Clewiston Man Arrested For Dealing In Stolen Goods

CLEWISTON, FLORIDA -- An undercover operation by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Hendry County Sheriff�s Office has led to the arrest of a Clewiston man in connection with dealing in stolen property.. According to Sheriff Ronnie Lee, Investigators conducting the undercover operation purchased stolen property that lead to the arrest of Elisha James Robinson age 24 of 942 Georgia Avenue Clewiston, Florida. During the investigation Robinson was found in possession of stolen property. Robinson was charged with Extortion,Dealing in Stolen Property and Interception of Electronic Communication while in the Commission of a Felony. Robinson was also in Violation of Probation and was booked into the Hendry County Jail without bond.

Gates D'Alessandro and Woodyard Refuse To Remove Signs

Fort Myers Real Estate Company's Signs Clutter Countryside

LABELLE, FLORIDA --  Hendry county residents have been complaining lately about the tremendous amount real estate company billboards that are now littering the thoroughfares of this rural county. With the recent boom in land sales in Southwest Florida, "for sale" signs have abounded on nearly every street in this farm and ranch county.  What has been a quiet secret in the real estate industry is that some of the largest advertising signs from the biggest real estate companies are actually illegal, and have now become permanent free advertising locations for the brokers willing to disregard local zoning laws.

Take the large Fort Myers real estate company of Gates, D'Alessandro and Woodyard, for example. They were the brokers in the $4 million sale of the Port LaBelle Inn and adjoining acreage properties almost a year ago.  While the transaction took place in November of 2005, the company apparently has no plans to take down their four oversized double-billboard "For Sale" advertisements, two along Birchwood Parkway in Port LaBelle across from a residential neighborhood and two along State Road 80 east of LaBelle.

Susan Galbraith, Chief Operating Officer said "We do it all the time," when asked why her "for sale" billboards were still up when the properties had been sold long ago. She said she has many similar billboard signs up in Lee county and didn't see any problem. When told that her signs were apparently violating Hendry county zoning ordinances, she asked to be provided with a copy.  Hendry county only allows "for sale" signs at the property being sold and cites various restrictions as to size, depending on if the property is residential or commercial. The Gates, D'Alessandro and Woodyard billboards appears to violate the local ordinances not only because the properties are not for sale any longer, but the four double-sized signs are way in excess of size of signs allowed without a permit being pulled from Hendry County Zoning and Building.

What the company apparently does once a real estate property is sold, is to place a "sold" sign on the for sale sign and then leave the billboard there indefinitely. A good trick for some free advertising space even though it violates local laws and make for unwelcome visual pollution, residents say. Galbraith, nor anyone from the firm responded to two written inquiries from the Sunday Morning News asking when the signs would be taken down.

Local Non-Profit Get Grant

CLEWISTON, FLORIDA -- C.R.E.W., Inc. has been awarded a $208,000
grant by the State of Florida's Department of Financial Services to
administer the My Safe Florida Home hurricane mitigation program
designed to help fortify low-income Hendry and Glades County homes.
The Volunteer Florida Foundation, which manages the Florida Hurricane
Relief Fund and the My Safe Florida Home program for low-income
homeowners, chose C.R.E.W., Inc to provide hurricane mitigation
grants to homeowners who earn no more than 80 percent of the Annual
Median Income. In Hendry and Glades counties, 80% of the AMI for a
family of four is $31,000. Homes to receive mitigation services must
be site-built, single-family homes with insurance coverage under
$500,000 and have a homestead exemption.

C.R.E.W., Inc seeks to serve 100 homeowners, who will receive free
home inspections to determine what improvements can be made to
strengthen their homes against hurricanes. Following the inspections,
homeowners will receive assistance to make recommended improvements.
As part of this non-profit initiative, C.R.E.W., Inc will leverage
donations of labor through volunteers, contractor services, cash and
building materials.

Homeowners who qualify can receive funds to complete mitigation
upgrades such as: improving the strength of roof deck attachments,
creating a secondary water barrier to prevent water intrusion,
improving the survivability of roof covering, bracing gable-ended
roof framing, reinforcing roof-to-wall connections, upgrading
exterior wall openings, such as hurricane shutters, and upgrading
exterior doors, such as garage doors.

To apply for the program in (Hendry or Glades Counties), call (863-983-2390).

Homes Sales In LaBelle Area

LABELLE, FLORIDA -- From September 26 to October 3, there were 11
homes sold in the LaBelle area for an average price of $189,182. The
sales were in the following neighborhoods:

1) $252,000 on Helms Road
2) $218,000 on Jamestown Road
3) $204,000 on Kathryn Street
4) $225,000 on Littlefield Road
5) $194,000 on Palpano Circle
6) $185,000 on Rainbow Circle
7) $173,000 on Tide Circle
8) $153,000 on Wilson Avenue
9) $66,000 on North Edgewater Circle
10) $231,000 on NE Beechwood Circle
11) $180,000 on West Palomar Circle

Fire Prevention Week Ahead

LABELLE, FLORIDA - Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services
Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced that October 8th -
14th is National Fire Prevention Week - a time for citizens to think
about fire safety at home, at work and also when enjoying the
outdoors. "Florida's wildfire season lasts all year," Bronson said.
"Wildfires can occur during any month if rainfall is below normal."

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge declared the second week in
October to be National Fire Prevention Week in remembrance of
Americans who died in two tragic fire disasters that ironically
occurred on the same day - October 9th, 1871. One was the Great
Chicago Fire, which destroyed 17,450 buildings, left more than
100,000 people homeless and resulted in almost 300 fatalities. The
second and lesser known Peshtigo Fire was the most disastrous
wildfire in North American history. Extreme drought conditions
throughout the Midwest at that time along with land clearing and
careless burning practices resulted in many small wildfires which
grew into a huge conflagration. Between 1,200 and 2,400 people died
in and around the small community of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and 1.5
million acres burned throughout northeastern Wisconsin and upper Michigan.

These two fire disasters were unnecessary tragedies that changed the
way our nation responds to both structural fires and wildfires, but
perhaps more importantly, prompted a renewed national campaign for
fire prevention. Bronson urged all Floridians to follow local burning
rules and regulations for all types of outdoor burning and to never
leave a fire unattended.

"Citizens can contact the local office of the Florida Division of
Forestry or their local fire department for information on how to
burn yard waste safely and legally in their area," Bronson said.
Since January 1st, 4,300 wildfires have burned 206,859 acres
throughout Florida. More than 3,967 threatened structures were saved
as a result of action by wildland firefighters.