"How a police boycott of Gate would hurt the business is uncertain. A veritable empire built by the mayor’s father, Herb Peyton, in the 1960s, Gate has 225 locations in six Southeastern states."
"The company also has a stake in $21 million worth of contracts to fuel the city motor pool, including police cruisers, which officers take home after work."
"Earmarks are usually listed in what's called the "report" which accompanies the bill, where the legislative intentions of the Appropriations Committee are spelled out. They are just recommendations, which some argue don't even have the force of law."
"If you think it is time consuming to read a bill, it is much more time consuming to read the report, which can be hundreds and hundreds of pages of explanation."
"The report provides one of the first in-depth looks at obese boomers, and its implications are sobering. This first wave of aging boomers will mean a jump of obese Medicare patients that ranges from 5.2 percent in New York to a high of 16.3 percent in Alabama, the report concluded. In Alabama, nearly 39 percent of the oldest boomers are obese."
"Health economists once made the harsh financial calculation that the obese would save money by dying sooner. But more recent research instead suggests that better treatments are keeping them alive nearly as long — but they're much sicker for longer, requiring such costly interventions as knee replacements and diabetes care and dialysis. Medicare spends anywhere from $1,400 to $6,000 more annually on health care for an obese senior than for the non-obese, Levi said."
"The U.S. economy decreased at an annualized rate of 5.5 percent in the first quarter after a 6.3 percent decline in the last quarter of 2008."
"The Bureau of Economic Analysis, which released first quarter gross domestic product figures Thursday, said the improved performance is due to a 1.4 percent increase in real personal consumption."
"The decline in GDP, which measures the output of goods and services produced in the U.S., coincided with a rise in corporate profits, which increased $48.1 billion in the first quarter following a $250.3 billion decrease in the fourth quarter of 2008."
"The US has revealed it is sending weapons and cash to the Somali government to aid its fight against al Shabab."
"The US state department said on Thursday it was "concerned" about whether the government of Sharif Ahmed could be overwhelmed by fighters from the group."
"Washington was hoping to help "repel the onslaught of extremist forces which are intent on ... spoiling efforts to bring peace and stability to Somalia," Ian Kelly, a state department spokesman, said."
"The estimate is based on 2002 levels of air pollution from gasoline cars, factories, and other sources. It represents a drop from a 2006 estimate, when the EPA predicted an average of 42 cancer cases per million people based on 1999 air pollution levels."
"For an extra $115 next year, Mayor John Peyton says, the average Jacksonville homeowner would save things like fire stations, libraries, children’s programs and recycling."
"The mayor made his plan for a 1.2 mill property tax increase official Thursday."
"Peyton called his proposed 14 percent property tax rate increase a “marginal revenue play” that he thinks taxpayers will ultimately accept for the good of the city. Jacksonville, he said, has spent years under-investing in everything from parks to police."
“We have ordered up government on the cheap,” he said. “My concern is with further cuts, we make our city not only a lesser place to live but un-competitive as we try to grow this economy.”
"His “Fix it Now” plan also depends on $40 million in spending cuts, most of them coming from freezing wages, furloughing employees, eliminating 100 vacant positions and requiring all workers to contribute to their health-care plan.""Of the $40 million in cuts — which are coming regardless of a tax increase — city employees are hit hardest:
- A salary freeze is expected to save $8 million.
- A 5 percent across-the-board departmental budget cut would save $8.5 million.
- Eliminating 100 vacant positions would free up $5 million in salary and benefit expenses.
- Targeting $10 million in savings from furloughs and a renegotiated union worker health plan."
"The Labor Department said the number of mass layoff actions -- defined as job cuts involving at least 50 people from a single employer -- increased to 2,933 in May from 2,712 in April, resulting in the loss of 312,880 jobs."
"It was the largest loss of jobs connected to mass layoffs on records dating to 1995."
"The economy has lost six million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. Economists polled by Reuters expect the economy shed a further 368,000 jobs in June."
"The study was done by Press Ganey, a consultant for more than 10,000 health care facilities (more than 40% of the USA's hospitals). For the fifth straight year, customer satisfaction showed a slight increase, to 83.7% from 83.1% in 2007."
