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Watchdog Report Vol.24 No.50 March 17, 2024: EST: 05.05.00 – A free community education resource for 24 years free, I cover when you cannot

WATCHDOG REPORT

DRicker

Miami-Dade, Fla.

Vol.24 No 50, March 17, 2024, Celebrating May 5th, 24 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net  & Former Miami Herald news & editorial columnist. 05.05.00, I go when you cannot, for almost 22-years & a trusted community education resource & news service, without the attitude.

 

>>> 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.)

 

knight-logo-300

 

 
  
 

>>>ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON the STREETS

 

>>> I still have a touch of covid and will hopefully return next week sorry about this wish otherwise.

 

>>> Florida Ethics Commission is trying to collect $851,994. In delinquent fines, the body shows little consequence to not paying penalties. 

 

With ethics and conflicts of interest at the top of the public’s mind. The Florida Ethics Commission is a sad example “given it has $851,944 in “delinquent fines in state collection agencies,” state commission documents https://ethics.state.fl.us/ 

 

MIAMI-Dade County Ethic’s commission press release: Commission Directs COE Staff to Draft Formal Opinion for City of Coral Gables Commissioner After hearing from interested parties, including land use subject matter expert and former MiamiDade County Building Official, Charles Danger, the Ethics Commission directed Commission staff to draft a formal opinion regarding prohibitions on elected officials’ outside employment when the employment involves contacts with the official’s city.

>>> MIAMI-DADE COUNTY: Brian May, chairman of the county’s Cultural Affairs Council, kicked off the ‘State of Arts presentation,’ Thursday in the county commission chambers. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava followed noting she has known May since his time working for former Mayor Alex Penelas, and senator Nelson. May a prominent lobbyist have a vast array of clients, including the county’s venders. The mayor said during Covid some of the “dollars went to the arts,” struggling during the lockdown. She played the guitar in her youth but has expanded the mayor’s office staff, which has been criticized and she is up for reelection in November. 

 

>>> PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST:JHS “cyber intrusion,” of collections agency causing revenue budget shortfall, at Wed.,board meeting, impacted healthcare nationally & JHS Foundation announces, “ONE DAY FOR JACKSON,”4/4, CEO Migoya notes public system will never have “millions-millions,” in “reserves,” Foundation helps fill gap, hospitals around nation hit as well. 

Press Release: AHA Asks HHS to Provide Assistance to Hospitals Affected by Change Healthcare Cyberattack
AHA remains in close contact with UnitedHealth Group on ways to minimize disruption

 

Press release: The AHA today asked the Department of Health and Human Services to continue to help hospitals and health systems minimize the fallout from the recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare until the situation is resolved.

In the letter to HHS Secretary Becerra, AHA said there are several areas where hospitals and health systems may need immediate federal support as the disruption persists. Specifically, AHA asked the department to consider proposals to:

Continue efforts to facilitate communication and transparency from Change Healthcare to the provider community. 

Offer guidance to providers about how they may request Medicare advanced and accelerated payments and include by directing the Medicare Administrative Contractors to prioritize processing applications by hospitals for advanced payments. 

Alert surveyors to the likelihood that some hospitals’ systems are not functional, which may cause longer than normal waits for care, upsetting patients and their families, but are out of the control of hospitals and should not result in additional citations or complaint surveys being conducted. 

Provide enforcement discretion related to good faith estimates and educate the public that these estimates may temporarily be unavailable. 

Provide an extension to the timely filing requirements under federally regulated health plans. Provide flexibility with respect to e-prescribing regulations. Evaluate whether this attack may impact value-based purchasing programs given that hospitals and health systems may not be able to receive remittances, as well as any other policies and programs. 
The AHA continues to stay in close contact at the highest levels with UnitedHealth Group, which owns Change Healthcare, including being on multiple calls together today about efforts to minimize any further disruption to patient care and hospital services resulting from this attack. AHA also shared our letter to HHS with UnitedHealth Group leaders. Watch for more information on these efforts.

FURTHER QUESTIONS

If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.

