Broward’s Ron Book, one of Florida’s most influential lobbyists and father of state senator, has throat cancer
Ron Book of Plantation, one of Florida’s most influential lobbyists, has throat cancer and is starting chemotherapy and radiation treatment next week. He initially thought the symptoms were caused by long COVID.
sun-sentinel.comAdvocates for homeless rush to offer shelter ahead of temperature drop in South Florida
MIAMI – Ron Book greeted homeless men and women on Thursday at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. The chairman of the Homeless Trust in Miami-Dade County asked them if they knew temperatures are going to drop to the 40s this weekend. Brook activated a plan to provide transportation and emergency shelter until it gets warmer again on Sunday in Miami. “It’s going to be very cold in our community.”A homeless man rests at Bayfront Park on Thursday in downtown Miami. The Homeless Trust had been able to place 90 homeless people in shelters by Thursday afternoon.
7,000 pending evictions’ cases filed in Miami-Dade and Broward counties
Right now, 7,000 pending evictions’ cases are filed in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. We found Antoya Ferrell, a Lauderdale Lakes resident, outside of the Broward County Courthouse looking for a solution before she and her four children become homeless. In Hollywood alone, more than a million CARES Act dollars have been given to 863 residents for rent, mortgage payments and utilities since October. In Broward County, the application period will close soon to get funding from the federal CARES Act. Find out more about Miami-Dade County programs.
Lauren Book uses her personal power to prevent sexual abuse
Issued by the district’s safety chief, the order rankled many educators, but few voiced their objections as loudly and swiftly as Florida Senator Lauren Book. But in 2010, Book began what quickly became the foundation’s signature Walk in My Shoes trek across Florida. As schools shut down in the spring and summer camps, sports leagues, and other summer programs were cancelled, calls to the Florida Abuse Hotline began dropping. Lacking the proper personal protective equipment, even state social workers who investigate abuse reports stopped visiting children in their homes. Her tormenter was her live-in nanny, a beloved best friend/big sister who joined the Book household when Book was 10.
communitynewspapers.comIts Time for Ron Book to Retire
Retiring and Ron Book are words that never appear in the same sentence. He represents a conglomeration of cities and towns, such as Aventura, Bal Harbour, Cooper City, Coral Gables, Dania Beach, Davie, Doral, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers Beach, Lauderdale Lakes, Marathon, Marco Island, Margate, Miami Beach, Miramar, North Bay Village, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Palm Bay, Sunrise, and Tamarac. Im not the first person to say that Ron Book has an outsized ego. The Homeless Trust Board is supposed to meet monthly but there was no meeting held in January of this year. Its time that we thanked Ron Book for his service and looked for new leadership to solve this old problem.
communitynewspapers.comFeud Between Dream Defenders and Homeless Trust Heats Up at Red Roof Inn
The Red Roof has a contract with the Homeless Trust to provide beds for the homeless on an emergency basis during the coronavirus pandemic. Gilmer says the Homeless Trust had previously worked with Dream Defenders to approve three people to go into the hotel earlier in the week, but Dream Defenders later identified additional people who wanted housing. pic.twitter.com/SflYRuA8pF THEE Miami Dream Defenders (@MiamiSquaDD) May 15, 2020This isn't the first time the two organizations have clashed in recent weeks. Dream Defenders also slammed the Trust for the destruction of a homeless encampment in Overtown an accusation Book vehemently denied. One woman whose case had been approved earlier in the week was able to stay at the Red Roof.
miaminewtimes.comAt Least Three Homeless People in Miami-Dade Are Quarantined
The homeless clients are a woman in her mid-40s and a man and woman in their 70s. The Homeless Trust sent out a press release Friday detailing its plan of action for homeless clients. Members of the Homeless Trust Outreach team, otherwise known as green shirts, are visiting various parts of Miami to take the temperature of homeless people and passing out educational materials and hand sanitizer. If a person at a Homeless Trust shelter has symptoms, he or she is to be quarantined at the shelter. Gavin Newsom blocked off 400 hotel rooms in Oakland for the homeless moments after news of a homeless person in Santa Rosa County died of COVID-19.
miaminewtimes.comOfficials give final notice to homeless sex offenders living in encampment
The encampment near the intersection of Northwest 71st Street and 32nd Avenue had some 300 registered sex offenders. "Miami-Dade County should be embarrassed because of what these people are living like," said Steve Grafton, owner of Grafton Furniture. Registered sex offenders, whose victims were younger than 16, are required to live away from schools and day cares. Workers from Miami-Dade's Homeless Trust arrived Sunday night with police to give the offenders their eighth and final warning. "We're not going to let another encampment like this grow -- it's just not productive," said Ron Book, with Miami-Dade Homeless Trust.