Watchdog Report Vol.13 No.5 June 10, 2012 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot

>>> 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 for International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University of Miami’s School of Communication www.miami.edu to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no ads, pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> Round two, U.S. Rep. Wilson faces Dr. Moise again for Dist. 24, how low will they go after past bitter 2010 primary race

U.S Rep. Fredericka Wilson, D-Miami (Net worth $405,000 in 2009) with the candidate-closing deadline over has gotten physician, film star, attorney and Lt. Col. in the Air force Reserve Rudy Moise, for the second time, as a Democratic Party Primary challenger for House District 24. She has been a veteran state representative, senator and local school board member since first being elected to public office in 1992 and she went to Congress in 2010. After Congressman Kendrick Meek, D-Miami left the seat and ran as the Democratic Party’s U. S. Senate candidate against former House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-Miami and independent Gov. Charlie Crist. Rubio prevailed in that race but the District opening catapulted her to Washington after a tough primary with a host of candidates including Moise that she won.

That race was followed by an easy general election where she garnered 86 percent of the vote running against independent Roderick Vereen for then District 17, that has now changed to District 24 after the 2010 Census, resulted in redistricting in the last few months. Wilson, a political fixture in South Florida and known for her extensive hat collection that caused a stir when she first went to Congress when she challenged the U.S. House ban on hats on the House floor, something that was allowed when she was in the state legislature. However, after the dust-up that went national she acquiesced and took them off and since then has advocated for women, children issues, education and has railed against the poverty in her district and was a leader on the shooting of Trayvon Martin by community watch volunteer George Zimmerman and getting Gov. Rick Scott to name a special prosecutor to handle the case.

Moise says he is offering a alternative to Wilson and the tired policies of the past, calling her a career politician and the entrepreneur and former University of Miami Alumni chair has even starred in two past films. He is Haitian-American and well known in the community and the race is expected to heat up in the coming months leading up to the Aug. 14 primary. The congressional district is 18 percent in Broward, the rest is in Miami-Dade and African-Americans account for 56 percent in Dade and 51 percent in Broward, with 33 and 32 percent of the population being Hispanic in the respective counties, and 11 and 17 percent are either white or other residents.

What about their past?

The Watchdog Report has covered Wilson for well over a decade but a few years ago. I started to review her financial disclosure forms on file with the state and for three of those years ending in 2009. She essentially submitted the same net worth, even though some five properties including her home had significantly, depreciated but she was on auto pilot back then to be termed out, her disclosure forms would get no scrutiny, and nobody thought Meek would retire from the safe political seat held by his mother Carrie for a decade prior to his election in 2002. In her past career, she has created a school program called the 500 Roll Models of Excellence, a school drop out program, to help young Black kids in the 1990s complete high school and go on to college. And she is being supported by the Democratic National Committee who is satisfied with her performance in the nation’s capital and her support of President Barack Obama’s policies.

Moise also has some controversy over the past decade and a AM radio station he once owned almost got $10 million by the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) around 2001 to do traffic updates on the Creole speaking station, but when MPO members objected to the idea that was pushed by then Gov. Jeb Bush’s appointee Ron Krongold and the MPO members shot it down. Bush would later remove Krongold, the copartner of Jungle Island from the regional transportation planning board. Moise would then seek and receive $500,000 later in the 2000s from a Miami-Dade economic assistance agency, but he never paid that back since the contract was written in such a way that was possible.

Moise

Wilson

24 Moise, Rudolph “Rudy” (DEM)
Qualified
Wilson, Frederica S. (DEM)
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>>> White House press release: Statement by the President on the Paycheck Fairness Act

This afternoon, Senate Republicans refused to allow an up-or-down vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, a commonsense piece of legislation that would strengthen the Equal Pay Act and give women more tools to fight pay discrimination. It is incredibly disappointing that in this make-or-break moment for the middle class, Senate Republicans put partisan politics ahead of American women and their families. Despite the progress that has been made over the years, women continue to earn substantially less than men for performing the same work. My Administration will continue to fight for a woman’s right for equal pay for equal work, as we rebuild our economy so that hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and every American gets a fair shot to succeed.

>>> Press release: Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, sent letters, available here and here, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking that the State Department review the abysmal humanitarian conditions of exiled Cuban political prisoners in Spain and consider a plan put forth by prominent local Cuban American activists. Their plan would pair the Cubans released by the regime and forced into exile in Spain with U.S. residents who would be responsible for all costs so that the Cuban nationals would not be public charges. Ros-Lehtinen also gave the Secretary a letter regarding an agreement that the State Department had with her where the Department would notify her of U.S. travel by Cuban regime officials and the issuance of visas for Cuban officials to travel to the U.S.

Ros-Lehtinen’s statement: “I have asked Secretary Clinton to review the humanitarian conditions of the exiled political prisoners living in Spain and determine if political asylum and resettlement in the U.S. were possible. I also asked the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to determine if the Cubans living in Spain could be helped by this international body. These former prisoners of conscience were jailed on trumped up charges simply because they peacefully dared to oppose the dictatorship. The Cuban Catholic Church’s agreement with Raul Castro forced most of them into exile as a condition for their liberation and since then, these freedom fighters have been living under awful humanitarian conditions in Spain. If the U.S. government would grant the Cuban nationals entry into our country, each Cuban would have a sponsor who would bear all costs. I urge Secretary Clinton to help the exiled Cuban political prisoners living in Spain obtain the assistance they should receive as refugees. One of the most heart wrenching realities of the Castro tyranny is Cuban families scattered all over the world because they refuse to live under the repression of the totalitarian police state of Raul and Fidel Castro.

I also asked Secretary Clinton to advise the Committee and me whether the State Department will honor the agreement it had with me to provide us with advance notification of Cuban regime officials requesting visas to travel to the U.S.” NOTE: In addition to the letter to Secretary Clinton regarding the former Cuban political prisoners living in Spain, Ros-Lehtinen also sent a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) asking the international body for its assistance with the former Cuban political prisoners living in Spain.

>>> Press release: Diaz-Balart: Skyrocketing Youth Unemployment and Cost of Education Unacceptable — May unemployment numbers were released on Friday, but as Vice President Joe Biden spoke to high school students graduating from Cypress Bay High School in South Florida yesterday, youth unemployment numbers are of extreme significance.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) issued the following statement on the unemployment report: “Whether today’s graduates decide to pursue a job after high school or continue with their education, they will be confronted with the negative impacts of President Obama’s failed economic policies. Under President Obama, the cost of college is at an all time high and youth unemployment has skyrocketed as a result of the president’s hostility towards job creators. The 12.1 percent youth unemployment rate and the average default rate on student loans is 8.8 percent – both numbers are absolutely unacceptable. If our students and the future of our nation are to succeed, the president and his administration need to make some drastic changes to their policies.”

