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IzLegal Illustrated
Another Storm Season Ended
You probably already know this, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And this year, we have a lot to be thankful for — including the fact that Melissa, our family and friends, and I weathered hurricane season just fine, despite a few dicey moments. It’s important to be thankful for our blessings every day, but this year, we’re just a little extra thankful after a season with hurricanes like Irma. Don’t get me wrong; Irma was no Andrew. I still remember when that happened. I was 9 years old, and it was pretty scary, even though we were far enough to the north that we didn’t get hit as bad as some. A storm like that sticks in your memory for sure, and it’s certainly something I’ll never forget.
overboard with their preparations. And if you’re not from the area, who could blame you? For days and days before a storm hits, the local TV stations switch to 24/7 coverage. I usually stop watching broadcast television about three days before a big hurricane comes in; they turn off all my favorite shows anyway, and it just stresses people out for no reason. Besides, the worst part of the storm is always afterward. Power is down, debris is all over, and the city and utilities take a long time getting things put back together. We don’t usually have water supply issues, but it does happen in the wake of a big hurricane, and of course, grocery stores are closed or running on generator power with limited inventory in stock. That’s never fun when you’ve been eating banana-and-peanut-butter sandwiches for days beforehand, which is what I did during Irma! All things considered, I’m grateful we had the year that we did. We and our loved ones were fortunate in the wake of Irma, and we hope you were as well. I’m also thankful that forecasting has gotten so much better. It would be hard for a storm to sneak up on a community like Andrew did, or like Katrina did just a decade ago.
“We and our loved ones were fortunate in the wake of Irma, and we hope you were as well.”
But when you live in paradise, you take the good with the bad, and hurricanes are just a part of life. I do what I need to prepare, but I don’t go overboard. I’ll pick up a few items here and there, gas up the car when I’m out and a big one is coming in, and if we’re still in the path 48 hours before it hits, I’ll get ready to shutter the house. It doesn’t take long.
Here’s to another storm season ended — and a happy Thanksgiving!
I have friends from places like California who get more freaked out by the storms, and they’ll go
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3 Family Activities
for Thanksgiving
Unless you have a child auditioning for “MasterChef Junior,” you’re probably not going to let the little ones cook the turkey this Thanksgiving. Just because the kitchen might be off limits, though, doesn’t mean you can’t find a few creative ways to make the holiday extra special for your kids. Spice up Thanksgiving with these fun, family-friendly activities. COLORING-BOOK TABLECLOTHS If you have a big family, you are probably familiar with the Thanksgiving tradition of the kids’ table. It may be smaller than the grown-ups’ seating arrangement, but it doesn’t have to be any less special. Turn your kids’ table into a canvas for a colorful, creative dining experience. To do this, use craft or art paper to cover the table. Tape everything down tightly and provide crayons and colored pencils for every place setting. If you want to add some extra holiday spirit, put the drawing supplies in empty cranberry sauce and pumpkin cans. GRATITUDE MOBILES Of course, Thanksgiving isn’t just about delicious food. It’s also about reflecting on the parts of our lives we are grateful for. Teaching kids about
gratitude is the most valuable Thanksgiving lesson. Bring that concept to life with a gratitude mobile.
Grab some colored paper circles — or cut them out — and have your children write down things that they are thankful for. A silver Sharpie is great for this. Punch holes in the tops of the circles and run string through them. Tie the other end of the string to a coat hanger or embroidery hoop and hang it from the ceiling. STUFF THE TURKEY GAME Want to get the kids outside so you can get to work in the kitchen? Create a Thanksgiving-themed game for them to play outside while you prep the stuffing and put the turkey in the oven. To create a holiday-themed “Stuff the Turkey” game, all you need is a few paper bags. We’ll bet you have some left over from shopping. Use two small bags stuffed with scrap paper to create legs and glue them to a larger bag folded to look like the body of a turkey. Now that you have your turkey, you need some balls to stuff it with. Anything soft and baseball-sized will work, even some balled-up paper. Kids will take turns trying to toss the balls into the turkey, scoring points for every shot made.
