LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK

LOCALS WAIT FOR THE LULL, David Kay, chair, Interfaith Council of Central Florida: The spring breakers were back in force last week and more will be here this coming week as well. Like New Orleanians during Mardi Gras, locals in Central Florida tend to steer clear of most of the festivities — and the theme parks — while patiently waiting for the crowds to abate toward the end of the month. Then we’ll be entering one of those sweet spots sometime in April and early May, before schools and colleges start letting out and vacationers return; when it’s warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, but before the melting heat of summer.

CHALLENGE THE WRONG, Ken LaRoe, Founder, Climate First Bank: How do you balance competing stakeholders, some of whom demand you do one thing and some who demand the exact opposite? I say you don’t balance. In many cases, some stakeholders are just flat wrong. We have to do what is right, and that is not a gray area. While we can seek to understand the malevolent influences that created Trump, QAnon, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, those ideologies should be challenged to the core. What we need to understand is that there is no middle ground when it comes to our collective society.

NEO-NAZI DANGER, Jeremy Levitt, distinguished professor of international law, Florida A&M University College of Law: Are Americans unknowingly funding a would-be far-right inspired post Russian invasion civil war in the Ukraine between democracyloving Ukrainians and violent white extremists? Azov, a neo-Nazi orientated Ukrainian paramilitary, and political movement is recruiting foreign fighters with violent white nationalist tendencies from Western countries including the United States. These native and foreign elements are not defending the Ukraine, they are engaged in a far-right power grab in defense of a nationalist-socialist state-building enterprise. Is it wise for the U.S. to directly or indirectly arm and fund neo-Nazi paramilitary elements with the hope that they will safeguard the Ukraine and maintain its multiethnic democracy?

UCF FUNDING, Alex Martins, chair, UCF Board of Trustees; CEO, Orlando Magic: We are grateful to the Florida Legislature for providing UCF with increased funding for strategic investments in academic programs that fuel our state’s top industries while keeping tuition and fees among the nation’s lowest. The Legislature also provided significant funding toward a new Lake Nona building that would enable our nursing program to expand and meet Florida’s need for more well-trained nurses. The return on these investments will come as our outstanding graduates and faculty and staff innovations help drive our state’s economic prosperity. We appreciate the Legislature’s trust and look forward to growing our impact throughout Central Florida and beyond.

SHIFTING ALLIANCES, Khalid Muneer, broker/owner Jupiter Properties Central Florida: As we focus on the fourth week of the Ukraine war, a major paradigm shift in global alliances is taking place and very little attention is being paid as to the long-term effect on the United States. A major part of realignment is focused on each nation’s own strategic interest in the short term so that energy and food supplies to their people are not disrupted. It looks like only Western Europe and a few countries in Asia are with us and even our strategic allies in the Middle East are not voting with us. They are enjoying the bonanza from the high energy prices resulting from the crisis and seem to be economically benefitting beyond their expectations from oil price which dropped to $30 a barrel last year.

OUT OF OFFICE, Pamela Nabors, president/ CEO, CareerSource Central Florida: Remote work is here to stay! According to a recent ZipRecruiter study, women are more likely to embrace work-from-home options than men. However, some economists are concerned that while remote work provides greater flexibility, it may also hamper long-term career progression. Technology makes traveling and in-person meetings less critical to doing business, but this convenience might risk workers missing out on networking and in-person interactions with supervisors — factors important to being promoted. As women’s accomplishments are celebrated this month, let’s celebrate the work/life balance that remote work provides and identify ways to create connections in virtual work.

SPACE FLIGHTS ADD JOY, Beverly Paulk, founding member, Central Florida Foundation and The Orlando Philharmonic: Marc and Sharon Hagle are an important and talented Central Florida couple. Successful in business, they share generously and strategically within our community. Along with the joy of helping others through primarily the arts and medicine, they are focused on space travel, knowledge, and excitement. Their childhood dreams were about space. Their first personal space flight is scheduled for March 23 with two more flights to follow. Space travel and then creatively sharing those experiences with many children will bring more joy to the Hagles. We each define joy differently, and this is their way. Safe and joyous travels.

ORANGE SCHOOLS IN PENALTY BOX, Gloria Pickar, president emerita, League of Women Voters of Orange County: The Florida Legislature found another way to penalize the 12 school districts including Orange County that protected children and mandated masks during the COVID-19 surge. Instead of withholding $200 million and dividing it up among the other 55 districts, they have declared the 12 districts are ineligible to receive a share of $200 million in performance recognition funding for A and B schools. In 2019, 117 Orange County schools were rewarded $10,427,991 in recognition funding (the last year any districts were eligible). Research shows that schools with mask mandates had 72% fewer COVID cases. Regardless of how they portray this, students will be penalized.