Know Your Candidate Part 3 - Hendry County Judge

From Jill E. Cabai, candidate for Hendry County Judge. biography on the Hendry County Election office website:

"In 2016, I opened my own law practice in Hendry County, becoming a small business owner in the very community I serve. Through my practice in criminal defense and family law, I have continued working directly with local families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. As both an attorney and a small business owner, I understand the real-world challenges facing working families and local businesses in our community. I am a current member and former Vice President of the Hendry/Glades County Bar Association.

"My commitment to Hendry County extends beyond the courtroom. I serve on the Board of the Greater LaBelle Chamber of Commerce and previously served for many years on the board of the Caloosa Humane Society, where I helped open the Caloosa Humane Society Veterinary Clinic to provide the low-cost veterinary services our area desperately needed. I have also volunteered with the Firehouse Community Theatre and the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation (LDRC), working to strengthen our local arts, culture, and small businesses.

"Through my volunteer work at Caloosa Humane Society, I met my husband, Alex DeStefano, a local realtor many of you may know. Our rescue dog, Herman, has even made appearances in Alex’s real estate posts. I live and work in Hendry County with Alex and our rescue pets. For the past 17 years, I have been a resident of Hendry County proudly sponsoring youth sports and supporting community events and celebrations.

"I show up for this community not because it is my profession, but because it is my home."

From her campaign website:

"I graduated cum laude from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Studies, and I earned my Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law, where I also completed certificates in Land Use and Environmental Law. I was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2007.

"My legal career began in Orange County as a Certified Legal Intern at the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. I then returned home to Southwest Florida to serve as an Assistant State Attorney in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, in Hendry County office where I represented the people of Hendry County for over 8 years. As a prosecutor, I managed more than 100 felony cases at a time from intake through resolution and tried numerous felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases. My courtroom experience includes DUIs, domestic violence, theft offenses, narcotics crimes, serious violent felonies, and handling the Special Victims docket. That experience strengthened my ability to evaluate evidence carefully, apply the law fairly, and make difficult decisions with steady judgment."

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Jill Cabai lives in LaBelle, operates her law office in LaBelle, and owns a home in LaBelle. 
She contributed $30,000 to her campaign, and $8,000 has been contributed mainly by Hendry county residents or businesses.

The Florida Department of State indicates she is an officer of the non-profit CENTRAL FLORIDA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, INC.

Sources:

Campaign Website https://jillforhendryjudge.com/

Hendry County Election Office (all candidates) https://hendryelections.gov/running_for_office/candidate_bio_and_financial_reports.php

Platt Branch Wildlife Area Public Hearing July 29 In Lake Placid

Help plan the future of the Platt Branch WEA

VENUS, FL. -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will present the draft materials for the Platt Branch Wildlife and Environmental Area 10-year Land Management Plan at a public hearing in Highlands County on Wednesday, July 29.

The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Town of Lake Placid Community Room 1069 US Highway 27 N. Lake Placid, FL 33852. The public is encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions regarding the Land Management Plan for the FWC-managed WMA.

Located just south of Lake Placid, the 1,982-acre Platt Branch Wildlife and Environmental Area (PBWEA) lies within a rural landscape of ranchlands, citrus groves, conservation lands, and the southern Lake Wales Ridge. The property borders the northern edge of the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area (FCWMA) in the upper Fisheating Creek Basin. The area protects key depressional wetlands that drain into Platt Branch and Fisheating Creek, the only free-flowing tributary to Lake Okeechobee, and serves as an important link in South Florida’s regional wildlife corridor. Additionally, the PBWEA contains diverse natural communities that include scrub, hammocks, flatwoods, marshes and swamps. This habitat diversity supports a wide range of resident and migratory bird species, offering excellent opportunities for birding and wildlife watching.

For more information regarding this and other upcoming public hearings, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation then click “Terrestrial Conservation” and “Management.” Hunting and fishing regulations are not included in this plan or public hearing; they are addressed through a separate public process. Visit MyFWC.com/Hunting and click on the Hunting Handbook under “Regulations” or MyFWC.com/Fishing and select either Saltwater Recreational Regulations or Freshwater Recreational Regulations to learn more about hunting and fishing regulations.

