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Two Sleepers In Car Arrested For Drugs LABELLE, FL. -- While checking a car that was parked in an empty lot on Manatee Avenue, Hendry Sheriff Sergeant Shawn Reed found two occupants sleeping. Sergeant Reed and Corporal Jesus Olvera searched the vehicle and located 41seroquel pills, 4 tramadol pills, 1 baggie of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and 20 cyproheptadine pills. James Robert Pender, age 22 of 745 Kissimmee Avenue LaBelle, was arrested and charged with Possession of Prescription Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana. Amanda Leigh Paris, age 28 of 432 Vangaurd Lake Placid, was charged with Possession of Prescription Pills, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Neglect. According to Sheriff Ronnie Lee, the Hendry County Sheriff's Office received information from the Glades County Sheriff�s Office that they were attempting to locate Amanda Paris and her 5 month-old baby. There was an outstanding case against her for child neglect.

Southeast Renewable Fuels, LLC announced today its plan to permit and build a 20 million gallon per year ethanol biorefineries on a 60 acre site along Highway 835 - 15 miles south of Clewiston. The company has plans to build at least three ethanol plants around the Lake Okeechobee area. Aaron Pepper, CEO of SRF and the Londono family have formed the core foundation of the Florida Ethanol Cooperative. Growers and investors are invited to participate in the ethanol project related to the Hendry County site. Aaron Pepper CEO inspecting sweet sorghum field trials. Don Markley COO inspecting sweet sorghum field. The feedstock will be Sweet Sorghum grown in the sandy soils around the Clewiston - La Belle areas. SRF currently has sweet sorghum field trials underway in various types of soils in the counties surrounding Lake Okeechobee. Sweet Sorghum is an ideal rotational crop. There will be profit opportunities for growers and shareholders, as well as numerous industrial and agricultural jobs created. Clewiston attorney Antonio R. Perez and SRF President, Carlos Rionda have been instrumental in these developments

LABELLE, FL. -- Edwin Nathan Smith, 26 has been arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious battery and sexual activity with two minor girls. The former youth leader at the LaBelle Church of God was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with two teenage female church members aged 14 and 15.Smith, the son-in-law of the church pastor is alleged to have had sexual activity with the 15-year old in his car, and with the 14-year old girl in the church office. Smith is being held on $175,000 bond. The church responded: The La Belle Church of God is deeply saddened by recent allegations of sexual misconduct committed by its interim youth leader. The Hendry County Sheriff s Office is currently conducting an investigation, which has been both thorough and professional in scope. The Church, is of course, acting responsibly and fully cooperating with the Sheriff s Office in its investigation. We are still learning the details of the allegations. Like all in the La Belle community, we are anxiously awaiting the findings of the investigation.In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with all of the individuals and their families affected by these allegations.

LABELLE,FL. -- Law enforcement officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the death of a 27-year-old Tampa man from injuries sustained in a personal watercraft (PWC) accident. Michael Poole died at Lee Memorial Hospital Saturday, one day after the accident. Poole and his friend, 27-year-old Matt Verhusen of Ohio, were riding their personal water craft on the Caloosahatchee River at Banna Creek, in Hendry County, Friday. Verhusen lost control of his PWC, and it went airborne, landing on top of Poole, causing severe head trauma. The cause of the accident is still unclear. The FWC continues to investigate. An autopsy will be performed on the victim.

Blessing of the Animals at Barron Park LABELLE, FL. -- A Blessing of the Animals ceremony took place Saturday morning at Barron Park in LaBelle. Honoring St. Francis of Assisi, LaBelle's Church of the Good Shepherd presented the celebration ceremony along the quiet banks of the Caloosahatchee River at the Park. The Good Shepherd Church is located in Port LaBelle at the corner of Collingswood and Eucalyptus. Watch live video from Don Browne - Florida on Justin.tv