 

>>> CITY OF MIAMI

 

>>> Carollo Pardo go after each other, Carollo pushing the decency envelope, not unusual Chair King has hands full with two lawmakers.

 

Miami Commissioners joe Carollo and Damain Pardo faced off Wednesday with accusations flying of where he got $107,000 for his campaign with Carollo suggesting its from the “Eight Street Boys,” Centner tainted deal withdrawn,” we’re done,” says David Centner at Thursday commission meeting.

 

The deal pitted the public school i Prep, against the Centner’s $10 million sports dome project.  The school the brainchild of former Supt. Alberto Carvalho near the administrative office with 15,00 students wanted to expand but got help from indicted Miami Commissioner Alex de la Portilla, since removed and going to trail, with the Center’s getting immunity from the state attorney’s office.

 

Further the City of Miami Finance Committee has not met for months and should be investigated, public’s firewall of finances.

 

>>> For three months since December the Miami Code Enforcement Board has not had quorum and “1,000 cases are pending,” said city staff. This is a problem that also bleads into areas of the unsafe structure board in the city. This is important from a life safety and lawsuit issue.

 

In code’s case some can be “life safety issues,” and the idea of getting better board volunteers was suggested after they went “thorough background check,” said commissioner Joe Carollo, who also rejected the use of magistrates that empowers certain lawyer friends and back deals to occur, which has happened in the past. 

 

During Thursday’s Miami commission meeting personal attacks continued. The rising cost of outside counsel for the attorney’s office is becoming a hot unanswered topic, and should be known to taxpayers, why so much is being committed to Carollo given his numerous court cases. Documentary producer Billy Corben called it a “blackhole that should be looked at from 2017,” for the total outside counsel cost to the city.

 

Editorial

 

>>> I have had a major fiscal setback after decades of support in so many ways. A new executive feels under the new circumstances. They can’t support me like in the past given their issues, though still supporting but at a major reduced rate thank you so much. I am also trying to get the correct format back, and will you watch the public health trust board meeting this week? Because I will continue to go and report back.

 

This is a real problem and I have been selling items, but the anxiety like I felt in 2000 starting this endeavor is coming back as I continue to scale back while keeping at this given the state of the community and actions of elected leaders. I have been honored for the past support after I used some $300,000 of my own money to live as the city has gotten so expensive across the board. I wish it were otherwise. Here is a national story of the early years https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2003/01/20/paperwork-tiger-2/  

 

This is also impacting my writing, but I still cover the school board audit committee, public health trust, IG, and ethics commission and I have the only long-term knowledge at all our public institutions. 

 

Since 2000, and now almost 24-years of weekly reports also online for all free to view the last decades political drama and actions, always trying for government to make informed decisions and save money, reducing waste fraud, abuse and generally public corruption. I have lived through past miracles and interventions and hope a reprieve of some sort may come.  

 

>>> Miami could be at a watershed moment with the investigation of former commissioner Covo and many others. 

 

For it brings together a political operative Christne Ulvert who dominates the political landscape. The man has run the county mayor’s campaign and has gone on two trips with her. He also ran the state attorney’s race and Covo’s and is well connected. 

 

The WDR’s beef is he is also a lobbyist at many levels. Years ago, Phil Hamersmith a political operative told me “I get them elected and then tell them what to do.” And with many witnesses we may find some will be forthcoming about how some of the standard practices of the county are done. This is only speculation but with so many actors the public may see the status quo changing given who gets caught in the Broward County’s state attorney’s investigators snare. 

 

>>> Another Miami investigation Covo, will Gov. DeSantis remove Carollo, after all his troubles, loses federal judge ruling, trying to keep house, Miami’s drama getting world attention, not a good look, will bond rating be impacted, did once before?

 

Once again, ex-Miami commissioner Sabrina Covo is under investigation for supposed corruption. She denies this but had rival James Torres claim she offered him a job for his support, at a decent salary and he may have gone to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle with this offer. The state attorney once again conflicted requested the governor to assign the case to Broward, which he did. 

 

What about Joe Carollo’s $63 million judgement and his house in Coconut Grove? 

