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The environment wasn’t even an issue that Graham ran on, not at first. In seeking election as governor in 1978, he focused on education and crime. But then, well into his first term, a national magazine slammed him on his environmental record.
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By Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix
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4/25/24
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Bob Graham — two-term governor, three-term U.S. senator — was always thinking about Florida, how to preserve Florida’s waters and save the Everglades, how to improve K-12 education, how to promote civic engagement, how to alleviate poverty.
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By Diane Roberts, Florida Phoenix
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4/22/24
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A forensic audit of a City's finances focuses on examining the financial records, transactions, and processes of municipal government entities such as departments, agencies, or public funds. Opinion by The Apopka Voice Managing Editor Reggie Connell.
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Becker was a generational leader. People with his skill set usually skip municipal politics and aim for a fast track to a CEO role in a Fortune 500 company or a higher office.
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As average temperatures rise across the U.S., heat illness is a growing safety and health concern for workers indoors and outdoors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that environmental heat exposure claimed the lives of 36 workers in 2021 and 56 in 2020.
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From the US Department of Labor, OP/ED by Jeannie Economos of the Florida Farmworkers Association
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4/18/24
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Why do spring cleanups succeed so reliably? Obviously, there are environmental and aesthetic benefits. But they go so much deeper.
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By Emma Durand-Wood, Strong Towns
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4/9/24
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It's best to view a politician through the prism of their motivations. If they are considering a run for office, voters should be aware of the possibility.
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Too many ordinary citizens in District 2 do not feel empowered. We must restructure smaller interdependent teams based on neighborhoods and local areas so all feel welcome. In essence, we must become …
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By Christine Moore, Orange County Commissioner/District 2
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3/27/24
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Municipal campaigns require a well-planned strategy. Running for office can be daunting and requires a lot of resources, including time, effort, and, most importantly, money.
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In an election that decides who will make decisions for a city of 60,000 residents and a budget eclipsing $165 million, it's disheartening that only 12% of registered voters participated.
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By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
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3/21/24
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Some Florida lawmakers have proposed bills requiring everyone who employs outdoor workers to educate them about heat illness and provide workers with adequate drinking water, access to shade, and 10-minute recovery breaks in extreme heat.
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By Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix
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3/14/24
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To determine your opinion, you will want to watch the previous meetings. Then, attend the March meeting to speak during the public comment period.
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By Dr. Phyllis Olmstead
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3/12/24
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Farmworkers got scorched yesterday by the passage of SB 1492, a bill that preempts local governments from passing even the most basic workplace protections.
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From the Florida Farmworkers Association
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3/11/24
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These lucrative land deals are supposed to preserve the property in perpetuity. But Kimberly Buchheit, a Central Florida land surveyor and environmental activist, told me, “Perpetuity has reached an expiration date: as soon as it is no longer convenient to protect land or restrict development.”
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By Craig Pittman
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3/7/24
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While ideally, in a perfect world, conflict would never occur – it does. So when it does, how can it be nipped in the bud so everyone can play well in the sandbox together?
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By Mark Goldstein, Marketing Director of The Apopka Voice
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3/7/24
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The county is committed to the federal Vision Zero Plan, which states as its goal, that even one traffic fatality is too many. The plan lists adding sidewalks as the most effective the lowest cost remedy for saving lives.
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By Christine Moore, Orange County Commissioner District 2
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3/6/24
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You can tell your city council, the mayor and commissioners, how you want the charter improved. Don’t wait. The next meeting is less than two weeks away.
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By Dr. Phyllis Olmstead
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3/3/24
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It's rare when an elected official or candidate talks about why it's important to weigh investment and critical needs with tax rates and reserves, but I, for one, applaud any of them who do.
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But now, with only 28 days left until election day, the gloves are off, and Eric Mock vs. Nick Nesta has turned into a fistfight.
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By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
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2/19/24
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In “A Tale of Two Tent Cities“ the authors state, “Local governments have essentially three choices in responding to the presence of homeless encampments.”
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By Christine Moore, Orange County Commissioner/District 2
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2/15/24
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As a Republic form of government, we elect our sitting officials to represent us, and we must give them our opinions of how we want our society to run. We didn’t send them to their seats for them to run the various levels of government as THEY see fit.
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By Dr. Phyllis Olmstead
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2/14/24
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In 2023, the Apopka City Council took the first steps toward transitioning from a local bank-heavy portfolio to a more diversified investment plan.
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By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
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2/12/24
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A perfect example of conflict resolution took place in the last couple of weeks when a local youth sports organization and the Apopka Parks and Recreation Department butted heads before ultimately finding resolve.
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The Apopka Voice is pleased to reinstate online comments in response to a commitment to fostering a positive and constructive online environment.
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Save Orange County is a Central Florida organization that has repeatedly had to fight off developer assaults on its rural community adjacent to the Econlockhatchee River.
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By Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix
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2/1/24
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