Watchdog Report Vol.20 No.35 February 28, 2021- EST: 06.05.00 – I go when you cannot virtually – A community education resource
>>> Jackson health System as of Tuesday has given “approximately 89,600 shots,” JHS has some great some great new television ads and one “asks Are you young at heart? At www.learnyourheartAge.org
Further, of those shots in the arm, the ethnic breakdown was, “58 %,” being ‘black patients and “46% Hispanic patients,” said staff at Tuesday’s day long trustee meeting. And JHS is starting a panel to discuss how to get for more African American physicians since only two percent of physicians are black and is “called black men in white coats.” JHS does more transplants in the nation, second year in a row, and Jackson South is a newly dedicated stroke center in S. Dade. COVID-19 – update is “Is flat at 150 patients per day,” said CEO Carlos Migoya in his 10th year operating the facility and is getting good patient reviews by people getting the vaccination, and how smooth it was. And to get an appointment in Miami-Dade in line I just did it at MyVaccine (fl.gov) and for the neophyte IT person. I was finally able to register on the state webpage. Further, nurse Martha Baker, R.N. in a television interview said “97 percent” of JHS healthcare workers had been vaccinated and all believe it is safe and necessary once professionals discuss their hesitancy for one reason or another.
What about a reader’s experience at JHS re vaccines?
Further, I ran into a reader who said it only took some 45 minutes from the time she left her home to get the shots and it was highly organized and smooth at JHS.
>>> John S. and James L. Knight Foundation press release:
Today, we are announcing a new, $1.5 million investment in City Bureau, a Chicago-based civic journalism lab, and its Documenters program, a focused effort to train and pay residents to take notes at municipal meetings.
City Bureau is an organization that has boldly reimagined journalism through its belief in equitable access to civic information. Since its inception, City Bureau has gone beyond informing the public — they’ve focused on equipping people to access and produce the information they need, inviting residents to join in the community conversation. The team has moved beyond the standard practice of collecting data and publishing stories — they’re listening to residents, engaging with neighbors, and nurturing relationships — long after the story is published.
The Documenters network has already taken root across the Midwest, expanding from Chicago to include locally run programs in Cleveland and Detroit, with plans to continue its national growth over the next three years. Knight support will help City Bureau continue to establish itself as a strong local organization that increases the flow of accurate news, information, and civic engagement.
For more on our support for City Bureau and the Documenters program, see my blog post on Knight’s site. For more updates on our support for work in journalism, the arts and communities, follow Knight on Twitter or visit our website.
Thanks,
Karen Rundlet
Director/Journalism
Knight Foundation
>> Distribution of vaccines expands to Mt. Sinai, Larkin Hospitals with Sinai, having mobile units to go to ALFs says, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, on “This Week in South Florida,” hosted by Glenna Milberg, also “county firefighters in the 34 municipalities,” will get COVID-19 vaccinations says Mayor Levine Cava, JHS Migoya says curfew, does tamp down rise of infections at JHS, and with NEW Year on Friday medical professionals ask everyone to wear a mask social distance. Since staffs are stretched thin and exhausted and cannot wait for the year to end.
With the first COVID-19 vaccinations being done in South Florida last week and Jackson Health System (JHS) doing “3,000 vaccinations last week,” said CEO Carlos Migoya on “This Week in South Florida,” with WPLG hosts Michael Putney and Glena Milberg.
He said the vaccine is safe and many employees’ nurses mostly who were hesitant to take it are changing their mind. He noted, “4,400 UM and JHS healthcare workers,” were vaccinated and patients have “had little reaction.” He noted the much-anticipated Madrona vaccine that does not have the low temperature requirements will be going out to some “175 hospitals next week.” Editor’s note when the polio vaccine came out in the early 1950s. Healthcare professionals used Elvis Pressley taking it to show it was safe to take and people like the singer PIT Bull, Gloria & Emilio Estefan’ should be shown taking it. Since cases have risen to 2,000 cases per day for 11-days in a row and is a very disturbing trend given how hospitals are maxed out with new patients.
The community is lucky to have Migoya in this CEO capacity and the former banker is working well with the other healthcare systems to end this public health scourge. Some of the past CEOs all of whom I have known since 1998 and they were not liaising well with the other healthcare systems in Mimi-Dade and during the uninsured crisis. Those past CEOs would not have been as successful as Carlos Migoya the respected former banker and City of Miami Manager. Further, Putney had a good idea on the show to create a lapel pin people could wear showing their support of the vaccines, like the I voted sticker people get after voting.
What about former Miami Mayor Manney Diaz and his run to head the Florida Democratic Party as Party Chairman? A WDR: story on Diaz here: https://www.watchdogreport.net/2013/01/
Sorry to rain on the Florida Democratic Party’s parade but when it comes to Diaz chairing the state party and he won office only after the city was rocked by the antics of then Mayor Joe Carollo, who had the moniker of Crazy Joe.
and Diaz came off as normal versus Carollo and ethnic tensions were at an all-time high and I would tell people who asked about the attorney, I would respond Diaz does not scare kids after a mother talking to Carollo after her child said, “He is scary,”
He can put a sentence together and the city’s bond rating was junk and the Mr. Belen, graduate scored the school’s first touchdown for the team.
Further his son Manny Diaz, Jr. is the Miami Hurricanes football head coach. While in office at Dinner Key with a beautiful view of the marina he would have cigar with then manager Joe Arriola and Diaz drinks Pinch scotch. The issue I had was where he got suddenly $400,000 on his financial disclosure form and some suggest negative stories on him were scrubbed from the internet, but my Watchdog Report stories are still online and I covered him daily, every week back then and I even got a call from the White House asking about him.
>>> AG commissioner., Fried needs to send inspectors on skimmer gas pumps, I was hit again, Identity Theft happening at several stations in South Florida.
Nikki Fried the secretary of ten Agricultural Commission and consumer protection needs to send a strike force inspection team to end skimming of credit cards on gas station pumps and is a persistent problem and I was hit with this nightmare on Tuesday and spent 5 hours at Wells Fargo trying to get this straightened out and since the state is number one in fraud in the nation and Miami-Dade County is the “graduate school for all frauds, and we actually export the fraud to elsewhere in the nation, said a past U.S. attorney a few years ago.
>>> Surge of COVID-19 cases stretching health professionals thin, our last line of defense to tamp down virus infections, “wear your damn mask,” says FOX reporter Chris Wallace.
Sometimes in life you must experience something personally to appreciate the magnitude and challenge which I experienced on Dec. 3. After, I hurt a toe and it was bleeding and I went to a Baptist Health South Florida Urgent Care Center and was seen quickly but the physician said I needed to go to the ER.