 

The City of Miami has had major turnover at its preservation office and no federal historic designations since   the office came up at last week’s Historical Environment preservation board meeting. The board tries to preserve what is left of old Miami as condos rise like a phoenix, and staff turnover fails to include historical knowledge. The department since 2015 has had 7 officers leave with the last Anna Pernas and shows the low priority of saving the city’s few historical structures from the Olympic Theater to the Coconut Grove Playhouse, still in limbo and is slowly deteriorating.

 

>>> Miami gave out 86,000 traffic tickets last year & county commissioner Bastion in bad accident, “glad to be alive.”

 

“Stopping at a stop sign in Miami is an aspirational act, like paying all your taxes,” said federal judge Patracia Seitz, while sentencing two brothers for Medicare fraud. This is relevant to Miami where the city’s police driver safety department gave out “86,000 tickets last year,” said police staff Thursday. Miami has been known for poor drivers for years and we see the costs of car insurance much higher than other states.

 

>>>What happened to county commissioner Marlein Bastion, after she was in a bad car accident and “is glad to be alive,” she told commissioners last week and another example of the dangers of our roadways.

 

>>> Will 7 new vacuum trucks 24/7 help reduce flooding throughout Miami, the hope is yes to enhance drainage, flow, now badly needed.

 

Flooding was the topic Thursday at a Sunshine meeting in the Miami commission chambers. The meeting brought three commissioners, the South Florida Water Management District staff and how to control the extensive flooding impacting large areas of the municipality. Including Brickell with dense condos and poor drainage. The city has acquired 7 new vacuum machines for drain cleaning working 24/7 said city staff to commissioners Manolo Reyes, Damian Pardo and Miguel Gabela, new to the dais. The water district has 2,175 miles of canals in the tax district. There are also 2,130 miles of levees and berms and these miles impact Miami-Dade County.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

>>> Miami residents give electives dressing down, mayhem of commission hurting “Miami brand, Cocaine Cowboy days,” without killings, but perceived still Banana Republic around the world in media. Political instability will hurt bond rating in the months ahead.

 

City of Miami commissioners got a public dressing down Thursday, one for never starting on time and damaging Miami’s brand, that we again are perceived still like the cocaine cowboy’s era without the killings and a “banana republic,” said one brand expert Thursday. Billy Corben, a thorn in the side of Carollo for years, called out commissioners in a host of ways, “he was never paid by Caroll’s adversaries as the commissioner,” has repeatedly claimed from the dais. Corben, a documentary director also pointed out the influence of former commissioner Marc Sarnoff in campaign donations through his PAC.

 

Sarnoff is also the lobbyist for the controversial LED sign in Ferre park next to PAMM and has Frost Science objecting to the 100-foot LED billboard, with projected $1 million guarantee or $20 million over the life of 20-year contract say museum representatives. 

 

However, Sarnoff when in office called billboards “eye pollution,” and was against them but he has been raking in the dough handling various city legal issues, and the meter is still running and the man’s campaign contributions to commission races is considerable. Editor’s note: The city wants to look at its governance method and should research the suggestions back in 1997 reports on good governance in the city already done to apparent no avail. Sarnoff is also representing commissioner joe Carollo in his suit with eighth street businessmen awarded a $63 million judgement being appealed.


>>> Mr. Alberto Ibargüen, a mentor, arts and journalism maven and teacher of the WDR publisher has stepped down as the president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation after 18-years and the man has been a blessing for me. The man a former publisher of the Miami Herald, and Ivy League trained attorney, veteran Peace Corps member was a dynamic leader and gave me incredible vocal support and encouragement in the early years of the WDR, and it was touch and go many times including my security. He was an inspiration to many, and the foundation’s support of journalism and the arts is well established under his nurturing. I cannot thank him and Tom Fiedler enough allowing me to have a featured column for eight years, a unique experience for me with a degree in Chinese Studies rather than journalism. Further the Knight Foundation’s past president Hodding Carter, III. The man told me what I was doing “was fundamental journalism,” and I was not on the wrong track for Miami that at the time had a community in South Dade red necks, confederate flags and blacks protesting the Cuban community in 2000.

