Todd Perkins Dies At 35

Todd Perkins, age 35, passed away July 26th, 2022. 

Todd was a loving husband and father. He loved spending every minute he could with his family, his wife Rebecca (Becky), Brandon age 14, Jasper age 9 and Emily age 6, his mother Tammy. 

Todd was a lifelong resident of LaBelle. He had a passion for operating machinery and most would say he’s the best equipment operator they’ve ever seen. His passion of operating machinery has been passed down to his boys. 

Todd was a wonderful friend and was loved by many. He is proceeded in death by his father, Richard Perkins.

He will be greatly missed by his wife and children, family and many friends.

Todd's life will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 10:00 a,m, at Eastside Baptist Church with Pastor Don Murray Officiating. 

Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from 5-7 p.m. at Akin-Davis Funeral Home in LaBelle. Burial will take place in Fort Denaud Cemetery.

Lake Placid Caladium Festival This Weekend

 

LAKE PLACID, FL. -- The Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce Caladium Festival got off to a colorful start this morning in Lake Placid in Highlands County.

Continuing through Saturday and Sunday the festival features it's caladium grower community, along with hundreds of vendors selling food, arts and crafts, and musical entertainment.

There is ample free parking around the Lake Placid streets surrounding the downtown area. Bus tours are available to see the caladium farms first hand. Or just drive east from downtown a few miles and they are on the south side of the highway.

Photo: "Frozen Moments" hand made artificial food decor art from Carlos Campuzano  and Patricia Campuzano's booth at the festival, one of many art and craft vendors this year.

World Breastfeeding Week August 1

Hendry and Glades Counties, Fl.— The Florida Department of Health in Hendry and Glades Counties and the Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are celebrating World Breastfeeding Week 2022 during August 1-7, 2022. This year’s theme is Step Up For Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.

The World Breastfeeding Week 2022 encourages everyone to support breastfeeding mothers, babies, and their families through creating a breastfeeding-friendly environment.

Breastfeeding ensures: Good health and prevents malnutrition, including under and over nutrition. 

Breastfeeding has positive lifelong health effects on infants, children, and mothers such as lower incidence of respiratory infections and ear infections for infants and children and reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer for mothers. 

Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of childhood overweight and obesity compared to formula feeding. Food security even in times of crisis. 

Breastfeeding provides food security to infants from the very beginning of life, contributes to food security for the whole family, and ensures food security for babies even in times of household or widespread disasters, such as hurricanes.

Improved Economics and Reduced Inequalities. Breastfeeding can help break the cycle of poverty for families, which impacts hunger and malnutrition. 

Breastfeeding provides an equal start for everyone. With no additional burden on household income, breastfeeding is a low-cost way of feeding babies and contributes to poverty reduction. 

 Breastfeeding can also reduce costs to the health care system and employers by decreasing costs of hospitalizations, medications, and reduced absenteeism. 

A positive impact on the health of the planet in several ways: Breastmilk is a sustainable and environmentally friendly resource. Breastfeeding is readily available without needing other supplies.
Breastmilk production does not require the use of energy for manufacturing and does not create waste or air pollution.

To protect breastfeeding: Promote the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Provide access to skilled breastfeeding counseling. Studies have shown that breastfeeding promotion interventions increases exclusive and any breastfeeding rates at 4-6 weeks and at 6 months.
Encourage employers and communities to promote and protect breastfeeding, through posting signs “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” and providing private areas for breastfeeding if that is a breastfeeding family’s preference.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants for the first year of life and beyond, with the addition of appropriate complimentary foods when the infant is developmentally ready, around 6 months of age.

For more information about local WIC Programs or Breastfeeding, please contact:

WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator Maria Richter, IBCLC
(863) 633-9401, Email: Maria.Richter@flhealth.gov

Additionally, Hendry Breastfeeding Advocates Taskforce meetings occur on the 3rd Monday of every month from 3:30 to 4:30pm in the LaBelle Health Department Conference Room and on Microsoft Meetings. If anyone is interested, they can contact Maria Richer with questions and for the meeting link.

