Watchdog Report Vol. 24 No. 43 January 21, 2024 EST:05.05.00 – I go when you cannot a community education

ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON the STREETS

>> President of Miami-Dade Chamber Knowles honored at school board Wednesday, well deserved, for minority community leadership.

The Miami-Dade schoolboard recognized G. Eric Knowles for his leadership as president of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, and has been a strong advocate for minority business and the chamber is an integral part of Miami-Dade, The man in the past served in the 82nd Airborne and built up the chamber from a $600,000 budget to over $1million under his leadership and a host of supporters spoke in support of the sharply dressed man known for his bow-ties and raised in a variety of locations including the Bahamas and the tribute is well deserved. 

 
 
>>>Further, financing of the WDR needs help and if you can support a neutral long serving news source, consider supporting the WDR. Thank you.

>>modified school bus shocks Joe’s stone crab customers versus high end cars waiting to get in, was local Swiss artist Fleischman, lost leg on i-95 accident, visiting a friend

In the midst of high end cars lined up a modified school bus drove into Joe’s Stone Crab valet and caused a stir of excitement, wondering who could be driving the school bus and a former amazon driver now a valet parked the vehicle for the local artist Cynthia Fleischman who lost her legs in a motorcycle accident on I-95 when a car crossed the yellow poles.

>>> The Knight Foundation wants nominees to support local journalists.

STATE OF FLORIDA

>>> Will Florida get Gov. Ron DeSantis back after Iowa caucus? Planning to stay the course in GOP legislature, poor showing could end presidential hopes. Media calling him political dead man walking. The governor will soon know his chances.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Former Miami commissioner Joe Sanchez has thrown his hat in ring for county new sheriff constitutional office. Sanchez, a sate trooper but is he up to managing a force of 4700 strong. Sanchez had mixed success in Miami. I will go into it next week. He was swayed by a developer’s attractive lobbyist back in 2002. His biggest challenge is being associated with the Miami commission.

>>> Homeless deaths on Miami streets down for year, was 189, last year over 200, says Trust chair Book: >>>New version next week with my computer finally back thank you supporters.

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust did its annual somber ceremony remembering the people passing on the streets. This past year. This year it was 189 and down from last year when over 200 passed last year. The trust a national model has helped transform the homeless issue facing so many American cities. The county decades ago had over 6,000 homeless with even a mayor, and through community efforts and tourist sales tax funding has created a continuum of care capability.

with a sergeant-of-arms standing by.

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>>” ALL TYPES OF VIRUSES ARE ON THE RISE,” AT JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM, TEXTED A SENIOR EXECUTIVE LAST WEEK TO THE WDR. I WAS ONE OF THEM WITH THE NEW COVID VARIANCE AND ITS NO FUN AND HAD IT ALL LAST WEEK.

>>> The benefit of two medical schools in Miami-Dade came through recently that up to 120 to 130, (I lost the notes on the exact number,) fellows and residents at JHS who were in good standing in their specialty graduated from the programs. 

This is good news because physicians many times stay in the community where they trained. The FIU medical school and UM, via Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Baptist Health will be helping the community when more physicians and staff will be needed with our ageing population. 

>>> Dade residents get numerous medical choices, from FIU & Baptist affiliation, to public JHS, preventative care main mission, reduces uncompensated care costs countywide.

Miami-Dade County will be benefitting from the relationship with Baptist Health and FIU’s Wertheim College of Medicine, a school dedicated to preventative community-based medicine after its first dean Dr. Joe “Pedro” Greer instilled preventative medicine to the school’s students and has many FIU trained physicians doing  a good examination of the patient, given my own personal experience. 

This along with public JHS and UM affiliation will give residents top notch medical care, and keep more physicians in the community they train in. Further, it helps south Florida be a medical destination, offering specialized healthcare here. Jackson Health System is also benefitting from the approved county wide $830 million bond program that in the end financed almost $2 billion in capital projects drawing a host of new patients with a past campus that was frozen in time. For more go to:https://news.fiu.edu/2023/baptist-health-and-florida-international-university-to-begin-exclusive-negotiations-on-comprehensive-alliance :FIU medical school launches partnership with Baptist Health | Miami Herald

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>>The arrest of ex School Board member Lubby Navarro for misusing her district issued P. Card for questionable items, her attorney says is false, potential for misuse of cards first identified back in 2009 police dept in IG report. The school board ignores past IG report in 2009 last week, wants five-year of audits of all past members. The fact board unaware of past reports and suggested improvements, problem is also culture of getting along with board members requests. Board should review past board members expenses but needs to get ahead of this failure to watch over funds, “only 11 employee travel cards issued,” thank goodness, board members given great deference, but “need more than just trust and verify, says Supt. Dotres.