"The bad news in the report: The average time spent for each visit to an emergency room is 4 hours and 3 minutes, a two-minute decline from 2007. Lengthy stays also were highlighted in April by the Government Accountability Office, which found some waits for emergent patients — those who should see a doctor in one to 14 minutes — were more than twice as long as they should be."
"The seasonally adjusted rate for May is 10.2 percent. That translates to 943,000 unemployed out of a labor force of 9.2 million, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation."
"Nationwide, the unemployment rate is 9.4 percent."
"The state’s unemployment rate is up 4.4 percentage points from the same period a year ago. The last time the rate was higher was October 1975, when it was 11 percent."
"The unemployment rate in the Jacksonville metropolitan statistical area was 9.7 percent, up from 9.3 percent in April and 5.2 percent a year ago. The rate in Duval County was 10.2 percent, up from 9.8 percent in April and 5.4 percent a year earlier.""Crist also signed a new law making it more difficult for elected officials and high-ranking public employees to "double dip" by collecting a salary and a pension at the same time. Another measure he signed would give law enforcement officers suspected of wrongdoing the opportunity to review evidence and witness statements before they are questioned."
"Pharmacies will be required to tell the state within 15 days who received a drug and what was prescribed. Pain clinics also will be required to register with the state and submit to annual inspections."
"The double-dipping measure (SB 479) will require officials to stay in retirement for six months, instead of only one under existing law, before going back to work in the same or another sate or local government job."
"There are 148 public schools in the county, and 101 of them scored A or B, more than two-thirds. Last year, the number was 85."
"In 2008, 26 schools scored a D or F; this year, the number is down to 19."
"Or did they?"
"Defeated challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi claims that the official result of 62.6 percent for Mr. Ahmadinejad and just 33.7 percent for him was a "dangerous charade," and has called for a new election. His newspaper, Kalameh Sabz, reported that more than 10 million votes were missing personal identification numbers that made the votes untraceable. He also says some polling stations closed prematurely, preventing some voters from casting ballots. "
"Results from 39.2 million handwritten ballots came much more swiftly than in previous votes, emerging within hours. Detailed election data typically released has not been made public."
"Iran's Supreme Leader sanctioned Ahmadinejad's victory after a day, instead of the customary three. "
"Earlier polls appeared to indicate a stronger showing for Ahmadinejad, who – though under fire for poor economic performance, a surge of inflation, and unemployment – had made 60 visits to Iran's provinces handing out cash and development projects."
"The final "official" figures, however, gave Ahmadinejad 24.5 million votes, and Mousavi 13.2 million. That result was a shock for many Iranians and analysts."
"A study released Tuesday by the Florida Department of Children and Families shows violent crime committed by minors while drinking costs about $316 million. Alcohol-related traffic crashes by minors costs about $642.7 million."
"According to the study, the number of Florida minors who reported drinking in the past 30 days was higher than the national average at 37 percent, compared to 29 percent.""Senators who oversee the $700 billion Wall Street rescue package held stocks in many of the banks bailed out towards the end of last year, according to financial disclosure reports released Friday."
"According to the reports detailing senators’ finances in 2008, nearly half of the members of the Senate Banking Committee had holdings in financial institutions that have taken funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The panel has jurisdiction over the bailout fund and other relief efforts directed by federal regulators to save the nation’s financial system."
"Net worth for households and non-profit groups decreased to $50.4 trillion, the lowest level since 2004, from $51.7 trillion in the fourth quarter, according to the Federal Reserve’s Flow of Funds report today. The government began keeping quarterly records in 1952."
"And venture capitalists agree that investments are more likely to increase in countries outside of the U.S. than domestically in the next three years. Half of the venture capitalists surveyed said investment will increase in Asia (excluding India); 43 percent named India; 36 percent selected South America; 25 percent said Europe and the United Kingdom; and just 17 percent said investment would increase in North America."
"Fifty-two percent of all venture capitalists surveyed said they already invest outside their home countries."
"The study found the city isn't setting aside enough money every year for maintenance and construction and is not able to adequately take care of its assets."
