Murder Investigation At RV Resort

LABELLE, FL. -- Hendry County Investigators are looking into a suspicious death that was reported in the evening hours of Monday, January 28, 2019 at Grandma's Grove RV Resort on State Road 80 west of the city of LaBelle.

Sheriff's Deputy James Hester found a woman, later identified as 66-year old Brenda J. Hill lying on the floor of the home at lot 109 at the RV Park at 7:10 p.m. Monday. He was told that a person had come to check on her when she didn't arrive at the club house that night.

Deputy Hester said in his report that the screen door was locked at the home and Hill was lying face down on the floor and it did not appear she had fallen, according to the highly redacted report issued by the Sheriff's Department.

Investigators are continuing follow up on all leads. Although the report indicates this is a premeditated first degree murder, they believe this is an isolated incident and residents are not in danger.

Anyone who has information on this crime is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS(8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.  

Tips may also be made online at www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by submitting a tip on the P3Tips mobile app.

Kiwanis Sponsors "Bring Up Grades" At Two Schools

LABELLE, FL. -- The Kiwanis Club of LaBelle sponsors a program called Bring Up Grades (BUG), designed to provide recognition to students who raise their grades into an acceptable range and maintain or continue to raise them from one grading period to the next.

Students are empowered to participate in their own academic success, which builds self-confidence, perseverance and character. They attain important life skills known as developmental assets, that help them make smart choices.

According to the Search Institute, an organization focused on helping youth succeed, the more developmental assets a student attains the less likely he or she is to participate in risky behavior and the more likely he or she is to succeed. Students also develop important social and emotional skills.

The Kiwanis Club of LaBelle is very proud to recognize and congratulate these students from West Glades School who raised their grades by at least one letter grade in two subjects with out going down in any. Additionally, on January 22nd the Kiwanis Club of LaBelle gave 88 BUG awards to students at Ed Upthegrove Elementary School.

KG-2nd Grade: Joel Orduna, Jil Gomez, Cory Waldron, Luis Felipe Garcia, Matthew Delgado, Jaime Gomez, Brantley Sanders, Daisy Carlos, Andrea Madrid

3rd-5th Grade: Brittany Kats, Jessa Bird, Kimberlym Barrios, Thomas Gran, Angel Cuacua, Nathalin Garcia-Otero, Luis Gamez, Allison DeSantiago, Carlos Ochoa, Leanna King, Abner Aguas, Karen Barrios-Lopez. Tyler Mudge

6th-8th Grade: Lainee Aguilar, Samantha Cruz, Alexandra Rojasm, Shana Townsend, Logan Alexander, Nicholas Battams, Enrique Mendoza, Nicholas Santiago, Ryan Rodriguez, Monica Martinez

Property Tax Automatic Renewals

Automatic Renewal

MOORE HAVEN, FL. --To ease the burden on property owners, Glades County Property Appraiser Lorie Ward says her office automatically renews property tax exemptions. 

This automatic renewal helps to ensure that you do not lose your exemption simply because you failed to renew.

If you had a property tax exemption or agricultural land classification in 2018, you should have received at least one of the four renewal cards listed below:

• The WHITE card is for Homestead Exemption and other exemptions like widow, widower, disability, veteran, and senior citizen.
• The GREEN card is for Agricultural Land Classification.
• The YELLOW card is for property that is being used for tax exempt purposes.
• The BLUE card is for Tangible Personal Property valued no more than $25,000.

As long as the Tangible Personal Property remains at $25,000 or less, you are not required to file a Tangible Personal Property Return, form (DR405).

If your value exceeds $25,000, you also received a Tangible Personal Property Tax Return that must be completed and returned. The form is also downloadable from the website at www.GladesFLPA.com.

If you are still eligible for the exemption or agricultural land classification, do not return the card

Exemptions and agricultural land classifications are not transferable

**If you are a new property owner, you must submit a new application by March 1, 2019. (The Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption deadline is April 1, 2019)

Obituaries - Contreras, Baggett, Mateo, Suarez, Eden, Hernandez, Oeffner

Manuel Z Contreras, age 70, of LaBelle, passed away January 19, 2019 in Lehigh Acres.

He was born Dec. 24, 1948 in Mexico, to the late Domingo Lopez Lerma and Victoria Contreras.

Survivors include his wife: Louise Pena Contreras, six daughters: Lisa Contreras, Christina (Carlos) Caravantes, Nichole (Jose) Aguilar, Gloria Contreras, Victoria Contreras and Justine (Richard) Gallegos, six brothers: Alejandro, Esteban, Gustavo, Hilario, Jamie and Miguel, two sisters: Tina and Nicole, twenty- four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Sergio.