>>> All photos in the Watchdog Report are taken from public government sites, and the Report goes on line at www.watchdogreport.net on Monday sometime during the day usually. >>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for I am a low cost news service, yet I do have to live, thank you! Further, I have been honored over the years by being named a WFOR-4 Hometown Hero in 2000, being profiled in a major way by The Miami New Times and was Best Citizen in the 2003 Best of Miami of The Miami New Times, profiled twice in The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel ran a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003, and UNC Chapel Hill named me one of the top columnists in Florida in a multi-state study of the media back in 2004. I also thank Joseph Cooper for the opportunity to be on the WLRN/NPR showTopical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also numerous times over the past decade. Further, I am a frequent guest on WWW.WPBT2.ORG on Helen Ferre’s show Issues, and have also appeared on Eliott Rodriguez’s show News & Views on www.CBS4.com .

FLORIDA

>>> Former state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla lands on Dist. 112, demurs taking on Sen. Margolis, will challenge Republicans state Rep. Barreiro and Padron in Aug. 14 primary

It’s a go, former state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami is going after Florida House District 112 as was reported in last week’s Watchdog Report and on Friday, the political consultant made it official in Tallahassee just before the filing deadline. The former state senator and representative decided taking on state Sen. Gwen Margolis was to steep a hill when it came to the district’s voter demographics and her decades of legislative, county commission service, and also being the first woman Florida Senate President. He has now set his sights on this new house seat and on the Republican side; he is facing former state Rep. Gus Barreiro, R-Miami, and Eric Padron. The former Senator has just over $8,000 in his campaign war chest, which is similar to what Barreiro has and Padron is listing $3,000. The three men will face off on the Aug. 14 primary and they will face one of the Democratic Party challengers, currently Jose Javier Rodriguez and Alex Dominguez

112 Barreiro, Gustavo (REP)
Qualified
Diaz de la Portilla, Alex (REP)
Qualified
Dominguez, Alex (DEM)
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Padron, Eric C. (REP)
Qualified
Rodriguez, Jose Javier (DEM)
Qualified

>>> Last week’s WDR: Is former state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla shifting gears, could he drop out of Sen. 35 race to run in House Dist. 112?

Former State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami (Net worth $31,643 in 2009), a listed state Sen. Candidate running for District 35 may be having second thoughts on taking on veteran state Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, the incumbent and the Senate’s first woman president. A number of sources are saying he instead will run for state representative in District 112, along with former state Rep. Gus Barreiro, R-Miami and Eric Padron and the Watchdog Report on Wednesday got a call from a pollster asking my impression of Diaz de la Portilla versus the other two major Republican challengers. A woman asked the questions in the early evening poll but it was clearly slanted towards getting my opinion of the former state senator termed out in the upper body in 2010. He was in the lower body before being elected to the state Senate first in a special election and he later bested state Rep. Carlos Lacasa, R-Miami in 2002 for a full four-year term. Further, two Democrats, Jose Javier Rodriguez and Alex Dominguez are also in the race and one of them will face the victorious Republican after the Aug.14 primary in a general election Nov. 6.

>>> Sens. Braynon, Diaz de la Portilla, Flores, Garcia and Clerk Ruvin coast to victory with no challengers

In Miami-Dade, four state senate lawmakers won office without opposition as well as the county clerk. State Sen. Oscar Braynon III, D- Miami, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami (Net worth $486,000), Anitere Flores, R-Miami, and Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah (Net worth $24,089) are all going back to the legislature upper house and Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts Harvey Ruvin (Net worth $1.45 million) has put another notch on his election belt garnering another term since first being elected to the post in 1992.

>>> Senator Braynon and Representative Artiles to Host Citizens Insurance Roundtable Discussion in Miami

Press release: Following the latest proposal by Citizens Property Insurance to increase rates, Senator Oscar Braynon (D- Miami Gardens) and Representative Frank Artiles (R- Miami) will host an insurance roundtable discussion in Miami. The Miami lawmakers intend to facilitate an outlet for residents, lawmakers, and insurance professionals to discuss how rate increases will impact Floridians and our insurance market. As increases in premiums remain at the top of the list for constituent complaints, the lawmakers aim to discuss Citizen’s cost drivers and ways to minimize costs without minimizing coverage and increasing premiums.
“Our Property insurance crisis is not something that should wait until next March to discuss,” said Rep. Frank Artiles. “It’s affecting Floridians now and I think we need to sit the parties down and come up with real solutions.”

The Florida Legislature formed Citizens Property Insurance following a surge of hurricane strikes to Florida. Part of the statute created for Citizens includes a cap on the amount the state run company can raise rates. However, Citizens has now began discussions of lifting the cap for new policies, interpreting the Citizens statute as only applicable to current policies. The Citizens Board of Directors is set to meet in July to vote on the possible rate increase. “This discussion is about pealing back politics and getting to the core of cost drivers with Citizens,” Rep. Artiles commented. “I’m not convinced raising premiums on struggling Floridians is the sole answer to our troubled property insurance market.” >> The Citizens Property Insurance Round-Table will be held on June 18, 2012 from 6:30pm until 9:00pm. The discussion will be held at Florida International University Graham Center Ballroom East at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus located at 11200 SW 8th Street GC 1215, Miami, Florida 33199. The discussion is open to the public and will include a question and answer period at the end.

>>> Press release: The momentum of The Movement is growing. Last week I spoke about our meeting with the governor who has asked for more specifics – and those will go to him in the days to come. (I promise to keep you posted.) Next week, we begin recruiting volunteers for two major volunteer initiatives – enrolling children in Florida KidCare and an early-literacy mentoring program. Then, in the weeks to come, each of our 17 regional committees will be reconvening to discuss how The Children’s Movement is growing on the local level.
I’m a reader of history, and so I know what we seek to happen is there to be done. It is through your support that it will be done. If you haven’t already become a “member” of The Movement, I hope you will do so today by making a contribution – of any size. You can do that easily by clicking here. Thank you.
Dave Lawrence, Chair, The Children’s Movement

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Commissioners Bovo and Suarez ride to victory, no challengers, get full four year term, but constituent work ethic of Suarez in question

And away they go, Miami-Dade County Commissioners Xavier Suarez and Esteban Bovo, Jr., were reelected unopposed on Tuesday and both have earned a full four-year term. Both men were elected in May last year to the truncated commission district terms after Commissioner Natacha Seijas was recalled along with then Mayor Carlos Alvarez (Net worth $1.74 million) in March. And Bovo followed in her footsteps into the District 13 seat, and Suarez filled the District 7 void when Commissioner Carlos Jimenez (Net worth $953,000) ran and won the top spot as county mayor. Bovo and Suarez are family men and Suarez’s son Francis (Net worth $81,100) is the chair of the Miami Commission, a city the father was once the mayor. Bovo, the son of a Cuban freedom fighter was in the Florida House before making the jump last year to the commission.

Suarez, number 9 in order out of 14 children has been out of office since 1998 prior to this political office, when his past mayoral election was voided by a circuit court judge, after substantial voter fraud was found to be widespread, but the Harvard trained attorney and engineer was never charged. He lost the 2001 Miami mayoral race, lost to Gimenez when he ran before for the District 7 race in 2004, failed to become the Republican Party chair in 2006, but his son has given him new political sea legs and a recent fundraiser May 11 had some 1,000 people attending the campaign event.