"And the biggest threat to the city's financial health is the underfunded pension plans owed to fire and police and other city workers. The city now owes the funds $1 billion."
"The taxpayers’ investment in the U.S. auto industry rose to $80.3 billion, after the U.S. Treasury provided a new $30.1 billion bankruptcy loan to General Motors (GMGMQ: undefined, undefined, undefined%) on Wednesday, two days after GM filed for bankruptcy, a new Treasury report said."
"The funding amounts, through 15 transactions since December, total more than 10% of the $700 billion in bailout money Congress approved for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, in October, when it was expected to help stabilize mainly banks."
"If you do not immediately surrender possession and move out of the unit by May 30, 2009, FEMA will initiate legal action to gain possession of the housing unit," reads the May 1 note sent to thousands of residents living in the Cavalier model trailers along the Gulf Coast."
"However, after FEMA was contacted by The Washington Times with questions about the evictions, the agency released a statement Friday that suggested not everyone will be put out on the street."
"The expenditures were legal, properly accounted for and drawn from allowances the U.S. government grants to lawmakers. Equipment purchased with office expense accounts must be returned to the House or the federal General Services Administration when a lawmaker leaves office."
"The records show that some lawmakers spent heavily in the final months of the year to draw down allowances before the end of December -- a time when U.S. households were paring their budgets and lawmakers were criticizing Detroit auto executives for taking private aircraft to Washington to plead their case for taxpayer funding.""House members get a government expense allowance of $1.3 million to $1.9 million a year. Senators get $2.9 million to $4.5 million. The disparity is based on several factors, with lawmakers whose home states are far from Washington, for example, typically receiving more to cover their higher travel expenses."
"If lawmakers don't seek reimbursement for all of their allowance money for the year, the remainder doesn't roll over to the next year, but stays with the Treasury. The review showed that the increased year-end spending went not only toward equipment but also to fund year-end "bonuses" to aides. The average House aide earned 17% more in the fourth quarter of the year, when the bonuses were paid, than in previous quarters, according to an earlier Journal analysis. Payments ranged from a few hundred dollars to $14,000."
"The report found that, in 2008, uninsured people received $116 billion in health care from hospitals, doctors and other providers. The uninsured paid 37 percent of that amount out of their own pockets, and government programs and charities covered another 26 percent."
"That left about $43 billion unpaid, and that sum made its way into premiums charged by private insurance companies to businesses and individuals, the report said."
"Prime fixed-rate loans comprise 65 percent of the $9.9 trillion in outstanding first mortgages, according to the industry group."
"Foreclosure actions were started on an all-time high 1.37 percent of first mortgages in the quarter, a record increase from 1.08 percent the prior quarter."
"It seemed among the easiest of his transparency pledges and is entirely under his control, but President Obama is finagling his promise to post bills on the White House Web site for comment for five days before he signs them."
"Mr. Obama last week signed four bills, each just a day or two after Congress passed and sent it over to him."
"The White House said it posted links from its Web site to Congress' legislative Web site about a week before Mr. Obama signed the measures, but transparency advocates say that doesn't match the president's pledge to give Americans time to comment on the final version he is about to sign."
"He didn't say, 'When there's a bill heading to my desk,' or 'When we're pretty sure a bill will soon be passed.' He said when a bill ends up on his desk - a strong implication that public review would follow the bill arriving at his desk," said Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute."
"By a 5-4 vote, the conservative majority overruled a 23-year-old Supreme Court decision that barred the police from initiating questioning after a defendant asserted the right to an attorney at an arraignment or similar proceeding."
"Unemployment in Jacksonville dipped slightly to 9.2 percent in April, down from a seasonally adjusted 9.4 percent in March but still double the rate a year ago."
"The numbers were announced Friday by the state’s Agency or Workforce Innovation. Statewide unemployment dipped from a seasonally adjusted 9.8 percent in March to 9.6 percent in April. The rate was 4.9 percent in April 2008."
"Florida’s air travel bill between April 13 and April 30 was nearly $33,000, with the governor and state attorney general racking up the most flight time."
"The information comes from state travel logs that Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced are now posted on line by the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS)."
