Watchdog Report Vol.14 No.38 February 2, 2014 EST. 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Super Bowl Sunday Issue

>>> 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.

>>> Clarification: In last week’s WDR concerning the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, one part in the story may have been unclear to readers and Trust Chair Ron Book sent the following email clarifying his comments concerning what he said at the most recent monthly board meeting I wrote about. Book wrote, Your article/story was generally accurate. A couple of comments on it. It was someone from the DDA on behalf of [Miami Commissioner] Marc [Sarnoff] as we were leaving a lunch meeting with Marc. [He] asked the question, “can’t we just try a pilot” using all 134 beds? Bob Dickenson [The Camillus House Board Chairman] has taken exception to my comment about “humanitarian garbage.” He has called it “slanderous.” I have been clear to Bob in an email reply, that to take the quote and use it to say that I said Camillus’ approach or program was “humanitarian garbage” would be taking my quote out of context in a 30 minute set of comments by me. I have re-read your quote of me and it does not say I was referring to Camillus or Camillus representations. It was said in reference to the continued comment by [Miami Commissioner Marc] Sarnoff about “what is humanitarian” as he pushes to sweep people of the streets at night,” wrote Book, the long serving Trust chair.

>>> And the story last week in the WDR on Doral Academy Charter School brought this response from the school’s attorney Marcos Jimenez, “I represent Academica, which is the management company over Doral High charter school. Your headline is completely wrong about there being a “controversial” $4.5 million loan.  There was a $400,000 intra company loan when Doral High decided to establish a college for the benefit of its students.  That intra company loan, which was completely appropriate and is only “controversial” in the minds of the [M-DCPS] OMCA auditors, was later converted to a recoverable grant due to MDCPS error when it renewed Doral High’s charter in the name of a different entity.  Of the original $400,000 amount, $200,000 has been repaid.

OMCA has refused to include these facts in the [audit] report despite their relevance and importance.  I have much more to say, but in the meantime, your $4.5 million amount is way off base and needs to be corrected immediately,” wrote the former local U. S. Attorney. >>> Editor’s note: While my headline last week was misleading and I apologize for that, the $4.5 million being challenged in the District audit was for a facility upgrade of a privately owned building for the school. The school board audit committee auditor stood by they’re conclusions on Tuesday at the audit committee meeting, and the committee members voted to “transmit” the audit documents to the school board for its final consideration.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> FBI SAC Steinbach Miami Chamber speaker, Cyber Security the timely topic of the day, after massive hacking of Target account customers

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon this Wednesday will be featuring FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach and he will be discussing cyber security and protecting businesses and customer’s personal financial information. A timely topic after Target was hacked and tens of millions of customer accounts being stolen last month. Further, other chain stores are also being targeted and it is one of the new concerns companies have to face in today’s cyber technological world and here in South Florida, identity theft is pervasive and rampant and a major area of concern for the local FBI field office.

>>> PAST WDR: FBI SAC Steinbach says sayonara to South Florida to head up terrorism division at Bureau, pressure cooker job here, with fraud and public corruption on the front burner

Michael B. Steinbach, 47, the local FBI Special Agent In Charge, and a counter terrorist specialist is heading back to Washington to become the FBI’s deputy assistant director for the terrorism division in the Bureau http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-fbi-miami-chief-michael-steinbach-leaving-20140115,0,5552965.story The local FBI Field Office has some 800 employees, and has the largest public corruption unit in the nation, and the office covers nine counties in the U.S. Southern District of Florida. A geographic area that ranges from Key West to Fort Pierce and also includes South America and the Caribbean nations. Steinbach followed former FBI SAC John V. Gillies who retired a couple of years ago after a major stint in South Florida and Gillies was shocked at the level of fraud and corruption found here and he talked about it at a number of public forums, asking for the publics help to stomp this out, during his time as SAC. In addition, these federal special agents have to deal with terrorism threats, identity theft and the massive Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, where the fraud beta sites are tested in South Florida, and then the fraud model is exported and established in different cities around the nation.

Further, when it comes to public corruption, the local FBI is committed to root out public corruption and has had over the years a large number of high profile political corruption cases from Palm Beach, to Key West and a host of elected leaders have been arrested over the past decade by federal authorities. And the Watchdog Report wishes Steinbach good luck in this new important position and know his replacement will have large shoes to fill.

>>> EVENT INFORMATION: The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce February Trustee Luncheon will feature a keynote speech by Bacardi North America Regional, President Roger Furniss-Roe. FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge, Michael B. Steinbach will also speak about Cyber Security. Were:  Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Treetop Ballroom, Miami, FL 33132,

When: Wednesday, February 5, 2014 11:45 a.m. Registration, 12:00 p.m. Luncheon & Program Cost: Registration: $55 members | After January 31: $75 members | $100 nonmembers RSVP: Additional information and registration available online at www.MiamiChamber.com Contact: Special events, 305-577-5455 or spevents@miamichamber.com

>>> Press release: Zogby Report Card: Strong opening salvo to gain Big Mo

John Zogby’s Obama Weekly Report Card is Featured in Paul Bedard’s

“Washington Secrets” Published weekly in The Washington Examiner

Pollster John Zogby reports in our weekly White House report card that President Obama is starting the year on a high, using his State of the Union to build momentum for his agenda and shore up his base. “The president took advantage of his State of the Union address to give a confident and strategic speech. Confident because he listed accomplishments in the areas of energy, education, health care, and job growth. Strategic in that he put aside a broad vision and offered bite-sized nuggets for change that challenged the GOP to either join him or ignore him while he moved by executive order. Please click on the link below to view this week’s grade: http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/411-zogby-report-card-strong-opening-salvo-to-gain-big-mo

>>> Someone is polling by phone what Miami residents would think if “High Speed Racing” were to occur in downtown Miami in the future, even if streets were closed for “four to six weeks.” The poll suggested it would it be an inconvenience to you but the congestion would be offset by the considerable economic benefit such an event was expected to bring into the city. Race Car Racing has occurred over the decades before in downtown Miami, but that was before the Miami skyline was filled with new condominiums, and these new residents expected objections could be the nail in the coffin for such a repeat event. The Watchdog Report over the weekend was contacted twice about the matter by my cell phone.

