Watchdog Report Vol.11 No.39 Febuary 20, 2011 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot

Public Health Trust: Joint PHT/BCC meeting subdued; new threat is revealed, potential rival to world class Ryder Trauma Center

City of Miami: Commissioner Sarnoff draws two challengers in Callahan & Niemeyer; challengers under funded must target likely voters

Obituary: Passing of Miami Police Sergeant Angel Calzadilla

City of Hialeah: Clinic owner pleads guilty in $5 million health care fraud scam

City of Miami Beach: Arsonist arrested; tourism stronger than ever but challenges remain ahead says Mgr. Gonzalez

Coral Gables: Candidate forum for six candidates running for Commission Seat 4

South Miami: If you want to hear Mayor Stoddard’s state of city speech, better pony up $25 or $200 for a table of ten

>>> Other stories around Florida

Broward County: Grand Jury report gives thumbs down when it comes to school board & district because of ‘corruption’

Okeechobee County: Local gun dealer sentenced for machine gun sales

Monroe County: Homeless people have permanent shelter now and other options, light years from a decade ago

Community Events: Downtown Bay Forum features MIA director Abreu on economic impact of facility & goals in the future — March 1st Kickoff for Women’s History Month – The Women’s History Coalition will launch Women’s History Month honoring Julia Tuttle — A Special Tribute Celebrating the Legendary Cole Porter – March 19

Editorials: Community tensions in Miami-Dade are hot, economic conditions and violence fuel the feeling — Elected leaders are walking through a land mine field when they violate Florida’s Sunshine Law

Letters: Two physician’s comments – one on pill mills & the other on cuts to children’s health programs

Sponsors – Publisher’s mission statement & Subscription information is at the bottom of this issue

>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)

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>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding the University of Miami’s Knight Center of International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University’s School of Communication www.miami.edu to financially support and maintain my webpage.

>>> If you think it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider becoming a supporter or sponsor. For there is no trust fund and I do have to live. I almost did not write this week because of my financial condition. And while I as so many others are facing tough times. I hope you or your organization will consider helping in a small or larger way and help keep another voice on line and in the media. A convenient form is at the bottom of this week’s Watchdog Report with all the instructions on how to support this newsletter and news service that will start its

12^th Anniversary on May 5.

>>> I was on WPBT 2 Issues hosted by Helen Ferre recently and the discussion was on Jackson Memorial Hospital’s finances and selection of a new president & CEO – to see the show go to >>> This Week on Issues – http://channel2.typepad.com/issues/2011/02/this-week-on-issues-211-213.html >>> Jackson Internal Audit: An audit released this week on Jackson’s Foundation Health Services showed questionable expenses, such as spending $735 on supplies that appeared to be for personal use.  We discuss the latest in Jackson’s ongoing fiscal fiasco. Guest: Daniel Ricker, Watchdog Report

>>> CORRECTION & CLARIFICATION: State Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami contacted the Watchdog Report recently by phone and he took exception with some of the past stories on his lobbyist activities. He said when it came to having seven registered clients in Miami; it was because the zoning project he was representing had that many entities and wanted to err on the side of caution. He also said he has worked hard over more than two decades to build up his legal practice and people respect him and elected leaders at the cities or the county have not changed how they react to him, nor does he get a break from them.

He said he is trying to just be a citizen legislator paid a little over $30,000 a year in that capacity but he does have kids in college or approaching and has to make money. He also noted that unlike former County Commissioners Katy Sorenson and Jimmy Morales when they were on the county commission. His net worth actually went down while he was in past elected office he asserted. The state senator left the county commission in 2000 and ran twice as a mayoral candidate in that year and in 2004 but was not elected. He was elected to the state senate this past November and followed in the footsteps of his brother, former state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla who represented the same district through the decade.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> U.S. Rep. Rivera & U.S. Sen. Rubio headline Lincoln Day dinner, but will controversy follow new congressman?

U.S. Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami (Net worth $301,000) and the local Republican Party is rolling the dice when it comes to the party’s 63^rd Lincoln Day Dinner being held Feb. 26 at the Miami Airport Hilton and the event features newly minted U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL (Net worth $8,351) along with another special guest states the invitation that was mailed out. Rivera has been under a cloud with multiple investigations looking at some of his past deals as a political consultant, and the role of his mother, godmother and political strategist Esther Nuhfer in receiving money to promote the expansion of gaming at some of the local dog tracks or for his numerous political campaigns. He has been the subject of investigative stories in the www.miamiherald.com and www.cbsmiami.com along with other stations over the past few months. He says he is innocent of the charges but even long time friends are keeping their distance until the issues are resolved or he steps forward and clears the air, though he has lawyered up. Rivera stepped up to the congressional plate after U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami decided to run in his older brother’s congressional district after Lincoln did not run again last year leaving the congressional District 25 seat open. Rivera originally had his sights on the Florida senate but changed course and beat back Democratic Party challenger Joe Garcia in a rough and tumble viscous race last November, but all through these months. There were questions being raised about his sources of income, and the question is will anymore negative stories come out running up to the event being run by local Republican Party Chair state Rep. Eric Fresen, R-Miami (Net worth $330,000) who followed Rivera as the head of the Miami-Dade GOP.

Anything new come up?

I wrote the above Saturday and today www.miamiherald.com investigative reporters Scott Hiaasen, Patricia Mazzei and Marc Caputo ran out another scathing story on Rivera and his relationship with Esther Nuhfer a political consultant to his campaigns who received some $250,000 in that activity states the general circulation newspaper. The story details his and her subsequent rise in influence as he went up the political food chain, first being named chair of the rules committee by his friend Rubio, speaker of the house at the time. To his then chairing the Florida House Budget Committee his last two years in state office. The paper reports that Nuhfer’s consulting firm Communication Solutions over the past five-years has gotten $817,000 from different Rivera political campaigns, including spending way more than his potential rivals when he ran for Republic Committeeman for Miami-Dade County in 2008, a fairly obscure party post except allowed someone to be a delegate when it came to presidential conventions held by Republicans. At the time, he beat back challengers state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami (Net worth $31,643) and state Rep. Julio Robaina, R-South Miami (Net worth $661,000) for the post, and I got some of that impressive campaign material at the time. It was top-notch and reflected his spending around $250,000 for the campaign says the paper.

What about Fresen’s county lobbying activity?

Fresen works as a land use consultant and he recently registered as a lobbyist with Miami-Dade County representing Landmark Aviation as of Feb. 9.

Fresen

Rivera

Rubio

>>> What about U.S. Rep. Wilson?

U.S. Rep. Fredericka Wilson, D-Miami (Net worth $405,000) has yet to contact the Watchdog Report or amend her financial disclosure forms for 2008 and 2009 where she lists multiple properties including a duplex at the old inflated value found in 2006 and lists no rent from any of the homes. >>> Past WDR: At a second swearing in on Monday with the rest of the South Florida Congressional delegation, the Watchdog Report approached Wilson after the event while she was getting photos taken with supporters and friends. However, I did not want to rain on her parade so I gave her a miss, but she has a simple solution, with little downside. If she just updates her financial disclosure forms to reflect the past two years economic downturn in her assets and amends these required financial disclosure reports on file with the state Ethics Commission, for I will continue to dog this issue until there is a resolution to this financial discrepancy.

Wilson

>>> Press release: On Wednesday, February 16th, 2011, Members of Congress, leaders from the computer and video game industry launched the “Congressional Caucus for Competitiveness in Entertainment Technology (E-Tech Caucus)” on Capitol Hill.

