The number of obese Americans is steadily climbing, with obesity rates rising in 28 states in the past year.
According to a report released Tuesday titled "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010," 38 states have obesity rates of more than 25 percent, and almost one-third of American children are considered obese.
Obesity is defined by body mass index (BMI), a measurement that relates a person's weight to height. For adults, a BMI of 30 or above is considered obese. The definition varies for children according to age and sex, but a child is considered obese in the 95th percentile on the BMI chart.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Fla. receives low marks for education spending
Florida was below the national average for education spending per student, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report.
The state spent $9,035 per student during the 2007-08 school year, 12 percent lower than the national average of $10,259.
The Duval County School District spent $8,653 per student, 4 percent below the state figure.
Of the money Florida spent on its students, 39.4 percent came from state revenue, while 52.3 percent came from local taxes and 8.3 percent came from the federal government.
Of Duval County's spending on students, 46.7 percent came from state revenue, 44.8 came from local taxes and 8.6 percent came from the federal government.
Nationally, on average, 48.3 percent of funding comes from state revenue, while 36.6 come from local sources and 8.1 percent is provided by the federal government.
New York spent the most on each elementary, middle and high school student, at $17,173, while Utah spent the least, at $5,765.
The numbers come from the Census Bureau’s Public Education Finances 2008 report, released Monday, which catalogs education spending and sources of revenue.
The state spent $9,035 per student during the 2007-08 school year, 12 percent lower than the national average of $10,259.
The Duval County School District spent $8,653 per student, 4 percent below the state figure.
Of the money Florida spent on its students, 39.4 percent came from state revenue, while 52.3 percent came from local taxes and 8.3 percent came from the federal government.
Of Duval County's spending on students, 46.7 percent came from state revenue, 44.8 came from local taxes and 8.6 percent came from the federal government.
Nationally, on average, 48.3 percent of funding comes from state revenue, while 36.6 come from local sources and 8.1 percent is provided by the federal government.
New York spent the most on each elementary, middle and high school student, at $17,173, while Utah spent the least, at $5,765.
The numbers come from the Census Bureau’s Public Education Finances 2008 report, released Monday, which catalogs education spending and sources of revenue.
Reduced cost, recidivism in redirection for Florida youthful offenders
Called “redirection,” it consists mostly of family therapy and focuses on parents — an emphasis that’s nearly impossible to attain when youth are locked up at residential commitment centers. It does not accept youth who have committed violent or first-degree felonies.
Redirection has saved the state $51 million and youth that go through it are less likely to re-offend than those who go to commitment centers, according to a recent report from the state Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. Yet the program receives just a fraction of the funding spent on incarceration of youth at commitment centers — and spending on it is unlikely to increase any time soon.
About 95 percent of the work is focused on parents, said Matthew Birt, program director for the White Foundation. And the therapists travel to their home on evenings or weekends so that work hours and transportation are not barriers.
So then why does the state spend $11.5 million on redirection programs but about $242 million overall on secure and non-secure residential corrections?
Redirection has saved the state $51 million and youth that go through it are less likely to re-offend than those who go to commitment centers, according to a recent report from the state Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. Yet the program receives just a fraction of the funding spent on incarceration of youth at commitment centers — and spending on it is unlikely to increase any time soon.
About 95 percent of the work is focused on parents, said Matthew Birt, program director for the White Foundation. And the therapists travel to their home on evenings or weekends so that work hours and transportation are not barriers.
So then why does the state spend $11.5 million on redirection programs but about $242 million overall on secure and non-secure residential corrections?
Florida Wins $11.5M Food Stamp Bonus
Florida's food stamp program has been named the nation's most accurate in paying benefits for the second year in a row, earning an $11.5 million bonus from the federal government.
The Florida Department of Children and Families on Monday also announced its program has been rated the most improved in a separate category -- handing benefit denials and closures. Two years ago, Florida was most improved in payment accuracy.
Florida's award is the largest ever given to a state since the U.S. Department of Agriculture started the bonus program in 2003.
Florida's program is the nation's fourth largest, providing more than $4 billion in benefits to more than 3.5 million people last year.
