Jacksonville councilman Clay Yarborough takes turn at answering questions

Do you believe the words “under God” should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag?
“No, I do not believe those should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. And I don’t believe 'In God We Trust’ should be removed from public structures and buildings. And I don’t know if you saw Dr. Ahmed’s responses, but what led me to vote in the affirmative in the rules committee is that I believe he answered the questions satisfactorily, in line with where I am on those things.”

Do you believe homosexual marriage should be permitted in Florida?
“No, I don’t believe it should be permitted. I don’t believe it’s right. ... That doesn’t mean you hate someone who is doing it. That’s not what I’m advocating. But it’s not something that needs to be perpetuated in our country. It’s not good. It’s not right.”

Do you believe prayer is acceptable in a public building?
“Absolutely. Our nation was founded on Christian principles. It’s all intertwined in our founding documents to where there was recognition of the creator and of Judeo-Christian beliefs. Those are foundational in the laws we have.
“People continue to bring it up, and I still can’t find something lending to the separation of church and state in the Constitution. So that kind of throws me for a loop sometimes. Some base it on what Thomas Jefferson might have written somewhere else, but I still have a disagreement on that.
“It’s intertwined in the founding of the country and the laws that we have, that we need to acknowledge God and we need to uphold what honors him. And the public building or the public square, I couldn’t fathom trying to restrict the ability of the public to do that. We shouldn’t keep trying to push God out of country and out of our government.”

Do you believe Muslims should be able to hold public office in Florida? Some of those who have criticized your questions have wondered if that’s what you were getting at ...
“That wasn’t the intention of the questions.”

OK, but do you believe Muslims should be able to hold a public office in Florida?
“I would have to think about that. I would have to think about that. What kind of office? An elected office? Would you consider the human rights commission to be a public office?”

Just in general, do you believe Muslims should be able to hold any public office in Florida?
“I don’t know.”

Do you think homosexuals should be able to hold a public office in Florida?
“I would prefer they did not.”

When, and for what reasons, is it acceptable to alter the Pledge of Allegiance?
“Your question is a little confusing.”

Well, “under God” was not in the pledge originally. So when and for what reasons do you believe it is acceptable to change the pledge?
“I don’t believe it’s acceptable to change it, especially those two words.”
(Note: the Pledge of Allegiance has been changed four times since it was written, most recently with the addition of the words “under God” in 1954.)

Do you believe all kinds of prayers are acceptable in public buildings? If not, which prayers are acceptable?
“The scripture teaches that unless one prays in the name of Jesus Christ, and since he is our only way to the Father, that that is how one should pray. And that is what I believe.”

Do you believe you can be a good American and not be Christian?
“Yes, I believe you can be a good American and not be Christian.”

Do you believe America has become too secular?
“Yes.”

After Sept. 11, some said the attacks were partly because of this. Because America had become too secular and too sinful, God had lifted a “veil of protection” from our country. Do you believe that?
“I would say that when I read Romans Chapter 1, I see striking resemblances between where Rome was just prior to its fall in comparison to where America is today. There are striking similarities in what we allow in our societies. Rome did not fall from an outside attack, whether it was military or otherwise. It fell from within because it was morally bankrupt.
“And I believe we have been treading in that area for a while and the more that we do not embrace that which honors the Lord, we shouldn’t be surprised if the blessings do not continue on our land ...
“Of course a lot of folks will say it’s not because of that, that you can’t control the stock market, you can’t control finances. There’s storms, earthquakes, pestilences, what have you. But everything is for a reason.”

Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution says “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any public office or public trust under the United States.” What do you believe this means?
“I think it means what it says. You don’t have a religious test or qualification to seek a public office.”

Do you believe Parvez Ahmed should be appointed to the human rights commission?
“I supported the nomination on April 5. Since that time, I have been inundated with tons of e-mails and calls and have gotten some documents that are outside of just 'oh, please don’t vote,’ or 'please do vote’ for Dr. Ahmed. It has given me cause to have reasonable doubt because of some of the issues that have been raised. I do have some more questions that will be asked Monday in the rules committee. I’m weighing right now what I should do. But I’m very concerned. I will put it that way.”

Cold War Nuclear Fears Now Apply to Terrorists

It has become conventional wisdom, repeated by President Obama at the nuclear summit meeting this week, that the cold war danger of huge strikes by thousands of nuclear missiles has given way to a new threat: terrorists killing tens of thousands of Americans with a stolen or homemade nuclear device. A broad range of security experts agree that nuclear terrorism may well be the most serious danger the United States faces today.

But it is not new. In fact, almost from the invention of the atomic bomb, government officials were alarmed by the threat that compact nukes would be smuggled into the United States by Soviet agents and detonated.

“Officials regard the possibility of atomic sabotage as the gravest threat of subversion that this country, with its virtually unpatrolled borders, has ever faced,” The New York Times reported in 1953, telling readers that the Eisenhower administration was preparing to alert the public to the danger from “valise bombs.”

Hundreds of pages of declassified documents from the 1950s, obtained by The New York Times from the F.B.I. under the Freedom of Information Act, lay out a strikingly familiar story, in which Communist agents played the role of today’s Al Qaeda.

Then, as now, investigators searched for agents they feared were in the United States awaiting orders to attack. Then, too, the government spent millions to install radiation detectors at airports and seaports despite doubts about their effectiveness. (In those days, false nuclear alarms were set off by radium watch dials, once hidden in a woman’s corset.)

Nor is the worry in recent years about nuclear material crossing the permeable Mexican border new. An F.B.I. memo from 1953 warned that “a saboteur could easily pose as a Mexican ‘wetback’ and get into the country without detection, presumably carrying an atomic weapon in his luggage.”

Auditor: Proposed deal for Jacksonville's Trail Ridge landfill costs $37 million more than Peyton's

The settlement agreement between Jacksonville and Waste Management would cost taxpayers $37 million more than the proposal the City Council rejected last year, according to a just-released analysis by the Council Auditor's Office.

The settlement would allow Waste Management to continue operating Trail Ridge landfill for roughly 26 years, not including options to renew. The cost is estimated at $459 million, according to the auditor's report.

Last year, the council rejected Mayor John Peyton's proposed contract extension and directed city attorneys to pursue competitive bidding, a decision that led to a Waste Management lawsuit that is set for trial in December.

The court forced both sides into mediation, which resulted in the proposed settlement that was negotiated by city attorneys and the company.

The council must decide by the end of the month whether to accept it.

Council members have said they would be inclined to vote against settling the case unless the proposal would save significantly more money than what the mayor negotiated in 2008.

According to the auditor's analysis, the existing contract would cost taxpayers $488 million over 26 years, which is $29 million more than the proposed settlement. If the city loses the case, it could be forced to keep the existing contract in place until the landfill site reaches capacity, which could be another 35 years or more.

The mayor's proposed contract extension would have cost $422 million.

The report said the cheapest known option would be for the city to run its own landfill, with a price tag of $405 million over 26 years. Neither the mayor's office nor council members have expressed interest in reversing privatization of landfill operations, but Sherman says it should be part of the discussion.

Obama signs bill extending unemployment benefits

President Barack Obama has signed a bill extending unemployment benefits through June 2 and restoring full Medicaid payments to doctors.

The bill cleared both houses of Congress on Thursday night. The House passed the bill 289-112 just two hours after it emerged from the Senate on a 59-38 vote that capped an unusually partisan debate.