“The E-Tech Caucus is about jobs and our competitiveness around the world,” said U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-8), who also chairs the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and is the Vice Chair-designate of the Joint Economic Committee. “This growing industry has generated more than 120,000 jobs in over 34 states and is a major international player as well. It’s time Congress took notice.”

“The U.S. entertainment software industry is at the forefront of innovation and education, turning what we have thought about video games on its head,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), who is co-chairing the caucus with Congressman Kevin Brady. “At the same time that our children are playing Wii Sports, academic researchers are developing games that explore protein folding, and doctors are using video game simulations to hone their skills. We owe it to our children to explore how these technologies can help America continue to lead the world in innovation. ”This growing sector of our economy contributes an estimated $24 billion in sales annually and employs computer programmers, graphic artists, writers, actors, business managers and audio engineers. With these high tech jobs generating an average salary of $89,000, American colleges and universities are offering degrees to meet the demand of this growing intellectual property sector.  The caucus will also focus on the theft of intellectual property worldwide and how that affects U.S. jobs and competitiveness American companies in a global marketplace.

>>> Press release: Zogby Interactive: Majority of Voters Approve Of 4 of 6 Major Obama Budget Proposals Sharp Partisan Differences Linger

Majorities of likely voters approve of all but two of six major proposals included in President Barack Obama’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a new Zogby Interactive survey finds. Cuts to Low Income Home Energy Assistance and reduction of Community Block Grants for local activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty and infrastructure both fall short of overall majority support, but both proposals are supported by Republicans.

The poll, conducted from February 14-16, outlined major Obama budget proposals and asked voters if they strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, strongly disapprove or are not sure. The combined percentages of those who strongly or somewhat approve of each proposal are shown in the table below. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website: http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1948

>>> All photos in the Watchdog Report are taken from public government sites, and the Report goes on line at www.watchdogreport.net on Monday sometime during the day usually. >>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for I am a low cost news service yet I do have to live, thank you! Further, I have been honored over the years by being named a WFOR-4 Hometown Hero in 2000, being profiled in a major way by The Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel which ran as a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003 and UNC Chapel Hill naming me one of the top columnists in Florida in a  multi-state study of the media back in 2004. I also thank Joseph Cooper for the opportunity to be on the WLRN/NPR showTopical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also numerous times over the past decade.

FLORIDA

>>> South Florida should brace for impact of Arizona Lite illegal immigration law, could affect funding at Jackson Hospital and other public institutions

Republican Gov. Rick Scott is getting off to a shaky start with the Florida Legislature after he suddenly turned down $2.4 billion in federal transportation funds for a high-speed rail line in the state last week, a project the legislature had approved the previous year under then Gov. Charlie Crist www.miamiherald.com . Scott called the project a ‘boondoggle’ and something the state could not afford and would widely exceed the projected costs after overruns and suggested getting federal money for the state’s ports was more appropriate, that had the Port of Miami recently being left out in the cold in President Barack Obama’s well over $3.7 trillion budget he unveiled on Monday. The former healthcare executive was given the benefit of the doubt by Republican legislators after he dispatched the person many of the old guard GOP supported, Bill McCollum in the party primary race. The political novice ran a campaign on the airwaves unmatched in the state’s gubernatorial races history after he spent over $72 million of his own money to be elected. His defeating of Democratic Party candidate Alex Sink in November was by just over 60,000 votes, shows how split Florida is when it came to the two gubernatorial candidates, that had other Republican candidates running around the state getting elected in much larger margins, with super majorities now in both the House and Senate.

Part of the problem Scott has with some Republicans and voters in Florida in general is his past performance when he was founder and head of Columbia/HCA. A private hospital conglomerate with over 300 hospitals, but after a federal investigation in the late 1990s that had Scott, an attorney getting a golden parachute when he left, but did give him a net worth of $218 million.            . The hospital chain would later settle with federal officials paying a $1.7 billion fine for widespread Medicare Fraud, the largest such fine in the nation’s history. Further, in a meeting this week with Black legislators he noted that he had grown up in public housing and gave the impression too some of the leaders attending that all African Americans must live in public housing which is clearly not the case.

What about the issue of an immigration law like Arizona?

Scott during the campaign said he supported an immigration law like in Arizona where local law enforcement is supposed to check on a suspect’s immigration status and would be a nightmare in Miami-Dade, which has the highest concentration of illegal residents in the state. The issue of undocumented immigrants, a federal responsibility, came up at a joint meeting between the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and the Community Partnership for Homeless Friday since some of the people living on the street fall into this category. Ron Book, the trust chair said people need to keep an eye on what is happening on this issue in the upcoming legislative session since it will affect the state’s largest county in a huge way.

Book an attorney and prominent state lobbyist believed if this new legislation passes, which he believes will. He said it will probable not be as draconian as the Arizona legislation, but in South Florida will “exponentially” grow the problem and “uncompensated impacts” could affect Jackson Memorial Hospital when it comes to state Medicaid payments and the ripple effect will be seen at the county and school board level as well. He said once there “is a real law” which he believes would be a “reasoned response” to Floridians cries for tighter immigration laws.

However, Miami-Dade will be the epicenter of trying to enforce the legislation and the homeless trust, which currently has dealt with this issue for years is just trying to “connect the dots” for these people and help them “trace how to get their documentation or retrieve them” allowing these people to get into the process of becoming legal aliens. He suggested helping getting people into the legal immigration process, which many times just means getting lost documents found, has to be stepped up because services  like unemployment compensation or Medicaid provided to the aliens would likely not get state reimbursement funding in the future depending on how the legislation is crafted. He said local government needs to help as well, because if not addressed, it will put further financial strain on local public institutions like the health trust, already under the financial gun facing a $77 million loss for the year ending in September. His advice to illegal aliens is “find out how to become a legal alien in the state,” because things will be changing in the coming months, he said.

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott welcomes senate President Haridopolis’ support

Senate President Haridopolos’ announcement that he is on board the rejection of the federal high-speed rail boondoggle is great news. Like my jobs budget, saying no to high-speed rail is about protecting Florida’s taxpayers and ensuring they keep more of their hard-earned money. President Haridopolos recognizes that cost overruns from the project could put Florida taxpayers on the hook, ridership and revenue projections are historically overly-optimistic, and if the project becomes too costly for taxpayers and is shut down, the state would have to return the $2.4 billion in federal funds to D.C. These risks to Florida’s families are simply too great. In addition, President Haridopolos is right to criticize the bloated spending of our federal government. In Washington, reckless spending continues as President Obama has brought forward a record deficit with his latest budget. That deficit would be added to a national debt that already exceeds $14 trillion. This mountain of debt impedes economic recovery and threatens America’s future. To get Florida and the nation back to work, we must get serious about ending this culture of debt and government waste. I am grateful to have President Haridopolos standing with me.

>>> Press release: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today made the following statement regarding Florida Governor Rick Scott’s decision to decline high-speed rail dollars.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: “We are extremely disappointed by Governor Rick Scott’s decision to walk away from the job creating and economic development benefits of high speed rail in Florida. We worked with the governor to make sure we eliminated all financial risk for the state, instead requiring private businesses competing for the project to assume cost overruns and operating expenses. It is projects like these that will help America out-build our global competitors and lay the foundation needed to win the future. This project could have supported thousands of good-paying jobs for Floridians and helped grow Florida businesses, all while alleviating congestion on Florida’s highways. Nevertheless, there is overwhelming demand for high speed rail in other states that are enthusiastic to receive Florida’s funding and the economic benefits it can deliver, such as manufacturing and construction jobs, as well as private development along its corridors.”

