LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK

Lamar Fisher, member, Broward County Commission. Broward County Transit (BCT) is going green! Two new electric buses have officially begun carrying passengers on Broward Boulevard from Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise to the Broward Central Terminal in Fort Lauderdale. The battery-electric buses will help reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and provide passengers with a quieter and smoother ride. Designed and manufactured in the United States, the buses can travel up to 300 miles on a full charge. BCT has purchased 12 electric buses, which are expected to be in service by late fall. I encourage you to go green and ride Broward County Transit!

Michael Gottlieb, member, Florida House of Representatives. The largest boat show in the world is back. This is a sign that normalcy is here and tourism is robust. Finally, as the COVID-19 numbers are falling, we can be optimistic that our hotels, taxis/Ubers and restaurants will be used, and our economy is back on track. Not only does the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Oct. 27-31) showcase current maritime dreams, it also gives hope for future development and collaborative opportunities and reinforces the reputation of our beautiful community and the Venice of America. We are lucky to live in paradise, and I am glad we can put it on display for all to see.

Harold Pryor, state attorney, 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County. Do you have an arrest record in Broward County? In some circumstances, state law allows you to have your arrest record sealed or hidden from public view. The Broward State Attorney’s Office is hosting a sealing and expungement workshop on Thursday, Oct. 28, in partnership with the Broward County Clerk of Courts, the Broward Sheriff ’s Office, the TJ Reddick Bar Association, the city of Lauderhill and the Lauderhill Police Department. Applicants must pre-register for the workshop due to COVID safety measures and will be contacted prior to the event. Apply at browardsao.com/ prequalify-now-seal-expunge-workshop.

Wendy Sartory Link, supervisor of elections, Palm Beach County. In person early voting will begin on Saturday, Oct. 23, and your Palm Beach County Elections Office is prepared with improved voter experience and election security. We proudly use the most cuttingedge technology, equipment and best practices available that increase voter confidence and accessibility for all voters. That’s why ExpressVote equipment will now be used by every eligible voter during early voting at all five early voting sites in the upcoming special election. For more information regarding early voting in the special election, please visit VotePalmBeach.gov, call 561-656-6200, or follow us on social media @VotePalmBeach.

John “Jack” P. Seiler, former mayor, Fort Lauderdale. Each year, the Orange Bowl Committee announces a recipient of its Orange Bowl Beigel-Feis-Hixon Valor Award, which salutes an outstanding South Florida student-athlete who exhibits valor and courage in the face of adversity, in honor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas coaches who tragically lost their lives in 2018. This year’s recipient is Miami Springs Senior High’s Ashley Moon, who overcame bullying to become the valedictorian of her class with a 5.14 GPA. Ashley also competed on the varsity volleyball, swimming and tennis teams, and will be honored on the field during the Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Howard Simon, retired executive director, ACLU of Florida. The issue demanding the immediate attention of the public and the media is how close we are to the demise of our democracy. That is neither harsh nor overly dramatic. Democracy dies when a losing candidate refuses to accept the results of an election and supporters attempt to use the machinery of government to set aside the results of an election to install leaders not chosen by popular vote. That is why a full investigation of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is urgent. That insurrection failed, but it was likely a trial run for the next presidential election.

Nick Sortal, member, Plantation City Council. The Sun Sentinel published an article on sports betting arriving this fall, but that’s not really “the next big thing,” according to industry experts Spectrum Gaming. The company notes that policymakers across North America will continue to pivot to authorizing online gaming and online lottery as the most important emerging verticals. The reasoning is easy: online gambling is more profitable than sports betting, which carries about a 5% profit margin. Powerball and Florida Lotto, for example, keep 50% of bettors’ money. Besides that, there are just so many more people that play the lottery than bet on sports.

Robert Weinroth, member, Palm Beach County Commission. Ready or not 10-digit dialing becomes mandatory on Oct. 24. Henceforth it will be necessary to always include the area code as part of the number dialed. For people with numbers programmed into their telephone, updating may be required to include area codes. This change was necessitated by the soon-to-be adoption of 988 as a three-digit number to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. Near term, callers should continue to dial 211 or 800-273-8255 for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The new 988 phone number will not become active until July 16, 2022.