The top stories last week

Maria Sachs, former member, Florida Senate

Our closest neighbor, Canada, as well as our traditional ally France, both suffered popular uprisings against attempts to impose restraints against fossil fuels. More than signaling an unrest by their citizens against government’s efforts to curb carbon emissions, it shows the lack of leadership of the global leader in all things progressive, the United States. Our country’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord left a vacuum of leadership globally and gave legitimacy to those who oppose the use of renewable sources of energy. If we fail as a global spokesperson to assume leadership against climate change, we will all suffer the consequences of global warming.

George Moraitis, chairman, Broward Republican Executive Committee

Gov. Scott has installed Peter Antonacci as the new Broward County Supervisor of Elections. His job is to regain citizens’ confidence in Broward’s voting process after several missteps for the past several years. That’s a tall order, but Antonacci is the man for the job. Mr. Antonacci has gone on record stating he will not make voting more difficult by reducing the number of early-voting hours, the number of days early-voting sites are open, or the number of polling sites available. Instead, he will welcome an audit and perform a state-required review of the rolls.

Robert Weinroth, member, Palm Beach County Commission

The state commission charged with investigating the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting released a 407-page draft report listing a series of failures and recommendations on how to prevent similar tragedies in the future. A lack of training and an absence of a detailed written policy for responding to a shooter on campus were identified as critical failures resulting in doors being left unlocked and staff not declaring a “Code Red” alarm quickly enough. It will now be up to Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis and our elected representatives to proactively and decisively address these deficiencies during the upcoming legislative session.

Ina Lee, owner, Travelhost Elite of Greater Fort Lauderdale

Time Magazine named four journalists, including the cover photo of slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as Persons of the Year, 2018. These Guardians of Truth are a direct rebuke to the war on the press that President Trump has been waging in calling everything he doesn’t agree with as “fake news.” Yes, there are journalists that go for sensationalism rather than accurate reporting, but the overwhelming majority are hard working professionals dedicated to informing the public about the world around us. A free press is essential to our democracy. Kudos to Time Magazine for honoring these fallen heroes. Michael De Lucca, president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc.

Broward Health’s mission is to provide quality health care to the people they serve and support the needs of all physicians and employees. On Wednesday, Dec. 12, the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners named acting CEO Gino Santorio to the position permanently. Through Santorio’s leadership role, he has impacted the stability of Broward Health, overseen approximately $1.2 billion in operating revenue and more than 62,00 inpatient admissions. Santorio is a great asset to the Broward Health community and focuses primarily on the quality of care to the community needs.

Nan Rich, member, Broward County Commission

The National Climate Assessment, four years of peer-reviewed work by 13 U.S. government agencies, warns that warmer global temperatures will wreck our economy and health. Our county commission adopted a resolution endorsing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5° Celsius. South Florida is particularly vulnerable to the economic damage of climate change caused by sea level rise, coral bleaching, stronger hurricanes, and tropical disease outbreaks. The resolution commits the board to ambitious climate change policies and actions at all levels, with particular attention to energy-efficient programs and integration of solar technology at all viable county facilities.

Kathleen Cannon, president, United Way of Broward County

I know there is so much going on in the world, but have you watched the Dolphins’ Miami Miracle play 100 times? Have you seen it with the Titanic music dubbed in and in slow motion? Honestly, I can’t see it enough. My son and I were watching together and as we were screaming and leaping over the coffee table to be one inch from the TV screen, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. It was pure excitement and joy, and we shared it together. I am a proud Miami Dolphins fan and a proud sports fan. Go Fins!

Ghenete “G” Wright Muir, attorney, LGBTQ advocate

What a controversy! For those of us in the Jamaican, Caribbean and or Reggae/Dancehall community, the news of the release of Buju Banton from jail and deportation to Jamaica was inescapable. With his release and anticipated tour dates, there have been renewed concerns about “Boom Bye Bye,” a homophobic song he recorded almost 30 years ago. He has apologized, but many in the LGBTQ community object to him performing in their country. Unfortunately, some DJs and establishments continue to play it. As Ben E. King sang, “Don’t play it no more!”