>>> Press release: Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Scott named Charles Trippe as General Counsel to the Executive Office of the Governor.  Trippe will serve as the Governor’s chief counsel and will oversee the complex legal issues that the Counsel’s office handles. The Governor also named Francis Gibbs as Chief of Staff and Jerry Curington as General Counsel of the Florida Department of Transportation. Gibbs and Curington both bring an impressive track record of leadership and policy experience to the department. Trippe was most recently a partner at the Jacksonville law firm of Moseley, Pritchard, Parrish, Knight & Jones, where he practiced in the area of complex civil litigation. He has had extensive experience in the preparation and trial of complex litigation in many jurisdictions, as well as alternative dispute resolution including mediation and arbitration. Prior to joining the firm, Trippe served as General Counsel-Litigation for CSX, Transportation Inc. He is admitted to practice in Florida, New York, and Massachusetts, as well as many federal courts. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia Law School.

Gibbs advised both Congressman Ander Crenshaw and Congressman Connie Mack on transportation policy matters while serving on their staffs from 2001 through 2010, and was most recently Congressman Mack’s Chief of Staff and Chief Policy Advisor. During his tenure working in the United States House of Representatives, Gibbs participated in the drafting, consideration and passage of transportation reauthorization legislation, commonly referred to as SAFETEA-LU. He also worked on FAA reauthorization legislation and Water Resources Development Act reauthorization. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Florida Law School. Currently the General Counsel to the Department of Children and Families, Curington brings decades of experience in the Florida government and legal system to DOT. He has served as a Deputy General Counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor and in private practice with several Florida firms. He previously was the Assistant Deputy Attorney General, where he oversaw the work of more than two hundred lawyers and has served as Deputy General Counsel of the Florida House of Representatives. With more than 34 years of trial and appellate experience, Curington’s experience includes lead counsel responsibilities in hundreds of trial cases. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Florida Law School. “I am glad these three qualified individuals are joining my administration,” said Governor Scott. “They will play an integral role in our mission of creating jobs, encouraging economic development, and improving government efficiency”.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Federal lobbying $2.88 million multiyear contract leads to a commission verbal rumble, despite Commissioners Diaz & Barreiro, Cardenas is axed

A discussion on the county’s federal lobbying firms Tuesday at the Miami-Dade Commission meeting in the morning had people watching the show wondering what was going on, given some of the sharp verbal exchanges between commissioners, split on what to do with a contract first let out in Nov. 2009 by the administration. The discussion came off of President Barack Obama not recommending in his released $3.7 trillion budget Monday any money for the Port of Miami’s 50 foot deep dredge that had officials hoping some small amount might be included to get it into the federal funding system, without requiring a federal earmark, a verboten word today, after a decade of there insertion in the federal budget that skyrocket and led to the bridge to nowhere in Alaska. The federal government needed to pony up $75 million to complete the financial package and now the county has to figure an option B and commissioners and federal legislators will continue the offensive to get the needed funding. However, given the political turmoil facing the county’s elected leaders, specifically Mayor Carlos Alvarez (Net worth $1.74 million) and Commissioner Natacha Seijas (Net worth $617,000) who are potentially facing a March 15 recall vote depending on how the local court rulings break, this issue of the port dredging is just added to the political mix that is Miami-Dade.

The commission after a lengthy discussion eventually settled on four lobbying firms with three getting $190,000 each (Alcalde & Fay, Patton Boggs, and Greenberg Traurig) and the fourth Akerman, Senterfitt & Edison will be paid $150,000 a year, and all firms will be up for review next year and will include a “report card” detailing the firms success in getting money at the federal level. However, one firm Cardenas Partners was jettisoned after being ranked fifth though Commissioners Bruno Barreiro (Net worth $728,000) and Jose “Pepe” Diaz (Net worth $164,000)fought hard verbally to keep Al Cardenas in the mix but the attorney also ran afoul of Commissioner Natacha Seijas. Seijas told commissioners during the discussion she was offended when the former Florida Republican Party Chair under Gov. Jeb Bush, suggested to her the federal lobbying contract should just be “split five ways,” she told commissioners and she railed sternly that the comment crossed the line in her opinion.

What about Alvarez’s State of the County speech Wednesday?

Mayor Alvarez, with the potential recall cloud over his head had the awkward opportunity to make one last pitch in mass to county residents that he should not be recalled at the annual speech, and he gave it to a friendly audience in the county commission chambers that was broadcast live on the county’s cable station www.miamidade.gov and he is standing by his past decisions when it comes to the new Florida Marlins baseball stadium and more recently supporting along with some commissioners the setting of the roll back tax rate for property taxes.

Alvarez

Seijas

What about the mayor using county resources to fight back

Alvarez is fighting the validity of the recall petition signatures in court but once the court’s rule and if an election date is set. He must no longer use county people and assets for his anti recall effort and a press release from his office a few weeks ago already raised the question on the commingling of public dollars with a political issue and a campaign, which is verboten under state law and why candidates cannot generally campaign in public buildings.

Why are voters wanting him recalled, he did not commit a crime?

Alvarez who championed a strong mayor form of government and granted by voters in 2007 since his election in 2004 has had a political tone deaf ear and a number of missteps have occurred that makes him seem out of touch with community taxpayers just fighting in many cases to stay in their homes or feed their families. The former county police director is being attacked on Spanish airwaves where the issue is being debated, though as Alvarez notes many of his critics don’t say what alternatives they are proposing to keep county services at effective and safe levels.

>>> How does next year’s county budget look?

County Manager George Burgess in a conversation last week with the Watchdog Report Thursday said he is being told the shortfall for next year’s budget will be roughly $250 million less than the current year and that will be added to the almost $1 billion in cuts by the county over the past four years since the economy tanked.

>>> Once again former Miami mayor Suarez says he will run for Miami-Dade Commission Dist. 7

Xavier Suarez told the Watchdog Report Wednesday that he was going to run again for county Commission District 7 since incumbent Commissioner Carlos Gimenez (Net worth $871,000) is running for Miami-Dade mayor in 2012 if not earlier depending on the Mayor Alvarez recall results. Suarez lost an earlier bid in 2004 for the seat to Gimenez and also failed in his attempt to be Miami mayor again in 2001 not making the runoff between Maurice Ferre and Manny Diaz. Diaz (Net worth $1.8 million) won that race back then, but Suarez has continued to seek elected office. The former Miami mayor was the city’s first Cuban American, but his last election in the 1990s was later overturned because of ballot fraud, though he was never charged. That race would also touch later removed Miami commissioner Angel Gonzalez (Net worth $843,000) who later plead to a lesser charge, allowing Gonzalez the ability to run in the future after then commissioner Willy Gort (Net worth $185,000 in 2000) ran for Miami mayor in 2001, that he lost. Gort replaced Gonzalez after a plea deal last year on the dais and Gort is up again in 2011.

However, Suarez, a Harvard educated attorney has baggage and over the years some of his antics has caused controversy and ridicule in the public eye and some critics are surprised he is throwing his hat into the political ring again after the past rebuffs by voters, but self confidence seems to be in abundant supply with the man. He is likely to face a host of challengers including former state Rep. Julio Robaina, R- South Miami who lost his bid for the state senate to state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami in the Republican primary.

>>> Press release: THE HONORABLE JOEL H. BROWN RE-ELECTED TO SECOND TERM AS CHIEF JUDGE

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit is pleased to announce that the Honorable Joel H. Brown was re-elected – without opposition – to another two-year term as Chief Judge. First appointed to the bench in 1990 as a County Court Judge, Chief Judge Brown served as Associate Administrative Judge of the Criminal Traffic Division, and later Administrative Judge of the Criminal Division of County Court. In 1994, he was appointed to the Circuit Court, where he went on to serve as Administrative Judge of the Family Division from 2000 until his election as Chief Judge in 2009. The Chief Judge has administrative authority over the entire Circuit and is elected to this post every two years by his fellow judges. Visit us on the Web: www.jud11.flcourts.org

>>> Press release: In an effort to protect consumers, the Miami-Dade County Consumer Services Department (CSD) joined the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and law enforcement officers from the cities of Hialeah and Miami to ensure that towers are complying with the law.

