Watchdog Report Vol.17 No. 42 March 5, 2017 — EST:05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 Years of Weekly reliable

 

>>> And here is the story done by Miami New Times when they named the publisher as the community’s Best of Miami and Best Citizen and to read the story go to: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517    

 

>>> And here is the verbiage related to the award: Three years ago we said Ricker was our Best Gadfly. Given his dedication and perseverance, this new honor, Best Citizen, is well deserved. Ricker goes to 2500 mind-melting meetings annually, from the Public Health Trust’s purchasing subcommittee to the Efficiency and Competition Commission to the Alliance for Human Services’ nominating council to the school board’s audit committee. Sometimes he’s the only public observer. Object: to be the Public Citizen for all those out there who can’t attend, and to connect and serve as an information bridge among the special-interest-dominated Miami-Dade governmental institutions that seem so problematic and indifferent to the democratic process. This month his e-mail newsletter, The Watchdog Report, celebrates its [16^th] Anniversary. In a former life Ricker made a handsome living as an international salesman of heart pacemakers. As the hard-working publisher of Watchdog, though, he’s struggling financially — this despite the fact that his weekly compendium of meeting summaries, analysis, interviews, and commentary has become essential reading for anyone involved in public affairs. What his written work may lack in polish, it more than makes up for in comprehensiveness. So raise a toast to the man whose official slogan says it all: “A community education resource — I go when you cannot!”

 

>>> And checkout the new Watchdog Report merchandising campaign

Featuring Knowledge is Bliss coffee cups and includes premium cotton super soft tee shirts.

 

ARGUS REPORT- Heard and seen on the street

 

>>> Tourism is life blood of Florida and Visit Florida must be funded, lack of marketing state in competitive tourism industry and the other global destinations, the state cannot lose its hipness and must compete with California, Hawaii, including fiscal chaos in South America, especially Brazil

 

Further, what is the Miami-Dade County legislative delegation thinking? When they don’t support funding $75 million for Visit Florida, and are part of the group wanting to slash it to $25 million. And has some Florida lawmakers believing it is corporate welfare and such programs are being fought by the Koke Brothers.

 

Miami-Dade County contributes a significant amount to the state’s budget. Since Florida lives and survives on tourist dollars and Miami-Dade County as a major donor county sends to Tallahassee 36 percent of the state budget through tourists’ sales taxes. Said Florida CFO Jeff Atwater at a Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon a few months ago and the cuts are mindboggling given the impact of Zika and the political turbulence in South America and has restaurant sales down on Miami Beach as well. Since tourist and sales taxes revenues have not seen such a downturn except back in 2002 after 9/11and red flags at the county and state level were popping up in a number of areas from the PHT, PTP, MIA and the Homeless Trust The Arsht center and now the maintenance for the upcoming opening of the Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost Science Museum in May and the facility is a tour de force and while there is litigation ongoing with the facility, but the museum benefits from a strong tourist trade.

 

And for the state there is no other job creator this large, given 112.8 million visitors who came in 2016 and contributed $108 billion to the state’s coffers, legislators should realize it is not just promoting the state so all businesses thrive. And all businesses in Florida need tourists which are not guaranteed coming and that is not a given. Some places are hot then something like Zika comes along and things dip but many obligations are still out there. Further when I lived in Sydney Australia the country used a clever television ad about putting a “shrimp on the barbi,” and that generated a tourist boost along with the nation’s Bicentennial back in 1987. And Miami has been lucky but on the global scene there are many options open to the global tourists and Miami must be the choice and part of that is being competitive with other countries and American States and when Visit Florida has a couple of suntanned models on the streets of wintery New York, these people flock to the planes after a significant snow fall and has been south Florida’s golden goose that may get leaned down if the cuts go through

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/downtown-miami/article136329018.html

 

What about the Pit Bull Visit Florida video?

 

Part of the controversy began when rapper Pit Bull, Mr.305 did a video ‘Sexy Beaches’ and visit Florida would not release the contract because of a no-disclosure agreement and forced House Speaker Corcoran’’, R- Land O’Lakes to go to court. That the rapper later made public but it stung at the speaker who was already skeptical about Visit Florida and puts the speaker in in a tug of war with Gov. Rick Scott and people are suggesting the showdown will not be pretty. But lawmakers are rolling the dice as Colorado found out when their tourist budget was cut and visitors dropped and is something Florida can’t chance given the stakes and to see the video go http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fred-grimm/article133262519.html And to read a deeper analysis go to

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article130657074.html

 

>>> Trump war with “fake media,” and ”lying press.” escalates, Will N. Korea now with VX gas a drop kills, older brother with VX gas assassination, saying no one is safe from Korean leader, Peninsula heats up

 

Further, Trump continues to pound the “fake press,” and his press spokesman Sean Spicer limited which press came into his office during a press gaggle and a number of news outlets were outraged over this precedent and the president is even skipping the White House Correspondents Dinner, a Century long tradition in his honor and raises money for scholarships, and frankly it is rare when a president doesn’t attend and he gets skewered by the MC and just highlights the hostility he has for the media and psychiatrists are starting to talk about his actions and traits, and words and wondering if   Trump may be dealing with a number of issues and the unquenchable need for adulation and while his supporters love his brash authentic speaking style. He even got into it with Sweden saying immigrants were causing real trouble in the nation and turned out not to be true and he explained that he had heard that on Fox news.

