Trump’s taco bowls, retired racehorses and Marlins
Donald Trump deserves a huge slap on the back for sweeping Indiana into his win column. He couldn’t have been more pleased with himself if he was crowned Miss Universe. Now, could someone tell him Latinos don’t typically celebrate Cinco de Mayo by eating taco bowls? Not sure what Hispanics are— nor what they eat.
Dog leash law flaws. In Hollywood recently, twowomenwere hospitalized and a dog was killed during an attack by two other dogs running wild in the neighborhood. Gary Stein wants cops to start enforcing leash laws otherwise why have them? Stein is sticking up for all those South Floridians stuck in cramped neighborhoods with irresponsible neighbors who let their dogs roam free. Nobody thinks their Fido is dangerous until the day it bites and or kills another dog— or person.
Florida, where mosquitoes are more important than Medicaid. For two years, Gov. Rick Scott has fought against accepting federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage, leaving at least 800,000 of the state’s poorest residents without access to a doctor. Nowwe hear Scott is begging Uncle Sam for money for mosquito control in preparation for a possible Zika outbreak that so far has infected 102 Floridians, all infected outside of Florida. Scott wants the feds to treat Zika like a hurricane struck Florida. Wish Scott treated poverty like a hurricane.
Broward Bridge closure flap. As a recent Sun Sentinel editorial points out, you’d think the Florida Department of Corrections would be thrilled with a program like Broward Bridge a Pompano Beach center helping prisoners transition back into society. You’d think state government would be thrilled with a costeffective program that reduces recidivism by helping inmates deal with addiction and land jobs. You’d think the state would be overjoyed with a program supported by lawmakers and praised by Florida Tax Watch for saving taxpayer money. You’d be wrong. Florida is trying to get rid of the re-entry program in Broward and a sister facility Bradenton. The lesson: Florida is more about building prisons and warehousing prisoners than dealing with the prodigal prisoner’s return home.
Sober homes hangover. Sober houses have become a plague upon some South Florida cities says the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board. And federal law prohibits local governments from creating zoning or land-use rules or policies that block or restrict recovering addicts from seeking to live in sober homes in any single-family neighborhood, no matter how poorly run a sober home may be. The good news is U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, is trying to help by proposing to reform federal lawto give cities more power to cleanup bad sober homes. Nobody wants to keep an addict from help, but neighborhoods shouldn’t pay the price for bad operators.
Yom Ha Shoah, forever. Never forget to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Sun Sentinel Editorial board warns the challenge is that in the next couple of decades numbers of Holocaust survivors will dwindle severely. South Florida—home to 15,000 Holocaust survivors— has done more than its share to ensure future generations will knowabout the Holocaust. Just lastmonth, Gov. Scott came to the Jewish Federation of Broward County to sign a bill creating a Holocaust memorial in Tallahassee, whichwas filed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. As the refugee crisis in Syria reminds us, no human can afford to ignore the atrocities ofwar and evil.
Race horse hell. There is a lot to enjoy about the Kentucky Derby season, which continues today. But in her letter to the editor, Joanne Hamel of Hobe Sound reminds us of the biggest losers in professional horse races, namely the “less fortunate Thoroughbreds, those injured or not profitable enough. … Most will be euthanized, or go to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada, processed into dog food or steaks in Europe and Japan.” Hamel gives props to South Floridians who founded the non-profit Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care, an aftercare program for South Florida’s retired racehorses. So enjoy the Derby, sip champagne … and on Monday donate a little to the equine retirees among us.
Miami Marlins reboot. Sun Sentinel beat writer Craig Davis identifies his five biggest reasons for the Marlins turning a 5-11 record into a 15-12 mark, achieved mostly during a 10-game road trip. Here’s a taste: Starting pitching has become more reliable, second base replacements have performed well following Dee Gordon’s suspension and relief pitchers Kyle Barraclough, David Phelps and A.J. Ramos have locked down the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Myself? I think the Florida Panthers and Miami Heat success is getting under the Marlins’ fish skin. Glad to hear it.
Go Heat!