During a recent sting operation in the City of Miami, a total of 25 towers were stopped for inspection.   Enforcement officers issued seven (7) citations and six (6) warnings to towers for several infractions including unlicensed business activity, advertising, safety chain violations and failure to maintain a manifest trip record.  In addition, City of Miami Police impounded a tow truck because the driver was conducting business without a license. “Our enforcement officers monitor towing activities to ensure that consumers do not become victims of dishonest business practices,” said Miami-Dade Consumer Services Director Cathy Grimes Peel.  “Protecting our consumers is our priority, and we are out there making sure everyone is following the law.”

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Supt. Carvalho sees “massive reductions” in coming months in capital & maintenance department’s employees

Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent of public schools told the school board at their monthly board meeting that when it comes to funding capital needs for the nation’s fourth largest district with almost 400 schools, that will have to take a back seat to education and teachers in the classroom, he said. “Moving ahead it will mean the necessary curtailment of the capital budget that is funded locally” and he is predicting in March or April “massive reductions” in employees in these departments and he is “not sugar coating” the seriousness of the issue. He said building and construction “staff will not be needed” anymore and will include “redeploying central staff [in the administration] back to the classrooms as openings come up,” he said.

Lawrence Feldman, the school board vice chair asked if these employees would be informed of their being let go before this “strategic bomb” hits them noting “some employees are very nervous” and asked if there was “anyway to relieve their pain,” he wondered. However, Carvalho had told the board over a year ago that with the new budget coming up in July the district “would be going off a cliff” in the coming months because of drying up of federal stimulus money that the state legislators used to bolster school districts budgets around the state over the last few years.

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Joint PHT/BCC meeting subdued; new threat is revealed, potential rival to world class Ryder Trauma Center

An annual joint meeting between the PHT board and the Miami-Dade County Commission Thursday was expected to include verbal fireworks when it came to the public hospital system, but cooler minds actually prevailed. Almost two dozen people were seated at the county commission dais in small chairs to accommodate the up to 28 officials that could have attended not including the mayor. Some critics believe this large group providing oversight to the PHT is the problem and administrative officials, union representatives and the Dean of the University of the Miami Miller Medical Pascal Goldschmidt, M.D. sat at a table facing the leaders giving their explanations and thoughts on the struggling healthcare system. The public hospital, over 90 years old with affiliations with the Miami medical school and FIU medical school is struggling with its cash on hand, while delivering around $700 million in charity care and the funding over the past decade has not kept up with the county’s residents need where at least 500 to 600,000 people don’t have health insurance. Further, since 2008 the trust has received $100 million less from the half-cent countywide sales tax and property tax revenues from the county as a maintenance of effort.

Ted Shaw, the chief transition officer of the $1.9 billion health system said the organization was being pushed into a corner and while the traditional medical care in the past was to treat and heal patients that were uninsured, the institution is only required in many cases to only “stabilize a patient” and in the future a form of social triage may end up taking place, especially if they are from out of the country seeking uncompensated medical treatment that usually is very serious in nature and expensive.  Past hospital executives have said the crisis was coming and former PHT President & CEO Marvin O’Quinn showed commissioners a graph in June of 2008 that had three colors, green, yellow and red in 2011 when the system would be unable to make payroll, if adjustments were not made since then. The trust is now at that stage and is looking for another advance from the county in the range of $70 million to prime federal and state drawdown dollars like was done last year to the tune of $80 million. And in the short term $32 million upfront is needed and a letter requesting that is going to Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s office in the coming days.

What about the Ryder Trauma Center?

During the many hours discussion one new wrinkle was brought into the debate and it had to do with the UM/PHT Ryder Trauma Center established in 1992, the only Class 1 Emergency Room in Miami-Dade and the regions anchor trauma center. President Eneida Roldan, M.D., told commissioners that Columbia/HCA was trying to get approval for Kendall Regional Memorial Hospital to set up a Trauma Center but it would only be a Class II facility. Other senior staff of UM noted such a facility now is a profit center since many of the patients are traffic accidents but a second center would badly erode Ryder’s capabilities not only by reducing the number of patients coming to the 24/7 operation with the operating room and all other tests available and the attendant costs. But the Miller Medical School and the department of surgery uses the facilities for “residency and surgical academic training” as well and why trauma physicians from Palm Beach south were probable all trained at UM/Jackson Memorial Hospital said one senior surgeon. He also noted since 9/11 every Army surgical team going to the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the president’s surgical team has rotated through Ryder and speaks to the level of medical care that is being provided.

The private hospital chain founded and run for years formerly by Gov. Rick Scott is pushing this issue statewide and executives are hoping to get approval for six such centers around the state. Here in Miami-Dade, the consensus among the physicians and hospital administration at Jackson is that the process is now political. And local leaders must make it clear that opening a second trauma center, would not increase this type of medical care, but would diminish it countywide.

>>> UM appointee Arriola clears the PHT Nominating Council, next up is county commission

University of Miami trustee Joe Arriola, the organization’s appointment to the PHT 15-member board cleared the PHT Nominating Council on Feb.8 and his name will come to the full Miami-Dade County Commission for approval in the coming weeks. Arriola had been previously on the health trust board during the contentious days when past President Ira Clark was being replaced, but left the volunteer oversight board when he became the City of Miami manager earning $1 a year in early 2003. He left that capacity in June 2006 and reapplied to the PHT board but failed to get the Council’s nod the second time around. People suggest that Arriola, who in the past has had a mercurial personality has calmed down in his older age and if he is approved by the commission. The public will get to see if he has mellowed out when it comes to being a public figure representing the Miller Medical School on the trust. On his application to the PHT board he filled out, he lists UM President Dr. Donna Shalala, Dr. Philip George and Miami-Dade Manager George Burgess as references. The Burgess reference is only important because he is a possible PHT president & CEO candidate in the coming months ahead and Arriola would be voting on the person selected to head the hospital system.

What about the other trustees up?

The terms for six trustees will be expiring on Oct. 15 on the 17-member board that includes two county commissioners as voting members. The people up then are Arriola, and incumbent trustees Jorge Arrizurieta, Joaquin Del Cueto, Abraham Galbut, Martin Zilber and Gladys Ayala. The terms are for three-years on the volunteer board that has to deal with the vexing financial problems facing the health trust that gives almost $700 million in charity care and citizens that just want to have their resume punched by being on this most important board are not welcome given the magnitude of the challenges on this high profile board that demands only the best people, who have the extensive time and dedication to serve.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Commissioner Sarnoff draws two challengers in Callahan & Niemeyer; challengers under funded must target likely voters

There is a slightly less upbeat step in Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff’s life now that two rival candidates have filed paperwork to challenge him in the November 2011 election to his District 2 seat that runs along the bay in the city. Sarnoff (Net worth $2.17 million) an admiralty attorney knocked off appointed Commissioner Linda Haskins in 2006 and has not looked back since. At the time, he was considered the David versus Goliath candidate given his paltry campaign war chest that dwarfed Haskins over $700,000 in contributions but he won voter approval with a two to one winning margin at the time. However, this time the tables are turned and he is the incumbent with the big political pockets and it remains to be seen how that fact will pan out and if there is any anti-incumbent blow back at the polls that could result in a runoff election after the Nov. election.