What about their finances?

Both Bovo and Suarez’s net worth has dropped over the past year and Bovo has gone into the negative column. Bovo lists a net worth of -$26,515, down from $25,898 last year and he is employed by Miami Children’s Hospital and paid roughly $90,000. Suarez’s income also dipped from $328,000 to $225,000 and his income as an attorney is listed at $150,000 for the reporting period through May.

What about the other races?

Dennis Moss (Net worth $239,000), the long serving Miami-Dade Commissioner for District 9 elected in 1992 has gotten three challengers. Moss is credited with devising the “Moss Plan” for the rebuilding of South Dade after Hurricane Andrew flattened the southern part of the county in Aug. of 1992. And while he was a supporter of the controversial new Miami Marlins stadium, that will ultimately cost $2.5 billion when the bonds are paid off in the coming decades. He has been free of any major scandals, supports not moving the Urban Development Boundary, and the Richmond Perrine Optimist Club that he manages. The organization is considered a low risk operation when it comes to its historically clean audits reviewed by the public schools audit committee. However, after all these years he is facing challengers in Alice Pena (Net worth $255,000), Darrin McGillis (net worth $15,000) and Loretta Riley (Net worth $4,528) and Pena is seen as the greatest threat. Since she is being assisted by auto magnate Norman Braman and is part of a slate of “reform” challengers running against incumbent commissioners Braman is supporting and helping to bankroll.

Pena at a Miami-Dade commission meeting a few months ago railed against the enforcement tactics of the county’s DERM department and likened them to storm troopers that selectively enforce county environmental guidelines and housing codes in only this area. The county attorney’s office said that selective code enforcement was not the case, that DERM has its responsibilities and was carrying them out fairly, but Pena at the podium would have none of that argument. And if she prevails in the race, she is considered to be an ally of county Commissioner Lynda Bell (Net worth $308,000) who also is critical of the breadth of environmental laws and how DERM intrudes into peoples lives. And environmentalists are watching this race closely for it could represent another commissioner on the 13-member body wanting to denude the department charged with protecting South Florida’s environment.

However, Moss is popular in his district, easily accessible and drives himself to events almost exclusively and the Moss mobile’s white Cadillac sedan is constantly spotted at community events. The Farm Bureau recently honored Pena as was reported in a past Watchdog Report in South Dade and she also got a county proclamation from Commissioner Lynda Bell, whose district 8 is adjacent to Moss. And Bell is a Republican to Moss being a Democrat in these non-partisan races, but where the under current of political affiliation is increasingly swaying local voters.

Moss

Bovo

Bell

Suarez

>>> GMCVB press release: RECORD DEMAND FOR TRAVEL TO GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES REMAINS STRONG IN APRIL 2012 RESULTING IN INCREASES IN GREATER MIAMI’S TOURIST-RELATED TAX COLLECTIONS

The April 2012 MIAMI-Dade Resort tax collections (excluding MIAMI Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) totaled $1,915,482 compared to $1,732,841 in 2011 for an increase of +10.5%. The Convention Development Tax (CDT) collections for Greater MIAMI and the Beaches of $5,870,186 compared to $5,598,117 for the same period last year represents a +4.9% increase in April 2012. The 2% Food and Beverage tax collections from hotels in MIAMI-Dade (excluding MIAMI Beach, Bal Harbour, and Surfside) generated $589,683 compared to $564,506 in 2011, an increase of +4.5%.

>>> Press release: When you live in South Florida, hurricanes are a part of your life. The beautiful weather that we enjoy all year round can turn disastrous during hurricane season, which begins today June 1st, and ends on November 30th. While we don’t know where Mother Nature will head this year, we do know one thing for sure, everyone should be prepared. Below are tips from The Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension Service. Following them will help keep your loved ones safe this hurricane season. Learn about your community’s emergency plan, evacuation routes and locations of emergency shelters. Verify if you live in an evacuation zone by visiting www.miamidade.gov/oem. Develop and review a family evacuation plan. Ensure your family knows meeting places, phone numbers and safety rules. Conduct drills. Check and replenish hurricane supplies. Shop for a 3-7 day supply of water and non-perishable food. Store at least one gallon of drinking water per person, per day (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for preparation/sanitation). Post emergency phone numbers at every phone. Review insurance policies and make copies. Prepare a “Family Document Kit.” Take an itemized inventory of household goods. Take photos of your home inside and out. Video tape documentation of all valuables in home. Purchase or prepare a “First Aid Kit.” Trim trees early. Inspect shutters. Make plans for persons with special needs, and pets. For resources on food supply lists, water supplies and other disaster kits, visit Miami-Dade County’s Extension website at http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu or call 305-592-8044 ext. 106.

>>> Press release: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime, District 2, has partnered with New Birth Baptist Church’s Vision to Victory Human Services Corporation to bring help to struggling homeowners.

A special Homeownership Community Event will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Vision to Victory Human Services Corporation, 13230 NW 7th Avenue in Miami. At the event, homeowners will be able to meet one-on-one with their mortgage company and a HUD-certified housing counselor to find options that meet their housing needs. Homeowners will also be able to meet with representatives from the Florida Hardest Hit program. Options for homeowners may include home loan modification or other loan assistance options. Specialists will be available to review individual homeowner eligibility for specific programs.

Other resources will be available for residents such as employment services, health services, and fair housing education. “It is really important to spread the word that help is available for struggling homeowners,” said Commissioner Monestime. “I encourage everyone to come out and take advantage of these valuable services.” Homeowners should contact Vision to Victory Human Services Corporation at 305-691-3464 before June 16, to obtain a list of the documents that are required to determine eligibility for loan assistance, and for help in compiling the needed documents.

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> The Fantastic 4 of school board members are reelected after going unchallenged, Holloway, Karp, Feldman and Curbelo sail back into office

Four veteran school board members were reelected last week without opposition and it was smooth sailing for Dr. Tee Holloway (net worth $675,000), Dr. Martin Karp (Net worth $2.22 million), Dr. Lawrence Feldman (Net worth $2.54 million), the Board vice chair, and Carlos Curbelo (Net worth $366,000) back to representing their respective districts on the nine member board over seeing the fourth largest public schools district in the nation. The Watchdog Report had reported that this was likely to occur, and it has come to pass. Holloway, a former state representative who was initially appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist (Net worth $461,000) after board member Robert Ingram passed has been a calm force on the board, has settled in since then, and is a solid board member.

