News Cast for January 16th:
March and rally on Dr. Kings birthday
About 100 people most of them teens and younger children, attended the annual march from Douglas Brown to Flagler Park on Monday.
The black community wants more unity in solving their problems of high crime rates, higher rates of black on black crime, and a growing problem of drugs and overdoses.
DJ Washington read a poem he wrote about the definition of black and trying to increase expectations.
“The way the system is set up its predetermined that we are going to fail, but we don’t want to prevail. They got us harnessed and locked up. That is why they built the jail.”
Pastor at New St. Stephens Church Sandy Bell prayed for unity and cooperation.
“Let freedom ring. Let love ring and justice ring. I speak over every young person here. They shall not and will not be part of the criminal justice system. As we march, keep us united for one person to move unity, peace and love forward.”
Shirleen Graham spoke to young people in the crowd to get active in improving their community.
“It is not about one person. It is about all people. When you get together you do more. We are better together.”
The latest statistics show homicides are rising among young black males with up to 90 percent of the murderers being blacks, and in 52 percent of these shootings, the victim knows their assailant.
Retired educator Tony Delegall said they can’t allow black history to be erased or distorted in school. He said through time the black race has done a lot with little.
“They are going back and removing things from the history book that we have done. The things that they never placed in the history book are what we must teach our young. We have to teach them. We are the black people, we have to teach these young people that they are great people, and not just a kid wearing a hoodie and being a problem in the community and in school.”
The Florida School Board Association has offered their help to Okeechobee as they search for a new school superintendent.
President Andrea Messina estimated their services would cost $35,000 and about $7,000 for travel and expenses.
She answered questions from the board in a workshop meeting about the idea to use the district human resources department to do the search, how many applicants to expect, how to handle public input and public expectations, and keeping the public’s confidence.
The school board will decide on FSBA’s proposal tonight.
School Board Chairperson Malissa Morgan expects a six-month search process.
A Sebring man came forward to claim the Florida Lotto jackpot.
Howard Short purchased the ticket at the Town Star store on state road 70 west on August 30th.
He was the only winner that night.
The lottery noted a ticket worth $44 million sold in Osceola County on June 14th was never claimed and the jackpot has since expired. The money goes back into the state educational enhancement trust fund.