 

>>> Here’s AI’s take on me and the WDR: I assume you are asking about the Watchdog Report by Daniel A. Ricker. The Watchdog Report is a weekly e-mail newsletter that covers government news from the nation, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Public Schools, the Public Health Trust, Miami and other municipalities in the county 1. Daniel A. Ricker is the publisher and editor of the Watchdog Report 1The Watchdog Report is widely read by government insiders and a veritable who’s who of Miami 2It is a compilation of the tidbits and observations he synthesizes from his tireless rounds 2The Watchdog Report is estimated to bring in about $30,000 a year 2. I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Learn more.

1zoominfo.com2sun-sentinel.com3communitynewspapers.com

 

>>> The Florida ethics Commission updated their financial disclosure system and it’s terrible. I tried multiple times to review county mayor Daniella Levine Cavas’s financials and nothing came up. Further, county commissioner Rene Garcia’s disclosures are not online and the commission webpage in this are needs to be corrected Here’s a link to the page:

https://disclosure.floridaethics.gov/PublicSearch/FilingsResults?FormYear=2022&FirstName=&MiddleName=&LastName=&Suffix=&Filters=formYear%2CfirstName%2CmiddleName%2ClastName%2Csuffix 

>>> Further, financing of the WDR needs help and if you can support a neutral long serving news source, consider supporting
 

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/WatchdogReport 

 

>>>I had an opportunity to talk to a group of 5th6-7th graders washing cars at a McDonald’s Saturday and I asked them how life was in young people world, and they all looked down and when I joked my generation’s gift to you was think of the technology your kids will have. When I told them when the iPhone was released in 2007.Many said they hadn’t been born yet which caught me by surprise. The kids Ransom Raider soccer players were a joy to watch wash my car, and their observations were a pleasure for me at 73.

 

>>modified school bus shocks Joe’s stone crab customers versus high end cars waiting to get in, was local Swiss artist Fleischman, creator of harmony strand for peace and harmony, lost leg on i-95 accident UM grad, visiting a friend.

 

In the midst of high end cars lined up a modified school bus drove into Joe’s Stone Crab valet and caused a stir of excitement, wondering who could be driving the school bus and a former amazon driver now a valet parked the vehicle for the local artist Cynthia Fleischman who lost her legs in a motorcycle accident on I-95 when a car crossed the yellow poles.


STATE OF FLORIDA

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

.

>>> Former Miami commissioner Joe Sanchez has thrown his hat in ring for county new sheriff constitutional office. Sanchez, a state trooper but is he up to managing a force of 4,700 strong. Sanchez had mixed success in Miami. I will go into it next week. He was swayed by a developer’s attractive lobbyist back in 2002. His biggest challenge is being associated with the Miami commission.

 

>>> Homeless deaths on Miami streets down for year, was 189, last year over 200, says Trust chair Book: >>>New version next week with my computer finally back thank you supporters.

 

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust did its annual somber ceremony remembering the people passing on the streets. This past year. This year it was 189 and down from last year when over 200 passed last year. The trust a national model has helped transform the homeless issue facing so many American cities. The county decades ago had over 6,000 homeless with even a mayor, and through community efforts and tourist sales tax funding has created a continuum of care capability.

with a sergeant-of-arms standing by.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

 

>>> Legislators at PHT, President Migoya evaluation 4. Which was highest grade, man has been a miracle worker for past troubled public Jackson hospital system, now the envy of communities around the nation.

 

From Jan 31,24 agenda: Dr. Richardson open by expressing his though on the exemplary work and time the members of Jackson’s leadership team spend in Tallahassee educating our legislators about Jackson health system and why it’s such a critical source in Miami-Dade and across the state of Florida. Dr. Richardson stated that Mr. Carlos Migoya, Esther Caravia and Nathan Ray work behind-the scenes meeting with legislators to help protect Jackson’s public funding sources which upholds Jackson’s mission to continue providing high-quality expert care at Jackson Health Hospitals. In addition, state legislators and board member Senator Calatayud, are deserving of recognition for their continued support to Jackson and his role as the state’s largest public, safety net health system. 