By Tony Young Football season's in full swing, and the 2008-09 hunting season's starting to crank up. Archery season's been going on in most of the state, and I want to talk about three other seasons about to start: crossbow, muzzleloading gun and the first phase of dove. Crossbow season occurs between archery and muzzleloading gun seasons in the South and Central hunting zones, lasting five days: Oct. 6-10 and Oct. 20-24, respectively. In the Northwest zone, it comes in later, on the Monday after Thanksgiving (Dec. 1), and lasts one week through Dec. 7. This season's for any hunter who'd like to use a crossbow or continue using a bow on private lands. This is not just for disabled hunters. Crossbow season doesn't apply to wildlife management areas (WMAs), however. The most common game to take during crossbow season will be deer and wild hog. Only bucks may be taken, and one antler must be at least five inches long above the hairline. The daily bag limit on antlered deer is two. Wild hogs – considered livestock on private lands – may, with landowner permission, be hunted year-round with no bag or size limits. It's also legal to shoot gobblers and bearded turkeys during crossbow season. Only one may be taken per day, and there's a two-bird fall-season limit. But you can't hunt turkeys in Holmes County during the fall and winter. Crossbows and bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and hand-held releases on bows are permitted. For hunting deer, hog and turkey, broadheads must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch. Legal shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Except for turkeys, hunters may take resident game over feed such as corn on private lands. Some things you can't do during crossbow season include hunting deer, hog or turkey with dogs, using explosive or drug-injecting arrows, and possessing firearms. Immediately following the close of crossbow season in the South and Central hunting zones is the beginning of muzzleloading gun season. Season dates run Oct. 11-19 and Oct. 25 – Nov. 2, respectively. Muzzleloading season comes in later in the Northwest zone and runs Nov. 21-23. During muzzleloading gun season, bows and crossbows are legal methods of taking game on private lands, along with muzzleloaders. On WMAs, only muzzleloaders may be used. Legal shooting hours are the same for muzzleloading gun season as crossbow season. And, legal game, including bag limits and prohibited methods for taking game, also are the same as crossbow season. Bag limits and antler/size restrictions for game on WMAs can differ, so check the specifics of the area before you hunt. For hunting deer, muzzleloaders firing single bullets must be at least .40-caliber. Guns firing two or more balls must be 20-gauge or larger. You may not use muzzleloaders with self-contained cartridge ammunition capabilities or possess modern firearms during muzzleloading gun season. The first phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season begins Oct. 4 and ends Oct. 27 statewide. Shooting hours during this first phase are noon to sunset, and there's a new, 15-bird daily bag limit this year. The only firearm you're allowed to hunt doves with is a shotgun, but you can't use one larger than a 10-gauge. Shotguns must be plugged to a three-shell capacity (magazine and chamber combined). You may hunt doves over an agricultural field, as long as the crop's been planted as part of regular agricultural practices. However, it's against the law to scatter agricultural products over an area for the purpose of baiting. Some things you can't do while dove hunting are using rifles, pistols or crossbows; shooting from a moving vehicle; or herding or driving doves with a vehicle. In addition to a Florida hunting license, you'll need a $5 crossbow permit to hunt during crossbow season. A $5 muzzleloading gun permit is needed to hunt during muzzleloader season, and you'll need a no-cost migratory bird permit if you're going to hunt doves. If you hunt on a WMA, you must have a management area permit that costs $26.50. All are available at county tax collectors' offices or license agents or by calling toll-free 1-888-HUNT-FLORIDA or clicking www.wildlifelicense.com.

