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The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s World Famous Marching 100 band is in Los Angeles this weekend.

The band is playing in the Tournament of the Roses Parade prior to the Rose Bowl game.

The Marching 100 traveled by bus to Atlanta before catching their flight to Los Angeles early Friday morning.

We caught up with students and staff be fore the departed.

A final pep talk and then a final practice.

A cultivation of a years worth of preparation year for one of the most prestigious events in college football.

The band ’s performance will be see by tens of millions, so everything has to be perfect.

“Excellence is a standard and perfection is a goal,” said Myrcele Neal-Scott, President of the Marching 100.

For many of these students the New Year’s Day Parade won’t only be their first time playing for such a large audience.

“At least half of us haven’t flown before or even left the east coast,” said Marching 100 Vice President Naomi Cuellar. “So that experience alone and then realizing how large the Tournament of Roses Parade is and all of the history about it I think that has been blowing my mind.”

Seven years ago the band was steeped in controversy, after one of its members was killed in a hazing ritual.

Now, students and staff say they’re ready to show the world how far they’ve come.

“We’re trying to continue the excellence in musicianship, the excellence in marching, the highest of scholastic achievement,” said Anthony Foster, son of the Marching 100’s founder, Dr. William P. Foster.

“As a new band and new face for the university, the diversity show that we are moving forward,” said Drum Major Aaron Torres. “In the year of 2018 everything’s changing and we’re changing right along with it.”

During the parade the Marching 100 will play music from Aretha Franklin, Star Wars and a secret dance tune, which they say is sure to connect with the audience.

The band’s first stop in LA will be a pregame performance before the Lakers face off against the Clippers Friday night.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Florida for nearly two years, but patient access is still limited and smokable marijuana is still banned.

However, that may change when Governor-elect Ron DeSantis takes office.

There are now more than 165,000 active medical marijuana patients in Florida, but industry insiders like Jeff Sharkey with the Medical Marijuana Business Association say access is still an issue.

“I mean the pricing is starting to affect people,” said Sharkey.

The state is appealing a ruling that declared the current medical marijuana law unconstitutional, because it limits the number of growers licenses and requires businesses to follow a seed to sale model.

Recent comments made by the Lieutenant Governor-elect Jeanette Nunez suggest incoming Governor Ron DeSantis may drop the appeal when he takes office.

“It would certainly open up to a lot of other people who may want to be just distributors or processors, rather than being the one licensee who has to do it all,” said Sharkey.

When we spoke to DeSantis in October he said he wanted fully implement the constitutional amendment passed by 71% of voters.

“The people have spoken and so I will implement that. I mean we’re not going to dilly dally anymore,” said DeSantis. “That will be implemented if I’m Governor.”

As for any hopes of recreational marijuana, DeSantis made it clear he does not support full legalization.

“I don’t think that that’s good for children. I don’t think that’s good for public safety,” said DeSantis.

But DeSantis may be willing to open up new forms of cannabis to patients.

Attorney John Morgan, who is suing the state to allow smokable medical cannabis Tweeted last week that he expects DeSantis to drop the state’s appeal in that case as well, saying, “More good news on the frontlines. Our new @GovRonDeSantis will drop the #MedicalMarijuana appeal and allow smoke I hear.”

The No Smoke is a Joke case as it’s been dubbed, is scheduled for a hearing in an appellate court January 8th. The same day DeSantis will be sworn in as Governor.

We reached out to DeSantis’ transition team for comment on this story, but did not receive a reply.

Newly proposed legislation filed by Democratic state lawmakers wants to close loopholes that exempt private gun sales from background checks.

The NRA says the Legislation would put law abiding gun owners at risk of being charged with a third degree felony.

In Florida, online and private gun sales are exempt from background checks.

New Legislation aims to change that, by requiring sellers to go through licensed dealers, which would conduct background checks on the purchaser.

“80% of guns used in violent crimes, were purchased without a background check,” said Rep. Good.

The bill includes some exemptions for a list of situations including the sale of antique firearms and guns left to family members in wills, but the NRA says there are still issues.

“Because it requires a background check on the transfer,” said former NRA President Marion Hammer. “Transfer means sale, giving, lending, renting, or simply handing another person a firearm.”

Making a mistake could result in a third degree felony.

Another concern the NRA raised is that nothing in the bill actually requires dealers to facilitate a private transfer or sale, allowing them could to opt out entirely.

There’s also no cap on how much a dealer could charge.

“It could be $100, it could be 200,” said Hammer. “They sky is the limit.”

