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Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald while in town in early May for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fourth lead anchor in the last 40 years of 'Nightly News,' and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids, will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the Coral Gables area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump singled him out during a press conference for questioning donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'His brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here — I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘It's an honor': Miami's own Tom Llamas on taking over a national nightly newscast
Tom Llamas is more than ready for his closeup. When the Miami native takes over 'NBC Nightly News' Monday evening, he brings 30 years of experience to the anchor desk. Did we mention he's only 45? A good chunk of that experience came from logging many hours at local TV stations, where he started at the tender age of 15. First job: Interning for Telemundo 51 in Hialeah. 'I walked in with a blue blazer and they told me to take that off immediately,' Llamas told the Miami Herald when he was in town earlier this month for a promo tour. Duties ranged from the mundane, like answering calls on the assignment desk, to the terrifying, like going out to cover crime scenes. 'I saw my first dead body when I was 16,' he stated calmly. 'It was a really serious job for a teenager, but I loved it. It put me on a path to where I am at today.' About that path, it's pretty stratospheric, and not lost on him. Llamas is just the fifth lead anchor in the last almost 60 years of 'Nightly News' weekday history and the first Latino. His Cuban immigrant parents — constantly consuming newspapers and TV to know what was happening on the island — get a hat tip for that one. 'I remember waking up in the morning smelling Cuban coffee and my dad reading the Miami Herald cover to cover,' recalled the fellow news junkie. 'My mom was the same way.' The butterfly effect Llamas landed the Telemundo gig soon after a serendipitous career day at Belen Jesuit Prep when local anchor Louis Aguirre, then with Channel 10, returned to his alma mater. The starstruck freshman told Aguirre he had an interest in current events and writing; Aguirre recommended going into broadcasting. 'Because he took the time out to speak to us, it changed my life,' Llamas said. Aguirre didn't realize the impact he'd had on Llamas until the fall of 2015 when the two men reconnected at the GOP debate in Simi Valley, California. At the time, Llamas was with 'ABC World News Tonight' and Aguirre with 'The Insider.' 'He came up to me and said, 'You may not know this, but you made such an impression on me,'' Aguirre told the Miami Herald. 'He'd already hit it big in New York, so I thought that was so generous and gracious to tell me that anecdote. It's a testament to what kind of person he is, not to mention a hell of a journalist.' Now with WLPG Local 10, Aguirre thinks it's a bonus that they're both graduates of Belen's 'hallowed halls.' Founded in 1800s Havana, the all boys school was re-established in Miami in 1961 after Castro (an alumnus) confiscated the property and expelled the Jesuits. 'I'm proud to be an alum,' said Llamas. 'It has such a rich history. It has grown to this incredible institution that is educating young men and has never lost its focus or its roots. It also teaches every student the importance of being Hispanic and why you need to love this country.' A true Miamian Llamas, who now resides in Westchester County with his wife and three kids will always have a soft spot for his hometown. When he was born his family was living in Little Havana, then moved for a brief, 'freezing' three-year stint to Flint, Mich., for his father's pediatric dentist residency. They then returned to South Florida and lived in the South Miami area. 'It was a great life. Little League... roasting pigs in the backyard, a very typical life in Miami. An amazing experience. You could play sports year round. You could be at the beach year round,' said the avid fisherman. 'I am 305 through and through. It's in my DNA.' The 305's weather isn't too shabby either: 'Right when February rolls around and there's still snow on the ground in New York and you don't see the sun, I'm going, 'What is going on here? How did I leave!?'' Favorite old-school (and now defunct) hangouts included the Bakery Centre (the site of Shops at Sunset Place); Specs records store; the original CocoWalk; and — going way back to the archives — Whirlyball. 'It was like this concept of bumper cars and wiffle ball and jai alai,' Llamas explained. 'It sounds like a Miami fever dream.' These days, you'll catch the media superstar with his wife and three kids at iconic spots like Versailles ('a classic'), Pinecrest Bakery ('the best pastelitos'), Joe's Stone Crab (for the colossals) and Faena (their kids love the 'blinged out fossil.') As for local sports? Llamas is still all about the U, aka the University of Miami's Hurricanes, which won five national championships in the 1980s and '90s. 'Some of my best memories with my dad are going to the Orange Bowl and watching them just dominate,' he said, adding he still catches Marlins and Dolphins games every now and again. 'Those were great teams and great years for a very long time.' His brilliant career Shortly after graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Llamas began cutting his teeth with the NBC family in various behind the scenes roles. His first on-air position was at NBC 6 South Florida, with his folks cheering him on from their living room a few miles away. 