Alcohol And Drugs Among Seminole Youth Despite $120K Incomes BIG CYPRESS, FL. -- For young members of the Seminole Tribe, this should be the best of times. With annual revenues from casinos and other businesses that have topped $1.4 billion, the tribe provides each of its 3,300 members with an income of about $120,000 a year, a free education and a guaranteed job. And many college-educated Seminoles are coming home to work in the tribe's Hollywood headquarters. Despite these positive developments, young Seminoles die at an alarming rate from drug overdoses, alcohol-involved car crashes and suicide. Of 17 Seminole deaths recorded so far in 2008, 11 ­ or about 65% ­ have been linked to drug or alcohol abuse, according to figures obtained by the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. Most of those who have died this year never reached their 40th birthday. Among the fatalities were the 27-year-old daughter of Tribal Councilman David Cypress, killed in an April car crash, and James Girtman, 22, who died of a gunshot suicide in January in Okeechobee. http://swflorida.blogspot.com/2008/04/woman-found-dead-in-canal.html http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flseminole0928xsbsep28,0,5718141.story

Delays Abound Says New Report On Florida Everglades LABELLE, FL. -- Budgeting, planning, and procedural matters are hindering a federal and state effort to restore the Florida Everglades ecosystem, which is making only scant progress toward achieving its goals. So says a new reports by the National Academies. Good science has been developed to support restoration efforts, but future progress is likely to be limited by the availability of funding and current authorization mechanisms, says the report. To begin reversing decades of decline, managers should address complex planning issues and move forward with projects that have the most potential to restore the natural ecosystem. Ongoing delays in restoration have postponed improving the quality, quantity, timing, distribution, and flow of water in the Everglades and thus have allowed ecological decline to continue. The numerous delays in implementing the Mod Waters project, authorized nearly 20 years ago to restore flows to the northeastern portion of Everglades National Park, have been particularly discouraging. Meanwhile, construction costs continue to rise, and population growth and associated development make restoration increasingly difficult. Unless near-term progress is achieved on major restoration initiatives, the Everglades will likely face further loss of species and habitat deterioration, which could be difficult or impossible to reverse. The National Academies perform a public service by bringing together committees of experts in all areas of scientific and technological endeavor. These experts serve pro bono to address critical national issues and give advice to the federal government and the public. Four organizations comprise the Academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. http://www.nationalacademies.org/morenews/20080929.html - Everglades Report

George Brummet Arrested LABELLE, FL. -- During the early evening of Thursday October 2, Hendry County Sheriff�s Office Narcotic Investigators executed a search warrant at 235 Favor Street in LaBelle. Deputies seized a quantity of marijuana, three weight scales, narcotic paraphernalia, percocet, and $1,120 IN U.S. currency. According to Sheriff Ronnie Lee, George Henry Brummett, age 28, was arrested and charged with Possession Of A Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana Over 20 Grams, Possession of Marijuana With Intent To Sell Within 1000 Feet Of A Place Of Worship, Operating A Drug House, and Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $35,000.

Governor Crist Comments On Mayor And Commissioner's Visit CLEWISTON, FL. -- Following a visit by Kevin McCarthy and Mli Chamness, Governor Crist said, I appreciate Commissioner Kevin McCarthy and Mayor Mali Chamness for coming to Tallahassee and representing their communities. As I mentioned in our meeting, this administration is committed to the people of Hendry County and the City of Clewiston as negotiations continue with U.S. Sugar Corporation. Jobs in the area are critical to the future of the region. To compliment a sustainable agricultural industry moving forward, jobs must be maintained. Joining Governor Crist, Commissioner McCarthy and Mayor Chamness was Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Sole.

LABELLE, FL. -- Six men hired to pick palmetto berries were killed in a crash in their van in Glades county at State Road 78 and State Road 29, just north of LaBelle.Identified so far are Jose Martin Saavedra, age 35 of Immokalee, the driver of a 1993 Chevrolet van. The crash happened about 6:30 A.M. Monday. The Florida Highway Patrol is working with the Lee County Medical Examiner s Office as well as the community to positively identify the rest of the victims. The wife of the driver advised FHP that the victims were en route to pick palmetto berries. Workers are seasonally hired to pick red palmetto berries, most often on private property without landowner permission, especially around the vacant lots of Port LaBelle.

