Archive for October 2021

 
 

Watchdog Report Vol.21 No.52 Oct.17, 2021 – EST:05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 21-years of weekly publishing

WATCHDOG REPORT

Miami-Dade, FL

Vol. 21. No. 52 October 17, 2021

Daniel A. Ricker, Publisher & Editor   

www.watchdogreport.net & www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/dan_ricker 

Est. 05.05.00  I go when you cannot & a community education resource & news service

 

DRicker

CONTENTS

      

Argus Report: heard Seen on the street: 

 

>>> So many years, so little changes Miami commission gives heave-ho to controversial police chief Acevedo, will city ever be able to hire another outsider again, should a handbook be created for newcomers coming to the city, what will coup cost the city in litigation fees, and settlement? As young mayor Suarez slinks away, after being sloppy and not doing a background check on the outspoken, brash reform minded chief who sent 8-page poison pill memo on corruption to federal officials

 

PHT/ MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>>> Peace in the valley, versus other times, as JHS, and SEIU union 1991, agree on new three-year union contract, costing $9.7 million, union nurse president Baker, grilled by commissioners Garcia, Martinez, on system requiring vaccinations, and any potential penalties, opening JHS up to national  debate on vaccinations, despite hospital workers exhaustion given the onslaught of young patients, and thank God vaccines are working 

 

CITY OF MIAMI: Suarez a prodigious fundraiser $6 million through July, says he is not selling out, but public may differ with such a large amount, not a profile in courage, Carollo, has also improved his acting skills as he pauses or plays with his reading glasses at the dais, stoking the tension up, until the next accusation against the chief. And his “henchman Javier Ortiz,” a controversial police officer who is also a favorite of the chief and that Ortiz is trying to ingratiate himself with the man by coming to his defense regarding a unreported potential damage to his leased city care, Mayor Francis Suárez not a profile in courage, decides discretion is the better part of valor, wants manager Noriega to sort out chief

Florida: With 2020 Census results, S. Florida, Orlando may pick up new congressional district map drawn-up by republican controlled legislature– Miami-Dade County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman presiding  over the litigation of the Champlin towers collapse is in the spotlight this week., jurist net worth for last year was $29 million, up from year before $28 million net state ethics commission documents and IRS 1040

Miami-Dade County

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 >>> School Board Tuesday holds redistricting workshop, WDR was the only media at the public event not televised, draft maps drawn by Moreno and Ilcheva, from FIU 

CITY Of MIAMI: Civil service board upholds firing of whistle blower Nicholson, who claimed Miami Commissioner Alex de la Portilla “poked,” her and made her step back hurting her ankle, after dueling attorney’s Baldwin Vs. Menéndez battle it out suggesting camera video was tampered with, board votes to  “exonerate everyone involved;” “upholding the termination of Nicholson,” by manager Noriega, says chair Sutton, complaint and accusations played out in media

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH: Voters will be asked if hotels, restaurants, should take part in the food & beverage tax, for funding county’s homeless trust & domestic violence agency, $5 million passed by county BCC for purchase of new residence building, for homeless trust, many, involve families not one to one, Ocean Beach hit with another murder of innocent tourist family father  

Public Health Trust: 

Community Events: THE Margulies Warehouse is open with new works https://www.margulieswarehouse.com & WLRN fundraiser, and Kristi House annual event

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

 

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

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>>> If you wish to be deleted, just e-mail me with that message. 

 

>>> The Watchdog Report is back, and readers should stay tuned as your government tries to spend your tax dollars efficiently, but taxpayers need to be vigilant for public dollars are precious and few and must be spent wisely. And on May 5th the Watchdog Report  celebrated its 21st  Anniversary and consider financially helping me have another year of watching your public institutions. 

 

Further, I have a touch of the Delta virus, sniffles, low  grade fever, fatigue, and lack of taste and smell and getting vaccinated must be South Florida’s goal to end this terrible scourge that is hammering our healthcare systems. Further, young people who liken COVID-19 to getting the flu had better check out what long haulers go through may not resolve itself. I know because I am one of those people with long term impacts and it is not pleasant and while the vaccine mitigates the severity residents must get vaccinated if we are ever getting back to normal. Here are two links on the consequences of covid in the long run and it is not pleasant and more medical studies are ongoing.