However, Representative Good says Floridians want to see change.

“Right after the Parkland shooting a poll was done that showed 96% of Floridians support a policy that would require background checks for every gun purchased,” said Rep. Good.

Public support or not, passing the bill through a Republican controlled Legislature will likely be an uphill battle.

One of Florida’s most colorful politicians in recent times was laid to rest Friday.

TK Wetherell was the Speaker of the Florida House, and the President of Florida State University.

Wetherell lost a 16 year valiant battle with prostrate cancer.

Amazing Grace began the funeral, performed by country star Billy Dean

500 or so paid their respects to Thomas Kent Wetherell, or TK as he liked to be called.

He was a former FSU President, legislator, and someone the current President called tenacious.

“He was an original, authentic and true. A creative problem solver. A clever, more than clever legislator,” said FSU President John Thrasher.

As speaker of the House in 1990, it fell to Wetherell to get to the bottom of a sexual Harassment scandal that happened under a predecessor.

“And I think the most important thing that we’ve learned is to never enter into a secret agreement, to hide the embarrassing truth,” Wetherell said in an address to the House in 1991.

A consummate deal maker, everyone loved TK’s candor.

When asked what the chances the final deal to bring the 1992 Legislative Session to a close would blow up over night, TK simply replied, “Excellent.”

Resulting in a billowing laughter from the capitol press corps.

TK was known for his colorful language, then he’d say, ‘oops just never mind’.

Wayne Wallace was a high school classmate

“He was President of the Senior class, he was captain of the football team,” said Wallace.

On his final day as House Speaker, Wetherell ended the 1992 Legislative Session with the Sine Die Ceremony.

The phrase is Latin for, ‘Without another day’.

“And may you rest in eternal peace,” said Thrasher closing his remarks at Wetherell’s funeral.

Sine Die Mr. Wetherell.

Sunday would have been TK’s 73rd birthday.

75 years ago Thursday an act of mercy and humanitarianism played out over the skies of Nazi Germany.

December 20th 1943.

2nd Lieutenant Charlie Brown piloted his crippled B-17 after a successful bombing run.

Battle-hardened Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler took to the skies with the intent of scoring his third kill of the day.

“He realized that this entire crew was helpless,” said Jim Brodie, a former employee at the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

In an astonishing move, Stigler, inspired by the bravery of the American bomber crew choose not to attack.

Instead he guided the Americans towards England.
“This young German knight had given them back their lives,” said Brodie.

Charlie never forgot the mercy the German pilot showed on that day, but when he reported it back to his higher ups, they classified the mission report.

The country was at war with the Germans and didn’t want to suggest the enemy was capable of showing kindness.

It wasn’t until 1988, when Charlie got the story picked up and published that the two former adversaries reconnected, but when they did, they became life long friends.

Brodie came to know the two pilots in the mid 90’s.

“Both men believed that doing the right thing whether anybody was looking or not was important and I think that was the common bond between them,” said Brodie.

In 2007 Brodie, shared the tale with Florida Legislature.

Soon after, the official report of the incident was declassified by the military, something Charlie had pushed for throughout his life.

Ironically, both Franz and Charlie passed away in 2008, though their legacy lives on through more than 50 children, grandchildren and great grand children, all born of the air crew that were spared.

“Those who have an inner compass that is set right, will do the right thing,” said Brodie.

Even in War.

Charlie Brown retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and moved to Miami in 1972 where he lived out the rest of his life.

In February of 2008 Brown was awarded the Air Force Cross, the second highest award that can be given to a member of the US Air Force.

One year ago Thursday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement disclosed it had made progress in what was then a 17-year-old missing persons case.

The investigation had been hampered by no evidence and no body, but the case changed dramatically that day.

It was exactly 17 years and five days after Mike Williams went missing that The Florida Department of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

“Standing here now, I can tell you we know what happened to Mike Williams,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Perez. “He was murdered”

Mike Williams’ mother Cheryl had spent the 17 years leading up to that day believing her son was alive.

Her hope vanished in the blink of an eye.

“That was the most horrible day I think I ever remembered, because I spent all those years believing he was alive,” said Cheryl. “Everybody thought I should be happy. Gee, you got Mike. No. I wasn’t looking for a skeleton, I looking for my child to come through the door. So it put me in a deep, deep depression to get out of.”

It wasn’t until Cheryl watched the murder case unfold against her son’s wife and his best friend in court that she knew the real truth.

