Archive for July 2021

 
 

Watchdog Report Vol.21 No.44 EST:05.05.00-I go when you cannot – Celebrating 21-years of weekly publishing – Covid patients at JHS soars to 50 – 198 patients in only “three weeks,” says CEO Migoya

 

>>> Velocity of Covid-19 Delta variant is visible by rise in cases at JHS from “60 to 70 a day,” to “50 to 198,” patients in only Three weeks.”says CEO Migoya, as new Columbian variant accounts for “two percent,” of new cases.

 

The Watchdog Report was shocked after JHS VP Don Steigman at a recent trust board meeting said that the public health system was seeing “60 to 70,” Covid patients a day but that number soared only days later and the system went from “yellow,” to now red. JHS CEO Carlos Migoya in the media said thy  went to “50 to 108 patients in only three weeks,” said Migoya on “This Week In South Florida.” 

 

The velocity of the Delta variant is sweeping through south Florida and the former banker noted, the health system is seeing “49 percent are Delta variant patients,”un vaccinated and a new Columbian variant has come to Jackson Health System with “2 percent,” having such a variant and is a new challenge local health systems will be facing. Migoya also noted “89 percent of the hospital’s physicians are vaccinated.” And Migoya called the the situation as a “pandemic of the unvaccinated.” He also noted Covid at its peak at jackson. There were  “500 covid patients,” and they never want to have to deal with such volume ever again.

 

The  nation and world is still gripped with the collapse of the Champlain Tower condo that has killed 94 residents and 97 are missing, and the tragic event highlighted the professionalism of Miami-Dade County’s firefighters and police and having a regional size force versus just municipalities. However everyone knows someone that lives in a condo and many are looking at their own condo’s infrastructure, that had a building siding collapse in kendall, recently and that anxiety  is adding a new wrinkle when someone is buying a condo in an ocean front building.. 

 

What about former mayor and commissioner Xavier Suarez?

 

Former Miami mayor and county commissioner Xavier Suarez is trying a new gig being the the frontman for Solis Health that offers $1.200. in free OTC products but is a odd job for a Harvrd university law graduate.He also only was only allowed to run for office after his wife Rita found out he got free health insurance from the county.He told his swearing in audience at the county commission  swearing-in ceremonies.

 

What about the Miami Mayoral race?

 

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (net worth:$628,296 and owes a Mr. Cooper($125,965.)  is running for reelection and raised $2.5 million, and facing no real challenger has been calling for the United States to “intervene” in Cuba while the protests going on in Cuba and has Miami Cubans marching and protesting in the streets.

 

The man has pushed cryptocurrency and the city has “plenty of land,” for high rises he has told developers at meetings in his city hall office that included a member of the press. He does not seem to have any problem taking so much money from these vested people and will limit his rise to higher office for moderation or ethics are high on his list since he does not list how much he makes at a law firm while doing his  political job.

 

CORRECTION: the counsel attorney to Suarez was spelled wrong. His name is Eddy V.Leal and on Thursday spoke again to the commission and his role in the administration appears to be growing.

 

Suarez a family man also has  a shadow in Eddy Leal a attorney whose private pratice is getting a nice public bump and he is a confident and presenter of proclamations as he did briefly for members of Brigade 1250 members of the Bay of Pigs and he MCed the ceremony and on Thursday at a commission meeting.

 

Proceedings over at champlain condo collapsed condo.

 

All South Florida is in shock and mourning after the  recent condo collapse, and largest death toll in our recent history. And search and rescue efforts at the  Surfside Champlain condominium that collapsed earlier in the week and fires, now out, were hindering efforts  to find any survivors in the rubble. The county’s response has been seamless says county mayor Daniella Levine Cava (net worth $$6166,188).However, the event  is sending shivers through the condominium community and whether their homes are at risk. Something only after the investigation will probably explain. 

 

Further, while it was built in the early 1980s in South Florida. The Town of Surfside was a  sleepy bedroom community with retirees and was a time of the cocaine cowboys and created a wild west form of government and money talked especially with government leaders and inspectors and may have played a part as the forensic investigation continues by the highly trained first responders. 

