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A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Get the full forecast
Police/Fire
jail cell, prison cell

Program to save county money on healthcare for jail inmates

Hendry commissioners voted to take advantage of a program to save the county money on medical expenses at the county jail.
Dallen Steelman has been donating meals to the needy for seven years.

Young man donates meals to help needy

On Friday, Dec. 20,  Dallen Steelman stopped by the Sheriff’s Office to make his Annual Christmas Dinner donation. Dallen Steelman began seven years ago by …

FWC Report

Officer Curbelo was patrolling at night and observed a vehicle driving slowly on a rural roadway.
Business Corner

SFWMD announces upcoming public meetings

Join the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for upcoming public meetings in the next three weeks.
Hendry County News

AP PHOTOS: Palestinians return to homes and lives turned inside out by Gaza’s destruction

JABALIYA, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Nassar family managed to assemble a semblance of their home’s old living room. A sofa and some chairs survived, along with a small table they can gather around to …

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Community News

LaBelle resident fights for water safety measures

In a state known for year-round water activities, it seems ironic that Florida leads the ...
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E-edition

Read the latest Lake Okeechobee print edition here.

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Browse other issues

Agriculture
Dyllan Furness, co-owner of Furness family farms, left, and Jonael Bosques, director of UF/IFAS Extension Hardee County, near a creek on the Furness family farms in Hardee County.

‘Cutting-edge science’ from UF/IFAS Extension helps farmer preserve water, other parts of his ecosystem

For about 20 years, Colin Furness and his family have bred and raised miniature cattle and donkeys, and specialized...

A Master Gardener shares tips on wildflower propagation

Lois McNamara has been growing wildflowers for more than two decades, but she...
Sentinel blueberries. [Photo courtesy Doug Phillips/UF/IFAS]

Power through July, aka National Blueberry Month

As we celebrate National Blueberry Month in July, a University of Florida dietitian says the fruit could be called “power berries.”
Wildlife & Environment
Peeples Family Ranch / Peeples Family Ranch conservation easment by FDACS, was presented to the Governor and Cabinet on Dec 17, 2024 to protect 6,212 acres. Photo by Drew McDougall/Wildpath.]

Hendry County land is part of Florida Wildlife Corridor

Florida wildlife abounds on ranch land in  Hendry County. The county is an important part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Sports Around The Lake
The Clewiston Tigers varsity wrestling team traveled to Islamorada to compete in the Canes Duals on Jan. 18. The team finished in second place overall out of five teams.  
The Clewiston High School wrestling team had a great showing at the Somerset Scuffle on Jan. 3. Elias Garcia, Thomas Rudd, and Byron Taylor all came back with a third-place medal.
The Clewiston High School Tiger varsity soccer team went on the road and secured a win against the Moore Haven Terriers on Nov. 21.  
Top Trending Stories
Schools

School Board receives update on new LaBelle High School 

The Hendry County School Board received an update on the new LaBelle High School plans as the school district begins to head towards the start of construction.  

CHS students to participate in EV building competition 

Students from Clewiston High School will participate in an electronic vehicle building competition thanks to Florida Power and Light.  

Jimena Lara recognized by School Board for perfect score 

Central Elementary’s Jimena Lara was recognized by the Hendry County School Board on Oct. 1 for her performance on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) test.

LaBelle Middle School principal Klinger retires 

  LABELLE- The Hendry County School Board took time before their Aug. 20 meeting to recognize LaBelle Middle School principal John Klinger as he retires after 14 years in the district. …
Government

LaBelle approves permits for upcoming Swamp Cabbage festival

The city of LaBelle is gearing up for the annual Swamp Cabage Festival coming in February. .  

Pittman, Phillips make their case to be elected Property Appraiser

Candidates for Hendry County Property Appraiser, Dena Pittman and Shone Phillips, participated in a forum hosted by the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce on July 30.  

Hendry County races on August primary ballot

Hendry County  candidates who will be on the Aug. 20 Primary Ballot include ...
Health

Hendry Regional awarded for efforts to improve rural stroke care

People who live in rural communities live an average of 3 years less than urban counterparts and have a 40% higher likelihood...
Medical injection

Florida provides 9,000 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine to AIDS Healthcare Foundation for vulnerable populations

The Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida Department of Health announced a new partnership with AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Entertainment

True Okee: special Halloween podcast

In this Halloween True Okee special… Stories of strange creatures and ghosts surround the area around Lake Okeechobee.

True Okee bonus episode: Death of a Sheriff

In this bonus episode of True Okee, we examine the death of Okeechobee County Sheriff John Collier
Traffic & Road Work

Hendry County Road Watch for week beginning May 12

Road Watch report for Hendry County for the week of Sunday, May 12. Motorists are reminded...

Hendry County Road Watch Report for week of Feb. 25

The following column is the Road Watch report for Hendry County for the week beginning Sunday, Feb. 25...

FDOT adds new interactive features to FL511

On March 15, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced upgrades to the Florida 511 (FL511) Advanced Traveler Information System...
Opinion
The state of Florida is known for being a peninsula with an 8,435.7 mile coastline, 7,800 lakes...
It’s time to unite our voices to call for a change that could result in saving millions of lives...
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State News
FILE - State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando ,speaks in opposition to Senate Bill 4B - Statewide Prosecutor, Feb. 8, 2023, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears, File)

Florida state Sen. Geraldine Thompson dies at 76 after complications from knee replacement surgery

Family members say Florida state Sen. Geraldine Thompson has died following complications from knee replacement surgery. She was 76. The Orlando-area Democrat had served in the Florida Legislature …
FILE- Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks before unveiling the Model Y at Tesla's design studio, March 14, 2019, in Hawthorne, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

State Department halts plan to buy $400M worth of armored vehicles from Musk's Tesla

The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a …
The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society celebrated the opening of "Tiger Forest," a state-of-the-art tiger habitat designed to enhance the well-being of its tiger residents through stimulating and enriching environments. (AP Video/Cody Jackson)

Meet Olan, Palm Beach Zoo's bold new Malayan tiger that treads the habitat's elevated trails

Palm Beach Zoo has unveiled its newest Malayan tiger as part of the zoo's expansion of its tiger conservatory. Olan's introduction happened Thursday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. He is an 11-year-old …
Nation & World
Sushila Gautam, 77, checks her digital watch before attending a class at the Ujyalo Community learning center in Kathmandu, Nepal, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

AP PHOTOS: Older women in Nepal are learning how to read and write

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Sushila Gautam, 77, checks her smartwatch, a gift from her son living in the United States, to see if she should leave for her reading and writing lessons. “At home, I …
FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about plans to lower insurance prices in the state, during a press conference at Florida International University's Wall of Wind, an experimental facility focused on wind engineering research, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

DeSantis signs sweeping immigration bills after a feud with Florida Republicans

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a package of sweeping immigration bills. This will help settle his feud with Republican state leaders over how to best implement President Donald Trump’s …
A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. It happened in Bahía El Águila last Saturday near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of Magellan.

A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera

A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. The incident, caught on camera, quickly went viral as one of the most remarkable footage in …
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