TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

Lauren Book, member, Florida Senate.

I want to suggest to the Broward Sheriff ’s Office that they immediately enact a new policy: If someone’s life is in immediate danger, the first order of business should be to protect that person’s life. When a crime is being committed (a forced entry into a home, for example), deputies should first stop the criminal, stop the crime and protect the person in danger. Currently, protecting the perimeter to make sure the criminal doesn’t escape apparently takes precedence over protecting people. That is simply wrong and must be corrected.

Paul Castronovo, host, Paul Castronovo Show

on Big 105.9.

How’s Christmas going to be this year? Well, if you want to see the tree in Rockefeller Center, you’ll have to have a ticket. Who knew that last December, when I took my family to see the tree, some shows and generally do Christmas the way it was meant to be done (freezing and over-spending), the world would soon implode? Frankly, I’m shocked I didn’t catch the ‘rona while we were there. Elbow to elbow on subways, Rock Center, in restaurants, cabs, hotels, bars … more bars … millions of people, and I’ll bet not one of them had Purell on them!

Bobby DuBose, minority co-leader, Florida House of Representatives.

Florida has hit a terrifying milestone: 1 million COVID-19 infections, and around 19,000 deaths. This has been a catastrophic year, but it’s up to us to protect our health, our families and our neighbors. Unfortunately, the governor has tied the hands of local leaders, and the Legislature won’t act until at least March, a full year after the pandemic hit the Sunshine State. Touting individual responsibility alone is not the solution, because we are all in this together. We cannot continue using the same strategy and expect different results. It has not worked so far.

Howard Dvorkin, CPA, chairman, Debt.

com. The pandemic hasn’t just sapped holiday cheer, it will also ruin New Year’s Eve for struggling Americans. When the ball drops, many will be relieved the year is over, but some crucial federal programs will also end. At midnight on Dec. 31, the CARES Act expires – and with it, the moratorium on evictions, relief for federally and GSA-backed mortgages, and the suspension of principal and interest payments for federal student loans. I hate to be a Scrooge, but if you’ve benefited from these breaks in the CARES Act, you need to start working on your 2021 household budget right away.

Bernie Fernandez Jr., M.D., CEO, Baptist

Health Medical Group.

With daily reports about the COVID-19 vaccines being developed, it’s important to understand that the approval process for these drugs remains intact, even with an expedited timeline. Two vaccines are producing the promising data being reported. These vaccines are being further evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure the validity of their safety and effectiveness and to verify that the manufacturing process and facilities will maintain product quality and consistency. Once that evaluation is complete, the FDA will decide whether to allow the vaccines to be distributed under the Emergency Use Authorization, which is expected.

Chip LaMarca, member, Florida House of Representatives.

The Florida Department of Education (DOE) and Gov. DeSantis issued a new emergency order to clarify the plan for the K-12 spring semester. Under this order, the decision will continue to be entirely up to the parent or guardian to decide whether in-person or virtual learning is best for their student during the pandemic. Broward County Public Schools will work with students to figure out the best plan forward for the student if they are falling behind in e-learning. The district will submit a plan to DOE for their student intervention plan if students fall behind in e-learning. The state will continue to fully fund districts for all students learning in-person or virtually.

Andy Thomson, member, Boca Raton City

Council. Nearly 200,000 people in Palm Beach County are food insecure. Although food assistance programs certainly help, they haven’t solved the problem. That’s why acts of generosity like those organized by Summer Faerman, director of the TLC program at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, are so important. Summer put up and helps replenish several “Little Free Food Pantries” around Boca Raton where folks in need can get free food, including pasta, canned soups, beans, oatmeal and granola bars. The pantries are located at the Salvation Army, Advent Lutheran and Ebenezer Church. Thank you, Summer, for caring so much for our community!

Robert Weinroth, member, Palm Beach County Commission.

Conversion therapy, sometimes referred to as “reparative therapy,” is a discredited practice aimed at changing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity using a variety of shaming, emotionally traumatic or physically painful stimuli to make their victims associate those stimuli with their LGBTQ identities. On Nov. 20, a federal appeals court ruled a ban on conversion therapy enacted by Palm Beach County and Boca Raton was a violation of the constitutional rights of two licensed family therapists who have heretofore provided sexual orientation change efforts. This is notwithstanding the American Psychiatric Association’s determination that homosexuality is not a mental illness.