Okeechobee Courthouse American Indian Exhibit Opens

Smithsonian “Americans” Exhibit Opens at Okeechobee Historic Courthouse

OKEECHOBEE CITY, FL. -- The Smithsonian has arrived in Okeechobee! The Americans Smithsonian touring exhibition opened this past weekend at the Historic Okeechobee Courthouse with members of both the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida in attendance.

Americans is based on a major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. This exhibit explores how deeply intertwined American Indians are in the culture of the United States.

Florida Humanities awarded five cultural organizations $10,000 in grant funding to host Americans and exhibition programming. In addition to Okeechobee, the Florida tour of Americans will travel to Fort Myers, St. Petersburg and Panama City through June 2027.

Hendry Sheriff Arrests

 ARREST BLOTTER

10/12/2026 – 10/18/2026

Felony/DUI Arrest

Takenya Keaisha Felton, 36, Clewiston was arrested on October 12, 2026, by Sgt. J. Nunemaker on charges of Theft of Motor Vehicle, Petit Theft and Exploitation of the Elderly

David Luis Martnez Reyes, 18, LaBelle was arrested on October 13, 2026, by Det. T. Lewis on charges of Homicide and 3 counts of Attempted Homicide

Angel Enrique Santiago Lebron, 50, Moore Haven was arrested on October 13, 2026, by Deputy Sheriff J. Coley on charges of Domestic Battery – 2 nd Offense

Dorothy Williams, 47, LaBelle was arrested on October 13, 2026, by Deputy Sheriff D. Givans on 2 counts of Felony Failure to Appear and 2 counts of Misd Probation Violation

Erislandy Alvarez Perez, 42, Hialeah was arrested on October 14, 2026, by Det. C. Earl on charges of Theft of Motor Vehicle

Nasiar Joel Rivera, 24, Clewiston was arrested on October 14, 2026, by Deputy Sheriff M. Ramirez-Reyna for 3 counts of Felony Probation Violation

James Allen Jamison, 46, Moore Haven, was arrested on October 14, 2026, by Det. G. Willis on charges of Grand Theft

Jesus Martin Martinez, Jr., 36, Moore Haven was arrested on October 17, 2026, by Deputy Sheriff J. Estiverne on charges of Possession of Marijuana over 20 Grams

Reporting Elder Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation

Fort Myers, Fla. — October 20, 2026 — The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, through its Secure Seniors Florida elder abuse prevention effort, is reminding residents how and when to report elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Elder abuse means hurting, neglecting or taking advantage of an older person. Chapter 825, Florida Statutes, makes it a crime to abuse, neglect or exploit an elderly person. The law defines an elderly person as someone age 60 or older whose ability to care for or protect themselves is impaired by the infirmities of aging.

Florida's Adult Protective Services Act, Chapter 415, Florida Statutes, requires any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a vulnerable adult is being abused, neglected or exploited to report it immediately. A vulnerable adult is anyone 18 or older whose ability to care for or protect themselves is impaired, including by the infirmities of aging.

"If you see something or feel something is wrong, say something," Clorivel Longoria, Elder Abuse Prevention Coordinator." Reporting helps keep older adults safe."

When to report

Residents should report right away if:

Something doesn't feel right.
They see someone being hurt or ignored.
Money or property is being taken unfairly.

You do not need proof to make a report.

How to report, 24 hours a day Call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873, run by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Callers can remain anonymous if they want.

Report online at reportabuse.myflfamilies.com/s/.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first, then report to Adult Protective Services (APS).

What happens next

Trained workers check the report, help is sent if needed, and the reporter's name is kept private.

The "How to Report Elder Abuse" flyer is available here and may be shared freely.

A Lodge Called Folkestone by Bob Kranich - England, Wales, Scotland

A Lodge Called Folkestone

The Dream, The Challenge, The People
by Bob Kranich

(Excerpt 30)

You may wonder why the first half of the book is about my many adventures throughout the USA. Well, this first part explains just why my interests changed from hot rodding cars to backpacking. How the idea of a lodge came about, and just how the lodge came to be in North Carolina and next to the Smoky Mountain National Park, Deep Campground to be exact.

Now we’re off to England, Wales, and Scotland with my good army buddy, Ed Clement.