"The third grade results of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) were released today."
"More students are at or above grade-level than the FCAT has ever seen. Looking long-term, the percentage of third graders at grade level or better is up 26% in nine years."
"Overall, 78% of third graders are at or above grade level, a 2% increase over last year. The reading scores slipped from 72% last year to 71% this year."
"Only 35 percent of customers polled said they are highly committed to their retail banks, down from 37 percent in 2008 and 41 percent in 2007."
"Rising fees were the main reason that customers switched banks. One in three who changed banks in the last year said they did so because of higher fees, according to the survey, which was released on Tuesday."
"A study late last year by Bankrate.com found that lenders were imposing record high fees on such items as bounced checks and ATM charges, while boosting the minimum deposit amounts needed to avoid monthly fees."
"When banks are charging 30 percent interest rates, they are not making credit available," said Senator Sanders. "They are engaged in loan sharking." Also known as usury. Throughout history, usury has been decried by writers, philosophers, and religious leaders."
"Nearly 70% of JEA customers consume 6,000 gallons or less of water each month. For those households the water-sewer bill starting in October will go up slightly more than $5.00 a month."
"The October 1 water and sewer increase is the first of four rate hikes that will have bills go up around 10% each year."
"A mid-year budget report for Jacksonville shows revenues have dropped, but so have expenses. Revenues are $15.8 million below expectations. At the same time, city officials have cut spending by $22.4 million."
"The report notes a $10.7 million falloff in sales tax revenue alone, hinting at the overall economic woes city officials expect will continue preying on the coffers into next year. Among expense cuts, the report notes the city should save $14 million in salaries and benefits for a number of open jobs that have not been filled."
"Employers trying to save money in the current recession have forced workers to take on a greater portion of their healthcare costs, according to Milliman Inc., the consulting firm that prepared the report."
"Costs grew by an average of $1,162 per family this year from an average of $15,609 last year, the report said.'
"While employers' contribution to workers' monthly premiums increased by 5.4 percent over the past year, employees' contributions went up 14.7 percent, the third straight year of double-digit increases, the report said."
"Employers still pay the lion's share of healthcare costs, with an average contribution of $9,947 per worker. Employees paid an average of $4,004 in payroll deductions and an additional $2,820 in out-of-pocket expenses, the report found."
"Mr Steinbrück admitted the federal deficit would exceed €50bn in 2009 and rise to €90bn next year, more than twice the previous record of €40bn set in 1996 as Germany was absorbing the huge cost of its unification. In contrast, the federal deficit last year was only €11.9bn."
"The average base salary of a CEO at a U.S. public company dropped 23.9 percent in the past year to $1.2 million, according to a study."
"The drop is the largest decline in base salaries in the past 12 years, according to the Redmond, Wash.-based ERI Economic Research Institute’s Executive Compensation Index."
"In May 2009, the average base pay was $1.2 million, down from $1.58 million in May 2008. But other parts of an average CEO’s compensation package haven’t fallen nearly as dramatically."
"Bonus and nonequity incentives have risen 1 percent in the past year, as well as other compensations. The average CEO compensation package, which includes bonuses, options, pension and other items, is now $16.65 million annually, down 3.3 percent from $17.21 million a year ago."
"In the four years from January 2004 to January 2008, the Medicare trustees reported that the unfunded liabilities of Social Security and Medicare grew by a stunning $10.4 trillion. The average annual growth topped $2.5 trillion. "
"An Environmental Protection Agency proposal that could lead to regulating the gases blamed for global warming will prove costly for factories, small businesses and other institutions, according to a White House document."
"The nine-page memo is a compilation of opinions made by a dozen federal agencies and departments during an internal review before the EPA issued a finding in April that greenhouse gases pose dangers to public health and welfare."
"That finding could set in motion for the first time the regulation of six heat-trapping gases from cars and trucks, factories and other sources under the Clean Air Act."
"The document, labeled "Deliberative-Attorney Client Privilege," says that if the EPA proceeds with the regulation of heat-trapping gases, including carbon dioxide, factories, small businesses and institutions would be subject to costly regulation."