 

The community’s prayers go to all the families and the WDR will go back to normal in the coming weeks after my month in a nursing home and assisted living facility and I was investigating how these organizations ran when one is informed with a broken hip that was surgically repaired. I thank and apologize again to my supporters for the gap in publishing while I have physical therapy. During this tragic time for the community with inspections being ordered for older condominiums. 

 

>>> I also want to thank my Baptist Health South Florida surgeon Howard Bar-Eli, M.D. my orthopedic physician. I healed well and have no pain and am just getting around on a cane. Thank you for the great surgery Dr. Bar-Eli. 

 

Check out the school District’s Budget and advisory Review board agenda for CBOs and the Richmond Perrine Optimist club is referenced and the baby of retired county commissioner Dennis Moss and the organization is well respected.

http://mca.dadeschools.net/virtual_abac_info.htmlhttp://mca.dadeschools.net/virtual_abac_info.html 

 

>>> It’s a “lost generation, the young people doing mass  shootings in South Florida said Miami police Chief Art Acevedo and later county top cop Freddy Ramairez,III said with social media retaliation is being directed from the jails,  However the black affairs committee chair says not gun violence but “gang violence,’ says committee chair Johnson. Gang violence is a big issue in South Florida and is causing the rise of this violence and turf battles are the consequences.

 

What  about new 911 software?

 

There is new software that when you call 911, you can activate a camera and record what is happening and is great for domestic violence cases that is a scourge of the community says Constance Collins the CEO of Lotus House and she presented a report to the county commission Tuesday on domestic violence.

 

PHT joint meeting with the county board was Tuesday.

 

The projects for the making miracles $*800 million plus bonds are coming in on time and within budget said JHS CEO Carlos Migoya to commissioners Tuesday and the projects are impressive for a public hospital system this size.

 

MDX meetings for “transparency,” will be televised on the county cable channel, said commission chair Jose “Pepe Diaz the commission chair is on the agency.

 

UM settles transplant Medicare Fraud suit with feds for $22 million, most numerous transplant program in the nation.

 

The relationship with UM and JHS was marred by a justice department settlement after the federal agency accused UM of Medicare fraud in the transplant program the largest in the nation and has the university paying $22 million in a settlement agreement negotiated with the medical school after a whistleblower case brought the matter to the federal attention earlier in the year and negotiations have been ongoing.

 

What about community charity or community benefit care at Baptist Health?

Baptist Health system offers a host of screening programs at low cost and over the years I have used several of them when I did not have health insurance and included a calcium score test and CT lung scan among others and these preventive programs are greatly appreciated, including low cost mammograms and last year the fiscal number was $380 million in community benefit and uncompensated care and along with Jackson Health System, they are south Florida’s community health care jewels with JHS doing millions more in charity care thanks to revenue that comes in from a half-cent penny sales tax. 

 

The WDR is celebrating its 21st Anniversary May 5 and it was JHS and former CEO Ira Clark who convinced me to start this new service back in 2000 after it was clear Clark was having medical issues, like when he called Gov. Jeb Bush the governor of New York. Bush responded, “Hey Ira I’m trying to give you $65 million in a big state check ceremony “can we at least get the state right,” said Bush visible annoyed and I realized the trust needed closer attention along with the school board after some suspect land deals.

 

School Board Audit committee agenda Link:

http://mca.dadeschools.net/virtual_abac_info.html 

 

>>> MDX and Sun Pass should work together to track and find stolen cars since they can be tracked on the freeways but are not at this time working with the Miami-Dade County Police Department, and stolen cars are a big issue in the county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. And the city of Miami only has three officers working the detail in District 2.

 

>>> The George Washington University is celebrating 200-years as a university created in virtue of the authority of the United States of America in 1821. Here is more on GWU where I graduated in 1974 from the Sino-Soviet Institute with a degree in Chinese Studies. Go colonials and living in the heart of D.C. is a special experience I will never forget.

 

GW Earns Honor as a Top Producer of Fulbright Students 

The university placed among the top research institutions for generating Fulbright students, with a total of 12 students accepting the award in the 2020-2021 academic year. Nine of these students are Elliott School graduates, who were awarded English Teaching Fellowships and research grants. 

