LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK
JUSTICE SERVED, Lee Constantine, commissioner, Seminole County: Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg’s 119-page sworn jailhouse deposition has brought to light the incredible arrogance and corruption of a few politicos calling themselves the “Seminole Mafia.” However, many true public servants and brave community leaders have been fighting these thugs for years. Although these bullies’ greed and desire for power discloses their unfettered hubris, the “Mafia’s” victories have been few and short-lived. For those of us on the front lines, we applaud the judicial system’s aggressive actions in prosecuting these shady characters and their criminal schemes and look forward to law enforcement’s continued success.
CELEBRATING AND REMEMBERING, Viviana Janer, vice chairwoman, Osceola County Commission: Hispanic Heritage Month brings with it a special obligation this year — remembering all those impacted by Hurricane Maria five years ago. Osceola County residents can gather at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Osceola Heritage Park to look back at the impact of that terrible storm, here and in Puerto Rico. Then we will display our resilience by celebrating our amazing culture and the contributions of all Hispanics — especially those of us who call Osceola County home. I look forward to gathering with neighbors, friends and family to remember where we’ve been and celebrate where we’re going.
REST IN PEACE, JIM SWAN, Belinda Ortiz Kirkegard, Kissimmee economic development director:
In our life’s journey, we are blessed when we come across people who touch our hearts. Recently, former Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan got his angel wings. Swan personified what it means to serve the people. In his two decades of public office, he never did things for personal gain and always voted for what was in the best interest of the community. He also didn’t care if you liked him after a vote because he voted for what was right, which is also why he was so well-respected. He will be laid to rest on Tuesday morning at Kissimmee First Baptist Church. He was a mentor and a friend, who leaves an imprint on my heart, and I will forever treasure that blessing.
Muhammad Musri, president, Islamic Society of Central Florida: On Monday, Orlando International Airport’s $2.8 billion Terminal C will open. It will add 15 new gates and increase capacity by 12 million passengers annually. MCO was the seventh-busiest airport in the world in 2021 with 40.4 million passengers. The new terminal is high-tech and low-touch, with wireless chargers and biometric facial recognition systems at each gate. Its Bluetooth navigational beacons show travelers where they are within the airport in real time, and the RFID baggage system means staff will know where every checked bag is always. Thank you to all those who made this dream a reality.
TERMINAL C,
ABORTION BAN ON BALLOT, Gloria Pickar, president emerita, League of Women Voters of Orange County: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has signed on with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. to ban abortion after 15 weeks in any state that doesn’t have more restrictive laws. He’s our senator and this puts the women’s right to choose right on the Nov. 8 ballot. Is Rubio taking his last campaign breath with this effort? Even Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail think this is a bad idea just eight weeks before the election. So do a steady 60% of Americans who opposed overturning Roe v. Wade and his opponent Val Demings. Women’s rights depend on your
vote.
A PLACE TO CALL HOME, Stephanie Porta, former co-executive director, Florida Rising:
Our homes are where we lay our heads and recover from a hard day’s work and where we heal from sickness and nourish our families. But today, this most basic of human needs — shelter — is increasingly being put out of our reach to turn a quick profit for the wealthiest 1%. Real estate speculators have been buying up homes in Orange County and across the state. These wealthy corporations are pushing Florida families out of their communities, jacking up rents and mortgages. We must come together to pass rent stabilization and keep more families in their homes. We deserve an Orange County and Florida where all of us — whatever the color of our skin or the contents of our wallets — have a place to call home.
TOP-SECRET PUNISHMENT, Joanie Schirm, GEC founding president; World Cup Orlando 1994 Committee chairman: As the Mar-a-Lago storage problem simmers on, we wonder what would’ve become of us if we’d accessed and taken top-secret information, crucial to our country’s security, and obstructed its return. Although no example of a past president exists, in similar cases where people unlawfully took government classified materials, immediate arrests and justice protected and kept us all safe. One prosecution includes a former defense contractor and sailor, Weldon Marshall, who unlawfully retained classified information stored on discs and computer hard drives at home. His sentence? More than three years in prison, followed by a year of supervised release. No one is above the law.
PRISON ABUSE, Carol Wick, CEO, Sharity: Lowell Correctional Facility for women in Ocala is a hellhole. Despite a Department of Justice investigation in 2020 that found “Lowell fails to protect prisoners from sexual abuse by the facility’s staff,” little has changed. A new lawsuit has been filed claiming the warden is doing little to stop ongoing abuse. Another lawsuit filed in July cites the same conditions. Both report they were raped by guards. The response by the Department of Corrections? They promoted the warden. Apparently their mission statement of “creating a safe and professional environment with the outcome of reduced victimization” doesn’t apply to their inmates.