'I was really green when I started and made a lot of mistakes, especially when I was live,' Llamas admitted, laughing. 'I called my mom and I'd say, 'How'd I do?' And she'd say, 'You did you did great.' I knew I was terrible!' Llamas got better, way better. He went on to win multiple awards, including an Emmy for his report on human smuggling while embedded at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. Among the vastly fascinating stories in his highlight reel, some stick out more than others, namely natural disasters. He's covered all the big storms, from Katrina and Irene to Sandy, and lived through Andrew as a kid. 'Hurricanes remind us we're not in control,' he said. 'When you have no power and you have no food and you're just trying to get by, and you're trying to help each other out, it's hard, even in a modern world.' In 2014, Llamas was hired as a correspondent at 'ABC Nightly News,' where he eventually moved onto the weekend anchor desk filling in for David Muir. A few years in, he went viral when President Donald Trump insulted him during a press conference for questioning his donations to veteran groups. OK, that snippet won't go in the highlight reel, though he did eventually score an exclusive sitdown with the first lady in in Nairobi, Kenya. Without discussing politics in general, Llamas will allow that the country is divided, a topic he hopes to eventually delve into in the future. 'We're at a time right now ... I mean, people are split up, and that's OK. It's happened throughout history, right? I don't think this is unique, but I do want to remind our viewers that we're all Americans, and there's certain things we can all agree on.' Since rejoining NBC network in 2021, Llamas has reported across the globe on major breaking news, including the New Orleans terror attack, the war in Ukraine, the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse as well as the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Full circle moment Lester Holt's reins were handed down in March, while the 66-year-old TV vet pivots his focus to 'Dateline.' 'Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity,' said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News' executive vice president, in a release at the time. For Llamas, it's literally a dream come true, but not without challenges. 'It's an honor; there's a lot of pressure, but I do think pressure is a privilege,' he said, adding he'll look to Holt, who is both a friend and mentor, for guidance. 'Literally, his brand is the most trusted journalist in America,' he continued. 'I want to make sure once I take that seat the viewers know that I'm working for them. I work for NBC, but I really work for them. It's a public service.' When that camera goes on at 6:30 p.m. Monday how does one prepare for that full circle moment? What would the kid walking into the newsroom in Hialeah say? 'Everything that brought me here, I'm going to use,' he said, getting emotional. 'You don't get to the top of the mountain by stumbling. There's a reason why you're there. I've worked really hard.'
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Death sentence': CHNV ruling upends lives of South Floridians from troubled nations
Activists, lawyers and elected officials warned Friday of chaos and devastation to come after a Supreme Court decision upended the lives of half a million migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela, many living in South Florida, who could face deportation to their troubled nations after losing legal protections under a Biden-era parole program. Among them: Orlando Valecillos, 71, and his wife, Fanny, Venezuelans who used the humanitarian parole program to reunite with their daughter and is scheduled to have an operation next month. 'I hope I won't be deported before my surgery,' Valecillos, who lives in Homestead, told the Miami Herald. 'I've had serious prostate issues, and treatment only began after we arrived in the U.S.' The Supreme Court granted the Trump administration's request to lift a lower court order that protected immigrants coming through the Biden-era parole program from being potentially deported, following an earlier administration decision to strip them of their legal status. The program is known as CHNV, for the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans protected under the Biden administration policy. The litigation in the case continues, but in the short term, many migrants will be left with difficult choices. According to some estimates, as many as half of the migrants who entered the United States through the program have applied for other immigration benefits to adjust their status and may have a path to remain in the country –for example, those who had already applied for asylum or for a green card under the decades-old. Cuban Adjustment Act. But others will need to decide whether they will remain in the U.S. without documentation — potentially facing detention and deportation proceedings — or voluntarily returning to countries wracked by violence, hunger and human-rights abuses. The ruling 'sets a dangerous precedent by allowing the Trump administration to dismantle longstanding humanitarian protections for people fleeing persecution and abuse in countries in crisis', said Ida Sawyer, the director of the Crisis, Conflict and Arms division at Human Rights Watch. 