Republicans largely chose to take a stand against the legislation for adding to the $12.8 trillion national despite backing it by wide margins in December and again recently.

People who lost out on the additional weeks of benefits after exhausting their state-paid benefits will now be able to reapply and receive those checks retroactively.

Obamas earned $5.5 million in 2009

President Obama and his wife Michelle made $5.5 million last year and paid nearly $1.8 million in federal income tax, the White House revealed Thursday.

The Obamas gave $329,000 to charities. That included $50,000 each to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.

The president also donated his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award to 10 charities.

Gov. Charlie Crist Vetoes Senate Bill 6, Many Celebrate a Victory

Parents, teachers and students celebrated today after Governor Charlie Crist vetoed Senate Bill 6, a bill that would financially reward teachers based on students' test scores.

Republican Senator John Thrasher sponsored the bill, also known as the merit pay bill.

With the spring legislative session ending in two weeks, the veto likely kills the plan until next year.

Gov. Crist said after listening to an outpouring of feedback on the bill, he became convinced it was not in the best interests of Floridians.

The governor's office received about 120,000 calls, e-mails and letters on the issue, and virtually all of it was opposed.

The governor said the bill was rushed through the Legislature. He compared it to the health care legislation in Washington, which he described as being jammed down people's throats.

Crist also said the bill infringed on the authority of local school boards, did not accommodate the needs of special education students and used arbitrary methods to determine a teacher's effectiveness.

"So let me be clear: I veto Senate Bill 6 because this bill is contrary to my firmly held principle to act in the best interests of the people of Florida. I am confident that my decision today is the right one because I know it is the right thing to do for the people of Florida.

"Senate Bill 6 places teachers in jeopardy of losing their jobs and their reaching certificates without a clear understanding of how gains will be measured and without taking into account circumstances beyond the teacher's control.

"Finally I veto this bill because of the process by which it was passed. This legislation sped through committees without meaningful input of parents, teachers, students, superintendents, and school boards. It was troubling to learn that the bill would not be amended after it passed in the Senate, particularly when more and more concerns were coming to light."

"I would like to applaud Governor Crist for standing up for teachers all over the state of Florida with the veto of Senate Bill 6," said Jacksonville Democrat Rep. Mia L. Jones. "Governor Crist made the right decision today, and sent a clear message that the democratic process still works. To our teachers and students who became actively involved in this process, I commend each of you. To the people of the State of Florida who stood up for what they believed in and made sure their voices were heard, I urge you to remain engaged in the process. I believe that this bill included a number of things that would undermine the success of the public education system resulting in its ultimate demise. It is my hope that now all of the stakeholders can come together to create legislation that will be beneficial to our teachers and children for many years to come."

Analysis: Pension funds for teachers are short billions

The multibillion-dollar pension funds that promise to pay lifetime benefits to millions of the USA's retired teachers are more than $900 billion in the red, a new analysis shows. The shortfall could put taxpayers on the hook for nearly three times as much as the funds say they need to balance the books.

The analysis, released Tuesday from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and the Foundation for Educational Choice, finds that all 59 funds that cover most teachers face shortfalls.

Collectively, the researchers say, the funding gap equals more than $932.5 billion, or about $600 billion more than the funds themselves claim in financial statements. The researchers attribute only $116 billion of the discrepancy to turmoil in the stock market. Much of the difference, they say, is a result of funds lowballing the cost of paying future benefits, under the assumption that stock values will rise "much higher" by the time they have to pay out benefits.

Study: 1 in 4 heart doctors order tests due to malpractice fears

A substantial number of U.S. heart doctors — about one in four — say they order medical tests that might not be needed out of fear of getting sued, according to a new study.

Nearly 600 doctors were surveyed for the study to determine how aggressively they treat their patients and whether non-medical issues have influenced their decisions to order invasive heart tests.

Most said they weren't swayed by such things as financial gain or a patient's expectations. But about 24% of the doctors said they had recommended the test in the previous year because they were worried about malpractice lawsuits. About 27% said they did it because they thought their colleagues would do the test.

Doctors who treated their patients aggressively were more likely to be influenced by malpractice worries or peer pressure than those who weren't as aggressive, the study determined.

FDLE: Crime in Florida hits 39-year low

Crime in Florida hit a 39-year low in 2009 after years of record-breaking violence, state officials announced Wednesday.

That's 60,000 fewer crimes than the year before, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which released the information in Kissimmee.

"This is extraordinarily good news for Florida," Gov. Charlie Crist said, before thanking law enforcement for their "great efforts."

The nearly 7 percent drop in 2009 is the lowest number since FDLE began tracking crime numbers in 1971, he said.

Violent crimes — murder, forcible sex crimes, robbery, aggravated assault — dropped 10 percent from the previous year, according to the report. Nonviolent crimes — burglary, larceny and motor-vehicle theft — declined by 6 percent.

Jax loses 14,200 jobs in past year

Only 13 markets experienced relatively mild declines of less than 2 percent between February 2009 and the same month this year. Jacksonville suffered a drop of 2.74 percent, losing 14,200 jobs between February 2009 and February 2010, for a rank of 32nd among the 100 markets.

Florida says challenge to healthcare reform widens

The joint lawsuit led by Florida and now grouping 18 states was filed on March 23 by mostly Republican attorney generals.

It claims the sweeping reform of the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system, pushed through by Democrats in the Congress after months of bitter partisan fighting, violates state-government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments.

The Florida-led lawsuit says the health overhaul -- which expands government health plans for the poor, imposes new taxes on the wealthy and requires insurers to cover people with preexisting medical conditions -- violates the Constitution's commerce clause by requiring nearly all Americans to buy health insurance.

"On behalf of the residents in Florida and the states joining our efforts, we are committed to aggressively pursuing this lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary to prevent this unprecedented expansion of federal powers, impact upon state sovereignty, and encroachment on our freedom," McCollum said in a statement released by his office.

Study Finds More Woes Following Foster Care

Only half the youths who had turned 18 and “aged out” of foster care were employed by their mid-20s. Six in 10 men had been convicted of a crime, and three in four women, many of them with children of their own, were receiving some form of public assistance. Only six in 100 had completed even a community college degree.

The dismal outlook for youths who are thrust into a shaky adulthood from the foster care system — now numbering some 30,000 annually — has been documented with new precision by a long-term study released Wednesday, the largest to follow such children over many years.

About one-fourth of the people in the study, mainly women, are receiving public aid and struggling to raise their own children, usually without a high school degree. Researchers found that one in five in a second group, mainly men, are badly floundering, with multiple criminal convictions, low education and incomes and, often, mental health or substance abuse problems.

Records Show Upper Big Branch Mine Amassed Scores of Safety Citations, Thousands in Fines

The West Virginia coal mine where an explosion killed 25 workers and left another four unaccounted for in the worst mining disaster since 1984 had amassed scores of citations from mining safety officials, including 57 infractions just last month for violations that included repeatedly failing to develop and follow a ventilation plan.

The federal records catalog the problems at the Upper Big Branch mine, operated by the Performance Coal Company. They show the company was fighting many of the steepest fines, or simply refusing to pay them. Performance is a subsidiary of Massey Energy. Another Massey subsidiary agreed to pay $4.2 million in criminal and civil fines last year and admitted to willfully violating mandatory safety standards that led to the deaths of two miners. The fine was the largest penalty in the history of the coal industry.

