Voting Faster, Easier

Vol. 91 No. 23 Thursday, June 5, 2014 50¢ Plus tax Southwest Voting sector plan Class of 2014 enters the world faster, approved Submitted photos/Jerri Lynn Merritt by Patty Brant TOP: In spite of a senior year marred Caloosa Belle by a horrifi c accident and long re- habilitation, Caleb Rimes graduated easier At their June 3 meeting in La- with his class Saturday, May 31. Belle, Hendry County commission- by Patty Brant ers unanimously approved amend- BELOW: The LaBelle High School Caloosa Belle ments to the Southwest Hendry Class of 2014 - look out world! Technology is supposed to make County Sector Plan, refi ning the things work faster and better. It basic outline for development in See more Graduation pictures on doesn’t always work that way, but the 23,600 acre area located west Page 5. of Felda. the Hendry County Elections Offi ce The 19,675-acre west side is is confi dent its new Electronic Voter bounded by Collier County on the Identifi cation (EViD) will do just south, Lee on the west with the what it promises. northern boundary adjacent to the This year will be the fi rst time the Lee-Hendry Landfi ll and Rodina Hendry County Elections Offi ce will Sector Plan and to the east with the use this new technology and it’s ex- Felda Community Planning Area. pected to reduce waiting time at the It is intended to include industrial, polls by half. commercial and neighborhood With a swipe of the voter’s driv- uses The East Area is approximately er’s license EViD will print out your 3,925 acres and abuts the Dinner election statistics on a slip of paper Island Ranch Wildlife Management similar to a grocery receipt. In a few Area. See Vote — Page 2 It will link with the Panther Glades Florida Forever Project and will be dedicated to natural resources, agriculture and residential West Point: It’s about learning to lead density of one dwelling unit per 100 acres. by Patty Brant no air conditioning - for a time he shoot, you move, you communi- Vice President Real Estate for Caloosa Belle said he questioned his decision to cate.” Kings Ranch and Consolidated Cit- go there. But one day at a time, he Like all West Pointers, after rus, Mitch Hutchcraft, explained Around the world, West Point made it through, struggling, learn- graduation he is committed to has a rock solid reputation as the ing, growing. serving fi ve years in the Army. See Plan — Page 2 best in building leaders. That’s John is majoring in electrical How long he stays in the Army why LaBelle’s John Marotti want- engineering, the technical cir- depends on many factors, he said. ed to go there. Still, he had no real cuitry infrastructure underlying It’s way too early to tell. idea of just what was in store for modern technology in all homes, He enlisted because he wants him. Going into his senior year at computers and electronic devices, to give back to his country. He said the Point, John looks back and After graduation, he will be a Sig- he likes to serve America - likes nal Corps Offi cer managing and what we have - and wants to pro- says his Plebe (freshman) year overseeing communication assets was the “toughest of my life.” tect it for all those to come. of the Army, troop communica- West Point, he feels is a way to Going from LaBelle, into the tions with base and so on. move forward. It’s a unique expe- Army and basic training, hardened It’s a fundamental tenet for all by time in the fi eld, dealing with who go through West Point: “You See West Point — Page 2 John Marotti 2 Caloosa Belle June 5, 2014 It uses that information to print out the (100 S. Olympia Street, Suite 504,). have been consolidated from 23 to just ten, correct ballot for each voter, who then pro- Elections Offi ce employees are using the so the new system should result in faster Voting ceeds to the voting booth as usual. In effect, EViD for registration drives to register voters lines. the voter is checked in electronically at the and also to highlight potential problems for The $42,800 EViD system was purchased Continued From Page 1 Elections Offi ce. individuals (including changes of address, out of Ms. Hoots’ budget and one will be The voter signs the EViD sig pad for party etc., that need to be updated). Ms. located at each poling place in the county. seconds the voter’s county of residence, comparison to and verifi cation with their Hoots feels it’s a “good exercise” for elec- Voters are asked to please bring a photo ID. registration number, name, address, party photo identifi cation. Supervisor of Elections tion day for employees and voters. Qualifying by petition is over, but