Truck Runs Into Two Patrol Cars

CLEWISTON, Fl. -- A 2006 Dodge truck driven Tuesday morning about 2:30 a.m. by Clifford Earl III of Clewiston was traveling south on Hendry County Road 835 toward a Hendry County Deputy's 2009 Ford Crown Victoria and a Clewiston Police 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, both were properly parked on the west shoulder of CR 835 facing north on the sidewalk.

For unknown reasons Earl's truck failed to stay in the southbound lane and veered off the roadway almost striking the lead Hendry county Sheriff's department vehicle which was also properly parked on the west shoulder.

According to Hendry Deputy Sgt. Don Davis, 28, Jose Sanchez of Belle Glade, driver of the 2002 Crown Vic patrol car  advised that they had to jump out of the way in order to not be struck by Earl's truck.

Both of the patrol vehicles were unoccupied at the time of the crash. The truck then struck the first vehicle's front end, front right side with it's front end, front right side. After impact the 2009 patrol car was pushed backwards and made contact with the 2002 patrol car's
front end.
 
The truck came to final rest pressed onto the 2002 patrol car's front right side facing in a southwesterly direction. That patrol car came to final rest pressed onto the 2009 patrol car's front right side facing in a northerly direction.

The truck had $4000 in damage and the Henry patrol car $5000. Charges are pending against Earl as blood test are being made.

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Approval Of Hendry Panther Dispersal Zone Nets Land Owner Possibility Of Millions

LABELLE, FL. -- Last month the federal government gave approval to create the 4,000-acre "Panther Passage Conservation Bank" in rural western Hendry County. The 4000 acre parcel is mostly wetlands 30 miles west of Lake Okeechobee and just south of the Caloosahatchee River.

The action may mean millions of dollars can be earned by the land owners by selling "credits" to developers and government agencies to gain development rights in other areas of South Florida in return for payments to the Panther Conservation Bank.
 
Originally purchased by Yugoslavian immigrant George Milicevic in the 1940s, a Hendry county parcel of 4,000 acres is part of several land holdings the family still owns in Florida, including property in Lake Wales and LaBelle.  Milicevic's heirs recently decided to honor the elder Milicevic's wishes to preserve the Hendry County land by creating a conservation area, which will be supported through the sale of habitat credits to developers and others who need to compensate for the environmental impacts of a project.
 
Conservation "banks" are typically used when it makes more sense for a developer to purchase conservation credits than to protect part of the area being developed (for example, when on-site conservation would result in small, isolated sites).

Money Now Pouring In To The Milicevic Family?

The land is worth $713,760, according to Hendry county tax records, but according to a story this week by the St. Petersburg Times, The Florida Department of Transportation paid more than $2 million to the family for credits to build future roadways in the primary Panther habits in the Collier county area.

The Times say average price per credit "is about $1,500, according to Desmond Duke, whose company is marketing the credits for Milicevic's heirs. Because they have been granted 96,000 of what are officially known as "panther habitat units" to sell, that means the panther business could be worth about $144 million to the family."

The Times says Brett DuBois of Panthercredits.com helped the Milicevic family convert their ranch into a conservation bank and now his company gets a percentage of every credit that's sold.

Some observers are asking why the state can't just step in and buy the 4000 acres to use as a mitigation area park, at probably a cost around $1 million dollars, instead of having state agencies buy "credits" from the Milicevic heirs for multiple millions of dollars.

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Hendry Bird County - 60,000 At STA 5

Annual Bird Count Included 45 Endangered Snail Kites

CLEWISTON, FL. -- On January 2, Audubon and its 35 volunteers made the trip to Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) 5 just south of Lake Okeechobee in Hendry County for a day of intensive bird watching.

Of the diverse array of bird species sighted at the constructed wetland, American coots were by far the most abundant ­ as they were in 2009 ­ with more than 60,000 counted. Birders also took note of 45 endangered snail kites, which are native to South Florida and the Everglades, and spotted some rarer species such as a short-tailed hawk and a Cassin's kingbird, a species more common in states west of Texas.

The bird count at STA-5 once again served as a prelude to another partnership year of Audubon/SFWMD birding tours that showcase wildlife and public access on lands managed in perpetuity by the District for Everglades restoration. The 6,000-acre constructed wetland, just south of Clewiston, is today one of 489 sites on The Great Florida Birding Trail. Sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the sites are selected for their prolific bird watching or bird education opportunities.

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Local Honor Grad At Lackland AFB

Isaiah Escorcia Graduates With Honors

CLEWISTON, FL. -- Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Isaiah Escorcia graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
    
Escorcia is the son of Benjamin Escorcia of Commercio Street, Clewiston, Fla., and the grandson of Juana Barbosa of S.W. 296th St., Leisure City, Fla.
    
He is a 2007 graduate of Clewiston High School, and earned a degree in 2009 from Spartan College of Aeronautics, Tulsa, Okla. The airman earned distinction as an honor graduate.
    
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
    
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

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Coming Events In Hendry-Glades Area

Looking for something interesting to do? Here's a list of events you may want to see, in and around Hendry and Glades county and the Lake Okeechobee region:


• Jan. 28-Feb. 7 – American Legion Fair, Okeechobee. 863-763-2950

• Feb. 6-7 – Battle of Okeechobee Re-Enactment, Okeechobee. 863-763-2950

• Feb. 6-13 – Hendry County Fair and Livestock Show, Fairgrounds, Clewiston. 863-983-9282

• Feb. 7 – Cane Grinding Festival, Ortona. 863-675-5021

• Feb. 8 – The Soweto Gospel Choir, Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center, Belle Glade, 7:30 pm. 561-993-1160

Hendry County's Annual Swamp Cabbage Festival, LaBelle, February 28 and Februrary 28.

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Gas Prices Lower This Week

Gas Prices Expected To Rise In March-April

LABELLE, FL. -- - Average retail gasoline prices in Florida have fallen 4.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.69/g today. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.67/g, according to gasoline price website FloridaStateGasPrices.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Florida during the past week, prices today are 77.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 2.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 2.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 81.5 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.

"Prices will slowly fall across much of the country as a stronger dollar and better than expected gains in gasoline inventories push oil prices lower", says GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst, Patrick DeHaan.

DeHaan says that motorists can expect to see lower prices at the pump through mid-February before rising in March and April as refiners complete work on their plants. He also notes the significant jump in prices compared to last year, saying "higher gasoline prices are making it hard for the economy to recover as many Americans are still jobless, looking for employment."