Glades County Schools Serving Meals - e-Learning Continues

MOORE HAVEN, FL – Moore Haven Elementary and West Glades School joined Moore Haven Middle and Senior High in serving hot meals to Glades County Students. Currently 2 meals per day are made available to all students in the district through delivery or pick-up. The District prepared and delivered 11,250 meals in March.

Additionally, GCSD has completed the 2nd week of e-Learning and is continuing to assist individual families with accessing the internet. Any parents who have issues with connecting to the internet or with using their Chrome books are encouraged to access the “IT Support” link on the District web page: Gladesedu.com.

Glades County School District Superintendent, Kim Jordan beams “I could not be more proud of our staff and entire Glades family for making the first week of E-Learning such a success! Parents and caregivers have stepped up and managed their new role with such grace and patience. For this, I am extremely thankful!”

Florida Keys' Watercolor by Bob Kranich

Florida Keys' Watercolor - Bob Kranich Stories

Excerpt from Bob Kranich's second full-length book, Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers. Composed of 336 pages and 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages, fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors were made roaming around Key West after Kranich finished a 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West.

As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys and the Caribbean. The stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich

Stowaway is a cute fictional story about a mischievous little girl who is not happy because her grandfather is called to work on Saturday and can’t take her fishing like he promised. She takes matters into her own hands:

Just then a loud siren went off behind them in the street. A police car with lights flashing went by. When the captain looked down again Robin was nowhere to be seen. She was out on the deck next to the couple. It is possible that even though they were middle-aged they could have been newlyweds on a honeymoon. They did not seem to notice a little girl hanging around them.

This boat they were on was named Full Catch. It was pretty impressive! From front to rear a total of 57 feet, with dual 750 HP each Caterpillar diesel inboard engines, and a flying bridge topping the boat off.

Tall, large, and muscular, Captain Jack had lived in Key West all his life. His parents together with 10-year-old Jack were moved there in 1935 by the U S Navy. His dad, a captain in his own right, commanded many different types of ships to include one of the submarine tender support ships. He was efficient and had all the right connections, so that he served in Key West until after the War, then retired in Key West.

After graduation from high school, Jack worked on many local fishing boats. He was a very thrifty fella and saved up enough money for a down payment on his dream boat and business, Captain Jack’s Deep Sea Fishing. He had been at this the last 10 years and loved every minute of it. Another couple of years and he would own this boat and all the profit would then be his.

Captain Jack climbed up to the flying bridge. He caught one of his two mate’s eyes, nodded and commanded, “Cast off, John.”
Both John and the other helper, Chuck, unwound the ropes holding the boat to the pier and then coiled them back in place. Jack flipped the starters for both engines. Without hesitation they both blasted on with a tremendous roar!

You could hear that hollow echo from the pipes against the water. He carefully eased the boat away from its mooring, slowly turned it around, and gave the two engines a little throttle. Soon they were out of the Garrison Bight and into the channel. To keep in the center of the channel he had to keep the correct channel markers to his port and starboard (left and right).

The Full Catch had to swing out and around the western end of Key West. He had to keep a watch out for fishermen and an occasional Navy ship out from the submarine basin from the U S Naval Station.

Jack’s two crew members moved among their 12 customers showing them chairs to sit in, conversing and tending to the ship’s needs. From his perch high up on the flying bridge Jack could see that all his customers were getting settled.

Jack pushed both throttles forward. The bow of the ship came up and then, from the powerful surge of the two engines, it proceeded to come back down as the rear of the ship came up. The entire ship was leveled out. It was now planing,* moving at a fast clip and cutting the waves smoothly. Jack sure loved this action. He could feel the surge of power. He felt it through his entire body, from his fingers on the throttles to the vibration in the soles of his feet. He felt free...free as a bird, an albatross* to be exact.

With this action it was only about 45 minutes until they were past the Navy yard and on just the Atlantic side of Key West. Captain Jack pulled back on the throttles. The boat slowed and dropped in the water.

Jack came down the ladder, off the bridge.

He announced, “Now folks gather round. We’ve got more than enough fishing rigs for everyone. One per person. My mates, John and Chuck will help you get baited up. Then, we will ease out into the Gulf, and you will let your lines out, and we’ll troll. Try not to get tangled up with anyone. If the person next to you gets a strike, please ease slightly away from them with your rig. Remember every day we get something. It may be good eating such as Mahi-mahi or even a trophy! If you don’t get anything, I give you back half of your money. You will see that Captain Jack and his boys know where the fish are! Now, let the fun begin!”

Jack could see that all the customers were spread out on the sides and rear of the boat, lines out. There was one little problem. It looked like John was having a time outfitting a little girl with a rod and reel. Jack went over to them. Then he remembered...this was the little girl he had seen during loading!

“John, go up on the bridge, take the helm and start a slow troll, I’ll take over here.”

“Aye aye, Cap’n,” John snapped to...and headed for the bridge.

“Now little girl, what’s your name?”

“Robin, Sir,” she looking up at a towering giant.

“Robin, shouldn't you be over with your parents?”

“They're not my parents, Sir,” she said sheepishly, looking down.

“Well, then, just who are you with?” he demanded in a thundering voice.

“No one, Sir...Captain.”

“So we have a stowaway!”

“What’s a stowaway, Sir?”

“Leave the rod and reel here, and come with me.”

