This week The Florida Roundup looks into the decision to remove a statue of Broward County's namesake and a proposal to ban plastic foam containers from Hollywood Beach. Also, find out what one nursing home boss thinks of new efforts to require emergency generators.
Guests:
- Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief
- Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy
- Susannah Bryan, reporter for The Sun-Sentinel
- Hon. Elaine Bloom, president & CEO of Plaza Health
Napoleon Bonaparte Broward may be best remembered as the Florida governor who began draining the Everglades to allow for development. That is until a recent discovery of a speech in which Broward called for Congress to buy land to create a separate territory for blacks--almost 50 years after the end of the Civil War. Broward's segregationist views have led to the county named after him to remove his statue from the county courthouse.
- Read more: 'Racist' statue of Broward County's namesake to be removed from courthouse- Sun-Sentinel
The city of Hollywood is considering a ban on plastic foam containers from public spaces, making it the latest municipality to ban polystyrene, at least partially. A state law prevents cities from outright bans. Miami Beach and Deerfield Beach have each already adopted ordinances regulating the material.
The calendar is counting down on Gov. Rick Scott's mandate for nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have emergency generators installed within 60 days. The requirement came after the deaths of residents at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills when the center lost power as a result of Hurricane Irma.
That requirement is currently being challenged in court. Meanwhile, bills have been introduced in the Florida House and Senate that would require facilities to have back-up power in case the electricity goes out.