Latest news with #Worrell
Miami Herald
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Boston Leaders Push to Bring HBCU Campus to the City
Following the example set by San Diego and Los Angeles County in 2024, Boston city officials are working to attract a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to establish a satellite campus in the city. The goal: to create more educational opportunities for Black students in a region that has historically lacked an HBCU presence. Boston City Council Vice President Leads the Charge Boston City Council Vice President Brian Worrell is spearheading the initiative. According to The Boston Herald, Worrell recently called for a public hearing to explore bringing an HBCU to Boston-a city that was once a leader in Black education during the 19th century. "An HBCU presence would provide role models for current Black students by showing them a tangible pathway to success," Worrell said during a council meeting. "Boston led the way in educating Black students in the first half of the 19th century, with the opening of the Abiel Smith School. We need to rediscover that trailblazing spirit." Worrell's proposal is closely tied to Boston's Building Bridges HBCU program, which he describes as a direct response to the recent national pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Growing Demand for HBCUs in the North The hearing order notes that while there are more than 100 HBCUs in the U.S., most are located in the South-a reflection of their historical role in countering Jim Crow laws. Today, the need for culturally responsive educational spaces is growing, particularly in areas like Boston where Black students have limited access to HBCU environments. Worrell's office told The Boston Herald that updates on the city's efforts to attract an HBCU partner will be shared this fall. Boston Public Schools Chief of Student Support Cory McCarthy emphasized the increasing interest, saying, "The appetite for an HBCU has grown immensely within the last five years." He added, "Bringing an HBCU to Boston would further showcase the city's commitment to building an educational ecosystem that values, supports, and elevates Black students." The Impact of HBCUs Nationwide Worrell highlighted that despite making up just 3% of U.S. higher education institutions, HBCUs produce a disproportionate number of Black professionals: 40% of Black engineers and members of Congress50% of Black lawyers and doctors70% of Black dentists These statistics underscore the enduring importance and success of HBCUs in advancing Black excellence. California's HBCU Expansion as a Model Boston's vision aligns with similar efforts on the West Coast. In 2024, Huston-Tillotson University, based in Austin, Texas, announced plans to open a satellite campus in California. However, the university's California branch is not expected to open until August 2025, pending accreditation approval from the state. According to the university's website, the California campus will initially offer coursework aligned with the university's Liberal Studies requirements and plans to fully establish a branch campus by August 2025. The post Boston Leaders Push to Bring HBCU Campus to the City appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
7NEWS
30-06-2025
- 7NEWS
Tabitha Worrell: Mother sues funeral home over son's body allegedly riddled with maggots during viewing
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS A grieving mother is suing a US funeral home for negligence after her son's body was allegedly 'consumed by clumps of maggots' during an open casket viewing held for family and friends. Tabitha Worrell's son Torreon Williams, 24, had died in a car crash a week earlier and she had made a US$3000 (AUD$4500) down payment and organised for Snellings Funeral Home in Virginia to assist in laying him to rest. 'As mourners approached the body of Torreon Williams, these people noticed that Torreon Williams' body, particularly his face, nose and mouth, were covered with and consumed by clumps of maggots,' the lawsuit said, according to WRKC. 'The maggots had been on and in Torreon Williams' body for a significant period of time and had been purposely ignored on the day of Torreon Williams' service as, in addition to the aforementioned, the maggots had burrowed into holes in his cheek and mouth that had not existed previously,' the lawsuit read. Ms Worrell is suing the funeral home for $5 million (AUD$7.6m) over the May 2022 incident in the Chesapeake Circuit Court. She is claiming monetary loss as well as severe emotional distress. Mr Williams died after crashing his car when he lost control coming off a highway exit on May 2, 2022. Ms Worrell alleges the funeral home failed to store her son in a sealed refrigerator. The lawsuit claims that when the family arrived for the viewing, the doors to the home were open to the outdoors and the room where Mr Williams' body was prepared for viewing was warm. His aunt Tiffany Barnhart recalled Ms Worrell screaming at the funeral home viewing. 'I just remember my sister screaming. I remember the lady (who works for Snellings) placing her hand on her, telling her not to make a scene,' she told told Another staff member allegedly said 'flies got to him'. The lawsuit claims Ms Worrell has experienced severe and significant emotional distress ever since, including nightmares and flashbacks to the horror. Ms Worrell's lawyer Kevin Sharp described the scene as a 'grotesque freak show'. 'Maggots pouring out of this young man's nose. Maggots in his mouth, and on his face,' he said. Casey Jones, CEO of Holloman-Brown Funeral Homes, which owns Snelling Funeral Home, told 'The unexpected passing of Torreon Williams is tragic, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. However, because the events following his death are the subject of ongoing litigation, we do not believe it is appropriate to comment publicly at this time.' A three day trial into the matter is set to begin on July 28.