COVID ‘Long Haulers’: Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 | Johns Hopkins Medicine

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects.html 

 

Further, I am doing an investigative story on my time in a nursing home and later an assisted living facility(that state legislators need to look into this before they become patients because it is a flip of the coin in some cases, and what I observed during the month-long time I lived at these two institutions will be written about including medical staff qualifications, that varied in a variety of ways and I am just glad to have left  them  before anything negative happened to me while I was there. Both places were for profit and that was very apparent. 

 

Update: During my month at  a nursing home in Kendall I noticed a number of things. One was a food receipt on the food tray but not the food, but probable still billed to Medicare. And at an assisted living facility in Broward. I was being treated by  people with unknown medical credentials. Further, since February when I had a mild case of COVID, I have rarely gotten a deep sound sleep, which was rare for me.

 

  

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org  for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center www.knightfoundation.org  to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner. 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

 

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street 

 

>>> So many years, so little changes Miami commission gives heave-ho to controversial police chief Acevedo, will city ever be able to hire another outsider again, should a handbook be created for newcomers coming to the city, what will coup cost the city in litigation fees, and settlement? As young mayor Suarez slinks away, after being sloppy and not doing a background check on the outspoken, reform minded chief 

 

I started the WDR after a similar time back in 2000 at the City of Miami, when divisive politics ruled the day. However, what happened with the firing of outsider police chief Art Acevedo brought all that back with commissioner Joe Carollo once again living up to his nickname of “Crazy Joe,” who was judge prosecutor and jury on the five-member commission that only has a vice chair Ken Russell.

 

After now county commissioner Keon Hardeman the chair resigned but had the mayor not yet replacing a commissioner for that chairmanship and until the November elections  for Carollo and the mayor seeking another term and amassing $6 million for his campaign, that many consider a obscene amount. But the young man called “Machiavellian,” by commissioner Manola Reyes and has had security when he  was at Belen Jesuit academy and transferred under a cloud to Lasalle academy.

 

The young local community prince and son of Miami’s first Cuban mayor Xavier Suarez, an attorney now doing commercials for a healthcare plan. The son will coast to reelection since he has no real competitive challengers. However, the Acevedo firing and his lack of support of the reform outsider chief exposed a lack of guts and character after he called his hand appointed chief “The Michael Jordan of policing.” Who just did not fit in with the Miami police department that had the union voting no confidence in the brash, outspoken chief who grew up in L.A. and did not understand the deep roots of the exile community here in Miami, especially the “Cuban mafia,” comment that Castro used to describe the local Cuban exile community and set off this firestorm? That included later an eight-page memo asserting charges of corruption of commissioners trying to influence city staff to do their bidding. A historic problem over the years and called the “friends and family plan,” since so many political people have gotten off the hook for a variety of deeds.

 

Suarez is also making Miami city hall a police officer check point on the street leading up to City Hall last week. When a planned press conference that set up in front of the entrance of city hall, but was later moved to outside the mayor’s second floor office after all the press had setup and the paranoid mayor with security and a police officer guarding his home in the south grove,  has a lot to learn and take responsibility for if he plans to run for higher office that after recent events could only be a pipe dream, when viewed outside the Miami bubble and his adoring acolytes. Further. A Spanish tv reporter was pushed after a exchange with the mayor and does not bode well for his political future    

 

COCONUT GROVE: OBITUARY

 

David Glass, 81, a local Grove fixture and photographer passed Saturday morning and the man  chronicled many of the grove’s celebrities’ including Mohammed Ali, Dan Moreno and a host of others and he helped the Watchdog Report a number of times over the past 21-years and he will be missed by his many local  friends, may you rest in peace David, after your illness.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST: MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>>> Peace in the valley, versus other times, as JHS, and SEIU union 1991, agree on new three-year union contract, costing $9.7 million, union nurse president Baker, grilled by commissioners Garcia, Martinez, on requiring vaccinations, and any potential penalties, opening JHS up to national  debate on vaccinations, despite hospital workers exhaustion given the onslaught of patients. 

 

The county commission Tuesday approved a new professional 2020-2023, contract with SEIU 1991 and the Jackson Health System, which encompasses some 1,176 professional employees and will cost $9.7 million over a three-year period state public document. At the commission two commissioners Rene Garcia and Joe Martinez and had Garcia a healthcare maven when he was a state senator while moving the item objected to getting the document so late before the vote and said in the future, he will not support items coming so late to the body too review  and approve.