Because she was concerned it could become septic, something, I had back in 2009, (thank you surgeon Dr. Jorge Rabaza, who operated on me at 2:00 a.m. because I could not wait and saved my life) and changed my whole life so I drove immediately over to the South Miami hospital ER. Since they had my past medical records and medications and while I was low on the triage pole that was fine with me since the lobby had many patients much more sick, and a senior nurse came out and apologized for the wait, but they had no ER beds available and I watched the 5:00 news to pass the time and there were clearly much sicker patients, so many than me, and that that was what stunned me, and personally seeing the strain COVID-19 is putting on our health care systems and physicians exhausted and nurses emotionally drained something, I saw in a JHS nurse and head of the nursing union Martha Baker, RN in an interview concerning how slammed JHS is and the toll on first responders who are described as first responders but actually should “be called the last line.”
Further, late in the night, which was fine given the misery I saw of so many potential COVID patients and that stress and toll on our healthcare workers and physicians is not appreciated when seen on TV. “Wear your mask damn it, said FOX reporter Chris Wallace,” and with the arrival of the vaccine we must keep are guard up says Dr. Anthony Fauchi and while the calvary vaccine is coming he says “we still must fight on wear a mask social distance, and good hygiene,” and politicians who have politicized the mask and called the virus a hoax, need to open their eyes where in Miami-Dade we are tracking another day with 2,000 new cases. Further, on the hospital p.a. system a clear idea of the challenge was heard “Code Blue PPE,” and a room number gave a clear message of the tragedy to our residents many elderly that the virus is causing.
I was worried this would happen back in February and March when we had the community lock down, but young people scarfed bout the virus and created a large pool of people who became vectors made worse by their disregard for prevention of community spread, and anyone who believes that, should change their ways the virus knows no party and thank God masks seem to work.
And was why there was no WDR last week because I was so emotionally stressed and stunned by the scope of a surge of the virus and its impact on people’s mental health in this stressful time. I also want to thank all the nurses who took such great care of me since my white blood cell count was high and kept me for observation in the east wing fourth floor at S. Miami hospital. You were the greatest.
Editorial
The Miami Commission needs to make sure speakers give their name as well as the planning and zoning board that had a major debate on approving a SAP being pushed by Craig Robbins. Further, during public comments commissioners have a rude tendency to leave the dais while the public speaks on any item anis a corrosive habit when it comes to public trust.
ARGUS REPORT- HEARD SEEN ON THE Street
>>> County has served 15.2 million meals to seniors, CARE ACT funding spending 15 million to public schools for nurses.
I got a form letter saying Miami Mayor Francis Suarez wants to her from me and sign a pledge to fight the Black Lives Matter movement regarding community policing and to counter act the ACLU and others trying to defund policing and it came from the not-for-profit National Police Association located in Stafford, TX.
On Friday, the Miami-Dade County commission held a special commission meeting under COVID guidelines, and the county budget director Jennifer Moon said the county has supplied “15.2 million meals.” She also believes that another COVID spike is expected on “the third week of November.” Further, the county in Care Act funds is sending to the public-school district some $15 million for school nurses, she said. The woman who balances her own check book is critical to understanding the 77 county revenue streams and the county’s some 22 billion in bond debt that includes the Miami Marlins stadium bond payments that are staring to climb higher.
>>> Supervisor of elections prayer, “may it not be close,” and Miami-Dade could be ground zero for attorneys challenging election results, after 50 ballots found at a Homestead post office and has state attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle intervening calling for an audit of post offices by federal IG.
With Pennsylvania becoming a key swing state, I grew up in Solebury Township and New Hope, in Bucks County. A tight knit community that is just miles from Washington’s Crossing where Gen. George Washington on Christmas Eve crossed the Delaware River in the snow and surprised the German Hessian mercenaries in Trenton and was a key event in the American Revolution.
I still have a reliable source there my sister Ann and she and her two boys are voting in person since she does not trust the mail. However, she says the line to drop an AB is a 3-hour line and she plans to bring a chair since mail service is questionable in her mind.
Bucks County dotted with Society of Friends meeting Houses and since between New York City and Philadelphia has many new people, but civics and honor are still a big deal in the community that includes the Bucks County Playhouse and Perry Mansion restored by the New Hope Historical Society founded by my father and some of his friends and is a New Hope historic site.
What about the 2000 election Bush vs. Gore?
I was fortunate to be on a panel election night on WLRN 91.3 FM. Along with Topical Current host Joseph Cooper, Miami Herald columnist Robert Steinbeck and independent candidate John Anderson, and Tony Doris and I was the only one that when Bush was projected to win, “I said it was too soon.” After I h ad interviewed over 100 voters there was little passion. Since both candidates had trust funds and an Ivy League education and the energy was not in the race we would see in, later years like when President Barack Obama And to check if your vote was counted in Miami-Dade County go to this elections department site.:https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser151187731708822
What about COVID-19 long term affects and could it become new STD?
Public service messages for the lasting health impacts should be considered since many young people believe you just get over it without any long-term consequences and that is not the case as physicians and scientists study the long-term problems that the Mayo Clinic says can result in inflammation of a variety of organs, heart, lungs brain, and kidneys. And below are the links to studies and these could stay with people the rest of their lives, not very comforting as I have found out.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351 Here is another medical analysis.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-we-know-about-the-long-term-effects-of-covid-19 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-we-know-about-the-long-term-effects-of-covid-19
Further, locally here is the Baptist Health South Florida’s take on the virus impact on the brain.
>>> I want to apologize to my readers and supporters; I am still dealing with the broken arm and wrist while doing rehab.
A Gondola for the Miami Beach corridor is a creative and global draw versus Genting monorail to Beach. I am doing a longer story on this project and I have no interest in this project, just think interesting alternative. And here is more details and specs, on the solar powered gondola:
https://www.cynthiafleischmann.com/miami-gondolahttps://www.cynthiafleischmann.com/miami-gondola
I apologize to my supporters for the lack of WDR production as I try to clear this virus though on Tuesday I did get my senior flu shot and that may have aggravated my health and I can’t wait to get over this aggressive virus looking for a host and as Chris Wallace of Fox, said “wear a d…m mask,” he said, Thursday and suggested the wild debate has given him “PTSD,” and has not watched it since. Now what are you going to do since you did not run, your self will you at least vote!
A discussion on mental health and Jackson Health System revealed the system has a mobile mental crisis van that should be tied to the 311 switchboards since suicides and domestic violence is on the rise, said county commissioner Sally Heyman last week.
Will governor’s gamble be opening Phase 3 no fines for not wearing masks cause COVID cases upturn, worries physicians
What is Gov. Ron De Santo’s thinking by stopping people being fined for not wearing a face mask that thank goodness works to slow the positivity rate but has become a political statement for many and is seen at Trump events where many are without masks, but will this change increase positivity of COVID-19 cases and slow the reopening of the economy take even longer?
