Transparency is always a good thing | From the Editor
Before I talk about what's in today's FLORIDA TODAY, I want to go backwards and talk about a story that appeared in Friday's newspaper on Crosswinds, a Cocoa-based nonprofit that runs the county's only dedicated shelter for runaway and at-risk youth.
Investigative Reporter Eric Rogers had written about troubles at Crosswinds last fall including a criminal probe into the longtime former CEO (which ended with the state attorney's office declaring they found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing) and financial audits of the organization. It was important that we follow up to tell you, our readers, the status of those investigations.
The relatively new interim CEO Mike Scully invited Eric and me I to visit last week and spent nearly two hours with us. We both came away impressed by his transparency, sincerity and commitment to getting the nonprofit back on track. He's already made a lot of progress but fully acknowledges there's much more to do. Eric's story recounted that interview, what's been done and still left to do, as well as the findings from the criminal investigation.
The reason I'm bringing it back up is because often, as journalists, we point out when public officials ignore our questions or attempt to block us. Therefore, it's critical we also acknowledge when leaders do the opposite and practice openness and transparency. I'm sure that can be uncomfortable or scary at times, but if you don't have anything to hide, you don't have anything to hide. From Crosswinds' Scully to every member of his staff whom we met, transparency seemed to be a value they were committed to — and I applaud them for that.
During our visit, they gave us a tour of the shelter and showed us the efforts they are putting in to make it feel more welcoming to the youth who find themselves there — lively paint on the walls, group art projects, dressers in the rooms with chalk boards on the doors so kids can scribble or doodle and themed bedrooms. Two things stood out to me: Their obvious care and the deep need.
The shelter director talked about how he tries to organize outings for the young people but outings can be expensive. They go to the beach often because it's free. And he showed us a "store" — really a closet — where kids can exchange points earned from good behavior for items like journals, puzzles, basketballs. The shelves weren't full, though, and yet it seemed like it should be so easy, in this community, to fill them up. Here's their website if you're interested in learning more about how you can help: www.crosswindsyouthservices.org
Back to Sunday's FLORIDA TODAY: Today, we kick off a weeklong project, organized by Engagement Editor John Torres, that looks at transportation issues across Brevard County. John outlines what to expect in his front page column, and we launch the series with a story on pedestrian safety as well as some of your gripes about traffic congestion and transport issues on the Space Coast.
My biggest takeaway so far: an astounding number of people die on our roads and we really can and should do better.
Also inside, we have a story by Space Reporter Rick Neale about a former FLORIDA TODAY photographer who was honored as a NASA Chronicler at Kennedy Space Center. Mike Brown shot all 135 Space Shuttle launches, which is pretty astounding to think about. The story is an interesting part of our space history.
When is next launch: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida
There's an article by Trending Reporter Michelle Spitzer about glamping nearby in case you're still planning your Memorial Day weekend. In Style, columnist Suzy Leonard reminisces about welcoming a second poodle into her home. As the mom of a 15-year-old boy and the "mom" of a dog, I know firsthand how our pets are truly part of the family. Our dog, Radar, is loud and energetic and often a challenge, and yet I can't imagine our house without him.
Thanks for reading FLORIDA TODAY and supporting local journalism.
Executive Editor Mara Bellaby can be reached at mbellaby@floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Talking transparency and transportation woes | From the Editor
