Clewiston Gets Grant $$

CLEWISTON, FL. -- (Aug. 11, 2005) -- Governor Jeb Bush today awarded a
Rural Infrastructure Fund Grant for $500,000 to the City of Clewiston to
assist in the development of the Clewiston Commerce Park. The grant will
assist with the construction of infrastructure improvements to extend
water, wastewater, storm water retention and utility lines to the commerce
park. This project supports local economic development, including the
location of Terrafarms, an agri-business that cultivates vegetables and
foliage using a proprietary soil mixture. Terrafarms will create 100 new
full-time, non-seasonal jobs in Hendry County. The project will be located
within Hendry County's Enterprise Zone.

In addition to the Rural Infrastructure Fund Grant, Governor Bush today
also awarded the City of Clewiston an Economic Development Transportation
Fund (or "Road Fund") grant in the amount of $1.5 million. The grant will
be used in conjunction with the TerraFarms project to assist in the
extension of Arroyo Avenue by an estimated 3,200 linear feet and the
realignment of a flood canal and storm water runoff facilities required by
the extension.

Recently, the City of Clewiston acquired 185 acres of property from the
United States Sugar Corporation. The property is located in the southwest
quadrant of the city and includes the abandoned Clewiston Public Airport
and two contiguous 40-acre parcels. The City is developing this newly
acquired parcel as a commercial subdivision, "Clewiston Commerce Park,"
with an estimated 24 lots of varying sizes. One prospective tenant,
Terrafarms, plans to locate new operations on one of the 40-acre parcels
within the Commerce Park. Funding from a State Rural Infrastructure Fund
grant, as well as a Road Fund grant, will assist the City in developing the
site and providing necessary infrastructure to spur the location of
Terrafarms.

The City of Clewiston, which applied for the Rural Infrastructure Fund
Grant and the Road Fund, is developing plans for additional recruitment
projects. The $500,000 rural grant and the $1.5 million Road Fund Grant
will fund a portion of the $3,447,924 infrastructure project that will
extend water, wastewater, and storm water retention and roadway
improvements. The City has applied to the Federal Economic Development
Administration to fund the remainder of the project. The supporting
infrastructure will facilitate $4 million in capital investment by the new
Terrafarms.

"The financial assistance provided by the Rural Infrastructure Fund and the
Road Fund plays a significant role in our effort to develop the Clewiston
Commerce Park. These funds support the recruitment of Terrafarms and
position the city to open the commerce park for numerous other business
development opportunities as well," stated Mali S. Chamness, Mayor of
Clewiston. "We are truly excited about Terrafarms bringing 100 new,
year-round jobs which will utilize the skills of the existing workforce.
These grants will have a dramatic effect on the city's ability to create
new jobs and improve the local economy."

Belle Glade Gets State Help

BELLE GLADE, FL. -- (Aug. 11, 2005) -- Governor Jeb Bush today awarded a
Rural Infrastructure Fund Grant for $490,000 to the City of Belle Glade to
assist in the development of the Belle Glade Business Park. The grant
provides funding for the construction of infrastructure improvements to
extend water, wastewater and road improvements to the addition of the
commerce park, Phase II. The addition is expected to spur business
development in the area, including supporting the location of Harmack
Company, Roth Farms, Inc., Anytime Farms and Cypress Coolers, Inc. The
four businesses will create an estimated 117 new jobs.

The City of Belle Glade developed a 100-acre industrial park (Phase I) with
financial support from Palm Beach County, a federal grant, a state
appropriation, and its own resources. With Phase I at capacity, the city
is actively pursuing the development of Phase II, an additional 49.95
acres.

The City of Belle Glade which applied for the Rural Infrastructure Fund
grant on behalf of the project, is developing plans for additional
recruitment initiatives. Coupled with federal funding, the $490,000 grant
will fund a portion of the $2,186,731 infrastructure project, which will
facilitate $12.6 million in new private sector capital investment.

"The Rural Infrastructure Fund grant will play an integral role in our
effort to develop Phase II of Belle Glade's Business Park," stated Steve B.
Wilson, Mayor of Belle Glade. "The new, non-seasonal jobs will utilize
the skills of the existing workforce and offer year round employment.
Grants such as this have a dramatic effect on our ability to develop our
business community and will greatly enhance its attractiveness to other
companies."

LaBelle Drug Arrests

LABELLE, FL. (AUG. 5, 2005) -- Sheriff Ronnie Lee announces that the Hendry
County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division served a search
warrant at 808 Manatee Avenue in LaBelle where they recovered crack
cocaine, drug paraphernalia and $2,591.00 in U.S. currency.

As a result the following arrests were made: Billy Smith, Jr. age 33 of 808
Manatee Avenue LaBelle was charged with, possession of cocaine, possession
of cocaine with intent to sell/deliver and possession of drug
paraphernalia, Mark Diez Brown,age 31 of 929 Caloosahatchee Avenue LaBelle
was charged with, possession of cocaine and possession of drug
paraphernalia, Jermaine Feagin age 30 of 890 Lincoln Avenue LaBelle was
charged with possession of paraphernalia. All three men were booked into
the Hendry County Jail.

New School Enrollment Climbing

MOORE HAVEN, FL -- Glades School Superintendent Aldrich reported to the
Glades County Commission this week that West Glades Elementary School north
of LaBelle has already enrolled 334 students for the 2005-2006 school year,
and has applied to the state for Special Facilities for funding the
construction of an additional 12 classrooms, to establish up to 500
student-stations. Accommodation for the swift growth has included
classrooms held in media centers and administrative offices. The
addition is expected to cost $3.5 million. Mr. Aldrich noted Glades school
officials from the earliest planning of West Glades anticipated this
growth, but the Special Facilities group could not justify it without
growth records of prior enrollments, which became available at the
completed end of the WGES's first year, 2004-2005.

What Are Glades Commissioners and Cliff Miller Up To?

MOORE HAVEN, FL. -- Following up on a story we did here on July 26 about Glades County purchasing three internet domain names from former County Manager Cliff Miller, a Sunday Morning News reader indicated that the county commissioners voted to buy domain names "GladesCountyFl.gov" "GladesCountyFl.net" and "GladesCounty.gov" from Miller for $1,000.

We checked and found Miller had recently registered the name "GladesCountyFl.net" and registered it for one year with an online registry company GoDadddy.com on July 25 of this year, showing a registration to him at his presumed apartment at 100 Oxbow Drive across from the Port LaBelle Marina." The one-year registration with GoDaddy reportedly cost Miller only $8.95.

GladesCounty.org is owned by DSTR Holding, Inc. of West Palm Beach so presumably this is not what the county bought from Miller. We are stumped by "GladesCountyFl.gov" since it is our understanding that only Federal entities can own a "gov" suffix and there is no such site on the internet when we checked.

We are still wondering why Glades county, through its Commissioners, felt it necessary to buy any internet domain names at all from Miller, and especially from a former county employee. Glades county already has an existing website at MyGladesCounty.com which could serve as its website, or the county could register many other similar "GladesCounty" names at GodDaddy.com for $8.95, just like Miller presumably did just last week.