The nation's sixth biggest mining company by production, Massey Energy took in $24 million in net income in the fourth quarter of 2009. The company paid what was then the largest financial settlement in the history of the coal industry for the 2006 fire at the Aracoma mine, also in West Virginia. The fire trapped 12 miners. Two suffocated as they looked for a way to escape. Aracoma later admitted in a plea agreement that two permanent ventilation controls had been removed in 2005 and not replaced, according to published reports.

Study: Breast-feeding would save lives, money

The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90% of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.

The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.

The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages — $10.56 million per death.

Broken trust: How promises to revive Jacksonville's depressed Northwest side fell short

The unfinished projects are glaring examples of costly meltdowns marring the $25 million Northwest Jacksonville Economic Development Trust Fund.

The fund, aimed at sparking private investment in a long-neglected part of town, helped win African-American support for Mayor John Delaney's far-reaching $2.2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan in 2000.

The key findings:

- The program failed to meet its goals as a job-generator. Forty-seven percent of the companies receiving trust fund money either didn't create the number of jobs promised or failed to provide any proof of doing so - a program requirement. A review of records could find evidence of only 923 jobs spawned by the fund.

- The city gambled big on risky startups and lost. The failed bistro and car dealership-related ventures alone swallowed $5 million and haven't created a single job.

- Oversight was lax and requirements laid out to safeguard taxpayer dollars often were ignored. A $1.7 million facade grant program was under the control of one employee who ended up doctoring documents from contractors and forging signatures to steal $95,000.

JTA allocates $9 million of stimulus funds to park-and-ride program, new buses, shelters

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced this month that JTA was being awarded $9.3 million as part of a new batch of federal stimulus awards that distributed more than $600 million throughout the country.

The JTA money will go toward buying new buses, purchasing new fare collection equipment, a hybrid electric cooling system for buses, bus shelters, operating assistance for bus routes and a regional park-and-ride hub in Clay County.

Arrington estimates about nine buses, with about $3.1 million of the stimulus money. The 40-foot buses will look the same as the current vehicles but use a cleaner-burning diesel fuel.

Obama Signs Health Care Overhaul Bill, With a Flourish

“The bill I’m signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see,” Mr. Obama said, adding, “Today we are affirming that essential truth, a truth every generation is called to rediscover for itself, that we are not a nation that scales back its aspirations.”

Jacksonville ranks 39th for cybercrime risk

Jacksonville ranks No. 39 on Norton from Symantec's list of 50 cities most vulnerable to cybercrime.

The rankings were determined through a combination of Symantec Security Response data on cyberattacks and potential malware infections, and third-party data about online behavior, such as accessing Wi-Fi hotspots and online shopping.

Jacksonville jumps five places in population rank

Jacksonville's population was 1,122,750 in 2000, ranking 45th, and that rose to 1,328,144 last year for 40th place.

State tax collections down $67B in ’09

State government tax collections in 2009 totaled $715.2 billion, down 8.6 percent — or $66.9 billion — from 2008.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2009 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections also showed that taxes on individual income totaled $245.9 billion, an 11.8 percent decrease, while general sales taxes were $228.1 billion, down 5.4 percent. Corporate net income taxes — which made up 71.9 percent of all state government tax collections nationally — totaled $40.3 billion, down 20.7 percent.

Florida took in $31.95 billion in total taxes in 2009, including $19.2 billion in general sales taxes and $1.83 billion in corporation net income taxes.

Rethinking Sex Offender Laws for Youth Texting

“Generally this should be an education issue,” said Witold Walczak, legal director of the Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union. “No one disputes that sexting can have very bad consequences, and no parent wants kids sending out naked images. But if you’ve got thousands of kids engaging in this, are you going to criminalize all of them?”

One recent survey found that about one in five teenagers reported having engaged in sexting. Another found that almost half the boys in coed high schools had seen a picture depicting a female classmate nude.

Obama signs $17.6 billion jobs bill

President Barack Obama signed into law a $17.6 billion jobs bill on Thursday and sounded an optimistic note about the U.S. economy, saying it may soon begin adding jobs instead of losing them.

The legislation would exempt businesses from paying the 6.2 percent payroll tax on new employees who had previously been out of work. Employers would also get a $1,000 tax credit if those workers were still on the job a year later.

Obama said that while the jobs bill "is absolutely necessary, it is by no means enough. There is a lot more we need to do to spur hiring in the private sector and bring about a full economic recovery."

The bill also subsidizes state and local construction bonds and allocates $19.5 billion to shore up a highway construction program and extend it through the end of the year.

The bill's costs, other than the highway fund, are offset by a crackdown on offshore tax shelters.

Barriers Found to College Degrees for Hispanics

In the study, the American Enterprise Institute, a nonprofit research organization, examined graduation rates for students who entered college in 1999, 2000 and 2001, and found that 51 percent of those identified as Hispanic earned bachelor’s degrees in six years or less, compared with 59 percent of white students.

The researchers also found that Hispanic students trailed their white peers no matter how selective the colleges’ admissions processes.

For example, at what the researchers considered the nation’s most competitive colleges — as a yardstick, they aggregated institutions using the same six categories as a popular guidebook, Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges — the institute calculated that nearly 83 percent of Hispanic students graduated, compared with 89 percent of white students. Among colleges identified as “less competitive,” the graduation rate for Hispanic students was 33.5 percent, compared with 40.5 percent for whites.

Jax aviation has $2.9 billion impact

Jacksonville's four commercial and general aviation airports have a nearly $2.9 billion annual impact, according to a Florida Department of Transportation study.

Jacksonville International Airport, Cecil Field, Craig Municipal Airport and Herlong Airport employ nearly 29,900 people, according to the "Florida: Statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study." The state's aviation industry has a $114.7 billion impact through its 19 commercial airports, 102 general aviation airports and 11 military airfields.

The industry supports about 1.2 million jobs, which have an annual payroll of $38.8 billion. Commercial and general aviation in Florida has a $97 billion annual impact and creates about 1 million jobs.

Jacksonville can’t afford mandatory study of small-business program

The city’s Small and Emerging Business program was schedule to end Sept. 30, 2009. But the city isn’t able to clearly outline whether the program reached race- and gender-conscious goals for its contracts. Therefore, a disparity study to determine the availability and use of businesses owned by various racial minorities and women is now required by the 2004 ordinance that created it.

Devin Reed, the city’s director of procurement, said that will cost between $750,000 and $1.2 million. It’s money the city doesn’t have.

City Council President Richard Clark has pledged to find the money. A long-time critic of the city’s procurement policies, he said the council and minority contractors must be given all the facts about how the program is working.

“We need to find out if we’re meeting the goals and if indeed we need to go to a race-conscious JSEB program,” Clark said. “And we will find the money.”

The city’s goal was that collectively, small businesses would land 20 percent of its contract money. In the 2007-08 fiscal year, that figure was 24 percent.

But an independent audit of the program released in February said the city couldn’t identify whether the goals for women and minorities were reached. Instead, the city focused on the overall success of the Small and Emerging Business program, which is open to all small businesses regardless of whether they are owned by a woman or minority.

Fla. voucher expansion bill advancing

Sellers of beer, wine and liquor would be added to the list of businesses that can get tax credits for donating to a private school program for low-income children as part of a bill that also increases the value of the vouchers.

The measure that easily cleared the Senate Finance and Tax Committee on Tuesday pits a couple old adversaries: former Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union.