 

Martinez took a different tac asking union president Martha Baker, R.N., what the facilities policy was regarding getting vaccinated and masks?

 

Martinez  wanted to know if the staff “in his opinion was [under] some unfair treatment,” at JHS. Baker, responded that in dealing with the pandemic, “it was a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” She concluded and noted some “80 percent,” of staff was vaccinated and masks were required in the facility, and she noted the ICU nurses were “exhausted,” as a new wave of patients 18 to 20-year old’s,” were being treated, she responded. She reiterated when asked if the requiring of vaccinations were a unreasonable mandate? 

 

The nurse many times the public face of Jackson said she did “not understand,” that line of questioning and while the vaccine and masks where “controversial issues,” said chair Jose “Pepe” Diaz noting these are healthcare worker and longtime Jackson supporter Rebeca Sosa moved the contracts approval and the contract passed with no objections. Which has not always been the case. And had Sosa “wanting to commend all at Jackson reaching an agreement with the administration, something not always the case decades ago and is another feather in CEO Carlos Migoya management hat. To read the contract go to: Approved Approved Mayor (miamidade.gov)  Approved Mayor (miamidade.gov) Approved Mayor (miamidade.gov) Approved Mayor (miamidade.gov)

 

CITY OF MIAMI CONCLUSION: Miami police Chief Art Acevedo was not fired Thursday at a special commission meeting ( as I predicted last week), that was continued to this past Thursday afternoon, when Joe Carollo came out verbally blazing with controversial accusations to the chief’s poor judgement in a salacious matter, which included photos, intoned Carollo. The man has also improved his acting skills as he pauses or plays with his reading glasses at the dais, stoking the tension up, until the next accusation against the chief. And his “henchman Javier Ortiz,” a controversial police officer who is also a favorite of the chief and that Ortiz is trying to ingratiate himself with the man by coming to his defense regarding a unreported potential damage to his leased city car.

The former Miami mayor noted his experience with a past police chief Donald Warsaw back in 1999, who later went to jail, as his credentials to make these claims of hypocrisy and “do as I say not as I do.” He also said, that “Acevedo six times had asked him if he was CIA? “ The only other person who  brings up CIA involvement in his life is county Commissioner Javier Souto. Carollo in 2002 at the Elephant Forum a republican issues luncheon where Carollo running for mayor again back then told the luncheon crowd. That after 9/11, he had personally “stopped an airliner crashing into Turkey Point,” because of his contacts, with the CIA.” 

 

And Carollo mocking the chief reminded the public of his “refrain,”  in the media quoted the chief saying, “if you lie, you die,” was the chief’s mantra said Carollo. The chief seen on the second floor of city hall did not come down and refute any of the attacks and the young mayor Suarez,43, up for reelection in November is said to have presidential aspirations and may explain why he wanted a strong mayor form of government (so he could actually do something) since he does not manage the city, done by the manager he chooses and the commission confirms. Suarez, was invisible while his top cop faced a wood chipper of verbal accusations including he took out “the GPS in undercover police  vehicles and a host of others,” which Carollo suggested was a bit odd for the “Great Reformer,” who has a host of other controversial issues if someone had just Goggled him that manager Art Noriega said “was not done,” in the beginning.

 

That fact  opened up this can of worms that Carollo is driving a trailer truck  through, and the chief is facing the Miami slow political twisting in the wind. Something, we are known to periodically do, and he will soon be gone, especially after the “Cuban Mafia,” remark, coined by Castro to describe the Cuban dissenters in Miami, and was found to be highly offensive to the older Cuban exile community, that he never apologized too on the radio but by a tweet considered disrespectful by commissioners. And for more on the media loving chief go to: Why Is Art Acevedo Leaving Houston? – Texas Monthly

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY Public Schools

 

>>> School Board Tuesday holds redistricting workshop, WDR was the only media at the public event not televised, draft maps drawn by Moreno and Ilcheva, from FIU, public gets to see them in November at public meetings

 

“Politics is local,” and that activity is never more so than redistricting after the 2020 Census. And on Tuesday the Miami-Dade County school board had a redistricting workshop in the school board chamber’s and was not televised and only I attended from the media at the board’s downtown location. The draft district maps were created by two redistricting consultants. Dario Moreno & Maria Ilcheva, both FIU redistricting consultants, and associate former county employee Guilermo Olmedillo, and the board’s attorney Walter Harvey, III, arranged for every decade required meeting after the census and is similar to how Miami-Dade County commissioners do their own much larger commission districts, under the guidance of their attorney’s office. Here is a link to  the new nine district maps: http://redistricting.dadeschools.net/

 

Some board members had concerns and Dr. Marta Perez said she was unhappy with the Westchester area being split. Moreno noted it was split in the congressional map. Further the draft maps will be presented to the public for review in November and these meetings will be held in convenient locations. Over all the districts do not change that much when it comes to schools being located in the draft maps. 

