Clenton Preston Walker Dies At 94

Clenton Preston Walker (94) of LaBelle, Florida passed away on Sunday morning, October 27, 2024 at 11:00am. 

Clenton was the 12th of 13 children of Roland Andrew Walker, Sr. and Melissa Jane (Robinson) Walker born on March 20, 1930 in Berrien County Georgia. 

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 34 years, Ferol Dabbs Walker and survived by his daughters, Ferol Louise (Walker) Judah of Wauchula, Fl and Marcia Lei (Walker) Law and spouse Dale Law of Kingsland, Georgia. 

As well as his only living sibling Roland Andrew Walker, Jr. of LaBelle, Florida with (5) Grandchildren Nicole Louise (Morgan) Ritz and Spouse Robert Ritz, Jayne Odell (Judah) Muse and Spouse Ronnie Muse, Matthew Scott Morgan and Spouse April Morgan, Clenton Preston (Petey) Judah and Ashleigh Marie (Bushaw) Hoxit and Spouse James Hoxit. (6) Great Grandchildren: Daimien David Duval, Ryleigh Lynne Fuller, Danual Derek Duval, Keith Austin Fuller, John Titus Hoxit and Arabella Diane Ritz, who respected and loved him dearly.

Clenton was a Veteran in the U.S. Armed Forces serving in WWII and the Korean War of which he wore his Veterans cap proudly. He truly appreciated the Flight of Honor he was able to attend several years ago.

Viewing will be on Friday, November 8, 2024, 10am at Mt. Zion Primative Baptist Church in Felda, Florida. Services at 11am same location officiated by Elder Hollis Albritton. 

 There will be a graveside service with Military Honors at Payne's Creek Cemetery at 3:00pm on West County Line Road in Bowling Green, Florida also Officiated by Elder Hollis Albritton.

Local Firefighers And Paramedics Negotiate With Hendry County November 5

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

SWFL PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS & PARAMEDICS, IAFF LOCAL 1826 and HENDRY COUNTY EMS NEGOTIATIONS


Notice is hereby given that the Southwest Florida Professional Fire Fighters & Paramedics, IAFF Local 1826 and Hendry County EMS will hold a meeting on November 5, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. at the Administration Office, 640 S. Main St. Conf Room 1, LaBelle, Florida. The meeting is open to the public.

Your Personalized Voting Information From League of Women Voters

 With only a few day before the 2024 Election, the League of Women Voters' Education Fund has provided a personalized webpage for anyone's voting location by state and city, providing information of all the Presidential Candidates. (Other than the Donald Trump and Kamala Harris there are actually six others.)

The candidates were afforded the opportunity to answer questions on leading issues, and shown s the amount of money contributed and spent and debts owed by the candidate's campaigns. Interestingly, some candidates have refused to provide answers to questions asked.

To the your personalized candidate information click here:

https://www.vote411.org/plan-your-vote

Florida's Six Constitutional Amendments Explained

With only a few days until election day 2024, the Florida League of Women Voters has prepared their analysis and explanations of all six constitutional amendment which sometimes are not easy to understand, or to know what the results of passage might be.

Amendment 1
Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards

Amendment 2 

Right to Fish & Hunt

Amendment 3
Adult Personal Use of Marijuana

Amendment 4
Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion

Amendment 5
Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions

Amendment 6
Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement

To see the full text of each proposed Amendment, how it came to be on the ballot, and analysis of what effect it will on acceptance see https://lwvfl.org/vote2024/

Port LaBelle Marina Warns Trespassers Big Time

 

LaBelle, Fl. -- The owners of the Port LaBelle Marina have been posting no trespassing signs and installing gates recently at a six acre parcel on their property at the end of Oxbow Drive in Port LaBelle, to the west side of the docks. 

The new signs warn that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner expense, and warn that there is no hunting, fishing, or hiking and motorized vehicles are "strictly forbidden."

Photos: New signage at Port LaBelle Marina and local condo resident walks dog, presumably not allowed anymore on the six acres at the marina.