>>> With the Watchdog Report closing in on 15 years, I thank all of you that have supported the effort, not for the faint of heart in many ways, including financially surviving

When I started the Watchdog Report on May 5, 2000, I never imagined that almost 15 years later. I would still be at it, and I want to thank all of you and the organizations that have financially supported me over those years. Since I essentially am funded by the community and my readers. Moreover, to say it has been a strange fork in the road for someone, who came from the corporate world, to have started this effort is an understatement, and only in South Florida could I have pulled off a mainstream news service like the WDR. However, given the colorful nature of our community and how so many of us love and create the drama, that would be good entertainment. If we were not overall such a poor community, with pockets of great wealth, yet other areas in major poverty, and why our limited public tax dollars should be spent wisely and with proper oversight and media attention.

In addition, it is my belief that government works more effectively when reported on, and why I have kept at this, for over the past almost 18 years. In addition, the WDR or myself, has affected and easily saved some $100 million in public tax dollars over those years in some way. And it is the preventing of waste, fraud, and abuse and public corruption that has kept me out in the field and reporting back in a variety of venues, from the internet, The Miami Herald, to WLRN, and WPBT Channel 2 over the years.

FLORIDA

>>> Gov. Scott spreads cheer, stops at Shell Lumber in Coconut Grove for $30 million sales tax holiday for Hurricane supplies, polls show Crist with a 46 to 38% lead over Scott in the state

Gov. Rick Scott came to Shell Lumber in Coconut Grove Monday to announce his 15-day Florida sales tax holiday for hurricane supplies and he brought alone his new wingman, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser and former GOP state representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who will be sworn into office this week. Scott considerable more relaxed campaigning now than when he first ran. The governor up for reelection in November joked with the lumberyard workers and noted when it came to do it yourself projects that was not a strong suit for him and was better done by his son in law.

The former healthcare executive gave Lopez-Cantera a number of shout outs during the press conference but during the press gaggle. Scott continued to stay on message, bringing up the estimated $30 million saved by Floridians during this tax holiday that will go back into their pockets he said. And Scott ticked off a number of aspects in his released $74.2 billion budget that is also suggesting a $500 million tax break for businesses throughout the state. However, the governor, who will likely face former Gov. Charlie Crist in November, brushed off any substantive comments, except about the dangers of drugs, when asked by the media about the recently resigned congressional representative from Florida who was busted buying cocaine in the nation’s Capital. Though later in the week Scott set a primary election for the vacated U.S. House Dist 19 seat for Apr. 22 and the General Election is set for Jun. 24

In addition, the Watchdog Report was unable to ask Scott about the brisk business he has been doing removing or suspending elected leaders, where three leaders were gone by a governor’s executive order a couple of weeks ago. And previous governors Jeb Bush and Crist were all shocked at the volume of the removals when they were in office and is why Florida leads the nation in such elected leaders going to jail over a ten-year period a federal study showed. Moreover, had Crist and a statewide grand jury calling the problem a “culture of corruption” regarding the pervasive nature of the problem around the state.

Lopez-Cantera

Scott

Crist

Lopez-Cantera   Scott   Crist

>>> Florida Governor Rick Scott made the following statement today regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of legislation to delay unfair rate hikes on flood insurance policies for Floridians:

Press release: “I would like to thank the bi-partisan coalition of members in the U.S. Senate for their leadership and support on passing legislation to delay increases in flood insurance premiums for Floridians. Florida has clearly been a donor state to the National Flood Insurance Program by contributing $16 billion over the last three decades, which is nearly four times the amount than Florida homeowners have received back in claims. This legislation, while not perfect, will provide relief to Florida families who have been disproportionally targeted by these unfair federal flood insurance rate hikes. I encourage their colleagues in the House to also support this common sense measure. “During the State of the Union, the President vowed that this would be a ‘year of action’ where he would use his pen. A great use of his pen would be ending these rate hikes and providing immediate relief to Florida families.”

>>> Press release: Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday unveiled a nearly $74.2 billion proposed budget. Here’s a few key items you should know about:

EDUCATION: Scott has proposed raising public school spending by $542 million, which translates into a nearly 3 percent increase. CHILD PROTECTION: The governor is proposing to spend nearly $32 million to hire more than 400 child protection investigators to reduce caseloads for those who investigate child abuse allegations. ENVIRONMENT: Scott has proposed $130 million for Everglades’s restoration, $25 million for beach restoration, and $55 million to help restore and improve water quality at the state’s freshwater springs. TAXES: Scott does not recommend any tax hikes to pay for his budget. He is recommending nearly $600 million in tax and fee cuts, including a cut in sales taxes charged on commercial rates and a rollback in auto registration fees. He is also proposing a back-to-school sales tax holiday and a small cut in the corporate income tax.

…Governor Rick Scott today announced a 15-day sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness supplies as of part his 2014-2015 “It’s Your Money Tax Cut Budget.” The proposed sales tax holiday will begin June 1 and run through June 14, 2014, and will cover hurricane preparation supplies, such as flashlights, batteries, weather radios, and other basic items that are essential to building a disaster supply kit. Governor Scott said, “This 15-day sales tax holiday will help Florida families prepare for hurricane season and let them keep more than $20 million. This tax holiday will allow families to better protect and safeguard their homes during a storm.” The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 – November 30. For more information on the Florida Division of Emergency Management and to GET A PLAN!, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org.  Follow the Florida Department of Emergency Management on Twitter at @FLSERT and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT and www.Facebook.com/KidsGetAPlan.

>>> The Miami-Dade County Inspector General in cooperation with The Children’s Trust busted a man for misusing public funds for a youth program and he has been sentenced. To read the report go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/newsreleases2014/IG10.38%20LovettSentence.pdf

>>> And if you ever thought about adopting a child, check out the great kids on the Children’s Trust’s Heart Gallery page http://www.miamiheartgallery.org/#start looking for a home and great new parents.