 

Anything odd happen to me?

 

I went into the board’s media room that is currently acting as a storage closet to work at the desk and a man followed me in and I explained who I was and he went to call Daisey Gonzalez the PIO for the district, but it would be nice to get the press room back, and the staffer was what I consider a standard issue public school employee with a dash of attitude.

 

Back in 2010, I attended the county’s redistricting meetings held in the 2nd floor commission conference room, and they had very spirited discussions, and Olmedillo also drew the maps back then for the 13 county commission districts that are much larger population than the school board districts.

 

Miami makes first move to criminalize being homeless with Carollo ordinance, item deferred this past week after objections of homeless activists, Carollo asks objectors to adopt a homeless person since so passionate for humane treatment of the homeless

 

Miami passed Thursday a first reading ordinance that will criminalize homeless that will not accept a shelter bed and blocks a pathway or an encampment. and if passed is of concern to homeless providers like the county’s homeless trust and its director Vickey Mallette has warned the commission that there is a potential it could impact the HUD funds, drawdown some $65 million  granted by the federal agency that believes the trust is a national model with its commitment to a continuum of care. But has Carollo calling the homeless services a “business,” and given the amount of money spent $7 million. He said, “he was willing to buy a hotel or two,” saying the city has lots of land. 

 

Miami staff also did a presentation on the city’s new homeless services and objectives which is to “provide a safe environment for these people in the shelters that usually have a boss in the population and is considered not safe. Carollo (net worth $1.7 million and owes Capital bank $292,565). Once told the media after his divorce in 2001 that “he was worth more dead than alive.” But like a phoenix he has financially bounced back that includes a house in Coconut Grove that  has an estimated worth of $2.0 million. The man has also found a homeless ally in commissioner Manolo Reyes who also objects to these people sleeping on the street. 

 

>>> PHT introduces 21-22 $8.6 billion budget, negotiated new labor agreement with SEIU 1919 employee union, costing $32 million, “significant outflow of nurses respiratory therapist,” trust in black for 21. “conservative,” budget that has “wiggle room,” over the next two budget cycles and needed adjustments given a less intensive COVID-19 caseload, “births high volumes, normal births, “says CFO Knight.

 

The Public Health trust unveiled its 21-22 $1.8 billion budget and has concluded a union labor contract that is fair to the public organization’s 13,000 employees especially in the competitive market for nurses and respiratory therapist. The budget was passed at the 2nd county’s budget hearing in September.

 

The trust has seen a “significant outflow of nurses and respiratory therapist,” said CFO Mark Knight at Tuesday’s public meeting in the commission chambers at government center and was televised with no public speakers during the public comment period. And shows the depth of the trust’s management team under CEO Carlos Migoya at his 11th year rung overseeing  the heath care institution after years in banking before. He has great hiring skills and has built a formable  team. The proposed budget will be wrapped in the county’s first public budget meeting Sept.14. The public hospital has also benefitted from  a $830 million bond that “ has $2.2 billion of that spent,” said Knight.

 

He noted nurses are getting $200.000 a hour in the competitive healthcare Environment, dealing with COVID-19 and its drain on all of healthcare systems. However, within the $8.6 billion is $500 million in sales tax revenues, from the half-cent sales tax passed years ago.  

 

>>> Will Miami public meetings become COVID-19 super spreaders no masks, city staff very casual with public health protocols, Noriega must tighten up staff adherence to rules, still happening in a massive way Thursday few wore masks and being dangerous to others including one Grove activist on Hardy avenue.

 

Further, there is a widespread misperception that if one is vaccinated, they don’t have to wear masks not realizing the virus can be spread and I see this at many restaurants and actually left one because of the poor public health measures

 

>>>  Miami meetings are super spreaders, no masks casual attitude?

