News Cast for June 20th:
Our Village hosted mental health providers for a luncheon to highlight mental health awareness.
The Keynote speaker was Reggie Ford, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and a former Division 1 athlete.
Ford gave a presentation called managing mental health matters.
He told his life story and his battle with mental health.
Factors contributing to his problems was an abusive family environment with domestic violence, an absentee father, a distant mother, and poverty.
He said life is all about perseverance and overcoming the challenges thrown at you.
He said he didn’t realize he had problems growing up as many people don’t recognize the symptoms of mental illness.
“I wanted money in my life, I could have sold drugs, I could have robbed people, but I had to go do it the right way, put guiding principles around my actions, and that is where purpose comes in.”
He compared his condition to PTSD suffered by soldiers and those impacted by trauma. He said for him it was perseverance through severe disfunction.
“I learned PTSD and what it means. I wasn’t in combat. Life was my battlefield.”
He encouraged those on hand to overcome their problems by getting help and working on their own health.
He also thanked mental health workers because they truly make a difference.
“Take your losses and turn them into lessons. Give grace as your way too many blessings. Speak with conviction and love with no conditions.”
Congressman Scott Franklin said two of the biggest issues this year in Washington DC will be the Farm Bill and new tax cuts.
Franklin said we have a $37 trillion federal deficit and the nation must do a better job of being fiscally prudent.
He wants the government to rein in spending.
“We can’t keep spending like we’ve been doing. When that happens, as we saw in the last administration, it causes inflation to sky rocket and prices go up for everybody.”
He said republicans have a great opportunity controlling the government and can cut spending.
“We have to find the right balance of the tax cuts and being fiscally prudent.”
He said the president has to follow through on his campaign promises.
“Tax cuts are imperative. We have to get those passed. The president promised no tax on tips, overtime and social security. We are trying to figure out how much we can make that happen and for how long.”
The city of Stuart approved a resolution to support the Rescue the River of Grass petition.
Eve Samples of Friends of the Everglades presented a plan to purchase 102,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee.
Amendment 1 approved by voters with 75 percent of the vote provides $1.6 billion per year on environmental land purchases.
“There is a very compelling case to spend a portion of that money south of Lake Okeechobee to get a better bang for the buck for that money for Floridians, stop the releases into the St. Lucie River once and for all and having a lasting solution.”
City Manager Michael Mortell said the city has never changed their policy of opposing all releases from Lake Okeechobee. He said they support filtering the water as it flows south out of the lake.
“The city has always supported stopping the discharges, saving the everglades and cleaning up the polluted water. The storm water treatment areas are a means to getting the water filtered before it gets into the Everglades.”
An Okeechobee man was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being charged with drug trafficking.
The charges against Benjamin Dunnam, 36, were reduced to possession with intent to sell methamphetamine and possession of fentanyl.
The Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force searched a residence at 6841 SE 86th Blvd on July 17, 2024 and seized 58 grams of methamphetamine, over three grams of fentanyl, some drug paraphernalia and marijuana and $412 in suspected drug case.
Dunnam had no prior record. He scored 31 months in prison.
The Okeechobee School Board honored student volunteer of the year Lily Mays of Central Elementary School and Darcie Somerville, adult volunteer of the year at Everglades Elementary School.
Supt. Dylan Tedders said Mays was praised by the school staff for her help at events, cleaning the school and at dismissal times.
He said Somerville was honored for leaving her mark at the school.
In the resolution the school cited Somerville for her dedication, “Her contributions reminds us of the difference one person can make in the lives of many.”
Tedders said the resolution honoring Mays should be an encouragement to other student volunteers.
“Lily consistently goes above and beyond supporting Central Elementary making her an indispensable part of the panther family.”