>>>> 20-years ago I started the WDR because in 2000 The 2000 Census was a disaster after it occurred after the young Cuban Boy Elian Gonzalez and fear of government resulted in a major undercount (that included curb counting). Which in 2010 cost the county some $20 billion in federal funding and in 2020 here are the municipalities numbers now that the census was terminated by a federal judge and the response rate is not impressive
Jackson Health System
Giant JHS pharmacy fills 300,000 prescriptions, saved $10 million in savings for indigent patients, has $125 million budget,
The public health trust is a giant of a pharmacy filling some 300,000 prescriptions a year at a cost of $125 million and resulted in an indigent healthcare reduction of some $10 million in preventative care for the indigent, said Vanessa Goodnow at a recent all day committee meeting. The women “is passionate about Jackson,” as well as her team she said, and she is associate Vice President Chief Pharmacy Officer for JHS.
>>> I want to apologize to my readers and supporters, I am still dealing with an eye issue, I am taking drops, but it makes it hard to write. The physician is confident it will resolve and next week. I should be back in action and to my sponsors thank you for the continued support with all my heart in these tough times.
A discussion on mental health and Jackson Health System revealed the system has a mobile mental crisis van that should be tied to the 311 switchboards since suicides and domestic violence is on the rise, said county commissioner Sally Heyman last week.
The Watchdog Report hopes several my sponsors renew their support (which they are saying they will, and I thank them so much for that confidence) and I know everyone has many financial demands in the world of COVID-19 but the WDR is a low budget very efficient monitor of our government in this unusual time and government in many ways is getting a pass in their legislative capacity. Here is how to support the WDR in this time of need where readers have been so supportive thank you.
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account 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 go There is a national story done on the WDR: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american
Thank God wearing masks and other measures are working, should have not become a political statement, but good public health safeguard.
Thank God wearing a mask and social distancing bringing down the number of new cases as some 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 as the stricter health guidelines continue to bring the infection rate down. However, these steps should have been taken at the very beginning but became a political issue and statement of one’s political leanings that has left the economy in shambles, and now we have the Bob Woodward book on President Donald J. Trump, called “Rage” hitting the bookshelves including hours of recorded conversations with the veteran White House reporter.
Further for me this time pandemic could be the demise of the Watchdog Report since some sponsors have not reupped theirs support though I understand how tough times are for almost most families and businesses.
>>>>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.
>>>> The leadership On the PHT trust board has changed since Chairman Joe Arriola was termed out and he did not receive a waiver from the county commission. The new Chair is William J. Heffernan, and the Vice Chair is Dr. Walter T. Richardson. The other trustees on the seven-member trust board Treasurer. Nicholas X. Duran, Amadeo Lopez-Castro, III, and Tony Argiz., Laurie Nuell, Secretary, Carmen Sabater
What about voter turnout?
Voting by mail is immensely popular and some 90 percent cast are by that method. In my case I cast my ballot by hand dropping it off at an early voting sites ballot box and voter enthusiasm is high given the many municipal elections including school board races. However, with the election Tuesday I think several incumbents and perennial candidates are going to lose some of these races and voters question the concept of political dynasties. Since voting I have had regrets since I learned some new things and is why so many people vote traditionally on election day.
What about all the virtual zoom meetings?
The two-dimensional zoom meetings and decisions need to be reviewed after the pandemic is over some suggest in two years for the present system is ripe for corruption, waste, fraud, and abuse and individually the FBI just busted a fraud scheme.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/three-south-florida-residents-who-participated-24-million-covid-relief-fraud-scheme And here is another fraud scheme busted https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/florida-man-charged-miami-federal-court-submitting-fraudulent-claims-unemployment
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Further, I was there when his father was briefly a mayor again until a judge nullified the election because of voter irregularities and Manny Yip voting even thought he had died. Suarez the senior was not charged but why would his son want to bring attention to his finances in the middle of a countywide race where voters hope his dad is “stable” after he earned the moniker “mayor Loco,” for some of the outlandish things he did as mayor and it took years and his son to rehabilitate his political reputation and his son could have run as Xavier but ran as Francis, he once told the watchdogreport. The issue of outside income can be a political minefield and has caught up many wayward politicians and the ethics commission should review these documents because some are so blatant in their omissions.
>>> COVID infections rise could be predicted after lax enforcement during lockdown seen, In Miami-Dade that elected leaders ignored non-compliance, (now a $100.00 civil fine), and ordering masks be worn were not enforced hospitals losing patient capacity, we are lucky we have health systems that can handle the staggering new cases causing exhaustion of healthcare workers. Finally, a civil fine a host of county departments personnel involved, should help flatten the curve, but was it too late as numbers continue to surge.
With COVID admissions rising at an unprecedented rate. It is clear the lockdown was not long enough and during that time with no enforcement the virus spread like wildfire and it was obvious to all that the CDC guidelines were being ignored by a broad segment of south Florida residents seen hanging together with no masks and not social distancing and because of this past lack of enforcement we may need another shutdown as these numbers surge to a point of potentially no return. Here is an update what Baptist Health is facing under this new on slot of patients and the public JHS.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article244122857.html
Also, the county police are now get involved and people can get a $100.00 civil fine if not wearing a mask. However, people are still having COVID parties and more public personalities need to do public service ads that this is serious and is the only way the community can return to some amount of normalcy and will assist in getting the schools open in a community that is testing at some 26.3 percent with the virus said JHS CEO Carlos Migoya at a commission meeting last week discussing the virus.
200,000 Miami resident’s driver licenses are suspended.
A commission subcommittee discussed the number of people with suspended licenses not for reckless driving but for not paying a fine on time. The county in the course of a year gives out 900,000 tickets and since the clerk’s office is partially funded by these tickets that have a “40 percent surcharge if goes to a collection agency, said judge Steve Leifman at a commission subcommittee on disparity in the community. These unpaid fines turn into felonies that follows a person the rest of their life the jurist noted and with COVID it is clogging up the courts said Leifman. Unfortunately, the only real solution must be done by the state and legislature re the high fines used to create revenue for the clerk’s office but given Miami drivers many sometimes do not even know they have an outstanding tickets and notification should be required suggested the jurist known for his work on mental health reforms in the 11th judicial circuit.
One sees many people in a group sans mask and all government workers need to gently remind people it is a new countywide ordinance and noncompliance only allows COVID (currently 20%) to take a greater hold through community spread. Further many elected leaders wear the mask wrong by not covering their nose which was the case when mayoral candidate Xavier Suarez, giving blood did a television interview and Suarez has a nasal issue since he sniffs a lot when speaking into a microphone.
>> Mayor’s July 1, financial disclosure lists no income as of counsel at law firm, talks about transparency, yet many secrets, may be a one term mayor, father’s county mayoral race may impact his future, see CORRECTION at top.
His son Francis the mayor of Miami is also working the media circuit talking about how he was criticized for taking strong measures trying to tamp down the spread of COVID, that needs to be bumped up to the highest level given the rise in positive tests and keeping the community in lockdown will not allow the economy open. As the community’s financial resources are being stretched to the breaking point and includes the feeding of seniors which will continue but through different organizations, like Catholic Charities.
