WAFC Local News – February 02, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Geralds Murphy reporting. Artist Clay Patterson Baird donated a painting of the LaBelle Bridge and Kaloosachie River to the city. He says the donation was in honor of his friend Ron Sisler, who recently died in a car accident in LaBelle. He thanked the Henry deputies for great bravery in trying to save his friend. They were so courageous trying to save my friend Ron Sisler. And I arrived and they jumped in at a dark pond where they had at least three alligators. And the pond is about 20 feet deep I’ve estimated. And they pulled my friend from the bottom and tried to rescue him. I have never seen such bravery in my life. He says the bridge is a treasure and landmark. He’s also working on a nighttime scene of the bridge. You all have natural beauty and you’re leaving the grasses grow. That’s all important for carcinogenics runoffs. The Ohio River they just decimated our natural rock formation and grasses and you all are smart about that. It’s very important for the health of the river. Clays County installing cameras at the workplace to try and find efficiencies. County Manager Paul Carlisle says the decision to go to five days is his decision. He wants to make decisions based on facts and data and not opinions. Cameras he says will tell them how efficient they are. We’ve got to have fact-based analysis. So you have to trust me to do my job. I want to make sure we keep the separation of powers just like the federal government So we keep the separation of powers the way they are. Because if we delve into that then it becomes, then the efficiencies do come in. Jeff Patterson reiterated he supported 40 hours and five day work weeks. We’re getting into shorter days and less light and I believe we really need to look at going back to a five day work week. I think we’re spending about quite a bit in overtime. Every year it’s been budgeted that may not be necessary if we were working five days instead of four. Palm Beach County planners recommended approval of a comprehensive plan amendment for an RV park near Belle Glade. The Norrlife RV park would measure 15 acres along the Rim Canal and 715 near Lake Oogachobee near Paul Rarden Park. It’s currently land zoned high-density residential. The RV park would be seasonal and hold up to 89 RV spots. The density is eight units an acre. They expect to have support facilities and develop the business in two years. Kevin McGinley says a national firm wanted to find a site in Palm Beach County. When you look at the location maybe that’s not the best place for high-density residential in Palm Beach County but certainly for RV recreational. This will be seasonal so that you’ll have many more tenants showing up in the cooler weather in wintertime than in the dog days of summer. Sarah Bishop says Norrlife RV park will fit the area. The applicant has provided adequate justification that the campground will provide a complimentary use adjacent to several recreational sites including Lake Oogachobee, state designated hiking trails and Paul Rarden Park. Selena Sarrios said it could help the goal of having more sports events on the lake. The sports commission had made a presentation a while back saying that they wanted to do more things on the lake and one of them was a fishing tournament. So my question is is that is there because if you’re looking for seasonal is there an opportunity where the space the entire space could be leased for a particular event? I’m Charles Murphy WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).