LABELLE, FL. -- When Florida's first phase of the mourning dove season opens Saturday, Oct. 4, hunters will find an unexpected bonus -- an increase in the bag limit from 12 to 15 birds. The daily bag limit is a combined bag limit and applies to both mourning doves and white-winged doves. Prior to the 2008 hunting season, states had the option of going with a higher bag limit but fewer days of hunting. This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said states could increase bag limits without giving up hunting days. Florida's three-phase dove season runs 72 days. This year it's Oct. 4-27; Nov. 15-30; and Dec. 13 – Jan. 11, 2009. Hunting during the first phase is legal from noon to sunset. Hunting is allowed during the latter two phases from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Kurt Hodges, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) assistant small game coordinator, said states within the service's Dove Eastern Management Unit are collecting many types of data to ensure dove populations remain unhindered by the bag limit increase. Some states are doing things a little differently, but here in Florida, we've been banding doves since 2003. We've banded approximately 6,000 birds during the summer months, Hodges said. If hunters kill a banded bird, there's information on the band that tells them where to report the band information. Also, we're continuing with our 'call count surveys,' and the service will be asking randomly selected hunters to provide wings so they can be aged. The other significant source of data comes from the Harvest Information Program survey, which is a no-cost program, required for all migratory bird hunters. Hodges said if trends show that dove numbers decline significantly in the future for any reason, there are built-in triggers in the data-collection system that will signal both state and federal wildlife managers that changes are needed. The 2008-2009 migratory bird regulations for dove, snipe, woodcock, rail, moorhen, crow and early waterfowl seasons may be obtained by contacting the FWC's regional offices, or may be viewed online at MyFWC.com/hunting/pdf/2008-2009MigratoryBrochure.pdf.

BELLE GLADE, FL. -- Air Force Tech. Sgt. Micheal L. Dunning has arrived for duty at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to serve as a member of Joint Task Force-Bravo (JTF-B). The task force is comprised of almost 600 U.S. military members and more than 650 U.S. and Honduran civilians who work in six different area units: the Joint Staff, the Army Forces, Air Force Forces, Joint Security Forces, the Medical Element, and the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, a helicopter unit. JTF-B units conduct military-to-military training, execute counter narco-trafficking operations, human trafficking deterrence, and engagement in civil affairs activities in conjunction with U.S. interagency partners. Dunning is a deputy airfield manager with 14 years of military service. He is the son of Geraldine Massey of N.W. 12th Ave, South Bay, Fla., and Johnny J. Dunning of Belle Glade, Fla. The sergeant is a 1993 graduate of Glades Central Community High School, Belle Glade.

Online Profiles Of Our Physicians Show Surprises CLEWISTON, FL. -- Hendry County's Regional Medical Center this week sent out an elaborate annual report for the 2007 year. Included among financial statements and other promotional materials were listings of Our Physicians. Nearly all doctors listed on staff show conflicting profiles and information on the state of Florida's website, many not listed as on the staff at Hendry Regional. Only seven out of 28 doctors listed by the DOH checked out without any discrepancies. Checking the Florida Department of Health records on the DOH website we found the following: doctors shown living in another county, doctors on multiple hospital staffs, criminal convictions, and listings shown by DOH as not a staff member at Hendry Regional: Prashant Barakoti, internal medicine: Barakoti had not verified his listing that shows a Brooklyn, NY address and a statement he does not practice in Florida. Edward Becker, urology: Becker had two criminal convictions for driving under the influence and lives in Palm Beach county and is listed on the staff of six hospitals. Leonard Carroll, general surgery: No record was found for this name on the DOH website Hans Louis-Charles, internal medicine: has not verified his listing, shows a Miami address and no hospital affiliation Fred Collins, dentistry: no record found for Collins Jesse Eisenman, gastroenterology: On staff at five hospitals, not included as on staff at Hendry Regional, address in Palm Beach county. James Forbes, chief of medical staff: Had disciplinary actions imposed on him by Department of Health, paid $1,000 in costs and completed continuing education as required by DOH. Barbara Thomas-Jones, pathology: Not listed as on staff at Hendry Regional. Address in Palm Beach County Marcos Kornstein, obstetrics: Profile not available at DOH pending confirmation. Address in Palm Beach County Esther Levin, cardiology: Not listed as on staff at Hendry Regional. Address in Miami. Juan Lopez, internal medicine: Not listed as on staff at Hendry Regional. Clewiston address. Rafael Lopez, urology: Listed on staff at five hospitals. Address in Palm Beach County Sonia Maddalena, emergency medicine: On staff at three hospitals. Address in Palm Beach County Gaston Mendez, radiology: No record found under this name on DOH website Udayashree Nune, family practice: Not shown as on staff at Hendry Regional. Pennsylvania address Muthuswami Ramachandran, nephrology: On staff of six hospitals, address in Palm Beach County Alberto Rengifo, emergency medicine: Not shown on staff of Hendry Regional. On staff of four hospitals, address in Palm Beach County Cristina Pascal_Ricart, internal medicine: Has not verified her DOH profile, New York Address, not shown on staff of Hendry Regional Denise Semashko, emergency room director: Not on staff at any Florida hospital according to DOH website shown as verified by Semashko Freya Silverstein, nephrology: On staff at six hospitals. Address in Palm Beach County http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/irm00profiling/SEARCHFORM.ASP - Online Physician Profile Search