West Australian
30-06-2025
- West Australian
Tabitha Worrell: Mother sues funeral home over son's body allegedly riddled with maggots during viewing
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS A grieving mother is suing a US funeral home for negligence after her son's body was allegedly 'consumed by clumps of maggots' during an open casket viewing held for family and friends. Tabitha Worrell's son Torreon Williams, 24, had died in a car crash a week earlier and she had made a US$3000 (AUD$4500) down payment and organised for Snellings Funeral Home in Virginia to assist in laying him to rest. 'As mourners approached the body of Torreon Williams, these people noticed that Torreon Williams' body, particularly his face, nose and mouth, were covered with and consumed by clumps of maggots,' the lawsuit said, according to WRKC . 'The maggots had been on and in Torreon Williams' body for a significant period of time and had been purposely ignored on the day of Torreon Williams' service as, in addition to the aforementioned, the maggots had burrowed into holes in his cheek and mouth that had not existed previously,' the lawsuit read. Ms Worrell is suing the funeral home for $5 million (AUD$7.6m) over the May 2022 incident in the Chesapeake Circuit Court. She is claiming monetary loss as well as severe emotional distress. Mr Williams died after crashing his car when he lost control coming off a highway exit on May 2, 2022. Ms Worrell alleges the funeral home failed to store her son in a sealed refrigerator. The lawsuit claims that when the family arrived for the viewing, the doors to the home were open to the outdoors and the room where Mr Williams' body was prepared for viewing was warm. His aunt Tiffany Barnhart recalled Ms Worrell screaming at the funeral home viewing. 'I just remember my sister screaming. I remember the lady (who works for Snellings) placing her hand on her, telling her not to make a scene,' she told told . Another staff member allegedly said 'flies got to him'. The lawsuit claims Ms Worrell has experienced severe and significant emotional distress ever since, including nightmares and flashbacks to the horror. Ms Worrell's lawyer Kevin Sharp described the scene as a 'grotesque freak show'. 'Maggots pouring out of this young man's nose. Maggots in his mouth, and on his face,' he said. Casey Jones, CEO of Holloman-Brown Funeral Homes, which owns Snelling Funeral Home, told 'The unexpected passing of Torreon Williams is tragic, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. However, because the events following his death are the subject of ongoing litigation, we do not believe it is appropriate to comment publicly at this time.' A three day trial into the matter is set to begin on July 28.
Perth Now
30-06-2025
- Perth Now
Mum sues after son's body ‘consumed by maggots'
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS A grieving mother is suing a US funeral home for negligence after her son's body was allegedly 'consumed by clumps of maggots' during an open casket viewing held for family and friends. Tabitha Worrell's son Torreon Williams, 24, had died in a car crash a week earlier and she had made a US$3000 (AUD$4500) down payment and organised for Snellings Funeral Home in Virginia to assist in laying him to rest. 'As mourners approached the body of Torreon Williams, these people noticed that Torreon Williams' body, particularly his face, nose and mouth, were covered with and consumed by clumps of maggots,' the lawsuit said, according to WRKC. 'The maggots had been on and in Torreon Williams' body for a significant period of time and had been purposely ignored on the day of Torreon Williams' service as, in addition to the aforementioned, the maggots had burrowed into holes in his cheek and mouth that had not existed previously,' the lawsuit read. Ms Worrell is suing the funeral home for $5 million (AUD$7.6m) over the May 2022 incident in the Chesapeake Circuit Court. She is claiming monetary loss as well as severe emotional distress. Mr Williams died after crashing his car when he lost control coming off a highway exit on May 2, 2022. Ms Worrell alleges the funeral home failed to store her son in a sealed refrigerator. The lawsuit claims that when the family arrived for the viewing, the doors to the home were open to the outdoors and the room where Mr Williams' body was prepared for viewing was warm. His aunt Tiffany Barnhart recalled Ms Worrell screaming at the funeral home viewing. 'I just remember my sister screaming. I remember the lady (who works for Snellings) placing her hand on her, telling her not to make a scene,' she told told Another staff member allegedly said 'flies got to him'. The lawsuit claims Ms Worrell has experienced severe and significant emotional distress ever since, including nightmares and flashbacks to the horror. Ms Worrell's lawyer Kevin Sharp described the scene as a 'grotesque freak show'. 'Maggots pouring out of this young man's nose. Maggots in his mouth, and on his face,' he said. Casey Jones, CEO of Holloman-Brown Funeral Homes, which owns Snelling Funeral Home, told 'The unexpected passing of Torreon Williams is tragic, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. However, because the events following his death are the subject of ongoing litigation, we do not believe it is appropriate to comment publicly at this time.' A three day trial into the matter is set to begin on July 28.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maxwell: 7 things to know about recently arrested Sheriff Marcos Lopez
