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Legal Matters: Coronavirus takes a swing at marriage

The most common question I have been asked during the past several months is, “Are you seeing an uptick in divorces as a result of the Coronavirus?”
The answer is yes.

Although there are many reasons besides COVID-19 for this uptick in filings, my firm attributes the financial stress, the quarantine of the people to their homes, and the uncertainty of the future as the catalysts for the rise in divorce filings.

Humans can only handle so much stress and uncertainty before it affects their mental health and personalities. The “new-normal of quarantine” now includes varying amounts of financial worries, job security, boredom, inability to escape, lack of intimacy, stress over home-schooling, stress over social-distancing, etc. There also appears to be no end in sight.

People are depressed and are realizing that life is short. Husbands and wives are spending hours each day scrolling through Facebook and Instagram and re-evaluating their past life choices. If they are not happy in any facet of their
life (including their marriage), they are choosing to throw in their cards and
go to another table. Some people are blaming their marital issues on the
pandemic to make it easier to explain to friends and family why they are seeking a divorce.

Try to remember back to your pre-pandemic routine. After accounting for work, gym, kids’ activities, Publix, driving to and from various other activities, you spent a couple of hours a day with your spouse, at most, excluding the time you both are sleeping. Now you’re Bill Murray in Groundhog’s Day, spending 24/7 with your spouse. You have nothing to dilute your time. There is no outlet. There is no place to hide (work, bar, or gym). There is no one to vent to outside of your spouse. There are only so many times you can watch The Office or bike ride around the neighborhood before you crave additional socialization.

If a couple is having trouble, most of their interactions will now be neutral or negative. Patience is short and tensions are high. Like Jerry Seinfeld or Elaine Benes, if your spouse eats their peas one at a time, likes a cotton Dockers commercial, or uses too many exclamation points, it may now be a reason for a fight. If your relationship was already shaky, the quarantine has put lighter fluid on the coals that were already burning.

Spouses also have to contend with disputes over social distancing and parenting styles. As people are working from home, they can now observe how their spouse interacts with their children during the day. Spouses are concerned over their partner’s parenting and discipline style and are criticizing
how their spouse spends their time and questions their judgment.

This list goes on and on … we have heard some divorce consults complain that they believe their spouse is irresponsible for not social distancing and/or wearing a mask, in disagreement whether to send their children to school or embarrassed that their spouse refuses to pay for private school.

The stress is piling up!

Oh, and by the way, the country is dealing with a divisive presidential race — always a fun topic to discuss when you’re already on edge.

Hopefully, the numbers in South Florida will become softer so people can start
the road back to normalcy and reduce their stress levels. If not, divorces may
continue to rise.

 

By Philip Snyder, Esq.

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Disinfecting in the age of coronavirus

  • Proper cleaning and disinfection are now more important than ever. COVID-19 has caused people to reevaluate the effectiveness and frequency of their cleaning procedures.

It is important to note that cleaning a surface – simply removing dirt and particles – is not the same as disinfecting it to kill viruses
and bacteria. And while cleaning high-traffic surfaces to remove contaminants and debris is critical, you still need to disinfect those surfaces.

Choosing the right products

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of disinfectant products that have been proved effective against COVID-19, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. The list (published on www.epa.gov) also provides the contact time that is required to effectively kill viruses.

Selecting the right method

While using effective products is key, it is equally important to follow the proper techniques to thoroughly disinfect both hard and soft surfaces. As a result, many are turning to the use of disinfecting services to ensure the safety of their families and staff as well as their own personal safety. Before hiring a company, there are several factors that you should consider to ensure you are getting the most effective method with proven kill claims.

There are three common types of disinfecting services:

Spray/wipe methods

This standard method utilizes trigger sprays and disinfectant wipes like Lysol, Clorox, and soapy water and vinegar. The EPA advises letting the solution sit and remain wet on surfaces or objects for at least 10 minutes in order to kill 99.9 percent of germs.

This method is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and provides the least consistent coverage. It is also difficult to obtain complete coverage underneath tables, chairs, and shelves and soft surfaces like upholstery, carpets, and drapes.

Misters/fogging

This method involves saturating an area with a fine mist of disinfectant solution that deposits on surfaces based on the direction of spray and the effect of gravity. After treatment, it takes approximately one to two hours for the mist to dissipate and the air in the room to return to breathable levels.

Fogging can be highly effective; however, it is critical that the person performing the service is a trained professional that delivers absolute and even coverage of all surfaces.