A Memorial Mass was held Friday, January 25, 2018 at 9:00 am at Our Lady Queen Of Heaven Catholic Church, LaBelle.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.

Betty K. Baggett, age 68, of Lake Placid, passed away January 17, 2019 in Lake Placid.

She was born Nov. 20, 1950 in Wyandotte, MI, to the late John M. Duffield and the late Arlene (Spires) Duffield.

She is survived by her son: Jeffery E. Nunemaker (Ginnette), brothers: John Duffield, Jr., Jay Salisbury, sisters: Gloria Thomas, Pat Duffield, grandchildren: Amberley Nunemaker and Jeffery Nunemaker II. She was preceded in death by her husbands: Neil Gibson and Denny Baggett and sisters: Shelia Ann Graves and Cheryl Duffield.

A memorial service was held Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 3:00 pm at Palmdale Baptist Church, Palmdale with Pastor Earl D. Cline officiating.

Interment was Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 1:00 pm in Laurel Hill Memorial Park, Spotsylvania, VA.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.

Diego Diego Mateo, age 21, of LaBelle, passed away January 17, 2019 in Fort Myers.

He was born Sep. 12, 1997 in Guatemala, to Diego Mateo Diego Gonzalez and Catarina Mateo Nicolas.

Survivors include his wife: Maria Santay Argueta

one son: Josue Teodoro Santay Argueta

and one daughter: Bryanna Maria Santay Argueta

his parents

two brothers: Jesus Mateo Diego Mateo and Remigio Nicolas Diego Mateo,

three sisters: Patricia Diego Mateo, Floridalma Carolina Diego Mateo and Adriana Elizabeth Diego Mateo,

The family will receive friends at the Akin-Davis Funeral Home 560 E. Hickpochee Ave. LaBelle on Monday January 28th from 7 to 9 PM.

Interment will be in Cementerio Los Angeles, San Pedro Soloma Huehuetenango Guatemala.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.

Quirino Crecensio Ortega Suarez, age 84, of Clewiston, passed away January 16, 2019 in Clewiston.

He was born Sep. 14, 1934 in Cuba, to the late Quirino Aniceto Ortega and the late Adelaida (Suarez) Ortega.

Survivors include two sons: Roberto Jiemez and Javier Ortega, and four daughters: Maria E. Cuellar, Nancy Ortega, Zuny Jordan and Morely Jordan, one brother: Gerardo Ortega and four sisters: Zenaida and husband Argelio Jimenez, Marta and husband Alberto Palau, Ana and husband Eulogio Machado and Deisy and husband Nelson Rojas, nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Clewiston.

John W Eden, age 72, of LaBelle, passed away January 14, 2019 in Lehigh Acres.

He was born Aug. 2, 1946 in Akron, OH, to the late James Stanhope Eden, Sr. and the late Genevieve (Rothe) Eden.

Survivors include two sons: David (Amy) Eden and Eric (Esther) Eden, and three daughters: Marie (Fred) Eden-Carlson, Susan Costell and Julie Costell, brother: James (June) Eden Jr. and fourteen grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria Eden.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Grace Baptist Church, LaBelle with Pastor Jeffrey Zimmerman officiating.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle.

Ramon Hernandez, age 53, of Clewiston, passed away January 24, 2019 in Weston.

He was born Nov. 17, 1965 in Cuba, to the late Ramon Hernandez and Concepcion Rodriguez.

Survivors include his wife: Miriam Yzguierdo

son: Ramon Hernandez,

step sons: Wilfredo Rivas and Angel Naranjo

grandson Chris Ramon Hernandez

one sister: Concepcion Hernandez

Visitation will be Monday from 2 to 4 PM at Akin-Davis Funeral Home

438 East Sugarland Highway Clewiston.

Barbara D. Oeffner, age 74, of Moore Haven, passed away January 24, 2019 in Moore Haven.

She was born Aug. 25, 1944 in Southampton, NY, to the late Walter Arnold and Grace (Dominy) Renkens.

Survivors include her husband: Francis Thomas Oeffner,

one son: Bendan U. Dunning

one daughter: Amie A. Dunning

grandchildren

one sister: Carol R. Lubetkin

She was a Library Director.

Memorial Service will be held Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 6:00 pm at First United Methodist Church of Moore Haven, with Pastor Charley Watts officiating.

Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - Clewiston.

Port LaBelle Boil Water Notice Lifted

LABELLE, FL. -- The boil water notice of January 22, in effect for Country Village and the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Port LaBelle has been lifted.

Bacteriological tests run on the water returned with passing results. Residents may discontinue boiling their water.

Residents with question or concerns are asked to call 863-675-5376.