The Florida Department of Children and Families on Monday also announced its program has been rated the most improved in a separate category -- handing benefit denials and closures. Two years ago, Florida was most improved in payment accuracy.
Florida's award is the largest ever given to a state since the U.S. Department of Agriculture started the bonus program in 2003.
Florida's program is the nation's fourth largest, providing more than $4 billion in benefits to more than 3.5 million people last year.
First Phase Of Repainting On San Jose Will Cost $300,000
Phase one alone, which is poles from Interstate 295 to Haley Road, will cost $300,000.
Crews are pulling out one pole at a time, taking them to a facility on the Northside and repainting them black.
At roughly $15,000 a pole, FDOT expects to spend more than $1 million to repaint all the poles scattered around town with the same peeling problem.
Phase one is expected to be finished by the fall. Then, FDOT hopes to start phase two repainting poles along San Jose North to Old St. Augustine.
Crews are pulling out one pole at a time, taking them to a facility on the Northside and repainting them black.
At roughly $15,000 a pole, FDOT expects to spend more than $1 million to repaint all the poles scattered around town with the same peeling problem.
Phase one is expected to be finished by the fall. Then, FDOT hopes to start phase two repainting poles along San Jose North to Old St. Augustine.
E.P.A. Lags on Setting Some Air Standards, Report Finds
The Environmental Protection Agency is 10 years behind schedule in setting guidelines for a host of toxic air pollutants, according to a report from the agency’s inspector general.
The report, which was released last week, found that the agency had failed to develop emissions standards, due in 2000, for some sources of hazardous air pollutants. These included smaller sites often located in urban areas, like dry cleaners and gas stations, but also some chemical manufacturers.
The inspector general also found that the agency had not met targets outlined in a 1999 planning document, the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy, including tracking urban dwellers’ risk of developing health problems from exposure to pollutants.
Some experts said the failures were persisting largely because the E.P.A.’s Office of Air and Radiation, which is responsible for regulating air pollutants, lacked the money needed to meet its deadlines.
The report, which was released last week, found that the agency had failed to develop emissions standards, due in 2000, for some sources of hazardous air pollutants. These included smaller sites often located in urban areas, like dry cleaners and gas stations, but also some chemical manufacturers.
The inspector general also found that the agency had not met targets outlined in a 1999 planning document, the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy, including tracking urban dwellers’ risk of developing health problems from exposure to pollutants.
Some experts said the failures were persisting largely because the E.P.A.’s Office of Air and Radiation, which is responsible for regulating air pollutants, lacked the money needed to meet its deadlines.
Supreme Court Affirms Right to Keep Handguns in Home
A narrowly divided Supreme Court today ruled that the Second Amendment's right to bear arms is applicable to all states and municipalities. The ruling will most likely overturn Chicago's strict ban on handguns.
"It is clear that the framers and ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights necessary to our system of ordered liberty," wrote Justice Samuel Alito for the five-four majority.
In 2008, the Court issued a landmark decision in the case District of Columbia v. Heller that established for the first time an individual's constitutional right to have a gun in his house, striking down Washington D.C.'s, strict handgun ban. The ruling, however, applied only to federal enclaves.
Today's ruling applies to states and cities, such as Chicago, that have similar bans.
But Alito was also careful to note that in some instances the right to bear arms can be limited.
"It is important to keep in mind that Heller, while striking down a law that prohibited the possession of handguns in the home, recognized that the right to keep and bear arms is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose," he wrote.
"We made it clear in Heller that our holding did not cast doubt on such longstanding regulatory measures as prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."
"It is clear that the framers and ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights necessary to our system of ordered liberty," wrote Justice Samuel Alito for the five-four majority.
In 2008, the Court issued a landmark decision in the case District of Columbia v. Heller that established for the first time an individual's constitutional right to have a gun in his house, striking down Washington D.C.'s, strict handgun ban. The ruling, however, applied only to federal enclaves.
Today's ruling applies to states and cities, such as Chicago, that have similar bans.
But Alito was also careful to note that in some instances the right to bear arms can be limited.
"It is important to keep in mind that Heller, while striking down a law that prohibited the possession of handguns in the home, recognized that the right to keep and bear arms is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose," he wrote.