>>> I was, Reminded the WDR that this issue had come-up before with the district’s police department in Nov.25,2009, after an inspector general report that found and “tested 452 charges and found 73 or16 percent of the expenditures were prohibited,” states documentation. Further, “eight purchases were split into smaller values to avoid documentation requirements.” Further, Navarro was a longtime aide to chair Perla Tabares Hantman before being appointed by Rick Scott.

CITY OF MIAMI 

>>> Miami leaders saying a search is necessary for new city attorney, yet commissioner Reyes says, “I have a candidate in mind,” past city attorney when asked by me who he works for? “I work, for three votes on the body,” That is the problem and was big discussion at county ethics commission in years past, but problems persist.

>>> Carollo starts his retribution tour goes after Gabela in macho way, potential fight broken up, “claims “8th Street boys cause of problems,” and filmmaker Billy Colburn. Editor’s note last time, bond ratings dropped after political instability, during Elian Gonzalez, controversy Carollo brought to fever pitch, residents started throwing bananas at city hall, why Manny Diaz was elected mayor back then.

They were separated by a sergeant -of arms, moving swiftly, he calmed the situation down. (Then mayor Carollo in 2001 almost got into a fist fight with deceased commissioner Art Teele, J.r, a former airborne ranger officer in Vietnam and was separated by a staffer, after Carollo disparaged Teele’s mother at the dais, with a stunned crowd frozen in their seats including me.

The recent exchanges are harkening back to all the challenges the man faces barely holding on to his house, and he blamed the Miami Herald and the 8th street boys for his problems citing a Jan3, 2023, profile of his mixed results in public life. HE also went after documentarian Billy Corburn making an anti-Semitic remark about his new name, he uses in the film business. Here is the exchange at the end of the meeting of the two men https://youtu.be/F4KGJUfPvws.

>>>All Miami employees go through county’s ethics training, never takes after in laws of manager get furniture contracts, says WLRN investigation of wife; why at county all employees went through training, under Stierheim administration in 2000, 

Includes mayor Suarez under SEC & FBI investigation, with mayor representing middle East countries, from Qatar to others, Isreal Flag replaces Ukrainian Flag at city hall entrance, WDR first reported on mayor’s income rise 9 months ago from 2013 disclosures which he now has to explain the high new worth and outside income as calls for his resignation increase, Carollo is waiting to stick political  knife in wounded mayor 

The revelation that City Miami manager Art Noriega’s wife is involved in a furniture company…www.wlrn.org, and contracts with the city, will make the man’s tenure in doubt and expect Commissioner Joe Carollo to pounce on it in his attack on the mayor and his own investigations and corrupt administration. 

This is an example why all county and municipal employees go through ethics training, that in Miami is having mixed results as a friends in the family atmosphere exists in the city.

>>>All Miami employees go through county’s ethics training, never takes after in laws of manager get furniture contracts, says WLRN investigation of wife; why at county all employees went through training, under Stierheim administration in 2000, 

Includes mayor Suarez under SEC & FBI investigation, with mayor representing middle East countries, from Qatar to others, Isreal Flag replaces Ukrainian Flag at city hall entrance, WDR first reported on mayor’s income rise 9 months ago from 2013 disclosures which he now has to explain the high new worth and outside income as calls for his resignation increase, Carollo is waiting to stick political  knife in wounded mayor 

The revelation that City Miami manager Art Noriega’s wife is involved in a furniture company…www.wlrn.org, and contracts with the city, will make the man’s tenure in doubt and expect Commissioner Joe Carollo to pounce on it in his attack on the mayor and his own investigations and corrupt administration. 