LABELLE, FL. -- From 8/26/2008 to 9/23/2008, there were 6 homes sold in the LaBelle area for an average price of $81,167. The sales included:1) $66,000 on Cowboy Circle2) $142,000 on Fort Keis Avenue3) Unknown price on Royal Circle4) $145,000 on Springview Circle5) $34,000 on Tide Circle6) $100,000 on S Edgewater Circle

FCAT - Most Children Score Below Grade Level LABELLE, FL. -- Scores have improved a bit since the 2006 FCAT science test, but this year less than half of the state's public school students scored at or above grade level - 43% in fifth grade, 40% in eighth grade and 38% in 11th grade. The department released FCAT Science Lessons Learned: 2003-2006 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications. The publication provides educators with detailed trend analyses of student performance on FCAT Science in Grades 5, 8, and 11. It includes summaries, observations, and statistical trends that provide a comprehensive study of student performance by grade. http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/08FCATScienceLessonsLearned.pdf

One-in-Five Speak Spanish in Four States LABELLE, FL. -- Of the 20 largest metropolitan statistical areas, Miami and Los Angeles had the highest percentage of foreign-born (37.0% and 34.9%, respectively). With 49.1% of residents over the age of five speaking a language other than English at home, Miami ranks second among the 20 largest metro areas in this category. Florida ranks fifth behind Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, with 19% of residents who speak Spanish at home. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/012634.html

Recreational Visits Up In Florida Parks LABELLE, FL. -- Florida's state parks had a record-setting 20.7 million visitors in Fiscal Year 2007-08, a 6.2% increase from last year. Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin welcomed the most visitors, with more than one million individuals served. South Florida parks also were popular among visitors, with Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne receiving more than 890,000 visitors and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo welcoming almost 880,000 visitors. In addition, there were a record number of volunteer hours contributed with more than 6,000 park volunteers contributing an all-time high of almost 1.2 million hours of work to the state. Although Hendry and Glades county have no State Parks, Hendry county is home to the many wildlife and forest areas including Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest. http://members.aol.com/browne/ecotour.html - Places To Visit In Hendry And Glades County Area

CLEWISTON, FL. -- Air Force Airman Curtiesa D. Franklin has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations. In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Franklin is the daughter of Tina Graham and stepdaughter of Dana Barnes of Mississippi Ave., Clewiston, Fl. In 2007, the airman graduated from Clewiston High School.