 

>>>Rerun so important: Jackson Health System kicking off countywide, a Community Healthcare disparity study, required by IRS every three-years for not-for-profit tax status, will include input from U health, Nickolas Children’s info, study should include all health systems data in South Florida, to get accurate profile of any health discrepancies in area healthcare access.

 

At Tuesday’s PHT trustee meeting a staffer in charge of the study told Trustees the study is required by the IRS every three-years and U Health and Nichols Children’s data will be included in the study that is especially important after  the poor 2020 Census Count, and given the comprehensive nature of the study all health systems data should be included to get an accurate picture of healthcare delivery in the county to give are leaders a true understanding of countywide healthcare availability for all residents. Further, CFO Mark Knight reported the health trust’s yearly “Audit was on time, not like ten-years ago, and had no deficiencies’, [was clean] and are substantially complete,” the CFO told trustees but warned that in fiscal 2020 balancing the budget will be a challenge, given the reduction in patient volume currently being experienced in what usually is a busy period, Knight concluded. Further, this year’s audit the 15th was also clean.

 

Migoya has 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 Moderna 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 Estephan’ 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 during the uninsured crisis. Those past CEOs would not have been as successful as Carlos Migoya the respected former banker and former City of Miami Manager. 

 

>>> Miami Dolphins super star Nat Moore tells school board without opportunity to attend Dolphin’s training camp, “he would have been a truck driver like his father Edison High graduate 1969.

 

>>> 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.

 

What about the audit committee? 

 

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

 

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 21- 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, 2021, 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

 

>>> JHS CEO Carlos Migoya has agreed to stay on another year as the CEO said commissioner Sally Heyman who was on his PHT compensation review committee along with county commissioner Javier Souto who has always been a big JHS supporter after heart surgeon Jerri Kaiser.M.D., did bypass surgery on him a decade ago. Further, Migoya is a board member on MEDNAX Inc., (and was paid $245,416) as a board member., along with other board members not getting that payment such as former UM medical school dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D. Along with healthcare executive Michael B. Fernandez. After the review, Migoya’s new base salary is $730,000 and jumps to $915,000075 in June.

 

The WDR is celebrating its 21st Anniversary May 5 and it was JHS and former CEO Ira Clark who convinced me to start this new service back in 2000 after it was clear Clark was having medical issues, like when he called Gov. Jeb Bush the governor of New York. Bush responded, “hey Ira I’m trying to give you $65 million in a big state check ceremony “can we at least get the state right,” said Bush visible annoyed and I realized the trust needed closer attention along with the schoolboard after some suspect land deals.

 

>>> MDX and Sun Pass should work together to track and find stolen cars since they can be tracked on the freeways but are not at this time working with the Miami-Dade County Police Department, and stolen cars are a big issue in the county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. And the city of Miami only has three officers working the detail in District 2.

 

>>Local media in South Florida needs to set up televisions in their newsrooms for all the Zoom meetings of government public meetings and the ongoing rift between the 34 municipalities and Miami-Dade County the big enchilada of government versus the 34 cities within. And had Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla calling county CEO Jimmy Morales, the “arrogance of the county,” in shutting off a street on Silver Bluff, claiming it is political “payback,” since commissioners did not support county commissioner Eileen Higgins run for county commissioner.

 

>>> The George Washington University is celebrating 200-yearrs as a university created in virtue of the authority of the United States of America in 1821. Here is more on GWU where I graduated in 1974 from the Sino-Soviet Institute with a degree in Chinese Studies. Go colonials and living in the heart of D.C. is a special experience I will never forget.

GW Earns Honor as a Top Producer of Fulbright Students
The university placed among the top research institutions for generating Fulbright students, with a total of 12 students accepting the award in the 2020-2021 academic year. Nine of these students are Elliott School graduates, who were awarded English Teaching Fellowships and research grants.

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.

 

I got a form letter saying Miami Mayor Francis Suarez wants to hear from me 

 

>>> 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.