This is an example why all county and municipal employees go through ethics training, that in Miami is having mixed results as a friends in the family atmosphere exists in the city.

>>>PAST WDR: Miami Mayor Suarez under the gun re outside income, net worth in 2014 was $13,000, in 2023 estimated $5 million, year earlier $1.3 million, ethics & state attorney investigating young presidential hopeful mor investigations ongoing man not ready for prime time, a persistent Miami problem. 

When it comes to Miami Mayor Francis X Suarez. He believes since the trolleys run on time he can moonlight to his heart’s content and residents should not worry. 

He also questions why the Miami herald is so obsessed with his outside employment claiming the recent stories about his outside income is a frivolous ‘smear,’ by the paper of record and is consistent with the paper of records history of trying, to “assassinate the character of Hispanic leaders, ‘he told the miamiherald.com. 

The WDR report has his financials since 2014 after he was elected as a commissioner. The young man,43, scion to a prominent Cuban political family. He went through The Good Government Initiative run by former county commissioner Katy Sorenson (And Suarez has a PAC named after the program, which was not effective given his actions). 

However, the family man a potential presidential candidate who told Fox he knocked on “15,000 doors,” when he ran for office. His election helped his controversial father Xavier overcome his moniker of mayor loco, after his time in office as the first Cuban mayor of Miami, later elected to the county commission. The son has also received numerous VIP events undeclared re value and who paid. 

The Miami-Dade Ethics Commission and the state attorney’s office have opened an investigation into his outside income. He says he welcomes it to clear his name and he believes he always follows the law. Editor’s note: I am holding off on condemning this story until the investigation is over, but the Miami Herald has raised some serious concerns. The attorney growing up was treated like a prince in Miami’s Cuban community and used to spend time in his dad’s mayoral office growing up. He also believes what people do in their free time is their business, after I pointed out they were

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EDITORIAL

>>> Xavier Suarez, “wishes Dan Ricker Happy Holidays,” when I asked about his son Francis Miami’s mayor and the investigations, and should he resign. The normally chatty former mayor and county commissioner demurred when asked about his son’s problems.

>>>My Holiday gift this year is having my computer back after it died weeks ago and was brought back to life by Kent Electronics and Abdon Sarmiento’s work, and I am back.  >>>>> Help PAST WDR after: For three weeks now, I thought my 23 years of weekly work was in vain after a cataclysmic IT incident and for weeks I thought the extensive list was lost and this is a test issue in communication after a fiscal disaster also has hit me after a decades long significant support was impacted by Covid costs and inflation. 

I am one of the few people who report on all our public institutions weekly and have been honored to have been able to do this without scandal or favor except to keep the public informed, like the swearing in of Miami city commissioner Manola Reyes, Who raised $400,000 in political contributions to his challengers $1,000 in his war chest and Reyes got 68 percent of the vote Nov.7.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is getting calls for his resignations after some investigative stories on his outside employment while in office. At the law firm he is at s his sister Olga Suarez and some wonder if she is a beneficiary of her brother’s clients.

>>> De Santos adds county clerk Barquin to his list, republican state legislator net worth $290,651 in 2020 $340,387.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis   populating the state with appointees, adds The Miami-Dade County Clerk Juan Fernandez Barquin to the mix. The former state legislator has been a supporter of the governor’s agenda. He is replacing long time clerk Harvey Ruvin who passed suddenly and was a democrat to Barquin a republican.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS FINANCES?

The WDR pulled up his state disclosure forms. In 2018 his net worth was $290,651, and in 2020 it rose to $340,387. And the man has some real-estate investments but on the whole benign disclosures. He has a critical role as the co-controller of Miami-Dade with CFO Ed Marquiz, with the County’s $13 billion in bonds involved, that were floated when interest rates were low but have been creeping up. It will be interesting how he will change the generally compliant office to the administration with a democratic mayor.

>>> County’s use of herbicides on foliage reduction, variation of Round-up to control foliage run-off to Biscayne Bay, says county resiliency officer Murley, trying natural solutions, when possible, coastal storm surge walls out for now with corps new diagrams show.