Electrostatic

This method applies an electric charge to a solution to create a 3-D wrapping effect. Because the particles in the spray are positively charged, it allows the disinfectant solution to wrap around and evenly coat both hard and soft surfaces for complete coverage from top to bottom. The result is a uniform coating of sanitizer or disinfectant on sprayed objects, including hard-to-reach areas that other methods miss.

Electrostatic sprayers can cover a large area in minutes, and people can enter the room within five to ten minutes after service is completed.

Safety compliance regulations

As businesses re-open their doors, they now have new responsibilities and requirements to ensure they are complying with COVID-19 safety regulations, which includes providing a disinfected and safe environment for employees and customers.

Health and wellness companies like LiveWell 1440 (www.livewell1440.com) in Fort Lauderdale are available to guide business owners through the myriad of safety requirements to make sure they comply with the orders and avoid citations or shutdowns.

Regardless of the method you choose, routine cleaning and disinfecting are a necessary part of reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Using the CDC’s recommended best practices and maintaining safe daily habits will help reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and keep the community safer.

 

By Spiro Edgos

Spiro Edgos is the owner and operator of The Bin Doctor located
in Coral Springs. The Bin Doctor provides commercial and
residential interior disinfecting services as well as dumpster and
bin sanitizing services. Visit bindoctorUSA.com to learn more.

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September 2020 Magazine

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PETTALK: OK, who’s the stupid one now?

To my wife, I am probably getting a little judgy, but I literally had a Clint Eastwood moment from Gran Torino when he tells everyone to “get off my lawn.” To better explain, I was walking on Juno Beach and maintaining a 6-foot social distance as my wife and I walked on the sidewalk along the road. It was one of those days that said it was 88 degrees but the RealFeel index said 107. We brought water and, probably every 1⁄4 mile, there was a shower under which we kept wetting our baseball caps.

It was nice to be outside and see something other than the same houses on the block, then we heard someone behind us, but could not see him. He had one of those booming voices. I knew he was from New York from the accent and it took nearly 30 minutes for him to catch up to us. There he was, wearing a t-shirt without sleeves, a Yankees hat, mirrored sunglasses, and walking a 6-month old Boxer pup. Over the thirty minutes it took him to catch up to us, I heard about his life, his girlfriend, his frustration with the pandemic, and the stupid dog he bought. It wasn’t until he was close enough that I realized it was a puppy.

When Mr. Yankee was right behind us, I could see that the puppy was thirsty. He was hyper salivating, and when he walked by the showers you could see him try to lick the puddles on the sidewalk, but Mr. Yankee pulled on the leash because he was walking and having an intense conversation on his phone. For the next quarter mile, the puppy kept walking on the grass and Mr. Yankee pulled him back on the pavement making comments on his phone to whomever he was talking to about the puppy being stupid. I made sure that we stayed close. Mr. Yankee was about to walk by the next shower when I stopped and decided to tell him that the puppy was thirsty. Mr. Yankee told me that he didn’t bring a bowl and I told him to cup his hands and fill them with water which he did, and the puppy drank three handfuls of water.

He looked at me and asked me if I was a vet or something.
I told him that I was. He asked me if I could look at his dog’s weird walk. His last dog was a German Shepard and he had to put him to sleep because of hip dysplasia and this puppy never walks straight. I said that I would but I told him that hip dysplasia is a radiographic diagnosis. I asked him what the puppy’s name was and he said it was Aaron, after Aaron Judge, the Yankee superstar. Figures. I watched Aaron walk and he kept getting off the pavement and walking onto the grass. Mr. Yankee kept pulling him onto the sidewalk. This happened multiple times and finally Mr. Yankee stopped and said to my wife and I that this dog either has hip dysplasia, needs extensive training which his German Shepard never needed, or is stupid.

I looked at Mr. Yankee and saw that he was wearing sneakers. I asked him to take off his shoes. He asked me why. I told him it was a training trick. I was so surprised that he listened to me and when he stepped on the pavement, he jumped off the pavement and onto the grass. He told me that it was “f****n hot”. I agreed. Aaron is not stupid he has probably burned his pads and wanted to walk on the grass because it is cooler. He picked up his puppy and saw that the puppy’s pads were raw. It was great watching Mr. Yankee carry Aaron back home.

 

By Dr. Glen Kalick

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Horse camp lives on

My first time on a horse was in Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek when I was three. The first time I climbed up onto the giant animal was exhilarating, although it was hard, at first, to entrust my wellbeing to this animal.

Fast forward to 2018. I started to go to horse camp at Malachi Acres in Parkland, thanks to a recommendation from the Parklander. It’s something I have looked forward to each summer since.