One example was on Friday at Miami city hall on dinner key that I stop by at almost every day to monitor what is going on and at 2:00 p.m. a group of six young people one with July Fourth bunting on a sash gathered and talked all without masks and a city worker walking by said nothing and it is time to activate every compliance capability we have for today was another increase and when it comes to the public’s medical jewel Jackson Health System. The trust had a “$16 million loss,” in reduction of half-cent-sales taxes collected, CEO Carlos Migoya recently said on WPLG 10 and has 318 COVID patients. He noted many new patients are younger and sicker, and from “lower income areas,” the former banker said, and his team has made JHS one of the finest public hospital systems in the nation undergoing a $830 million bond infrastructure upgrade. For more go to: https://jacksonhealth.org/library/procurement/GOB-Brochure_web.pdf
A “virus looking for a host,” is how many physicians describe COVID-19 and with community spread cases becoming a political issue and is seen nationally where many in leadership are sans masks and the local numbers are staggering and finally some consequences can be applied to unmasked people in public because clearly community spread is causing these new spikes. After the past lockdown. Wear a mask is a must if the community is not to shut down again and ‘we can only end it together,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci recently.
What about the Miami-Dade County hospital systems coalition?
Miami-Dade is lucky to have the array of healthcare facilities and the Miami-Dade County Healthcare Preparedness Coalition shows the breadth of healthcare in the county and these health systems working together in the pandemic are Baptist Health, Nickolas Children’s Hospital Health System, public Jackson Health System that has an affiliation with the University of Miami and U Health and all are working on treatments and research on a possible vaccine. The fact these institutions are working together to overcome this scourge that is also stressing these health facilities staff and finances is encouraging for all of us in this stressful time and everyone’s mental health is put to a test.
Here are the new COVID numbers for Sunday: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243854907.html?utm_medium=push_alert&utm_source=pushly&intcid=%7B%7D
And check out this national story on me that ran in all the Tribune papers back in 2003.
>>> Mayor Suarez finally orders people to wear masks or be fined should have occurred much sooner given the visible lack of compliance by residents that was readable seen.
Recently, Suarez partied in a packed Swan restaurant on Wynwood shaking hands at the bar and no social distancing as he tells the media and public his decisions are based on science and public health data. Suarez, who speaks on the city’s cable station about the need he believes residents to obey the guidelines set by the CDC but when you are in the public eye. Actions speak louder than words…. And a photo of him with others not wearing masks has gone viral and could end any political future for him because hypocrites after COVID will be seen just as an empty suit by many and is a sad example for the public.
And with his father running for county mayor this is not good and suggests the two only want power not realizing that some one’s actions are important. This kind of behavior does not foster public faith in the man who has been nurtured by his father and the Cuban community, being the son of the first Cuban Mayor Xavier Suarez and. Also, he was interviewed today at 2:00 on MBC and he said a “crackdown of enforcement,” is being contemplated after the bar restaurant he was at was later shut down by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Jackson Health System CEO Carlos Migoya at a press conference at FIU with Gov. Ron DeSanto’s. He told the governor that the health system was liaising with all the county’s hospitals. He noted Jackson Friday had “150 COVID,” patients and there was capacity in the ICU he told the governor.
>>>> Baptist Health South Florida is teaming up with Goodwill industries to create hospital care-kits to prevent COVID-19 and the to see a show on the subject go to:
https://wsvn.com/news/local/baptist-health-teams-up-with-goodwill-to-create-hospital-care-kits-to-prevent-covid-19/ https://www.goodwill.org/
>>> The Watchdog Report must raise money and I will return next week and to my supporters thank you for your past support. Further Zoom meetings are showing what a two-dimension binary political life looks like and there is little nuance on many hot button issues facing governments from the halls of the senate to the county commission.
A controversial meals contract that went to a Broward company that supplied some 2.4 million meals got a clean bill of health by the county’s OIG. Here is the report.
https://www.miamidadeig.org/resources-oig/pdf/Reports2020/2020-05-01-meal-services-ig20-00008-o.pdf
>>> Jackson has first monthly $32 million loss in April as elective surgery is banned.
The Jackson Health System for the first time in months in April after elective surgeries were stopped the public health system lost $32 million and has 52 days cash on hand and since the ban on elective surgery is lifted the health trust should begin bouncing back that includes a line of credit with the county.
>>>>Since 2002 2,700 synchronized traffic lights technology on pause, new $152 million contract to Siemens saves $160 million top county lobbyist’s battle it out passes 4/8, eight lobbyists involved in process, Bovo calls it a “food fight,” one of the problems with county procurement.
Since 2002 the public has been promised synchronized traffic lights contract some 3,000 of them was finally achieved Tuesday. When county commissioners voted 8 to 4 to go with the Siemens $152 million Bid versus Horsepower a politically connected company in Hialeah where a $160 million saving variance existed. and had two of the top county lobbyists facing off former commission chair and state senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla representing Siemens and his foe was former state representative Miguel De Grandy who once lost an election by one vote and was instrumental in creating the county’s Domestic Violence Board in the state capita and both are Republicans.
Commissioner Estephan “Steve” Bovo, Jr, who calls these bid disputes a commission “food fight,” and is running for county mayor in November along with commissioner Xavier Suarez a former Miami mayor in the political wastelands for years and tried once to be chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party and during this discussion. Suarez suggested that because of COVID “people are using cars less and suggested we “could go to free public transit,” he considered. That comment had Bovo ask when “Suarez had become Bernie Sanders.” Suarez also suggested the county just “do sealed bids open in the public like was done years ago in Miami, he suggested and would eliminate the need for “special masters.”
However, the argument was a hearing examiner comments that the awarding was “capricious and arbitrary,” which mayor Carlos Gimenez “disagreed with,” the findings and wanted the savings of the lower bid that has no “change orders, and the contract was approved 5/4 finally.
>>> People are not wearing masks and government needs to do verbal warnings if the re-opening is to be successful or possible a small fine for, I am seeing little compliance.
At a Miami-Dade County commission recently meeting commissioner Estephan “Steve” Bovo, Jr. and head’s up the 2020 Census task force told his peers some of the response rates among the county’s 34 municipalities and Aventura is doing terrible re the census count coming in at some “41 percent” response rate and Miami Beach is tracking at 33 percent response rate said Bovo one of the county mayoral candidates. He said Florida is tracking at a 54.3 percent response rate and the county is tracking at 50.9 percent now that the count is going off pause. Palmetto Bay is doing very well coming in at 69.3 percent said Bovo.
Further, in the 1950s having fuzzy dice hanging on your rearview mirror was common but in today’s world it is a surgical mask and whether to wear one or not has become a political statement and the issue of enforcement is looming if we are to tamp down this relentless virus.
>>> The Miami Commission held a special commission meeting Thursday to review how the Miami. Dade county Homeless Trust utilizes its some $67 million budget and how it is dealing with the COVID-19 homeless on the streets.