 

What about Steve Bannon and Reince Prius?

 

The two were at a conservative meeting CPAC and essentially laid out the Trump agenda and Bannen rarely seen in person and casually dressed chose his words carefully and while on the alt-right fringe the Harvard College graduate   just parroted Trump and his casual look is seen as show of power in the Trump White House. Further the new administration is trying to muzzle the press and when a couple of news outlets were barred the rift between the president and the media just seems to escalate. And professional journalists are crying foul as the president by passes them with his tweets and his millions of followers.

 

What about Russia?

 

Further, Russia is backing off from reporting some of the Trump stories on the national state media. And Kremlin officials were said to be shocked when Michael Flynn resigned over calls to what could have been Russian operatives and the controversy hit the national press including the “Failing New York Times,” as Trump calls the paper and he claims they write stories with bogus sources to fit their own narrative. However in a large news room that is almost impossible to achieve.

 

However Republicans are calling for an investigation into the Flynn case and are demanding a full accounting if Russia was engaged in affecting the presidential race.

 

What about the White House?

 

“A fine-tuned machine,” said Trump about his administration an reports in the press that it is “in chaos,” and nothing is farther from the truth and even had Trump saying the “press is the enemy of the American people,” he said even though last year some 1,232 reporters were killed throughout the world and the president believes the media is an effective foil in keeping the press at bay and his supporters stoked.

 

He has also called for, “A new loyalty,” and one “glorious American Flag and make America proud and safe again greater than ever before,” he closed and The Stones “you can’t always get what you want began playing at the end of the Melbourne achievements rally. And when it comes to immigration “WE want people who will be great for our country,” and not wish it ill he believes and the crowd whooped followed by Chants of “drain the swamp,” went on and he went after the Democrats for the ’delays and obstruction in Washington work with us ‘to lower taxes and “reform this healthcare tragedy and is totally unaffordable,” said the president

 

>>> Costs of Winter White House security around $10 million says FOX News for the last three visits. Further, the Palm Beach County commission approved a new helipad at Mar-Lago, should ease traffic jams with presidential motorcade.

 

What about his third trip to Mar-Lago and its cost over the time for Palm beach County and the U.S. Secret Service and Fox news is stating the trips have cost some $10 million for the county and federal government and the long presidential motorcade is causing major local traffic disruptions that may be curbed since the Palm Beach County Commission approved a helipad at Mar Lago last week, and his visits is killing the local general aviation industry given the restricted fly zone when Trump is in town and on Saturday he held a rally in Melbourne and his campaign is paying for the event and pundits are saying this rally is to get his mojo back after a Thursday press conference where he once again blasted the media as “being the enemy of the American,” people and would ask reporters were they going to ask a “friendly question,” and he also took a jab at a BCC reporter and its reporting but the press conference was unlike any other such event with the president who called his fledging administration as being “a fine tuned machine,” an believed the media was stoking the fire of the White House being in disarray and in chaos. Further the press conference was supposed to introduce the new secretary of labor R. Alexander Acosta the respected law school dean at Florida International University

 

>>> Trump learning about three branches of government rails against federal judges, part of checks and balances in Constitution, and has signed 30 executive orders, keeping brisk pace up, but what will courts say about some of them?

 

President Donald J. Trump had his first setback in the courts and it was because of a federal appeals court denying the lifting of a stay in regard to his executive order flagging people from seven Muslim nations from entering into the U.S, and Trump essentially said about an earlier judge that if America were attacked it would be on the judiciary’s hands, because the court ruling is jeopardizing the nation’s safety Trump tweeted and a brouhaha erupted after one Democratic senator in a discussion with supreme court nominee Neil Gorsuch said the president’s comments about the judiciary was ‘demoralizing,’ though what actually was said is still in dispute.

 

And while Trump ignores local editorial boards, one editorial suggests given the erratic behavior that if Trump’s cabinet voted. He could be removed if the cabinet thinks he is dangerous to national security and Vice president Mike Pence could possibly be sworn in and the president with a shoot from the hip style of diplomacy and believes smoozing is the way to do foreign affairs and he has some serious challenges with North Korea, who could have an intercontinental missile after years at the rate the country is going and Iran, while put on notice is also an ally in fighting ISIS and people hope he will become more deliberate and believe his tweeting is an awful way to do foreign policy and has Foreign Service officer’s balking and signing letters of protest. And while Trump said he was a disrupter and going to shatter the Washington establishment during the campaign but the transactional business approach in foreign policy has risks

 

What about the Japanese Premier visiting in Florida?

