HURLOCK, Md. - The Hurlock Mayor discusses youth and community programming for the town.
According to Mayor Charles Cephas, the town has seen its fair share of violence among its young people. Mayor Cephas' "safe street initiative" hopes to turn that around.
Cephas says, "we're going to change the culture of our young people and our communities. Where in that, they will not be out doing drugs, being in gangs, and doing the things that are negative to society."
Leaders plan to work with participants in local churches. Available for all ages including parents, the programs will be museum and college visits, employment and volunteering work, and dressing for success workshops.
An assistant with the initiative Cedric Turner says, "If we can keep our kids off the streets and into these programs the gang awareness program is one of them. Its called Choices."
Those in the community tell us they are in full support of the idea.
Neighbor Patricia Glaggett, "I think they need something to do to keep them occupied to keep them out of trouble and out of the gangs. Keep them from going to jail because if we don't correct this now, that's where they'll be sitting, in jail. We don't want them sitting in jail because they are our future of tomorrow."
Another neighbor, Crystal Bradley says, "we have so many teenagers and middle schoolers in this community and if there's no place for them to go and nothing for them to do, naturally they're going find something to get into.
Taking initiative in helping Hurlock's youth.