Miami 25-years ago had some 10,000 homeless in Miami and even had a mayor before the trust was created. Currently there are some 1,000 homeless on the street. However, this meeting and participants were able to explain about the lack of accurate information out in the community and Commissioner Manalo Reyes was not well informed and for many homeless there is “housing resistance,” even when there are rooms available and is a daunting problem.
Why are there so many trust’s in Miami? Trusts from the Public Health Trust or Miami Bayfront Park Trust?
The many trusts were created usually After a scandal and was a way to lesson public officials’ interference which back in 2000. Commissioners at the county transferred some $70 million in county expenses for medical care in the jails into the trust at a time it was hemorrhaging money because of the millions spent giving in charity care.
Further, while in this new normal my reports will be shorter since I am still weak and occasionally achy.
>>>> Celebrating 20-years of weekly publishing and I thank all my past supporters this Platinum Anniversary
Twenty years ago, this Tuesday I started the Watchdog Report as a weekly report every Sunday, unless I had technical computer issue or was sick since I had two significant health issues during those years and while we are facing a new challenge COVID-19. My goal was to get these major public institutions to know what they were doing since they were like ships at sea and not communicating with each other and wasting money with a ground swell of corruption and scandal thrown in.
However, given the circumstances the saving of precious tax dollars is even more imperative, and some elected leaders are not handling the crisis well. Further, Miamians are not following social distancing and are rarely wearing masks and becomes a new aspiration, “like stopping at a stop sign or paying all your taxes,” said U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz when she was sentencing the de Cespedes brothers for Medicare fraud and years ago ears I attended the Miami-Dade County Commissioner’s James Burke corruption trial and so much more especially when one uses their own money. I would arrive early and stay late and knew where there was free food at public meetings, and I wrote a story on eating my way through government.
Further, had the little Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez not arrived I would not be doing this for a turning point was seeing a photo in The Miami Herald with homestead residents with confederate flags and African Americans shouting F…k the Cubans,” and we as a community had crossed a line that included the 1994 English in government only ordinance passed and rescinded later in the decade but it split the different ethnic groups like never before and reporter Vanessa Garcia wrote a great piece on how the media covered the story.
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-story-of-elian-gonzalez-20-years-later-11625579
Further, politicians need to be careful when talking about COVID-19 that had Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo Thursday say he found there were “32 permutations of the evolving virus,” a slight exaggeration since it consists of some 5 families of this type of virus.
MY dad Arthur J. Ricker, M.D. used to say, “You are either a physician or you’re not,”
and was not something you could say which is legal in Florida until you do.
something clinical but in Miami I have heard people say they were when chatting up a
woman generally
The good news is social distancing is working, something that the nation did not know with new cases down but deaths for the vulnerable Americans are slowing but have taken a great human toll. The term thinning out the boomers is a new catch phrase (being promoted by people who want to open the nation before testing is more prevalent) and makes me wonder why so many millennials still gather in groups many times on bicycles and why their generation’s death rate is lower.
here are needs during this pandemic
Opening the nation early?
May you and your family have a safe and reflective week while the globe tries to work through this new normal that has killed some 100,000 people around the planet. I currently have a mild case of COVID-19 -19, (no fever but a wet cough and a little tired along with pink eye) and that could help you diagnose if you also have contracted it. As well as the CDC at www.cdc.gov with the symptoms. Further, I had the symptoms over a month ago but still have fatigue, GI issues, aches, and pains and in general feel off.
Further, local government are having meetings virtually and while not perfect given the circumstances elected leaders appear more somber given the dramatic financial reductions of revenues and while Miami-Dade has 34 municipalities, it is the county that is the big challenge with some 22 billion in bond debt (an estimate) and some $1million a day in debt payments for the MIA bonds (now a ghost town) after the forever $6.2 billion MIA expansion started in the mid-1990s and almost killed MIA director Jose Abreu, who once said “I am out of gas,” after county commissioners pounded him verbally and he was trying to clear up past mistakes, that were overruns in the millions.
Further, the nation is seeing the important work of first responders, nurses, and physicians and when this health disaster is over many of these hard-working people will need some PTSD treatments given these professionals unable to wind down after their shift. However, the lack of PPE is unacceptable and clearly the national emergency stockpile of protective gear was inadequate and needs to be beefed up. “Social distancing is the new watchword,” and “shelter in place,” fist conceived in the 1950’s during the cold war on Civil Defense and included the jingle when you see the flash duck and cover. But with an aggressive virus keep your distance and face covered is the new fashion trend. While the county’s Homeless Trust is dipping into it reserves the trust chirr Ron Book is trying to get tests to the Chapman homeless Assistance Center that a few weeks ago had no one testing positive yet at the facility said the organization’s CEO but that may have changed since.
Also, with collapse of the American economy the printed media is under the gun and The Miami Herald is fighting to continue and while many people complain about the paper the loss of this tremendous and important institution would be devastating to Miami and South Florida as a whole and needs are support as reporters are exposed to perhaps asymptomatic people or using a ten-foot boom pole microphone as was the case recently with Miami Commissioner Ken Russell.
Baptist Health South Florida is offering tele-medicine and corona virus information online https://baptisthealth-coronavirus.com/covid-19-testing
Here are the histories of past pandemics and both my father Arthur J. Ricker, M.D. and my grandfather, Otto Lee Ricker, M.D. dealt with past pandemics including the one from 1957 -1958 and my dad used to talk to me about the quarantine process and why it was necessary and if you violated it, I believe back then someone from the county’s health department might intervene and included diseases like smallpox or the dreaded polio virus. Here are links to those past epidemics.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1957-1958-pandemic.html
here is one from 2009:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html and here is the timeline for that more recent one.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-pandemic-timeline.html
agenda.http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_March_17_2020/item2.pdf
>>> Today is the Watchdog Report’ 20 this year and when I started back in 05.05.00, having a 20-year platinum anniversary. I never imagined I would be doing this weekly publication for 20- years. I am not a big chest thumper and just try to be an informational electrolyte, between the many large public entities (That in total is about $16 billion and Miami $1 billion). that make up Miami-Dade County. However, many times it is at the lower level of government that deals are made, and other beefs are discussed and to my early supporters thank you for putting your trust in me. Further, the Esserman family gave $2.5 million to help The Miami Herald do investigative journalism and is asking for not-for-profit news organizations to apply to the Miami Foundation for possible grants, and these investigators should look at all the public institutions simultaneously for after 20-years many are all related and reporters need to know the many players and lobbyists to help understand the story and the WDR would be happy to help in any way I can in explaining the lay of the political landscape.