 

Further, It is no coincidence that North Korea launched a missile Saturday (that may or not have ICBM) capabilities and frankly scares Japan in a big way and while Trump emphasized the long term relationship the country has with America and that we are also obligated to also protect Japan. But Trump needs to watch what he says for in the short time of his administration chaos and shock and awe seems to be the coin of the realm, and many of our allies are wondering where Trump will be taking in regard to the ship of state, and his negotiating style is to throw out something outrageous and then walk it back to get concessions and is kind of what he did with Mexico’s president.
 
What about the One China reversal by Trump this week?

 

Further Trump has also backed down on his friendship of Taiwan and is supporting the One China policy that has Taiwan considered a rogue province of the middle kingdom. After his call to the president of Taiwan and the Chinese strongly objected to this contact by the president.

 

>>> President Donald J. Trump is signing executive orders at a brisk rate and congressional Republicans are restless when former president Barack H. Obama did such orders and essentially by passed Congress, County Mayor Gimenez drawn into controversy, protests erupt around the nation.

 

Further Trump’s action to end sanctuary cities by ending federal funding (mostly for social services) is reverberating in South Florida and Mayor Carlos Gimenez is feeling the blow back after he ordered county law enforcement to follow federal guidelines because the $300 million loss of federal funding that would have a huge impact on the county budget. However despite protests at County Hall all week Gimenez is not changing his mind and he got a shout out by Trump on tweeter but Miami with such a diverse population and in the public schools teaches English in 59 languages and has 450,000 students and this kind of clampdown is frightening many immigrants without proper documentation and was one of the things Trump pushed during his campaign http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article128984759.html

 

How has Trump turned the tide of apathy with millennials with the constitution?

 

Millennials are getting much more politically active and at GOP town halls the big topics are health care, immigration reform and Climate Change and with the 2018 midterms coming this emerging voting block group could, will be a test of any commitment by this new emerging voter block, who grew up in significance different environment plus the technology they had all their life and do not even know what a Telex was and the before the worldwide web

 

President Donald J. Trump is signing executive orders at a brisk rate and congressional Republicans are noting the actions when former president Barack H. Obama did such executive orders and essentially by passed Congress.

 

Further Trump’s action to end sanctuary cities by ending federal funding is reverberating in South Florida and Miami-Dade County’s Mayor Carlos Gimenez is feeling the blow back after he ordered county law enforcement to follow federal guidelines because the billions lost would have a huge impact (mostly in social service programs) on the county budget. However despite protests at County Hall Friday Gimenez is not changing his mind and he got a shout by Trump on tweeter but Miami with such a diverse population and a public schools that teaches English in 59 languages and a District with 450,000 students and this kind of clampdown is frightening many immigrants without proper documentation and was one of the things Trump pushed during his campaign. And in the Cuban American community one said while they benefited under the old laws. They also thought, “The borders need to be secure.” And keep dangerous people from entering and doing harm.”

 

And the courts will probable rule on the order that a local ACLU representative Howard Simon says is unconscionable and abridges the “Human Rights of People,” some with proper documentation but Trump is finding out in politics things generally don’t go smoothly and protests at airports have erupted around the nation. Trump also reorganized the NSA and appointed his political strategist Steve Bannon to the national Security Council. However, since the county was appealing the sanctuary status designated by Obamas’ DOJ that also included the seven Muslim nations on the list and President Jimmy Carter banned a Muslim nation once.

 

What about extreme vetting and a Green Card?

 

Further, Trump does not appreciate what it takes for an immigrant to get a Green Card, no easy task and while diplomacy is not his strong suit and he says he is just doing what he said he would do on the campaign trail. However, he is moving at a fast pace and the question is how long the public will buy into this tectonic shift in the presidency and on the whole many of his supporters say let’s wait and see and Trump by saying Christians are welcome and only heightens them as targets within Islam.

 

 America must get a handle on cyber security with it evolving so rapidly the nation and world are many times all defenseless

 

Fast paced events that are evolving in the world and the issue of cyber terrorism, should rise to the level of the Manhattan Project, or the moon shot with the hack of a Vermont wanted to ‘influence the election’ power company where malware was found suspected to be from Russia and cyber sabotage ( and confirmed last week in a FBI,NSA, CIA released report) noting that the nation did not hack into any voting machines or change outcomes to the number of voters–Russia can be just as destructive as weapons and computer specialists say every “organization has been hacked, they just may not know it yet.” But with the presidential election over. The nation must design a cyber fire wall as we become more and more dependent on computers. And maybe a bounty for hackers if they find a backdoor and Chrysler Motors was the first company to hire hackers and look for vulnerabilities and later had Apple paying $25,000 for bug hunters. For it is clear there are some very determined and smart people out there and it may be time to try the economic incentive of a bounty for hackers who find a backdoor in software and for more go to http://abcnews.go.com/US/russian-hacking-malware-found-vermont-utility-computer/story?id=44479579   http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/223266-report-russian-hackers-infiltrate-us

 

What about Trump and the press?