A gate has been put up at the end of Oxbow Dr. to prevent people from driving on the property, but some have been driving through the condo parking lot next door to get to the river for fishing or hiking, a hundred yards away.

Florida Paying For Swimming Instructors To Reduce Child Drownings

The Hendry/Glades Health Department is seeking qualified swimming instructors in the local community to help implement the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program, authorized by section 514.073, Florida Statutes.

This program is intended to reduce child drownings by removing cost as a barrier to families with an income of no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez and partners explained the program in a September 23, 2024 press conference.

If you, or someone you know, would like to register as a vendor to provide these lessons, please visit WaterSmartFL to apply. Reimbursement is set at a flat $200 ($25 for each session in an 8-lesson series), paid by the Florida Department of Health. The Department will review each registration and post every approved vendor’s business name and contact information to WaterSmartFL for families seeking to obtain lessons to consult.

Requirements include the following:Copies of relevant certifications for each instructor:Certification by the American Red Cross, YMCA, or other nationally recognized aquatic training program approved by the Department
Current certification in swimming instruction
Current certification in administering first aid
Current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Attestation of Level 1 background screening within the past five years. That attestation form is included at WaterSmartFL and must accompany the application for all instructors.

In order to bill for payment, swim instructors (or the entity reimbursing them) must be registered in MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) with an up-to-date W9 on file.

If an instructor is providing adaptive swim lessons, the Department will consult with the Dan Marino Foundation, Inc. to ensure certification is up to date.

Note that instructors do not have to use a public pool to provide lessons. They can establish agreements with private owners, or even offer lessons out of their own home pools, so long as instructors meet all certification, screening, and business requirements.

Please reach out to Vanessa Fischel or Luci Cisnero at 863-674-4041 if you have any questions.

Anne Lang Gets Three Life Sentences In Death Of Three Family Members

LaBelle (November 1, 2024) – The woman who hit and killed a father and his two teenage daughters, while driving drunk, will spend the rest of her life in prison.

Anne Lang was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to three life sentences after being convicted of three counts of Vehicular Homicide. She was also sentenced to 14 years in prison and one year of probation on each of three counts of DUI Manslaughter. Her driver’s license was also permanently revoked.

Lang was found guilty as charged in August following a trial in Hendry County, where the crash occurred.

Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano of the State Attorney’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit and Assistant State Attorney Trevor Selph prosecuted the case.

The crime happened in January 2021 on State Road 80. The defendant was speeding, clocked on radar by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), traveling at 105 miles per hour. She hit the family’s car as they were backing out of a driveway, killing the three victims. The girls were 14 and 13 years old.

The defendant’s blood alcohol level was 0.22 which is nearly three times the legal limit. FHP handled the crash investigation.

Indigenous Arts Celebration At Big Cypress Wraps Up Saturday

 BIG CYPRESS SEMINOLE RESERVATION, Fla. (November 1, 2024) – The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum will stage its annual American Indigenous Arts Celebration (AIAC), November 1-2, on the museum’s festival grounds.

The event, which will help celebrate Native American Heritage Month, will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. For the first time ever, all guests will receive complimentary admission to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and the AIAC. Parking is also free.

The AIAC is one of the top festivals in the Southeast and will feature an exciting array of Seminole and Indigenous art, music, food, dance and more.

Event highlights will include Billy Walker alligator wrestling, new museum exhibits, a Seminole fashion show, the Ahfachkee School Fashion Show, native arts and crafts vendors, Tribal food vendors, native art displays, Pharoah’s Wildlife Kingdom Wildlife Show, Osceola’s Legacy performance; a Miss Florida Seminole Princess Meet and Greet; and live music by Rez Jams (with Seminole musical artists Cypress Billie and Gabriella Diaz).

Additionally, the event’s robust entertainment lineup will include world and Native American champion hoop dancers, the Amayel Mexican Cultural Academy’s Aztec Dancers, White Mountain Apache Crown Dancers, and Native American actor Dallas Goldtooth.

For more information, please visit https://www.ahtahthiki.com/AIAC/