>>> Children’s Movement of Florida  Voices of Florida – We all have a story, a story that defines us. It is our collective story, our challenges and our triumphs that inspire a movement. Floridians from all walks of life have joined together with an understanding that the future of our state rests on the well-being of our children. Visit The Children’s Movement website to read their stories and share your own. >>> I find it unacceptable, as all of us should, that at least a half-million children in Florida – all citizens — have no health insurance. How could this be in our beloved country that seeks to be a beacon to the world? Health insurance for all children is one of the five major planks of The Children’s Movement. With the support of Florida Covering Kids and Families, The Children’s Movement is working with dozens of local partners to help build a meaningful signing-up initiative in more than a dozen Florida communities. Already we have: Completed 18 KidCare trainings around the state. Signed up, trained and deployed more than a hundred volunteers. Begun to build a growing collaboration between local school districts and KidCare outreach coalitions. It’s a good start, but only the start. If you’d like to become a volunteer, just click here. Another way to help is to make a contribution – of any size – to help support this work. It is easy. Just click here. A real movement isn’t possible without your helping in some meaningful way. Dave Lawrence, Jr., Chair The Children’s Movement.

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

>>> Hail Chief Justice Labarga, first Cuban American to lead court, had $710,764 net worth through 2012

Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga was voted by his seven peers to be the new Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice last week and he is the first Cuban American to be the top jurist on the court. Labarga follows Justice Ricky Polston ($311,000 Net worth in 2011) in the leadership position and Polston will continue serving on the court. Labarga was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist and the judge is from Palm Beach and he is highly respected on the state bench. He is a University of Florida undergraduate and attended the University’s law school graduatieng in 1979. He has been an assistant public defender and a state attorney in Palm Beach and was first appointed a judge by Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1996 and in 2008; Gov. Charlie Crist tapped him for the top judicial bench.

What do we know about his finances?

Labarga through Dec. 2012 had a net worth of $710,764, which is down from 2011 when his listed net worth was $718,729 and he lists $135,000 in household goods both years. His home is currently valued at $300,000, he owns two Prius vehicles, and his salary as a justice was $149,742 in 2012.

>>> Bio: Jorge Labarga was born in Cuba in 1952. He is married to Zulma R. Labarga, and they have two daughters. He arrived in the United States at the age of 11 where he initially lived with his family in Pahokee, Florida. He graduated from Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach in 1972 and received his B.A. (1976) and J.D. (1979) from the University of Florida. Justice Labarga began his legal career in 1979 as an Assistant Public Defender with the Public Defender’s Office in West Palm Beach, assigned to the appellate, misdemeanor and felony trial divisions. In 1982 he joined the State Attorney’s Office in West Palm Beach, where he tried cases ranging from theft to homicide. In 1987 he joined the firm of Cone, Wagner, Nugent, Roth, Romano & Ericksen, P.A., and specialized in personal injury trial work. In 1992, Justice Labarga participated in founding the law firm of Roth, Duncan & Labarga, P.A., in West Palm Beach, where he continued to specialize in personal injury litigation and criminal defense. For a complete bio on Labarga go to  http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/justices/labarga.shtml

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Commission debate on taxi amenities highlights complexity of issue, Commissioner Monestime, once a cabbie himself, says “implementing language the $64 million question”

While the county commission spent hours Wednesday discussing whether to upgrade the services afforded to taxi cab riders and will include taking credit cards and the vehicle having GPS installed in the next year. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/29/3900602/miami-taxi-cabs-to-get-technology.html#storylink=misearch This deregulation legislation was earlier pushed by County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson months ago, so that people could use such forms as Uber to order a prearranged car, but that bill was later withdrawn after some controversy. Also, Commissioners Jean Monestime, Xavier Suarez and Barbara Jordan were concerned about the burden any changes would be putting on the low paid drivers. Suarez told County Mayor Carlos Gimenez that any final implementing legislation, “better have protections for taxi drivers in the final ordinance,” said Suarez an attorney. He also said he would “love to see 2,000 new licenses be issued for cabs,” though he admitted I “know we will be sued, and that’s what’s government is for,” he said and offered to work as a pro bono attorney with the county on the language.

Jordan speaking next joked that she had many of the same concerns as Suarez. However, she joked, “Not all crazy people think alike,” in reference to some past nicknames for Suarez like “Mayor Loco,” when he was a past Miami mayor.

However, Monestime a Haitian American was the only commissioner on the dais that had actually been a taxi cab driver in Miami in his previous life and some of his comments expressed that experience out in the field. He said the “implementing language was the $64 million question:” and the taxi owners bearing the new costs would be the challenge said the county attorney handling the matter.  However, tourist officials and MIA Director Emilio Gonzalez said upgrading the taxicab service was critical to being a world-class city and Gonzalez in the past has said the level of service actually puts tourists at risk. Given the numerous horror stories, he has to hear from disgruntled passengers using cabs to and from the international airport that has to service almost $1 million a day in debt payments to pay for the bonds used to fund the $6.4 billion terminal expansion at MIA begun back in the early 1990s.

Edmonson

Jordan

Suarez

What about Monestime’s County Commission Dist. 2 race in 2014?

Monestime was elected in 2010 when he beat incumbent Commissioner Dorrin Rolle in office since 1998 for the District 2 seat. Rolle is challenging the county commissioner this election cycle, but Rolle has had extensive controversy in his past including JESCA, an organization he ran going into bankruptcy and was seen by many constituents in the district as being an old school politician. In addition, Antwane Dwayne Lenoir is also running for the commission seat but has only raised $3,000 to Rolle who has $8,250 in his campaign war chest that is dwarfed by Monestime’s $175,000 he has raised for this second campaign for the office.

Monestime

Rolle

>>> And to review all the Miami-Dade County Commissioners and other county officials financial disclosure forms for the year go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/results.cfm?org_id=214439&suborg_id=233972&Mode=By_SubOrg

>>> GMCVB press release: DEMAND FOR TRAVEL TO GREATER MIAMI & THE BEACHES REMAINS STRONG IN DECEMBER 2013 RANKING #3 IN REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM (REVPAR), #3 IN AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE (ADR) AND #3 IN HOTEL ROOM OCCUPANCY AMONG THE TOP 25 U.S. MARKETS

December 2013

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
Market	Rate	% Change vs. 2012
1. New York	$234.17	-0.3%
2. Oahu Island	$181.81	6.7%
3. Miami	$167.48	+13.0%
4. San Francisco	$115.86	13.7%
5. Los Angeles	$85.60	9.2%