The union was part of a lawsuit that overturned a voucher program Bush started for students from what the state deemed to be failing public schools. The Florida Supreme Court struck down the "opportunity scholarships" that allowed those students to attend private schools at taxpayer expense.

Patricia Levesque, executive director of Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future, argued the state would save money by expanding the Tax Credit Scholarship Program because it would still pay less than what it costs to send children to public school.

Union lobbyist Lynda Russell told the committee this isn't the time, with the state in a financial squeeze, to take more money out of public education.

The voucher program is supported by credits businesses can get against their corporate income taxes and insurance premium taxes for every dollar they donate to the program.

The bill (SB 2126) would add credits for alcoholic beverage and gas and oil severance taxes as well as a form of sales tax paid by some businesses.

The bill also would raise a $118 million cap on the program to $140 million during the budget year starting July 1 and allow for automatic increases after that if the program raises at least 90 percent of the capped amount in a given year.

For the next school year, the bill would increase the vouchers, currently worth $3,950, by about $140 to equal 60 percent of what it costs to send a student to public school. It eventually would grow to 80 percent, or at least about $5,500, in the future.

The committee approved the bill 4-1 with only Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg opposed. The only other Democrat on the panel, Sen. Jeremy Ring of Margate, voted for it.

Report: Jacksonville retail vacancy to top 12%

Jacksonville’s retail market faces tough times ahead in 2010 with the vacancy rate expected to climb above 12 percent and the average asking rent expected to fall to 2003 levels, according to the 2010 National Retail Report by Marcus & Millichap.

The report estimates that the lingering effects of the recession will cause a jump of 100 basis points in the local vacancy rate to 12.3 percent this year and rents will slide 3.4 percent to $14.12 per square foot.

Jacksonville ranked No. 43 in the report’s annual National Retail Index, which ranks 44 retail markets based on a series of 12-month, forward-looking supply and demand indicators. The city’s ranking was up one from last year.

Teenagers in need of direction can turn to apprenticeships

Make sure to read the full article to understand how our education system should be working.

Apprenticeships is a great common sense idea that went away in the 20th century in America.

Jacksonville AIrport had Fewer Passengers in 2009

According to the JIA website, it had more than 395,000 fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008. In 2008, JIA had 6,002,698 passengers. In 2009, that was down to 5,605,934. Those numbers are also down from 2007, which saw 6,319,016 passengers.

Of the 50 largest airports in the United States, only four showed growth in passenger traffic in 2009.

Overall, U.S. airports saw 704-million domestic and international passengers in 2009. That's 5 percent less than in 2008.

$729M in education stimulus part of $3.7B overall to Florida

Florida will get an extra $729 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The state recently reported that recovery dollars have been used to provide funding for more than 24,000 education jobs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2009, while also supporting programs that drive education reform.

In addition to the nearly $729 million announced today, the Education Department said the Recovery Act has provided $3.71 billion through 10 different state programs as well, including $1.98 billion in State Fiscal Stabilization funds, $671.25 million in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funds, $8.25 million in Work Study funds for students attending schools in Florida, $32.16 million in Vocational Rehabilitation Funds and $30 million in Education Technology Grants.

To date, Florida has received $4.44 billion in stimulus money.

Key Vote: Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act

- Vote Passed (217-201, 14 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill that would provide $13 billion in payroll tax relief over 10 years for employers who hire unemployed workers and extend through 2010 a law that allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 in qualified expenses. The bill goes to the Senate.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act

Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act

- Vote Passed (262-153, 16 Not Voting)

The House passed this legislation that would establish the first federal safety standards on seclusion and restraint in schools, allowing for restraints in cases when there is immediate danger to the student or others. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Temporary Extension Act of 2010

Temporary Extension Act of 2010

- Vote Passed (78-19, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate passed this bill that provides short-term extensions of a number of programs that expired February 28, including unemployment benefits and federal health care subsidies for jobless workers. The bill was quickly signed by the President.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

- Vote Passed (235-168, 29 Not Voting)

The House passed this intelligence authorization bill after stripping out controversial language on interrogation techniques used by U.S. personnel. The bill now has to be reconciled with a Senate version (S. 1494) in conference committee.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

- Vote Passed (406-19, 8 Not Voting)

The House voted to end an exemption from federal antitrust law for health insurance companies. The bill now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Jobs for Main Street Act

Jobs for Main Street Act

- Vote Agreed to (70-28, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate passed this $15 billion jobs bill, which includes payroll tax breaks, bond-financing for state and local infrastructure projects, and an extension of federal highway programs. The bill now goes to the House.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

U.S. says "drugged driving" growing threat

The United States is calling for discussions at United Nations level to tackle "drugged driving" and says it wants to collect data to gauge the scale of the problem among public sector drivers and commercial truckers.

"If you think about driving on an American road on a Friday or Saturday evening about 16 percent of the vehicles - one in six of the cars - (the driver) will be under the influence of an illicit or licit drug," Gil Kerlikowske, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, said.

"Drugged driving is a significant problem." he told reporters at a week-long U.N. drug policy review meeting.

He said the two countries had agreed to conduct operations on certain facilities in Afghanistan, producer of over 90 percent of the world's opium, which fuels a $65 billion illegal market and helps fund the insurgent Taliban.

U.S. Enriches Companies Defying Its Policy on Iran

The federal government has awarded more than $107 billion in contract payments, grants and other benefits over the past decade to foreign and multinational American companies while they were doing business in Iran, despite Washington’s efforts to discourage investment there, records show.

That includes nearly $15 billion paid to companies that defied American sanctions law by making large investments that helped Iran develop its vast oil and gas reserves.

Many of those companies are enmeshed in the most vital elements of Iran’s economy. More than two-thirds of the government money went to companies doing business in Iran’s energy industry — a huge source of revenue for the Iranian government and a stronghold of the increasingly powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a primary focus of the Obama administration’s proposed sanctions because it oversees Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

Other companies are involved in auto manufacturing and distribution, another important sector of the Iranian economy with links to the Revolutionary Guards. One supplied container ship motors to IRISL, a government-owned shipping line that was subsequently blacklisted by the United States for concealing military cargo.

Jacksonville tree protection fund nearly depleted, council says

The main financial resource Jacksonville's mayor and City Council have used over the years to plant trees and improve landscaping on public roads and property is nearly depleted.

There is about $2 million left in the city's tree protection trust fund, an account fed by developers' contributions that had a balance of more than $10 million just a year ago.

The council's Finance Committee, led by Stephen Joost, has stopped new spending out of the tree protection fund until a decision can be made on how the remaining dollars should be used.

"At the rate we're going, we're going to run out of money," he said. "Maybe there ought to be some kind of hierarchy so we can prioritize some of the upcoming projects."

Councilman Reggie Brown wants to use $97,000 from the fund to plant trees along Moncrief Road, Avenue B and 45th Street in his district. Brown said it doesn't make sense to stop using the money in the way it was intended.

"I believe that stalling it only stalls beautification of Jacksonville," Brown said.

The fund was established by ordinance decades ago and required developers who cut down protected trees to mitigate those losses by either planting new trees or, more often, paying into the account. Later, a citizen referendum in 2000 led to a charter amendment that strengthened requirements and extended the accountability to housing developers.

As the city grew and development remained robust, the fund was constantly replenished. When the mayor's office or a City Council member wanted to use the money to plant trees along a public road or landscape property, few questions were asked, Joost said.

"Every time a councilman has a request for trees, it's pretty much rubber-stamped," he said.

