Watchdog Report Vol.17 No.44 March 19, 2017 – EST: 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 Years of Weekly publishing

 

>>> 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 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 seen on the streets

 

>>> Will Trump’s skinny budget and cuts in meals on wheels because social unrest with elderly residents in Miami and Hialeah major socializing program for the elderly?

 

President Trump’s proposed $1.06 trillion ‘skinny budget has wide spread cuts in a host of areas including the EPA department of State and deep cuts in the arts since there is $54 billion in cuts and other cultural programs are being lined out and are being done to boost the defense budget to $574 billion and howls are going off around the nation and will have some dramatic impacts in South Florida.

 

And what about CDBG and Meals on wheels cuts?

 

Further, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are being cut substantially and the program feeds thousands of elderly people in Little Havana. Hialeah and at retirement homes, providing socialization and in past years HUD funding was using a poor funding formula in the case of the City of Miami. They had to work with the local congressional delegation to get the needed funding formula changed but in this case that seems unlikely and Trump’s budget does not attack the $19 trillion debt. And for more go to:http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/16/politics/trump-budget-cuts/ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/03/the-concrete-cost-of-trump-military-budget/518193/ >>> http://www.crfb.org/papers/president-trumps-fy-2018-skinny-budget
 

What about world affairs?

 

It is no coincidence that North Korea tested a high-thrust rocket while Sec. of State Rex Tillerson was meeting with the premier of China and while Chinese leaders have supported the rogue Hermit Kingdom having the neighboring country have nuclear weapons and a possible delivery system has strained the two nation’s relations and has most of the countries concerned what Korea could do next given the erratic autocratic dictator nature of the state and its commitment to going nuclear.

 

Further, Tillerson amped up tensions when he suggested the U.S. is open to all options including nuclear and has tensions high on the peninsula. And President Trump is finding out you cannot prevent global crisis and every country is different but the instability in Asia is a big deal since both China and America are involved and mistakes or misreading of the other side could result negatively for both countries and trigger war.

 

>>>The Coconut Grove Playhouse Foundation is looking for arts activists had an event recently and was very well attended…

 

The Coconut Grove Playhouse Foundation held a get together Thursday at the outdoor area of the Historic Taurus Beer & Whiskey Tavern a few feet away from the historic ageing Coconut Grove Playhouse. That has sat dormant since 2006, when it closed deep in debt and Grove residents are pushing the county that has a master plan and some $30 Million in GOB funding but that is insufficient to complete the proposed master plan and for more on the foundation go to www.playhousefoundation.org

 

What about the Dr. Phillip and Patricia Miami Science Museum?

 

The issue of the new science museum has dropped off the radar, after the project ran out of money and major legal issues are percolating. So I emailed Jennifer Moon, the county’s budget director and she forwarded my question if the organization’s fundraising is on track and what does the final cost look like and it went to Michael Spring and Ed Marquez both on the museum’s board after Dr. Frost got rid of the past board before he plugged the leak to the tune of $49 million.

 

“In response to your question below I can give you more detailed information when I’m back in the office next week. For now I can let you know that they’ve met their fundraising goals and the final construction cost is approximately $306 million.” wrote Lisa Dandrea (CUA). And the museum was originally to cost $325 million and it remains to be seen when all is said and done what the final cost will be.

 

What is the Watchdog Report concerned about?

 

The original Museum design called for a smaller test engineering model of the aquarium to test the pressure impact of saltwater on the concrete and on the rebar and the concrete pour lasted a couple of days but the test model was dropped to save money and it is unknown how the saltwater and rebar will hold up over time. Further, people are carping about the $35.00 entrance fee and hopefully there will be extensive groups of school children who will be blown away just as they are at the Adrianne Arsht Center where students are often seen touring the great halls and is a real field trip treat for many of the students. For more go to http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2016/02/10/frosts-come-to-rescue-of-miami-science-museum.html And a fighter jet was recently installed.

 

STATE OF FLORIDA

 

>>> Gov. Scott mourns state trooper’s accident man was lucky he was helicoptered to Jackson Ryder Trauma and is in stable condition but Scott has never seen the amazing things that Ryder trauma surgeons are doing, along with U.S. Army surgeons before they are deployed.

 

Someday Gov. Rick Scott has to see The Ryder Center where a state trooper was taken after a bad car accident and he is in critical condition and Scott later appeared at a press conference since he was in Miami.

 

But the former healthcare executive has stayed away and has had concerns about the public hospital and has supported HCA opening their own Trauma Centers at Kendall Regional, Aventura and Mercy Hospital and he does not realize that when Ryder opened the desire was to have only one such site after many hospitals closed their Trauma Centers and to make it the best on the planet and it is a shame he does not check it out in person for it is vital to South Florida.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

>>> MIA director Gonzalez gets taken to commission wood shed, after “significant errors,” says Heyman of flawed” calculation”

 

MIA Director Emilio Gonzalez was taken to the  commission woodshed after a MIA contract included “miscalculated numbers for the hours and “the numbers were transposed,” and airport staff said, Oh my gosh we made a mistake,’ and “the best cure is to reject all the bids,” said staff. Further Commissioner Sally Heyman said “this was a perfect storm,” and “not a “Scribner’s error,’ and along with Commissioner Dennis Moss who was incredulous how this happened and Gonzalez fell on his sword saying “The individual is being held accountable,” said Gonzalez. Heyman further noted a host of deputy directors with “six figure salaries and this is a significant error,” reviewed this, said Heyman. Further, Moss in frustration said this “is ridicules, he grumbled after hearing an explanation of how this happened

 
GMCVB press release: RECORD LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY JOBS IN GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES REPORTED FOR JANUARY 2017
Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality jobs increased +3.4 percent in January 2017 compared to the same period in 2016, showing the continued strength of the destination’s travel and tourism industry in generating jobs for the community.