"Making the decision to regulate carbon dioxide ... is likely to have serious economic consequences for regulated entities throughout the U.S. economy, including small businesses and small communities," the document says."
"A year ago, the trustees projected that the Social Security trust fund would start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2017 and that the trust fund would be depleted in 2041."
"For the Medicare trust fund, which pays for hospital care, the situation was more urgent. It was projected to start paying more in benefits than it collects in taxes within a year, and the trustees forecast that it would be depleted by 2019."
"Fewer people working means less being paid into the trust funds for Social Security and Medicare. The Congressional Budget Office recently projected that Social Security will collect just $3 billion more in 2010 than it will pay out in benefits. A year ago, the CBO had projected that Social Security would have a much higher $86 billion cash surplus for the 2010 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The difference in the two estimates is the result of the recession."
"Thousands of taxis, buses and council vehicles could be fitted with devices that prevent them from exceeding the speed limit."
"The technology — known as Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) — is being tested by Transport for London in a trial starting this summer on all roads inside the M25."
"Drivers of vehicles with ISA will be able to select an option that prevents them from accelerating over the limit. The vehicle will also automatically slow down if the driver fails to reduce his speed when he passes a sign marking a lower limit."
"The device uses satellite tracking and a digital road map to detect the local speed limit."
"About 30 million people -- 14 percent of the US population 16 and older -- have trouble with basic reading and writing. Correlating factors that were explored in a new government report include poverty, ethnicity, native language background, and disabilities."
"Of these 30 million people, 7 million are considered "nonliterate" in English because their reading abilities are so low. When shown the label for an over-the-counter drug, for instance, many in this subgroup cannot read the word "adult" or a sentence explaining what to do in the event of an overdose."
"Dr. John Muney, president of AMG Medical Group, said he started the program in September after noticing that many of his patients were losing their jobs, and therefore, their health insurance coverage."
"About 500 people have registered for Muney's $79-a-month plan, accounting for 15 percent of patients at the practice, which has offices in each of New York's five boroughs."
"The monthly $79 fee -- roughly equivalent to the price of a Starbucks coffee a day -- covers unlimited preventive visits and onsite medical services such as minor surgery, physical therapy, lab work and gynecological care."
"So far the program has not turned a profit, but Muney said he estimates that it could be profitable with 4,000 patients. In the meantime, he said, his motive is to give something back and provide a model of how healthcare can be more efficient."
"Our healthcare system lends itself to abuse, fraud and waste," he said, adding that bypassing insurers saved on administrative costs, which he said were about 25 percent of the price of care. "With this model, we're bypassing all that."
"Muney said he received initial complaints from state insurance authorities in November. "The law says you can do preventive checkups unlimited, but if they come for sick visits you have to charge your overhead costs," he told Reuters."
"In February he received a letter instructing him that he must charge that minimum cost, which he calculates at $33 a visit -- a price he says will deter people from signing up."
"An analysis by The Associated Press, based on data collected by the U.S. Postal Service and the Housing and Urban Development Department, shows the emptiest neighborhoods are clustered in places hit hard during the recession of the 1980s — cities such as Flint, Mich.; Columbus, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Indianapolis."
"In some sections of certain areas like Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, roughly two of every three homes are vacant or used by squatters. The area is more than 70 percent black and poor, with unemployment often around 50 percent. It's a place where simmering resentment and frustration boiled up into three days of rioting in 2001 after police fatally shot a young, unarmed black man fleeing arrest on traffic warrants.""The budget raises an historic amount of taxes, fees and licenses -- about $2 billion worth -- on smokers, drivers, property owners, sportsmen, university students and sportsmen."
"Pumped with $5 billion in federal bailout cash, the budget provides a small boost in per-student spending for K-12 schools, and trims a wide array of Medicaid reimbursements to doctors and hospitals and applied a 2 percent reduction to the salaries of state workers earning more than $45,000 yearly."
"The government is going to want some of that money back."
"The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month."
"The credit pays workers 6.2 percent of their earned income, up to a maximum of $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples who file jointly. Individuals making more $95,000 and couples making more than $190,000 are ineligible.""The American Lung Association has given Duval County an "F" grade in air quality."