Average Daily Room Rate (ADR)
Market	Rate	% Change vs. 2012
1. New York	$303.59	-3.9%
2. Oahu Island	$229.34	8.5%
3. Miami	$214.29	+9.0%
4. San Francisco	$160.93	7.9%
5. New Orleans	$142.96	20.5%

Average Daily Occupancy
Market	% Occupancy	% Change vs. 2012
1. New York	83.7%	-3.0%
2. Oahu Island	79.3%	-4.2%
3. Miami	78.2%	+3.6%
4. San Francisco	72.0%	5.3%
5. Orlando	71.2%	6.9%

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Controversial Doral Academy Charter School audit gets transmitted to school board for discussion

When it comes to the Doral Academy Charter School, the School Board Audit Committee heard the objections of the charter schools leadership Tuesday and Academica manages the charter, but the audit committee forwarded the critical audit to the school board for their consideration. Former local U.S. Attorney Marcos Jimenez representing Academica argued the charter school’s administration had supplied all the supplementary information detailing the transactions in question. To the District’s auditors that generated the audit, and independently reviewed by outside counsel hired to review the transactions from the prominent law firm of Shutts & Bowen. Jimenez said the critics of the deal were citing “hyper technical” issues and in fact the charter school “should be emulated and not criticized,” Jimenez argued. However, the outside attorney hired by the District said the way the deal had been crafted was “found to be troubling,” in his legal opinion and the District auditor stood by his findings after the extensive discussion.

And Dr. Lawrence Feldman, a audit committee member and on the school board said the issue was “the responsible review” of charter schools that get public funding and is “the school board doing the right thing with the public money,” and our job is “not to rate the school,” the board vice chair said. He noted the examination of the school is not unique, “we ask auditors to look at all 400 [of our public] schools,” and that also includes “looking at all of our charter schools,” as well the former principal said. In addition, Feldman moved that the audit be “transmitted” to the school board with the “adopted recommendations,” and the audit committee members passed the motion.  And to read the complete agenda for the audit meeting go to http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_Jan_28_2014/agenda.pdf

Feldman

>>> PAST WDR STORIES ON THE SCHOOL: Doral Academy High School  in the spotlight with audit committee, gave $400,000 grant and approved $4.5 million for private building enhancements, but administered by Academica, a for profit that runs 54 charter schools in Miami-Dade

Doral Academy High School., one of five charter schools administered by Academica Corp in Doral, a for profit entity was given a harsh analysis by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Audit Department that questioned a $400,000 grant without at first board approval, and another $4.5 million in construction and other related charges for a building owned by a private owner, given the school receives District public tax dollars. The audit states the nation’s fourth largest public schools district funded in 2012, 108-charter schools to the tune of $300 million in tax dollars. And in the case of the five charter schools contractually managed by Academica in Doral. The organization received $1.6 million in administrative fees, and some $22.3 million in tax dollars went to the five schools, and for the other 49 charter schools Academica runs, there total management fees for the year were $9.5 million, states the district’s documents

Academica also is politically connected and hired state Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami in the summer of 2011 as the president of Doral College Inc., affiliated with Doral Academy Inc.,  and to read the complete audit go to http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_December_2013/item5.pdf and the audit will be discussed at the Dec. 3 school board Audit and Budget Advisory Committee meeting and the meeting is expected to be a lively affair. Further, Academica’s attorney challenges some of the report’s findings and he will likely offer a vigorous defense. The school district over the years has focused on a number of irregularities that have occurred at some of the district’s numerous charter schools, and one school, the Arts and Minds Academy Charter School in Coconut Grove got a 350 page forensic audit done by the District, that was later sent too the IRS, since the school was also a not-for-profit and avoided paying federal taxes.

>>> PAST WDR LAST MONTH:  Board Member Regalado annoyed Doral Academy Charter School discussion delayed, says Atty’s always have an excuse, “the dog ate my homework

The discussion of the controversial audit of the Doral Academy Charter School was a contentious affair Tuesday at the Miami-Dade Public Schools Audit and Budget Advisory Committee meeting, and the committee in a divided vote. The voting members granted a delay when it came to discussing the controversial audit of the organization as was reported in last week’s Watchdog Report and later in http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/12/03/3795275/charter-schools-400000-grant-to.html. The Charter School’s attorney argued that the audit report was “picking and choosing the facts” that benefited them and it would be “more beneficial to sit down with the attorney’s,” hired by the school district. Since she believed, they were “not understanding the issues.” However, the District’s auditor told the committee he stood by the audit and “The findings will remain as they are,” even if discussed later. The District’s Chief Auditor Jose F. Montes de Oca told audit committee members, and the six school board members attending the meeting.

However, later after the matter was tabled to a later audit committee in January, School Board Member Raquel Regalado, a non-voting member of the committee said she disagreed with the delay of hearing the Doral Charter School issue and that ultimately it was the school board members, “Constitutional Officers,” that would ultimately have to deal with the matter. She noted back in January when the critical audit first came to light that representatives of the charter school and Academica, the organization that manages the school. They asked for a delay back then because of the “approaching March FCAT,” exams and now this second delay request she said. “My concern is the establishment of a precedent,” and the audit “did not come out of nowhere.” The board member, an attorney, also said lawyers are “always asking to delay,” a hearing and as a “defense attorney,” in her career. She thought this request based on a short notice was like saying, “a dog ate my homework.” Moreover, that creation of a precedent was her only concern about granting the delay, she said. To read the Doral Academy audit go to http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_December_2013/item5.pdf

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> One time bonus for union employees pushed by CEO Migoya gets deferred, but phased in ending of employee 5% contribution is a go by end of Sept. 30 fiscal year

The PHT six member board voted 5 to 1 to defer instituting a one-time three percent bonus payment as was reported in a past Watchdog Report and instead approved phasing out the employee healthcare contribution of five percent cutting it to two percent and any contribution totally ending at the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/27/3896640/jackson-health-trust-votes-to.html#storylink=misearch . As was predicted in the Watchdog Report last week, PHT vice Chair Joe Arriola was critical of the bonus. He felt the deal was done behind the scenes of the board and the board deferred the bonus issue for 30 days. After Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez was critical of the bonus that could not be offered to the other five county unions that expect similar deals with his administration but negotiations have been deadlocked over the past months and 11 union contract impasse will be considered once again by the county commission Feb. 4 in its commission chambers. However, PHT CEO Carlos Migoya stuck to his guns and he argued the one time bonus was necessary to keep the top medical personnel at the healthcare system and was the right thing to do for workers that have taken cuts over the past four years. >>> Readers should stay tuned and see how this finally pans out in future months.

