Author: Carma Henry

Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

    In the lead-up to Israel’s devastating attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and its military leadership, Pres. Trump posed as a peacemaker and concerned bystander. He said that he much preferred a nuclear deal with Iran to war but hinted that he might not be able to keep Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from ordering a strike.

     “Freedom isn’t free” is a slogan I have heard much of my adult life, almost always associated with praising our military and the sacrifice veterans have made. We are well educated about soldiers freeing us from British tyranny in the American Revolution and keeping us free from the Nazis and Japanese in the Second World War. The question of this moment is, what are the greatest threats to our freedom in the here and now, and what price will they demand from us? It is time to reconsider how we think about the price of freedom and who needs to pay it. 

According to the National Association of Home Builders, nearly 75 percent of families – 100.6 million households – cannot afford a median priced new home in 2025. With a price tag of $459,826 and an accompanying 30-year mortgage rate of about 6.5 percent, it’s no surprise that both families and government are challenged like never before when it comes to securing affordable housing.

       Grief is not always about death, but it always involves loss. The loss of a dream. The loss of normalcy. The loss of health, time, strength, or hope as we once knew it. It is not linear, predictable, or easy. It’s messy, sacred, and deeply personal. I know this not just as a pastor or a counselor, but as a father and husband who has had to sit with the weight of heartbreak far too often.

       “Better Together has gained significant momentum as the initiative’s governance committee has convened every month to focus on existing needs related to primary care, maternal health and food insecurity,” said Shane Strum, President & CEO of Broward Health and Interim CEO of Memorial Healthcare System. “The committee, comprised of leaders from Broward Health, Memorial Healthcare System and other community organizations, is identifying barriers people are facing to access these resources and innovative ways we can meet their needs.”