It wasn't until recently that Finance Committee members began asking for an accounting of the money that remains and where it has been spent.

Numbers supplied by the Council Auditor's Office show that of the nearly $19 million spent in the past five years, the districts with the highest tree protection fund spending were those adjacent to downtown.

Analysis documents college 'grade inflation' over decades

Grades awarded to U.S. undergraduates have risen substantially in the last few decades, and grade inflation has become particularly pronounced at selective and private colleges, a new analysis of data on grading practices has found.

In "Grading in American Colleges and Universities," published Thursday in Teachers College Record, Stuart Rojstaczer, a former Duke University professor of geology, and Christopher Healy, an associate professor of computer science at Furman University, illustrate that grade point averages have risen nationally throughout most of the last five decades. The study also indicates that the mean G.P.A. at an institution is "highly dependent" upon the quality of its students and whether it is public or private.

"There's no doubt we are grading easier," said Rojstaczer, the founder of GradeInflation.com, where he's built a database of grades at a range of four-year institutions since 2003. The findings are based on historical data dating back at least 15 years at more than 80 colleges and universities, and contemporary data from more than 160 institutions with enrollments totaling more than 2,000,000.

Since the 1960s, the national mean G.P.A. at the institutions from which he's collected grades has risen by about 0.1 each decade — other than in the 1970s, when G.P.A.s stagnated or fell slightly. In the 1950s, according to Rojstaczer's data, the mean G.P.A. at U.S. colleges and universities was 2.52. By 2006-07, it was 3.11.

Though there's "not a simple answer as to why we grade the way we do," Rojstaczer speculated on several reasons why mean G.P.A.s have increased. One factor, he said, is that faculty and administrators "want to make sure students do well" post-graduation, getting into top graduate schools and securing jobs of their choice. Particularly since the 1980s, "the idea that we're going to grade more leniently so that our students will have a leg up has really seemed to take hold."

Senators: Lift Ban on Gays Donating Blood

The time has come to change a policy that imposes a lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, 18 senators said Thursday.

"Not a single piece of scientific evidence supports the ban," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who joined 16 other Democrats and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in writing Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

The lawmakers stressed that the science has changed dramatically since the ban was established in 1983 at the advent of the HIV-AIDS crisis. Today donated blood must undergo two different, highly accurate tests that make the risk of tainted blood entering the blood supply virtually zero, they said.

The senators said that while hospitals and emergency rooms are in urgent need of blood products, "healthy blood donors are turned away every day due to an antiquated policy and our blood supply is not necessarily any safer for it."

Florida No. 8 for unemployment in 2009

Florida’s average unemployment rate shared a three-way tie for the 8th highest in the nation in 2009.

A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the state’s average unemployment rate edged up 4.2 percentage points from 6.3 percent in 2008 to 10.5 percent in 2009. An average of 966,000 Floridians were out of work last year compared with the average 578,000 out of work in 2008.

Jacksonville’s literacy rate takes a tumble, study finds

A recently released survey puts Jacksonville in the bottom third of the country when it comes to literacy. At question isn’t whether people can read, but how they read: how often they access books and news, and how many libraries and bookstores the city has to offer.

Jacksonville was ranked No. 55 overall in the survey that was led by Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis. El Paso and Corpus Christi, both in Texas, were at the bottom of the list of 75 cities.

For Jacksonville, the 2009 ranking marked five straight years of declining literacy, according to the annual assessment by Central Connecticut State University.

Fla. Deadliest State for Pedestrians, Cyclists

Florida is the deadliest state in the U.S. for pedestrians - and bicyclists don't fare any better.

In 2008, the most recent year for which federal statistics are available, 11.1 percent of pedestrians and 17.4 percent of bicyclists killed in the U.S. died in the Sunshine State, which has 6 percent of the nation's population.

The top four of the 10 most dangerous metropolitan areas for walking are in Florida, according to a study last fall by two Washington, D.C.-based non-profit groups. The state has been in the top three in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities every year since 2001, federal data show.

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

Local, state and federal agents found about a million more pot plants each year between 2004 and 2008, and authorities say an estimated 75 percent to 90 percent of the new marijuana farms can be linked to Mexican gangs.

In 2008 alone, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, police across the country confiscated or destroyed 7.6 million plants from about 20,000 outdoor plots.

On Health Care Reform

If Congress really wanted to fix the current health system, why couldn't they just vote on the issues that both parties agree on. This would, after all, be better than doing nothing.

Also, how does increasing the number of insured people actually lower costs? Especially if these people began to actually use medical care for which they were previously putting off.

Why do we even continue to want insurance companies to be in charge of health care in the first place. Couldn't we all just agree to pay individually with cash or through HSA's?

Book Review: Reading People

Title: Reading People
Author: Jo-Ellan Dimitrius and Mark Mazzarella
Year: 1999
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Psychology

Review: This was a decent book on human behavior. I just wasn't a huge fan of the dozens of stories she told. I would rather have read about studies regarding human behavior rather than experience (which almost anyone could write a book about if you just pay attention). Read the body language book by Pease instead.

Grade: C

Obama signs Patriot Act extensions

President Obama has signed a one-year extension of several provisions in the main U.S. counterterrorism law, the Patriot Act.

Provisions in the measure would have expired on Sunday without Obama's signature Saturday.

The act, which was adopted in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, expands the government's ability to monitor Americans in the name of national security.

Three sections of the Patriot Act that stay in force will:

--Authorize court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones.

--Allow court-approved seizure of records and property in anti-terrorism operations.

--Permit surveillance against a so-called lone wolf, a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group.

Obama's signature comes after the House voted 315 to 97 Thursday to extend the measure.

Report: Florida has insignificant offshore oil

Estimated reserves in Florida waters would provide the United States with less than a week’s worth of oil and have no discernible effect on prices at the pump or U.S. reliance on foreign oil, according to a report released Friday as part of a state Senate review of whether a ban on offshore drilling should be lifted.

Most of the total reserves east of Apalachicola also are gas. The oil estimated in state waters would boost U.S. supplies by less than 100 million barrels, or a small fraction of 1 percent.

“To put that in context, the total estimated amount of oil reserves in Florida would satisfy the U.S. demand for oil [approximately 20 million barrels a day] for less than a week,” according to the report.

Panel urges city to make several changes in governance

After eight months of analysis, the Jacksonville Charter Revision Commission approved its final list of recommendations Thursday. The commission's work will be formally presented to the City Council on March 9. Then council members will begin their own study of these recommendations.

Ethics code

Creates an ethics code in the city charter that applies to all officials and employees under the consolidated government, including independent agencies, constitutional officers and the school system. Would also give the Ethics Commission jurisdiction over these entities.

Charter Revision Commission

Gives the commission a full year to complete its once-a-decade review of the city charter. The current group's term was set at eight months, but it says it could have used more time to research the issues.

Mayor-appointed School Board

Allows the mayor to appoint School Board members, who are then confirmed by the City Council. Those members would not be paid. Board members are now elected by voters and are paid $37,300 annually.

Hybrid School Board

Keeps elected board members, but allows the mayor to appoint a majority of board members. All board members, both elected and appointed, would not be paid.

At-large School Board districts

School Board candidates would run countywide for at-large seats, though there would be residency restrictions on who can run for each seat. Under the current system, each board member represents a district and only voters living in the district can vote for those candidates.

City-controlled charter schools

Urges the city to establish new charter schools or a charter school district, where the city would operate several schools outside of much of the oversight and regulations imposed on other public schools.