'This marks a shameful betrayal of U.S. commitments under international law and human rights norms. The U.S. should be expanding protections, not closing the door.' Ending the protections granted to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans under CHNV will force many to return to countries experiencing 'widespread violence, repression, and instability—putting their lives at greater risk,' she said. 'Haitians, for example, could be sent back to Port-au-Prince, where they could be subjected to killings, kidnappings, forced recruitment, and widespread sexual violence by criminal groups who control nearly all the capital, and where more than half the population suffers from acute hunger,' she said. Friday's decision, potentially green-lighting deportation orders for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, amounts to the 'largest…de-legalization in the modern era,' said Karen Tumlin, founder and director of the immigration advocacy group Justice Action Center. 'I cannot overstate how devastating this is: the Supreme Court has allowed the Trump Administration to unleash widespread chaos, not just for our clients and class members, but for their families, their workplaces, and their communities,' she said. Elected officials from South Florida, where many of the migrants from the four countries have settled, joined in the criticism. U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson called the ruling 'cruel and inhumane' in a post on X. 'These are folks who were escaping brutal dictatorships, gang violence, and turmoil,' she wrote. Wilson noted that the migrants affected by the ruling came to the U.S. legally and have made contributions to South Florida communities. 'Deporting them is a death sentence,' she added. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz echoed the criticism in a post on X, saying it was 'sick and depraved to deport 500,000 people who applied from home, passed background checks, earned work permits, and paid their own way.' She stressed that the migrants are neither criminals nor undocumented. 'They came here legally. But Trump and the Republicans who bow to him could care less,' she added. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami Republican, said the Supreme Court order must be respected but 'was not what many hoped for.' She too said the migrants came legally to the United States. 'One truth remains undeniable: These migrants entered the United States legally, relying on promises made by the Biden administration,' she said. 'These individuals are fleeing brutal regimes and life-threatening conditions. That's why I strongly urge the administration to use its executive authority and grant Deferred Enforcement Departure to prevent them from being sent back to violence and repression.' Maureen Porras, an immigration attorney and vice mayor of Doral, home to large Venezuelan community, said the decision 'is not only devastating but also unprecedented. Its hard to believe that with the stroke of a pen, about half a million people will lose their lawful immigration status and work authorization.' 'It will have a chilling effect on communities across the U.S.,' she added. Families reeling from the court decision In cities like Miami, migrants who came through the program quickly assimilated into the communities here because they were granted legal work permits and had come to the country sponsored by relatives. But Friday's ruling has left many families again facing separation. Valecillos arrived in the U.S. with his wife in August from Venezuela to reunite with their daughter in Miami. Instead of spending their golden years in peace, Valecillos and his wife have endured the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which forced them to emigrate twice — first to Chile, where they lived for several years, and then to the United States, where they finally reunited with their only daughter after a long separation. The couple entered the U.S. under the humanitarian parole program, which initially granted them two years of protection through August 2026. But less than a year after arriving, they received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security that their parole had been terminated, once again throwing their future into uncertainty. They have since applied for political asylum. Valecillos says he remains hopeful their application will be approved. Their daughter is a green-card holder, and the family hopes that once she becomes a U.S. citizen, she will be able to petition for her parents to adjust their immigration status. 'We had hoped the election in Venezuela would help fix things. Instead, everything is worse,' Vallecillos said, his voice trembling. 'How are we supposed to go back? If we can't stay here, where are we supposed to go? There's so much uncertainty.' Fear among migrants Friday news also sent shock waves through Miami's Haitian community, which finds itself in a particularly troubling situation. Haitians who have fled rampant gang violence and political turmoil say returning to their home country is simply not an option. Kenny Francois, the CEO of LETS Community Center in Miami Gardens, which serves the Haitian immigrant community, was shocked to learn of the Supreme Court's decision. On Friday morning, while he was at a graduation, he didn't know why he was getting so many phone calls. 'So basically, whatever Trump wants to do, he can just do it,' Francois said. 'You know that was the little hope people had, the Supreme Court? That was the only little hope people were holding on to.' Little Haiti native Sammy Lamy, the founder of Jobs4Us, who has helped place more than 600 Haitians in jobs around the country since the Biden-era humanitarian program was launched, said the next few weeks and months are going to be tough. 