"Breaking it down, the city scores an "F" in both the number of high ozone days and in particle pollution."
"The worst air quality? It's Los Angeles. By comparison, the ozone data for Los Angeles indicates a weighted average of 96.5. A failing grade is anything over a 3.3. Jacksonville rates a 7.0.""In a 5-2 vote, the board voted to reduce the school day by 45 minutes."
"The district says it will save $13 million dollars, but 200 positions will be cut. Students will have three 90-minute classes and one 45-minute class."
"If you've spent time on university campuses lately, you probably know the answer. Teach for America -- the privately funded program that sends college grads into America's poorest school districts for two years -- received 35,000 applications this year, up 42% from 2008. More than 11% of Ivy League seniors applied, including 35% of African-American seniors at Harvard. Teach for America has been gaining applicants since it was founded in 1990, but its popularity has exploded this year amid a tight job market."
"So poor urban and rural school districts must be rejoicing, right? Hardly. Union and bureaucratic opposition is so strong that Teach for America is allotted a mere 3,800 teaching slots nationwide, or a little more than one in 10 of this year's applicants. Districts place a cap on the number of Teach for America teachers they will accept, typically between 10% and 30% of new hires. In the Washington area, that number is about 25% to 30%, but in Chicago, former home of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, it is an embarrassing 10%."
"This is a tragic lost opportunity. Teach for America picks up the $20,000 tab for the recruitment and training of each teacher, which saves public money. More important, the program feeds high-energy, high-IQ talent into a teaching profession that desperately needs it. Unions claim the recent grads lack the proper experience and commitment to a teaching career. But the Urban Institute has studied the program and found that "TFA status more than offsets any experience effects. Disadvantaged secondary students would be better off with TFA teachers, especially in math and science, than with fully licensed in-field teachers with three or more years of experience."
"In addition to limits on rate increases and late-term penalties, the president called for companies to disclose the terms and conditions of credit cards "in plain language" and "in plain sight." "No more fine print, no more confusing terms and conditions. We want clarity and transparency from here on out," he said."
"He also proposed that each card issuer might issue "a plain vanilla, easy-to-understand" credit card "that the average user can feel comfortable with." There should also be more accountability for card issuers, he said. Those who break the law, Obama said, "will feel the full weight of the law.""
"The measure (HB 1293) passed Thursday on a 75-42 party line vote with Republicans for and Democrats against."
"It would increase math and science requirements and the score needed on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, to get a standard diploma."
"According to a report released this week by computer security company McAfee, spammers last year generated a whopping 62 trillion junk e-mails."
"What does that mean in terms of energy?"
"Instead of sending messages asking for money or marketing Viagra, the electricity used sending the e-mails could have powered 2.4 million homes for a year or driven a car around the planet 1.6 times, according to the report. "
"The decline took place over a six year period from 1999 to 2005 and reflects fundamental changes in the so-called "war on drugs" – how it's targeted and prosecuted – as well as the waning of the crack epidemic in predominantly minority urban areas and the increase in methamphetamine abuse in largely white rural neighborhoods. "
"The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians found that taxpayers spend:"
"-- $3.4 billion a year to educate illegal immigrant children and the U.S. born children of illegal immigrants. -- $290 million a year on unreimbursed health care for illegal aliens. -- $90 million a year to incarcerate criminal illegal aliens."
"President Barack Obama on Monday took a big step towards relaxing sanctions on Cuba, lifting all travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans and permitting US telecoms companies to offer services directly to the island."
"The end of the restrictions, which Mr Obama promised during his campaign, means Cuban-Americans will be able to travel to the island state when they like, as opposed to once a year, and send as much money as they want to relatives, as opposed to $75 a month. Mr Obama also said he would permit Cuban-Americans to pay for US-provided telecoms services to relatives living in Cuba."
"The survey of 807 adults who lost full-time jobs in the past year showed that 49 percent had found new jobs but of those, 49 percent now earn less money."
"Of those with new jobs, 38 percent said they are now employed in a different field, the survey found. Eight percent reported finding part-time work.""Cutting financially troubled borrowers' monthly mortgage payments by more than 10% reduces the chances that they will fall behind again after their loan is modified, a study found."