Gimenez

Migoya

>>> Jackson Hospital Employee and Construction Company Operators Charged in Bribery Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the filing of two Informations charging conspiracies to offer bribes, and to accept bribes, by persons associated with Jackson North Medical Center, a hospital and health care provider, which is part of Jackson Health System, popularly known in Miami-Dade County as Jackson Memorial Hospital, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 666(a)(1)(B). The first of the two Informations charges Douglas Denton, 59, Cooper City, with conspiring with “V.S.” and “L.L.” to corruptly solicit, demand, accept, and agree to accept cash payments, intending that Denton would be influenced and rewarded in connection with transactions of Jackson Health System, involving at least $5,000, that is, vendor contracts to provide goods and services to Jackson Health System.

According to the Information, Denton was an employee at Jackson North Medical Center who solicited payments from the operators of a small business called Seico Construction Co., in return for awarding those operators contracts for construction jobs at Jackson North Medical Center. The Information identifies the operators of Seico as “V.S.” and “L.L.”. The Information further alleges that from 2010 through 2013 Denton received a total of $5000, in increments of $1,000, on five separate occasions from co-conspirators. The second Information charges defendants Victor Seijas, 45, and Luis Ledesma, 50, both of Miami, with conspiring with “D.D.”, an employee of Jackson North Medical Center, to corruptly give, offer, and agree to give monetary payments, to an employee of Jackson North Medical Center, in connection with transactions of Jackson North Medical Center and Jackson Health Systems, involving more than $5,000. The Information alleges that the monetary payments were made by Seijas and Ledesma in order to obtain construction contracts at Jackson North Medical Center. The Information further alleges that Seijas and Ledesma operated a small business called Seico Construction Co. that obtained construction contracts from conspirator “D.D.” for construction jobs at Jackson North Medical Center in the time period 2010 through 2013.

The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances today, January 31, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the one count of conspiracy against each of them. They also face possible $250,000 fine, and payment of restitution. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Michael P. Sullivan. An Information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until 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.

>>> Two scandals resolved at JHS after a fairly quite period are being reported at

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/31/3905706/jackson-employee-two-miami-businessmen.html and the County’s Inspector General just released report on a man embezzeling funds at a JHS facility. To read the case go to http://www.miamidadeig.org/newsreleases2014/ClarkePleaIG09.84.pdf

>>> County Asst. Atty. Clark Christian says sayonara, moving with husband to DC

Miami-Dade Assistant County Attorney Valda Clark Christian is saying sayonara to the office and working on matters that concerned the Public Health Trust after years of being a legal advisor to the PHT board. Clark is moving with her husband to Washington D.C. and she is a Yale Law school graduate who went to Williams College for her undergraduate degree. http://www.miamidade.gov/attorney/profile.asp?pid=29 The PHT board members gave the woman a shout out for the work she had done since joining the office in 2005 and that she her expertise and community history of the Trust will be missed.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Mayor Regalado cautious on Bay Link given possible Chalk Airline deal, and Jungle Island “building up,” idea dormant since 2004

At a meeting at Miami-Dade County last week concerning a new light rail mass transit project study connecting Miami-to-Miami Beach. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/28/3899000/light-rail-service-from-miami.html#storylink=misearch The meeting had Mayor Tomas Regalado wanting the project to take into consideration that the generally preferred route, over MacArthur Causeway may be no sure thing. He noted with the new Port Miami tunnel that the route “no longer has shoulders” and he asked “what the study said about that?” However, transit staff said the plan if light rail was agreed to, would have the track elevated over the causeway, and would mitigate the overall footprint of the project that will depend on some 50 percent in federal funding (the 2004 funding formula, that currently would not be the case given the $17.4 trillion federal deficit.) Regalado also noted that Miami is negotiating for the reopening of Chalks Airways service and was why he had the “concern” about the generally accepted route. The mayor noted that not only was there the Chalks deal but a “much bigger item was Jungle Island’s” desire of “building up” the attraction, that currently has not been the popular attraction its owners thought, and has resulted in the organization in years past falling behind in making their required HUD payments for the $25 million loan taken out by the county for the project.

The mass transit project from Miami to Miami Beach was first considered in 2004 and costing roughly $482.7 million back then. However, that cost number would be updated in this new study that is being done and in the past Miami Beach residents with the support of former Mayor David Dermer at the time were able to derail the project.

What about the city’s reserves?

The City of Miami is tracking to have some $75.4 million in its reserves as the fiscal year progresses, which is a major turn around from when former Mayor Manuel Diaz left office back in 2009, and the reserves were significantly lower at $40 million and had to be raided when a $53 million deficit emerged for the year. http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/100325/story2.shtml The city after having a state mandated financial oversight board through the mid 1990s to Nov. 2001 required that the municipal reserves be no less than $90 million given the city’s size  and public obligations, but that reserve number after hitting a peak of around $130 million, has headed south. And during the Diaz administration was dipped into often to cover budget shortfalls over the years from 2001 to 2009, even though Miami went through an unprecedented building boom, with surging property tax revenues, but was spent by the city administration at the time, rather than banked for a rainy day in the future.

Regalado

>>> Former City of Miami Police Officer Sentenced on Corruption Charges

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Manuel Orosa, Chief, City of Miami Police Department, announce that Vital Frederick, 27, a former City of Miami Police Officer, was sentenced to 81 months in prison, three years of supervised release, fined $16,806.33 and ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $1,200.

Vital was previously convicted after a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore. The jury returned a guilty verdict on all seven counts in the indictment, including four counts of interference with commerce by extortion, one count of access device fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The defendant provided protection and security for an illegal check-cashing scheme and exploited the Police databases to steal identities and sell the identifiers believing they were to be used to commit tax fraud.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “There is no compromise when it comes to corruption. It has to be sought out and defeated. As a sworn police officer, Vital Frederick, pledged to protect the public. Instead, he abused that trust to victimize those he swore to protect. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Public Corruption Task Force and this office are committed to rooting out public corruption at all levels. This case is a reminder that no one is above the law.”

