Asians welcome the year of the Ox

Across eastern Asia on Feb 12, 2021, people will be celebrating Chinese New Year, ushering in the year of the Ox. For the growing Asian population of South Florida, this year’s celebration will be subdued compared to previous years.

Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year because it’s based on the lunar calendar and often called the Spring Festival. It’s the most important holiday in several Asian countries including China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Philippines.

Spring Festival is when extended families come together and celebrate the beginning of the new year. Gifts are often exchanged and parents often give red envelopes filled with money to children. Lavish dinners with many dishes symbolizing unity and good luck are served. New Year’s rituals span two weeks, so you will often find businesses in east Asia taking a long vacation during this period.

In the US, you will find many of the traditional celebrations, such as dragon and lion dances and the hanging of red lanterns in many China towns across the country. But this year, this is expected to be more subdued, and many families will be celebrating at home.

The Ox from the Chinese Horoscope symbolizes someone who is honest and hardworking. As we all recover from a difficult 2020, I hope the spirit of the Ox imbues us with the strength to take on the recovery, and leads to a prosperous 2021.

Saving songbirds of prey

The incidence of illegal trapping and subsequent selling of migratory birds in South Florida is rampant. The two main targeted species are Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) and Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris).

More common migratory birds also have been trapped, including cardinals, orioles and others.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits, among other things, possessing or killing any migratory bird. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), together with the US Fish and Wildlife Service  (USFWS)regularly finds and appropriately cites those who choose to engage in this trade.

A few years ago, the FWC and USFWS broke up a large ring of trappers and dealers, leading to multiple arrests and thousands of dollars in penalties. Current data suggests the trappers are back.

The goal of this enforcement effort is to break up these rings and release the captive birds into their natural habitats to proliferate and continue the species.

The motive is obvious: Cash.

A good specimen of either bunting species can fetch up to $200, with the highest money paid for a nicely-feathered male Painted Bunting. Typically, a female of either species will earn $20.00-$45.00, including a cage.

The birds are openly sold in flea markets, gas stations and other high pedestrian traffic areas. A bird in a cage is a bird removed from the breeding pool in an already declining population. It is extremely difficult for the lay- person to successfully breed buntings and if viable eggs are hatched, the offspring are born into captivity to be sold or kept in the breeder’s “collection.”

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, notoriously understaffed, faced an enormous problem. Possessing a protected bird is only a misdemeanor and a sworn law enforcement officer must witness the possession to make an arrest. Officers cannot arrest a subject-based solely upon what a citizen reports.

Trappers can earn large amounts of cash for only a few hours work and if they find an area frequented by their prey, they likely will return.

If while enjoying your passion for bird watching you find a large congregation of buntings or other colorful birds, contact the FWC (888- 404-3922) so they can search the area and include the location on their “Areas to Watch” list.

If you happen to find a trap in the woods or brush, please call immediately and an officer will respond to begin surveillance.

A word of caution: Trappers know that what they are doing is wrong, so they are very suspicious. Hanging around the trap or making it obvious that you know the trap is present may scare the individual away and law enforcement may “lose” this area for a while. If you are able to see an individual with a trap in hand and you see his or her vehicle, attempt to get a license plate number and description of the individual.

Most birders carry binoculars and/or cameras. But remember, your safety is more important than any bird so absolutely do not confront the subject.

Enforcement agencies have found some common traits they use to find the traps.

Coral Springs man speaks, writes on family’s triple tragedy

Limelight – an intense white light created by heating a cylinder of quicklime, used for dramatic effect in 19th century theater.

As an actor and producer, Coral Springs resident Joseph Velez, 57, never expected that one day his own family would be the focus of such an unforgiving glare.

With film credits ranging from Robert De Niro’s 2019 “The Irishman” to the
2010 locally filmed A&E TV series “TheGlades” to the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things,” Velez was used to seeing himself on-screen playing fictional roles.

But in a kind of twisted triple indemnity motivated by insurance fraud, Velez found himself in the middle of three very real deaths — one his own mother — all allegedly plotted by his half-brother.

They were deaths with a gun, a plastic bag, and the killer’s own two hands. They were deaths with a common motive — insurance money. They were deaths of people all known by the suspect, the half-brother, who is now serving a life sentence, but only for one of the killings, that of his own 15-month-old son, Prince.

Velez, a former Marine who served three tours in Afghanistan during Operation Desert Storm, is writing a book and producing and hosting a podcast about the cases.