 

The national press “and the dishonest media,” is taking a beating and Trump still has no press pool that follows him around just in case something happens and can be reported on and has been in effect for decades and the WDR has gotten the pool reports. Since George W. Bush. And this disdain the billionaire has for the press should be considered and Steve Bannon said the media, “should shut up and listen,’’ he is quoted saying because the media is the nation’s watchdog. But after the terrible election polling Americans believe the press is slanted and that it tends to favor liberals made worse when Clinton called Trump supporters “the basket of horribles,” because of what some supporters were saying. And for more go: Further every president has carped about the media and the media is the “party of opposition,” on the Trump administration. However the opposition is not always the enemy in a Democracy and should not be treated as an appendage and the press plays a key role to check government oversteps of power. But the Trump team argues “The dishonest media,” never gave Trump a chance in the election and now that he won the media is getting the stiff arm but the Watchdog Report believes there will be blow back to such a policy, Even though most Americans hate the media and the IRS.

https://www.thenation.com/article/the-american-press-is-under-threat-as-never-before/

Further Trump’s tweets are reverberating around the globe and the China response is an example of what happens when foreign policy is made by the technology and should remind Trump the world is a dangerous and complex challenge.

 

What about President-Elect Donald Trump?

 

Trump is still deciding his cabinet, some of whom are having tough confirmation hearings and some of his choices are sending howls in parts of the foreign policy community and with environmentalist. Who are aghast but the billionaire businessman, is picking some unorthodox people and it remains to be seen what transpires during the confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate. Though the GOP has 52 seats enough to carry a Trump nomination and the nation with this man is in uncharted waters and the Democratic Party is trying to re build after the drubbing in the general election but in fighting is still occurring and the party has to rebuild its bench and here in Florida only one Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. has a statewide profile and he minority party has some soul searching to do to stay relevant in the world of politics.

 

What about China?

 

Trump who had tough words for the People’s Republic of China is going to find the Chinese are no pushover either and the nation deals in hundreds of years as it seeks its rightful place on the global scene. And China is introducing its new fighter with the J-20 stealth fighter After the Middle Kingdom hacked into the Pentagon and stole the plans   and for more go to http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/31/asia/china-zhuhai-airshow-j-20/

 

New J-20 with stealth technology.

 

And Trump will soon learn every word he speaks has real consequences as the nation digests how this could have happened and one millennial told me Saturday the race was “rigged,” even though all the polls and pundits had the nation going for Clinton. Who just had too many controversies, the Clinton Foundation and then the emails and people wanted some of that too end. And having her husband Bill campaign so much looking old and tired probable did not help and reminded many voters of his own controversial time in office despite being re-elected and popular. And has Democrats reflecting on where the party goes from here and what to do with the old guard that Clinton represented but did no inspire millennials to vote.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

>>> Will State’s budget be in peril if funding for Visit Florida is cut? Sunshine state is competing in a global market, cannot risk hip Sunshine cache of state, after Zika scare, strong dollar tourists provides the state the revenue to not have a state income tax, Speaker Richard Corcoran has to weigh the gamble

 

>>> FDOT hit with a lawsuit after two women on Harley Davidson motor cycles hit by a pole diver running over the yellow poles that define the express lane but the Lexus lanes are dangerous since there is a limited shoulder, full story in Miami Herald

 

Further the state spends some $1 million on replacement poles yearly and some 6,000 accidents but it is unknown how many were because of pole divers. And the women are represented by high profile Coral Gables attorney Lewis “Mike” Eidson of the law firm Colson Hicks Eidson.

 

However, for Floridians toll express lanes are said not to be going away said transit maven Maurice Ferre who is tight with Gov. Rick Scott and is on a state transportation board he said months ago at a County MPO committee meeting. But these lanes must be better segregated and some have suggested concrete barriers but I have been hearing about these poles and cars that drive through them creating a very dangerous situation for years and while there is no number with the FDOT lawsuit it could be the frequency of accidents. And for more on this go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/traffic/article132704339.html and here is the FDOT secretary peaking on the matter with poles being closer together and there will be a 13 foot shoulder. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/traffic/article132704339.html

Editor’s note: I know one of the injured women Cynthia Fleischmann a local talented Coconut Grove artist and she is one of the gutsiest women I know and wish her nothing but the best.

