Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 5-29-20

Local State
Comm. Miller Says Lee Davis Center Reports Largest Number Tested
Commissioner Les Miller, Chair of the Emer- gency Policy Group, reports that the Lee Davis Resource Center had more tests done last week than any of the County-operated testing sites. The mobile testing is up as well.
Because the City and County have expanded its openings, Comm. Miller continue to urge residents to take advantage of the free test- ing. He added that the experts who give reports at their meet-
Commissioner Les Miller
ings have recommended that they not open the City/County “too fast.”
There was a request for a
testing site to be set up in Brandon, but Comm. Miller said opening another site would depend on the number or PPE equipment the County receives.
In other items discussed during the meeting were: the opening of tatoo shops, which the Group says it is following the Governor’s Executive order. On childcare and healthcare facilities, the County is also waiting on a go- ahead from the Governor’s of- fice.
Jamaican-Born Judge Among Two Appointed To Florida Supreme Court
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed two res- idents from minority commu- nities to the state Supreme Court on Tuesday: a Palm Beach County circuit judge who immigrated from Ja- maica and a former assistant US attorney who is the son of Cuban immigrants.
Renatha Francis, who will be the first Caribbean- American to serve on the
Renatha Francis smiles as she speaks during a news con- ference, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at the Miami-Dade Pub- lic Library in Miami. (AP Pho- tos/Wilfredo Lee)
Florida court, and John Couriel are replacing Bar- bara Lagoa and Robert Luck. DeSantis appointed Lagoa and Luck to the court last year, but they were sub- sequently appointed to the US 11th Circuit Court of Ap- peal by President Donald Trump.
DeSantis, a Republican, said at a Miami news confer- ence that he picked them be- cause he believes they will make their decisions based on the law, not their own preferences.
Francis, 42, has served as a circuit court judge since 2017, the last six months in the family and probate divi- sion in Palm Beach County. She operated a bar and truck- ing company in Jamaica be- fore moving to the United States as an adult after grad- uating from the University of the West Indies in 2000. Francis graduated from Florida Coastal Law School in 2010, then worked for a judge and an appeals court as a staff attorney before being ap- pointed to the bench three years ago.
She cannot take office until September 24 under a state law that says justices must have at least 10 years experience. She became a lawyer on September 24, 2010.
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020