As COVID-19 infected a record number of people over the last few weeks, our local hospitals reached capacity. In the Glades, for example, Lakeside Medical Center ran out of ICU beds and no other hospital in Palm Beach County could take its patients, forcing a difficult effort to find a hospital elsewhere—sometimes as far as Miami and Orlando—that had room. In response, I called for the County Commission to declare a local state of emergency, which we did on August 17th.

This declaration not only has helped raise awareness of the severity of COVID-19 spread in Palm Beach County, but also required private hospitals to report the availability of their regular and ICU beds on a daily basis, as well as how many COVID-19 patients they are treating. The dashboard can be found here: PBC Hospital Dashboard.

This has allowed hospitals to be more flexible and swift in the placement of patients, while helping policymakers see where additional resources may be needed. For instance, instead of waiting for the State to do so, Palm Beach County partnered with American Medical Response to establish a Glades monoclonal antibody infusion site, which is open now at Lakeside Medical Center.

Sadly, the COVID-19 spike has greatly impacted the family of one of my staff: my Glades aide recently lost her grandmother, uncle, and cousin to this virus in a span of just a few days. I am going to continue doing all I can to ensure our underserved communities have access to these life-saving vaccines. For example, over the coming weeks, as our agricultural growers bring in new workers to help grow our nation's fruits and vegetables, I will be working with local health authorities to bring vaccination clinics to them.

I urge you all to please continue taking precautions. We continue to see adult ICU beds over capacity, and a high percentage of pediatric beds filled. By getting vaccinated and wearing masks when around others, we can overcome this wave and save lives together.

Vaccination Bus

On August 31st, the Palm Beach County Commission viewed Palm Tran’s latest bus wrap. The Public Affairs Department collaborated with Palm Tran to produce four bus wraps promoting COVID-19 vaccination. The bus wraps feature Kansas City Chiefs Coach Terry Bradden, a Riviera Beach native, along with information on how to find a vaccine.

To find a vaccination site near you, visit www.vaccines.gov.

Replacement Housing In the Glades

I had a wonderful time attending replacement housing ribbon cutting ceremonies in Belle Glade and South Bay on Aug. 13! The events were held to celebrate replacement housing for two homeowners in the western communities. Congratulations to Rennie Gayle in Belle Glade and Lola Mae Cameron in South Bay on their beautiful homes!

Other guests included Assistant County Administrator Dorritt Miller, Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development Director Jonathan B. Brown, South Bay Commissioner Taranza McKelvin, South Bay City Manager Leondrae D. Camel, SBW & Associates President Javin L. Walker, and other representatives.



The Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development partnered with SBW & Associates on the construction of both properties.



The Replacement Housing Program assists income eligible homeowners residing in dilapidated structures that are beyond rehabilitation. Eligible uses of funding include, but are not limited to, demolition of the existing property; construction cost of a replacement home on the same lot (or) purchase of an existing home; and relocation costs (includes utility deposits, storage and moving).

Lola Mae Cameron offered this quote: “Thank you to everyone that helped; I appreciate everyone for their hard work. It’s a beautiful home and I hope to enjoy it for many years to come."

These homes served as a model for the Replacement Housing Program, and now three more homes are on the way. This is why I became an elected official--to make a positive difference in people's lives!

Fire Rescue Graduation Ceremony

On August 20, I joined my fellow County Commissioners in congratulating Palm Beach County's latest Fire Rescue graduates! Class #81 is composed of brave men and women who will work hard to ensure our public safety. I thank them for their determination and drive to serve Palm Beach County.

Photo (l to r): County Commissioner Maria Sachs, County Commissioner Gregg Weiss, Fire Rescue Chief Reginald Duren, County Commissioner Mack Bernard, County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay

League of Women Voters Meeting

On August 18th, I was the guest speaker for the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County's meeting. I spoke about home rule, and its importance to the governance of Palm Beach County and its municipalities. Local governments are constantly fending off efforts by the state to strip away home rule authority. Raising awareness of this serious problem has been a top priority of mine--as policymakers at the local level, we know our communities best and how to address the issues affecting them. Each year, we lose more and more of that ability in favor of a one-size-fits-all, top-down approach.

PBSO Memorial

On August 27th, my office attended the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office 100th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony in honor of Deputy Sheriff George Clem Douglas, who was killed in the line of duty on August 27, 1921. The ceremony was held in Lake Harbor, near the site where Deputy Douglas lost his life responding to a theft at a labor camp by the locks for the Miami Canal. The Miami lock was renamed in Douglas's honor. Attending this wonderful ceremony were two of his grandchildren.

In Closing

For rental assistance, click here: Emergency Rental Assistance Program

To find vaccine sites near you, click here: Interactive Vaccine Locator