 

VIDEO RELEASE

 

>>> Florida Economic Development Visit Florida and Tourism Leaders Fight to Save Florida Jobs

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida economic development and tourism leaders, small business owners, and concerned Floridians from across the state traveled to Tallahassee to speak or stand in opposition to Legislation in the Florida House that would kill Florida jobs by eliminating Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA.

 

WATCH: Roger Dow, US Travel Association

 

WATCH: Cathy Chambers, Florida Economic Development Council

 

WATCH: Jaret Davis, the Beacon Council

 

WATCH: Joe Mayer, Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

 

WATCH: Laura DiBella, Nassau County Economic Development Board

 

WATCH: Bill Talbert, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

 

Further, while the WDR does not know what the precise number might be. But after 9/11 when tourism tanked and hit Miami-Dade hard tourist leaders convinced Gov. Jeb Bush to kick start tourism back in Florida a global tourism campaign and the state rebounded much faster than other states in the nation.

 

Press release: Dear Daniel: On the topic of early learning, nobody encourages me more than Mark Wilson, the CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. He leads a tough-minded business organization and truly “gets it” on the topic of investing early in children’s lives. Just this week, in Sarasota, he shared his views on how Florida can ensure that there are opportunities for all its citizens — and how the disparities in children begin long before they enter kindergarten. Please take the time to read this piece from the Sarasota Herald Tribune highlighting what he discussed. The business community is crucial to making progress. So are we all. Dave Lawrence Chair

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>>lower half-cent sales tax revenues drop to only $251 million impacts PTP, JHS, Arsht Center, cultural affairs, makes tough to fund $3.6 billion SMART Plan, 136 new train cars being built but futuristic snub nose on train a logistic problem if train breaks down staff tells Commissioner Moss

 

Transit Smart plan and the beautiful presentation staff made last week. Budget director Jennifer Moon at the County’s Commission’s TPO Fiscal Priorities Committee last week noted the earlier presenter had “the great slides,” but she noted the County “does not have the money,” at this point to pull off the six transit corridors costing $3.6 billion said Moon and there is a reduction in sales tax revenues of $251 million and leaves a $234 billion funding gap and the funding assumptions depend on $413 million from the federal government and $488 million will come from the state but there is still a $70.2million “gap said the budget guru and the cost of a Miami Beach metro mover is estimated at $230 million extra. Further Commissioner Dennis Moss when told a 136 Metrorail cars “are being built.” He asked if these would have a sleek futuristic nose front. But staff said that was a problem with having replacement cars and Moss urged the transit staff to think modern and sleek look for cars.

 

>>> Commission after 4 hour ruckus meeting upheld Mayor Gimenez 9-3 following federal law executive order, that sent fear into hearts of the undocumented, “a slippery slope,’ says one prominent immigration attorney

 

A four hour hearing Friday demonstrated the diversity of the county as speaker after speaker implored the 13 member commission that they reject Mayor Carlos Gimenez plan to detain any undocumented residents for 48 hours and he is following federal guidelines and the mayor rejects the term sanctuary county, and the presidential executive order that could eliminate federal funding over $350 million Gimenez has said on television but many of the speakers believed the mayor was putting money over human rights and since he was Cuban-American how could he support such federal guidelines and he notes the police will not be immigration officers and that is being left to ICE to determine if they are a risk and should be deported. And commissioners repeatedly said that if someone is undocumented but has committed no crime they will be left alone most said.

 

Further there were a number of demonstrations in the chambers and the sergeant-of arms had their hands full and one veteran speaker Martha Baker, R.N. head of SEIU 1199 and is a nurse at Jackson and she complained about the line to get into the chambers when there were clearly seats available and she did not like the “process,” and how the public was being treated she complained to commissioners and Gimenez’s policy was up held by a 9 to 3 commission vote.

 

What did Miami Commissioner and vice chair Ken Russell say about the issue?

 

“Miami will have your back,” if you buck this federal edict and he noted Mayor Tomas Regalado is also objecting to this federal request as well

 
>>> GMCCVB press release: During the month of January 2017, passengers through PortMiami reached record levels and increased by +9.9 percent compared to the previous year. Growth is due in part to the addition of a new ship offering year-round service and the extensive cruise options offered by PortMiami.

Record PortMiami Passengers
January 2017	January 2016	% Change
584,547	531,886	+9.9%

During the month of January 2017, passengers through PortMiami reached record levels and increased by +9.9 percent compared to the previous year. Growth is due in part to the addition of a new ship offering year-round service and the extensive cruise options offered by PortMiami.