 

City of Miami public meetings from Miami 21 task force to unsafe structures has chaos and confusion no masks worn in commission chambers. I went to two public meetings just because they were not up to standard. Here’s a national story on why I do this:

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190341-story.html 

 

Will city of Miami public meetings become Covid super spreaders, staff few masks, others none in audience Bld. Director Rene Diaz, no  mask  and he acts like he is in his living room. Further at these public meetings there are no name cards on the dais, and you are unable to match a face with  a board members name.

 

>>>New Fraud  in South Florida immigration attorney fraud, scam payment for non- services, threaten scammed with INS reporting, says county’s Hispanic affairs Bd. Chair

 

Miami-Dade has a new immigration fraud that is causing fear in the undocumented community, was discussed at the county’s Hispanic advisory bord meeting and given the confusion in what a attorney’s  name means in different South American countries. The residents trying to change their INS status  are going to these bogus non- U.S. attorneys and when they pay, and nothing is accomplished. They are threatened to then be turned into the INS  and apparently, it’s much more widespread, than the community realizes, said the committee chair.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY 

 

City of Miami

 

>>>>Miami police chief Art Acevedo, gets thumbs down, commission sustains manager’s suspension, firing during hours – long inquisition hearing, with commissioner Joe Carollo the ring master,  

 

The hearing by Miami commissioners Thursday on whether to sustain Manager Art Noriega’s suspension of the police chief Art Acevedo and the commission acting as jurors was a time machine for the WDR. Since I saw similar discussions at the city in the late 1990s and  had Miami leading national news stories daily and was putting Miami in a bad light. Further, the hearing was more of an inquisition and the chief only responded through his attorney. The man essentially believed that the chief was not being fired for his performance but his lack of cultural sensitivity after a few public comments to officers and an eight-page memo citing widespread corruption of the commission. He told officers that the city management was being run “by the Cuban mafia.” A term hated Fidel Castro used to use to describe Cuban exile dissents in Miami and is a very inflammatory term and only apologized for the remark by  Twitter and not on Spanish radio which many of the older Cuban exiles listen to, getting much of their local news and from there.

 

After Noriega asked the chief for a report on how he would change the ills of the department. Noriega reading the report said during the meeting what changed his mind and to suspend the chief was when in the report. He listed he had increased department morale in the six months with the department’s chief

 

What about the media fortress at Miami City hall?

 

Police are stopping public during press conferences, not a good sign, for insecure mayor Suarez, having security since childhood after his father elected mayor and has beefed-up that personal protection, others can only dream about

 

>>> what about Suarez a prodigious fundraiser $6 million through July, says he is not selling out, but public may differ with such a large amount, not a profile in courage, discretion better part of valor, re police chief controversy, puts onus on manager

 

Mayor Francis Suarez who uses the tag line on campaign pieces paid by the PAC Miami Good government Initiative similar to a good government program for newly elected officials and the mayor,43 went through  the program years ago that was run by former county commissioner Katy Sorensen. 

 

The attorney, also a showman and super salesman of Miami has raked in $6 million through July 31 for his campaign and the large amounts from the tech industry and other industries donated to his campaign has people wondering if the mayor even understands how this windfall of cash looks. Since as a small child in Miami where his father Xavier was the first Cuban mayor and his son a young prince who skated through a number of issues including why he left Belen Academy and transferred to La Salle. All of this is more important if he plans to seek higher office and even on a national level for, he has been sheltered and given a break all his life. 

 

Further, when it comes to a profile in courage he has taken a pass telling the media discretion is the better part of valor, and wants the manager, Art Noriega to sort out the future of his hand selected high profile chief Art Acevedo under withering criticism and has caught the ire of commissioner Joe Carollo who has made wild accusations against the chief and he fired back with a public 8-page memo accusing the commission of trying to interfere with police activities contrary to the city’s charter. 

 

>>> Miami Police Chief Acevedo, in hot seat Monday, WDR predicts he will be fired, not from Miami, but Houston, way to pick a fight with mayor Suarez, with Carollo leading the charge.

 

Here we go again, the Miami commission tomorrow meets to discuss whether to keep police chief Art Acevedo, after he referred to Miami as being run by the ‘Cuban mafia,’ a term Fidel Castro coined to reference the local Cuban dissenters in Miami. Commissioner Joe Carollo is leading the charge and continues his pattern of going after any police chief.

