The top stories last week

Anne M. Gannon, tax collector, Palm Beach County

The news is focused on the sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations against Roy Moore, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Alabama. I was puzzled with Sen. Mitch McConnell’s comments acknowledging the seriousness of the charges when others were dismissing them. His comments led me to research previous such charges in Washington. I discovered that McConnell led a 33-month investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Sen. Bob Packwood. As a result of the investigation, Packwood resigned prior to being expelled from the Senate. McConnell understands the allegations and how serious they are. Let’s hope Moore does the right thing and steps aside.

Walter G. “Skip” Campbell Jr., mayor, Coral Springs; former member, Florida Senate

Federal judges are appointed for a lifetime. The Senate Judiciary Committee is responsible for conducting confirmation hearings on each nominee to make sure that the nominee is qualified. The American Bar Association also vets each nominee’s qualifications. That’s why it is unconscionable that the Senate Judiciary Committee, along party lines, approved the nomination of a 36-year-old lawyer, who has only practiced law for three years and never tried a case, and was unanimously rated unqualified by the ABA. Maybe the entire Senate will wake up and demand the cream of the legal crop as our federal judges.

Michael De Lucca, president, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc.

Last year in Florida, there were over 4,000 babies born addicted to opioids. These babies are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, which is a severe addiction to prescription opioids and/or street drugs, such as heroin. These newborns are entering the world addicted to drugs because their mothers abused these substances throughout their pregnancies. Florida is responding actively to these consequences and behavioral health specialists are assisting child protective investigators. Additionally, agencies are also working with the Healthy Families program to address challenges with pregnant women and their newborns to help reduce addiction to opioids.

Gary Farmer, member, Florida Senate

This past week I introduced SB 896, a comprehensive legislative solution to the nursing home and assisted living facility crisis in Florida. The common-sense reforms included in this bill are long overdue. Whether it be providing the state ombudsman with the resources he needs to properly oversee and enforce state regulations on nursing homes, or installing adequate electric generators and fuel in each facility during cases of emergency, SB 896 will save lives. Along with Rep. Katie Edwards, I plan to make this vital piece a legislation a priority in the 2018 legislative session.

Scott J. Israel, sheriff, Broward County

As your sheriff, I’ve long advocated for the expansion of civil citations and am thrilled the county commission has taken the first steps to make it a reality in Broward. The proposed ordinance would allow law enforcement officers to issue civil citations to adults for all nonviolent misdemeanor offenses. No one should be saddled with a life-long criminal record because of a minor indiscretion. Civil citations have proven to be a success where instituted. They provide a second chance and needed intervention services while also saving taxpayers millions that would otherwise be spent on criminal justice system operations.

Eleanor Sobel, former member, Florida Senate

Senate Bill-SB444 (HB 41) must be bagged. Sen. Aaron Bean wants to embed in law an appropriation for Florida’s Pregnancy Support Services Network. The bill provides that FPSSN must “subcontract only with providers that exclusively promote and support childbirth.” Women are not given any choices about their reproductive health at these pseudo-medical facilities that sub-contract with 105 vendors at the rate of $60 per hour with no physicians on site. Medically inaccurate information is spread at these centers — i.e. abortions cause cancer. At a Senate hearing women wore red caps and gowns from the popular “Handmaid’s Tale” indicative of this repressive bill.

Marty Kiar, Broward County property appraiser

Hollywood city commissioners formally approved the renaming of Lee Street, Forrest Street, and Hood Street. These streets run through diverse communities and were previously named after Confederate generals who fought to uphold the evil institution of slavery. Disgustingly, Forrest Street was also named after the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. The new street names are Liberty, Hope and Freedom. While this was a long process, and often divisive, the city commission righted a wrong as the names of people who stood for hate and bigotry should not be honored and memorialized.

Earl Maucker, commissioner, Lighthouse Point; former editor, Sun Sentinel

Threatening a newspaper with a lawsuit for an unflattering story is as American as apple pie. The latest is Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore who said this week he will sue the Washington Post for their meticulously researched story on his alleged inappropriate behavior with teenage girls. This is reminiscent of Donald Trump who threatened to sue the New York Times and each of the women who came forward claiming sexual misconduct. The Trump lawsuits never materialized and you can bet Moore’s threat will go nowhere. Even in this toxic media environment, the press will prevail.