Record PortMiami Passengers
January 2017	January 2016	% Change
584,547	531,886	+9.9%

 

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

 

>>> Fate of WLRN independence drawing outrage, panel of media experts to help craft a District operating agreement with the public radio and television, report shows chronology time line of some past discussions at Audit Committee

 

>>>> Friends of WLRN have been getting a lot of press because of a possible District operating agreement with the station that some believe would impact the public radio station’s independence and the agreement has raised red flags and Supt. Albert Carvalho has been trying to tighten up some of the procedures at the station and he has asked for help in finding a resolution and includes two past publishers of The Miami Herald and includes Alberto Ibarguen President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, David Lawrence, Jr.,and reporter Joe Oglesby, a former Herald editorial editor along with former County commissioner Katy Sorenson who ran the Good Government Initiative at UM and this independent group and the station also has a relationship with the Miami Herald and a separate entity funds some of the stations staff who Carvalho wants to convert to school employees subject to background checks and other conditions.

 

However listeners are rebelling in some harsh letters in the herald

 

The Watchdog over the years has been the only media keeping an eye on the station owned by the school board and I have their audits for almost a decade and The Friends of WLRN board changed their charter years ago without the district’s knowledge and the issue of some high salaries was voiced years ago by then school board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman. Further I went to the stations WLRN’s web page and I could find no agendas or minutes of past meetings and this information should be easily accessed but is currently not and that should be corrected. Since we are not talking nuclear launch codes but public radio and NPR and for more go to

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article136329203.html

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article136329203.html

 

What about the station’s audit?

 

Over a month ago I knew something was amiss when the station delayed the release of its annual audit to the school board’s Audit and Budget Review Committee and is the community firewall watching how your public tax dollars are being spent and has been doing an excellent job and why you don’t see all the past scandals from the late 1990s that rocked the district and cost the Supt. Roger Cuevas his job.

 

Further the school’s auditor did a chronology of events with WLRN and discussions and the chronology is at the bottom of the agenda. Go to;

http://mca.dadeschools.net/AuditCommittee/AC_March_7_2017/agenda.pdf

>>> Obituary Betsy Kaplan passes at 90, mother of the arts at Miami-Dade County Public Schools and never had a hint of scandal in the 1990s and was soft spoken yet persistent in her support of the Arts and helped expand the cultural landscape in South Florida to what it is today.

 

>>>> Children’s Trust offering a free book once a month to any 3-year old held that is three

 

The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County is working with the public schools district on a new program for three year olds where every month the child will get a new book free and is the Trust’s way to improve reading skills at an early formative age and being a strong reader early is a lifetime achievement and these children develop to their full potential and to sign up go to:https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/parents/initiatives/read-to-learn-book-club Further, reading skills can also predict children that might fall into the criminal justice system a former us attorney who reads to children said. And this program could jump start a child’s interest in books.

 

Who is the new county commissioner that will sit on the 33 member Trust?

 

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez was appointed by commission chair Estephan Bovo to the Children’s Trust and he will replace Daniella Levine Cava on the volunteer board that has been free of any scandal’s and was renewed overwhelmingly in 20006 by voters.

 

Further Suarez pushed an alliance with the school board and county and funded some 3,500 summer jobs for young people last year.

 

>>> What about WLRN and its late audit, I knew something was up when audit delayed?

 

The Watchdog Report asked Carvalho Wednesday at a school board meeting what was going on at Friends of WLRN and he said he “could not comment,” right then and he reminded me how he had to fight to get a charter with Friends of WLRN changed after it had been modified by the organization and made the station’s GM different. Since the school board owns the radio and television licenses. And the tension between the district and the station has now spilled into the public and the issue is freedom of the press and what control on content the nation’s fourth largest public schools district and Carvalho and the administration would have. Further another flash point is background checks and be fingerprinting (something I have had to do twice since 2000) under the state’s Jessica Lunsford Act. Since some interns are paid s and staff salary a past issue blew up in the media and has one employee making more than Carvalho. And for much more go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article133698704.html

 

>>> Will stay heathy “Blue Book, save district millions with $400 million self-insured, if employees go to the green hospitals since medical procedures “vary, “in price said Carvalho

 

Further, Supt. Alberto Carvalho discussed a new stay healthy care “Blue book,” that lists the cost of medical procedures throughout the county and since the district is self-insured the Blue book lists medical facilities and the different costs and Carvalho said if the employees used the “green marked” hospitals the district will save millions of dollars and in some cases procedures could cost the district less “if they went to the Mayo Clinic in Ohio,” said Carvalho. And if the districts 50,000 employees and retirees used the green facilities “millions” could be saved if the green medical hospitals were used and if the greens are used the employee could get a check back for seeking the more reasonable pricing but still keeping a ‘high,” level of healthcare. Further, Carvalho noted one of the big reasons healthcare costs are so high is because of all the Medicare “Fraud,” he said and is why the district has a “white collar fraud crime unit,” something most public districts don’t have but here in Miami it is a must. Since people from Miami do fraud beta sites here and then export it around the nation.