In this 20-year journey and all my historical knowledge. Especially since in Miami Commissioner joe Carollo has reverted to his crazy self and is determined to destroy the Miami commission where he has a new ally Alex Diaz de la Portilla (who is getting a private bathroom in his commission office) and Carollo is not the calm commissioner Miami hoped for but is just another proxy on the dais for Carollo. On Thursday, a whole new political dynamic has emerged with Carollo, 62 and DLP, 54 the new lions on the Miami plains and Mayor Francis Suarez is the gazelle and while Carollo keeps mentioning he has two degrees from FIU one in international relations there is no mention of these on his biographies that I have searched twice. Further, Carollo suggested there was a concerted effort to embarrass him as a commissioner citing tweets between assistant city managers. Including not being invited to a United Way check presentation event and believes Suarez is orchestrating this disrespect to the body.
>>> 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.
CITY OF MIAMI
What about “big brother” privacy, with new 5G technology?
with the new 5G network infrastructure that includes a platform for license plate readers, video and other sensors and the information will be stored in the Miami police department but understands it could “wig,” people out personal freedom said Chief Jorge Colima. In the future these could include facial recognition used widely in China.
I was once asked by county commission chair Barbara Carey -Shuler what I thought in the press room in the chamber? I said it was a blend of announcer and umpire occasionally like when MPO was going to give $10 million to an obscure a.m. radio station to do traffic up-dates that are already being done as a community requirement for free. The commission shot it down, but it had commissioner joe Martinez saying to the board member “you’re on fire, bail out,” and the commission did not pass it.
Further, I write about the homeless since back in 2002. I was one of the people laying on the government center plaza and learned these people were essentially looked on as trash.
Further, for some reason August has traditionally been a tough month when it comes to fundraising. So, if you appreciate what I have done for almost 20-years weekly using thousands of my own money go to: The WDR report will return next week. I need a break thank you for your support over the past 20-years.
>>> 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.
>>> Homeless dying on streets in Miami-Dade drops to 188 versus a high of over 200 souls last year.
>>> The public safety committee at the county passed a MOU with Pinellas County that has one of the, largest facial recognition data bases in Florida.
A woman with Miami-Dade County police Department said the technology was a useful tool. Though county commissioner Daniella Levine Cava was concerned about “false positives,” many times happening “to people of color,” she said. For more on the technology go to:https://www.terabitweb.com/2019/11/08/florida-police-want-access-to-faces/ https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/florida-police-want-access-to-faces/ and here is the mayor’s memo on the matter.
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2019/192442.pdf
Voter apathy high at municipal elections, corrosive to the republic
The low turnout of the municipal elections last week shows voter apathy is a continued problem in Miami races only 14.96 percent of eligible voters voted and while there are some runoffs this lack of turnout is corrosive to our republic and local government has more impact on ones lives and family and while it could cost more to schedule these elections with the governor races or other high turnout elections and while the off-year election theory is television ads would be cheaper. Which is valid but local government having a history of trying to slip an issue on a low turnout date like at Miami-Dade County in 1989 when the county tried to get a one-cent transportation sales tax passed with the election in late July that year and it failed by 2 to one back then.
The City of Miami employees and lobbyist went through ethics training on Monday in the commission chambers and these classes should be broadcast on the city’s station. Robert Thompson teaches the course as the outreach coordinator. He gives hypothetical situations and asks the group of some 30 people if they know the answer, some of which are trick questions.
However, a segment should apply to city attorney’s to intervene when board members during a recess might be discussing an earlier case after commissioner Joe Carollo testified a in front the civil service board members during a recess had an extensive conversation on the dais and the city attorney should discourage this sort of off the record communication that they attend in their city capacity and includes county attorney’s given the some 90 boards the county has where designated attorney’s attend.
>>> Miami Loomis Park “hot zone,” for HEP A transmission, city employees being asked to get vaccinated.
Further the medical crisis of Hep A is still being dealt with the Florida Department of Health and is impacting Miami employees and Loomis Park is a “hot zone,” and employees are being asked to get voluntarily vaccinated by health professionals of this contagious virus that is transmitted by human waste and rather than having public restrooms. The trust says the solution is “permanent housing,” via the trust’s rent connect program. Further, cleaning of sidewalks making, and the cities are paying for the clean-up and sanitizing.
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.20 No. 35, February 28, 2021 Celebrating 20 years of weekly publishing!
www.watchdgreport.net & Former Miami Herald news & editorial columnist. EST: 05.05.00, I go when you cannot, for 20- years & a trusted community education resource & news service, without the attitude
CONTENTS
ARGUS REPORT: Heard Seen on the Street
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST: county response with other hospital systems, hygiene and hand washing key to avoiding infectious disease experience after Zika, and anthrax attacks after 9/11 PHT, gives Jackson unique perspective, after dengue fever tuberculosis — has 8-years of clean audits — Here is an update of the $830 million Jackson Miracle Bond program that is moving right along and changing the JHS in 2009.Jackson has 8th year of clean audits not always the case years ago. I did a fraud issue. However, Jackson Health System was fined for some wayward employees selling or leaking medic medical records and I interviewed the FBI’s Special Agent in Charge(SAC) John Gillies and to read the story go to: https://www.watchdogreport.net/2011/09/page/2/ -Joint PHT BCC meeting goes smoothly love fest versus the past CEO Migoya says, “Doral west on budget and on time by Nov. 2020,” can be seen from landing MIA planes The new AOA agreement calls for health trust to pay $130 million to UM for a host of medical services and below is a complete breakdown of the services and payments.
EDITORIALS: – “civility oath goes out the window,” says Mayor Suarez — Suarez’s strong mayor proposal flawed should not allow outside income for either mayor or manager, not about him but future mayors – Politicians don’t realize voter’s frustration is they are such hypocrites, many times (like now when congress gets paid but no other federal departments with a gov. shut-down) Most politicians hate the press- Florida needs Sunshine Amendment many municipalities out of control and get little press coverage or oversight, legislators are on wrong side of this one
>>> If you wish to be deleted, just e-mail me with that message.
>>> “You may not take an interest in politics, but politics may take an interest in you.” Pericles (430 B.C.)
ARGUS REPORT: Heard and Seen on the street
EDITORIAL
>>> Political partisanship splits 5-member commission along republican and democratic lines, Russell gets the brunt while others pound city staff including Chief Jorge Collina,
The vindictive and partisan governance at Friday’s Miami Commission meeting was why I started the WDR back in 2000 and the commissioner’s pounding of staff is going to have a profound effect on the city’s over 4,0000 employees, and with the Super Bowl in early February the timing for this bickering commission is terrible that has stripped Vice Chair Commissioner Ken Russell, Of chairing the DDA an independent created authority that’s members were highly critical of the commission in the press and may be replaced for this insubordination.
What about Mayor Suarez and his legacy with 3 commissioners and conflicts will bond rating go down?
Commissioner Joe Carollo is dominating the five-member board and Russell is getting payback on the body for loaning a challenger to Carollo some $150,000 from his campaign but while losing the DDA chair to Commissioner Manola Reyes. Russell’s new appointments creates a power vacuum in his District 2 office that covers most of the DDA area. Further, Suarez has lost total control on the body and is putting his administration in limbo and while Carollo calls the administration based on the Roman saying giving residents “bread and circuses,’ as an administration.
