LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
James Coffin,
Anecdote: Old farmer says to young man selling books about the latest best practices in farming: “Don’t need your book, son — ’cause I don’t farm half as good as I know how to already.” Something kind of similar: Even if climatechange deniers were correct, humanity would still face an existential crisis. Fossil fuels are finite and pollution-producing. As population grows, consumption will rise, pollution will increase and fossil fuels will become exhausted. We would still need to transition to cleaner, replenishable energy. We would still need to more effectively protect earth, air and water. Make Earth Day (Monday) a time for serious reflection. And action.
Viviana Janer,
Vote by mail will begin in Osceola County on the One Cent For Transportation referendum. This is a critical decision that will set the course for the next 30 years. A yes vote addresses a $1.1 billion road-building backlog by creating dedicated funding for roads and other needed improvements. The increase would fund transportation projects and reduce traffic congestion that negatively impacts quality of life, hurts local businesses and increases response times for emergency vehicles. Tourists (that use our roads) pay about 46% of the tax and the people of Osceola County will decide if this is the best option.
Belinda Ortiz Kirkegard,
On Tuesday, Prospera and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando will present a check to a deserving charity selected by its Don Quijote Excellence Award winner, which was Yamile Luna of AdventHealth. Yamile has selected the Hope Community Center and Orlando Children’s Church — both deserving organizations that take care of vulnerable members in our community!
Pamela Nabors,
I just a saw a face, oh, it’s mine! Last week, Tampa International Airport announced plans, like OIA, to use facial recognition to speed up the screening process at security checkpoints. At this rate, “face scanning” will be everywhere, bringing us closer to the brink of a Minority Reportstyle future. Our faces will be immediately recognized by monitors at international gates whenever we travel. That makes one pause. Next thing you know, it’ll be incorporated into retail stores, banks, theme parks, and many more. Then we have to FACE the reality that we’ll be recognized everywhere, whether we like it or not! María T. Padilla,
Bilingual election provisions of the Voting Rights Act previously covered only 13 Florida counties. But after a 2018 suit, a federal court expanded that to another 32 counties. Time constraints limited the provisions to sample ballots, but with the 2020 elections all provisions, including actual ballots, should apply. Kudos to Gov. Ron DeSantis for pushing the state to create compliance rules for all counties for “all future elections,” meaning going forward the ceiling for bilingual provisions in each election is all 67 counties, not 13. And just in time, too, since Florida is the United States’ top destination for international migration, including from Puerto Rico.
Jim Philips,
“Resignations, investigations, and unexpected death” were outlined by the Sentinel’s coverage of the much-troubled state-run Florida Virtual School. Now it’s up to Gov. DeSantis to straighten out a school “leadership” described as a “fraternity or sorority”. Just how much money and time have been wasted by former (if not current) FVS trustees and administrators who operated with an air of cronyism? The FVS turmoil puts junior-high cliques to shame.
Joanie Schirm,
Every poll nationally I’ve seen say schoolteachers are not in favor of arming themselves with guns in the classrooms. In a just-released Orange County Public Schools teacher survey, 70 percent said they opposed arming school employees who aren’t law enforcement officers, a proposal that now is moving its way through the Florida Legislature. Everyone agrees making our schools safer should be a top priority of our lawmakers. Introducing more weapons in our schools makes our schools less safe. Listen to teachers. Provide schools with the funded tools they need to prevent a school shooting in the first place.
Michael Slaymaker,
The Lake Eola fountain will be orange on Monday to honor the 100th anniversary of Easterseals. Seventy years ago, Easterseals was best known for helping children with polio learn how to walk. Today they help all people with disabilities to gain greater independence. Easterseals was the architect of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They pave the way to a fuller life and a more inclusive world. Easterseals see the whole person … not just the disability. 100 years of serving people with polio, autism, Alzheimer’s disease and everything in between. Thank you, Easterseals. Here’s to 100 more years!