England, Wales, and Scotland

That evening, since it was time to stop for the night, we suddenly came upon a bed and breakfast sign along the road. We turned in and parked next to a very old and quaint stone house and barn. We got out and heard some sounds. We went over to a solid stone fenced enclosure, looked over, and there to our pleasant surprise, were three puppies and a mother. They were Welsh Border Collies, just like we had seen herding the sheep with the horsemen. So cute! After we got our full of looking, we went over to the house, and knocked on the door.

A very short, old lady came to the door. She had very pretty white hair and an apron over a homespun dress.

“What can I do fer ye young persons?” she asked.

“Ma’am, we saw your bed and breakfast sign, and we are touring the English Isles.We need a place to stay for the evening. Do you have any vacancies?”

“Oh you are Americans, United States, I bet cha?”she said with a chuckle. “I’d be happy to accommodate you for the evening. Let me show you to your room, and them you can bring your things in.”

“Thank you ma’am,” we both replied.

She led us through the house and up some stairs. It was a very tidy and clean old house. In fact, I felt like I was walking through a museum. I’m sure that this house may have been at least two or three hundred years old. Inside, the stone walls were plaster. She showed us the room.

“Do you have a time ye wish to wake up? I could give ye a knock on the door.”

“Oh, I guess eight would be ok,” Irene answered.

She gave us the key, and it looked like an old skeleton key I had seen as a youngster many years before. We brought in our suitcases, looked over some brochures we had picked up along the way, and decided to take baths. We didn’t have to worry about a TV because there was none. There are two things that I remember about the bathroom. One, the large claw foot tub’s fill was on the side in the center. The other was that the scale measured in stones! I forget just how many stones I had weighed.

The next morning at eight, we heard a knock at our door. “Breakfast will be served in thirty minutes young people,” the older lady chimed.

We hurriedly dressed, freshened up, and went down. She was serving us on her formal dining room table. We sat down, and she started bringing in the food. First, we had sliced ham, eggs, orange juice, and milk. Then, before we could say thank you, here she came with a stack of pancakes. Hotcakes she called them. We looked at each other, put some butter and syrup on them, and started eating again. She came in and said, “Could I get ye any thing else, coffee, biscuits?”

We had to say, “Ma’am, thank you. The breakfast...the food is so delicious, but we are filled to the top! Thank you very much.”

We paid her, and it was very reasonable. What a wonderful experience! We gathered up our things, and loaded them up in the Mini. We took one last look at the Border Collies and were back on the road. As we drove along, we talked about the experience. One thing that was strange was that we saw or heard no one else. Was she there all by herself?

Thinking back, I know that this experience was the catalyst for my former wife wanting to build the Folkestone Lodge.

From The Author:

This is a new book. It is about the Lodge I built in the Smoky Mountains, near Bryson City, and Deep Creek campground, North Carolina. Having been from Florida, I know that a lot of Floridians love to visit the Smoky Mountains National Park. Therefore hopefully you will enjoy my story of the building of “A Lodge Called Folkestone”

Florida Highway Safety Office Hacked Last Month - Free Credit Monitoring To Those Impacted

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) determined that a malicious actor accessed certain department records on September 4, 2026, using compromised credentials. The Department took immediate steps to contain the activity and secure its systems to prevent further unauthorized access.

The ongoing investigation, conducted in collaboration with the Florida Digital Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, determined the information potentially affected includes driver license and motor vehicle data, to include document images, and other personal information. At this time, FLHSMV has no evidence indicating that information has been misused.

FLHSMV will be sending letters this week to current driver license or identification card holders potentially impacted by the breach. Additionally, to protect the identity of those impacted, we have partnered with Sontiq, Inc., a TransUnion company, to offer complimentary identity and credit monitoring services and $1 million identity theft insurance for 1 year.

In accordance with Section 501.171, F.S., FLHSMV is also issuing this substitute notice because it may not have current mailing addresses for impacted customers who no longer hold a valid Florida driver license or identification card or who previously had a vehicle titled in Florida.

FLHSMV recommends taking the following precautions:Review account statements and credit reports for suspicious activity.
Monitor your financial and online accounts.
Consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze with major credit bureaus.
Use Federal Trade Commission resources available at https://www.identitytheft.gov/databreach

A free credit report may be obtained from each of the three nationwide consumer-reporting agencies by visiting http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.

In addition, the three nationwide credit bureaus may be contacted at the telephone numbers below:Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-680-7289

Persons who previously held a Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or Florida title and did not receive a mailed notice may contact FLHSMV using the information below.

Email: customerinquiry@flhsmv.gov

Website and FAQs:FLHSMV.gov/DataBreach