 

However, his attacks drew a response from the chief in a memo to city manager Art Noriega, who hired the chief claiming the attacks by commissioners is beyond their powers and likens these actions similar to Cuba, he suggests in the memo and will likely set off fireworks in the chambers and his staying could be in doubt. Something that will continue the long scrutiny of the police by the U.S. justice department that only recently was lifted. Further, given the past discussions. I believe Acevedo will be fired by Noriega, if not the manager will be next. And will throw Miami government into a political minefield for mayor Francis Suarez running for reelection and could be a black eye for the young mayor with higher aspirations. Yet won’t disclose his outside income from a law firm and has established that having outside employment is no conflict with your city job., especially with commissioners and both the mayor and commission make a decent salary not the $5,000. From the 1990s and later changed by voters.  

 

>>> Civil service board upholds firing of whistle blower Nicholson, who claimed Miami Commissioner Alex De La Portilla “poked,” her and made her step back hurting her ankle, after dueling attorney’s battle it out suggesting camera video was tampered with, board votes to  “exonerate everyone involved,” upholding the termination of Nicholson, by manager Noriega, says chair Sutton

 

A whistle blowers case filed by Suzzanne Nicholson was heard Tuesday at the Miami civil service board and the hearing was dueling attorneys, with attorney Mathew Baldwin, a former state attorney and city of Miami attorney Victoria Menendez, who called the aggressive attorney “rude” during a number of sharp exchanges between the two. The plaintiff is a city code enforcement officer for many years. 

 

However, one night checking a bar after the curfew she ran into Miami Commissioner Alex De La Portilla who identified himself to her. She claims he then “poked,” her and it resulted in her hurting her ankle. The commissioner says he did no such thing, and the women is looking for disability judgement he believes. 

 

However, Nicholsan has fought the issue in the press, never filed a complaint and she did not show-up for a meeting with the city’s hr. department that resulted in the manager Art Noriega firing her. She did pass two lie detector tests said her attorney, Baldwin. The board’s chair Troy Sutton said he has heard enough and made the motion that “everyone involved with this issue should be exonerated,” said Sutton.

 

City of Miami Beach

 

>>> Voters will be asked if hotels, restaurants, should take part in the food & beverage tax, funding homeless trust & domestic violence agency, $5 million passed by county BCC for purchase of new residence building, for homeless, many more involve families not one to one  

 

Beach Commissioners recently decided that the body would put on the Nov. Ballot whether the city should request the Florida legislature to remove the exception of the city to the food and beverage tax paid by tourists and funds the homeless trust and domestic violence facilities for the county. 

 

The added revenue if the Beach hotels participated would be considerable and both  the homeless trust and the DVB need extra money and the homeless trust recently got $5million for a permanent shelter for the organization from the county weeks agio and the trust needs another $1.3 million or more to refurbish the facility and with buildings being condemned a new influx of families are coming to the maxed out homeless trust.

 

>>> Could undersea internet cables become a new strategic threat to nation’s security? China laying them throughout the world, says Cyber Command Dr. Gen. Paul Nakasone, at congressional hearing Monday.

 

With all the cyber-attacks hitting abroad swath of industries and public infrastructure the U.S. is beefing up its capabilities, but at a congressional hearing Monday the Dir. Gen. Paul Nakasone said the command regarding IT relies on contractors and the federal government must compete for this talent with private industry and the house committee hearing even suggested is their n  need for a new service academy focused on IT?

 

Nakasone said, “Cyber Command,” has “6,000, linguists,” and languages include “Chinese, Russian, and Arabic,’ he testified.

 

However, a new challenge facing the nation is undersea internet cables that could be used by an adversary for the internet if the Chinese potentially disabled the nations satellites. For more go to: https://jsis.washington.edu/eacenter/2017/02/06/cybersecurity-implications-chinese-undersea-cable-investment/

 

>>>PAST WDR: ID theft trajectory off the charts, community exports some of these frauds around the nation, says U.S. Atty. Ferrer, in the past

 

U.S. Atty Wilfredo Ferrer and his agents have busted again a large identity theft network stealing people’s social security numbers and it is a booming fraud industry in South Florida and people even have Tupper wear recruitment like parties where people from doctors’ offices and other health care providers pay the people up to $1,000. For each patient file  and these thieves once they get this information are stealing at average from 193 people or 1000,000 residents state’s The Miami Herald http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article10909865.html and here is another story on the widespread scam http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article17932964.html that has other U.S.

