April UPDATE

By State Rep. Christine Hunschofsky

Thank you to everyone who attended our pre-session Town Halls in January and February.

Now, we are right in the middle of our 60-day Legislative Session. This is the time when the state budget starts to solidify and bills continue to move through the process. While we have many good bills addressing housing, workforce shortages, and resilience projects making their way through the process, we also have controversial bills such as permitless carry and a 6-week abortion ban making their way through the process. You can follow all bills that have been filed at myfloridahouse.gov. There, you can also read staff analyses and watch the committee debate and questioning. I will do my best to keep you updated during Session through our email newsletter and social media. If you have any questions, you can also reach out via email. When Session is over, we will be scheduling Legislative Updates in the cities and in the District. In the meantime, if you need assistance with any of the state agencies, please do not hesitate to reach out to our district office in Coconut Creek City Hall. We are here to help in any way we can.

Earth Day is Saturday, April 22. This year’s theme is Invest In Our Planet, encouraging all of us to come together in partnership for our environment. The City of Margate is hosting a tree giveaway for Margate residents (proof of residency is required) on 4/22 at 8am at the NW corner of State Road 7 and Margate Blvd. The City of Coconut Creek is hosting a tree giveaway for Coconut Creek residents (proof of residency is required) on 4/19 from 8am-12pm at Coconut Creek City Hall, 4800 West Copans Road. The City of Parkland is hosting an environmental expo at the Parkland Farmer’s Market on 4/16 from 9am-1pm at 8350 Ranch Rd., Parkland. The City of Coral Springs is hosting Earthfest on 4/22 from 9am-12pm at the Sawgrass Nature Center, 3000 Sportsplex Drive. In our own homes, we can also make a difference by reducing our water and electricity usage, making use of reusable containers and bottles, composting, and recycling effectively, thereby lowering contamination.

I personally want to wish a Happy Easter, Happy Passover – Chag Sameach, and Ramadan Mubarak to all who celebrate. We are blessed to live in an area with diverse religions, and this month is a special one with several holy days. It is also a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our own and other religions and traditions from our families, friends, and neighbors.

Thank you to all who have reached out to me with concerns, comments, questions, and support. I appreciate the honor of representing you. To reach us, please call 954-956-5600, and to receive our email updates, please subscribe by emailing HD095@myfloridahouse.gov with "subscribe" in the subject line. Also follow me on Facebook at @RepChristineHunschofsky and Twitter @RepHunschofsky for regular updates. Looking forward to staying in touch!

Coral Springs Commission April Message

Spring is upon us, and Coral Springs is blossoming with events and community happenings for all ages and interests.

Teen Political Forum (TPF) will be held on Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts. We offer this event annually for high school-aged students to ask questions to state, county, and local elected officials via an open mic-style forum where they can learn more about issues that are important to them. High schools with the highest event attendance can win up to $1,000 with prizes sponsored by Baptist Health and WastePro of Florida and take home the TPF trophy.

Many important causes are nationally recognized during the month of April. Coral Springs will strive to honor these initiatives with special events and acknowledgments.

April is Autism Awareness Month. A Touch-A-Truck event will be held on Saturday, April 15 at 11 a.m. at Mullins Park where individuals with special needs will be invited to interact with and familiarize themselves with the various vehicles and equipment in our emergency response fleet. We will also hold a registration for our special needs database. The database allows first-responders to be made aware in advance if they receive a call to assist someone who has unique needs.

In April, Coral Springs will celebrate Earth Month. Residents can attend Earthfest at the Sawgrass Nature Center on Saturday, April 22 to enjoy free nature exhibits, plant giveaways, and more. For more information and a full list of upcoming city events visit coralsprings.org/events.

April is also Financial Literacy Month. Follow along on Coral Springs social media accounts for financial tips and insights from our Budget and Strategy team all month long.

Lastly, we’ll be highlighting our 911 Dispatchers during the week of April 10 for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Our team of highly trained dispatchers are the first, first-responders to provide support in an emergency for Coral Springs, Parkland, and Coconut Creek. Follow our public safety social media accounts for more special features throughout the month.

The next Commission Meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are aired on CityTV, Blue Stream Channels 25, 25.7, 725 and on AT&T U-Verse channel 99. Meetings are also live-streamed at CoralSprings.gov/CityTV.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with any of your City Officials, please call 954-344-5911. Make sure to follow Coral Springs on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Mayor Scott Brook @CSCommissioner1, Vice Mayor Shawn Cerra @CSCommissioner2, Commissioner Nancy Metayer Bowen @CSCommissioner3, Commissioner Joshua Simmons @CSCommissioner4, and Commissioner Joy Carter @CSCommissioner5.

ocial media has become an integral part of our lives, and, in order to ensure our children are using it safely and responsibly, parents need to get engaged. With the changing complexities involving the uses of social media, parents need to be aware of the potential risks and pitfalls that come with it.

First and foremost, parents need to be aware of the content their children are viewing and sharing on social media. Parents also need to realize that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are just the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to social media platforms. Younger children of Generation Z (born in 1995 to 2009) and Generation Alpha (born in 2010 to 2024) may be downloading new social media outlets adults are not familiar with.

What are our children posting on social media? What is being posted about our children? Parents should also be aware of cyberbullying, as well as the potential for