Now he has almost $300,000 in his campaign war chest and many of his supporters have given him almost cult like status since then but his critics are ferocious in their disdain. He has now drawn two women candidates, Kate Callahan, a healthcare consultant with a Ph.D. and Michelle Niemeyer, an attorney both on the Coconut Grove Village Council, where he started his political career, where he lead the fight to stop a Home Depot being established along U.S. 1 in the Grove. But the company did open the store despite the controversy that propelled him to first the Council dais as chair, and then the Miami commission. His run for the local Grove Council years ago was a dry run for his campaign for the commission seat, he and his supporters knocked on voter’s doors in the small community, and he considers the area his stronghold. However, the district also includes the new condominiums downtown and the Upper East Side and there is grumbling that he focuses on the Grove to much at the determent of other parts of the district, though he claims that is a false comment. Further, voter turnout historically is not very high for these races and in past races, the Grove was his fundamental voter base when it came to actual people voting and it remains to be seen if Callahan and Niemeyer converts this critical voter block if they wish to be victorious over the incumbent candidate.

Sarnoff is a man of contrasts

However, Sarnoff is a man of contradictions calling for major reforms when it comes to ethics and lobbyists that were instituted but he also had to move his legal practice from his home in the Central Grove after being hounded in the local blogs. He also created controversy by claiming his grand father was General David Sarnoff, the founder of NBC, a major figure around the nation, who resided in the Princeton New Jersey area where he has his own library. During his first campaign for the commission back then, he referenced the now deceased grandfather as one of the people that helped create his foundation of beliefs in transparency and tackling tough issues head on at a candidate forum at St. Stephens Church, and in his first speech after being sworn in front of city hall where he also invoked Martin Luther King, Jr., words along with many other Great Ones at the time. However, reporter Francisco Alvarado with the Miami New Times www.miaminewtimes.com contacted the Sarnoff Library a few years ago after the election and asked about the grandson and representatives told the reporter he was not related to the family, that he had referenced on his city web-page prior to the story but was later removed after it broke. However, Alvarez kept the old page verbiage for people to read, that had people shaking their heads in disbelief.

What about being on WPBT Issues this weekend?

Sarnoff was on WPBT Issues hosted by Helen Ferre over the weekend where he passed on speaking about the status of Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito who has come under fire by Commissioner Richard Dunn II and Mayor Tomas Regalado after seven fatal shootings since he took over the department last year. The police department has 1,100 sworn officers and is the largest department in the city. However, Sarnoff did make a major pitch during the interview by Ferre for the reinstatement of the Brady Bill banning assault rifles like the AK 47 that sunset in 2004 and also called for the prohibition of extended ammunition clips. Sarnoff is a gun owner with ten weapons, shoots at clay pigeons and at one time in his past was in law enforcement he has said from the dais. During the show, Sarnoff showed Ferre the number of bullets that can fit in the extended ammunition clips that actually had real bullets in them. And while there were no guns on the table, carrying live ammunition into a television studio is unusual. To see the show go to http://channel2.typepad.com/issues/

Further, Sarnoff gives the impression to many that he is the smartest person in the room, has a habit of making fun of others at their expense, and that is a very dangerous trait for a politician and his comments many times rubs some residents the wrong way. He also changed noticeable in 2007 after he won a full term after serving out one-year left on the previous commissioner’s term and has given the impression that people better get used to him in power. Since he believed, he would be in office for another full term as well and is now seeking in 2011. It remains to be seen how he deals with these new women candidates, because in Haskin’s case. He was able to make her the lap dog of Mayor Manuel Diaz at the time who helped her raise campaign money but he will not be able to marginalize these candidates with that brush and readers should stay tuned and see how this race pans out.

OBITUARY

>>> Passing of Sergeant Angel Calzadilla – press release: Mayor Tomas Regalado, the City Commission and the City Manager express their condolences to the Calzadilla family and the police community.  “We have lost a fine police officer and a great human being,” said Mayor Regalado. When he was informed that Angel succumbed to his illness and drifted into an eternal sleep.

>>> The following e-mail was sent to (now former) Mayor Manny Diaz using his e-mail address on his extensive city web-page on Sept. 13, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. and to date there has been no answer from the mayor. It currently goes to his new e-mail address.>>> “Mayor Diaz (Net worth $1.8 million), I wanted to ask you in the chamber today but not in front of Chair Joe Sanchez. My question is where did the extra $400,000 in the 2007 disclosure form come from? I will run what ever you respond unedited but I would appreciate closing this issue, as I am sure you do. Sorry but I have to ask.  Best to all. Dan”  >>>> The Watchdog Report through Dec.7 has yet to get a response or catch-up with Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz on where he got the extra $400,000 in cash listed in his 2007 financial disclosure forms. To see what CBS 4 reporter David Sutta’s take on this issue and the other city leaders financial disclosures go to cbs4.com Blogs .

>>> Readers should stay tuned and catch the meeting on the city’s cable station channel 77. >>> Stream Channel 77, for all City of Miami meetings, (Commission, PAB,CIP, Code, etc. hearings)    http://videos.miamigov.com/

CITY OF HIALEAH

>>> Clinic owner pleads guilty in $5 million health care fraud scam

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Christopher B. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigation, and Mark Overton, Chief, City of Hialeah Police Department, announce that defendant Ramon Moreira, 82, of Miami-Dade County, pled guilty today to one count of health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347.  Sentencing has been scheduled for May 17, 2011 before U.S. District Judge Richard W. Goldberg. According to court records, the fraud involved false billing of durable medical equipment to the Medicare Program.  In March 2007, Moreira became the President of J&G Health Care, Inc., a Miami-Dade County DME company. From February 27, 2007 to May 16, 2007, Moreira caused J&G to submit more than $5 million in false claims to Medicare for, among other items, urinary leg bags.  Medicare paid approximately $1 million on these false billings.

Moreira was indicted in 2007 and subsequently fled the United States upon learning of the health care fraud charges.  He was found attempting to re-enter the United States at the Port of Miami in late 2010 and was taken into custody. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts the of the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the Hialeah Police Department, as well as the South Florida Medicare Fraud Strike Force.  Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in seven districts have obtained indictments of more than 560 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $1.2 billion.  In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.  To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Randy Katz and H. Ron Davidson. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Arsonist arrested, tourism stronger than ever but challenges remain ahead says Mgr. Gonzalez

The Watchdog Report contacted city Manager Jorge Gonzalez asking how the Miami Beach economy was doing and what was happening regarding all the fires that were being set in the historic district of the city. Since that e-mail the police have arrested a drifter spotted in the crowd after one of the blazes and the man may be responsible for other recent fires as well, states www.miamiherald.com . Gonzalez in the e-mail on Wednesday wrote, “The Miami Beach Boat Show, as you know makes coming over here a bit more challenging, but the business and hotels are benefiting with enhanced revenues. The Beach economy (namely tourism) is stronger and headed in a good direction. The Resort Tax is up year over year in the double digits in spite of Super Bowl and Pro Bowl being hosted last year.  Parking revenue is up and we are hopeful that the remainder of the season will be strong as well.  Remember, cold weather in the rest of the country (particularly in the Northeast) means more business for all of us here in South Florida. That said, local governments in Florida and across the Country are facing serious challenges lingering from the downturn of the economy and reduced resources,” wrote Gonzalez.

What about the fires?

“We have had 3 fires in the past 7 days in the Collins Park Historic District. It is obviously unusual and we are working with the State Fire Marshal, ATF and our Fire and PD to properly investigate all leads.  We are also working to secure other historic buildings to help deter or prevent similar fire events from happening.  So far no one (neither staff nor public) have been hurt, thankfully,” wrote the veteran city manager.