Miami-Dade County with “366 miles of canals,” uses pesticide to keep foliage trees later leaches into Biscayne Bay. The county is trying to use natural efforts but herbicide like Roundup is frequently used and shows up in fish and peoples urine state Florida universities’ studies on the chemical impact of such foliage removal compounds. Further cars in canals have been a persistent problem. They are also trying to reestablish the Balsam Torchwood tree, long extinct.

The issue came up Friday at the Biscayne Bay Watershed Advisory Board in the commission chambers and Chief Resilience Officer Jim Murley, in discussion with storm surge. The corps plan for surge walls along the water are being replaced with natural solutions if they fit the circumstances after the walls faced a huge public outcry and two charettes to discuss the plan are in the months ahead, with a final plan in 2027, anticipated. The cleanup of Biscayne Bay with state and federal governments, spending millions to clean up the bay.

Which is also should be using the scavenger vessel more with only one in operation and is a technological bargain at $1 million for a second such vessel, to help the bay and Round-up use should be reviewed in Miami-Dade County.

>>> Anniversary of life saving procedure when I was septic at South Miami, Baptist Health, hospital in 2009, and I thank you Dr. Jorge Rabaza for saving my life, back then.

The next few days is the anniversary of my almost passing in 2009. I was septic and operated on at 2;00 p.m., “because I could not wait,” not something you want to hear from a surgeon, said Jorge Rabaza,M.D. at South Miami Hospital back then and he said, “I was a flip of the coin,” that I survived, he said and since then every day is a free day.,

The Miami-Dade County Children’s Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary and during its time. There have been no scandals except some trust tee shirts being sold in little Havana decades ago. They trust the brainchild of former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, Jr. and mayor Alex Penelas and Will Bleckman, M.D. For more on the trust go to: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/ 

View a comprehensive list of all the previous project updates at https://miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse-updates.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Charter schools have expanded to 155 schools and receive $797 million from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The schools do not have to follow the same procedures as public districts, and many are managed by private for-profit companies. The district does audits of these schools. Further, the Fla. Leg.is proposing expanding vouchers, which could cut funding by over 20 percent, adding to the charter school hit. However, many scandals with these schools many sexual in nature, and need better background checks.

What about students’ threat assessment teams?

The board’s student advisor Ms. Cori Anna White, with a unique perspective, made some saliant comments recently when the school’s code of conduct was being discussed. With all the mass shootings she noted “student safety was paramount regardless of zip codes. She inquired about the role of “threat assessment teams,” and “reporting lines,” and their role “in identifying patterns of behavior,’ of students.

Dr. Steven Gallon, III, a former principal overseeing 3,200 students said the goal was not “to suffer situations that take away opportunities to educate. He said, “parents send the best students they have, and the district policy was going to be applied with “firmness and equity.” Noting a large public school “is one of the most challenging education jobs there is said the veteran teacher

>>> Past WDR: Cardiac EKG screening should be required by state, number one killer of young athletes in schools, highlighted at school board Wednesday, after Bills player cardiac arrest should ACDs? be included on the field?

Student Athletes dying from sudden cardiac death, was highlighted at Wednesday’s school board meeting. Sudden death is common with athletes and the need for an EKG screening is important. And advocates say screening should be mandatory. And Florida has nine districts that have this screening requirement before entering school. Further, some parents are hesitant to screen, and just have to be notified, said advocates including a girl with an implantable defibrillator. For more go to: https://nzdsos.com/2022/09/09/unexplained-coincidental-collateral-damage/ 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

What about students’ threat assessment teams?

The board’s student advisor Ms. Cori Anna White, with a unique perspective, made some saliant comments recently when the school’s code of conduct was being discussed. With all the mass shootings she noted “student safety was paramount regardless of zip codes. She inquired about the role of “threat assessment teams,” and “reporting lines,” and their role “in identifying patterns of behavior,’ of students.

Dr. Steven Gallon, III, a former principal overseeing 3,200 students said the goal was not “to suffer situations that take away opportunities to educate. He said, “parents send the best students they have, and the district policy was going to be applied with “firmness and equity.” Noting a large public school “is one of the most challenging education jobs there is said the veteran teacher

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SPONSERS:

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report published 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. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html 

>>>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 

>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport    

Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133.  Thank you, Dan.  

>>>And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.

>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net  in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.  

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