 

>>> The benefit of two medical schools in Miami-Dade came through recently that up to 120 to 130, (I lost the notes on the exact number,) fellows and residents at JHS who were in good standing in their specialty graduated from the programs. 

 

This is good news because physicians many times stay in the community where they trained. The FIU medical school and UM, via Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Baptist Health will be helping the community when more physicians and staff will be needed with our ageing population. 

 

>>> Dade residents get numerous medical choices, from FIU & Baptist affiliation, to public JHS, preventative care main mission, reduces uncompensated care costs countywide.

 

Miami-Dade County will be benefitting from the relationship with Baptist Health and FIU’s Wertheim College of Medicine, a school dedicated to preventative community-based medicine after its first dean Dr. Joe “Pedro” Greer instilled preventative medicine to the school’s students and has many FIU trained physicians doing  a good examination of the patient, given my own personal experience. 

 

This along with public JHS and UM affiliation will give residents top notch medical care, and keep more physicians in the community they train in. Further, it helps south Florida be a medical destination, offering specialized healthcare here. Jackson Health System is also benefitting from the approved county wide $830 million bond program that in the end financed almost $2 billion in capital projects drawing a host of new patients with a past campus that was frozen in time. For more go to:https://news.fiu.edu/2023/baptist-health-and-florida-international-university-to-begin-exclusive-negotiations-on-comprehensive-alliance :FIU medical school launches partnership with Baptist Health | Miami Herald

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

CITY OF MIAMI 

 

>>>All Miami employees go through county’s ethics training, never takes after in laws of manager get furniture contracts, says WLRN investigation of wife; why at county all employees went through training, under Stierheim administration in 2000, 

Includes mayor Suarez under SEC & FBI investigation, with mayor representing middle East countries, from Qatar to others, Isreal Flag replaces Ukrainian Flag at city hall entrance, WDR first reported on mayor’s income rise 9 months ago from 2013 disclosures which he now has to explain the high new worth and outside income as calls for his resignation increase, Carollo is waiting to stick political  knife in wounded mayor 

 

The revelation that City Miami manager Art Noriega’s wife is involved in a furniture company…www.wlrn.org, and contracts with the city, will make the man’s tenure in doubt and expect Commissioner Joe Carollo to pounce on it in his attack on the mayor and his own investigations and corrupt administration. 

 

This is an example why all county and municipal employees go through ethics training, that in Miami is having mixed results as a friends in the family atmosphere exists in the city.

 

>>> All Miami employees go through county’s ethics training, never takes after in laws of manager get furniture contracts, says WLRN investigation of wife; why at county all employees went through training, under Stierheim administration in 2000, 

Includes mayor Suarez under SEC & FBI investigation, with mayor representing middle East countries, from Qatar to others, Isreal Flag replaces Ukrainian Flag at city hall entrance, WDR first reported on mayor’s income rise 9 months ago from 2013 disclosures which he now has to explain the high new worth and outside income as calls for his resignation increase, Carollo is waiting to stick political  knife in wounded mayor 

 

The revelation that City Miami manager Art Noriega’s wife is involved in a furniture company…www.wlrn.org, and contracts with the city, will make the man’s tenure in doubt and expect Commissioner Joe Carollo to pounce on it in his attack on the mayor and his own investigations and corrupt administration. 

 

This is an example why all county and municipal employees go through ethics training, that in Miami is having mixed results as a friends in the family atmosphere exists in the city. 

COMMUNITY EVENTS 

https://historymiami.org/ & The ART Warehousehttps://www.margulieswarehouse.com/


EDITORIAL

 

With Gov. Ron DeSantis populating the state with appointees, adds The Miami-Dade County Clerk Juan Fernandez Barquin to the mix. The former state legislator has been a supporter of the governor’s agenda. He is replacing long time clerk Harvey Ruvin who passed suddenly and was a democrat to Barquin a republican.

 

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS FINANCES?

 

The WDR pulled up his state disclosure forms. In 2018 his net worth was $290,651, and in 2020 it rose to $340,387. And the man has some real-estate investments but on the whole benign disclosures. He has a critical role as the co-controller of Miami-Dade with CFO Ed Marquiz, with the County’s $13 billion in bonds involved, that were floated when interest rates were low but have been creeping up. It will be interesting how he will change the compliant office to the administration with a democratic mayor.

