TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, president, Children’s Services Council of Broward County. While Florida missed the opportunity to draw down up to $820 million of federal funding to feed 2.1 million children over the summer, there is still time to request the funding to help our low-income families whose livelihoods have been shattered by the pandemic. Even though school is in session, large groups of children are still being sent home due to COVID, and food insecurity is still one of the top calls to 211. It is time to join at least 42 other states (with governors of varying political ideologies) in supporting food-insecure children.

Conor Delaney, president and CEO, Cleveland Clinic Florida. The FDA’s approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was one of the most important stories in recent days. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine granted full approval in the United States. Millions of people in the U.S. and around the world have received the Pfizer vaccine, and data has shown it to be safe and effective, particularly against severe illness and death from COVID-19. The FDA’s approval can serve as reassurance for individuals who may have had concerns about its safety and efficacy to get vaccinated and help us bring this pandemic to an end.

Michael De Lucca, president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc. Mosquito season is in full effect. Broward County’s Mosquito Control Division has announced the spraying of several areas to reduce the mosquito larvae population. The preventive spray takes place through Sept. 17 between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The main areas being sprayed include Cooper City, Davie, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines and the Broward Municipal Services District. More information is available at Broward.org/Mosquito. VectoBac WDG is the spray that will be used, and it’s not harmful to humans, pets, bees, aquatic habits or environmentally sensitive areas. To submit mosquito nuisance issues, call 311.

Dan Lindblade, president, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. Kick-off meetings by the Florida Department of Transportation for the Coastal Link commuter train and solutions for crossing the New River were lightly attended. Proposed stations include Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale International Airport and Hollywood. Options for traversing the New River range in cost from $250 million to $3.8 billion for a low-level bascule bridge to a tunnel, respectively. A preferred alternative could be approved by county commissioners by the end of this year. A no-build position is not a solution. We must come together on this.

Eric Poms, CEO, Orange Bowl Committee. The 2021 college football season kicked off with a full slate of matchups taking place the past two weekends all across the country. Here in South Florida, we are looking forward to this season as we prepare to host two of the top four teams in the country at the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, which will be held at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021.

Nan Rich, member, Broward County Commission. Shockingly, the U.S. Supreme Court failed to act on an emergency application to block Texas’ flagrantly unconstitutional law that bans all abortions after six-weeks of pregnancy and allows no exceptions in cases of rape and incest. It allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps someone obtain an abortion after six weeks, rewarding them with at least $10,000 if they sue successfully. The Court silently acquiesced to Texas’ blatant defiance of the Constitution, nearly 50 years of Court precedent and the right of women seeking abortions throughout Texas. How disgraceful! Is this America or the land of the “The Handmaid’s Tale!”

Andy Thomson, member, Boca Raton City Council. Last week, the city of Boca Raton adopted one of the strongest building recertification requirements in the state. All buildings over three stories tall that are 30 years old are required to undergo mandatory inspections for structural and electrical integrity and submit reports for review by city engineering staff. Any necessary repairs are required to be completed timely. To ensure transparency, all of the inspection reports, including drafts, will be made available to building residents and the public. In the wake of Surfside, our excellent city staff worked quickly to put together this important safeguard to keep our residents safe.

Gregory Tony, Broward Sheriff. Justice has no expiration date. Twenty years after the brutal murders of three young South Florida women, detectives from BSO’s newly created Cold Case Unit and the Miami Police Department solved the case. Although we will never have an opportunity to bring the now-deceased suspect into our criminal justice system, the identification of Roberto Wagner Fernandes as the killer provides closure to the families and loved ones. A special thank you goes out to the detectives, crime scene investigators, crime analysts and others who doggedly pursued justice, no matter how challenging the circumstances.