To see more about Land Management Plans, visit MyFWC.com/Conservation, click “Terrestrial Conservation,” then scroll to “Management Plans”. To obtain a copy of the draft elements of the Management Plan for the Platt Branch WEA, please contact FWCMgmtPlans@MyFWC.com.

Pursuant to Chapters 253 and 259, Florida Statutes, all lands purchased with public funds must have a Land Management Plan that ensures the property will be managed in a manner that is consistent with the intended purposes of the purchase.

LaBelle Bridge Closed For Two Weekends For Repairs

 S.R. 29 LaBelle Drawbridge to Close for Two Consecutive Weekends

Temporary Repairs; 53-Mile Truck Detour Required

LABELLE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District One will implement a temporary full closure of the LaBelle Drawbridge carrying S.R. 29 (locally known as Bridge Street) over the Caloosahatchee River in Hendry County to perform urgent repairs to the bridge.

These urgent repairs are required to ensure the long-term safety of the traveling public. Additional repairs will be necessary in the future.

To minimize the impact on weekday commuters, the structural repairs will be completed over two consecutive weekends, from Friday through Sunday, for a total of six days of closures.

 The first weekend closure starts Friday, July 17th and runs through Sunday, July 19th. (Crews expect to have the bridge reopened before Monday morning rush hour.)

 The second weekend closure starts Friday, July 24th and runs through Sunday, July 26th. (Crews expect to have the bridge reopened before Monday morning rush hour.)

Harold Dwayne "Doc" Weaver Dies At 80

Harold Dwayne "Doc" Weaver, 80, of Clewiston, Florida, passed away peacefully on June 26, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Doc was born on March 13, 1946, in Clewiston, Florida, and has spent his entire life here. He worked as an electrician for many years and, along with his wife, was a local business owner. He was in the National Guard as a young man, an auxiliary deputy for the Hendry County Sheriff's Office, and a volunteer fireman for the Clewiston Fire Department. He was also a member of the Clewiston Elks Lodge and the Lyons Club. He was an avid fisherman. A true horseman, he shared a special bond with his faithful horse, "Smutt," and treasured every moment they spent together.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Judy, and his three daughters, Cindy Clemons (Wayne), Karen Robinson, and Tracy Nesbitt. He has six grandchildren Megan Robinson, Justin Robinson (Amber), Daniel Clemons (Shawn), Matthew Clemons (Allie), Caitlin Troutman (Matthew) and Ryan Nesbitt (Taylor), seven great grandchildren Madison & Ashton Nodal, Aubrey J'Lyne Billie, Byrson and Greyson Clemons, Gentry and Hallie Troutman and one great great grandchild Oakley Mae Sheen.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Helen Weaver (Granny); father, Dilburn Weaver (Granddaddy); sister, Flora Mae Bash; brothers, Sam, Tim, and Butch; and a grandson, Michael Caleb McGee.

A Celebration of Life will be at a later date.

Know Your Candidate (Part 2) - Hendry County Judge

Antoinette Peck, on her page on the Hendry County Elections office says, "I began my career as a judicial law clerk and Assistant Public Defender, where I gained extensive courtroom experience early on. I later built my own successful law practice, striving to meet the needs of the community in Hendry County, representing clients in complex family law matters, including divorce, custody, support, adoption, and dependency cases, as well as land use and business disputes. As a mediator and arbitrator, I have also helped families and businesses resolve disputes efficiently and with dignity outside of the courtroom when possible.

"I am a past president of the Hendry-Glades Bar Association and have been actively involved with the Caloosa Humane Society, including serving on its executive committee of the Board of Directors and as pro bono legal counsel. I was the race director for the Caloosa Humane Society Swamp Stomp 5K for three years, doubling the number of race participants under my leadership. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the LaBelle Chamber of Commerce and the Caloosa Riders."

She personally gave $25,200 to her campaign. $3,525 came from donations outside Hendry County. She has a law office with Isaac Peck in downtown Fort Myers, and owns a home with Isaac Peck in North Fort Myers.

Sources:

Hendry County Elections (All Candidates): https://hendryelections.gov/running_for_office/candidate_bio_and_financial_reports.php

Fundraising Website: https://votetonipeck.com/