>>> Meeting notice: Plans for a major expansion of the Miami Beach Convention Center will be discussed by the city commission’s Finance and Citywide Projects Committee at its meeting on Thursday, Feb. 24, 3:30PM, City Commission Chambers, 3rd floor, City Hall.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Candidate forum for six candidates running for Commission Seat 4

“Keeping you abreast of the pressing issues affecting Coral Gables.” -The Ponce Business Association is sponsoring three Candidate Forums for the upcoming Coral Gables City Commission election on April 12, 2011.

Our second Candidate Forum, for City Commission Seat 4 will be on Tuesday, March 1st at the Church of the Little Flower (Comber Hall – 1251 Palermo Avenue).  The doors will be open to the public at 7:00 pm.  From 7:00 pm to 7:15 pm audience attendees will be given cards with which they can write a question that can be directed to the panel or individual candidates.  The questions must be signed by the audience member to be accepted.    The Forum will begin at 7:15 pm and the Moderator is WCBS4 news anchor Eliott Rodriguez. If you wish to attend this event please RSVP at poncebusiness@gmail.com : Editor’s note.: The candidates are Jackson Rip Holmes, 920 Sevilla Avenue, #206, Coral Gables, FL 33134 – (305) 338-5000, Richard W. Martin II, 1234 South Dixie Highway, Suite 156, Coral Gables, FL 33146, Frank C. Quesada, 355 Alhambra Circle, Suite 801, Coral Gables, FL 33134, Brad Rosenblatt, 2700 Ponce De Leon Blvd. Coral Gables, FL 33134, Gonzalo Sanabria, 944 San Pedro Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33156 -(305) 785-4239.

SOUTH MIAMI

>>> If you want to hear Mayor Stoddard’s state of city speech, better pony up $25 or $200 for a table of ten

Note to Mayor Philip Stoddard, if you are going to give a State of the City speech, you might want to do it somewhere where people and the public can come and listen to it free. The Miami Herald www.miamiherald.com in today’s Neighbors section writes  he is giving it on Thursday, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the South Miami/Coral Gables Elks Club located at 6304 SW 78^th St. in South Miami. The cost to attend is $200 per table of ten and $25 for an individual and a RSVP is requested by calling the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at 305.668.7232. In all my years, I have never heard of someone charging to hear what the state of the county or municipality mayors have to say about the past and future years and the Watchdog Report suggests a free venue would be a better choice because public money is involved since a city department is coordinating the program.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Grand Jury report gives thumbs down when it comes to school board & district because of ‘corruption’

A blistering Grand Jury report released Friday details a public schools district school board that should be abolished if it was not against state law since ‘We cannot imagine any level of incompetence that would explain what we have seen,’ state’s www.miamiherald.com in a front page story Saturday. The report goes on to say, ‘we are reluctantly compelled to conclude that at least some of this behavior can best be explained by corruption of our officials by contractors, vendors and their lobbyist.’ The Broward school district is the sixth largest in the nation but the over involvement of the school board in its administration has been the source for numerous news stories over the years but this grand jury report puts perspective on the past decade that had schools being built where they were not needed, in the east part of the county, while saddling the district and county taxpayers with over $2 billion in debt that has to be serviced in the coming years.

The report lists 21 recommendations including reducing the nine member board to five, having the superintendent be elected, modify school board rules when it comes to items on the board agenda, prohibit elected leaders from accepting campaign contributions from contractors and vendors doing business with the district and ethics training and testing from an independent organization. The school board has been flying under the public radar for a number of years but recently federal and state prosecutors have sent ex board member Beverly Gallagher to prison and a second colleague Stephanie Kraft is awaiting trial, though she says she is innocent. The report further states they have no faith that the school board can change this rampant influence peddling and suggests an outside organization should monitor the board and administration in the years ahead. While the Watchdog Report has not read the report, the severity and critical nature validates what many critics have said for years but where shut down by the powers to be at the district and continues the self reflection of public institutions in the state’s second largest county that clearly has its problems since over a dozen elected leaders over the past few years have gone to jail. >>> For another take on the issue from an investigative reporter who has been covering the school board and raising questions about what was going on for years go to Bob Norman’s post on http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/

>>> Fort Lauderdale office manager pleads guilty to stealing $647,000 from employer

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael K. Fithen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office, announced that defendant Kelly Lisa Duncan, 46, of Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty today to a Criminal Information charging her with one count of mail fraud involving the theft of funds from her employer totaling over $647,799. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2011 at 10:00am before U.S. District Judge  James I. Cohn.  Duncan faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. According to the Criminal Information and statements made in court during today’s plea hearing, Duncan was an office manager at Veterinarian Management Associates Inc., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  As office manager, Duncan handled the books, records and bank accounts of the company. According to the charges and statements made in court, between December 2004 and October 2010, Duncan embezzled more than $647,799 from the company’s bank accounts by issuing  payroll checks to non-existent employees and issuing second payroll checks to employees, which she later cashed at a local bank, using the money for her own benefit.  As part of the plea agreement announced in court today, Duncan agreed to make mandatory restitution of $647,799 to Veterinarian Management Associates, Inc. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Secret Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Kay. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

>>> Press release: www.BrowardBulldog.org is pleased to welcome Gene Cryer to its board of directors.

Cryer was editor and vice president of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for 15 years before retiring to pursue his passion for writing novels. He worked as a reporter and editor at several Illinois newspapers prior to becoming the chief editorial executive of the Sun-Sentinel in 1979. During his tenure in South Florida, the Sun-Sentinel doubled its circulation to more than 300,000 daily and 400,000 on Sunday. Cryer’s addition to the BrowardBulldog.org board is important because online newsrooms can have difficulty establishing credibility in today’s media landscape. Legacy media have the luxury of their recognizable brands and past reputations to give them instant, if possibly undeserved, integrity. But virtual newsrooms can only rely on their resolute journalistic standards to build a trustworthy name. Cryer’s place on the board underscores BrowardBulldog.org’s commitment to accurate reporting in the public interest.

“Because of a variety of factors, some of them economic and some unfortunately philosophical, independent investigative reporting is an element of today’s journalism that is conspicuously absent on too many days,” said Cryer. “Broward Bulldog can help fill that void, and I want to be a part of helping it succeed.” Cryer is a former Pulitzer Prize juror who has won awards as a journalist, manager and short story writer. He was honored by Southern Illinois University as an outstanding journalism alumnus, and served on the alumni advisory committee of the College of Mass Communications and Media Arts. He taught journalism as an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, conducted editing workshops for the Florida Center for the Book and the National Writers Workshop and is the immediate past president of The Writers’ Network of South Florida. He also serves as a volunteer narrator recording books and periodicals for Insight for the Blind. Cryer’s principal avocation over the years has been as an award-winning horse exhibitor and breeder. He served two years as national president of the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association and ten years on the board of directors.

“What sets us apart is our coverage of stories that other news outlets don’t see as priorities,” said Dan Christensen, BrowardBulldog.org’s founder and editor.  “Their content is driven by popularity. We recognize that entertainment and breaking news get a lot of clicks, but we want to deliver news that helps citizens make informed decisions for themselves, their families and their communities. That conviction guided Mr. Cryer’s leadership at the Sun-Sentinel and is the foundation of our existence,” Christensen added. BrowardBulldog.org is an independent online newspaper created to provide original, local reporting

in the public interest. We are Florida’s first nonprofit regional news site staffed by veteran, professional journalists. Our reporters provide issue-oriented and investigative coverage of government, politics, the courts, education, business, the environment, health and public safety.   For more information about contributions and sponsorships, contact Kitty Barran, Director of Development, at 954-817-3434 or kbarran@browardbulldog.org

>>> Thank you for using the Broward County Commission Agenda E-mail Notification System. A new Broward County Commission Agenda is available. Point your browser to http://www.broward.org/commission/welcome.htm to view the new agenda.