Empowering principals

That the City Council and School Board work to change state law to create policies that give school principals greater autonomy to select staff and improve instruction.

Strategic plan

Requires Jacksonville's mayor to create a strategic plan outlining goals and fiscal priorities within six months of assuming office. The mayor would have to establish a four-year plan that includes a vision statement, mission statement, financial plan, goals and measurements for annual performance reviews.

Pension reform

That the City Council amend city law to require a financial impact statement any time pension or retirement benefits are tweaked. That information, created by the Council Auditor's Office, would have to be shared with the Mayor's Office, council members and representatives of the affected employees.

Veto override

Makes it harder for the City Council to override a mayoral veto of financial issues by requiring a two-thirds supermajority, or 13 of 19 council members. Currently, the council only needs a simple majority, 10 of 19, to override vetoes of budget or appropriation matters, although a two-thirds majority is required for other veto overrides.

City elections

Move city elections to coincide with the fall gubernatorial elections. This would save $3 million every four years. The City Council has decided to take a different route by moving elections to fall 2011, which doesn't save money but does allow newly elected mayors and council members more time to transition before budget talks begin. Currently, city elections are scheduled for spring 2011.

Fannie Loses $16.3 Billion and Asks Treasury for Aid

Fannie Mae, the nation’s largest provider of residential mortgage funds, reported a loss of $16.3 billion for the fourth quarter on Friday and said it had requested $15.3 billion from the Treasury to maintain a positive net worth.

The government-controlled company said it would need additional taxpayer funds in the future to continue operations.

Fannie Mae said rising defaults kept credit-related expenses elevated at $11.9 billion, though expenses were almost half the third-quarter level of $22.0 billion.

Fannie Mae’s quarterly loss was $15.2 billion before a $1.2 billion dividend payment on senior preferred stock owned by the Treasury, putting total 2009 losses at $74.4 billion, compared with $59.8 billion in 2008.

Serious delinquencies on mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae on single-family homes rose to 5.38 percent as of Dec. 31, compared with 4.72 percent on Sept. 30, and 2.42 percent at the end of 2008.

State officials: More than 1,000 gangs in Florida

More than 1,000 gangs with nearly 49,000 members and associates are roaming through virtually every corner of the state.

Officials say the report released Wednesday by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and the Coordinating Council on Gang Reduction Strategies will help authorities gauge the growing problem and identify solutions.

Study: 1 in 5 kids don't see dentist each year

At least one in five U.S. children go without annual dental care and most states lack key policies to ensure access to cost-saving preventive treatments, according to a study released Tuesday by the Pew Center on the States.

Six states received an "A" grade from the non-profit policy analysis group for their dental health policies. But even children in those states have problems accessing care, the report said.

"Americans will be spending $106 billion on dental care this year," said Shelly Gehshan, director of the Pew Children's Dental Campaign. Much of that care pays for costly treatments such as fillings and root canals, which have their origins in poor childhood dental care, she said.

"F" states: Met only one or two policy benchmarks

• Florida

U.S. Afghan death toll hits 1,000

A website which tracks casualties, www.icasualties.org, said 54 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year, raising the total to 1,000 since the Taliban's fall. This compares with eight this year in Iraq, where 4,378 have been killed since 2003.

Report: Wall Streeters Got $20B in Bonuses in 2009

Employees at Wall Street financial firms collected more than $20 billion in bonuses in 2009, the year after taxpayers bailed out the financial sector amid the economic meltdown, New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Tuesday. The payouts were about 17 percent higher than the previous year's bonuses.

Total compensation at the largest securities firms grew beyond that figure and profits could surpass what he calls an unprecedented $55 billion last year, DiNapoli said. That's nearly three times Wall Street's record increase, a rate of growth that is boosted in part by the record losses in 2008 of nearly $43 billion, the Democrat said.

Study: JIA fourth in passenger satisfaction

Jacksonville International Airport ranked fourth among U.S. airports with fewer than 10 million annual passengers in the 2010 J.D. Power & Associates passenger satisfaction study.

JIA reported it also ranked fourth best airport in North America for customer service in a survey of participating airports by Airports Council International. JIA ranked first in the ACI survey last year.

A Study Finds Jacksonville Has the 49th Most Congested Roads

Atlantic, Blanding, San Jose, Beach, 103rd...the very mention of these words to drivers throughout the city evokes images of gridlock.

It also has put Jacksonville among the top in the nation in congestion. A study published today, shows Los Angeles leading the nation in the dubious category.

Jacksonville, with 4 percent of L.A.'s congestion, ranks 49th. Not surprisingly, California and Florida are very well represented in the top 100.

Trail Ridge lawsuit could cost Jacksonville $1.2 million

The cost of the using a private law firm to defend Jacksonville in the Trail Ridge landfill lawsuit is expected to surpass $1 million in taxpayer dollars, city attorneys say.

City General Counsel Rick Mullaney said the city has already paid its outside help — the law firm of Tanner Bishop — $450,000 to defend the suit filed in May in federal court by Waste Management. Now the City Council is being asked to approve an additional $750,000, which should be enough to pay for the costs of seeing the matter through trial, Mullaney said.

The lawsuit is the result of the City Council’s decision to allow companies to bid on the right to operate the landfill instead of approving the Mayor John Peyton’s proposed contract extension with Waste Management, worth an estimated $750 million over 35 years.

Waste Management vowed to file suit, arguing all along that the original contract gives it the right to operate the entire 978-acre site. A jury trial is scheduled for December, and thus far attempts at mediation have been unsuccessful.

Council President Richard Clark supported the decision to put Trail Ridge operations out to bid but said he is not convinced that it would be a wise decision to spend more money fighting the lawsuit.

“I do have concerns that we went through $450,000 in such a short amount of time,” he said.

Duval survey finds one of 12 armed in high school

Nearly one out of 12 Duval County high schoolers reported bringing a weapon to school and about 40 percent of students said they had at least one drink — both in the past 30 days, according to a survey conducted last year.

Those are some of the more dire findings from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, part of a national project that focuses on teenagers’ attitudes and experience with violence, sex, alcohol, drugs and suicide. Eating habits were also questioned.

More than 5,600 middle and high school students in 46 schools participated in the survey, part of a larger effort by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect information on teen behavior.

Other key findings from the survey:

• Thirty-four percent of students said they’ve never consumed alcohol.

• Forty-six percent of high schoolers reported never having had sexual intercourse.

• Thirty-seven percent of high schoolers described themselves as sexually active.

• Of those, 58 percent reported having sex with a condom, compared to 65 percent statewide.

Jacksonville Housing Offers Financial Assistance to Families in Need

Families in need of financial assistance to buy homes may now be eligible for $15 million in Single Family Mortgage Revenue bonds issued by the Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority.

The bonds will be used to provide low-interest mortgage financing and possible funding assistance with down payments or closing costs to Jacksonville families.

To qualify for this program, you must meet specific income guidelines and standard credit underwriting requirements. The home must be a primary residence and located in Duval County, and the buyer must be a first-time home buyer (has not owned a principal residence in the past three years), an honorably-discharged veteran (First Key Home Loan Program only) or persons refinancing a predatory loan product.

Florida No. 1 in mortgages past due

Florida is first in the nation with 26 percent of mortgages one or more payments past due as of Dec. 31, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's National Delinquency Survey.

The survey finds 20.4 percent of Florida mortgages are 90 days late or already in the process of foreclosure.