“How horrible for my child to know that his friend is fixing to kill him,” said Cheryl. “I wasn’t there to help him. Mommy wasn’t there to help him, but for 17 years I did everything I could to make up for the fact that I wasn’t there to help him.”

Denise Williams, the ex-wife, faces three possible life sentences.

And the judge in the case is known to be tough.

His nickname… Hanging Hankinson.

Sentencing for the ex-wife is set for February 6th.

The victims best friend, who pulled the trigger, is serving 20 years on a kidnapping charge and got immunity for the murder in exchange for his testimony.

Hurricane victims in one of Florida’s poorest counties got some relief Wednesday.

The helping hand organized by the local sheriff’s office and charity groups comes just in time for the holidays.

Parts of Gadsden County were ravaged by tornadoes and high winds during Hurricane Michael.

Recovery is far from over, but the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office and a coalition of charity groups put together a holiday miracle in the form of five 53-foot trailers full of supplies.

Organizers estimate it’s enough to help between 1,500 and 2,000 people.

Creshonda Price broke into tears after being given an assortment of gift cards at the event.

“They gave me over $100 worth of money. They just blessed my life and now I can get what I need for my house,” said Price.

“It makes us feel really really good and people and plus it’s an opportunity for people to see, you see the negative things with law enforcement, but this is a positive for us,” said Tonja Smith, President of the North West Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, which helped put the event together.

The give away was held in a local elementary school in Gretna.

Hallways were filled with clothing items and outside, pallets full of boxes containing furniture were offered to victims.

Organizers say those items can be some of the hardest to replace after a storm due to their cost, especially in low income communities like this one.

“You want to have a home during the holidays and it’s hard to have a home without furniture,” said Travis Harper, with Delivering Good, which helped transport all of the supplies. “Of course it’s the people that are there, but I think it’s really helping people have a really good holiday and really enjoying the holidays.”

“Truly a blessing,” said Hurricane victim Angela Thompson. “Especially when you don’t have anything and now my grand baby can wake up with his little play pin and I got some nice clothes and everything. It’s a true little blessing to be able to have something.”

Along with the charitable giveaway a FEMA station was also set up at the event to help coordinate housing and other needs for hurricane victims.

While this event won’t get this community completely back on its feet, organizers hope it will at least give residents a glimpse of hope and normalcy heading into the new year.

There’s been no shortage of coverage on the tragic and personal losses survivors of Hurricane Michael are experiencing, but the storm is also causing an economic crisis for some in the states poorest counties.

The back roads of Liberty and Calhoun Counties in Florida’s panhandle look like a bomb has gone off.

Calhoun County lost 90% of its timber.

The short term problem is getting the trees off the ground.

“To put it in perspective, we estimate that there is roughly the equivalent of 2.5 million truck loads of timber laying on the ground. It could be as much as a 20-year supply of wood laying there,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam.

The trees have been down 60-plus days, and the clock is running on how long the downed trees can be salvaged.

“We’ll only be able to use the timber for a certain amount of time and then it will be pulpwood,” said Timber Consultant Virgil Shannon.

“You know, somewhere around six to nine months before the bugs move in,” said Putnam.

The downed trees represent a human tragedy.

Timber is one of the biggest industries around this part of north Florida.

Carla Peacock is the Property Appraiser in Calhoun County.

“Some of the timber workers are already leaving the area because they have to have work and there are no jobs,” said Peacock. “I know one family had six hundred acres of timber they were planning on for their retirement and its all gone.”

Losses in Florida Timber alone total more than $1.3 billion.

None of it is insured.

“We’re working with Congress to get them some help,” said Putnam. “If they don’t get that land cleaned up and replanted, then you really have a long term economic crisis in these counties.”

While timber prices are down now, once the glut is gone, prices will go up, raising the price of building new homes.

We reached out to the Florida Home Builders Association to ask about rising construction prices.

We did not hear back from them.

Support for arming teachers in the classroom is growing among key education officials.

A recent recommendation to expand the Guardian Program by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission has the blessing of the newly chosen Commissioner of Education.

When the State Legislature passed its comprehensive school safety package earlier this year it included a program that allowed some trained school staff, but not teachers to carry a gun on campus.

In a 13-1 vote, the MSD Commission, tasked with investigating the Parkland shooting approved a recommendation asking lawmakers to expand the Guardian Program to include teachers.

“You’ve got to have people that can defend the students, and defend themselves, and defend the staff,” said MSD Commission Chair and Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

The State Board of Education approved former House Speaker Richard Corcoran as the new Commissioner of Education Tuesday.