 

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 

 

Further, locally here is the Baptist Health South Florida’s take on the virus impact on the brain.

https://baptisthealth-coronavirus.com/en/cam/mni/3/covid-19s-neurological-impact-study-finds-link-to-strokes-rare-brain-inflammation/?utm_source=hg&channel=email&jobnumber=BHSF850009&serviceline=neuro&agency=hg 

 

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

>>>> 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.

 

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.

 

>>>> Baptist has zoom meeting on Breast Cancer and free mammograms with top physician speakers’ part of community service the not-for-profit health system provides and has low-cost CT scans for lung cancer. The Baptist Health Foundation is holding a zoom meeting with top physicians discussing Breast Cancer and for more info go to: https://baptisthealth.net/en/giving/pages/classesandeventsdetails.aspx?ceid=c20898fc-019c-424a-8da8- And to request a mammogram at Baptist  go to www.BaptistHealth.net /Breast Health. 

https://www.miamidadeig.org/inspector-general/home.page

 

The Watchdog Report hopes several of 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.

 

The correct count Census undercount back in 2010 cost the city of Miami some $81 million and perhaps some congressional redistricting. Further the commerce department is reducing the time to count and we as a community must go into overdrive, despite COVID-19, the presidential election, and other issues.  the report is slightly dated.

 

>>>> 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.

 

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

 

Something back in 2,000 was not happening when Miami-Dade had almost 100,000 people without health insurance inundating hospitals. For the current state go to https://caringforsouthflorida.org/ for more go to:https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/commissioner-says-local-democrats-wont-stop-him-from-tweeting-about-hydroxychloroquine/ar-BB17VYKe?ocid=uxbndlbing >> https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/08/11/social-media-posts-by-miami-beach-commissioner-ricky-arriola-push-controversial-takes-on-covid-19/

 

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.

 

>>> Finally, Trump says wearing mask is OK precaution as COVID cases surge through the south, all government employees must ask people to wear a mask, because not working currently, even in front of Miami city hall Friday, could COVID sound trucks used with hurricanes in neighborhoods increase mask wearing? 

 

>> 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.

 

And check out this national story on me that ran in all the Tribune papers back in 2003: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american          

 

What about the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?

 

>>>> 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. 

 

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. 

 

>>> 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 is a daunting problem.

 

Why are there so many trusts 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 PHT trust at a time it was hemorrhaging money because of the millions spent giving in charity care.

 

>>>> 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, 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  

For more info go to: https://baptisthealthcareondemand.net/landing.htm?utm_source=baptist&utm_medium=external%20comms&utm_campaign=covid_19_comms&%243p=a_custom_669592118389657940&~campaign=covid_19_comms&~secondary_publisher_name=external&_branch_match_id=760863008129786993

 

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’ 21st issues 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.

 

>>>> Further, the antics at the City of Miami by commissioner Joe Carollo, and Xavier Suarez is why I started the WDR back on May 05, 2000 and a recall effort is gaining steam with former manager joe Arriola kicking in $100,000 to help get the signatures needed to call for a recall of the Dist. 3 commissioner who has commission meetings a must watch affair, unfortunately since Miami needs stability given are diverse and poor sections of the city. 

 

Check out the Knight Foundation’s forum for engaged communities and news sources a great read.:https://knightfoundation.org/articles/knight-media-forum-how-to-strengthen-local-news-serve-communities-and-support-democracy/

 

What about the scooters that terrorize pedestrians and race around the streets and cause some thousands of head injuries in ER’s?

 

>>> Further in May. I had a surgery and the attendant bills have depleted my funds so if you feel the WDR is an asset to the community I need your help to continue with this faced this time of need and I know you have many demands but hope if you have been a past sponsor you could step up one more time to help me keep this endeavor going for another decade. 

Thank you Unfortunately, last week that did not happen, though some may be the mail even though I just must hang in there to March when new funding becomes available. But surviving to that month. I have not dealt with since 2004, after using some $300,000 of my own money, 

 

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 had 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 are 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 Collina. In the future these could include facial recognition used widely in China.

 

This technology allowed the police to identify a shooter in 30 minutes after a shooting at Kush in Wynwood and that is impressive, said Collina.