Record Greater Miami Leisure & Hospitality Jobs
January 2017	January 2016	% Change
141,700	138,900	+3.4%

 

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
 

>>> Historic Booker T Washington celebrates 60^th Anniversary, has broad swath of distinguished alumni, with many football players going to the pros including

 

The Historic Booker T. Washington High School celebrated its 90^th Anniversary and the school was a critical institution in the then segregated county and some of its graduates over the decades included Dolphins Player Larry Little and all the school board members reminisced what the school has achieved over those years. Further the school was established in 1926 and currently has 984 students as on 2017. And the tornadoes have won a host of sports championships and has a 100 percent minority majority enrollment, states the schools web page and the school has a rich history of alumni and many on the football team go into the pros and “the AP participation rate is 34,” states the school’s webpage and for more go to http://www.btwtornadoes.org/

 

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

 

>>> Trooper in critical condition, lucky to have gone to Ryder Trauma Center, a facility Gov. Scott has never toured, and is a community jewel but has to compete with private HCA Trauma Centers at Kendall Regional and Mercy Hospitals

 

A Florida Highway patrol officer after a car accident was transported by a county helicopter to Ryder Trauma Center and is part of Jackson Health system and the University Of Miami Stuart Miller Medical School and is a community treasure any big city would marvel for given the trauma surgery that takes place there. Further Scott is the only governor not to tour Ryder yet and in past years Governors Jeb Bush and Carlie Crist have all made a tour and some of the lifesaving technology and physicians come from the Army and rotate through before they are deployed overseas on assignment in conflict zones.

 

Further, Scott is a former healthcare company (that was fined $1.6 billion for Medicare fraud but was never charged) and with ACHA hearing judge reversing a new Jackson West Doral hospital approval and allowing other private hospitals owned by HCA to have Trauma Centers including at Kendall Regional and Mercy Hospital and these compete with JHS, and Ryder gets many gunshot wounds versus car crashes where the driver might have the $10,000 in car insurance required by the state. And for more on the Doral case go to: http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2016/01/13/jackson-health-s-plan-for-new-hospital-challenged.html

 

What about UM Stuart Miller Medical School Dean Pascal Goldschmidt?

 

After almost a decade UM’s Medical school Dean Pascal Goldschmidt, M.D. has retired and over the years was involved in a major struggle over what the costs were for Miami physicians services practicing at Jackson known as the Annual Operating Agreement that is roughly $ 325 million and he is being replaced by interim Dean Lawrence B. Gardner, M.D. and I know Gardner and he is a smart and a straight shooter and I wish him all the luck.

 

A national search is being done for a permanent dean and Goldschmidt, a cardiologist was recruited by President Donna Shalala from Duke University and had some controversies with some of the UM physicians who circulated a letter expressing no confidence in Goldschmidt leadership. . And here is Gardner’s bio http://www.med.miami.edu/deansoffice/about-the-dean/ and here he is speaking to donors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKlBp_1PJeU

 

CITY OF MIAMI

 

>>>> Russell says out with the old brings in new chief of staff, long time policy wonk and investigative reporter Rebecca Wakefield, talented women with experience

 

Miami Commissioner Ken Russel has a new chief of staff and it is Rebecca Wakefield and the award winning reporter wrote for many years for the Miami New Times and later The Sun Post now defunct and is a great researcher with a winning sense of humor and she will be aa good addition to the commissioners staff and I wish her and her son all the luck in their future destiny. Further Wakefield worked as the media representative of SEIU Union local 1991

 

What about the Miami mayoral race?

 

Candidate and Commissioner Francis Suarez in his second attempt to be Miami mayor has amassed a $2 million war chest and that should discourage any competitors from entering the race that closes in Sept. Further Suarez is taking a page from former Mayor Manny Diaz and Marc Sarnoff where there is never too much money and gives the impression they are bought by special interests and while Suarez’s first t run had the tag line ‘it’s Our time,” and was directed toward millennials voters and it may show this new demographic has no fear of money even though he sends the message that he is a new type of city mayor candidate and when he first ran he helped his father Xavier Suarez rehabilitate his political career after getting the nickname “Mayor Loco,” when he was in office and is now a county commissioner. And the son intentionally did not use his given first name which is Xavier but ran as Francis he once told the WDR years ago after he was first elected.

 

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

 

>>> Mayoral race heats up Gelber versus Grieco, how low will the campaigns go?

 

The mayoral race heats up candidates Dan Gelber and Commissioner Michael Grieco are vying for the top job and Gelber is the son of a former mayor and Grieco was part of a slate of candidates years ago supporting candidate mayor Phillip Levine in his first race and is said to be into constituent services something Gelber is aware of since he has been a state senator and representative in Tallahassee over the past years and for more on the race go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article138597318.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

 

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.

Miami, 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. *********************

 

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