Any time a sheriff gets arrested, it's obviously a big deal. And with Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, it was a wild deal to boot, with authorities saying he ran a 'massive' gambling operation that included a full-fledged casino — in Kissimmee, of all places. Still, anyone who paid even passing attention to Lopez's tenure probably wasn't shocked to learn he may have done something wrong. This is a man, after all, who was deemed untrustworthy by the region's last two prosecutors. Lopez may have been a red flag in a green uniform, but he found an ally in Gov. Ron DeSantis in their joint crusade against State Attorney Monique Worrell. And the sheriff had a generally high-profile career that got even higher with his recent arrest and suspension from office. If you haven't been following along before, here are seven things to know about Lopez: 1. Two different state attorneys declared Lopez untrustworthy. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell, a Democrat, and Andrew Bain, the man our Republican governor chose to temporarily replace Worrell, may not have agreed on much. But both agreed Lopez couldn't be trusted. Bain was the first to place Lopez on the office's official 'Brady List' of law enforcement witnesses the office considered unreliable after an incident where the sheriff's office improperly and indecently posted a photo of a dead 13-year-old girl on social media. Bain concluded that Lopez's office had conducted an inadequate, if not laughable, probe into the sheriff's role in the incident and that Lopez's conflicting statements made him untrustworthy. After Bain left office, Lopez appealed his decision. But Worrell's office rejected his plea, deciding to keep Lopez on the scarlet-letter list of cops with veracity concerns. It doesn't get much more damning than that. Osceola Sheriff Lopez placed on Brady list of law officers deemed untrustworthy 2. The Orlando Sentinel editorial board also urged voters to remove Lopez from office. This might not normally be noteworthy — except that the Sentinel endorsed Lopez in 2020 back when Lopez promised to usher in a new era of transparency and accountability. Voters liked what they heard. So did the ed board. But it turned out to be a crock. So last year, instead of defending its prior last decision, the ed board acknowledged reality and reversed course, urging voters to get the Democratic incumbent out of office, saying he had clearly lost the public trust. 3. Lopez was a key ally to Ron DeSantis in the governor's crusade against Worrell. The DeSantis team said it also consulted with Orange County Sheriff John Mina but relied heavily upon accusations made by Lopez that purported to prove Worrell was soft on crime. Well, many of those accusations turned out to be bunk. A Sentinel investigation would later reveal that nearly half of the 74 drug-trafficking cases that Lopez claimed Worrell had dropped were still working their way through the system and that other cases weren't prosecuted because of evidentiary problems. Interestingly, DeSantis teamed up with Lopez to go after Worrell in 2023 — the same year the state said it started investigating Lopez's crimes. 4. Attorney General James Uthmeier called the arrest 'solemn.' Anyone who has watched Florida's newly appointed attorney general knows he gets downright giddy when he talks about Worrell's removal from office. (As evidence, watch the press conference Uthmeier did last month in Orlando where he taunted Worrell with Sheriff Mina at his side.) But Uthmeier took a very different tone when Lopez was arrested, calling it 'a solemn day for Florida and our law enforcement community.' Lopez's arrest was definitely darkly serious. But it was probably especially solemn for members of the DeSantis administration who'd essentially made Lopez their lead character witness in the case against Worrell. 5. Lopez didn't put body cameras on all his officers. Three years ago, Osceola deputies shot and killed a 20-year-old man accused of shoplifting pizza and trading cards. Lopez said it was a fair shooting — but never had any body-camera footage to prove it. After that case raised questions and prompted a lawsuit, Lopez vowed to get to work on cameras. But that was the same thing he'd told the Sentinel more than two years earlier when he was first trying to get in office. Cameras are so commonplace nowadays that any sheriff or chief who chooses not to make body cams standard equipment is making an intentional decision not to give prosecutors and the public the full story. No body-cams rolled as Florida cops shot 20-year-old. That was a choice | Commentary 6. Lopez is innocent until proven guilty. Lopez hasn't been convicted of a thing so far. Maybe he never will be. He deserves his day in court. But the sheriff's office at large has a lot of questions to answer. Chief among them: How was this casino allowed to operate as long as it did? The Sentinel reported Wednesday that, prior to the sheriff's arrest, the sheriff's office had been dispatched to 'at least 50 incidents at The Eclipse casino.' Well, casinos aren't legal in Central Florida. So how many times should a law-enforcement agency have to show up at one before shutting it down? Osceola deputies made multiple responses to casino allegedly controlled by sheriff 7. He still shouldn't be in office. That is one of the main takeaways from all this: Even if you don't account for this recent arrest, Lopez has provided ample evidence that Osceola voters deserve better. Take it from the two different prosecutors who agreed on little else. smaxwell@