Karp, a former educator with the district was first elected in a tough race in 2004 where he faced Michael Kosnitzky in the general election, a former Chair of the Public Health Trust and a tax attorney, but Karp prevailed in that race. Feldman, a former district principal ran in 2008 and bested incumbent school board member Evelyn Greer (Net worth $7.75 million), who was ill during the campaign, and Feldman had major teacher union support at the time. And Curbelo has been an aide to former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, R-FL, and a political consultant since 2002, has an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Miami and developed his political chops back at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School where in his senior year. He was the student council president. For more on the story go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/08/2839962/four-miami-dade-school-board-members.html

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> M-DC Charter Task Force discusses Jackson governance at length, decides to forgo making recommendations on new model

A two-hour discussion about the governance of the Jackson Health System (JHS) at the Miami-Dade Charter Review Task Force occurred Wednesday, but after all the discussion. The body decided it was too complex of an issue for them to deal with given the limited time frame of their deliberations that has the task force required to produce recommendations to the county commission in mid July. The 20-member task force that seems to only have around 14 members attending at any given time, has made the right decision. Because the governance of JHS is something that should not be done on the fly, regardless of how some task force members feel about the issue and they are so sure in their belief that it should be made into a not-for-profit organization. However, such a structure, if instituted, could void the current countywide half-cent-sales tax bringing in around $185 million to JHS, passed in 1991. Because the state legislature would have to be involved and a county vote on the tax again would probable be required (and would not be a slam dunk in today’s economic world with county voters), and the over $200 million in public general funds the county chips in as well as a maintenance of effort contribution could also be eliminated.

Further, a separate JHS governance task force made up of healthcare experts met last year to discuss the governance issue and Miami-Dade Commissioner Rebeca Sosa proposed the study. And this groups final report and analysis is must reading for anyone that wants to discuss Jackson’s governance model. For flip and politically snarkey comments do not adequately address the seriousness of the matter with an institution that delivers over $1 billion in charity care and bad debt healthcare yearly. And any change of its governance is not slam dunk when it comes to the continuance of the attendant revenue streams now funding the health trust, and has the land the facilities are sitting own being owned by Miami-Dade, that also includes hundreds of millions of dollars in long term bonds obligated to Jackson and backed up by Miami-Dade County.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Is clock ticking for future of Jungle Island, Aug. debt payment looming? Miami commission calls special meeting to discuss attraction’s fate

A special Commission Meeting is being scheduled on Tuesday morning with the sole purpose to be the discussion of Jungle Island (JI) and its attendant originally $25 million U.S. HUD loan that has the city holding the bag for 80 percent of the attendant loan liability, now around $15 million. The attraction on Watson Island opened to much fanfare but it has struggled with financial pressures when attendance projections were not achieved and a few years ago. Miami gave an $800,000 interest free loan to the organization to assist paying back property taxes owed the county, but the attraction is limping along now with an August payment dead line looming that insiders suggest cannot be made. Mayor Tomas Regalado told the Watchdog Report in the past that the owners of JI wanted to extend the lease with the city for another three decades but that would have to be approved by voters and one insider suggested.

The only option was to somehow settle the federal HUD loan obligation, and then try to redevelop the property that sits on prime waterfront land, that had JI being approved by voters for this current use in the mid 1990s. Readers should stay tuned and see how this plays out for it has significant impacts to the City of Miami’s general fund if a resolution cannot be found to this vexing fiscal problem. A problem project that had three Miami managers and Miami-Dade County managers involved before a final agreement was actually signed between former Miami Manager Pete Hernandez and County Manager George Burgess around 2007.

>>> Press release: Pursuant to Section 2-33 (I) of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, Chair Francis Suarez has scheduled a special meeting of the City of Miami Commission on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 9:00 AM, at Miami City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida. The purpose of this special meeting is to discuss the future of Jungle Island. No other business will be conducted outside of that indicated above. All interested persons may appear at the meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, public input may be heard with respect to this matter. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this meeting, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). >> In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons needing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding.

CITY OF HIALEAH

>>> Fourteen Defendants Charged in Cyber Bank Fraud Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the indictment of fourteen individuals for their involvement in a scheme through which they gained online access to the personal checking and savings accounts of unsuspecting bank customers to steal funds from these accounts. Charged in the indictment are defendants Ibrahin Elias, 24, of Hialeah, Dalbert Hernandez, 22, of Miami, Victor Batista, 22, of Hialeah, Roger Lores, 23, of Hialeah, Aniuta Castro-Ruiz, 53, of Hialeah, Dayan Galarraga, 40, of Hialeah, Yanelis Curbera, 34, of Hialeah, Dalmis Gonzalez, 30, of Hialeah, Yoleisy Legarde, 29, of Miami, Howard Mitchell, 27, of Miami, Yovani Gonzalez, 26, of Miami, Idalma Chaskel Kessel, 45, of Hialeah, Maribel Perez, 23, of Hialeah, and Edisbel Rodriguez, 36, of Miami. Defendants Elias, Hernandez, Batista, Lores, Castro-Ruiz, Curbera, D. Gonzalez, Legarde, Mitchell, Y. Gonzalez, Kessel, Perez, and Rodriguez were arrested in Miami earlier today are expected to make their initial appearances in federal court at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres. Defendant Galarraga remains at large.

According to the allegations in the indictment, Ibrahin Elias used stolen personal identification information of unwitting bank customers, including names, birthdates, and social security numbers, to impersonate bank customers and access their accounts through their banks’ website. Once Elias had control of an account, Elias transferred funds to accomplices, who made their own accounts available to receive the stolen money. Elias also ordered checks which were used to drain victims’ accounts. Elias is charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; 16 counts of substantive bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344; three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A; and one count for destruction of evidence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1519. The indictment alleges that defendants Dalbert Hernandez and Victor Batista received stolen funds and recruited others to participate in the scheme. Hernandez and Batista are both charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud and Batista is charged with four substantive bank fraud counts.

According to the charges, defendants Roger Lores, Aniuta Castro-Ruiz, Dayan Galarraga, Yanelis Curbera, and Dalmis Gonzalez received stolen funds by means of electronic online transfers, and charged a fee for this service. Once the defendants received the stolen funds, they and others made withdrawals from different locations and returned the bulk of the proceeds to their handlers. They are charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud and substantive bank fraud violations. Lastly, defendants Yoleisy Legarde, Howard Mitchell, Yovani Gonzalez, Idalma Chaskel Kessel, Maribel Perez, and Edisbel Rodriguez, are alleged to have cashed stolen checks obtained through Elias’ online fraud. They are charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud and substantive bank fraud violations. If convicted, each defendant charged with conspiracy and bank fraud violations faces a potential maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison. Additionally, Elias faces mandatory consecutive two-year sentences for each conviction for aggravated identity theft, and a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for attempting to destroy evidence. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Rochlin. >> An indictment is only an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Commissioner Tobin cry’s foul to State Atty. Fernandez-Rundle office implicating him as snitch for Weithorn & Wolfson now closed investigation

While the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office has closed out an investigation if Miami Beach Commissioners Jonah Wolfson and Deede Weithorn had violated the Florida Sunshine Law, prior to a move by Wolfson to request a vote on Manager Jorge Gonzalez’s continued tenure or being fired and seconded by Weithorn in February. And reported in
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/08/2840156/probe-clears-miami-beach-commissioners.html The state attorney’s report does not specify who made the complaint to the prosecutor’s office but Commissioner Ed Tobin is livid that people are suggesting he might have been the accuser. Tobin, who just finished training at the police academy and is an attorney, he says that was not the case, and in the past. He was critical to say the least of Gonzalez’s management style and complained about the manager’s compensation package more recently to the Watchdog Report. Tobin in response to this allegation on Saturday sent the following response to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, and here is his email message to her below unedited.

