Garden Under Attack

Dear Eric: I am newly in love and engaged. My fiancé and I are both in our early 70s. Related Articles Advice | Asking Eric: Readers share responses to letters on loneliness Advice | Asking Eric: I said I’d pay to come to her wedding, but she still said no Advice | Asking Eric: I’m starting to realize my boyfriend is a boring, volatile workaholic Advice | Asking Eric: I went into the photo booth and it changed my life Advice | Asking Eric: They’ve called a meeting about my mom, and I don’t know what to say Quite a few of my friends (not my close friends but others) have responded to the news with: “How cute!” Somehow the fact that we have fallen in love and plan to marry is “cute.” I find this infantilizing, as if we were small children playing dress-up. I realize that people are happy for us and that the marriage of two people past 70 is unexpected and startling in a pleasant way.

South Florida once was home to enough Democrats they could swing statewide elections and tallied multiple wins in Broward and Palm Beach counties. No more. There are still more Democrats than Republicans in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, but their advantage is decreasing. The region isn’t, overall, Republican red. But it’s no longer bright Democratic blue.

An educational blueprint drawn up earlier this century by an innovative Florida teacher could help today’s vulnerable K-12 students close the achievement gap, a persistent problem perpetuated by the pandemic. From 2020 to 2023, vulnerable students lost three-fourths of a year in math — more than twice the setback experienced by their peers in high socioeconomic status districts — and a third of a year in reading, according to the Education Recovery Scoreboard.

The DeSantis era is ending for the Broward County School Board, as a board of all elected members will soon start shaping the future for the challenged school district. Newly elected Board members Maura Bulman, who represents District 1 in southeast Broward, and Rebecca Thompson, who represents District 2 in southwest Broward, will be sworn in Nov.

Lawsuits against insurers in Florida have continued to decline in 2024 following reforms enacted two years ago. Insurers say the declines have reduced costs and helped them to reduce or stabilize rates charged to policyholders. Attorneys who represent insurance customers counter that the reforms made it more costly for policyholders to challenge insurers and left many with no recourse when their insurer denies or underpays claims. Related Articles Business | Ratings firm says Milton losses will further weaken ‘precarious position’ of Florida insurance market Business | Condo association insurance costs doubled since 2022, new data shows Business | Maxwell: More than 80% of Floridians lack flood insurance.

Today is Sunday, Nov. 10, the 315th day of 2024. There are 51 days left in the year. Today in history: On Nov. 10,1969, the children’s educational program “Sesame Street” made its debut on National Educational Television (now PBS). Also on this date: In 1775, the U. S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress. Related Articles National News | ‘Democrats are really in trouble’ in South Florida as Republicans make inroads in Broward and Palm Beach counties National News | Today in History: November 9, Berlin Wall falls after 28 years National News | US agency says Tesla’s public statements imply that its vehicles can drive themselves.