COVID Transmission High In U.S. Worse In Florida

      

LABELLE, FL. -- Nearly all Florida's counties are now on the CDC's list of "high community level" for COVID-19, and mask wearing indoors in public is recommended by the CDC in those counties. 

All counties in Florida are at "high" levels according to the CDC's latest maps as of Thursday afternoon, exceptions being Glades, and Collier which have "medium" levels.

Hendry County is now at HIGH levels for the third week, and mask wearing indoors is recommended in public places. Positivity rates were not reported but were 21% in Hendry last week from 256 tests performed. Click for Hendry County data from CDC.

Counties in states surrounding Florida are generally a scattered mixture of low to high community levels.

Hospitalizations are on the rise across the U.S. according to the CDC this week.

The CDC recommends for counties with "high" levels the following:

Wear a mask indoors in public
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
Get tested if you have symptoms
Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

Community Transmission At High Levels Almost Everywhere

In contrast, what the CDC calls the "Community Transmission" levels are rated "high" for 100% of Florida counties, and 95% of the U.S. is at "high" levels, up 2% since last week. High Transmission Level is defined as new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days of 100 or more OR Percentage of positive NAATs tests during the past 7 day at 10% or more. 

President Joe Biden was testing positive last week, and negative today.

 

To see "Community Transmission" levels click The community transmission map  

Check your county map and mask recommendations here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

#YourTaskWearAMask

Editor's note: The links above are for reader convenience, as the CDC website is not easy to search for information. The CDC pages are extremely slow loading and complicated, with many links to click to find information. 

Obituaries - Francis Rowell, Jeulda Williams Soud, Eric Adams

Francis A Rowell, age 66, of Clewiston, passed away July 23, 2022 in Clewiston.

Francis was born in Lake Worth, Florida on May 24, 1956 to the late Deats Wilson and Sarah McClain Rowell. He worked as a truck driver and heavy equipment operator for many years before retiring. He enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, and being around friends. He married Janell Lynn Long.

Francis leaves fond memories with his loving wife; Janell Lynn Rowell of Clewiston, Florida; children; Arthur Rowell, Dana Rowell-Foligno and husband Don Foligno, Kendall Rowell-Bange and husband Michael Bange, Billy-Jo Parker and wife Wendy Parker, Heather Shrader, granddaughters; Aubrey Foligno, Emily Bange, Emily Parker, Avery Parker, Aaliyah Rowell, grandsons; Michael Foligno, Arthur A. Rowell, Jr, Connor Foligno, Braxton Shrader, siblings; Glenda Kline, Jeanette Harrison, Lois Lee Moss, Louise Barfield, many extended family members and friends.

Francis was preceded in death by his parents, brother; Pat Webb, sisters; Sandra Story, Maryann Fryer and Sarah Dea Rowell and one granddaughter; Savannah Young.

A celebration of Francis’ life will be held 12 noon on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at the Elks Lodge of Clewiston.

Cremation arrangements are by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Clewiston.

Juelda Mae Williams Soud, age 89, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and her late husband Dr. Gilbert Soud on July 22, 2022. She was born January 22, 1933 in Punta Gorda, Florida to Pastor Kline and Ruby Williams. 

She resided in Lake Placid and with her children.

Survivors include their sons: Chris, Carey, and Steven, and daughter: Andrea Skiera, and their most blessed 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held at Fort Denaud Cemetery in Labelle at 10:30 am on Friday July 29th and will be followed by a memorial luncheon at Caloosa Baptist Church.

Eric Ray Adams, Jr age 34 of Clewiston, Florida passed away in Fort Myers, Florida.

Eric was born in Pahokee, Florida to Eric Ray Adams, Sr and the late Linda Prince. Eric worked as a handyman for many years. He was a loving son, brother, and friend to everyone who knew and loved him.

Eric leaves behind fond memories his father; Eric Ray Adams, Sr and his wife Teresa of Clewiston, Florida. sister; Kristin Tayloer of Lake Port, Florida, brothers; Dillon Adams of Orlando, Florida, Caleb Hogg and Jacob Hogg both of Hilton Head, South Carolina along with many extended family members and family friends.

Cremation arrangements are being handled by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Clewiston.