>>> Subject: False Statement – Dear Ms. Rundle, A month or so ago your office received a Complaint that Commissioner [Deede] Weithorn and [Jonah] Wolfson might have violated the Florida Sunshine Law by speaking to each other off microphone at a Commission meeting. Both Commissioners have been cleared of any wrongdoing. Your spokesperson Ed Griffith reported to the Miami Herald “prosecutors aren’t entirely sure but believe the original complaint was Commissioner Ed Tobin…”

I did not initiate the Complaint. I was not present during the alleged violation. I never spoke to anyone employed in your office or any other investigative office about this matter whatsoever. How can your office believe that I initiated the Complaint? Either I did or I did not. This is not even a grey area since I had absolutely no contact with your office whatsoever in regards to this matter. What caused your office to believe I initiated the Complaint? You are charged with the most critical function in our community. Respect for the truth is so fundamental and essential in carrying out your duties. Life and death decisions depend on your respect for the truth. Your office has now made a completely false statement about me. My relationship with my colleagues will now be strained because of this completely false statement made by your office. My ability to serve 90 thousand Miami-Dade County residents depends on the relationships I have with my Colleagues. If I believed one of my colleagues committed a criminal act. I would be obligated to report the matter and I would do so. I did not have any idea of this matter whatsoever and wonder why your office would perpetuate this false statement. Someone has caused your spokesperson to perpetuate a false statement to harm my City. I would respectfully request that you investigate who made the false statement concerning this matter. Respectfully, Ed Tobin

>>> Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club – Meeting Date: Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Meeting Time: 8:30 AM Meeting Place: David’s Café II, 1654 Meridian Ave., South Beach >> Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, Pedro Garcia, will be this week’s guest speaker at the June 12th meeting of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club. Mr. Garcia, the county’s first elected Property Appraiser, is now nearing the end of his first term and will be running for re-election this November. On June 1st he released the estimates for 2012 taxable values, which after three straight years of decline show a slight increase in value. >>> There is no charge for attending and everyone is welcome. David Kelsey, Moderator for the Breakfast Club. Visit our web site at www.MBTMBC.com (Miami Beach Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club). For more information contact David Kelsey. To be placed on the Breakfast Club’s mailing list, contact Harry Cherry.

CITY OF NORTH MIAMI

>>> North Miami Man Charged in Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Using Personal Identification Information Stolen from Social Security Office

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Guy P. Fallen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), and James K. Loftus, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), announced unsealing of a seven-count indictment charging defendant Marvince Milfort, 23, of North Miami, in connection with a tax refund scheme in which he used stolen social security and other personal identifying information to file false online tax returns. These fraudulent tax returns resulted in the issuance of numerous tax refunds by the IRS. More specifically, Milfort was charged with four counts of identity theft, one count of theft of public money, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud. If convicted on the theft of public money or on the access device fraud counts, the defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to ten years in prison. If convicted on the identity theft counts, Milfort faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to five years in prison on each count. If convicted on the aggravated identity theft count, Milfort faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.

According to the allegations in the indictment and in-court statements, between September 2011 and February 2012, Milfort used stolen SSA documents containing personal identification information of SSA applicants, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and other sensitive personal information, to electronically file federal income tax returns in the names of the identity theft victims using a Turbo Tax program. In this way, Milfort claimed IRS tax refunds to which he was not entitled. To execute the scheme, Milfort directed the IRS to direct deposit the refunds onto Green Dot or other reloadable debit cards (debit cards). Upon receipt of the loaded debit cards, Milfort would allegedly convert the funds to cash or use the debit cards to make purchases at local retailers.

According to statements made in court, during the execution of a search warrant at Milfort’s previous residence, agents and detectives seized laptop computers and notebooks containing more than 200 names and other personal identifying information of unsuspecting identity theft victims. In addition, the agents found more than 500 stolen SSA documents, dental patient lists containing sensitive personal identifying information, more than 100 debit cards, and $24,480 in cash contained within a safe. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the SSA-OIG, IRS-CID, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton. >>> An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. >> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Truck ban issue goes to voters, but what of Police Chief Weiner going to Guantanamo for nine-months

While Coral Gables residents voiced their concern about keeping or lifting the truck ban at night in the municipality, that will now go to the electorate to decide and a final commission meeting approving the language is set for July 24. However, a different issue raised its head while the Watchdog Report covered the morning session concerning the truck ordinance. And that was police Chief Dennis L. Weiner was nowhere to be found and Major Scott Masington was the acting chief said Mayor Jim Cason when he introduced the officer getting his 20-year service pin in a small award ceremony that included photos with the mayor and commission.

I asked Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, Jr., what was up with the police chief and he said Weiner is in the U.S. Naval Reserve and he was deployed to the Guantanamo Base in Cuba for the next nine-months. Weiner was hired a few years ago and during his time in command. The Gables police department has been relatively free of scandal and when I asked people about acting chief Masington. I got only good comments about him and the Watchdog Report wishes him the best in this new leadership capacity until Weiner returns from his assignment at the base.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Commissioner Lieberman running for judge is a question of temperament & experience; county voters should give veteran attorney McHugh a chance

Long serving County Commissioner Ilene Lieberman (Net worth $1.31 million in 2009) for District 1 wants to move to the judiciary in Broward in August, and while she has name recognition. She is facing an experienced trial attorney in Kathleen Mary “Katie” McHugh and the judicial race for the contested seat should be a contest. Lieberman, an attorney is running in the County Court Judge Group 6 race, has never gone to trial in her legal career, was termed out on her commission seat, and she has decided to go for the gold and try to win a judge seat in the local courts. Given Lieberman’s past decades in elected public office at the county and municipal level. She does know how to run a political campaign but she also has worked for years as a lobbyist in her private life. And that life experience makes her an odd choice for the bench, a position given “Special Status” in a community and significantly different from being a commissioner.

Political insiders are giving her the inside track but McHugh should not be counted out and she got a decent television interview with www.local10.com investigative reporter Bob Norman last week. The 18-year practicing attorney worked three years as a Broward assistant public defender before striking out on her own in private practice. Her bio indicates she defends people charged with felonies, misdemeanors, homicide, robberies and domestic violence cases, which would make her a seasoned trial lawyer. The other wrinkle in this case besides Lieberman being a county commissioner is that McHugh, since early in her life, has been “legally blind,” she told Norman on air.

However, Lieberman has history with the Watchdog Report over the past 13-years and once while verbally pounding me in her office in 2004. She said, “I had a problem with lobbyists,” and I said no, only when they were elected leaders in some other capacity, and then they went in front of other officials like the school board or a local municipal commission, which she was doing at the time. Further, she felt Buddy Nevins, then a political reporter with the Sun-Sentinel and I picked on her unfairly, but that was not the case. And she is politically thin skinned and when I heard she was seeking to become a judge. It more than surprised me, it concerned me, and Broward voters need to reflect if a politician is what they want on the judicial bench, or someone that has spent their entire professional life in the legal trenches of the judicial system living and arguing the law.

