WAFC Local News – September 07, 2026, 8:06 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. A Clewiston man gets 19 years in federal prison. Johnny Hunter allegedly distributed nearly 140 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent in Moorhaven. The DEA handling that investigation along with local authorities. The undercover agent said he was able to purchase the fentanyl from Hunter between January 6th and February 5th. The DEA executed an arrest warrant on Hunter and found additional 81 grams of fentanyl on March 26th. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office contributed to the investigation. Hunter has a lengthy criminal record. He was on supervised release at the time of his arrest for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Henry County School Board member Stephanie Buesen told Clewiston City Commissioners that a large crowd witnessed the recent demolition of the White Building in Clewiston. It was a little painful. I got a little teary-eyed watching it all come down. And it was pretty interesting to see the folks from the area come by and getting bricks from that for their little garden. They said they will now use the land as a parking lot for the Adult Education Center and pre-K programs. Buesen says there is a need in that area of Clewiston. What you see in that area now that we have the Clewiston Early Learning Center as well as the Adult Learning Facility and the sub office is there was just a drastic need for parking. ICE continues operations in Southwest Florida arresting 500 people over a four-day period. The ICE Regional Director, Matthew Elliston, gave an interview to Wink News about the operation calling it a success. We did 500 arrests in four days to include a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, two child molesters, a rapist, and a man wanted for murder. Elliston asserts that ICE only arrests criminals that are a danger to the community. 70% of the people that ICE arrests have either pending criminal charges or were convicted criminals before ICE came in. Operation Rotten Apple at the national level resulted in some 2,100 arrests in the last week. 30 days, Operation Rotten Apple has taken over 2,100 criminals off our streets. That’s the worst of the worst. These arrests included gang members, rapists, murderers, and child predators, which I believe there’s a special place in hell for those individuals. The Moorhaven City Council expect to receive over $900,000 in grants from the state to finish their seawall project. Mayor Clay Browning suggested the city provide some funding for the project too to get it done. My suggestion would be we take and match that to at least finish that seawall or at least show the governor or the state that we’re willing to work and do something ourselves too. Belgrade wants to add guardrails on Gator Boulevard and other streets that have canals. In July, three people and one family, including two small children, died in a vehicle when it left Gator Boulevard and landed upside down in a canal. Mayor Steve Wilson says they must make safety a priority. It’s tough for you guys when you respond to these families, and it’s tough on us because we see it, but we’re not doing anything about it. A businesswoman wants to bring a food truck parked at Belgrade. She’s been referred to meet with city staff. Palm Beach deputies continue to investigate a shooting that took place on West 3rd Street and Begonia Drive in Pahokee. They did not release any other details other than to say it was an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, along with criminal mischief as property was damaged. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).