When COVID-19 shut down my school, I began to worry there would be no horse camp this summer. I missed seeing all my friends, but somehow, I knew I would see my friends from Malachi.

When they reopened the camp, I was delighted. New protocols are in place, mask-wearing when necessary, constant cleaning, not standing too close to each other, and not sharing food have become our “new normal.”

All the horses at the barn are great for different reasons, but Cosmo is my absolute favorite because she listened to me immediately. My favorite parts of camp are seeing my friends, feeding after camp, being in control of a thousand-pound animal, and just having fun.

Coronavirus may have shut down other camps but at Malachi — as long as we are on our p’s and q’s — camp lives on, and I hope to be able to attend horse camp next summer!

By Madeline Bernstein

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I’m a proud #girldad

On February 23, 2013, my life changed. I gained not only a beautiful baby girl but also a best friend. I am a #girldad.

After the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant, ESPN anchor Elle Duncan shared on SportsCenter a story about meeting Bryant for the first (and only) time. Bryant pridefully spoke about his three girls and his excitement over the possibility of having a fourth.

Duncan asked Bryant if he wanted more children. Without hesitation Bryant said, “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a GIRL DAD.„ The hashtag “girldad” was born and quickly went viral. I was one of the millions of dads who reposted a picture of my daughter, Harper, and I playing basketball. In honor of Kobe, I used #girldad.

I am lucky enough to have two children, a girl (Harper, age 7) and a boy (Hudson, age 3).

I always knew I would have a great relationship with my son, as most dads do. Like many dads, however, my relationship with my daughter is just “special.”

I brag about my daughter, ad nauseam. Pictures of her are peppered throughout my office. My friends sometimes roll their eyes at me when I tell yet another story about the time Harper did “fill in the blank.”

The truth is, I am just so darn proud of her. In my eyes, she is perfect in every way.

Looking back, however, I have been the proudest of her when she and I do something together that defies stereotypes. In those moments, I know I am raising her the way Bryant raised his daughters.

Bryant, one of the most competitive and ruthless athletes of all-time, did not see gender as a barrier to his daughters having the same opportunities and privileges as boys.

In decades past, dads of girls interacted differently with them than dads of boys. Dads were expected to do traditional “boy activities” with their sons and “girl activities” with their daughters. Society placed limits on what fathers and daughters should do.

Boys played sports. Girls danced and cheered.

Boys went camping. Girls had tea parties.

Boys lead. Girls followed.

Parkland, Broward County, the world, in fact, is full of dads who have amazing relationships with their daughters. These are dads who post a myriad of pictures on social media of them with their daughters at concerts, sporting events, or catching fish. These are dads that are not embarrassed to perform in “Dancing Dads” at Dance Theater, or that take time off from work to watch their daughter perform in the school play.

Many of these dads feel the same way about their daughters’ limitless potential and want their daughters to know that they are supporting them every step of the way.

#Girldads want their daughters to be fearless, brave, assertive, take chances, make mistakes, and strive for greatness in everything they do–athletics or otherwise.

#Girldads are proud of their daughters for being true to themselves regardless of what others think they should be.

#Girldads embrace the fact that they get to experience the best of both worlds.

#Girldads always let their daughters know that they can accomplish anything–the world is their oyster!

A typical day with Harper includes dancing in the family room as well as practicing free throws.

One night we may watch Goonies or The Sandlot; the next night, The Princess Diaries or Troop Beverly Hills.

It is just as likely Harper and I will film a TikTok video or throw a football in the backyard.

The best part about living in Parkland as a #girldad may be Parkland Rec Sports. Don’t believe me? Attend a Friday Night Lights football game. #GirlDads are just as intensely cheering for their daughters as they are for their sons. The girls have a blast. The parents have a blast. It may be the best draw of Parkland – #girldads galore!

Many of the dads coach their son’s teams and their daughter’s teams. These #girldads get to the field at 5:00 p.m. and don’t leave until 9:00 p.m. They treat all their children equally.

Parkland Rec Sports is shattering stereotypes of who is an athlete.

By encouraging Harper to engage in traditional boy activities, she is gaining traits that will propel her ahead as she moves forward in life: Self-confidence, willingness to take criticism, strong sense of focus, humility, resiliency and the ability to learn from setbacks, and a sense of belonging, just to name a few. These traits are equally important to boys and girls.

A bunch of Parkland dads take their girls camping multiple times per year. Camping builds character and takes them out of their comfort zone. Some of the best conversations Harper and I have ever had are from lying in our tents discussing life or laughing about the time there was no dedicated shower area on site so I washed her off with a hose (Shh, don’t tell mom). These dads will tell you camping with their daughters is just magical.

