U.S. Latinos: Food Insecurity

December 20, 2006 Leave a comment

As reported by the
BBC and based recent studies: 

Latinos are the biggest single minority group in the United States.

The study said the “food insecurity” rate of Hispanics is nearly as high as that of non-Hispanic blacks.

It is substantially greater than that of non-Hispanic
whites, of whom only about 5% suffer from limited access to nutritious
food, according to US government statistics.

“Lack of access to resources is forcing far too many
Latino families into choices no-one should have to make, such as
between having a roof over their heads or putting food on the table,”
said Janet Murguia, NCLR President and CEO.

“A lack of affordable, nutritious food also has
devastating health consequences, such as increasing hunger and obesity,
affecting not only the Latino community, but the well-being of our
entire nation.”

One of the authors of the study, Jennifer Ng’andu, said
the Latino community was “practically invisible” when it came to the
issues of hunger and malnutrition in the US.

Filed under Government

Transporation is a well recognized mess and “what to do”?

November 30, 2006 Leave a comment

Businessmen offer solutions to S. Florida’s traffic woes

They’d like to see better-synchronized traffic signals. They’d like to see police make the enforcement of traffic laws a much higher priority. They’d like to see local government limit road construction to late evening and non-rush hours.

It would seem that the business community has few new ideas for “fixing” the transportation problem. Between the lines, I read that business wants “no more taxes” and there would seem to be little support for better public transportation, although the discussion seems to be lead to building more highways. No doubt we will be like LA in the not too distant future. Better to expand public transportation and establish the incentives to use it.

Filed under Coral Gables, Miami, Miami-Dade County

Coral Gables Annual Report

November 2, 2006 Leave a comment

Coral Gables commissioner: Annual report `a royal waste’

One of the City Commissioners, Mr. Ralph Cabrera, opposes the publication of the Annual Report of the City of Coral Gables.

”I thought the funds could be better used someplace else, like traffic calming or sidewalk repairs,” Cabrera said. “This is a royal waste of money.”

It is very unusual that the term “annual report” of a company or city would be applied to a document that does not include information on the financial management of the city and an auditor’s report. Many modern cities are making a special effort to supply city financial data to the citizens, and in this case, the City Commission and City Manager have missed an opportunity to increase citizen participation and knowledge of where taxes are going.

Filed under Coral Gables, Government

Professional Journalists: Code of Ethics

October 27, 2006 Leave a comment

I think that it is highly educational to read this Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and contemplate its application to questionable practices in the local press.

Filed under Coral Gables

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