"We made it clear in Heller that our holding did not cast doubt on such longstanding regulatory measures as prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."
BP shares fall; lost market value tops $100 bln
BP shares fell nearly 4 percent in New York Friday. If the decline holds, BP will have lost more than $100 billion in market value since a rig it operated exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier, the company said the cost of responding to the Gulf oil leak has risen to $2.35 billion. The escalating costs, plus potential legal liabilities and BP's continuing struggles to contain the leak — now estimated at between 1.5 million and 2.5 million gallons per day — have eroded investor confidence.
BP's shares closed at $60.48 on April 20, the day of the rig blast. On Friday, they dipped as low as $27.07 and traded at $27.69 around midday. At that price, BP shares have lost $102.63 billion in value since April 20 and $12.74 billion this week alone.
Earlier, the company said the cost of responding to the Gulf oil leak has risen to $2.35 billion. The escalating costs, plus potential legal liabilities and BP's continuing struggles to contain the leak — now estimated at between 1.5 million and 2.5 million gallons per day — have eroded investor confidence.
BP's shares closed at $60.48 on April 20, the day of the rig blast. On Friday, they dipped as low as $27.07 and traded at $27.69 around midday. At that price, BP shares have lost $102.63 billion in value since April 20 and $12.74 billion this week alone.
Justices Limit Use of ‘Honest Services’ Law Against Fraud
The Supreme Court on Thursday significantly narrowed the scope of a law often used by federal prosecutors in corruption cases and called into question the fraud convictions of Jeffrey K. Skilling, a former chief executive of Enron, and Conrad M. Black, a newspaper executive convicted of defrauding his media company.
The justices were unanimous in calling a broad interpretation of the law, which makes it a crime “to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services,” unconstitutionally vague.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who wrote the majority decisions in both the Skilling and Black cases, said the law must be limited to the offenses of bribes and kickbacks. She was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices John Paul Stevens, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Sonia Sotomayor.
Prosecutors had charged Mr. Skilling with manipulating the financial results of Enron, the collapsed energy company, and misleading investors about them. That may be a crime, Justice Ginsburg wrote, but it is not a violation of the honest-services law.
“The government did not, at any time, allege that Skilling solicited or accepted side payments from a third party for making these misrepresentations,” she wrote. “It is therefore clear that, as we read” the law, “Skilling did not commit honest-services fraud.”
The justices were unanimous in calling a broad interpretation of the law, which makes it a crime “to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services,” unconstitutionally vague.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who wrote the majority decisions in both the Skilling and Black cases, said the law must be limited to the offenses of bribes and kickbacks. She was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices John Paul Stevens, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Sonia Sotomayor.
Prosecutors had charged Mr. Skilling with manipulating the financial results of Enron, the collapsed energy company, and misleading investors about them. That may be a crime, Justice Ginsburg wrote, but it is not a violation of the honest-services law.
“The government did not, at any time, allege that Skilling solicited or accepted side payments from a third party for making these misrepresentations,” she wrote. “It is therefore clear that, as we read” the law, “Skilling did not commit honest-services fraud.”
News / Metro * Comment * Email * Print * Blog This * * Follow Metro River health rates high on new Jacksonville City Coun
Jack Webb said his year as Jacksonville City Council president will focus on the health of the St. Johns River, fiscal reform and revising the city charter.
Webb said signs that an algae bloom was forming in the river and recent fish kills should worry all Jacksonville residents. The government should be encouraging water conservation, environmentally friendly landscaping and low-impact development, he said.
“If we value our quality of life and the economic prosperity that the river provides to us, we must each do our part to preserve its health,” Webb said.
Webb said signs that an algae bloom was forming in the river and recent fish kills should worry all Jacksonville residents. The government should be encouraging water conservation, environmentally friendly landscaping and low-impact development, he said.
“If we value our quality of life and the economic prosperity that the river provides to us, we must each do our part to preserve its health,” Webb said.
Treasury sends $418M to hard-hit Florida
Florida is in line to receive $418 million of a $1.5 billion federal fund designed to tackle foreclosures in some of the nation’s “hardest hit” areas.