poten- affi liation, race, birth date and original date Brenda Hoots said this sig pad produces an If for some reason the EViD wont read tial candidates may still qualify to vote for of registration is printed out, along with their excellent quality, true signature. the magnetic strip on your identifi cation, offi ce by paying a fee till June 20 for all of- precinct number, address and county com- Voters still must vote at their regular pre- elections workers can also use the voter’s fi ces coming up for election this year. mission, city, school board, state House and cinct except if they’re early voting. Then date of birth, verifi ed with a photo ID, to re- Dates to remember: Senate Districts and Congressional Districts. balloting only occurs at the two Supervisor trieve the voter’s information from EViD. Primary Election August 26, 2014. Regis- The slip is a quick way to identify voters of Elections Offi ces - one in LaBelle (25 E. Ms. Hoots said the program will be a ter by July 28 for Primary. for early voting and on Election Day. Hickpochee Avenue) and one in Clewsiton great help, especially in the primary elec- Early Voting Dates: August 11-23 for pri- tions when many people get in the wrong mary. Caloosa Belle/Patty line by party. General Election November 4. Register Brant She said she has had very positive reac- by October 6 for General Election. Early Vot- Elections Offi ce tions so far to the system. ing Dates: October 20-November 1. employees Em- This year Hendry County’s precincts Check with Elections Offi ce for times. lio Hernandez and Linda Frank- lin manned the Electronic Vot- ing Identifi cation Plan EViD machine at Continued From Page 1 the Black Heri- tage Festival in that plans for the area will protect wildlife, could change the future land use map for May, introducing natural resources, agriculture and property other owners. In order to opt out of the ap- residents to its rights, identifying water and transportation proved plan, a property owner would have benefi ts. Elec- needs as well as natural resource manage- to go through a comprehensive plan pro- tions Offi cer per- ment needs. cess. sonnel are grad- He said planners worked with all proper- Nancy Peyton of the Florida Wildlife ually acquainting ty owners in the area to complete the plan. Federation said her group also supports the residents with Only two property owners opted out. plan. the technology Julianne Thomas from the Conservancy She said the plan will connect wildlife that will improve of Southwest Florida lent that group’s sup- habitat in the West Sector with CREW and the voting expe- port to the Southwest Hendry County Sector the Okaloacootchee Slough and improve rience for every- Plan. some of the deadliest road sections for pan- one. She said most of the issues her environ- thers in Southwest Florida, along CR 846. mental group saw had been addressed in County Commission Chairman Karson these new amendments, leaving only one Turner praised the plan, saying it’s “just the philosophical issue: whether one owner kind of development we need.” West Point K-12 scholarships available! Continued From Page 1 ATTENTION: Step Up For Students (K12- district public school… the supply is limited th grade) Scholarship program is currently and will be awarded in the order by which rience, he said, with other countries sending become a First Sergeant of a company in accepting applications for scholarships we receive completed applications. So don’t soldiers to train there and some cadets also charge of four platoons. worth up to a projected $5,272 per student. delay. going abroad to study, making it an inter- John says he’s changed since walking More than 60,000 scholarships have already Apply for the Step Up For Students schol- national effort. West Point gives you a new through the doors at West Point. He’s more been awarded for 2014-15 school year. This is a wonderful opportunity for many families arship at www.stepupforstudents.org perspective on life, he explained, and it will calm and collected - able to make more Apply for McKay Scholarships at www. enhance your future leadership experience. analytical decisions in “very high stress situ- to receive a scholarship to pay or help pay fl oridaschoolchoice.org . For more informa- The fi rst year you learn to follow. It was ations.” for private school. What is it? www.stepup- kind of counter-intuitive for him, a disap- Having responsibility for 40 soldiers in forstudents.org said the following: tion, please, call Principal Tracy Co, M.Ed, of pointment.

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