“Law enforcement officers have a great responsibility to the public and therefore must be held to a higher standard of integrity,” said Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “The FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force was assembled and designed to ensure that these high standards are met and maintained.”

FBI Public Corruption Task Force and the City of Miami Internal Affairs Section initiated an investigation on former Officer Frederick after receiving a report of Frederick’s suspicious activity while on duty. On four separate occasions, between August 2012 and September 2012, Frederick provided protection for a courier who he believed was cashing fraudulent government checks at the check-cashing store. He did so, while in full uniform and while driving his marked City of Miami Police Department vehicle. Frederick, in an effort to further facilitate the criminal activity, escorted the courier away from the check cashing store to give the courier safe passage. In exchange for providing security of the courier, who was purportedly cashing fraudulent government checks at the check-cashing store, Frederick took receipt of approximately $800 cash.

In October 2012, Frederick sold the personal identifiers of 52 individuals to a second cooperating source after accessing City of Miami Police Department databases. During the investigation, City of Miami Police Department Internal Affairs Unit covertly monitored Frederick’s Police issued laptop and found that he conducted searches of the victims whose identities he was selling. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the City of Miami Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Waugh and Michael Davis. 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. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Mayors Gimenez and Regalado talk Baylink, new Mayor Levine says “study all options,” light rail not only choice, look at alternatives as well

A Miami-Dade County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Sub Committee Tuesday afternoon met to discuss a study for some kind of mass transit from Miami to Miami Beach, and the MPO has commissioned a study to update a previous study done in 2004. However, back then a project known as Baylink ran smack into then Mayor David Dermer who mounted opposition and succeeded in killing the project back then. At Tuesday’s meeting Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and County Commissioners Xavier Suarez and Dennis Moss (the commission’s transportation committee chairman) discussed some of the options and the most promising and potentially feasible route was to use the MacArthur Causeway as the route to the tony South Beach and the attendant hotels in the area. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/28/3899000/light-rail-service-from-miami.html#storylink=misearch

The Watchdog Report contacted Mayor Philip Levine by email last week after the meeting and I asked him what his thoughts were on the matter and what form of mass transit it should be, light rail or some other variation. And Levine in an email wrote back, “We had an employee lunch today at the Jackie Gleason Theater for all City of Miami Beach employees. Both Jimmy Morales and I spoke about “winning” and “teamwork.” I brought in a special surprise guest speaker…Pat Riley. Very motivating…that’s why I missed the meeting.

Regarding Mass transit, I think we should study all options, corresponding impacts as well as sources of funding. We have a major traffic problem on the MacArthur Causeway and we must act responsibly to mitigate this congestion ASAP and also reduce the amount of cars on Miami Beach. Mass transit isn’t necessarily light rail but could also be a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS),” wrote Levine elected last November.

Levine

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> City trolley system basically “to serve Miami bus lines on 8^th street, was” “not intended for to serve residential areas,” says Mayor Cason

With city leaders asking the Coral Gables administration to look at expanding the trolley routes, in the City Beautiful. The Watchdog Report asked Mayor Jim Cason and commissioners their thoughts on the issue since a story came out in http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/28/3898557/city-may-extend-its-trolleys-to.html#storylink=misearch and for a longer more extensive story on how federal transportation dollars are being spent by the counties various municipalities go to http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/18/3879419/how-fed-dollars-for-trolleys-in.html

Cason in an email back wrote, “The city trolley system was designed principally to serve as a connector between Miami bus lines on 8th street and more recently Flagler and the metro on Dixie Highway, bringing commuters free to and from work, thus reducing cars and parking needs downtown. It was not intended to serve residential areas.  The city recently commissioned a study of the trolley users and possible downtown alternative routes in the future.  More staff work needs to be done to determine costs and other factors before the Commission decides whether or not to expand service downtown or elsewhere,” wrote Mayor Cason.

In addition, Commissioner Pat Keon responded, “The discussion on the extension of trolley service was related to serving the residents in the Coral Gables neighborhood immediately east of the highway not the West Grove.  It has nothing to do with the trolley depot that Astor Development built on Douglas Road. Coral Gables did not build that maintenance facility and when the City became aware of the concern over the zoning, the City asked the court to rule on the zoning before accepting the facility. We are waiting for that ruling. The City of Coral Gables strives to serve every neighborhood in our City to the highest level possible,” wrote Keon elected last April to her first four-year term on the dais.

VILLAGE OF PINECREST

>>>> Coral Gables Physician living in Pinecrest Convicted of Tax Fraud

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, announce today that after a two week trial before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, a federal jury in Miami convicted Lourdes Margarita Garcia, 62, of Pinecrest, a medical doctor, of conspiracy to defraud and to file false returns with the IRS, and of three counts of filing false returns with the IRS. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. According to the superseding indictment, Garcia was the owner and operator of Global Medical Group, LLC, a Sub-S Corporation, or “flow through” entity for income tax purposes, which operated a medical clinic in Coral Gables, and previously in Miami. The evidence presented at trial showed that Garcia, a physician assistant at the time the false tax returns were filed in 2007 and 2008, had originally been the subject of an IRS collection action for multiple years of back-taxes owed. During the collection case, the IRS learned that Garcia and her now deceased spouse were delinquent in filing income tax returns for the years 1997 through 2005. When those returns were filed in August 2007, under penalties of perjury, the 1997 and 2001 through 2005 returns reported $0.00 adjusted gross income, and a 2006 amended return also filed in August 2007, reported less than $20,000 of adjusted gross income.