The following anonymous letter was sent to the editor in response to a recent story in Glades County.: Editor, Nero The Police Dog Shot By Neighbor Of Dog's Handler On Tuesday, September 2nd, the community suffered a great loss. Glades County Police Service Dog, Nero, was shot and killed in Okeechobee County. The unfortunate incident was a result of negligence and inattention and could have been avoided. Due to the dog's handler recently resigning from the Glades County Sheriffss Office after handling Nero for almost three years, he was being housed at another deputy's residence after a stint at the vet's office. The deputy housing Nero is an experienced Canine Handler and has been employed with the Seminole Police Department as such until his recent switch to begin working for the Glades County Sheriff's Office. While the deputy was working, his minor daughter, without the supervision of a qualified handler or adult, was allowed to handle the six year old Belgian Malinios. The girl took the service dog outside lacking the judgment to have the dog on a leash. The Police Dog then began to chase a cat which ran back to their neighbor's house. As a direct result of this incompetence, the neighbors felt it necessary for them to protect their cat and shot K9 Nero, leaving him fatally wounded. I can only hope that in today's world, with the dependence on liability, that the Glades County Sheriff's Office has learned its lesson. This avoidable incident has left several hearts broken and millions of tears shed, not to mention the loss that the community has suffered. Canine Nero was funded by the Glades County Community through donations and fund raisers which took several thousands of dollars to purchase Nero and initiate the Canine program. It is amazing that an incident of this nature has not been made available to the public. After all, the public funded Nero and aside from his former handler was the biggest supporter of the dog and program. With this being an election year, it is not unreasonable to think that this embarrassing incident is being swept under the rug like so many others to include the recent escape of two inmates from the Glades County Jail. How is a Police Service Dog being shot and killed because of complete negligence and two inmates escaping from a new state of the art facility after a lock was left unsecured not made available to the public? We have a right to know!

LABELLE, FL. -- As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Florida Attorney Generals Office has received more than 5,500 incoming calls and had referred 2,104 complaints about gasoline price-gouging to the Economic Crimes Division for review. Three complaints were received from Hendry county. 2,104 complaints have been registered statewide.

Officials Going After Gas Selling Offenders LABELLE, FL. -- Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has announced that he is issuing subpoenas for financial information from 16 major oil terminals in Florida in connection with an ongoing investigation of gasoline price spikes associated with Hurricane Ike. The subpoenas are scheduled to be hand delivered to the terminals on Tuesday, and they are seeking records to determine whether any of them illegally increased the wholesale prices that were passed on to retail gas stations and ultimately their customers. The subpoenas call for the records to be provided to Bronson's office in seven days. It's critical that we go to the source, Bronson said. A number of gas stations are claiming that they are only passing on increases that they have had to pay, so it is vital to examine where these price increases originated. Under state law, it is unlawful to charge excessive prices for essential items -- including gasoline, water, ice, lumber, batteries and shelter -- following the declaration of a state of emergency unless the increases in the amount charged are attributable to additional costs incurred by those supplying the items. Individuals or businesses found to have engaged in price-gouging face fines up to $1,000 per violation, or up to a maximum fine of $25,000 a day. Meanwhile, more than 2,300 price-gouging calls were received by Bronson's office during the last three days, and the volume of calls remains heavy. Consumers who have been the victims of price-gouging or have witnessed such activity are encouraged to call Bronson's toll-free hotline at 1-800-HELPFLA (1-800-435-7352).

Mahoney Gets Assistance For Glades Moore Haven, Fl – Following a visit with FEMA officials to inspect 77 homes damaged by Tropical Storm Fay, along with a letter to Governor Charlie Crist, Congressman Tim Mahoney announced that Glades County has now qualified for FEMA's Individual and Households Assistance Program (IHP). Although Glades County sustained serious damage in Tropical Storm Fay, FEMA had not included the county in its Individual and Households Assistance (IHP) disaster relief program. Tropical Storm Fay seriously damaged the homes and businesses in Glades County, particularly in Moore Haven, and my constituents continue to suffer from Fay's effects, said Congressman Mahoney. I am pleased that we are able to secure this critical disaster relief funding to help our residents and business owners to recover from the storm. FEMA's Individual and Households Assistance Program (IHP) provides storm victims with funding to help with: rent or temporary housing, home repair or reconstruction, and other expenses (e.g. clothing, household items). To learn about FEMA's Individual and Household Assistance Program, click here.

