Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel last week. Sheriff Israel had been widely criticized for his agency's response during and after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland on February 14.
Israel’s replacement and new interim sheriff is 40-year old former Coral Springs Police Sergeant Gregory Tony, who has spent 12 years working with Blue Spear Solutions, a private company which specializes in active shooter trainings. Sun Sentinel political reporter Anthony Man was at the Broward County Sheriff’s office when the announcement was made and joined Sundial to talk about the Governor’s new appointee.
There was a series of environmental announcements made last week by Governor Ron DeSantis. He allocated over $2 billion towards Everglades Restoration, which will empower two separate task forces on toxic algae and establishes an office dedicated to sea-level rise. The Governor also called for the resignation of the entire South Florida Water Management District governing board. We learn more about the environmental plans and its future with Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg, who was with the governor last Thursday when he made the announcements.
And we dive into the history of the Everglades with senior POLITICO Magazine reporter Michael Grunwald. He spent years researching the complex history of the Everglades and how it became the center of a decades-long political battle over development and water in the state of Florida. He published a book in 2007 called, “The Swamp,” a historical view of man’s attempts to conquer Florida’s landscape. Grunwald’s book was turned into a documentary for the PBS program “American Experience," which he joined Sundial to talk about.
Lastly, the groundbreaking George Gershwin 1930s opera “Porgy and Bess” has a new adaptation by The South Florida Symphony Orchestra that will be performed three times across the region beginning on Jan. 19. The South Florida Symphony Orchestra's Maestra Sebrina Alfonso will be conducting all three shows. She’s a 6th generation “Conch” and has made significant contributions to Key West's classical music scene. Maestra Alfonso discussed her roots in Key West, her desire to continue to bring classical music to young people there and the challenges she's faced as a female conductor in a male dominated industry. You can check out the full listing of shows and dates here.