 

 PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> County Clerk Harvey Ruvin swears in two new PHT trustees last week and they are Reverend T. Richardson, Ph.D., and state Rep Bryan Avila, R-Miami and the ceremony was done just before the televised monthly trustee meeting and Ruvin was first elected decades ago and he has a strong environmental record.

Further, University of Miami physician Steven Falcone, M.D said the University of Miami’s Stuart Miller medical School was named “the top medical school in Florida,” he told trustees and it is also the oldest medical school in Florida.

 

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Is Former Miami Commissioner Sarnoff amping up a comeback, said to be raising money for Quixote campaign?

 

Former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is said to be doing fundraising for his return to the District 2 if he can be elected and Sarnoff after he was termed out tried to have his wife Teresa take his place on the five member commission and helped her raise over $1.2 million for her campaign but went down in flames when she faced challenger Ken Russell now the current commissioner and Russell is a much more pleasant elected official versus Sarnoff who was considered a bully and lost the confidence of his base in Coconut Grove and there are still many people who despise Sarnoff who embellished his family tree and unless Russell does something really stupid Sarnoff will find voters may have lost that loving feeling and his wife has not been seen since she lost the election last year

 

>>> Will Comcast offer seniors a “discount,” commissioner Suarez asks CEO to look into it?

 

The CEO of Comcast is about to get a letter asking the company to enhance the availability of elders to get a “Senior discount,” and is part of the contract Miami signed with Comcast as the cable company absorbed local cable operators and was part of the community benefits Comcast had to agree to and is why Comcast broadcasts commission meetings for Miami for free and years ago it was deceased commissioner Arthur Teele,Jr., that put the screw to the cable companies as they tried to consolidate the industry and at the time got some decent concessions from the company to the benefit of the residents and Commissioner Francis Suarez sponsored the resolution.

 

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

 

>>> Beach will not support levying new sales tax, to expand homeless services, Commissioner Grieco believes after Zika hotels are burdened enough no new sale tax likely?

 

While the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust wants   Miami Beach to approve and support legislation in the capital to add a sales tax along with Surfside, two municipalities exempted when the trust was created and Beach hotels objected to the tax that has Commissioner Michael Grieco saying after the Zika scare that hotels cannot take any more burden with a new sales tax and while Grieco is running for mayor this could be a political position for Grieco. Further Trust Chair Ron Book has legislation in the works in Tallahassee but he needs the municipalities approval for the bill to forward and the expansion of the tax has been a long time goal, especially with the cutbacks in federal funding and has Camillus House having to stop a program that provided meals and showers and the organization in 2015 served 547,000 meals, but funding from the Trust is limited and why the expansion of the sales tax area is so critical and the city does fund some homeless programs on the streets of the tourist hot spot. And for more on Camillus go to:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article132065024.html

 

Community Events & PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

 

 

http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/index.php#/exhibitions

 

>>>> Now open and the Warehouse has a new exhibit and check it out at http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/#/home

 

 

>>> And the Margulies Warehouse will be opening the season in weeks and to see what art is on display and when it plans to close the season for this community treasure go to http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/#/home

 

 

>> Press release: The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science and Miami Science Barge join together to bring the expression of art to a scientific experiment. Visitors will have the opportunity to create artworks on a drift card that will be deployed into the ocean. These drift cards will help scientists gain understanding of how the ocean currents distribute debris through the Biscayne Bay. Admission is free. Miami Science Barge
1075 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami 305-434-9560www.dwntwnartdays.com

 
Editorials

 

>>> Politicians since the dawn of time have hated the media, Trump’s fixation on press, distracts from his policies and administration, needs to get more focused and fill key lower level administration staffers

 

Since the dawn of time leaders have hated the press and media yet President Trump keeps harping on the “dishonest media,” and actually singled some of the nation’s news organizations and a republic needs a diverse and strong press to challenge authority and calling the media the “enemy,” of the American people which is ironic since Trump was in many ways created by the media and he is extraordinary marketer.

 

But people will get tired of this demand for adulation that the president seems to feed on and he won and now people want him to get to governing. For the world is a dangerous and having the national security council head vacant is a serious issue and when it comes to Russia Trump should clearly state he or his staff did not have contacts and perhaps release the transcripts of the conversations if the president wants to end this distraction on the world stage.

 

Further he is saying some of the executive orders are being rewritten and he is moving quickly carrying out his campaign promises. However, in many ways Trump is a creation of the press and his constant carping is getting old with the American people and some are wondering why he is so fixated on his victory considered a long shot by the media ever since he went down the escalator but he won .And Americans expect him to govern and keep the nation safe and that is the job he accepted when he ran for office.

