Osceola must fix traffic mess
Osceola County is missing the mark by worrying about a road through Split Oak Forest (Scott Maxwell: “To stop the paving plans for Split Oak, the decision to fight is right,” Jan. 18). The real traffic train-wreck in Osceola County is Narcoosee Road, a grade-A emergency. It’s simple: Residents first.
As for the Osceola Parkway Extension “road to nowhere,” the county should send it back to committee. Follow the success of Wekiva Parkway. Direct your consultants to avoid precious public lands preserved in perpetuity.
CJ Williams Winter Park
ICE should own its mistakes
Hey, here’s a crazy idea: What if the administration in Washington simply acknowledged that a tragedy has taken place with the death of a mother of three by gunfire on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis? They could release a statement something like this:
“We are launching a thorough investigation of the circumstances, with the FBI and local government working together to analyze an assortment of videos taken from several angles, along with witness statements and physical evidence. When the investigation is complete, the findings will be made public and appropriate action, if necessary will be taken.”
Silly, I know, but our nation’s leaders might try that approach if something like this ever happens again.
Dennis Elster DeLand
Graduation is a celebration, hot or not
In East Texas, graduation ceremonies are held at the respective schools’ football stadiums (“South Florida county switches some graduations to gyms,” Jan. 18). This is to allow the entire family and friends to celebrate the graduate. Temperatures are usually in the upper 90s with high humidity. Graduates wear full-length gowns over dress clothes and sit in folding chairs on the field. Guests sit in the stands, dressed for the weather, fanning themselves. And guess what? Nobody complains because that’s the way it’s always been. Students are excited for graduation and it is a formal, dignified affair. Maybe these Florida graduates and their families should focus on what’s really important — the celebration, not the building.
Jane Byrne Apopka
Reiner tragedy spotlights children’s mental health
Recent headlines involving the Reiner family tragedy have once again thrust children’s mental health into public conversation and into family courts. While details continue to emerge, the broader reality is clear: children’s mental health struggles are increasing in both frequency and severity, and family law systems must confront that reality head-on.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that anxiety, depression and behavioral disorders affect millions of children. Divorce can intensify these challenges, yet many parenting plans still focus almost exclusively on schedules, transportation and extracurricular activities.
When a child or young adult shows signs of anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm or suicidal ideation, indecision and adult conflict can deepen the harm. Parenting plans, often viewed as private family documents, increasingly function as public-interest safeguards, providing structure for how mental health care is initiated and more. Clear provisions can require timely evaluations, ensure continuity of care and set a process when parents disagree.
At the same time, adolescents and young adults need appropriate confidentiality to engage in treatment, particularly as parents shift from decision-makers to supporters. Plans should address who may communicate with providers, and how urgent concerns are escalated — without turning therapy into another battleground.
Acknowledging a child’s mental health needs may be difficult, but avoidance carries far greater risk. Emotional safety is inseparable from physical well-being, and planning for it is no longer optional; it is essential.
Rebecca L. Palmer Orlando
Rebecca L. Palmer is the managing partner of The Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group, focusing on family and marital law.
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