Eta grows stronger; FPL is ready

While uncertainty remains in the forecast, Eta is strengthening and is forecast to bring outages to many FPL customers in Florida.

FPL has activated our emergency response plan, and we are pre-positioning crews and equipment. I urge our customers to monitor this storm closely and finalize their preparations now.

This has been a historic hurricane season. We Floridians have weathered many tropical systems together and know how important it is to remain vigilant. That is especially important this year during a global pandemic.

While Eta might only reach tropical storm strength, it should not be taken lightly. High winds, heavy rains and flooding may extend far, and tornadoes are possible. It’s likely that fallen trees will cause outages and restoration challenges.

FPL has spent months drilling to adapt our storm response to the pandemic. Safety has always been at our core, and we have taken multiple measures to protect the health of our customers and employees. To be clear, COVID-19 has not changed our commitment to you to work around the clock safely until all customers are restored.

The last time we experienced a hurricane season this active was 2005. Since then, FPL has worked to build a stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient energy grid to deliver electricity our customers can count on in good weather and bad. The investments we’ve made in strengthening infrastructure and advanced smart grid technology have placed FPL in the best possible position to restore power faster following a storm.

Please keep safety topof-mind and visit: FPL.com/Storm for more information.

Stay safe and know that no matter what Eta throws at us, we won’t stop working until everyone is up and running again. – Eric Silagy, president

and CEO, FPL

BEGIN THE HEALING

To begin the healing of our divided nation as promised, President-elect Joe Biden should appoint a task force to hear out, prioritize and list what the more than 70 million Trump voters want and then address how he will realistically help them.

He should reiterate his policies that President Trump severely misrepresented to solicit their vote (for example, he has no intention to defund the police, ban guns, ban fracking, raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 per year, permit illegal immigration or change our free enterprise system of government to socialism. – Arthur Pitchenik

Miami

TRUMP ERA OVER?

The 2020 presidential election is finally over and the American people have spoken.

The wannabe king has been dethroned; the emperor has no clothes.

This national nightmare has come to an end and it is now time for this country to begin healing the deep social, racial and cultural wounds Donald Trump has exploited for political benefit.

Unfortunately, while Trump will soon be gone, Trumpism is still alive.

The Republican Party is not dead but, needs to seriously shed its Trumpian image.

The party must be rebuilt by the loyal conservative and believers in the constitution who had the courage to speak out against Trump and voice support for the election of Joe Biden. – Edward Blanco,

Cutler Bay

FAITH RESTORED

My faith in American democracy, although battered, has been restored. There are lessons for all of us, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, to learn.

Democracy not only grants us freedoms, but also demands responsibility and dedication from its citizens.

As a nation, we need to educate ourselves on the issues, widen our focus to include issues which are important not only to us as individuals but also to others, seek the truth and not just listen to self-serving conspiracies, and vote for what is in the best interest of the nation. – Vicente E. Arrebola,

Coral Gables

TRUMP KARMA

It is fitting that Donald Trump’s defeat was at the hands of the very people he denigrated: Blacks, gays and women. – Anthony Brown,

Miami

NEGLECTING VOTERS

Re the two Nov. 6 Miami Herald articles, “Trump support more than doubles in Miami Gardens,” and “Non-Cuban Hispanics helped Donald Trump win Florida:” It was President Trump’s heavy campaigning and courting Floridians that won these votes.

Vice President Biden won, but he neglected campaigning here until the last few weeks.

Lesson learned from the 2020 election: never take voters for granted. – Alicia Cubota Smith,

Miami Beach

SIMPLER TIMES

In the old days, on Election Day, all anybody did was go vote. Some percentage of voters would request an absentee ballot (those who would be away from home) and those ballots had to be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Even with manually sorting and counting, the result was known by 11 p.m., then the victors celebrated, the losers wept and everyone else went to bed. Modernity has changed all that. Now we have early voting, mass mailings of ballots, ballot harvesters (now that’s a good idea) and all sorts of technology.

And at 11 p.m. on election night? No idea who the winner is, and no idea when we might know.

Let’s go back to one day of voting. If a ballot is spoiled, it is thrown out (if you’re not smart enough to vote correctly, you forfeit your right to vote), and at 11 p.m. we know who won and we all go to bed. – Curtis George,

Coral Gables

THE 305 WAY

Elections Miami-style: Run for an office for which you are totally unqualified, and accuse your opponent of being a socialist.

Then, coast your way to victory!

No experience or expertise needed. – Janet Nostro,

Coral Gables

WHAT A RELIEF

I am sure all Trump supporters are good American citizens who pay all their taxes, hide no income, do not accept Social Security benefits, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps or any other government help that supports their demand for no socialism.

It will also take the burden off those of us who help pay their way. – Roberta Leonard,

Miami

NO ONE’S CHOKING

Re the Nov. 6 column by Yael Ossowski, “Publicnuisance lawsuits are stifling innovation:” Nowhere in the article is that claim substantiated.

Elon Musk is mentioned as a victim of these lawsuits. He’s one of the most innovative people around and doesn’t appear to have been stifled.

The Consumer Choice Center has nothing to do with consumers. It’s a right-wing, anti-government regulation group tied to other like-minded groups such as Students

For Liberty and the Institute of Economic Affairs. It has received funding from the Charles Koch Foundation.

Only when corporations are made to pay do they act more in the interest of consumers, instead of cutting corners to pad their bottom line. – Philip Maniatty,

Palmetto Bay

ENERGY REALITY

During the final presidential debate, Presidentelect Joe Biden referenced the need to transition away from oil for our nation’s energy supply. His statement was perceived as concerning and worrisome. I disagree. Biden showed utter and welcomed honesty of the reality of the situation without couching or politically spinning the issue.

This transition is being forced by economics. Every large oil company is now presenting itself as an energy provider. Essentially, all new oil exploration has been halted and large research and development expenditures are targeted toward renewables.

The government should not try to block what is inevitable and also advantageous to the health of the planet. The government’s role, politically correct or not, should be to assist with incentives and the necessary supporting infrastructure and workforce transition.

This is a great example of our new president’s honesty and integrity in the face of potential political fallout. – Steve Cavendish,

Miami

MASK SLIPPAGE

I see many people with masks slipped off or nearly off their noses.

They should realize this defeats the purpose of the mask — to protect others and themselves.

But it also looks pretty funny. I can’t help thinking of the view of the working plumber from behind. – Sandra Hayes,

Miami

MAKE SURE TO WEAR SHOES, LADIES. THERE’S GLASS EVERYWHERE! on Facebook, after

Kamala Harris was elected vice president