MONROE COUNTY

>>> Homeless people have permanent shelter now and other options, light years from a decade ago

With the recent cold weather the Watchdog Report contacted County Administrator Roman Gastesi last week and asked how they took care of their homeless population in the nation’s most southern county. The county residents in the early 2000s along with local organizations were actually giving their homeless population money to leave the area by bus, but in the old days, they would generally get off in Miami and use the money that was left over to hang out in South Florida. However, since those days the community has stepped up to the plate and offers assistance to these people. The administrator in an e-mail last week wrote, “The Social Services network throughout Monroe County continues to explore ways to meet and balance the needs of the homeless [population] with the needs of the County’s residents and visitors.  There is a permanent overnight shelter that stays open in Key West every night.  There are several temporary overnight shelters set up throughout Monroe County that are open only during cold or otherwise inclement weather and Emergency Management tracks and notifies the County of upcoming weather related concerns.  All the agencies are then made aware of the information and temporary shelters are opened as warranted,” wrote Gastesi on the issue last week.

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY

>>> Local gun dealer sentenced for machine gun sales

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced yesterday’s sentencing of defendant Edward Todd Basile, 47, of Okeechobee, Florida, on federal firearms law violations, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6), and transfer of unregistered machine guns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861 (e).  U.S. Judge Jose E. Martinez sentenced Basile to 46 months in prison, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to in-court statements, Basile worked for Gun Smoke Enterprises, a federally licensed firearms dealer based in Okeechobee, that sells firearms at southern Florida gun shows and over the Internet.  As stated in presentations in open court, Basile met on multiple occasions with a cooperating witness who was a convicted felon, and sold the informant firearms and parts to construct M-16 fully automatic rifles.  “Fully automatic” weapons are defined in federal law as those firearms that will repeatedly fire more than one shot, when the trigger is pulled only once.  According to in-court statements, Basile instructed and assisted the cooperating witness in preparing false federal firearms transaction forms, using someone Basile thought was a third person, or “straw buyer,” to pretend to be the actual buyer of the firearms.  The person portraying the straw buyer was, in fact, an undercover ATF agent.  In addition, Basile on multiple occasions delivered to the informant parts designed to convert an otherwise lawful, semi-automatic rifle, such as the AR-15, into a fully automatic machine gun, such as the military’s M-16 rifle.  Federal law requires such parts to be registered, as well as the law restricts their creation, possession and transfer.  Basile delivered parts that were not numbered or registered. U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ATF.  In addition, he thanked both the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office and the Glades County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance on the investigation of this case.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein. >> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls .

>>> Press release: Governor Scott Appoints Judge Burton Conner to Fourth District Court Of Appeal

Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Judge Burton C. Conner of Fort Pierce to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Judge Conner represents the values and judicial conservatism I am looking for in our judges. He has a great reputation in the community and a great law-and-order demeanor,” Governor Scott said. “Primarily a criminal court judge for most of the past 15 years, he has demonstrated a judicial philosophy that makes him unlikely to overstep the role of the judiciary.” Judge Conner, 58, has served on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court since 1997 and was an Okeechobee County Court judge from 1984 to 1988. His private practice experience was with Conner and Hooker from 1996 to 1997, as a sole practitioner from 1989 to 1996, and with Conley and Conley from 1979 to 1984.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Duke University and his law degree from the University of Florida. >> Judge Conner will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Gary Farmer.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> The Downtown Bay Forum is holding its monthly luncheon Feb. 23 and features Jose Abreu, the director of Miami International Airport and is being held at Temple Israel, a new location. He will discuss the role of the facility to the community, its economic affect and what is in store in the future. For further information go to www.downtownbayforum.com

>>> March 1st Kickoff for Women’s History Month – On Tuesday, March 1st at Noon, the Women’s History Coalition will launch Women’s History Month with a celebration of the life of Julia Tuttle, mother of Miami.  It will be held at the Miami City Cemetery, 1800 NE 2nd Avenue, Julia’s final resting place.  The event will be opened by a Girl Scout flag detail with a welcome by Miami mayor, Tomas Regalado.  Highlights of Julia’s life and Miami’s history will be presented by noted historian Paul George with an appearance by Penny Lambeth in the persona of Julia. Refreshments will be served. The event is open to the public. >>> The Women’s History Coalition, founded in 1983, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and accomplishments of women in Miami-Dade County and has published two books, Julia’s Daughters and Beyond Julia’s Daughters, to that end.  The Coalition also honors six Women of Impact annually, choosing outstanding women who have made significant contributions to the community.  The awards banquet will take place on March 3rd.  For further information, visit the website: www.womenshistorycoalitionmiamidade.org.

>>> A Special Tribute Celebrating the Legendary Cole Porter – March 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets $50 – $125 – John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall – Now celebrating its Fifth Anniversary Season, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly presents the return to the Adrienne Arsht Center of the famed Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, under the baton of renowned conductor Keith Lockhart, on March 19, 2011 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. The program will honor the marvelous Cole Porter in celebration of the 120th anniversary of his birth. Porter’s saucy style will come to life with special guests Kelli O’Hara, who recently starred in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of South Pacific, and Jason Danieley, who most recently starred on Broadway in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal. Highlights of the tribute, entitled You’ll Get a Kick Out of Cole, include Porter’s iconic songs: “Night and Day,” “I Get A Kick Out of You,” “Begin the Beguine,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “What Is This Thing Called Love?,” plus much more. Works by Berlin, Bernstein, Gershwin, and Rodgers will also be performed.

The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra is the third engagement of the new four-concert 2010-2011 Signature Pops Series as part of the John S. and James L. Knight Masterworks Season. Tickets range from $50 to $125 and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org. >> A supreme tunesmith and witty wordsmith, Cole Porter was one of the greatest contributors to the Great American Songbook and one of the few Tin Pan Alley composers to have written both the lyrics and music for his songs. “We are thrilled to showcase the timeless tunes of this great American songwriting icon, interpreted by two of today’s most celebrated Broadway stars and performed by one of America’s most treasured musical institutions,” said M. John Richard, president and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center.

EDITORIALS

>>> Community tensions are hot, economic conditions and violence fuel the feeling

Anyone that does not think there is major social tension or the community is in a “crisis” is not listening to the people on the ground and in the trenches for the duration of this financial Great Recession is grinding down many in our community and it is reflected in the up tick in crime seen around the county. Further, the recent killings of law enforcement officers around the state and the seven shootings of local residents, all Black in Miami has stoked the fire of discontent and it is bubbling and manifesting itself in a variety of ways. Many community leaders are seeing it, the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board over 40-years old is dealing with it as best it can but the coming months and years ahead will not be easy as the economy slowly bounces back, but many of the old jobs are gone now. And without a job and income there is no life or opportunity for far too many of us that crosses a broad spectrum of people in South Florida.

At a Miami-Dade Homeless Trust joint meeting with the Community Partnership for Homeless (CPH) on Friday staff discussed who is homeless these days and it is not like in the past where 51.5 percent were living on the streets because of financial reasons. The new reason is disability or illness coming in at 48 percent states Trust updated documents and includes people with a third grade education to people with a master’s degree, attorneys and even physicians said staff. Further, documents indicate one in three people experiencing homelessness are in families which is becoming a bigger issue especially at shelters, because there is a increased number of men between 18 to 24 becoming part of the population and they “are not wanting programs” to help them get off the street and are “very resistance” to help and hang out in groups that creates a “concern abut security,” said H. Daniel Vincent, the executive director of CPH.