Lieberman >> for more on her campaign go to http://ileneliebermanforjudge.com/ >> For more on McHugh’s campaign go to http://kmforjudge.com/

CITY OF FT. LAUDERDALE
>>> Fort Lauderdale Woman Arrested in Identity Theft Tax Fraud Scheme Involving More Than 1000 Fraudulent Tax Returns and $9.5 Million in Fraud

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), Miami Field Office, and Paula Reid, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office, announced the filing of a criminal complaint charging defendant Alci Bonanee, 35 of Fort Lauderdale, with conspiracy to submit false claims to the United States Government, in violation of Title 18, Untied States Code, Section 286, and possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3). Bonannee made her initial appearance in court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, from January 2011 through June 6, 2012, Bonannee and co-conspirators submitted more than a thousand confirmed fraudulent tax returns to the IRS and received refunds from these fraudulent returns, which refunds were deposited into bank accounts controlled by Bonannee and other co-conspirators. In addition Bonannee and other co-conspirators withdrew the money in cash. The total amount of the refunds obtained by the defendants through fraud as part of this scheme was approximately $9.5 million.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement searched Bonannee’s residence pursuant to a search warrant and found a notebook and folder under a tall cabinet in the master bathroom. The notebook and folder contained more than a thousand names, dates of birth, and social security numbers, which were used for the submission of fraudulent tax refund claims. >>> Mr. Ferrer thanked IRS-CID and the Secret Service for their work on this case. Mr. Ferrer would also like to thank the Broward Sheriff Office for their assistance on this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger. A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. >> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

CITY OF PLANTATION

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott taps Christopher W. Pole, of Plantation, to the Broward County Court

Pole, 60, has been a sole practitioner since 1988. He previously practiced with Conroy, Simberg and Lewis and was in-house counsel for AIG Insurance Company while practicing with the Law Office of Allene Nicholson from 1985 to 1987. He was an assistant state attorney with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office from 1981 to 1985. Pole received a bachelor’s degree from Medical College of Georgia and a law degree from Nova Southeastern University Center for the Study of Law. “Over his long career, Chris has gained the respect and accolades of his fellow lawyers and his community,” Governor Scott said. “He possesses the integrity, discipline and dedication that will make him a valuable public servant and jurist.” Pole will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Lisa von Tefs.

CITY OF LIGHTHOUSE POINT

>>> Jury Returns Guilty Verdicts in BP Fund and Disaster Fraud ~ This is the Largest Financial Loss Case to Date Arising from Claims Filed in Connection with the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon Spill

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Henry Gutierrez, Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Field Office, and David Wickersham, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, Dallas Region, announced that Joseph Harvey and Anja Karin Kannell, most recently of Lighthouse Point, Florida, were convicted today by a jury after a four day trial in U.S. District Court in Miami for their involvement in a series of disaster-related fraud schemes, including the largest financial loss case to date arising from claims filed in connection with the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon pollution incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

Harvey was convicted on 40 of the 41 charges against him. Kannell was convicted on 34 of the 38 charges against her. The superseding indictment charged mail fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft, all in connection with fraudulent claims filed by the two defendants for purported lost income and harm resulting from the oil spill, hurricanes, and other natural disasters dating back to 2008, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343, 1029(a)(2) and (b)(1), 1028A(a)(1) and (c)(5), and 2. Harvey and Kannell have been detained as flight risks since being arrested by U.S. Postal Inspectors in October 2011. U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King presided over the trial and scheduled sentencing for both defendants on August 16, 2012 at 9:30 AM in Miami. The defendants each face possible statutory maximum terms of imprisonment of up to thirty years each on the multiple counts of mail fraud and wire fraud on which they were convicted. A term of up to 10 years’ imprisonment may be imposed on each of the multiple counts of access device fraud on which they were convicted. Additionally, they each face mandatory consecutive terms of imprisonment of up to 2 years on each of 4 counts of conviction for aggravated identity theft.

According to the testimony and exhibits presented in court, in June 2010, BP established the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF) to administer, mediate, and settle certain claims of individuals and businesses for costs, damages, and other losses incurred as a result of oil discharges due to the April 20, 2010 explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that had been drilling an exploration well. In August 2010, the GCCF began receiving and processing such claims for costs, damages, and other losses incurred as a result of the Deepwater Horizon incident, paying the claims from a $20 billion Trust Fund established for that purpose. The jury convicted Harvey and Kannell for filing fraudulent claims against the fund, under thirty-four assumed identities from August 2010 through January 2011. The defendants used the actual names and social security numbers of individuals residing in Florida, but submitted addresses located in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. According to the testimony of a credit union representative, payments were issued to the defendants through accounts established under fictitious names in San Antonio, Texas. The scheme was carried out through mailings and through the use of the internet.

According to evidence presented at trial, Harvey and Kannell filed claims seeking more than $1 million, and succeeded in causing approximately $380,000 to be paid into the Texas accounts. The defendants then withdrew the funds using an ATM card issued in the fictitious account holders’ name at ATM machines throughout South Florida, and by sending wire transfers in large amounts to rent luxury homes, and purchase high-end vehicles and boats. The defendants were also convicted of using unauthorized access devices consisting of unique GCCF Claim numbers assigned to their fictitious claims. Harvey and Kannell were also convicted of possessing and using without lawful authority the social security numbers of three identity theft victims in December 2010. In addition, the defendants were convicted of mail and wire fraud schemes involving the disaster relief effort in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. The evidence established that at least 47 fraudulent claims, using the personal information of identity theft victims, against the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which was administering the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Harvey and Kannell also were convicted of filing multiple fraudulent claims against FEMA, asserting that they suffered losses and injuries, and were qualified for disaster assistance as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in Mississippi in April and May 2011. Lastly, the jury found that Harvey and Kannell also filed 76 fraudulent claims for benefits against the employment security agencies of North Dakota and New York State, which administered Disaster Unemployment Assistance programs funded by FEMA to offset the impact of the Valentine’s Day 2011 storm that caused severe flooding in Minot and Bismark, North Dakota, and the impact of Tropical Storm Irene on certain upstate counties in New York State in August 2011. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Department of Justice, the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations, Job Service North Dakota, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency, and DHS Office of Inspector General. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Watts-FitzGerald and Timothy Abraham. >>> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

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

PALM BEACH COUNTY

>>> Managers of West Palm Beach Septic Tank Products Plead Guilty

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., Inspector General, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG), announce that defendants Scott Weiss, 54, and Mitchell Friedman, 52, both of Palm Beach County, pled guilty on June 7, 2012. Co-conspirator Richard Chiat, 46, pled guilty on June 1, 2012. All three pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sentencing for Weiss, Friedman and Chiat is scheduled for September 12, 2012 before the U.S. District Judge Kenneth L. Ryskamp. According to the charges and statements made in court, Weiss, Friedman, and Chiat, along with others employees of FBK Products, LLC., participated in a scheme to fraudulently market and sell unnecessary septic treatment products to customers throughout the United States. More specifically, from about March 2009 to October 2010, the defendants used the name FBK and Septic Remedy in sales pitches promoting septic products. The sales pitches were designed to mislead potential customers into believing that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were affiliated with the septic treatment product they were marketing under the name Septic Remedy.