 

U.S. ATTY’s from around the nation contacting Ferrer’s office after people from Miami pop up around the United States and we actually “export this fraud,” around the nation,: and the issue has been extensively reported  in past Watchdog Reports since around 2003 and over those years only Medicare Fraud has eclipsed most of the other scams that included mortgage fraud,  another high volume local fraud and Miami persistently ranks number one around the nation in these destructive scams that morph so quickly that federal authorities can barely keep up with the scams and is why South Florida has such a high number of the nation’s FBI Special Agents and two details of the federal agents are assigned to the Medicaid Fraud Task Force that was started back in 2003.

 

FLORIDA

 

>>> With 2020 Census results, Orlando likely picks up new congressional district map drawn-up by republican controlled legislature

 

With the 25020 census numbers released Thursday south Florida will not pick up one congressional seat likely in Orlando. That seats district will be drawn by the Florida legislature dominated by republicans.

 

>>> Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman presiding  over the litigation of the Champlain towers collapse is in the spotlight this week., jurist net worth for last year was $29 million, up from year before $28 million net state ethics commission documents and IRS 1040

 

What do we know about his finances?

 

Hanzman’s disclosures were benign, and he includes his IRS 1040 which is the gold standard re transparency, and he wants to give those affected by the Champlain Tower disaster what the property owners and deceased deserve financially since the property has some $150 million in value but there are conflicting opinions on what should be on the site. Hanzman is also a University of Florida law graduate. And has worked at various law firms before his election to the bench.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>> JHS CEO Migoya at a PHT board meeting weeks ago notes there are still “500,000,” residents still unvaccinated in Miami-Dade, Doral West new hospital is “one year away from completion,” “he tells board and completes the Making Miracles bond projects under budget. 

 

The county is still reeling from the uptick in Delta COVID -19 patients and has JHS CEO Carlos Migoya at Tuesday’s PHT board meeting that the virus patient population is “quadruple.’ though they are seeing a slowdown and increase the last few days, Migoya told the board. He also noted with COVID some “500,000,” people are still unvaccinated he said. JHS is also not seeing the “500 patient level yet.” He also continues to  ask the public and health trust employees to get vaccinated since they have, the same challenges before with exhausted staff.

 

COMMUNITY EVENTS:

>>>THE Margulies Warehouse is open with new works https://www.margulieswarehouse.com  

 

Kristi House’s Annual Breaking the Silence Luncheon
Thursday, October 28, 2021
https://kristihouse.org/bts/

Presented by:
 

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Featuring a stellar panel on the all-important, timely topic: “Keeping Kids Safe from Online Predators”

This year’s Breaking the Silence maintains our longstanding commitment to provide information and inspiration, and offers you a choice of ways to support:

 

Dear Daniel,
 

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WLRN’s Fall Membership Campaign is quickly approaching. If you’re an early bird and help us raise the crucial funds needed BEFORE the drive begins, you’ll be entered into ALL seven giveaways including a $1,500 Amazon gift card

 

The spread of disinformation is harmful to our nation and our region. We know that’s why you listen to WLRN – because you value trustworthy, accurate, and unbiased reporting. We are here for you and because of you. Whether you’re a lifelong public radio fan or discovering WLRN for the first time, please pitch in, because you make what we do possible. 

I’M ALL IN FOR WLRN
Giveaways include a chance to win a four-night Key West getaway for two, a three-night weekend stay with airfare for two to NYC including a Broadway show and dinner, three chances to win an iPad Mini, plus ALL other drawings we have planned. Oh, did I mention the $1,500 Amazon gift card?!
Your odds don’t get better than this – Donate Now. 

 

Thanks and best of luck!

 

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Sheila Reinken

Executive Director, Friends of WLRN

P.S. Our Fall Membership Drive begins soon, so don’t miss your chance to get in early on all the drawings. Donate now and you’re automatically included in each of them! If you’ve donated recently, thank you! 
DONATE NOW
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Member Services | (305) 350-7980 | membership@friendsofwlrn.org 
Click here for drawing rules and entry information. 

 

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  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) 

>>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download   

 

***************

 

Watchdog Report Supporters Invoice-Form 

 

NOTE: Invoice is for Yearly supporter/sponsorship Rates: 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-site link if desired)

 

Large Business Supporters $500 

Small Business Supporters $250  

Individual Supporter $150 

Student Supporter $ 75

Any amount $

Name & Address

 

 
Please make checks payable to: Daniel A. Ricker

Send to

 

Daniel A. Ricker

3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fl 33133