 

>>> The Watchdog Report is Celebrating 17 years of weekly publishing since May 5^th 2000 and when I started back then I never thought I would be doing this so this is a national story in all the Tribune papers

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog. And while I have taken a licking over the years including some medical issues I have kept at the job thanks to my supporters who I thank so very much over the many years. And the community’s public institutions are better when it comes to them knowing what the other is doing and

 

Why I have tried to be an information electrolyte for these giant institution’s leaders and things and here is a national story done on why I started to watch government back in 20000 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and to all the people along the way that have helped me I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

LETTERS

 

>>> Reader and Physician supports freedom of the press with Jefferson quote about not having a government without a free press

 

Yes, many presidents have had issues with the media. Early in our country’s history, of course, the media was in print. As long as there is freedom of the press and other media sources to say what they want, whether based on substance or not, there will be complaints. Even Jefferson had conflicts with some of the newspapers of his time, but that did not stop him from making the following statement:

 

“…were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”  Thomas Jefferson, The third president of the United States

 

Will Blechman, M.D.

Miaimi, Fla.

 

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

 

>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher for 16 years now, has reported back weekly on how your billions of public dollars in local government are being spent. And how to help support me providing this information is at the end of the WDR. And I hope you will consider supporting keeping an independent news service out in our community, where what is going on with all our government entities is of critical benefit for both the public institutions but voters as well l. Thank You.

 

And to my Supporters I pledge to keep ‘going when you cannot.’ And we have about $9 billion in GOB funds being spent through a variety of public institutions and that is no small number and in the past I have broken the story on Cuban refugees coming in droves and also the Oriental fruit fly quarantine and its huge economic impact to name just a few of the more recent stories in past WDR’s.And I also keep watch for the all-important tourism industry and with the Zika Virus people are starting to understand how vital these tourists are for a host of amenities like culture and the arts, Jackson health System and transportation dollars all entities that benefit from tourism sales tax dollars.

 

>>> And while the Watchdog Report has reached 16 years of using my own money to survive in the costlier Miami community. And while I have cut expenses I need my readers help. In this fast changing world and with Pay Pal now you can easily use a credit card to contribute and I hope you will consider helping keeping someone out in the field. And I have not wanted to be a lobbyist but rather a lobbyist for everyone and is why I use the tag line ‘I go when you cannot’. But things were made worse after spending 18 days in the hospital with a badly infected finger. And is why I am behind sending my traditional thank you letter to any supporters contributing and hop to catch up in the near future. And I thank these people from the bottom of my heart for the past financial help.

 

>>> I just ask any reader, once a year who thinks this community resource is valuable to contribute via my Pay Pal account for the fiscal issues sometimes keeps me from going to a meeting sometimes, and the stress also affects my health and only with my readers support can “I go when you cannot,” thank you and hope you will help so the WDR can celebrate 17 years on May 5^th.

 

>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account at https://paypal.me/WatchdogReport

>>>And you can now easily support the Watchdog Report by going to my new PayPal Button account, you know you want to do it at https://paypal.me/WatchdogReport for as media resources contract residents still need to know that someone is also watching out for their interests. Because government watched is a better governing experience for voters and their local quality of life?

 

However, it is no easy task to do the WDR weekly. And years ago the county Ethics Commission did a report that suggested over the past decade some $50 million had been spent fighting waste fraud abuse and public corruption and having the press at public meetings (some very obscure) changes the tone of the meeting (and is why you don’t speed past a state trooper, if you’re smart) Further, I have tried to be an information electrolyte available to all free between these large public institutions when I first started back in 1997. And many public meetings back then were not being recorded except by me and that is no longer the case.

 

For an accurate public record is key and diminishes future legal action. For you either have an accurate public record or you don’t. And I hope you will consider helping me in this effort to keep the community informed and saving taxpayer monies in the process. And I thank my supporters over the last 17 years. And to read a national story and profile of the WDR publisher in the early years and background back in 2003 go to: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american        

Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors

 

***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

 

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

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr (The first contributor)

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2008)

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 to $5,000 a year

 

BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST

RON BOOK

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

WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

Rbb PUBLIC RELATIONS www.rbbcommmunications.com

ROYAL MEDIA PARTNERS www.royalmp.com

SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/

 

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

 

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

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

 

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

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov

CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS and PUBLIC TRUST www.ethics.miamidade.gov  

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION www.miamifoundation.org

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

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI www.miami.edu

 

>>> Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors 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 250 reports and Extras 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. I welcome letters via e-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

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2017, Daniel A. Ricker

 

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years.

 

Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)

CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS

 

Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)

MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED

 

Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog

 

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times

 

The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517

 

>>> General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice. ********************

 

Watchdog Report Supporters Invoice-Form Thank you

 

Supporting Sponsors $5,000

Sustaining Sponsors $2,000

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

 

Large Business Supporters $500

Small Business Supporters $250 

Individual Supporter $150

 

Name & Address Make checks payable to Daniel A. Ricker

Send to 3109 Grand Avenue, #125

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