He supported arming teachers during the 2018 session.

Corcoran agrees with expanding the Guardian Program, saying it has been a success so far.

“We have guardians up and down the entire state right now, in the classroom and it’s working tremendously well,” said Corcoran. “So a lot of the hype, a lot of the testimony, we haven’t seen any of it.”

Groups like Mom’s Demand Action say the growing support for arming teachers is alarming.

“There is no evidence that arming teachers will make students any safer,” said Beth DuMond with MDA. “It goes against all the research that shows the presence of guns actually makes children less safe.”

It’s unclear exactly where Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis stands, but while campaigning in March he said teachers with concealed carry permits should be allowed to have their firearms on campus.

So far no bills have been filed for the 2019 session to arm teachers, but anti-gun violence groups say they expect that will change.

The conviction of a woman who planned the murder of her husband 18 years ago can be traced to just one person who never gave up.

The guilty verdict in Denise Williams murder trial of her husband Mike Williams can be traced to the one woman who never gave up.

His mother Cheryl Williams.
“Fish and Game told me to my face. Ms. William’s, I don’t like to tell a mother that her son got eaten by alligators,” said Cheryl.

It was a week later, Christmas Day when she visited the lake herself.

“And all of a sudden, a voice comes in my head. Mike is not in Lake Seminole,” said Cheryl. “He did not drown.”

Cheryl got the local paper to write about the disappearance 9 months later.

Denise was livid.

“She might as well have waved a red flag in front of a bull,” said Cheryl. “I knew that she knew where he was or what happened to him.”

What followed was a relentless campaign that ended up flushing out the killers.

Cheryl put up billboards, paid for a full page ad in the newspaper, wrote thousands of letters to the Governor.

The campaign came at the cost of her retirement.

“It did. I don’t have any savings,” said Cheryl.

The effort also cost Cheryl visitation with her granddaughter, who turned 19 the day her mother was arrested.

“She was all we had left of Mike,” said Cheryl. “So Denise, not only did she kill Mike, she stole Ansley.”

In the end, Cheryl says God told her not to quit.

“It took 18 years but the people got punished that killed him,” said Cheryl.

On Tuesday a judge set a February 6th sentencing date for Denise Williams.

She is guaranteed life for her murder conviction.

She also faces life for conspiracy to murder and being an accessory after the fact.

The State Board of Education unanimously approved former House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a polarizing figure in the education realm, as the next Commissioner of Education.

Corcoran was the pick of Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis.

The appointment drew criticism from some education groups, who argued the Board of Education should conduct a nationwide search for a candidate.

“To ensure that you have choice and are in a position of selecting a Commissioner that has the best interest of all of Florida’s children at heart,” said Marie-Claire Leman with Common Ground.

As a member of the Legislature Corcoran advocated school choice, expanding funding for charter and private schools, but the former speaker says he’s committed to supporting all schools.

“I went to elementary school, middle school, high school, and attended community college, and university. All public,” Corcoran told the board.

Corcoran also told the board that he’s never profited from his advocacy for charter schools throughout his tenure in the House.

Corcoran says his agenda mirrors that of the soon to be Governor.

“He’s talked about getting eighty percent of all dollars into the classroom so children benefit,” said Corcoran.

Corcoran also expressed an interest in raising teacher salaries, while continuing efforts to expand charter schools.

Fedrick Ingram, President of the Florida Education Association expressed his concerns.

“Absolutely not what we wanted, nor what we expected,” said Ingram. “We thought the state board would take the leadership position and involve all stakeholders.”

Mid interview Ingram broke away to make an offer for the Commissioner to attend the Union’s meeting on February 1st.

Corcoran agreed, a possible indication the state’s largest teachers union may get a seat at the table, something they say Corcoran never offered as House Speaker.

A Jackson County Florida Deputy who was fired in early September for allegedly planting evidence remains under investigation.

More than 100 cases he handled have been dismissed and the woman whose arrest sparked the investigation has put the county on notice she intends to sue for false arrest.

Jackson County Sheriffs Deputy Zachery Wester probably regrets stopping Theresa Odom this past February 15th.

Body camera video from the stop shows a white packet in Wester’s left hand.

How the packet got from his hand to the seat of the car is unclear in the video.

He covers it up with a cloth, then moves it.

His hand leaves the frame and Teresa Odom’s purse isn’t visible in the video either.

As he searches her purse, he chuckles at he finds the packet.

State Attorney Glen Hess told us in September that what he saw in the video was clear.

