WAFC Local News – November 14, 2025, 8:38 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Henry County School Board approved a contract with Elevate K-12 to fill in some holes they have in the teaching ranks this semester at Clewison High School. The program will teach high school English, Language Arts, or Reading to you and me. The cost is just over $64,000. If they can find a teacher, they can always terminate the contract early. Superintendent Michael Swindle says it’s important they have a teacher in every classroom. Everything’s important. There’s nothing that we teach that I consider not to be important. However, I believe the ELE is a determinator of a human’s life. And how they read, how they write, how they communicate is all based upon the foundation they get there. The Glades County Commission approved the annual budget of $44.3 million. The tax millage this year at 12.0967 mills. The tax rate will increase by 4.49%. The budget includes just over $17.3 million in general spending, $16.3 million in capital projects, and nearly $4.2 million to fund the Sheriff’s Office. The Commission approved the plat for the 14-lot Alligator Point development. It’s on the L-50 Canal in Lakeport. The project covers 6.4 acres on Milam Road. Glades County also approved a location and lease for the new Palmdale Post Office. It’ll be on LaBelle and Main Streets. Senator Lori Berman, a Brenda Bryant told Belgrade City Commissioners that they received funds for senior housing resiliency and for improvements for the Lakeshore Community Center this year. These investments represent more than just state dollars. They are the commitment to strengthen Belgrade, enhancing quality of life for your seniors, and ensuring your community resource remains safe, secure, and resilient for years to come. Lobbyist Sam Pelletier says the state budget is expected to have a $20 billion shortfall over the next five years. He says it will be harder to get state appropriations. He said the state is probably not going to eliminate property tax. Pelletier reported on the first tax committee agenda. While they are not talking about completely eliminating property tax as signaled by the co-chair Representative Overdorf, they will be talking about specific issues relating to property tax. And those for Tuesday came out at five. Our school taxes, homestead property benefits, millage rates, as well as fiscally constrained counties. He says the lobbying wasn’t bad this year for Belgrade. Nearly $2.5 million in appropriations in a year where the governor vetoed about $600 million in projects is really something to be proud of. So, thank you. FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass announced the results of Operation Dirtbag. 230 illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories arrested in a 10-day sweep. ICE reports the crimes include sex assault, child molesters, burglary, drug possession, even attempted murder. Melissa Bugida with the state says it was a roundup of sex offenders. I was in awe of the number of sex offenders and predators who were on our registry living in our communities who were here illegal. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).