The money, issued to state housing finance agencies, is designed to support local initiatives to assist struggling homeowners in affected states as part of the first round of funding available under this new program, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
The money, issued to state housing finance agencies, is designed to support local initiatives to assist struggling homeowners in affected states as part of the first round of funding available under this new program, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Medians, Public Buidlings and Parks Will Have Grass Mowed Less Often This Summer
summer parks will be cut every two weeks instead of weekly.
Buildings and medians will be maintained every three weeks instead of twice a month.
It is all expected to save $800,000 this year and almost $2 million next year.
Buildings and medians will be maintained every three weeks instead of twice a month.
It is all expected to save $800,000 this year and almost $2 million next year.
American Medical Assoc.: Insurers file 1 in 5 claims inaccurately
One in five medical claims is processed inaccurately by commercial health insurers, often leaving physicians shortchanged, according to the nation's largest doctor's group.
The American Medical Association released its third annual report card on insurers Monday.
In past years, Medicare performed well in how quickly and accurately it paid doctors, but the AMA did not release Medicare's data Monday to keep the focus on commercial insurers. Those private insurance companies matched their payments to what they agreed to pay doctors about 80% of the time.
The AMA report card is an effort to reduce the cost of claims processing for doctors. As much as $210 billion is spent annually just to process insurance claims.
The American Medical Association released its third annual report card on insurers Monday.
In past years, Medicare performed well in how quickly and accurately it paid doctors, but the AMA did not release Medicare's data Monday to keep the focus on commercial insurers. Those private insurance companies matched their payments to what they agreed to pay doctors about 80% of the time.
The AMA report card is an effort to reduce the cost of claims processing for doctors. As much as $210 billion is spent annually just to process insurance claims.
In U.S., 15 percent lack health insurance: survey
The survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed a stable pattern over recent years of Americans without health insurance -- numbers used as the basis for battles over healthcare and health insurance reform.
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics said in its report that 15.4 percent of Americans lacked health insurance in 2009, compared to 14.7 percent in 2008.
The survey found that 46.3 million people had no health insurance in 2009, a bit up from 43.8 million in 2008. This included more than 6 million children under 18.
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics said in its report that 15.4 percent of Americans lacked health insurance in 2009, compared to 14.7 percent in 2008.
The survey found that 46.3 million people had no health insurance in 2009, a bit up from 43.8 million in 2008. This included more than 6 million children under 18.
BP Agrees to Put $20 Billion in Escrow Account for People Affected by Oil Spill, White House Says
BP today pledged to put $20 billion in an escrow account to compensate people affected by the Gulf coast oil spill, a White House official told ABC News.
The fund will be run by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who also oversees salary limits for companies getting federal bailout money.
This is the first time the president has met with any BP executives since the spill began on April 20, after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig.
The fund will be run by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who also oversees salary limits for companies getting federal bailout money.
This is the first time the president has met with any BP executives since the spill began on April 20, after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig.
White House Requests $15 Million for Oil Spill Commission
The White House is asking Congress for $15 million to pay for the presidential commission that will investigate the BP oil spill.
President Barack Obama made the request in a letter Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Obama has insisted that BP pay all costs associated with the spill, and the company agreed to a $20 billion victims' compensation fund on Wednesday. But there are a few costs that taxpayers will have to bear and paying for the operations of the commission is one of them.
The co-chairs of the commission are former Florida Sen. Bob Graham and former Environmental Protection Agency head William K. Reilly. Obama has given them six months to look into everything from the causes of the spill to the safety of offshore drilling.
President Barack Obama made the request in a letter Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Obama has insisted that BP pay all costs associated with the spill, and the company agreed to a $20 billion victims' compensation fund on Wednesday. But there are a few costs that taxpayers will have to bear and paying for the operations of the commission is one of them.
The co-chairs of the commission are former Florida Sen. Bob Graham and former Environmental Protection Agency head William K. Reilly. Obama has given them six months to look into everything from the causes of the spill to the safety of offshore drilling.
Study: Millions of cancer survivors put off care
Millions of cancer survivors have put off getting medical care because they couldn't afford it, according to a new study.
