Today’s high-stakes Republican leadership meeting on Capitol Hill will include a vote for their party’s Speaker nominee, as John Boehner is resigning from Congress. Orlando Congressman Dan Webster is one of the three running for Speaker of the US House along with Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Jason Chaffetz. With the… [read more]
After eight years in the Florida legislature, State Senator Darren Soto officially announced he was running for Congress yesterday. Soto launched his congressional campaign on the steps of the Orange County Courthouse, surrounded by a large group of supporters, including Democratic elected officials like State Attorney Jeff Ashton, Osceola Clerk… [read more]
Major local environmental issues including the Parramore contamination and Orlando brownfields will be discussed on an official panel at the 2015 National Action Network conference in New York City. Lawanna Gelzer, President of the NAN Central Florida Chapter, has been invited to join an Environmental Justice panel discussion, titled Killing US Softly:… [read more]
A workshop discussing the importance of Social Security and Medicare will take place Wednesday, February 11th at the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center at 6pm. The event is open to the public and will feature national speaker Laura Feldman, Grassroots Manager for the National Committee to Preserve Social Security… [read more]
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will bring together an expert panel in Orlando on October 17th to examine whether there are racial disparities in the application or enforcement of Stand Your Ground laws. Stand Your Ground laws have been controversial particularly since the Trayvon Martin case. These laws, which have… [read more]
We will never forget. As one of my best friends in the world wrote me this morning: “As we have this day of remembrance on September 11th, I hope that we all as a nation remember this day as a day we stood together and how each and every day we… [read more]
Today, the United States Supreme Court heard oral argument in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8. The Court is considering whether Proposition 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Enacted in November 2008, Proposition 8… [read more]
I had the great honor of being part of the Shuttle Atlantis retirement ceremonies by NASA at Kennedy Space Center. The final journey was an amazing experience and includes everything tagged in this post and more. UPDATE: Discover the final journey of Shuttle Atlantis: click here. Thank you! An array of… [read more]
A dream came true when I was able to be part of the final mission for Shuttle Atlantis on November 2, 2012. My up-close experience followed the Shuttle all day long, providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The journey was fascinating to witness and rewarding in so many ways. I only hope… [read more]
Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be at the Kennedy Space Center to be part of the final mission and journey for Shuttle Atlantis. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But now that Atlantis has arrived at its new home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, guests will have a rare… [read more]