TOP STORIES FROM THIS WEEK
ANTI-SEMITISM, Rudolph C. Cleare, executive vice president, The Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation: On Feb. 24, police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were contacted about two young suspects attempting to destroy statues dedicated to Jewish children killed during the Holocaust at The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. The Anti-Defamation League reported that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. in 2019 occurred at their highest rate in at least four decades, with a record 2,100 incidents of assault, vandalism and more reported across the country. We cannot wish away this rising tide of hatred and bigotry against the people of the Covenant. They are our sisters and brothers, and we must stand with them here in Central Florida and all across America.
NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING, Mary Lee Downey, CEO, Hope Partnership: I’m excited to talk about the great things happening at Gannet Pointe in Kissimmee. This new affordable housing project is already changing lives in our community. Birdsong and Ability Housing worked to get these units built, and our team has been hustling to help families transition from life in a motel room to sustainable, stable housing. Projects like this prove that we can solve our affordable housing crisis if we’ll only commit to doing it. We still need thousands of affordable units; still, we can celebrate each household that finds a place to call home.
DESANTIS WELCOMING, John L. Evans Jr., consulting unit chief for a global investment firm; former congressional staffer: Many of us have chuckled at the meme on the internet, saying Andrew Cuomo is Florida’s Realtor of the Year, given his suffocating COVID-19 policies which are catalyzing New Yorkers to move south in droves. Indeed, longtime Central Florida Realtors are claiming their best years ever. It’s not New York’s governor who ought to win the fictitious award, however. After my meeting with Gov. Ron DeSantis, hearing his herculean battle to keep the state open and therefore attractive to Northerners, it’s him. He gets the
trophy.
THE BOSS AND THE PREZ,
Jeff Hayward, president and CEO, Heart of Florida United Way: There’s been much political separation about the JEEP ad featuring Bruce Springsteen that aired during the Super Bowl. I saw an iconic American brand trying to help unite a divided country. A nonpolitical voice needed to weigh in. On Monday, “The Boss” and former President Barack Obama announced a jointly created podcast called “Renegades,” discussing the hard work associated with keeping a democracy strong. Many people have lost their jobs and fallen on hard times. We can continue to focus on our political differences, or we can come together for the good of all Americans and treat each other with compassion and respect.
LYNX DRIVES FOR SHOTS, Viviana Janer, vice chairwoman, Osceola County Commission: It is great that Lynx is always ready to pitch in and help those in our community who depend on alternative forms of transportation as a lifeline to key services. The latest? Residents who are 65 and older with an appointment for a COVID-19 shot but no way to get to the Osceola County vaccination site can now rely on Lynx. The Osceola County Office of Emergency Management is coordinating this service. Residents need to call 407-7420000 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the week to schedule a ride. Please allow 48 hours notice to schedule a ride.
VACCINES’ ZIP CODES, A.J. Marsden, assistant professor, Beacon College: Gov. Ron DeSantis claims that pop-up vaccination sites for residents in the 34202 and 34211 ZIP codes in Manatee County were chosen because they’re heavily populated with seniors. However, data reveals that several neighboring ZIP codes boast higher concentrations of seniors and more cases. The real difference is this: these two ZIP codes enjoy median household incomes that are 75 to 85% higher than the Manatee County average. It appears our governor is favoring more affluent communities that support his campaign over at-risk communities. Thankfully, Rep. Charlie Crist is calling for a full Department of Justice investigation into DeSantis’ most recent decisions.
SPACE CURIOSITY, Pamela Nabors, president/CEO, CareerSource Central Florida: I’m fascinated by space exploration, so I have followed the NASA Mars Rover Perseverance since it launched on its 300-million-mile journey last summer. History was made when Perseverance successfully touched down on Mars. Imagine, this mission will fundamentally transform how we explore other worlds in the foreseeable future. Ingenuity — the drone helicopter — will take aerial photos and the Rover will gather more science and data to look for signs of ancient life. It took thousands of people and millions of miles for this mission and it’s a thrilling time in space exploration.
PRIORITIZE TEACHERS, Rob Rosen, partner, Burr & Forman: We all acknowledge the need to get schools reopened and our children back in school. There are approximately 3.7 million teachers in the U.S. We are vaccinating 1.2-1.5 million people a day. Take a week and give teachers priority and get schools open. I favor COVID19 relief, but $1.9 trillion is enough to pay every person in the U.S. almost $6,000. Yet only $1,400 will go to qualified individuals. According to the Wall Street Journal estimates, less than 50% of the money will go to direct COVID-19 relief. Is there something strange about this math?