All together, more than 2 million of 12 million U.S. adult cancer survivors did not get one or more needed medical services, the researchers estimate.
The study is being called the first to estimate how often current and former patients have skipped getting care because of money worries. It was led by Kathryn Weaver, a researcher at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
About 8% of the cancer survivors in the survey said they had put off medical care. The survey didn't ask what kinds of care they didn't get — or if it was related to their cancer, Weaver said.
All together, more than 2 million of 12 million U.S. adult cancer survivors did not get one or more needed medical services, the researchers estimate.
The study is being called the first to estimate how often current and former patients have skipped getting care because of money worries. It was led by Kathryn Weaver, a researcher at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
About 8% of the cancer survivors in the survey said they had put off medical care. The survey didn't ask what kinds of care they didn't get — or if it was related to their cancer, Weaver said.
Duval Schools Waive FCAT Requirement This Year
When students left school for the last time last week, they had their report cards with them, but not another score used to determine what grade they will report to in the fall.
FCAT scores have been delayed, and Duval County requires 11th graders to pass the science portion of the state test to be promoted to 12th grade.
That requirement only applies in Duval County, and is not a state requirement, so today the school board waived it.
FCAT scores have been delayed, and Duval County requires 11th graders to pass the science portion of the state test to be promoted to 12th grade.
That requirement only applies in Duval County, and is not a state requirement, so today the school board waived it.
News / Metro * Comment * Email * Print * Blog This * * Follow Metro Housing audit leaves Jacksonville on the hook for $2.
Jacksonville's Housing and Neighborhoods Department is paying $2.7 million back to the federal government because a housing program was mismanaged, according to documents reviewed by The Times-Union.
A little known 2008 audit said that the Home Investment Partnerships Program, administered by Housing and Neighborhoods, provided money for the purchase and renovation of two affordable housing complexes - Ashley Tower Apartments and Magnolia Point Apartments. Those complexes ended up in foreclosure and did not complete key requirements of the program.
The Home program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides money to local governments or nonprofits with the aim of buying or rehabilitating affordable housing. The city is repaying HUD by taking lesser annual Home allocations over a three-year period.
The audit found that because the two complexes entered foreclosure, they did not provide affordable housing for the length of time required by the program. As a result, the audit said, the city should have stepped in and purchased the properties to allow them to continue providing affordable housing.
City housing officials disagreed.
Wight Greger, director of the city's Housing and Neighborhoods Department, told HUD that the city was not in a financial position to buy and operate the housing complexes.
She said that HUD's own rules do not require a city to purchase a foreclosed property, which sold at a foreclosure sale for $700,000, but say that it "may use purchase options."
A little known 2008 audit said that the Home Investment Partnerships Program, administered by Housing and Neighborhoods, provided money for the purchase and renovation of two affordable housing complexes - Ashley Tower Apartments and Magnolia Point Apartments. Those complexes ended up in foreclosure and did not complete key requirements of the program.
The Home program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides money to local governments or nonprofits with the aim of buying or rehabilitating affordable housing. The city is repaying HUD by taking lesser annual Home allocations over a three-year period.
The audit found that because the two complexes entered foreclosure, they did not provide affordable housing for the length of time required by the program. As a result, the audit said, the city should have stepped in and purchased the properties to allow them to continue providing affordable housing.
City housing officials disagreed.
Wight Greger, director of the city's Housing and Neighborhoods Department, told HUD that the city was not in a financial position to buy and operate the housing complexes.
She said that HUD's own rules do not require a city to purchase a foreclosed property, which sold at a foreclosure sale for $700,000, but say that it "may use purchase options."
Florida road fatalities hit low in 2009
State officials said Monday that there were 1.3 deaths per every 100 million miles driven in Florida in 2009. While there were 2,563 deaths on Florida roadways last year, that is also almost a thousand fewer highway fatalities than the state recorded in 2005. The number of highway deaths has declined every year since 2005 when there were 1.77 deaths per every 100 million miles driven in the state.
Gov. Charlie Crist vetoes anti-abortion measure requiring ultrasound
Gov. Charlie Crist today vetoed a highly controversial bill that would have required women seeking abortions to pay for ultrasounds before undergoing the procedure, saying it would "violate a woman's right to privacy."