Commissioner Says Glades Sheriff Not Responsible For Catching Thief MOORE HAVEN, FL. -- A news story appeared this week in community newspapers regarding a theft of items from Glades Commissioner Donna Storter Long in March 2007. The Sunday Morning News did not print the story. Over the years we have noticed the Glades Sheriff's office does not provide news releases to news media. Mrs. Storter alleges that Sheriff Whiddon made special efforts to get this story of the conviction of the thief to local print newspapers. Mrs. Storter replies: Dear Editor: Re headlines: Man pleads guilty in County Commissioner�s theft First off, would this have made headlines if it did not involve a county commissioner or another elected official? How often do we read of the sentencing of other Glades County criminals when the victim is not a public official? Was this a political ploy? One newspaper editor informed me that [Glades Sheriff] Whiddon's office submitted it to them--it was not solicited by the newspapers. Whiddon knows my husband has made a campaign contribution to (and is supporting) Tony Wilson for Sheriff of Glades County. I am the victim and the one whose efforts led to the arrest of Ronald Tracy Williams, who, by the way, did NOT plead guilty to the crime. We had arrived home after a week�s vacation on March 24, 2007 about 9:30 pm. When I realized our home had been invaded and articles were missing, I called 9-1-1 and Deputy Crosswell who is assigned to my Ortona �zone�, arrived within 10 minutes. He examined the perimeter of my home, found no evidence of any disturbance that would indicate a forced entry and he created the offense report. Investigator-deputy Terrence. Deese was called and arrived within an hour or so. He attempted to lift fingerprints from my computer cover and said he found the diamond-shaped imprints of a rubber kitchen-type glove. He too looked around the premises and took no more fingerprints. During the burglary of our home the perp removed firearms, electronic computer equipment and other personal items, some discovered missing later when I began carefully examining and searching my office. I expressed my suspicion of Tracy Williams because of his prior reputation and record and because years before I had given his disabled sister a key to our home so she could feed my cats when we were away from home occasionally overnight. Sometimes she returned the key, and sometimes she did not. She was not feeding our cats while we were gone in March 2007. But I did not have the spare key that I had given her because she had not returned it the last time she fed my cats. On Monday March 26, I contacted Transunion and Experian and requested that a Fraud Alert be placed in my and my husband�s consumer credit files to prevent the possibility of identity theft because I was not sure exactly what private documents and information were compromised in the invasion my home. That action was the ultimate reason the thief was caught.] He attempted to use my husband�s Discover Credit card and in fact successfully used it at the Citgo convenience store in LaBelle (in Hendry County not Glades) by using the card reader at the gas pump and punching in our zip code he well knew it-he is the son of our neighbor. No ID was required so the fraud alert did not kick in. However, he proceeded to Wal-Mart in Lehigh Acres (Lee County) and he was unable to use the card; Discover called us, I called the Glades S.O., and after about two weeks, Wal-Mart provided a copy of their video that incriminated Tracy Williams. The video showed when Tracy Williams arrived in the parking lot, when he entered the store, when he attempted to use my husband�s credit card, and when he left the store. He was subsequently arrested a couple of weeks later. The clothing he was wearing in the Wal-Mart video was found in his home. Also, evidence identified from another theft in our neighborhood was found in his home, but, the investigator did not confiscate those items even though they were identified by the other victim. Because the charges for burglarizing our home were not filed in a timely manner, he was released with no bail, after a very short incarceration. About 4 months later, while he was out awaiting trial for burglarizing our home, he was arrested for another burglary in Ortona, along with his partner in crime, Julius �Gopher� Wright. Tracy did not plead guilty to the burglary of my home. His lawyer �bargained� for him using his testimony against Wright as leverage. He pled �no contest� to grand theft and �no contest� to credit card fraud. His penalty was finishing up a total of 364 incarceration days for both crimes (he is out of jail and at large now), he agreed to pay restitution for the amount our insurance did not cover, four years probation, and he cannot come on our property. No doubt he quickly and easily sold the items he stole from us including (among other things) two pistols, computer hardware (and software) and electronic devices. I assure you the street value was much higher than the restitution he has agreed to pay. People, be warned. You must be proactive in guarding your home and your identity. For the rest of our lives my husband and I will be paying LifeLock to keep a fraud alert and monitor on our credit information. Until you have been burglarized and robbed, you cannot realize how vulnerable you are and how violated you feel. After the offense report was filed, nothing was done to identify (much less apprehend) the perpetrator of this crime against us and our home; we did not hear from the Sheriff�s Office again until I called them about the Discover card fraud. You may have received, as I had, the email going around about filing a fraud alert. I assure you, it is effective. The fraud alert I filed is the only reason Tracy was caught. Nobody tracked him down . Wal-Mart provided the evidence.