'The dream has crashed and reality is hitting,' he said. 'I, of course, don't agree with the decision and now we have to figure out what's next, because a lot of people are in limbo.' Lamy, whose parents were both Haitian immigrants, said the uncertainty and fear from Friday's decision will only deepen, especially among Haitians whose country is being gripped by violence and, in some cases, have had armed gangs taking over their homes. One of the most immediate effects of the ruling is that many migrants will lose their jobs. Amid the uncertainty, companies helping resettle refugees are already refusing to hire migrants whose work authorizations expire in less than six months. 'Even if people have time left on their work permit, they're being denied work because they don't have the necessary time,' Lamy said. Adding to the fear are commercials the Department of Homeland Security is running on popular YouTube programs in the Haitian community, warning folks to leave. 'It's a very daunting commercial,' said Lamy. 'People are scared,' Leaving the U.S. Among the four groups affected, Cuban migrants still might end up with better chances to remain in the country, thanks to the Cuban Adjustment Act, Wilfredo Allen, a Cuban-American lawyer, said. The 1966 law says that after one year in the U.S. migrants inspected by immigration authorities and admitted or paroled into the country are entitled to apply for permanent residency. 'It doesn't matter if their parole is revoked later,' Allen said. Still, he is advising Cuban migrants with several months to go to meet the one-year requirement to apply for asylum if they can, advice he says also applies to Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. Allen said the administration is succeeding 'in spreading chaos and panic' among immigrants, and many will likely choose to leave on their own — which the administration has labeled 'self-deportation' — even if actual deportation proceedings in court take time. Some immigrants have already decided that the risk of sudden detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is too much to face, especially when children are involved. Lilian Bustos, a 42-year-old mother from Nicaragua, had been bracing herself for the termination of the CHNV parole program. She and her two daughters, ages 10 and 17, arrived in the U.S. under the program in August 2023. With less than three months left on their stay, she made the heartbreaking decision to send her daughters back to Nicaragua two days ago. 'It's been devastating,' she said. 'My two daughters have been crying non-stop since they left. My oldest wanted to finish high school here—she was fully adjusted and happy. But I didn't want to break the law. We couldn't apply for asylum because we haven't faced any political persecution.' Bustos feels heartbroken that her 17-year-old daughter couldn't finish high school in the U.S. Now, she says, her daughter will likely face delays in completing her education back in Nicaragua. The family is from Chinandega, a rural region known for fishing and cattle ranching. A trained kindergarten teacher in Nicaragua, Bustos recalls how difficult it was to survive on a single income back home. In Miami, she worked in cleaning services and hoped to save as much as possible before her parole expired. Her goal was to return to Nicaragua and open a small business with her husband—who was unable to join the family in the U.S. under the Biden administration's parole program. Now, with the Supreme Court's ruling casting doubt on the program's future, she's unsure what will happen next, but she said she is also planning to return to Nicaragua to rejoin her family.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
A federal program sent local farmers' fresh produce to food banks. It's being cut
Stew — a big pot of it — with onions, potatoes and bell peppers. Maybe a little bit of meat, if they're lucky, Jackie Brown muttered, chewing over potential dinner ideas for her family as she surveyed the produce refrigerator at the Feeding South Florida food bank in Pembroke Park on a recent afternoon. She was planning a week of meals for herself and the five grandchildren she's raising, all big eaters, and needed something hearty that would also yield leftovers. Brown, 59, is one of the 1.2 million South Floridians who relied on Feeding South Florida, the region's largest food bank, last year to supplement their groceries. As rising costs of living have nudged more locals into greater financial precariousness and closer to hunger, the organization reported that nearly two in 10 South Floridians turned to it last year for food. But recent federal funding cuts mean Feeding South Florida's budget is about to shrink by more than 30%. As part of its push to reduce federal spending, the Trump administration shuttered the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), a $900 million initiative started in 2021 to help food banks purchase produce from local farmers. In doing so, it lopped $13.5 million — nearly all of the food bank's federal funding — from Feeding South Florida's budget. That means fewer vegetables on the table for families like Brown's, and fewer orders for the farmers who grow them. ▪ ▪ ▪ Particularly toward the end of the month, Brown relies on food banks like Feeding South Florida to put meals on the table. 