CASE STUDY
DRIVER CUT OFF FHP, SWERVED, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON I-75
FACTS: At 8 p.m., the defendant was driving home from his job in Medley to his home in Pembroke Pines. He was attempting to merge onto I-75 from the Gratigny Parkway when he cut off a sergeant with the Florida Highway Patrol. After cutting off the FHP and swerving, the defendant was asked to pull over. Upon making contact with the defendant, FHP observed watery, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and an odor of alcohol coming from the defendant’s breath. FHP requested that the defendant perform sobriety exercises, which he refused. He also refused to submit to a Breathalyzer to measure his breath alcohol content. We were retained to represent the defendant, who could lose his job as well as high-
level security clearances should he be convicted of a DUI. Immediately after being hired, we discovered there were a few issues with this case, including an improper stop and issues with the roadsides, implied consent warnings, and Miranda warnings. We wrote a motion to suppress to challenge the evidence. On the day of trial, the state dismissed the DUI.
RESULT: THE STATE DISMISSED THE DUI
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AFTER YOUR RELEASE ...
You’ve served your time, and your incarceration has ended. But your relationship with the legal system is far from over. It’s not just people who haven’t been convicted who need criminal defense attorneys. It’s in your best interest to consult with someone who knows the law to make sure no post-release problems crop up. They’ll make sure you’re well and truly “in the clear.” This is especially important if you’re on parole. If that’s the case, you’re not out of the woods just yet — and one mistake could land you in hot water, or even back in prison. Your attorney is a powerful advocate in this situation; your probation officer may or may not have your best interest at heart, but even if they do, you’re just one of many parolees they have to keep an eye on. Often, the biggest issue parolees face is the financial burdens of being monitored. Drug tests, ankle monitors, vehicle Breathalyzers, and monthly parole fees are expensive, and it can be a lot for someone to pay for, especially if they’ve just been released from prison. An attorney is a good person to have in your
corner if you fall behind on those fees, and they might mean the difference between going back inside and staying a free individual. In addition, there are other strange situations you’ll need to navigate that you don’t want to handle by yourself. If you’ve been pulled over, had to leave the state, or accidentally violated your parole in some other way (which you may not even realize), an attorney can make sure those incidents are viewed for what they are. They’ll make sure those incidents are not used as excuses to put you back behind bars. Even after all conditions of your release have been met and you’re truly free, you still may want an attorney to help you put this piece of your life behind you. Our offices do a lot of expungement and case- sealing, and these can make sure your past mistakes don’t come back up in job interviews and other situations as you start your new life on the outside.
Questions about your release? We’re just a phone call away.
Laugh Out Loud
Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal. Ingredients
•
2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
•
Salt and pepper, to taste
•
2 tablespoons basil pesto
•
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven.
3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven.
Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com.
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INSIDE this issue
1
Another Storm Season Ended
2
3 Family Activities for Thanksgiving
Case Study
3
After Your Release ...
Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes
4
A Very Good Boy
OTIS: UNLIKELY HURRICANE HERO
In late August, the nation was put to the test after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas. Journalists, professional and otherwise, brought back stories and images of the destruction the destruction in Harvey’s aftermath. Among those stories was one about a dog named Otis. Otis, a German shepherd mix, belongs to a 5-year- old boy in Sinton, Texas. “He’s a special dog,” said Salvador Segovia, the grandfather of Otis’ owner. “He’s been instrumental in helping my grandson following numerous hospital visits for seizures and asthma.”
score a free hamburger. Salvador says he’s also the only dog allowed to lie down in front of the county court house. When Harvey struck, dogs, cats, and people sprang into survival mode. For Otis, that meant gathering resources. The morning after the storm, a woman snapped a picture of a damp Otis trotting down the street. In his mouth, he toted an entire bag of dog food, and not a small one. The woman posted the picture to Facebook. “This dog is walking around Sinton, Texas, carrying a [sic] entire bag of dog food with him. LOL #refugee,” the caption read.
The image resonated with people and quickly went viral, being shared over 50,000 times. The people of the Lone Star State have long prided themselves on their pluck and resilience. “Must be a Texas dog cause [sic] he can survive without help,” one commenter wrote online. Another site called him “the hero Texas needed.” Otis’ canine resilience was both humorous and inspirational. The most powerful images in a crisis aren’t of Air Force One or of celebrities donating millions. They’re of ordinary people — and pets — striving, surviving, and making their way back home, just like Otis.
Apparently, Otis is a local celebrity due to his affable nature. He can saunter down to the Dairy Queen and
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