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Get it straight, Florida: Gender, sex not the same | Letters to the editor

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Get it straight, Florida: Gender, sex not the same | Letters to the editor


I have just learned that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has taken the unilateral step to ban transgender individuals from applying for licenses that reflect their gender identity.

Gender and sex are not the same thing, and they do not always match. Gender is the socially constructed binary built upon a human’s body presentation at birth, but sometimes doctors make the decision of what to do with a body that does not conform to a shallow understanding of human dynamics and realities.

I always support our trans persons in Florida, but with these politicized, authoritarian and heavy-handed steps, I am even more supportive of individual choices and upset with our punitive government actions.

Please vote out this Florida government.

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Rebecca  Andre’, Delray Beach

Expand pet lemon law

As a Florida veterinarian, I have seen many sick pets coming out of so-called shelters for years.

While many pets are relatively healthy, some have major medical issues, yet they are presented to unsuspecting, good-hearted adopters as healthy. Some are presented as young, but the exam tells a different story.

There is a wonderful law in this state that protects the pet and the adopter. It is known as the Florida Pet Lemon Law (Section 828.29). It provides for pets to be seen by a vet, vaccinated and tested for parasites and viruses.

However, it does not apply to nonprofits, which most shelters are. For years I have reached out to our legislators to propose changes in the pet lemon law to include no-profits. I get lots of promises but no action.

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While the state legislature is in session, I call upon and challenge our legislators and Gov. Ron DeSantis to step forward and protect our pets and pet adopters. It is unfair not to cover all pets under the so-called lemon law. Please read the law at Myflorida.com to see your rights.

Ed Dworkin, D.V.M., Apopka

‘Kitchen table’ claptrap

Cable TV commentators have decided that if President Joe Biden loses to the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted Donald Trump, it will be because food and gas are too expensive.

They speak of  these as “kitchen table issues,” when wealthy Republican voters are motivated by a singular goal of wealth accumulation. Lower taxes, preferred carried interest and an entanglement of tax avoidance trusts, all to assure they die wealthy, are not “kitchen table” issues. They are uniquely Republican — and at the expense of working voters.

Republicans unabashedly favor tamping down wage growth and busting labor unions. Some Republican governors have resisted Medicaid for their underserved voters and have for years lied about having non-existent programs to replace Obamacare. Social Security and Medicare are perpetually on the Republican chopping block.

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The ordinary Republican is motivated by social and religious issues. Rejection of abortion, gay and transgender rights, minority voting rights and other social or civil rights issues fire them up. An ordinary GOP voter can’t tell you what their party is actually willing to do to solve purported kitchen table handwringing.

How do more tax breaks and reducing social programs serve lower-income voters? If you think about it long and hard, you likely can’t come up with anything Republicans have ever done for those who are struggling for a better life.

Sheldon I. Saitlin, Boca Raton

FSU’s baseball ambassador

Mike Martin (1944-2024) was an iconic figure in college baseball, a man respected and loved throughout the game.

His record of winning the most games in the history of the sport put him at the pinnacle, and his ability to win consistently at the highest level was equally remarkable.

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Mike was a tremendous ambassador for Florida State University and loved FSU with all his heart. He lit up a room with enthusiasm and energy. His insistence that his teams always play the game the right way and with class was appreciated.

College baseball has lost one of its all-time greats and we’ve lost one of our greatest Seminoles.

Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach

 



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Florida

South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open

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South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open


On Monday, more than 800 faith leaders and community activists from across South Florida, crowded into the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Miami to demand the Miami Dade County Commission move forward with opening the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery.

“Are we OK with being told to wait when lives are on the line?” said Quanda Dupree, of the St. Peters Missionary Baptist Church. “Or do we believe real accountability means keeping your word? Even when things aren’t guaranteed. We believe our communities deserve more than a delayed response. We deserve action.”

The center – which was promised to voters back in 2004 – would take mentally ill individuals out of the jail and move them into a place where they can receive comprehensive treatment and support. The county has spent more than $50 million renovating the building and two years ago, a pair of non-profit groups were selected to operate the facility while numerous local groups and agencies have pledged their support, including the Homeless Trust. Funding for the first two to three years of the center is already in place.

And yet, the center remains empty – not helping anyone.



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SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday

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SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday


New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.

What we know:

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These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.

Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.

Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.

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“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”

Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.

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“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”

The other side:

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This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”

What they’re saying:

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Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.

“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.

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This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.

“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”

The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.

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Big picture view:

The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.

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The Source:  Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.

Hillsborough CountyHealth



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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds

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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds


The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.

“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.

What to expect

  • 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
  • 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
  • 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
  • 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
  • Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.

For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.

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Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.

Other Friday highlights included:

  • 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
  • 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
  • 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
  • 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.



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