'That's what I use the food bank for,' she said, 'to fill in that last week of the month before I get more [food stamp] assistance.' Like many across the country, and especially in South Florida, her household has felt the squeeze of rising prices. U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows grocery prices have jumped roughly 30% since 2020. Over the same period of time, Miami-Dade's rate of food insecurity — people who don't have enough to eat — has spiked by 50%. On any given day, roughly 400,000 Miamians, 15% of the county's population, don't know where their next meal will come from. Compounding that vulnerability are proposed major cuts to federal spending on food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as food stamps, on which nearly 3 million Floridians, including Brown and her five grandchildren, rely. For Brown's family and others that are either food insecure or close to it, food banks have become especially important for ensuring access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The local produce purchase program is largely to thank. Feeding South Florida estimates that nearly half of its produce is purchased with money from the program. Without the funding, the food bank told the Miami Herald it anticipates 'a reduction in both the volume and variety of fresh foods available' at its food banks and that its 'capacity to provide nutritious food will be significantly affected.' Robin Safley, the CEO of Feeding South Florida's umbrella organization, Feeding Florida, emphasized the economic importance of guaranteeing access to healthy, fresh food. Those served by her organization's affiliate food banks disproportionately deal with chronic health issues, including diabetes, said Safley. 'Many of them are also on Medicaid,' she noted, 'so those chronic conditions can really drive up the cost of health care.' Healthy eating plays a critical role in mitigating those costs, she added. But beyond those health impacts, Safley pointed out that the program has given local farmers more opportunities to sell produce in their home communities. ▪ ▪ ▪ At his farm in Palm Beach County earlier this month, J.D. Poole shouted over the sound of water raining from pipes affixed to the ceiling, cooling boxes of freshly picked corn below. A third-generation farmer from Belle Glade, Poole co-founded Scotlynn Sweet-Pac Growers in 2012. Still based in Belle Glade, the company plants, harvests and ships thousands of acres of sweet corn, pumpkins, cabbage, watermelon and asparagus each year. Thanks to the federal food purchase initiative, from which Florida received and dispersed more than $20 million to food banks last year, Feeding South Florida has been a major buyer from Poole. He estimates his farm sends more than 1 million pounds of produce each year down to the food bank, which purchases those orders with money from the program. Poole said the arrangement accounts for roughly 10% of Sweet-Pac Growers' annual revenue. The program was particularly helpful for selling perfectly good produce that grocery stores wouldn't buy because of slight aesthetic imperfections, he added. 'Rather than walk away and take a huge financial loss' on those vegetables, the program helped his business recoup planting investments that otherwise would've been lost, while at the same time 'providing really good, fresh food at a reasonable cost to the needy.' If not for the program, that produce would've been thrown out. That's what will likely happen now. He was grateful to provide for those in need, but Poole says he can't afford to harvest, process, package and ship his produce to food banks on his own dime. He hopes the president will reconsider the program's termination. A Trump voter, Poole is generally content with the administration thus far. And he backs Trump and the Department of Governmental Efficiency's (DOGE) purported efforts to eliminate the 'fluff' in government spending. But, he said, this initiative is not fluff. 'It's a very needed program.' Poole is far from alone in the agriculture community in his assessment. Aaron Shier, the government relations director at the National Farmers Union, a D.C.-based advocacy group, said the program has been important for many community farmers and strengthened local food supply chains, all while feeding people in need. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, a Florida Democrat who sits on the House Appropriations Committee's agriculture subcommittee, described the program as a 'win-win for our local farmers and for families in need.' Its cancellation is a 'gut punch,' she told the Herald, especially for small farmers and food-insecure people. People like Brown. The grandmother's disability benefits and SNAP assistance alone aren't enough for her to provide for her dependent grandchildren, whose mother died and whose father isn't in the picture. But Brown, turning to her friend Lathoya Bennett, said she feels lucky. 'Lots of people, lots of homeless people, can't even get here to get [this food]. We really need more of this.' Bennett nodded as she looked over the piles of carrots and onions: 'This is really a blessing.' This story was produced with financial support from supporters including The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken O'Keefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
44 Percent: Miami Gardens business owner, Best of the Best, Third Horizon Film Festival
