4 December 5-11, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MIAMI-DADE CAVITY SEARCH HEY, AT LEAST WE GET TO KEEP OUR FLUORIDE. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN A s part of his unsuccessful bid for U.S. surgeon general, Flor- ida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo staged a news confer- ence last week to urge local governments to stop adding fluoride to its water supply in their communities. At the press conference in Winter Haven, where officials recently agreed to stop adding fluoride to the town’s water supply by the end of the year, Ladapo deemed fluoridating wa- ter “public health malpractice.” The state’s top health official claimed the mineral increases the risk of neuropsychiatric disease in children and lowers IQ levels, echoing claims voice by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Ser- vices — contrary to a half-century’s worth of research proving that fluoride is safe and in- strumental in preventing dental decay. Early Saturday morning, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez took to social media to repeat the baseless claims. “You’re absolutely right @FLSurgeon- Gen,” Gonzalez, who represents District 11, which encompasses West Kendall and the Hammocks, wrote on the platform formerly known as Twitter. “The science has been ig- nored on this for a long time, we need to act quickly and help save our residents from un- necessary toxins.” Readers had been quick to offer what X likes to call “added context” to Ladapo’s issuance. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called community water fluo- ridation one of the ten great public health in- terventions of the 20th Century. The practice, which was first instituted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945, has significantly contrib- uted to a decline in cavities and improved dental health among children and adults. The anti-fluoride movement has gained traction in recent years; it contends that the naturally occurring mineral poses a danger- ous risk to developing brains. But public health experts say the 0.7 milligrams of fluo- ride per liter of water in community water supplies poses no health risk — and cite the extensive scientific research to prove it. In tandem with Ladapo’s press conference, the Florida Department of Health issued a “community water guidance” press release underscoring the state surgeon general’s rec- ommendation against community water fluo- ridation along with the unfounded claims that the compound is a serious safety concern for pregnant women and young children. In a statement to New Times, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department Director Roy Coley emphasized that his agency regularly samples fluoride levels in the community wa- ter supply to ensure safety. “Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Depart- ment staff samples our drinking water more than 150,000 times a year — beyond what is required — to make sure we meet or exceed all local, state, and federal drinking water reg- ulatory standards — including fluoride,” Coley says. Ladapo’s assertions notwithstanding, Coley notes that the current scientific con- sensus is that community water fluoridation at appropriate levels is an effective public health measure that poses no health risks.” “The department’s current fluoride prac- tices follow public health recommendations, including those from the World Health Orga- nization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Ameri- can Dental Association (ADA), with the con- sensus that fluoridation is an effective public health measure, and affirming that controlled fluoridation at appropriate levels poses no health risks,” Coley elaborates. “The department remains committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our community and will adjust our fluoridation practices if needed based on any changes to regulatory requirements or scientific con- sensus.” | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Photo by Emma Howard/Flickr ▼ MIAMI GARDENS CHEETAH 2, MDPD 0 JUDGE DISMISSES TRAFFIC CITATIONS IN CONTROVERSIAL TYREEK HILL STOP. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN A Miami-Dade County judge has thrown out Tyreek Hill’s traffic tickets for careless driving and failure to wear a seatbelt. Motorcycle officers from the Miami-Dade Po- lice Department (MDPD) had stopped the Miami Dolphins star wide receiver outside Hard Rock Stadium on September 8, hours before the team’s 2024 season opener against the Jackson- ville Jaguars. Traffic court records show the case was tossed owing to “lack of prosecution officer/wit- ness.” Radio host Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 was the first to break the news this morning in a post on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Hill responded from his own account, tweet- ing, “Where all the internet cops now?” Shortly after 10 a.m. on opening day, a pha- lanx of motorcycle officers stopped Hill just out- side the stadium. Bystanders captured the ensuing incident on their cellphones as Hill pulled to the side of the road, only to have an irate Miami-Dade officer forcibly remove him from his sports car, slam him to the pavement, and handcuff him. As the incident unfolded, two of Hill’s team- mates, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith, arrived at the scene. Both were threatened with arrest and Campbell was placed in handcuffs. All were subsequently released. Hill played as scheduled, gaining 130 yards on seven receptions, including an 80-yard catch for a touchdown, in the Dolphins’ 20-17 victory over the Jags. After scoring the TD, Hill pantomimed being handcuffed and teammate Jaylen Waddle led him off the turf. The following day, the county released nu- merous body-cam videos from the 30-minute traffic stop, leading to widespread public outcry over the officers’ actions — Manuel Batista, the arresting officer; and 27-year MDPD veteran Danny Torres, who remains on administrative duty as the department continues to investigate the events of opening day. In the days that followed, Hill called for the county to fire Torres. “He gotta go, man,” the 30-year- old wideout said. “Because in that in- stant right there, like, not only did he treat me bad, he also treated my team- mates with, you know, disrespect. You know, he had some crazy words towards them, and they ain’t even do nothing. Like: What did they do to you? They just walking on the sidewalk.” In a statement to New Times, Hill’s attorney, Devon Jacob, asserted that the officers’ failure to show up in court shows they knew they were in the wrong. “As anticipated, the traffic citations against Tyreek Hill were dismissed,” the civil rights attor- ney writes. “Police officers should not issue cita- tions unless they are willing to testify in court, under oath, with respect to same. Officer Torres’ and Batista’s absence from court today evi- dences their knowledge of wrongdoing. Adds Jacob, “These officers should be disci- plined for their failure to appear.” A MDPD spokesperson confirmed that Ba- tista failed to appear at the hearing. “The Miami-Dade Police Department is aware that a docket of citations issued to multiple indi- viduals, including the non-criminal citations is- sued to Mr. Tyreek Hill, have been dismissed because the officer did not attend the hearing,” the spokesperson says in an emailed statement. “A citation dismissed due to this reason does not indicate that the citation held no merit. “An internal review as to why the officer did not appear in court has revealed an oversight on his behalf,” the statement continues. “This mat- ter will be handled administratively.” [email protected] “AN INTERNAL REVIEW AS TO WHY THE OFFICER DID NOT APPEAR IN COURT HAS REVEALED AN OVERSIGHT ON HIS BEHALF.” Fluoride is instrumental in preventing cavities and tooth decay.
