Rodstrom Racist on Execution Road ?

     It’s one of those political races that leave “dull and boring” and cross over to “sharp and rancorous”!……..  And this weekend, this political battle reached ” boiling point”  with charges of “racism” , dereliction of duty, and illegal procedures!

      It started Friday night on “Execution Road” , a 3 block section of NW 8th Avenue , north of Sunrise Boulevard, in the western part of the neighborhood called South Middle River.  The street, formerly known as “Crack Alley”, due to it’s ever present drug sales, got it’s new name last month after a masked man shot three men in the back of their heads in the middle of the street. One of the men died. The culprit has not been found. The murder is suspected of being drug related.
                                                                           
                                                                        
                                     
                                      NW 8 th Avenue Roadside Memorial for Slain Man

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    The Political maelstrom pits the one-term (3 year),  incumbent Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom
                                                                        

                                                                                                     against top Fort Lauderdale Beach activist Steven Glassman, once a key supporter of Rodstrom’s, who’s been labeling her as ineffective, incapable, and maybe worse! 
                                                                     
                                                                     

     The feisty race also sports dark horse candidate Howard Elfman, who has been quietly working the fringes. 
                                                                        
                                                                    
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       Friday night’s dust-up occurred during the “Crime Meeting”, a monthly meeting sponsored by  Rodstrom for her crime plagued NE/NW 13th Street corridor

     While Rodstrom was starting the meeting in the middle of the dark street, several men began circulating the crowd and loudly challenging her.

     They wore T-Shirts labeled   “Rodstrom = Racism”, and chastised her for only showing up on NW 8th due to the ongoing political campaign. They handed out flyers titled “Rodstrom Go Home” , and claimed, among other things, that she refused to attend a black community forum, and refused to respond to Urban League requests. Police had to intervene to calm down the situation. 
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     Neighborhoods Residents Reacting at Meeting                       


     It was not evident that the Glassman campaign had anything to do with the meeting protesters, but some did reemerge later carrying Glassman campaign yard signs. 

     Later in the weekend, the Glassman campaign sent out a missive suggesting that Rodstrom’s Police Union endorsement might be  illegal”, since only Rodstrom had the opportunity to interview with the FOP. It asked voters to call Union Chief Jack Lokeinsky and him if he thought he could “get away with it”.

     The Primary is just over two weeks away, and more fireworks can be expected to rain down. Cover your head, and stay tuned! 

      
                                                       




                                                        

             
                       
     

    

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