 

>>> County’s use of herbicides on foliage reduction, variation of Round-up to control foliage run-off to Biscayne Bay, says county resiliency officer Murley, trying natural solutions, when possible, coastal storm surge walls out for now with corps new diagrams show.

 

Miami-Dade County with “366 miles of canals,” uses pesticide to keep foliage trees later leaches into Biscayne Bay. The county is trying to use natural efforts but herbicide like Roundup is frequently used and shows up in fish and peoples urine state Florida universities’ studies on the chemical impact of such foliage removal compounds. Further cars in canals have been a persistent problem. They are also trying to reestablish the Balsam Torchwood tree, long extinct.

 

The issue came up Friday at the Biscayne Bay Watershed Advisory Board in the commission chambers and Chief Resilience Officer Jim Murley, in discussion with storm surge. The corps plan for surge walls along the water are being replaced with natural solutions if they fit the circumstances after the walls faced a huge public outcry and two charettes to discuss the plan are in the months ahead, with a final plan in 2027, anticipated. The cleanup of Biscayne Bay with state and federal governments, spending millions to clean up the bay.

 

Which is also should be using the scavenger vessel more with only one in operation and is a technological bargain at $1 million for a second such vessel, to help the bay and Round-up use should be reviewed in Miami-Dade County.

 

>>> Anniversary of life saving procedure when I was septic at South Miami, Baptist Health, hospital in 2009, and I thank you Dr. Jorge Rabaza for saving my life, back then.

 

The next few days is the anniversary of my almost passing in 2009. I was septic and operated on at 2;00 p.m., “because I could not wait,” not something you want to hear from a surgeon, said Jorge Rabaza,M.D. at South Miami Hospital back then and he said, “I was a flip of the coin,” that I survived, he said and since then every day is a free day.,

 

The Miami-Dade County Children’s Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary and during its time. There have been no scandals except some trust tee shirts being sold in little Havana decades ago. They trust the brainchild of former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, Jr. and mayor Alex Penelas and Will Bleckman, M.D. For more on the trust go to: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/ 

View a comprehensive list of all the previous project updates at https://miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse-updates.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

Charter schools have expanded to 155 schools and receive $797 million from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The schools do not have to follow the same procedures as public districts, and many are managed by private for-profit companies. The district does audits of these schools. Further, the Fla. Leg.is proposing expanding vouchers, which could cut funding by over 20 percent, adding to the charter school hit. However, many scandals with these schools many sexual in nature, and they need better background checks.

 

>>> Past WDR: Cardiac EKG screening should be required by state, number one killer of young athletes in schools, highlighted at school board Wednesday, after Bills player cardiac arrest should ACDs? be included on the field?

Student Athletes dying from sudden cardiac death, was highlighted at Wednesday’s school board meeting. Sudden death is common with athletes and the need for an EKG screening is important. And advocates say screening should be mandatory. And Florida has nine districts that have this screening requirement before entering school. Further, some parents are hesitant to screen, and just have to be notified, said advocates including a girl with an implantable defibrillator. For more go to: https://nzdsos.com/2022/09/09/unexplained-coincidental-collateral-damage/ 

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

COMMUNIITY EVENTS

https://historymiami.org/ The ART Warehousehttps://www.margulieswarehouse.com/

 

SPONSERS:

 

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report published 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. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html 

 

>>> 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/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517 

 

>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport    

Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133.  Thank you, Dan.  

 

>>> And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.

>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net  in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.  

 

Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors

 

Sponsors

 

***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

 

Mr. ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr (The first contributor)

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2007)

ARTHUR HERTZ

WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)

ALFRED NOVAK

LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)

JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION www.knightfoundation.org

THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE

 

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year

 

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MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov

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>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year

 

BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com 

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CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

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GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org

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MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

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MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/

 

>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

 

>>>>> General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice. 

 

To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker

 

Daniel A. Ricker

3109 Grand Ave.#125

Miami, Fla.33133