Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
The top stories last week
With somewhere between 850 and 2,500 law enforcement officers converging on the Fort Lauderdale airport after the horrific shooting in January, is it any wonder that chaos continued well after the lone gunman was subdued? Kudos to the Sun Sentinel for the comprehensive report that provided context. With all due respect to the hard-working law enforcement community, it appears their execution lacked coordination and communication resulting in hundreds of panicked passengers pouring onto taxiways and airport grounds well after the danger had passed. Then to keep them in the dark for hours without information and services was inexcusable.
The “behind closed doors” budget agreement between Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron that reportedly reduces funding of Visit Florida to $25 million — a 67 percent reduction — would be dire for tourism, our state’s No. 1 industry. The overwhelming cry from the industry has been totally ignored by our elected officials.
Recently, Florida witnessed the demise of a state senator for racially charged comments he made to fellow senators. While initially defiant, the senator eventually succumbed to the pressure of the public, who demanded his resignation. While perspectives differ on whether his conduct merited resignation, the more important point is that without the efforts of the press, the senator’s conduct would have continued unabated. Floridians expect, and are entitled to, a certain level of decorum and respect from their elected officials. This most recent example reaffirmed just how important the press is in holding elected official accountable to the public.
Florida made another “top” list, according to a recent study. A global fleet management company’s calculations found that Florida has four of the top five deadliest highways in the country. US 1 reportedly tops the list. I am not surprised. Just drive around Florida on any given day and you’ll see people on their cell phones, texting, tailgating and speeding. Then add in visitors who are unfamiliar with our roads and where they need to go, and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. The only way to get off this “list” is to start driving responsibly and pay attention.
Gary Stein wrote a piece on death with dignity that I think merits citing again. Medical aid in dying is an end-of-life medical practice in which a mentally capable, terminally ill adult with less than six months to live may request medication from their doctor for self-administration to bring about a peaceful death if their suffering becomes unbearable. Six states allow this and many safeguards have been put in place. In Florida why would a person suffering not be allowed to make that choice without breaking the law or begging their loved ones to end their misery?
German insurer Allianz has dropped its sponsorship of the PGA Champions tournament in Boca. This was a response to the protests by Holocaust survivors. They have complained that billions of dollars in life policies bought by European Jews before the war were never paid. Additionally, this week a study was released by the ADL indicating a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Florida and nationwide. Protests and the media play an important informational role in society. Publicizing hatred in any form might prevent the spreading of the disease to other sectors of society.
I just returned from a rather large conference in Washington D.C. What struck me was that every speaker made fun of President Trump and his Cabinet. Regardless of what party you are in or voted for, I find it hard to believe that the reverence to the position has eroded so far, so fast. I know his tweets and other actions cause concern, but what will our children think?
Last week the Florida Senate acknowledged the injustices against Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd and Ernest Thomas, also known as “the Groveland Four.” The state offered a formal and heartfelt apology to these victims of racial hatred and to their families. My resolution urging the governor and his cabinet to perform an expedited clemency review of the cases, including granting full pardons, has passed both houses of the Legislature. This resolution provides closure for the affected families.
Kudos to the Sun Sentinel for hosting “Successful Aging” Expo on May 13 at the Convention Center. Census data indicate Broward is home to more residents 85-plus than any other Florida county — and it’s growing. Importantly, more than half the folks in this age group require assistance with every day activities. Broward must lead the nation to develop a safety net to ensure these bonus years are enjoyed with as much dignity and independence as possible. That is why the Community Foundation of Broward identified “Dignity in Aging” as one of 10 most critical issues that matter in Broward.
April is Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness Month. The Broward County Commission recognized it by officially declaring April 25th as Denim Day — a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. I presented proclamations to six agencies and organizations that assist victims of sexual violence and child abuse, including the Nancy J. Cotterman Center (NJCC), Broward’s 40-year-old rape crisis and children’s advocacy center. In 2016 alone, the dedicated employees of the NJCC assisted more than 4,000 victims. Prevention is possible by increasing awareness, educating our community, supporting survivors, and shattering stigmas surrounding sexual violence.
Gov. Rick Scott’s announcement that he will sign a law preempting local governments’ regulations of ride sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft spotlights consumers’ growing power to spur change. The public’s embrace of ride sharing’s convenience has been too much for the opposition. It’s wise that the new statewide law would include driver background checks and insurance provisions. Next step, perhaps not too long in the future: ridesharing fleets of driverless cars.
It looks like Citizens will be insuring more homes. Florida insurers met last week in Orlando, and the hot topic was the growth of Florida owned Citizens because insurers stopped writing policies in some areas. State law requires Citizens to accept property owners who cannot otherwise get insured. State law also limits annual rate increases to 10 percent. We better get used to the idea that more South Florida homeowners will be forced back to state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the “so-called insurer of last resort.” Just what we want to hear with hurricane season around the corner.