Elderly Man Holds Up In Home LABELLE, FL. -- In what is an apparent domestic family situation, an elderly man is reportedly in negotiations with Hendry Sheriff representatives to give himself up after being at a standoff all afternoon with armed deputies surrounding the Laurel Oaks home in which he resides. Deputies with rifles and other arms have surrounded all sides of the large home in Port LaBelle for over fours hours this afternoon. Sheriff Ronnie Lee is reportedly on the scene and leading negotiations with the man to end the standoff peacefully. Neighborhood traffic is being routed around the scene, while an EMS truck stands by at a safe distance of a half-mile away. 6:00 P.M. (Update) - Sheriff Ronnie Lee gave the "all clear" to the Laurel Oaks neighborhood surrounding 4502 Springview Circle as the situation defused after the man was taken into custody. The same person had a prior arrest for domestic violence, although charges were dropped by the State Attorney's Office. Details of this incident are pending release from the Sheriff's department.

Is Your Man Cheating On You And Why? In The Truth About Cheating, M. Gary Neuman explores why men stray and what you can do to prevent it. He says 1 in 3 men cheat on their women. Between now and 10 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2008, you can download a free copy of this book from Oprah Winfrey's webpage. http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20080827_tows_bookdownload

License Fees Up And Renewals More Frequent LABELLE, FL. -- The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is announcing changes that will impact Florida drivers and Department customers beginning Oct. 1, 2008. One of the principal changes will be the identification required for driver licenses. Details are as follows: Customers must present proof of social security number (for example, social security card or any of the following documents showing your social security number: tax return, W-2 form, property tax statement, pay check, DD-214, school record). All passports, permanent resident cards and employment authorization cards presented as proof of identification or legal presence must be valid. Expired documents will not be accepted. The department will no longer accept driver licenses or identification cards issued by other states as primary identification. A person will be allowed to elect the school option to avoid points five times in a 10-year period instead of five times in a lifetime. Commercial Driver License holders who receive a Driving Under the Influence conviction on or after Oct. 1, 2008, even while driving a personal vehicle, will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for one year for the first offense, and permanently disqualified for the second offense. These penalties are based on convictions dates and not offense dates. Upcoming changes are a result of recent statutory requirements and department efforts to increase security, said Director of the Division of Driver Licenses Sandra Lambert. We anticipate the benefits of enhanced identity protection will far outweigh the inconvenience of providing additional proof of identification. In addition to identification requirements, license fees and the length of time for which certain identification cards and motor vehicle licenses are valid are changing. Florida Class E driver licenses will be valid for eight years except for customers 80 and older. Commercial Driver Licenses for Class A, B, or C driver licenses will be valid for eight years except for customers 80 and older. Licenses with a hazardous materials endorsement will be valid for four years. All licenses for customers 80 and older will be valid for six years. Identification cards for children five through 14 years of age will be valid for four years. Identification cards for customers 15 and older will be valid for eight years. *For details on Florida�s driver license classes, visit http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/dlclass.html. Fee Changes: Originals Renewals Class E $27 $20 CDL: $67 $67 ID Cards: $10 $10 Replacement Class E $10 Not applicable All Endorsements $7 $7