The pandemic ushered in a lot of sorrow: Some of us saw loved ones die, others saw the loss of jobs, and some (I'd venture many of us) are still recovering from the aftermath of it. But some, like Syerra Donaldson, were able to reinvent themselves during lockdown. She managed to turn her growing cooking hobby into a thriving catering business. Donaldson's graciousness and humility are evident as she tells the story of her path to business owner and Food Network star to Miami Herald reporter Michael Butler. But what impressed me most was the beautiful community that surrounded and uplifted her on her journey. It's what we all need when it comes to forging our own paths, and I'm hoping as the summer comes we continue to see more of that love spread around. INSIDE THE 305: How a Miami Gardens therapist turned her pandemic hobby into a catering business During the pandemic, some people parlayed their hobbies into a full-fledged business. Syerra Donaldson was no exception. The Miami Gardens therapist is the proud owner of catering company, EasyCookinWithSy, and has seen significant success with a win on the Food Network's 'Supermarket Stakeout' and placing third in the quarter finals of celebrity chef Carla Hall's Favorite Chef contest, Minority Business reporter Michael Butler reported. 'The competition was just there to teach me personal development,' Donaldson said. 'In the beginning I wasn't scared, but I was timid. Now my confidence is higher.' Take a look at the scene at Best of the Best, Miami's celebration of Jamaican music Following a two-year hiatus, Caribbean music festival Best of the Best returned to Miami's Bayfront Park, featuring acts such as Buju Banton, Marcia Griffiths and Beres Hammond, Wayne Wonder and Skinny Fabulous. Miami Herald Haiti correspondent Jacqueline Charles and photographer Sam Navarro shared the sights and songs of the festival, now in its 19th year. OUTSIDE THE 305: After last year's devastating hurricane season, Caribbean nations brace themselves Last year Hurricane Beryl slammed into the Lesser Antilles and Jamaica during another deadly hurricane season. This year Caribbean nations are preparing for what should be another active hurricane season. As Charles reported: Between 17 and 19 named storms are being predicted for the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season, according to the Colorado State University early forecast delivered in April and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology. The latter is forecasting that nine of 19 named storms are anticipated to become hurricanes, four of them major, once the season starts on June 1. 'Though these forecasts come with some uncertainty, the region must remain vigilant and prepared, as it only takes one storm to cause a significant impact. The likelihood of storms making landfall along the U.S. coastline and within the Caribbean remains high, so we must take every necessary step to ensure the safety of our communities,' said Elizabeth Riley, the executive director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, CDEMA. Judge delays Miami trial of five men accused of plotting assassination of Haiti's president The trial of five men accused of plotting the assassination of Haiti's president Jovenel Moïse has been pushed back to March 2026. Moïse was killed at his home outside Port-au-Prince in July 2021. As Charles and fellow reporter Jay Weaver wrote: U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra said at a recent hearing that she was not happy about delaying the federal trial, which was originally set for March and then postponed until September of this year. Becerra said she had no choice but to push it back again because of the massive volume of evidence, including more than 2.5 million text messages, emails and other records, that federal prosecutors are still turning over to the defense lawyers — a basic discovery issue that has turned into a sore point for the judge. Harvard agrees to relinquish early photos of enslaved people, ending a legal battle Photographs of enslaved people will be given to the International African American Museum in South Carolina, following a lengthy legal battle. The photos, which are more than 175 years old, had been housed at Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and are returning to the state where the photographs were taken. Per the Associated Press: The photos of the subjects identified by Tamara Lanier as her great-great-great-grandfather Renty, whom she calls 'Papa Renty,' and his daughter Delia will be transferred from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology to the International African American Museum in South Carolina, the state where they were enslaved in 1850 when the photos were taken, a lawyer for Lanier said Wednesday. The settlement ends a 15-year battle between Lanier and the university to release the 19th-century daguerreotypes, a precursor to modern-day photographs. Lanier's attorney Joshua Koskoff told The Associated Press that the resolution is an 'unprecedented' victory for descendants of those enslaved in the U.S. and praised his client's yearslong determination in pursuing justice for the people she had identified as her ancestors. HIGH CULTURE: Third Horizon Film Festival returns Now in its eighth year, the Third Horizon Film Festival returns to Miami highlighting filmmaking from the Caribbean diaspora. Festivities kick off tonight at the PAMM with 'Koutkekout (At All Kosts)' a documentary set in Haiti that centers on artists holding their own festival as the country faces continued turmoil. An opening reception will follow the screening. Tickets for tonight range from free for children to $18 for adults, tickets for screenings at the Koubek Center Price range from $8 to $15, and festival passes range from $60 to $500.