“But Sir, I need to fish! My grandpa said that he would take me fishing, but they called him in to the Navy Base to work!”

“Just come with me, we’ll talk about that later.”

They proceeded to climb up to the bridge.

“Just keep it going John, we’ve got a stowaway.”

COVID-19 Testing Expands In Florida

Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that, beginning Monday, April 13, three state-run COVID-19 testing sites will have increased capacity and expanded testing criteria. 

Sites will now support testing beyond the original federally mandated limit of 250 tests per day. Additionally, testing criteria will be expanded to include the following:

Anyone with symptoms, regardless of age.
All first responders and health care workers, including any staff members of long-term care facilities.
Anyone who believes they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive, even if they are not currently experiencing symptoms.

Under the original, federal criteria, testing at these sites was limited to individuals 65 and older with symptoms and health care workers and first responders.

The three state-supported testing centers that will have expanded capacity beginning Monday are:
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami
Orange County Convention Center
TIAA Bank Field Lot J in Jacksonville

Florida has so far tested more than 162,000 individuals for COVID-19 – or nearly one in every 140 Floridians — and is third in the nation for the total number of tests performed.

1 in 1,169 Floridians have tested positive for the virus. That is compared to New York City where  1 in 124 people have or have had the virus so far.

15th Coronavirus Case In Hendry County Today

CLEWISTON, FL. -- As of 6 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2020, a 15th case of COVID-19 has been announced in Hendry county now affecting 8 men and 7 women, median age 40. Five have been hospitalized.

The latest two confirmed cases are a 43 year old male and a 72 year old female; both individuals are residents of Clewiston.

11 of the individuals who have tested positive in Hendry County are currently under isolation. 4 individuals have recovered and been cleared by the Florida Department of Health and are no longer required to be under isolation.

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UPDATE: As of 11 a.m. Saturday, April 11, a 16th case has been reported, a 46 year old female in Clewiston. 194 people have been tested so far.  1 in 2,572 people in Hendry have been found positive for the virus. (1 in 90 have tested positive for the virus in New York City for comparison)

UPDATE: As of 11 a.m. Sunday, April 12, a 17th case has been reported in Hendry county. 202 people have been tested. 1 in 2,420 people in Hendry have been found positive for the virus.

UPDATE: As of 6 p.m. Sunday, April 12, a 20th case has been reported in Hendry. 10 males and 10 females have tested positive so far, median age 44, in 205 persons tested.  1 in 2,057 people in Hendry have been found positive for the virus. (1 in 86 people have tested positive in New York City by comparison and 1 in 662 in Broward County, Florida.

The latest confirmed cases are a 33 year old male resident of Clewiston, a 55 year old female resident of Clewiston, a 64 year old male resident of Clewiston and a 64 year old female resident of LaBelle.

16 of the individuals who have tested positive in Hendry County are currently under isolation. 4 individuals have recovered and been cleared by the Florida Department of Health and are no longer required to be under isolation.

UPDATE: As of 11 a.m. Monday, April 13 a 21st case has been reported in Hendry, and 5th case in Glades county.  And at 6 p.m. Monday, two additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Hendry County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Hendry County to 22. 1 in 1,870 people in Hendry have tested positive for the virus.

The latest confirmed cases are an 11 year old male and a 29 year old female; both are residents of Clewiston.

16 of the individuals who have tested positive in Hendry County are currently under isolation. 6 individuals have recovered and been cleared by the Florida Department of Health and are no longer required to be under isolation.

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Only 176 tests have been given in the county so far. 1 in 2,743 people have or have had the virus in Hendry.

In Glades county only 23 tests have been given with 4 people testing positive, including 3 men and 1 woman, median age 74. Three have been hospitalized including one who died previously. 1 in 3,402 have the virus in Glades.

HOW TO MAKE A FACEMASK: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Obituaries - Nona Timmons, Tony Osceola, Francisca Estrada

Nona Catherine Timmons, age 62, of LaBelle, passed away April 2, 2020 in LaBelle. Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.

Tony Hank Osceola, age 85, of Clewiston, passed away March 28, 2020 in Weston. He was born July 27, 1934 in Immokalee, FL., to Robert Osceola and Lena Cypress Johns. 

Survivors include one son: Harry Tommie and two daughters: Earlene Osceola and Mornin Osceola, brother: Billie C. Johns, six grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. 

Private funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at First Baptist Church-Big Cypress, Clewiston with Rev. Salaw Hummingbird officiating. Interment will be in Big Cypress Cemetery, Big Cypress Reservation. Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Clewiston.

Francisca Estrada, age 66, of Clewiston, passed away March 24, 2020 in Weston. She was born June 1, 1953 in Mexico, to the late Palemon and Antolina (Gallegos) Estrada. 

Survivors include three sons: Rafael Torres Estrada, Israel Torres Estrada and Juan Roel Torres Estrada, three daughters: Claudia Rocio Torres Estrada, Blanca Patricia Torres Estrada and Mati Juarez, one brother: Antonio Estrada, four sisters: Griselda Trevino Gallegos, Alma Delia Trevino, Ma Rocario Porras Trevino and Arcadio Trevino Gallegos, 22 grandchildren & 4 great grandchildren. 

Funeral Services will be held Thursday March 26, 2020 at Akin-Davis Funeral Home 438 East Sugarland Hwy Clewiston with Father Giobani Bautista officiating. Interment will be Thursday, March 26, 2020 in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Clewiston.