WOKC Local News – April 24, 2026, 7:40 AM
Transcript
WOKC News. Make it one and done with WOKC News. I’m Charles Murphy. Okeechobee Sheriff, along with career source Heartland, launched a new job readiness initiative for inmates last month. A job and a place to stay are considered vital if inmates are to stay out of jail. Sergeant Andrew Ulenfeld says reoffending rates drop by 16% if you have a stable job. Inmates will get hands-on training with resume building, what staff members might look for in applicants, interview preparation, even talking about your criminal history and your past and how they can affect it, how you can actually talk about it in a positive way, and not be discouraged because you have one. Sergeant Ulenfeld says they’ll see how it goes and adjust to add more courses if there’s interest. Right now, it’s kind of a touch and go. We’re like, oh, let’s give our feelers out there, see how it is, how receptive it is, and can we increase those numbers, do it more often, maybe bring in more instructors for the time being. The former finance director at Indian River State College filed a lawsuit. Marvin Piles alleges that $75 million was misspent by the college. Employees that had other jobs while they were working, drawing a paycheck, which is theft of state resources. There were people that had jobs with little or no work or no-show jobs. It also alleges breaching their financial duties, fostering a hostile workplace, and making false statements about him. Piles alleges college trustees didn’t do anything to stop the fraud. They hired a very expensive, high-end law firm out of Orlando to basically help shield them, to cover up what was going on. He was fired, and he’s asking for back pay and reinstatement for claims of retaliation. He also says he’s referred allegations to the 19 Judicial Circuit state attorney and the FDLE. The Ohoke City Commission, hiring a new city manager, Brenda Bryant, had worked for Senator Lori Berman for the past eight years, being her office head in Glades County. Mayor Keith Babb was pleased with the selection. Based on the preference, it would be Brenda Bryant. It was a 3-2 vote, with Isabel McDonald and James Scott wanting the interim director, Tammy Bussey, to stay on. An inmate at Martin Correctional in Indian Towns accused of stabbing a female guard. Terrence Johnson faces charges of aggravated battering on law enforcement, resisting an officer with violence and possession of a homemade weapon. He allegedly cut the guard’s face during some kind of an altercation last fall and was recently charged. The incident occurred in the prison cafeteria. Okeechobee High School baseball won another district title last week, and it’ll be hosting a regional game tonight against Hialeah with the first pitch at 7 p.m. I’m Charles Murphy, WOKC News.
Recorded from the WOKC daily newscast (Glades Media).