 

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

 

After 20-years I need community help to keep at this and know you have many demands on your finances but if you can please keep me going when you cannot. Thank you!

 

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 May 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 Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust met and there was some good and bad news. Last year over 200people died on the streets many by opioids and fentanyl and the hard life on the street. For the past year that number dropped to 188 people passing and getting people a job and housing is the goal and the Chapman Partnership placed 158 people in jobs and an apprentice program pilot is being tested with FIU learning construction skills. 

 

>>> 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.

 

Miami has become a premier cancer care destination, UM & Baptist $400 million Proton therapy celebrates 500 proton treated patients, at Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida all cutting edge cancer centers, community residents are lucky when it comes to new cancer therapies, Baptist giving low-cost mammogram tests during breast cancer month.  

 

Miami has become an area destination for cancer care with University of Miami’s new Federal designation as a National Cancer Institution (NCI) and The Baptist Health South Florida Miami Cancer Institute is the health system with a Proton beam device. The only one in South Florida and a $400 million investment in cancer care, especially for children, and patients who no longer must go to north Florida to get this less damaging treatment than chemotherapy and is more precise for more go to: The institute just celebrated its 500th  Proton  treatment  recently and the technology was highlighted on PBS Friday night and is used for a variety of cancers something I did not know and leave nearby tissue alone versus radiation : https://baptisthealth.net/cancer-care/treatments-and-services/radiation-therapies/proton-therapyhttps://umiamihealth.org/sylvester-comprehensive-cancer-center for more on Baptist go to:https://www.baptisthealth.com/pages/services/cancer-care/treatments/proton-treatment-for-prostate-cancer.aspx https://baptisthealth.net/cancer-care/treatments-and-services/radiation-therapies/proton-therapy Further Baptist has a low cost breast cancer screening program that is only $50.00 and for more go to https://baptisthealth.net/cancer-care/adultpatients/cancer-types/breastcancer/about

 

And when it comes to medical care early detection is key and as I age, I am becoming more cognizant of that fact.

 

Miami with two separate FBI Medicare fraud task forces and is “the graduate school of fraud,” and where new fraud beta sites are proven past U. S. attorneys have asserted over the years.

 

>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 do not speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents to public institutions issues, in our community. Further, 

I am a fanatic about having an accurate public record with no gaps in the conversion after I had an attorney challenge such a gap saying, “IS that God speaking from a burning bush?” He asserted.

>> 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. 
 

DRicker

WATCHDOG REPORT

 

Miami-Dade, Fla.

Vol.21 No. 43, July 25, 2021, Celebrating 21 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: 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:   – Politicians do not 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.

 

knight-logo-300

 >>> “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

 

>>> U.S. $23 trillion debt clock, not being discussed by candidates, is a fiscal time bomb the nation will one day have to face!

 

With the nation’s debt climbing to $26. trillion none of the candidates from either party are discussing this fiscal time bomb on the campaign trail. I first became alarmed back in 2004 when it was just $4 trillion but the wars and Great Recession added new fuel to the rising debt and increased interest rates and the link shows the nation’s debt clock and please sit down given the velocity of the numbers.  https://usdebtclock.org/ 

 

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.

 

>>>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 

www.knightfoundation.org  

 

>>. JHS to 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 

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article240761096.html#storylink=mainstage 

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

 

>>> Miami Dolphins super star Nat Moore tells school board without opportunity to attend Dolphin’s training camp, “he would have been a truckdriver like his father Edison High graduate 1969.

 

>>> 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 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

 

CITY OF MIAMI  

 

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.

 

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, 2020, 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 & Tapanes – Land Use … https://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

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 

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

 

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

 

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/

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.  

Supporting Sponsors $5,000

Sustaining Sponsors $2,000 

Corporate Sponsors $1,000 (All levels above will be listed in the report with web if desired)

Large Business Supporters $500 

Small Business Supporters $250  

 

Individual Supporter $150

 

Please make checks out to Daniel A. Ricker and send to 3109 Grand Ave. 125 Miami, Fla 33133