Nevada comes in second, with 24.7 percent one payment or more past due and 19 percent 90 days or more late or in the process of foreclosure.

Nationwide, the delinquency rate fell to a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.47 percent of all loans outstanding as of the end of the fourth quarter. That’s down 17 basis points from the third quarter, but up 159 basis points from a year ago. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Key Vote: Confirm Craig Becker

Cloture Motion, Nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board

- Vote Rejected (52-33, 15 Not Voting)

The Senate rejected this motion to move forward on the nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

US states face $1,000bn retirement gap

US states face a funding gap of at least $1,000bn for the retirement benefits they have promised teachers, firefighters and other public sector employees, threatening already strained budgets, according to research released on Thursday.

The Pew Center on the States found that, at the end of fiscal year 2008, states and localities had set aside $2,350bn to pay for pension, healthcare and other non-pension benefits, such as life assurance, that were estimated to cost $3,350bn.

Crist endorses Fla. space funding bills

Gov. Charlie Crist has endorsed legislation to assist new and expanding space businesses in Florida.

Crist threw his support Thursday to a pair of bills (HB 696, SB 1776) that would expand the types of projects funded with sales taxes generated mainly by Kennedy Space Center visitor complexes.

Current law earmarks $14.5 million for improvements at a single launch complex. The bills would allow the state's space agency, Space Florida, to also use that money for other projects that would attract new business to Florida.

Jacksonville poll: City should do more for ailing schools, downtown

The survey of 400 likely Jacksonville voters was conducted in early February by the Washington, D.C.-area pollster American Viewpoint. It carries a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

When asked whether taxes should be kept low or increased to provide city services, the poll found 57 percent of Republicans wanted no tax increase while 63 percent of Democrats were comfortable with a higher tax bill.

Asked if city government should fund cultural and economic programs for the city, the pollsters got a “yes” response from 70 percent of Southside/Mandarin voters, 79 percent of urban core voters, 71 percent of Westside voters and 74 percent of Beaches voters.

Sweeping majorities of voters representing all neighborhoods, political philosophies and income levels said they believe the Jaguars are important to the city’s economy. More on the Jaguars' role in the study here.

Asked if City Hall should spend money improving downtown, 65 percent of liberals were in favor, as were 52 percent of conservatives. More on downtown's role in the study here.

$7.7 billion in stimulus spent in Florida so far

The White House says about half of $14.9 billion in stimulus available to Florida has been spent in the past year.

Figures released Wednesday to coincide with the program's anniversary show $7.7 billion has been spent in Florida with an estimated 112,000 jobs saved or created.

Other Florida numbers:

- 612 transportation projects obligated totaling $1.6 billion.

- 1,947 small business loans given totaling $1 billion.

- 7.1 million working families getting $3.5 billion in tax relief.

- 1 million jobless workers getting extended unemployment benefits.

- 3.7 million high-need residents getting $250 relief payments totaling $924 million.

- $2.4 billion in additional Medicaid funding spent.

Sink: Cut Out Middle Managers to Save Money

Democrat CFO Alex Sink says the state has far too many middle managers.

She says that when these people move on they should not be replaced.

"We're not just going to replace them with another manager. Instead we're going to re-engineer better ways to provide more efficient services to Floridians without hiring more middle managers".

She believes that could save the state as much as $300 million, if it dropped $4,600 middle managers.

Book Review: Monster

Title: Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member
Author: Sanyika Shakur
Year: 1993
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Crime/Gangs

Review: This is an excellent memoir about a Crips gang member. Easy to read and well worth the time.

Grade: B+

Please Vote For Me

I recently watched "Please Vote for Me," a movie about a third grade classroom democratic election in China.

This movie shows how democracy doesn't always work. Incumbents can win regardless of past actions. People continuously change their mind based on what they can get, instead of what really matters.

Definitely a movie worth watching.

Book Review: Beggars and Theives

Title: Beggars and Thieves: Lives of Urban Street Criminals
Author: Mark Fleisher
Year: 1995
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Crime

Review: An excellent study regarding the cycle of crime.

Grade: B+

Book Review: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Stufy of Personal Small Arms Tactics

Title: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study Of Personal Small-Arms Tactics
Author: Gabriel Suarez
Year: 1998
Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Police

Review: An easy to read book (w/pics) regarding arms tactics.

Grade: B-

Obama Says Safe Nuclear Power Plants are a Necessary Investment

President Obama today said that safe, new nuclear power plants are a "necessity" as he announced more than $8 billion in federal loan guarantees to build the first nuclear power plant in three decades.

“Investing in nuclear energy remains a necessary step,” the president said today at the IBEW Local Headquarters in Lanham, Maryland, “What I hope is that, with this announcement, we're underscoring both our seriousness in meeting the energy challenge and our willingness to look at this challenge, not as a partisan issue , but as a matter that's far more important than politics because the choices we make will affect not just the next generation but many generations to come.”

Mr. Obama’s announced plans to break ground on two new nuclear reactors at a Southern Company plant in Burke, Georgia – which he said will create thousands of construction jobs in the next year – with 800 permanent, well-paying jobs in years to come.

State: Number of Florida visitors dropped only slightly in 2009

An estimated 80.3 million people visited Florida in 2009, according to preliminary figures, representing a 0.8 percent decline from the year before. It's a sign that visitation has held up "extraordinarily well" in the economic downturn, but Visit Florida said that travelers are spending less.

"The good news is that total visitation was relatively steady and more than 80 million travelers chose Florida as their destination last year," said Will Seccombe, Visit Florida's chief marketing officer. "The challenge is that we have increased competition as a destination and travelers are spending less."

Florida Executes Prisoner

Florida has executed 45-year-old Martin Edward Grossman, who was convicted of killing a state wildlife officer during the 1980s.

Governor Charlie Crist's office said Grossman died at 6:17 p.m. today at Florida State Prison.

He was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Margaret ``Peggy'' Park, a Florida wildlife officer who was shot with her own gun in 1984. Grossman was the 69th person executed in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated here in 1979.

He was the 25th to die by lethal injection, the fifth executed under Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the first in 2010. Park's family traveled from Ohio to witness the execution.

Crist Appoints Art Graham to Vacant Council Seat

Late Friday, Crist appointed former councilman Art Graham to fill the District 13 seat.

Graham held the same seat until he stepped down to run for the late Sen. Jim King's seat in the state senate. John Thrasher won that election. Meserve won the special election to take his place.

Graham's experience is a key reason Crist selected him.

"Art is a knowledgeable entrepreneur and public servant who is well-suited to serve on the Jacksonville City Council," said Crist. "His previous experiences serving the people of Jacksonville will benefit the city, and I am confident he will be a welcome voice on the council."

The 44-year-old was elected to the Jacksonville City Council in 2003. He had previously been a Jacksonville Beach city councilman.

OT Payout Draws Swift Reaction from City of Jacksonville

In the 2009 budget year, the city of Jacksonville paid $31 million in overtime - an increase from the previous year- and city officials are saying that's a problem.

"We would like to cut down on the overtime and we have made a concerted effort to do so," said city councilman Stephen Joost.

Joost chairs the city council's finance committee. "The big area seems to be in corrections," he said.

The councilman, reacting to a First Coast News report Monday on Jacksonville's overtime said the problem needs to be reviewed.

"Last year was a tough year; in some cases we may have cut too many jobs. We replaced 80 positions last year and this year added positions for 44 new corrections officers," said Joost.