In particular, Weiss, Friedman, Chiat and others misrepresented to customers that the Septic Remedy would eliminate the need to have their septic tanks pumped, that government regulations had changed the components of toilet paper, and that the Septic Remedy was designed to specifically work with the purported new toilet paper. According to documents filed with the court, the defendants’ scheme was valued at more than $ 1 million. According to the court file, some elderly customers were misled into purchasing a seventy years supply of the septic product. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of EPA-OIG. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman O. Hemming, III. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

WEST PALM BEACH

>>> Press release: Scott names Dr. Richard G. Shugarman to the Board of Medicine.

Dr. Shugarman, 72, of West Palm Beach, is an ophthalmologist and has owned RGS Medical Services P.A. since 2006. Previously, he practiced with Palm Beach Eye Center from 2005 to 2006 and owned Palm Beach Eye Associates from 1971 to 2005. His extensive community service includes being a voluntary professor of ophthalmology with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami since 1972. He also served on the Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission from 1995 to 1999. Dr. Shugarman received a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a medical degree from the University of Maryland. He served in the United States Army Reserve from 1965 to 1972, including active duty from 1970 to 1971. He is appointed for a term beginning June 8, 2012, and ending October 31, 2015. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

LEE COUNTY

>>> Gov. Scott Signs Bills to Protect Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence

Press release: Gov. Scott joined law enforcement officers at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to ceremonially sign legislation that expands protection of victims of sexual and domestic violence. “We are fortunate that Florida has experienced a 41-year low crime rate, but we must continue to provide our law enforcement officers with the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” Governor Scott said. “This legislation will protect the rights of individuals affected by crime and help make Florida a safer place.” Governor Scott was joined by Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto and Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott to highlight the following bills:

>>> House Bill 437, “Protect Our Children Act of 2012”: The bill safeguards children from sexual predators and can result in more severe sentencing for child pornography. Video voyeurism convictions result in the status of sexual predator if there has been a prior offense. If a person knowingly has photographs, including sexual conduct by more than one child, then each child depicted in the photograph can be viewed as a separate offense.

>>> House Bill 1099, Stalking: The bill expands current law to include cyberstalking and removes the need for victims to prove that the person stalking them intended to carry out the threat and cause harm. It also establishes protections for stalking and cyberstalking similar to those provided for domestic violence by requiring the court to consider restraining the defendant from victim contact for up to 10 years and increasing the penalties for violating an injunction by up to one year in a county jail and a $1,000 fine.

>>> House Bill 1193, Public Records/Victims of Violence: The bill ensures there is a public records exemption for any personal contact information of a victim when an injunction for protection against domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, or dating violence has been served. This exemption will help protect victims of violence from their abusers.

>>> House Bill 1355, Protection of Vulnerable Persons: Those who know about child abuse – yet choose not to report it – will face tougher penalties. For example, schools and universities can now be fined $1 million for failing to report child abuse. In addition, funds are provided to the Attorney General’s Office to expand the scope of victims who are eligible to receive relocation assistance to include victims of sexual battery. The bill also increases funds used by the Department of Children and Families for the Florida Abuse Hotline.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Press release: Start your campaign on the right track >> Before the qualifying period opens for several municipal elections, candidates, campaign treasurers and volunteers should learn the rules for running a clean race. They can do that by attending the next Campaign Skills Seminar sponsored by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. The two-hour seminar takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, in the Palmetto Bay Village Hall. Speakers — including representatives from the Ethics Commission and the Elections Department — will provide essential information on fundraising and record keeping to candidates, campaign treasurers, volunteers and anyone else who wants to understand the legal and ethical obligations of seeking public office. The event is free and open to the public. Attorneys can earn Continuing Legal Education credits from the Florida Bar. Campaign Skills Seminar Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 6:30 p.m., Palmetto Bay Village Hall 9705 East Hibiscus Street*
Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 For more information or to reserve a seat, call Robert Thompson at 305-350-0630 or e-mail robthom@miamidade.gov. >>>The Ethics Commission was created in 1996 as an independent agency with advisory and quasi-judicial powers. It is composed of five members, serving staggered terms of four years each. Through a program of education and outreach, the Commission seeks to empower the community and bolster public trust. >> *just east of U.S. 1 at approximately S.W. 177 St.

>>> Urban Environment League’s ORCHIDS & ONIONS AWARDS Wednesday • June 20 • 6:00 p.m. Legal Art Gallery • 1035 North Miami Avenue (NW 10 St) • Parking Available KEYNOTE SPEAKER: MAYOR CARLOS GIMENEZ

Orchid Awards: Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Leadership to Hold the UDB Line; Laura Reynolds, Excellence in Advocacy for the Environment; Brad Knoefler & Mark Lesniak, Creative Approach to Public Space; Susan Markley, Persistence and Commitment to Manatee Protection; Mayor Cindy Lerner, Civic Leadership in Promoting A Green Miami-Dade County; Carolyn Lewis, Promoting Environmental Literacy & Civic Engagement with Our Youth, Mayor Shirley Gibson; A Legacy of Leadership; Ken Llewellyn (Posthumous), Outstanding Environmental Volunteer; Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper, Tropical Audubon Society, Sierra Club & Dan Kipnis Advocacy to Protect & Preserve Biscayne Bay. >>> Onion Award Presentations 2012: Governor Rick Scott Consistently Undermining both Environmental Protection and Good Planning -The Genting Group and their Gaggle of Lobbyists for Insulting and Underestimating Miami Dade County. >>> Hors d’oeuvres & Wine – $15 at the Door More information and to RSVP: at uelinfo@bellsouth.net

>>> Kristi House press release: Please mark your calendars! We hope you will join us for the 13th Annual Touch A Heart Dinner on Friday, November 2, 2012 at
the Four Seasons Hotel 7:00 p.m. Reception 8:00 p.m. Dinner For more information, please visit www.kristihouse.org or call: Bianca Fernandez – 305-547-6802 Mary Faraldo – 786-218-9748

>>> Press release: Registration Now Open for Miami-Dade Parks’ Summer Camps! Exciting Summer Camps are being offered by the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, June 11-August 17, 2012, at its parks around the County.

>>> Press release: Adrienne Arsht Center AileyCamp Miami 2012 AileyCamp Miami is a summer day camp where middle school students are “turned on” to dance and come to respect the discipline of dance as a physical activity that requires athletic ability comparable to skills demanded by any sport.

EDITORIALS

>>> It’s over, 38 state legislators sail into office unfortunately; tradition of a competitive race makes lawmakers better public servants in the end

With 38 state lawmakers out of 160 of them in the Florida Senate and House around the Sunshine State winning their office unopposed Friday, despite redistricting that spun the wheel of fortune, and what would be the new lawmaker’s representative turf. The incumbents still did remarkable well, that shows the power of the office; though to be fair two Republican, and two Democratic newcomers also slide into office unopposed during this qualification cycle for the upcoming primary elections in Aug 14. The Watchdog Report over the years has complained when candidates did not draw a challenger and it is not that I thought a candidate might be a bad official. It was the challenge of the primary elections and if necessary a general election that while grueling for the candidates. The races remind them of the sacred bond they are trying to forge with the electorate when these voters cast their ballot in the respective districts and that electorate bonding is important in determining the kind of person we get as our politicians.