Suarez must figure a way to assert his leadership on the body and his next choice as city manager now that Emilio Gonzalez has resigned. MPA Dir. Art Noriega’s name has been floating but Noriega on Friday told the WDR when I asked if he would be interested, he responded it “was complicated.” So, the community will find out who jumps in to lead the city that has a commission that is dividing up city entities along party lines in a nonpartisan body but that has been thrown out the window since Alex Diaz de la Portilla,55, a Republican and former state senator. Further, given the city’s GOB exposure the rating companies tend to downgrade the city’s municipal bonds, when turmoil occurs at a time money is needed for sea-level rise mitigation that has significant flooding issues and will devalue housing values.
Here is Census 2020 info. Finding census enumerators, a ‘Crisis,” staff tells a house oversight and reform committee on Monday has Rep. Wasserman Schultz concerned of under count of native Americans. Here are some links to the census process.
https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html
https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2019/comm/2020-everyone.html
People are asking me what I think about the Democratic Party presidential candidates and after 20-years it is clear no candidate has yet to get into his stride and history has taught us candidates either have the it factor or they don’t and President Barack Obama had this political magnetism as a new comer and did not have a UBD like Hillary Clinton whose time was 2006 but was pushed out by Obama and Joe Biden is running a utility campaign after two past attempts at the presidency but the parties voters have been split on the field and none have yet to really catch on fire with the party’s faithful.
I was at George Washington University’s Sino-Soviet Institute from (1971-74) and was able to watch the Watergate proceedings since I worked at a high-end audio shop with Sony televisions at the time. This lack of bringing the public along is what has both sides so hyper partisan. And the sooner the proceedings and transcripts are released the better. To stop the speculation hemorrhaging that is tearing the country apart and is also seeping into local elections like in Miami where the nonpartisan races have become partisan. Editor’s note: Keep any hate emails to a minimum please.
Repeat: because so important to Miami: Feds scrambling to find .5 million census workers by August, low unemployment, background checks making it harder, exemptions for non-citizens, community outreach is key
Knight Foundation study on local media: https://knightfoundation.org/articles/local-news-is-more-trusted-than-national-news-but-that-could-change
>>>> Elderly phone scam uses fear, persistence to try to take advantage and get personal information, hang-up, most government concerns come in the mail not by phone.
Update I got one pf these calls on Monday, so scammers are still trying to prey on older folks with a very scary message please disregard and hang-up, even if they call back.
I am starting to see how the elderly can fall for a scam given what they may be personally dealing with (perhaps a surgery) at the time. The current one is a phone call saying a bank transfer is occurring or that you are going to be charged with drug and money laundering charges and the FBI may be at your door. Part of this variation is that you will lose your social security and that your number has been compromised and cancelled and need to meet at a “target or CVS,” says the scammer and is very insistent asking “are you in your car yet,” since he has spent so much time and even asked you to write down his federal badge number. Most federal agencies contact you by mail and you should hang-up immediately despite their persistence.
Rerun because so important: 2020 Census complete count top priority $177 million lost in 2010 undercount, says census bureau outreach coordinator Diaz a former Little Havana resident $675 billion annually at stake nationwide $29 billion goes to Florida.
The Miami-Dade County Community Relations board (CRB) met Wednesday in the county commission chambers and the topic was community “fear,” when it came to the upcoming 2020 Census. Where some $1,400 is lost in federal funding across the board through federal agencies and in the 2010 Census only “82 percent” of the community was counted and nationwide the percentage was “74 percent,” said Ana Maria Diaz with the Census bureau outreach coordinator. The importance of the Census is not only financial but is key to reapportionment of congress and in 2010 south Florida picked up two congressional seats.
What about community outreach and education?
Further, while many residents may not be eligible to vote these people must be counted for the federal funding helps these possible undocumented and the citizenship question is what many residents and while many residents fear that ICE or HSH might raid and arrest them. The count since 1790 has been sealed for 72 years and a president cannot unseal the information and that can only be done by an act of congress said the Census Bureau outreach coordinator who grew up in Little Havana populated with seniors and may have their kids living with them and they all must be counted she said and “a 3 percent increase in the count,’ would be a major achievement for the county and while it is a year away now is the time to educate. For many residents who do not understand the Census that starts April 1 next year. The WDR spends so much time on this subject since I interviewed many people working on the 2000 Census and the count was terrible after the young Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez was extracted from his Little Havana home after federal authorities raided the home and chaos erupted in Miami with extensive ethnic divisions and curb sitting counting was a problem where there were many people living in homes or apartments and the undercount was considerable and had to be adjusted later but that may not happen again so it has to be done right because as Diaz said “It starts and cannot be stopped,” despite weather or any other issue. She noted when challenged about “doing damage control,” for the Trump administration and her boss U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilber Ross and the fear in the community which is a minority majority committee that keeps many people afraid to even go to a bank and use check cashing stores where there are lines but that is the reality of South Florida and is why getting a complete count is so important. Update: in 2010, under the Obama administration which employed extensive minority outreach it is estimated in that count some 2 million children were missed in the final count.
>>>The Knight Foundation releases commission report on restoring trust in media.
The John. S. and James L. Knight Foundation has released a report looking at restoring trust in the media and its corrosive effect to Democracy to read the commission’s report go to: http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Knight-Commission-TMD/2019/report
pay $130 million to UM for a host of medical services and below is a complete breakdown of the services and payments.
http://www.seiu1991.org/files/2011/07/AOA-Payments-Rationale-and-Distribution-3.pdf
Telling athletes yes, we want to win is dearly needed after the previous one was inadequate and antiquated and was always a hot topic with county commissioners especially commissioner Sally Heyman who had a back issue and had to get rehab there. The $175 center will also be home for UM’s the Miami Project to cure Paralysis and the fundraising got a jolt when Christine E. Lynn donated the first $25 million and was augmented with proceeds from the $830 million GOB approved by county voters.
And here is a complete CDC list of things you should do if you think you have coronavirus https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
Further, with the community having the Jackson Health System public healthcare institution along with UM the WDR has seen their preparedness in the past and it is top notch whether it was the anthrax scare after 9/11 and fear of a smallpox attack the system beefed up its resources and has kept up with critical protocols. And tests can now be done at local labs reducing the time for a diagnosis versus days if sent to CDC in Atlanta. Given a drop in paying patients because of the virus and tourist taxes down the institution received a $ 150 million line of credit from the county during these tough times. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article241867016.html
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article240761096.html#storylink=mainstage
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
>>> The nation’s fourth largest public schools district is supplying hand sanitizers and beefing up cleaning and disinfecting the schools to curb any corona virus outbreaks, will be shut down for the year, with pandemic fears on-line courses.
http://www.miamidadeig.org/2019MDCPS/TheOIGFinalReportSB-17-1006-SIissued9.25.19.pdf
With the increased security needs the Miami-Dade County Public Schools have achieved an all-time high of officers in the district with around 400 schools. These resource officers are much needed and is the largest school police force in the nation.
