WAFC Local News – January 26, 2026, 8:32 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Henry County schools had an 82% graduation rate for the 24-25 school year. The state says 949 of 1,158 kids graduated within four years. The black graduation rate was 79.9%, 136 out of 169 students. The Hispanic graduation rate was 83%, with 527 out of 635 graduating. The state graduation rate improved to 92%. Henry had a graduation rate of 80.6% for the 23-24 school year. Glades County schools, meanwhile, had an 89% graduation rate in 24-25. They had 80 of 89 students graduate within four years. A woman who stole nearly $5,000 from the Glades Youth Athletic Association was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 40 months probation. Chastity Glenn used the nonprofit’s bank card to withdraw $4,975 in funds at the Super Walmarts in Clueston and LaBelle between September 27th and October 3rd of 2024. Glenn also made purchases at a Winn-Dixie in LaBelle and Dollar General in Moorhaven that were not approved by the organization. There were a total of eight different transactions ranging between $52.60 and $1,003.74. Photos at the Walmart stores caught Glenn making the transactions. She pled no contest to charges of fraudulent use of a credit card, three counts of brand theft, and counts of petty theft in the Henry County case. She earlier was sentenced to 18 months probation for one count of brand theft in Glades County. She was also ordered to repay the nonprofit in that case, $1,740. Glades County commissioners approved pursuing an ordinance for fire services and or emergency rescue services on the ballot this year. They would have to conduct the study before implementing the plan in 2026. They have to support having a public referendum about the assessment on this ballot in August to gauge the community position. County commission chairman, Tim Stanley, urged his colleagues to stick to their guns after the public hearings. I’ve been through this three times already, and every time we get to the final finish line, we get 50 people show up in the audience and scream that they don’t wanna pay the money, and then the board collapses, and we spend all this money and time, and we don’t get nothing done. The Palm Beach School Principal of the Year in the Glades is Bruce Hightower at Rosenwald Elementary in South Bay. The elementary school earned an A grade for the first time in school history this past year. Hightower praised his staff and students for their hard work. I was so overjoyed with how well our students performed, how well my teachers worked with our students to ensure our students are gradually climbing that ladder for success. Vanessa Bethel, his assistant principal, endorsed Mr. Hightower’s work. District winners will be announced later this year. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).