Parkland #girldads are some of the best around. You’ll notice them now – they are the ones holding their daughter’s hand
as they walk through the mall, belting out songs in the car with the windows down, or volunteering for a role in the Enchanted Tales with Belle attraction at Disney World.

Dads – don’t be afraid to play dress up and catch with your daughter. Embrace the societal shift. Gender doesn’t dictate what she can and cannot do. Just be proud of her, empower her to lead the way, and support her choices. Hold her hand tight and tell her you love her, as there is nothing better than being a #girldad.

By Philip Snyder

Philip Snyder writes the Legal Matters column for the Parklander. 

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The workforce behind the dress

Marriage isn’t a ring worn or a paper signed. It’s not something endured, but savored. While people spend months, even years, planning every detail of the big day, there isn’t anything that could have prepared them for the coronavirus pandemic. Some couples had to cancel or delay because of coronavirus concerns, many still proceeding with smaller gatherings or virtual weddings for now. Designers and bridal shops that cater to these major life events are doing what they do best, offering creative solutions to unexpected circumstances. Alexander Couture Bridal in Pompano Beach and Susan Rose in Coral Springs are both open and working to accommodate their clients.

David Ramcharan, who has worked as a designer at The
Art Institute and an event planner, is continuing the 30-year tradition at Alexander Couture Bridal of providing his clients with the right dress for their event. “About 60 hours can go into a single wedding dress,” said Ramcharan. “It can take five to six months to be ordered in, but I’m still getting brides to come in and have that feeling of getting their dream dress.”

Susan Rose does not offer wedding dresses, but focuses
on fashion for other major life events – quinceañeras, sweet sixteen parties, bat-mitzvahs; along with dresses for your backyard wedding these days. She is seeing a mix of reactions from her clients, many forging ahead with their events, but with smaller groups, and many with virtual components to connect with loved ones not able to travel.

Both Susan Rose and Alexander Couture Bridal are minimizing risk
to their clients by seeing clients via appointments and following all social distancing and mask rules. Fashion is an in-person collaborative experience to try on a dress and customize, if required. To ensure her client’s safety, Rae Ann, owner of Susan Rose, shared that all dresses get sanitized after being tried on, and her two-hour appointment slots give the staff time to disinfect after each visit.

Ramcharan says, “We’re still taking safety precautions in the store like wearing masks, gloves, washing hands, and being mindful. Brides are still allowed to try on gowns because I want it to be as personal as possible. Regardless of what’s happening, my goal is not to take away from the experience that other brides have had in the past before the pandemic.”

At Alexander Couture Bridal, “we have a lot of dresses I create, and
we also have for the curvier girl. I give them a wish list for the design process, they tell me what they want, we do alterations, and if I’m putting my name on something it has to show I did them right. So even with the pandemic and a lot of things having changed, productions, styles, and fabric choices, are still going well.”

“The pandemic has also changed the way people shop for wedding dresses,” said Ramcharan. “A lot of brides are now also shopping for dresses online.”

The coronavirus outbreak has caused worry across the wedding industry. Postponements and cancellations have forced couples, bridal shops, and vendors to get creative. Most boutiques are doing virtual try-on’s however, Ramcharan believes the brides are limiting their experience by not getting the proper style, fabrics, or measurements when purchasing online.

“We give them a tour, suggestions for styles, fit, designs, and really help to make it a one-one-experience that you just can’t get when online,” said Ramcharan. “It can change the entire way it fits, and a dress often takes multiple appointments to find one that’s a suitable dress. Followed by several fittings over the course that can take up to several months.”

Ramcharan does believe the sector is anticipated to recover gradually after COVID-19 related restrictions are lifted. However, the recovery of the sector will depend on people feeling safe enough to hold a large gathering.

Many will likely downsize to smaller gatherings, or postpone the ceremonies until the pandemic fully subsides. Engaged couples who are planning to get married in the near future could postpone the ceremony to further save up for the occasion too.

Speaking of a recent wedding, “[The bride] said this was the wedding [she] really wanted and better than what we originally had planned,” said Ramcharan. “We were also able to do live streams with 300 guests when she would have originally had fifty. Even a lot of men were into it, and it all came out so beautiful and perfect.”

Pandemic or not, life still goes on, and many in the communities are finding creative ways to celebrate important life events. So if you are starting to plan your event, reach out to these two local businesses, they will be happy to give advice and share their experiences.