The city's Corrections Department and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department spent the most in overtime. Other city council members said the problem is spiraling out of control.

"I think it is something we will have to keep our eye on the ball continuously. I know as a small-business owner I cannot afford overtime," said Councilman John Crescimbeni.

Councilman Reginald Brown shared his concern. "I definitely believe we will have to deal with it because it is costing us more money in the long run. We need to tackle the problem right now."

The city has earmarked $22 million for overtime spending in the 2010 budget year, said Poppell.

Mich. Boy, 13, Accused of Point Blank Killing

The murder arrest rate in 2008 was 3.8 arrests per 100,000 juveniles ages 10 through 17. This was 17 percent more than the 2004 low of 3.3 and three-quarters less than the 1993 peak of 14.4, according the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

In the most comprehensive survey to date, "Children's Exposure to Violence," the U.S. Justice Department suggests that most U.S. children are exposed to violence in their daily lives, with more than 60 percent reporting exposure within the past year.

"These kids have been either abused or seen abuse or they have been exposed to violence somewhere in their life," said psychologist Herbert Nieburg, associate professor of justice and political studies at Mitchell College in New London, Conn. "And some are just angry kids who want to get even."

Floridians protest offshore oil drilling

Thousands of Floridians demonstrated against moves to allow offshore oil drilling on Saturday along the east and west coasts of the state in a protest dubbed "Hands Across the Sand."

Organizer David Rauschkolb said about 80 demonstrations took place at beaches from Pensacola on the northwest coast of Florida to Key West in the south and Jacksonville in the north.

Fla. program diverts troubled kids from court

The $29 million program served about 15,000 children between the ages of 10 and 17 during the 2008-09 fiscal year, with about 6,400 of those spending time in a shelter. Juveniles charged with a crime are not eligible.

About 85 percent of those who spend time at a CINS/FINS shelter - typically two weeks - do not commit a crime within six months of being released, according to the state.

For those with less severe issues who receive nonresidential counseling, usually with their parents, the program's success rate is about 95 percent. There is one caveat - the state only tracks the first six months after the child leaves the program.

Florida TaxWatch, a private, nonpartisan budget watchdog group, says the program saves the state millions by keeping the teens out of the court system and prison.

The state contracts with the nonprofit, Tallahassee-based Florida Network of Youth and Family Services to run the program. It subcontracts with 31 public and private community organizations and 28 shelters for counseling and residential services.

Key Vote: Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act

Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act

- Vote Passed (233-187, 14 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would raise the federal debt limit to $13.029 trillion and enact pay-as-you-go budget enforcement rules aimed at cutting the government's deficit. It now goes to the president for his signature.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Confirm Labor Solicitor

M. Patricia Smith, of New York, to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor

- Vote Confirmed (60-37, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate confirmed Patricia Smith to be the Labor Department's solicitor, despite concerns that she gave contradictory statements during her confirmation hearing.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010

Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010

- Vote Passed (240-175, 18 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would establish the Castle Nugent national historic site in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and authorize the Interior Department to purchase land for the site with appropriated funds. It now goes to the Senate.

Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted Not Voting......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Confirming Bernanke

Confirmation of Ben S. Bernanke to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

- Vote Confirmed (70-30)

The Senate confirmed Ben Bernanke for a second four year term as the Fed Chairman.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Key Vote: Raise the debt ceiling

Debt Limit Extension

- Vote Agreed to (60-39, 1 Not Voting)

The Senate passed this resolution that would raise the federal debt limit to $13.029 trillion. It now goes to the House for approval.

Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail

or see bio

Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail

or see bio

Watchdog: Florida Politicos Better, But Still Fly On Your Dime

Fewer politicians are flying on your dime in Florida. Charges for flights on state planes have dropped 63 percent over two years.

In 2007, nearly $1.1 million was spent, compared to $407,420 in 2009.

Governor Charlie Crist, who is running for U.S. Senate, spent almost twice as much time on the planes his first year in office than his third.

Flights charged to the senate were down 99 percent last year compared to 2007.

Crist Touts State's Adoption Record

In 2009, there were a record 3,777 adoptions statewide, breaking the previous record set the year before.

At the same time, Florida's foster care system is responsible for a third fewer children than just two years ago, totaling 19,797 as of July.

"Across Florida, communities are getting involved in raising awareness about adoption and helping children in foster care find their forever families," said Gov. Charlie Crist. "We must continue to maintain Florida's successful adoption track-record so that wonderful foster children in state care can find permanent and loving adoptive families."

In May, 2008, Crist launched "Explore Adoption," a statewide initiative to find families for Florida's kids.

Jacksonville Symposium: Dropout Rate High Amongst Black Males

The research shows dropouts from the class of 2008 represented a $1.2 billion-dollar loss to Northeast Florida's economy over the course of their lifetime.

Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist clash on who should be counted in Census

U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio backtracked Thursday from his statement that the U.S. Census should count only ``legal American citizens,'' temporarily shifting his surging campaign into damage control.

Rubio still favors excluding illegal immigrants from the formulas that dole out $400 billion in federal aid and seats in Congress. His position puts him at odds with his campaign opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist, and many other elected officials who say leaving out illegal immigrants would keep the state from getting its fair share.

``It would be pretty damaging to Florida,'' Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said at a Capitol Hill press conference Wednesday promoting a thorough count. ``The reality is, whether you like it or not, there are undocumented, illegal people in the state. Pretending they're not there, not counting them, doesn't make them go away.''

Mayor, Council President Launch Budget Talks

Hoping to teach Jacksonville taxpayers more about how the city's billion dollar spending plan is crafted, Mayor John Peyton and City Council President Richard Clark have scheduled a series of town hall style budget workshops and launched a new website aimed at lifting the veil of uncertainty from the city budget.

"We need this conversation, we need this platform for early discussions," Peyton said at the launch of MyJaxBudget.com.

The Mayor predicts a $40-60 million budget shortfall when he presents a billion dollar spending plan to City Council in mid-July.

In addition to the website, educating taxpayers on how the city collects revenue and where that money goes, Peyton and Clark have scheduled a series of budget workshops, an attempt to help taxpayers understand city departments, functions and current budget priorities.

"From these workshops, we will publish reports on what the conclusions were from the individual workshop tables," Peyton said, when asked how these community meetings will help him shape a budget. "They will provide a ranking of what functions they think are critical and which ones are not. I think it gives us good input."

A total of six budget workshops are scheduled, each limited to just 88 participants.

Gov: Fla. to be reimbursed for Haiti victim costs

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday the federal government has agreed to reimburse the state for treating victims of Haiti's earthquake.

The governor also said he never requested emergency medical evacuations be halted, only that the state receive help in responding to them. The flights were suspended for several days last week but restarted Sunday after the White House said it was told hospitals in Florida and elsewhere have enough space for the victims. One such flight was expected to arrive in Florida Monday night.

"Florida never said we wanted to stop taking Haitians. All we said was that we would appreciate help continuing to help our friends from the island," the governor said. "And that's exactly what has happened."

The governor said he did not know what triggered the suspension of military medical evacuation flights.

Crist told reporters, aid volunteers and staff at Miami International Airport Monday that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told him the department has designated the state for National Medical Disaster System assistance. That will cover the estimated $25 million the state expects to spend on the repatriation and medical care of Haitian-Americans and other earthquake victims in critical condition.

Hansell said so far more than 20,000 U.S. citizens have been repatriated, with nearly all landing in Florida.