The story unfolds over the span of a decade, beginning on Mar. 19, 2003, when a young mother, Shawn Katrina Mason, was shot and killed in her Manassas, (Prince William County) VA., condominium.

Five years later, in Nov. 2008, an older woman, Alma Rosa Collins, also of Prince William County, was found dead with a plastic bag over her head. The death was ruled a suicide but Velez doesn’t believe it.

Alma Rosa Collins was his mother.

Police had one person in custody after the killing of Mason, the half-brother of Velez, Joaquin Rams, born as John Anthony Ramirez. He was released for lack of evidence.

Prince Elias McCleod Rams was found dead in Manassas in October 2012, at the home of his father Joaquin. Rams and the boy’s mother, Hera McCleod, were divorced and a court had granted Rams unsupervised visits.

Rams was Mason’s ex-boyfriend. He was the son of the second victim and the father of the third. It was later learned Rams had life insurance policies with his name as the beneficiary of all three of the victims.

Hera McCleod, now an activist for children’s rights in Seattle, wrote in a
blog, “Trusting the Virginia police ended up being one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Instead of helping to keep my family safe, they helped my abuser.”

It’s inconceivable to Velez that authorities ruled his mom’s death a suicide. Velez and his mother’s sister, Elva Carabello, strongly dispute the finding.

In the death of Collins, Rams collected insurance of more than $150,000. He had taken out three policies totaling half-a-million dollars on his then, new-born son, and was receiving Social Security benefits from the death of Mason, the mother of his first son, Joaquin, Jr.


Rams, now 48, was arrested in 2013 for the murder of his son, Prince. After a 12-day bench trial, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is serving time in the Red Onion State Prison, a supermax facility in Virginia. Authorities are taking another look at the other two deaths.

For Velez, writing a book and producing the podcasts has been a journey tougher than his three tours in Afghanistan.

The book is titled, “Shadows Of My Soul – Objects in the Mirror are Closer Than They Appear.” The podcast for iHeart Radio, Spotify, and Apple iTunes is called “The C.O.D.E. (Cause of Death Explained) of Silence.”

Velez also founded The B.A.R.E. Project (Butterflies/Angels/ Rescue/Echo) to honor his mother, Alma Rosa Collins, Mason, and Prince McLeod.

“We must honor them and the countless other innocent lives that have been taken that never had a chance to speak out for help,” he says.

Visit Shadows of My Soul on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest news. The book will be available on Amazon.com. The podcast, “The C.O.D.E. (Cause of Death Explained) of Silence” will be available on iHeart Radio, Spotify, Apple iTunes, and other streaming services.

 

COVID’S equity market rollercoaster

For those who are investing in the equity market, 2020 is not an average year. The dramatic drops being followed by the major indexes roaring back to highs, looks, and feels like a rollercoaster ride. For investors, the stomach-churning experience is not for the faint of heart.

We recently interviewed Paul A. Kavanagh regarding how best to navigate the challenging market. Paul has been an Edward Jones Financial Advisor in Coral Springs for the past 13 years and has over 30 years’ experience in Finance.

Stay Patient

“We can’t predict the market moves,” shared Paul, “Staying patient, disciplined, and focused on your long-term goals will
be critical.” Emotions may be a liability in investing in a volatile market. According to Paul, “By keeping your focus on the future, you’ll be less likely to react emotionally to the news of the day – and more likely to follow a long-term strategy that can work for you.”

Diversify

You have heard the saying, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” so you may need to diversify by spreading your eggs into multiple investment groups. You can do your own research, or work with a professional advisor who has access to all the tools and experience you will need. A financial advisor will, according to Paul, “…work with you to understand why you’re investing and your financial priorities. You’ll experience the convenience of working with one dedicated financial advisor and utilizing an established process to create personalized financial strategies, backed by advice, tools, and resources to help you reach your goals.”

Review Regularly

You should regularly review your investments. It helps to ensure your long term goals are on track and adjust to market realities. “In light of the recent performance of the stock market, this is an excellent time to review your investments and ensure that you’re on track to achieve your financial goals,” said Paul.

2020 has been a turbulent year, and with a national election coming up in November, there are many things that may perturb the market, such as policy announcements and uncertain economic forecasts due to the ongoing pandemic. Planning ahead to ensure your portfolio is doing what you want long- term is extremely important, so remember this great advice for long-term success. If you need help, don’t be afraid to talk with a professional advisor, they may be able to offer you tools and research that you are not aware of.

By Li Pan