According to the evidence presented at trial, during a 1997 Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, Garcia filed sworn monthly reports with the Bankruptcy Court reporting $81,000 of salaries and commissions for the months of May 1997 through October 1997. Additionally, during 2001 through 2007, Global Medical Group had steadily increased its revenues from insurance payments and patient fees, from approximately $81,000 in 2001, to approximately $1.9 million in 2006 and $1.7 in 2007, but no flow-through income from Global was reported on the 2001 through 2005 individual returns of Garcia and her spouse. Their 2006 and 2007 returns omitted approximately $400,000 of insurance payments and patient fees from Global. The evidence at trial also showed that in 2007, Garcia and her spouse purchased an approximately $2 million residence in Pinecrest, despite the $0.00 adjusted gross income reported in the 1997, and 2001 through 2005 returns, and the less than $20,000 and $30,000 of adjusted gross income reported in the 2006 and 2007 returns, respectively. Further, the evidence presented at trial showed that Garcia and her spouse conspired to defraud the IRS, by impairing, obstructing and defeating its lawful functions in the ascertainment, computation and collection of federal income taxes, including by withdrawing approximately $900,000 from bank accounts, only days before an IRS Notice of Levy attached to the accounts. At sentencing, Garcia faces up to fourteen years in prison on the four counts of conviction. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose A. Bonau and Andy R. Camacho. 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.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> IG Scott calls for a change in the “lack of uniformity in legal opinions that interpret the ethics code,” for county’s 32 municipalities

A patchwork of ethics rulings by the 32 municipal attorneys over the years found in Broward County has resulted in the Broward Office of the Inspector General publishing a report showing “certain deficiencies” and “lack of uniformity in legal opinions that interpret the ethics code.” John Scott, the county’s inspector general since 2011 has been taking on a number of issues since assuming the post and this new posture and call for uniform ethics rulings will be another hot issue with the 32 cities in Broward leaders, the state’s second largest county.

>>> Press release: OIG Review of the Existing Ethics Structure for Broward County and its Municipalities http://www.broward.org/InspectorGeneral/Documents/OIG14004ETHICSREVIEW.pdf

Broward Inspector General John W. Scott announced today that the Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a report detailing its review of the existing ethics structure for Broward County and its municipalities. As a result of the review, the OIG found that certain deficiencies exist in the current operation of Broward’s ethics system, particularly a lack of uniformity in legal opinions that interpret the ethics code. Accordingly, the report recommends changes to the County Charter, including the addition of an Ethics Officer and an Ethics Review Panel.

The proposed Ethics Officer would have the authority to issue binding advisory opinions and adjudicate ethics misconduct complaints. The proposed volunteer Ethics Review Panel would review the Ethics Officer’s opinion and complaint decisions and conduct regular reviews of the county’s ethics laws.

The report discusses the vagueness or imprecision in some of the Code’s key terms and the lack of a mechanism to arrive at a single, uniform resolution that appears to subordinate elected officials’ interests to the public’s interests.

The OIG found that centralizing the function of formal ethics guidance – now in the hands of the thirty-two local government attorneys –would achieve increased clarity, uniformity, objectivity, and public confidence in an ethical local government. The report does not address the Code’s substantive provisions, such as specific dollar limitations on gifts or restrictions on outside employment, suggesting instead that an independent Ethics Review Panel should be commissioned to address such matter.                                                     

Scott

>>> Press release: The Broward Delegation will be having a Public Hearing on Gaming: February 24^th Public Hearing on Gaming

Broward County Government Center in the Commission Chambers 115 South Andrews Ave, room 422, Fort Lauderdale 2-5:30 pm If you wish to sign up to speak at this Public Hearing go to http://www.broward.org/Legislative/Pages/PresentationForm.aspx and fill out the speaker form to be placed on the agenda. Please feel free to forward to other interested parties. Broward Legislative Delegation, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 429, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 33301, Phone:  954 357-6555 Twitter: BrowardLegDel

>>> Residents can review they’re county commissioners financial disclosure forms on line — Residents of Broward County can now review they’re county commissioners financial disclosure forms on line and to see the inner financial workings of these elected officials go to  http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/results.cfm

>>> 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

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott  says that the Small Business Administration (SBA) granted his request for a physical disaster declaration, and will be offering assistance to businesses affected by the January 9-10 severe storms in Palm Beach County. Governor Scott said, “Because of the impacts of severe storms that affected Palm Beach County businesses, I asked the SBA for this declaration to help get the community back on its feet. We’re glad that the SBA approved this important request.” For the initial request by Governor Scott, click HERE.

For a copy of the declaration, click HERE

>>> And to read all the Palm Beach elected leader’s financial disclosure reports go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/results.cfm

PORT ST. LUCIE COUNTY

>>> Port St. Lucie Broker Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Embezzlement Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Danny Banks, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), announce today that defendant Paul Elvidge, 53, of Port St. Lucie, FL, pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for embezzling more than $1,000,000 from client investment accounts while acting as a securities broker for Cape Securities, Inc. and Seacoast Investor Services, Inc. Elvidge pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez to eight counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. Elvidge faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to twenty years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts, and a consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count.

According to court pleadings, Elvidge managed and operated Seacoast Investor Services, which later was purchased by Cape Securities, as a brokerage and investment firm in Port St. Lucie. As a registered representative and stockbroker, Elvidge had access to clients’ brokerage accounts and was able to direct wire transfers from these brokerage accounts. From July 2010 to October 2012, Elvidge Jr. embezzled approximately $1,113,594 from client accounts by preparing fraudulent forms and forging account holders’ signatures. Elvidge Jr. used the fraudulently obtained monies to pay for personal and business expenses, and to fund his personal day-trading activities. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and FDLE. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaniek Maynard. 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. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

HIGHLANDS COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott names Andy Tuck to the State Board of Education.

Tuck, 44, of Sebring, is the former Highlands County School Board Chairman. He was a member of the Florida School Boards Association from 2012 to 2013. Tuck received his bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning January 29, 2014, and ending December 31, 2017. Governor Rick Scott said, “Andy has worked throughout his career to provide Florida students with the tools they need to succeed. I am proud to appoint Andy to the State Board of Education, and look forward to him continuing to make Florida the best state in the country to get an education.”

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

FLAGLER COUNTY

>>> Gov. Scott names Dawn Nichols to the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court.

Press release: Nichols, 48, of Ormond Beach, is a Board certified Marital and Family Law attorney. She has practiced with Nichols & Ahmed, P.A. since 1996. From 1994-1996, she practiced with Rice & Rose, P.A., and in 1993, she served as an assistant public defender in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. In 2006, Nichols was appointed by Governor Bush to serve on the Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission. Nichols received her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. She fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Hubert Grimes. Governor Rick Scott said, “Dawn’s family law experience will serve the citizens of that she will make a great addition to the Seventh Judicial Circuit bench.” * Consisting of: Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties

CITRUS COUNTY

>>> Gov. Scott taps Thomas Lineman to the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court.