It is this community underside that cuts across all ethnic groups that sees the great wealth of some but find their world and finances going in the other direction that is causing this rising tension and when you factor in the demographics of South Florida with peoples coming from all over the planet. Those people that have great success need to be grateful and sensitive to what others are facing in their personal lives, be it sickness or financial distress because if you live in Miami-Dade you are on a ship. And we have yet to determine if it’s fate is a safe crossing or the Titanic, and with a social and economic iceberg looming on the horizon, how we deal with it will show what Miami is really about because whether you like it or not. We will collectively sink or swim together in the coming months of great challenges.

>>> Elected leaders are walking through a land mine field when they violate Florida’s Sunshine Law

Over the past 11 years I have written extensively about Florida’s Sunshine Law and open Public Records Laws yet elected leaders continually get up or lean over and speak to each other during meetings, and use multiple e-mail accounts to avoid the communiqué being public record but still doing official business and they are kidding themselves that no one is noticing. In the past under Gov. Charlie Crist if an elected leader was hit with a Sunshine Law violation they would be removed from office, and I would expect Gov. Rick Scott would be advised to do the same thing if a case presented itself. I have written I am “not a potted plant” when this stuff happens in front of me and given all the ways I can record what elected leaders are doing from high definition video, audio with a professional digital recorder, to the binoculars with a digital camera inside. I can only conclude some elected leaders have a political death wish since they seem so oblivious to what they are doing and how wrong it is. And when it comes to multiple e-mail accounts as Commissioner Natacha Seijas concluded back in 2002 when she had e-mail service discontinued. These messages leave a trail this is difficult to erase and may be the smoking gun that cooks the elected goose and their political demise will be well deserved.

LETTERS

>>> Two physicians letters, one on pill mills & children’s issues

The Stubborn Rejection of Common Sense: Rick Scotts decision to derail the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is either based on ideological rigidity, or plain simple ignorance. The attached articles and editorials clearly highlight the absolute necessity to declare a public health emergency and to implement the PDMP immediately!

1.     More babies born addicted to pain drugs http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-02-12/health/fl-prescription-drugs-born-addicted-20110211_1_newborns-prescription-drug-winnie-palmer-hospital

a. In 2009, nearly 1,000 babies born in Florida hospitals were treated for drug withdrawal syndrome. The most recent data show no signs of a slowdown. During the first half of 2010, 635 cases were reported.

b. From 2006 to 2009, there was a 173 percent increase in newborns treated at Florida hospitals for drug withdrawal syndrome, according to Agency of Health Care Administration records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel.

2.     Why does Gov. Scott oppose Florida prescription drug database? http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-02-12/news/fl-rick-scott-pills-mayocol-b021311-20110211_1_pain-clinics-prescription-drug-pill-mill-epidemic

a. “Scott’s move to scrap a prescription narcotic database intended to temper the excesses of South Florida’s rogue pain clinics makes no sense. Unless the governor somehow likes the drug tourism, overdoses and other human wreckage spawned by our pill-friendly culture. If it’s not government’s role to monitor controlled substances, then why bother monitoring anything? Let’s just do away with driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and concealed weapons permits too, since cars and guns are legal. The database had support from just about everyone — legislators, law enforcement, responsible doctors and pharmacists and legitimate pain clinics.”

3.     Pill mills: Scott, legislators undermining efforts, by Mike Fasano and Nan Rich http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/fl-pills-oped0213-20110213,0,3980383.story

a. “Legislature is essentially allowing unneeded deaths to continue.  It is, therefore, imperative that the legislature get out of the business of approving rules for bills that it has already passed. In the case of the Board of Medicine’s rules, lives are at stake. Finally, the governor has eliminated the Office of Drug Control, which provides an important focus on the problem of drug abuse, and coordinates the numerous state agencies affected by this issue. State agencies across the board must deal directly or indirectly with the consequences of drug abuse, including our courts, law enforcement, prisons, foster care system, Veterans’ Administration, health departments, mental health programs and even port security agencies. That’s why the work of the ODC to coordinate the drug control efforts of each of these agencies is imperative, and why we’re disappointed to see Gov. Scott unilaterally shut down this agency by laying off its entire staff.   We therefore hope our legislative colleagues will consider taking immediate action to put our tough new pill mill regulations into action, and that the governor will put the Office of Drug Control back to work, and preserve the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. This issue isn’t about bureaucracy or the size of government — it’s literally a matter of life and death.”

We should no ponder the question why our new Governor is not getting it. Instead, we should take action and develop a collaborative network of allies and supporters across the political spectrum to push back. Now its time to act. >>> http://floridadocs.blogspot.com

Bernd Wollschlaeger. MD

Miami

>>> It is no secret that many states (and the U.S.) presently have severe budgetary issues. With occasional exceptions, e.g. the development of federally-supported health insurance for eligible children, creation of Head Start and Early Head Start and in some states universal, voluntary Pre_K, children, especially young children, don’t usually get much of a break even when states are flush with funds. While it is never children’s fault that states or the federal government don’t always spend available tax dollars wisely, it is the children who are among those who suffer most when money is tight. Reading about the comments of more than a few politicians, it appears that we are about to see proposals for a severe reduction in funds for programs that benefit children. By the way, in case you are unaware, funding limitations only allow Head Start to reach 50% of eligible children, Early Head Start only between 5-10% of eligible children, and there remain millions of children without health care coverage. With this as background, I am asking you to open the following two links:

http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/state-data-repository/cits/2011/children-in-the-states-factsheets.html Look at the full report for your state, then go to: http://www.partnershipforsuccess.org/uploads/20110124_02311PAESCrimeBriefweb3.pdf

This is a brief recently published by the Partnership for America’s Economic success. Finally, get on the phone to your state legislators’ offices and use the information from both sources to express your opinion, whatever it may be.

You can probably guess where I come from on this, and it’s not on any partisan basis. I would also suggest that you go to the web site of the Partnership for America’s Economic Success (www.partnershipforsuccess.org ), if you have not done so in the past. It is not just the child we put at risk with some of our policies, it is the future of our economic welfare as well.

Wil Blechman M.D.

Miami

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The Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you.   The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events.  The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain.

LETTER POLICY

I welcome letters via e-mail, fax, or snail mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report.  Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Daniel A. Ricker

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2011, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> Watchdog Report is expanding as a new service and this content is now available to other news media, no longer exclusive to The Miami Herald

The Watchdog Report is no longer exclusively with The Miami Herald, and excluding the one story a week that is printed in the paper on Monday in the Metro & State section by me. The rest of the 20 or so news stories weekly sent out Sunday in the Watchdog Report are now available to television stations web pages, and all the newspapers and other media in South Florida if the publishers have an interest to run part or all of the stories. Further, in 2000, I used to have some paper’s running the report in the Spanish press, that option is available again, and publishers should contact me.  The news content will not be free, but you can pick and chose the stories of interest, edit them if necessary but you must still keep the general story intact.  If you are a news outlet and would like to learn more about, the Watchdog Report and this offer contact me at watchdogreport1@earthlink.net for further information.

>>> Here is what past newspapers have written about the Watchdog Report publisher including a survey and regional study done by the U. North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the media in the southeast United States.

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years. >>> Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, The (FL) CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS >>> Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, The (FL) MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED >>> Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed.

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times  —The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2003-05-15/citylife2.html/1/index.html

From the spring of 2003:  U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill:  Southeast U.S. Media Report lists Watchdog Report publisher as leading Florida commentator >>> Selected excerpts from the report on Florida’s media sources

Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by The McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride.

Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance —ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter –www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/dan_ricker/ >>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download all the data used in this study. >>> Watchdog Report Editor’s note to the NCU/CH study: The subscriber number referenced is incorrect and applies to readership.

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