"While modifications that result in lower payments are increasing, nearly half of all loan workouts still result in the same or higher payments, the study found."
"The report comes as a weak economy and falling home prices are creating problems for a number of borrowers, including many who previously had good credit. The biggest percentage jump in troubled loans was for prime mortgages, with 2.4% of these loans more than 60 days past due at the end of the fourth quarter, up from 1.1% at the end of the first quarter. The portion of subprime loans that were more than 60 days past due climbed to 16% from 11% during this same period. Overall, more than one in 10 loans were 60 days past due, the report found.""Servicers have stepped up their efforts to modify loans and reduce borrowers' payments in response to pressure to reduce foreclosures. The percentage of modifications that reduced loan payments by more than 10% increased to 37% in the fourth quarter from 26% in the third quarter. Still, roughly one in four borrowers saw their payments increase after their loan was modified."
"Mortgage servicers have been more successful modifying loans that are held on their own books than those that are owned by mortgage investors. Nearly half of investor loans were at least 60 days delinquent nine months after they were modified compared with about 30% of loans that are held in bank portfolios. Servicers said they have more flexibility to rework loan terms for mortgages they own than for those held by investors."
"Neil Havens Rodreick II pleaded guilty last year to seven criminal charges. Most involved child pornography but two stemmed from the charade he pulled off for two years."
"Authorities didn't find any victims of sexual abuse at the schools Rodreick attended, but they found an extensive collection of child pornography at his home."
"Rodreick originally faced 28 counts, but pleaded guilty to only a quarter of them: four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor stemming from the pornography, and one count each of failure to register as a sex offender, fraud and simple assault. The assault charge involved an allegation that he grabbed a girl's buttocks at a school in Prescott Valley with the intent to injure, insult or provoke."
"The Duval County School Board is rethinking its transportation plan to save money in tight times. Several changes are being considered that would add up to nearly $5 million in savings to taxpayers."
"One proposal up for debate would cut some bus stops for students who attend magnet schools. This plan would have magnet students picked from their neighborhood school and then bused to their magnet school."
"Another transportation change would increase the distance from school where transportation is provided. At present, students are not afforded a bus ride if they live closer than 1.5 miles from their school. That distance could be increased to 2 miles, which is the state standard.""The findings suggest patients aren't told enough about how to take care of themselves and stay healthy before they go home, the researchers said. A few simple things — like making a doctor's appointment for departing patients — can help, they said."
"The study found that a surprising half of the non-surgery patients who returned within a month hadn't even seen a doctor between hospital stays."
"About 10% of all readmissions were probably planned, such as putting in a stent, the researchers said. They estimated that unplanned return visits accounted for $17.4 billion of the $102.6 billion that Medicare paid hospitals in 2004.""The patients went to hospital emergency rooms 2,678 times from 2003 through 2008, said the report from the non-profit Integrated Care Collaboration, a group of health care providers who care for low-income and uninsured patients."
"Despite spending reductions, the plan projects permanent deficits exceeding $500 billion into the future, fueled largely by big tax cuts."
"The GOP plan would offer a dramatically simplified tax code in which couples would have the option of a 10 percent rate on the first $100,000 of income, with a 25 percent rate thereafter, with the first $25,000 of income exempt from taxation. Single filers could get a $12,500 exemption and a 10 percent rate on income up to $50,000."
"Taxpayers could also opt to remain in the current system. On Medicare, workers under the age of 55 would enroll in private plans and receive premium subsidies equal to the average Medicare benefit when they retire. Benefits would not be changed for people in the program or people 55 or older."
"Florida will receive $168 million in federal stimulus money to pay for projects that reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency."
"The money is being made available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, which was signed into law in 2007. However, the program was not funded until the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law."
"The money will be allocated through grants to 17 counties ($74 million), 69 cities ($64 million), two tribal governments ($243,000) and the governor’s Energy Office ($30 million)."
"In addition, the Energy Office will distribute $18 million in sub-grants – 60 percent of its federal allocation to smaller cities and counties that are ineligible for direct formula grants."
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