 

Contact information:

  • Alexander Couture Bridal, 878 SW 10th Avenue, Suite #8, Pompano Beach, FL, (954) 943-7768
  • Susan Rose, 9829 W Sample Rd, Coral Springs, FL 33065, (954) 472-2120

 

By Nile Fortner

Photography by Gabriella Melo/@melometer

Additional contributions by Li Pan

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SoFlo BUZZ: CSMoA receives humanities endowment/Grad wins Daggerwing scholarship

Coral Springs Museum of Art receives humanities endowment

The Coral Springs Museum of Art was awarded $10,000 in funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities through a grant from Florida Humanities as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.

“We are navigating through challenging times in our nation and community due to health and financial impacts COVID-19 has posed globally,” said Development Manager, Gabrielle Grundy-Lester. “We are grateful to have been awarded this grant as funding will help to support administrative costs for the organization.”

The Coral Springs Museum of Art is committed to providing the community with virtual opportunities to engage and connect with dynamic exhibits, artists, as well as educational programs for children.

North Broward Prep grad wins Daggerwing scholarship

Megan Mui, a new graduate of North Broward Preparatory School, has been awarded a scholarship by the Friends of Daggerwing Nature Center in Boca Raton.

She received the 2020 Scott Cowan Memorial Scholarship. Megan is a 2020 National Merit winner who plans to pursue a pre-med program at the University of South Florida. She is a weekly volunteer at the ER desk at Bethesda Health, in Boynton Beach, FL.

“We hope to both continue and expand our volunteer scholarship program to recognize and celebrate these young volunteers
who make a valued contribution to our nature center,” said Edith Cowan, FOD President, and mother of Scott Cowan, for whom the scholarship is named.

The non-profit organization was formed to help support and expand Daggerwing Nature Center’s programs and activities for the families and schools in the local communities.

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SoFlo BUZZ: Broward Center graduates teen ambassadors

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts recently honored the 10th graduating class of the Broward Center Teen Ambassador program from area high schools and home schooling programs.

With theaters dark, the students concluded the program by reviewing streaming performances of Broadway, classical, dance, opera, and jazz remotely. The final meeting of the season was held via ZOOM where students gathered to look back on the year, share memories, and hear the graduating seniors share their future plans.

The Teen Ambassador program fosters the next generation of performing arts fans and nurtures a fresh perspective on traditional and contemporary arts. Acting as in-house theater critics, they demonstrate a dedication to both the performing arts and writing. The students also earn community service hours through the program.

Public, private, and home-schooled high school students residing in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties are eligible to participate in the Teen Ambassador program. The deadline to apply for the 2020-2021 class is August 28. Applications are available now at BrowardCenter.org/ education/studentprograms/teen- ambassadors. Call 954.468.2689 or e-mail teenambassador@ browardcenter.org for more information.

The 2019-2020 graduating class includes Adelina Marinello, American Heritage; Megan Price, Cardinal Gibbons; Alan Halaly, Deerfield Beach; Maya Washburn, Florida Virtual; Carmela Cinnante, Home-school; Mariah McSweeney, McFatter; Allison Garland, Nova; Alexa Domash, Olympic Heights; Abbie Kopelwitz and Emma Wasserman, Western.

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SoFlo BUZZ: Children’s Harbor plans Harbor Lights Gala: POSTPONED

 

 

 

*The Children’s Harbor Annual Harbor Lights Gala has been POSTPONED until further notice! Continue to check back to https://www.childrensharbor.org/events for more event information.*

Children’s Harbor’s annual Harbor Lights Gala, themed
“A Million Dreams,” has been rescheduled to Saturday, September 12 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, 551 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. The annual fundraiser helps ensure that siblings in foster care can stay together in a loving and nurturing home.

Festivities will include a cocktail reception, dinner, a silent auction, and a night of dancing with live musical entertainment. Black tie is optional. Tickets are $250 per person. For sponsorship and more information, contact Bibi Deen at 954- 252-3072 or email bdeen@ChildrensHarbor.org.

Established in 1996, Children’s Harbor is a nationally accredited nonprofit agency with a mission to provide a safe harbor and support to at-risk children, youth, and families — keeping brothers and sisters together, strengthening families, and rebuilding lives.

Children’s Harbor provides nurturing, family group homes for 24 siblings and 7 pregnant/parenting teens in the foster care system on their 8 acre campus in Pembroke Pines. These loving homes allow brothers and sisters, and teen mothers and their babies to stay together during a turbulent time in their young lives. Children’s Harbor also helps prevent child abuse through their Family Strengthening Program. Each year, 200 families across Broward County receive in-home counseling to improve parenting and communication skills.

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