WAFC Local News – June 25, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. July 4th fireworks get the go-ahead. Florida will not impose a statewide fireworks ban for the 4th of July. State Agriculture Commissioner Wilson Simpson says recent rains have helped improve conditions. He does say you have to be careful with wildfires. Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan says they’re well prepared for the increased activity. Here’s the truth. The peak fire season is not here yet. That’s usually toward the end of May. We have not received lightning so far and when that comes and it’s coming we’re going to be as busy as we’ve probably been in decades. Glades County lifted their burn ban due to some recent rains. Commissioner Jerry Sapp lives in Palmdale. He says it’s still very dry out there and Fish Eating Creek is low. He wanted to wait on lifting the burn ban. I do want to lift the burn ban but I just don’t feel comfortable right now. All the years I’ve lived here and I’ve worked and when the rain comes in the rainy season when it starts it really comes but we’re not at that point yet in my opinion. We also have some dangerous breathing conditions due to smoke and dust in South Florida. We’re under an air quality alert from the state. Dr. Ludie Bond is with the Florida Forest Service. She says the summer often brings a special mixture of sun, heat, fires and Saharan dust. We usually have very good air quality. This fire season has been different. Multiple wildfires throughout the state of Florida. Now in Southeast Florida you have over 20,000 acres that have been burning. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Wilson Simpson says there are some things you can do to protect your home. If you see a fire please say something. If you are mowing your lawn make sure that it doesn’t spark and fire catch a fire behind you. Please do not burn outside for now. You’ve got a lot of burn bans in most counties. Check your county but if you are doing if you’re not in a burn ban and you’re going to risk doing a fire in your backyard make sure you put that fire thoroughly out. Some disturbing criminal mischief and vandalism done to the Veterans Memorial site on the waterfront in Moorhaven. Glades County deputies arresting Preston Wooten on charges that include criminal mischief with under a thousand dollars in damage a misdemeanor and improper exhibition of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They caught the incident June 16th on surveillance cameras from City Hall. Wooten was seen holding what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun between 11 p.m. and 3 in the morning. He claimed it was a air pistol. It covered portions of the memorial and damaged the flag assembly. It was found detached and lying on the ground. The U.S. flag was also removed and sustained minor damage. Eastside Elementary in Clewiston had a good garden this year. 217 pounds of produce was grown by the kids. Wedgworth congratulating the kids for their work calling it keeping agriculture alive in the classroom. A 37-year-old Naples man facing charges in Hendry County related to reckless driving and a car crash. The accident happened on June 16th at State Road 29 and Helms Road. Vehicles involved included a tractor trailer driven by the suspect Marcelo Galicia Martinez. There were three other vehicles involved. Witnesses claimed the truck was speeding. They also alleged he ran a red light. Charges included five counts of reckless driving with injury, one count of reckless driving with serious bodily injury, and reckless driving with property damage. A meet and greet is planned for the new Executive Director of the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce Aaron Drake this morning. It’ll be from 9 to 10 a.m. at 109 Central Avenue. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).