Groveland Four Accuser Dies
The woman who falsely accused the Groveland Four of rape has died. Norma Padgett was 92 years old. In 1949, Padgett was a 17-year-old young, white woman living in Lake County. That’s when she said four young Black men Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd, and Walter Irvin, raped her. That claim set off a chain of fatal events in a time when Jim Crow laws ruled. The people she accused of rape became known as the Groveland Four. Thomas was shot hundreds of times by a group of white men. The other three were convicted by an all-white jury. After their convictions were overturned for not receiving a fair trial, Lake County Sheriff Willis McCall shot Irvin and Shepherd while they were handcuffed in his custody. Shepherd died. Irvin survived. He was granted parole in 1968 and died a year later. The sole surviving member of the Groveland Four, Charles Greenlee, received paroled in the 1960s as well. The Groveland 4 were pardoned in 2019 by the clemency board and posthumously exonerated by the state in 2021. Gary Corsair is a long-time journalist and author of Legal Lynching: The Sad Saga of the Groveland Four. He joins Engage to discuss the events and how he thinks history will record Norma Padgett.
Hunger Relief
For 17 years, Dave Krepcho led Central Florida’s largest food bank. He retired at the end of 2021, but his career is influencing his latest mission to change the way people think about hunger relief. His new book is called Empty Plates The Evolution of Hunger Relief Until All Are Fed. In it, he shares lessons learned in his career and documents the untold history of hunger relief. Krepcho joins Engage to discuss how to end hunger based on his experience and the origin of the food bank as we know it today. On August 8th, he will be doing a book signing at Second Harvest Food Bank. Krepcho says a portion of the proceeds from his book goes to hunger relief.
Virtual Veterinary Visits
Many pet owners hold their companions in higher regard than most people, but finding veterinary care for our furry friends has become onerous as both Florida and the United States are experiencing a shortage of vets. Veterinarians in Florida can practice telehealth to treat pet patients. The PETS Act is a new state law establishing rules for diagnosing and prescribing medications for animals during a remote virtual examination. Jen Hobgood is the Senior Director of State Legislation for the ASPCA Government Relations Southern Division. Hobgood joins Engage to discuss why the ASPCA has worked with the legislature for years on a bill expanding access to veterinary telehealth in Florida.
Some question whether adequate pet care is even possible online. Some veterinarians worked as animal advocates on this legislation in Florida. Dr. Richard Williams is co-legislative chair for the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, an Orlando based group representing vets in the state. Dr. Williams recently retired after 42 years as a small animal practitioner. He joins Engage to discuss the concerns raised by FVMA before the bill became law and advice for pet parents considering telemedicine.
Voter Guide 2024
Early voting for the Florida primary starts Monday in Orange and Osceola counties, and it will be underway in all Central Florida counties by Saturday, August 10. This is a closed primary state, so voters will choose candidates in their registered political party for partisan races. Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes joins Engage to discuss the new Central Florida Public Media Voter Guide and the new election laws in place.
