade commissioners were questioned about buying an RV formerly owned by retired administrator Lomax Harrell. Darrell Kelly wants to know what the RV would be used for and wanted to know how much they paid for it. And y’all wanting people to vote no just about everybody I’ve been talking about on the property tax are wanting to vote yes because y’all not trying to save us no money and doing nothing for the city and y’all want to go buy a camper just to pad a city manager because the camper belongs to him something is not right here. Kelly says he questioned why the city would have an RV. The commission chose not to address his comments. A Belgrade man Johnny Evans is facing charges of improperly touching a customer. At 900 South Main Street he claimed there was a spider on her back. Evans alleged he began grabbing and touching her buttocks inappropriately. He’s also accused of taking inappropriate photos of the woman with his cell phone without her knowledge. I’m Charles Murphy WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).