TOP STORIES FROM LAST WEEK

Richard Clark, CEO, Clark Leadership

Consulting. Nationwide, local school board members are increasingly resigning or not seeking reelection. We’ve been challenged for years to identify quality candidates. We’re losing them by expecting them to tolerate unruly, violent and hostile observers plus live with personal and family death threats. While the pandemic will not last forever, the current life-threatening environment must cease. Our next generation’s future depends upon those we attract and elect. It’s time that we prioritize the safety of board members and educators both in and outside of the classroom. We should welcome diverse opinions, but aggressively enforce zero tolerance to lawless mob rule.

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

Health Medical Group. Pfizer and BioNTech asked the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of their COVID19 vaccine, formulated for 5- to 11-year-olds. Regulators tentatively scheduled a meeting for Oct. 26 to consider the request. The clinical trial for the pediatric version of the vaccine tested whether a smaller dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech adult formula produces levels of antibodies in children that were similar to the levels in adults that offered the most protection against severe illness. The FDA will consider the immune responses of children, along with safety and efficacy data from the adult population to issue emergency use authorization.

Dan Flynn, vice president for research, Florida

Atlantic University. The new anti-COVID-19 pill, Molnupiravir, will be a welcome addition to treating the virus. This pill prevents COVID from making copies of itself in an infected cell. A study showed that patients with mild to moderate COVID with at least one risk factor for poor outcome (e.g. diabetes, overweight) benefited by taking the pill. The medicine reduced hospitalization rates by twofold and there were no deaths among those patients who took the pill, compared with eight COVID-related deaths among those who took a placebo instead of the pill. Molnupiravir may prove to be another useful tool for treating COVID.

Beam Furr, member, Broward County

Commission. William Shatner, Captain Kirk himself, launched into space last week in his quest to boldly go where no man has gone before. Shatner observed that once we shoot through the thinness of our atmosphere, we are left in a vast expanse of nothing. Our beautiful blue planet is in jeopardy. That is why it is so important we stop focusing on the small and start focusing on the majestic, important things we have before us. Our world is beautiful and vulnerable. It is the only home we have — and it’s our duty to protect this unique place in the universe.

Roni Raab, host, Shalom South Florida on

WWNN. Nonsense! That is what we should reply to those who are spreading the false narrative that the state of Israel is an “Apartheid State.” Nothing can be further from the truth. Christian, Muslim and Jewish patients lie side by side in the country’s hospitals being treated by doctors from all three religions. Israel has non-Jewish judges and Arab teachers, professors, members of parliament and plenty of others in high positions in all professions, including sports, military, law, entertainment and media. Everyone has access to the same transportation and medical systems. Check the facts and stop the slander and propaganda!

Larry Rein, CEO and President, ChildNet.

Wednesday’s Sun Sentinel reported on a recent and provocative Advent Health survey. Especially striking was the finding that 47% of adults surveyed were unsure who to trust for accurate COVID-19 information. My immediate reaction: How about your doctor? Indeed, why are we not all simply consulting our personal physicians? Why look instead to social media, the press, celebrities and politicians for guidance on the most critical of medical issues? Is it distrust of doctors or their profession? That 21% also admitted to lying to doctors about their mental health suggests it may be. How sad, how unfortunate, for us all.

Nora Rupert, member, Broward School Board.

I proposed making Dr. Vickie Cartwright our permanent superintendent. It was the only way to legally engage my colleagues in a meaningful discussion of how we add longer term stability and upgrade the educational success of students and staff. I was heartened to be joined by our School Board Chair, Dr. Osgood, and former chair, Donna Korn, in supporting the action. They and others understand that searching for 6-12 months to find and engage a new superintendent, plus the time for that person to get acquainted with the district, would hurt our students and threaten our professional workforce. Our stakeholders’ participation is crucial.

Gregory Stuart, executive director, Broward

Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization was honored last week with a 2021 National Roadway Safety Award for its innovative Complete Streets Master Plan and Wilton Drive improvements. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg congratulated the awardees “for the remarkable work they’ve done to protect the traveling public.” After the Broward MPO’s improvements, Wilton Drive saw a 66% decrease in bicycle and pedestrian crashes and a 75% reduction in severe-injury and fatal crashes, all while improving travel times by 30% to 50%. We are proud to be recognized for the important work we consistently do to improve safety and quality of life.