Through out the time of the American Republic, politicians have had to go through the time-honored exercise of running for office where they face friendly supporters or people yelling in their face. And this regular two, four or six years campaign exercise should keep candidates from getting to self-absorbed in themselves and while that does not always work. The voters at least get a choice when there is a challenger and it cuts across all the political spectrums as different people pop up on the political scène to run for office and that is a good thing. For while many of us complain about politics and our leaders, if alternatives to incumbent candidates do not emerge and these people are anointed to political office by default. One of the great human levelers to our nation is eliminated that keeps these people humble, and while in the next election cycle they may get a challenger. Getting this free victory pass by these officials is a double-edged sword for voters in the long run. For as the Greek politician Pericles said, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you,” and he was so right.

LETTERS

>>> MAST Academy parent objects to new plan for Magnet School, Key Biscayne kids get in automatically, he says

I am a parent of two children at MAST Academy. We are extremely proud of the school, which has been a beacon of quality among Miami Dade public schools with a nationally recognized history of academic excellence. It is open to students from all over Miami Dade, whatever their background and class. What underpins the excellence has been an insistence on academic quality both on entrance and throughout school. Most important, no citizen of any particular community has any rights of privileged access. The school parents have been made aware of an article in the Islander News of Key Biscayne that refers to a four-month negotiation between the School District and Key Biscayne Council concerning a proposal that can only lead to the destruction of the school. It talks of a proposal to triple the number of students at the MAST Academy and of the school being absorbed into what effectively will become a Key Biscayne High School. The article presents the Mayor’s statement that children from Key Biscayne will be granted privileged, automatic access to the school without entry requirement.

There has been no public discussion of this major plan which can only lead to the destruction of what is one of very few Miami Dade schools of excellence. Miami Dade School District officers have made no disclosure of the project to any of the constituents affected by the proposal. School staff were advised of the issue only on Thursday. Discussion of the proposal has been introduced at the last School Board meeting after schools have closed for the vacation. The Mayor of Key Biscayne talks of detailed plans that have not been disclosed to any concerned party. Management of the process has at best been done in a manner that has excluded it from public oversight and at worst has been done deliberately to hide an extraordinarily controversial project. This is a huge breach of trust to the parents and children in your constituencies who have struggled to meet the requirements of entry and then to keep the standards once in.

The school is a resource of the County. It is a shining example of diversity. It is not the property of a single community nor of a single member of the school board and voting for the proposal up next Wednesday will lead to the denial of opportunity to children of your constituents as it is annexed by a single community. Children at DASH and New World do not grant automatic access to local residents. If the Board votes for the proposal it will be a breach of trust of those who set up and developed the school, of the children in the school who struggled to get in, of the principles of excellence, and a breach of the fair chance granted to all Miami children to get in. This is an issue that MAST parents regard with very great seriousness. We will work to ensure that it is brought out to open discussion. I hope that you will not vote through a project that threatens to gut an institution of national significance

Michael Bax
Miami

>>> Miami-Dade Public Schools response to the MAST letter on Sunday

Every year Maritime & Science Technology Academy (MAST Academy) receives over 1,000 applications from highly qualified students for 160 open seats. Selection for those coveted seats is conducted by a random lottery that does not rank order by ability, merely by luck of the draw. The proposed plan, which is to be considered and publicly discussed by both the School Board of Miami-Dade County and the Village of Key Biscayne Council, would add approximately 1,100 seats in grades 6 – 12 for eligible Village of Key Biscayne students, on the MAST property. The existing 560, 9-12th grade magnet seats will continue to be open to a countywide selection of students. Not a single magnet seat currently available will be affected and the process of selecting students for those seats will not change as a result of the proposed project. The nationally recognized, highly rigorous MAST Academy curricular offerings will continue with the added bonus of a middle school component, which over time will further enhance the elective offerings for all of the MAST students who are currently restricted due to a small enrollment.

For a better understanding of the situation, it is worth looking at comparable magnet programs. Coral Reef Senior High has over 3,000 students and uses the more stringent MAST entrance level requirements in only one of its six Academies. Yet, it continuously ranks alongside MAST on all national lists. The larger numbers enhance the course offerings allowing the Coral Reef students to explore numerous areas of study beyond their selected academy. Two other magnet schools are hampered by available space–Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH) and New World School of the Arts. The school district would certainly welcome a partnership that would fund additional seats at both DASH and New World, which also sadly leave out hundreds of talented students each year because of their limited capacity.

It is estimated that over 1,000 of the Key Biscayne school-age residents do not currently attend Miami-Dade County public schools. Many parents elect other options for their children because they are not able to enter rigorous public school programs with limited availability of seats, such as MAST Academy. This makes the current proposal an excellent way for our financially challenged school district to better serve the needs of parents and students, expand instructional programs offered at MAST Academy and capture additional FTE revenue. Key Biscayne’s willingness to support the project with $18 million worth of financing, including a contribution of $9 million toward construction, shows the Village’s commitment to high-quality public education for Key Biscayne residents and highlights its faith in the current administration of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
John Schuster
Chief Communications Officer
Miami-Dade County Public Schools

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S
HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr.
THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2008)
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
FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com
RONALD HALL
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.unitedwaymiamidade.org

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

AKERMAN SENTERFITT www.akerman.com
RON BOOK
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
WILLIAM PALMER
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

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

CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.cph.org
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATOR 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 www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov/ethics
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

The Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you. The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 600 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events. The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain.

LETTER POLICY

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

Daniel A. Ricker
Publisher & Editor
Watchdog Report www.watchdogreport.net
Est. 05.05.00
Copyright © of original material, 2012, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> The Watchdog Report are now available to television stations web pages, and all the newspapers and other media in South Florida if the publishers have an interest to run part or all of the stories. Further, in 2000, I used to have some paper’s running the report in the Spanish press, that option is available again, and publishers should contact me. The news content will not be free, but you can pick and chose the stories of interest, edit them if necessary but you must still keep the general story intact. If you are a news outlet and would like to learn more about, the Watchdog Report and this offer contact me at watchdogreport1@earthlink.net for further information.

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

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years. >>> Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, The (FL) CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS >>> Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, The (FL) MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED >>> >>> To read the full section large two page front page story, but without the photos and smart box graphics, go to: `I Go When You Cannot’ – Sun Sentinel 20 Jan 2003 … Sometimes Dan Ricker lives in the dark so others may live in the light. … to his weekly Watchdog Report have finally mailed their checks. … http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american >>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times –The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2003-05-15/citylife2.html/1/index.html

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

Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by The McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride. Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance –ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter >>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download all the data used in this study. >>> Watchdog Report Editor’s note to the NCU/CH study: The subscriber number referenced is incorrect and applies to readership.

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.
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