“In those cases in which he was an essential witness, we’ve have taken steps to dismiss those cases,” said Hess.

Now, On Facebook, Teresa Odom posted a letter from her attorney to the county, notifying them of her intent to sue for false arrest.

Odom ’s case is one of at least 119 cases dismissed.

Jackson County Sheriff Lou Roberts says he waiting for the Department of Law Enforcement to finish its investigation.

“I’d like to get it on and get it resolved because its certainly puts a black eye for all of us and that’s our operation in Jackson County operates,” said Roberts.

Prosecutors are still looking at cases handled by Wester in Liberty county, where he worked before going to Jackson.

The Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the investigation is ongoing.

The State Attorney looking at cases in Liberty County did not respond to our request for information.

Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis is butting heads with top lawmakers and Elections Supervisors over whether Amendment 4, which restores a felons right to vote after completing their sentence, is self implementing or not.

A delay could prevent some felons from voting in two key mayoral races.

More than 5 million Florida voters approved Amendment 4 in November.

It allows felons who have completed all terms of their sentence to vote, excluding murderers and sex criminals.

DeSantis opposed automatic restoration throughout his campaign.

“I don’t want to be giving rights, restoring rights to people who have not proven that they can integrate back into society,” DeSantis said in October.

The Amendment takes effect January 8th, but DeSantis now says lawmakers need to pass implementing Legislation before felons can register.

Lawmakers don’t start their session until early March, so Waiting for them to act would delay a felons’ ability to register by at least two months.

The delay would potentially block felons from voting in the Jacksonville and Tampa mayoral races in March.

Lawyers for Senate President Bill Galvano say the Amendment is most likely self executing.

“It’s something that I want to take another look at, but if I had to err, I would err on the side of it being self executing,” said Galvano.

Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Chair Dennis Baxley says some details need to be worked out.

“If there’s any delay it may be just in the validation of eligibility,” said Baxley

Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley says DeSantis’ comments wont stop him from registering felons right away .

“The only one that I know that could potentially stop us from doing our job as we see it would be a judge,” said Earley.

Self implementing or not, the Legislature will likely standardize how state agencies and elections officials to ensure felons are truly eligible to register.

An estimated 1.4 million felons in the state are expected to have their voting rights restored as a result of Amendment 4.

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of a murder once thought to be an accident.

Now, after a week long trial, the fate of the widow is in the hands of a 12 person jury.

31-year-old Mike Williams was pushed from his boat, then shot point blank by his best friend during a duck hunting trip 18 years ago this Sunday.

The best friend and widow married, then separated.

When divorce papers were filed, he kidnapped her.

He was arrested and is now serving 20 years.

In May this year, widow Denise Williams was arrested after the best friend cut a deal with the state. Brian Winchester got immunity for implicating Denise in the murder.
“Mr. Winchester, you’re a murderer,” asked defense attorney Ethan Way. “Isn’t it true?”

“Yes sir,” Winchester replied.

“Mr. Winchester, you’re a liar,” Way asked. “Isn’t it true?”

“Yes sir,” Winchester replied.

If not for Mike Williams mother Cheryl Williams, the case many never have gotten to trial.

“In fact you took lots of steps to initiate an investigation, did you not?” Prosecutor Jon Fuchs asked Cheryl. “Put up posters… Wrote the Governor?

Cheryl Williams responded yes to all three questions.

Winchester’s reliability was a major point in the trials closing arguments.

“There’re going to let me [Winchester] get away with this,” said Way. “And as icing on the cake, I get revenge on Denise Williams for turning me into the police.”

Prosecutors contend Denise wanted to be a rich widow rather than a poor divorcee.

“One point seven five million dollars that she is the beneficiary of,” said Fuchs.

Denise Williams faces life in prison on any of three counts of conspiracy, murder, and being an accessory after the fact.

Widow Denise Williams did not take the stand in her own defense.

Her lawyers asked that she be found either guilty of innocent on the charges without the jury considering possible lesser offenses, which the judge characterized as a risky move.

Florida Senators held a rare closed door meeting today to discuss their own security.

They were briefed by the Director of Capitol Police and their own Sargent at Arms.

Senate President Bill Galvano called the session useful.

“You know I feel like we have a lot of people who come here who deserve to have access to the Florida Senate,” said Galvano. “We have people who are staffers and senators themselves and we need to conduct ourselves in a mono that is prepared and ready for a situation should a risk evolve.”

Galvano sited recent violent instances for scheduling the meeting saying its always good to be prepared.