>>> Miami Dolphins super star Nat Moore tells school board without opportunity to attend Dolphins training camp, “he would have been a truckdriver like his father Edison High graduate 1969, Dr. Karp sings Dolphins fight song to audience, includes team doing baseline concussions on students.
>>> The Miami Dolphins were honored by the school board Wednesday and the team needed some good news after the bruising battle at county hall and bringing F1 racing to the stadium and Miami Gardens. That brought out a host of residents against the race. A number of Dolphins and management attended the meeting and star player Nat Moore said if it were not food the chance to attend a Dolphin training camp “he would have been a truck driver like his father and is an Edison High 1969 graduate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Moore
He said the experience gave him confidence is doing something different and the team at Edison High recently replaced football gear destroyed by a freak fire when no one else was in the building.
The school district is paying the city of Miami$1.195 million to provide law enforcement officers at 17 public schools located within the city at a cost of $70,337.00 per school says the Miami resolution passed by the commission accepting the money to the “police general fund account.”
>>> District saves $68 million in COP bond refinancing, IG busts electrical contractor and minority “front.”
The school board is refinancing some Certificates of Participation (COP) bonds and the maneuver suggested by a treasury advisory board is saving the public district 468 million and the nation’s second largest district has an extensive bond portfolio and has been refinancing since interest have been so low especially a few years ago.
here is the link to the audit agenda: http://www.dadeschools.net/schoolboard/agenda/e35.pdf
School District Impact Fees Audit Check out the audit and what the county owes to the public district http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_May_14_2019/Agenda.pdf
>>> Charter schools 134 of them are asking to receive some of the $1.2 billion GOB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieaqsiupMSI protests.
Charter schools are asking for a portion of a 1.2 billion property tax that was expected to raise teacher pay and upgrade some schools and the district has 134 charter schools that are managed by private firms and upgrade private property with public funds and these entities do not have to follow the same rules and do not have to accept all students versus the public district and the legal battle is occurring in Tallahassee during the session, and these local tax dollars should go to the public district the fourth largest https://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/MiamiHerald/ https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article229066424.html
CITY OF MIAMI
What do peacocks have to do with the media?
If you ever wondered why NBC uses the spread peacock logo it is from Greek Mythology and evolved from the 100 foot hundred eye colossus Argus that protected the fawn Io and morphed into ancient capitals back the to protect against snakes o the peacock all seeing and the fowl were used and they are a predator and will take on a cobra check out this video: cobra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieaqsiupMSI
>> Commissioner Reyes calls mayor’s stalling tactic “Machiavellian,” since Reyes and Gort oppose deal and 4/5th vote needed for no bid deal with Beckham and MLS
The Miami Freedom Park discussions Thursdays was a drama with Miami commissioner Manola Reyes calling Mayor Francis Suarez “Machiavellian” given the mayor’s slow progress with The David Beckham groups $1 billion development deal and MLS soccer stadium on the Melreese golf course. Reyes and Wilfredo Gort suggest the delays are to allow for the upcoming elections to add new commissioners in support of what many calls a sweetheart deal of a billion dollar give away to the politically connected Mass brothers. Since both Gort and Reyes are against the deal. Former Miami commissioner Marc Sarnoff is part of the negotiating deal and his law firm Shutts & Bowen. Sarnoff noted that the traffic and environmental studies have yet to be done and will not be ready till close to the Nov. election and the commissioners believe it is a stalling tactic by proponent Suarez who notes it was overly passed by Miami voters, but the devil is in the details and the commission o them as commissioners put some form timelines for the administration to present a contract while Gort is still on the dais.
In one sharp exchange Reyes does not call Suarez and the mayor shot back that he should be called “mayor,” since he refers to them as commissioners, but the heated meeting highlights the divisions on the five-member body as Suarez tries to wrap-up the deal expected in the coming months and the value of the golf course has yet to be established.
What else happened?
Carollo reached into his old toolbox when people were asking about 4 new parks in his district. He said the people complaining just did not want people outside the neighborhood using the parks and one person actually “grabbed his wife’s arm.” And he suggested this was racially or anti Hispanic rhetoric from elites in his district and he used this tactic back in 2000 but now is a different time and he may not get the ethnic divide traction he is looking for and had people throwing bananas in front of Miami City Hall back then.
Speeding boats on Miami River scarring manatees in river
What about the speeding boats on the Miami River and these hitting manatees? The river with a dubious history has restaurants dotting the shores and residents are asking for a more robust police marine patrol and say the fast boats are scarring the slow-moving sea cows that swim along the shore to avoid these boats
“The most important committee the sea level rise committee,’ is going to ask for more public funding for studies and members going to conferences and after much debate is asking the commission to fund $500,000 to the resilience and sustainability officer’s office and the chair will be speaking at an upcoming commission meeting since budget hearings are in September. To read the budget go to:
https://www.miamigov.com/Government/Departments-Organizations/Management-Budget
EDITORIAL
Further, with multiple municipalities, hospitals utilities have been held hostage and cyber ransom blackmail to regain access to encrypted computers. To read more about these hacks and technology go to these two links and it will open your eyes on the danger of these actors including North Korea and is only evolving in complexity and even the CIA has been penetrated along with the ultra-secret NSA. https://www.wired.com/story/2017-biggest-hacks-so-far/?verso=true
https://decideconsulting.com/5-recent-cyber-security-threats-in-2018/
And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account 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
informed and saving taxpayer monies in the process. And I thank my supporters over the last 19 years. And to read a national story and profile of the WDR publisher in the early years and background back in 2003 go to: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american
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. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog
>>>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
The homeless trust has a new program where people with rental housing can register their rental units with the county and for more on the program go to: http://www.homelesstrust.org/rentconnect.asp
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account 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 go to: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american
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
Daniel A. Ricker
Publisher & Editor
Watchdog Report
Est. 05.05.00
Copyright © of original material, 2019, Daniel A. Ricker
>>> 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. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog
>>>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
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
***** 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
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
RONALD Hall
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com
BERCOW RADELL FERNANDEZ & LARKIN www.brzoninglaw.com
RON BOOK
BENEDICT P. KUEHNE http://www.kuehnelaw.com/
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
Shubin& Bass: http://www.shubinbass.com/
Rbb www.rbbcommmunications.com
WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.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
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS and PUBLIC TRUST www.ethics.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
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 BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com
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/
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu
Miami Parking Authority www.mpamiami
>>> 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. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog
>>>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
>>>>> 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. ****************************************************
Watchdog Report Supporters Invoice-Form Thank you
Large Business Supporters $500
Small Business Supporters $250
Please make checks out to Daniel A. Ricker and send to 3109 Grand Ave. #125 Miami, Fla 33133