Press release: Lineman, 56, of Springhill, has been a sole practitioner since 1990, and has been Board certified in Marital and Family Law since 1994. For the last twenty years Eineman has volunteered as a judge in the Hernando County Teen Court program. Eineman received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Wayne State University. He fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge William J. Singbush. Governor Rick Scott said, “A judge should demonstrate respect for the rule of law and have humility. Thomas Eineman possesses these qualities, and will do a great job in his new role on the bench.” * Consisting of: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties

MONROE COUNTY

>>> Defendant Charged in Immigration Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and Linda M. Swacina, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announce that Gary Wayne Peters, 58, of Key West, was charged in a nine-count indictment, which included eight counts of wire fraud and one count of encouraging and inducing an alien to reside illegally in the United States for profit.

According to the indictment, Peters defrauded an undocumented alien with initials “M.P.” by falsely claiming that he would assist M.P. obtain legal immigration status in the United States. To accomplish this scheme, Peters told M.P. that he knew certain-named federal immigration agents; that Peters had filed an immigration petition for M.P.; and that the named immigration agents were processing M.P.’s immigration documents. M.P. paid Peters approximately $25,000 for Peters’ supposed assistance with his immigration application. In reality, Peters never filed an immigration petition for M.P., and there were no agents employed by the Department of Homeland Security with the names mentioned. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and USCIS. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Moreno. An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until 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.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Chapman Valentine’s Day Eisenberg Ball?

The Chapman Partnership, charged with Empowering the Homeless is requesting donations of New Year’s Attire for our children ages six to17 in the shelter for the Annette Eisenberg Ball and Valentine’s Day Dance for the children who reside at the Chapman Partnership. Drop offs are accepted at the Partnership and for more information how to contribute to this important event named after Eisenberg, a long time supporter of Chapman and a board member who recently passed, and she also had founded the important Downtown Bay Forum monthly luncheon where politicians and issues were the discussions of the day. For more go to www.chapmanpartnership.org or call 305.329.3081 for more information.

>>> The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

Present NANA MOUSKOURI Best-selling, multilingual singer returns to the U.S. with “Happy Birthday Tour”

“Her soaring voice has shifted 350 million records, making her the most successful female singer ever!” – The Guardian, UK Part of the 2013-2014 Live at Knight Series Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 8 p.m. Tickets: $35, $55, $75 & $95*

John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall >>>  The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is proud to present legendary, multilingual singing sensation NANA MOUSKOURI as part of its star-studded 2013-2014 Live at Knight Series. Currently traveling the world with her international “Happy Birthday Tour,” NANA MOUSKOURI will make her much-anticipated return to the U.S. with a concert celebrating a landmark birthday and honoring artists who have been inspirations throughout her career on January 26, 2014 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. Tickets to NANA MOUSKOURI are on sale now at $35, $55, $75 & $95*, and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center Box Office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.  Often described as Europe’s Barbra Streisand, NANA MOUSKOURI is a world-renowned singer with a career spanning five decades and one of the best-selling female artists of all time with more than 350 million albums sold worldwide… NANA MOUSKOURI will be accompanied by a band of four French musicians and daughter Lénou, who has had her own singing career in France since 2001. *All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit www.arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information for details and schedules.

>>> The Margulies Collection is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 4pm Feature Exhibitions: Song Dong | The Wisdom of the Poor: A Communal Courtyard Arte Povera | Calzolari, Kounellis, Pistoletto Anselm Kiefer | Paintings and Sculpture 1986 – 2006 New Painting: Anna Betbeze, Aaron Bobrow, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Astrid Svangren,Tam Van Tran New Photography: Olafur Eliasson, Jan Hoek, Nina Katchadourian, Domenico Mangano, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Hank Willis Thomas New Sculpture: Ai Weiwei, Nathalie Djurberg, Masao Gozu, Kenny Scharf, Paolo Ventura

New Video: Kota Ezawa, Amar Kanwar We look forward to welcoming you to the Warehouse soon!

Jannis Kounellis,Senza Titolo,1999, plates, iron shelves, bags, plaster, 142 x 79″

EDITORIAL

>>> Mayor Gimenez and BCC right to discuss numbers of voters at Miami-Dade election precincts, must be thoughtful discussion

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is backtracking his decision of not doing adjustments to voter numbers at precincts sites around the county after long lines of voters resulted during the 2012 Presidential election at certain sites. He originally resisted the adjustment since new voting machines were going to be introduced this year as well, and the new machines were thought to speed up the voting process at some of the large community election precincts and reduce these delays that had voters waiting in lines for hours during the Nov. 2012 General Election. http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/31/3905846/miami-dade-mayor-will-ask-commissioners.html

Gimenez was right to bring the matter before the 13 County Commissioners, some still on the dais when the 2000 presidential election fiasco occurred, and made Miami-Dade and South Florida in general the laughing stock of the nation for our dismal voting outcomes, that was only setteled by the nation’s Supreme Court and put George W. Bush in the White House, but also split the nation in the years ahead. County Elections department staff say hundreds of thousands of voters could be affected if the voting sites were changed to new locations, and think of the confusion that could bring on Election Day. However, the issue should be discussed thoughtfully on the commission dais for it is too important a matter and while it is easy to suggest one plan over another. Any decision and its success will only depend on voters being informed of the changes, and that is no easy task as the past decade has shown.

However, the sooner the county commission and mayor makes a decision in the matter the better, for the public is slow to change and a major education and out reach effort must be started as soon as possible. If there is any chance of success, and eliminating the long lines of voters going to the polls in November. Though the 2014 elections are expected to be lower turnout affairs versus the presidential elections, a small condolence given the importance of each vote and its sanctity to our Republic.

LETTERS

>>> A very busy and interesting week! Happy New Year.

A.L.

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

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

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

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

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

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

RON BOOK

LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.

WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

SHUBIN & BASS     www.shubinbass.com

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.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

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 COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION

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 www.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

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 14^th 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 800 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over two 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, 2014, 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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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

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Name & Address

Please make checks payable to: Daniel A. Ricker

Send to: 3109 Grand Avenue, #125

Miami, FL 33133 To contact the Publisher please e-mail watchdogreport1@earthlink.net