The veto sparked a firestorm of criticism from the Republican legislators, members of the governor's former party, who accused him of abandoning principle for political gain.
Crist, though, said that while people hold strong opinions on abortion, "personal views should not result in laws that unwisely expand the role of government and coerce people to obtain medical tests or procedures that are not medically necessary."
"This bill presents an inappropriate burden on women seeking to terminate a pregnancy," the governor wrote in his veto message, likely his final one as governor.
The bill (HB1143), which passed along party lines in the closing days of the spring legislative session, would have required ultrasounds before first-trimester abortions, when more than 90 percent of abortions occur. The state already requires ultrasounds before second- and third-trimester abortions.
Women would have had to view images of the ultrasound and hear a description of the fetus unless they signed a refusal form. Women who became pregnant from rape, incest, human trafficking or domestic violence would have had show proof they fit the criteria before being able to opt out of the ultrasound requirement.
A 2008 legislative survey found that of Florida's 62 licensed abortion clinics, 51 already require ultrasounds before first-trimester abortions.
There were 95,586 abortions performed in Florida in 2006, with 86,938 of those happening in the first trimester.
The veto sparked a firestorm of criticism from the Republican legislators, members of the governor's former party, who accused him of abandoning principle for political gain.
Crist, though, said that while people hold strong opinions on abortion, "personal views should not result in laws that unwisely expand the role of government and coerce people to obtain medical tests or procedures that are not medically necessary."
"This bill presents an inappropriate burden on women seeking to terminate a pregnancy," the governor wrote in his veto message, likely his final one as governor.
The bill (HB1143), which passed along party lines in the closing days of the spring legislative session, would have required ultrasounds before first-trimester abortions, when more than 90 percent of abortions occur. The state already requires ultrasounds before second- and third-trimester abortions.
Women would have had to view images of the ultrasound and hear a description of the fetus unless they signed a refusal form. Women who became pregnant from rape, incest, human trafficking or domestic violence would have had show proof they fit the criteria before being able to opt out of the ultrasound requirement.
A 2008 legislative survey found that of Florida's 62 licensed abortion clinics, 51 already require ultrasounds before first-trimester abortions.
There were 95,586 abortions performed in Florida in 2006, with 86,938 of those happening in the first trimester.
Charitable giving falls 3.6 percent in U.S. in 2009
Charitable giving fell by 3.6 percent last year as Americans continued to struggle with the recession, though some philanthropic experts feared the decrease could have been much worse given the economic downturn, according to an authoritative annual survey released Wednesday.
Americans donated $303.75 billion during 2009, the second-worst year since 1956, when the Giving USA Foundation started conducting its surveys. The worst year was 1974, when giving fell an inflation-adjusted 5.5 percent. However, 2009 also was the third straight year when giving reached more than $300 billion.
Americans donated $303.75 billion during 2009, the second-worst year since 1956, when the Giving USA Foundation started conducting its surveys. The worst year was 1974, when giving fell an inflation-adjusted 5.5 percent. However, 2009 also was the third straight year when giving reached more than $300 billion.
Obama Pledges New Aid to Palestinians
President Obama urged the Israeli government to loosen its blockade of Gaza on Wednesday, as the United States continued to scramble to find a way out of the stalemate in the Middle East and address the outcry over Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla last week.
Mr. Obama, meeting with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, at the White House, also promised a $400 million aid package for the West Bank and Gaza, though only about $70 million represented a new commitment. White House officials said the money would be spent on housing, schools, efforts to provide access to drinking water and other health and infrastructure projects.
Mr. Obama, meeting with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, at the White House, also promised a $400 million aid package for the West Bank and Gaza, though only about $70 million represented a new commitment. White House officials said the money would be spent on housing, schools, efforts to provide access to drinking water and other health and infrastructure projects.
Jacksonville City Council Approves Landing Parking Expansion
The Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved a $3.5 million grant for additional parking at The Jacksonville Landing, but the ordinance won't go into effect without the mayor's approval.
After a third reading, the Jacksonville City Council voted 17-0 and approved $3.5 million to go to Jacksonville Landing Investments, LLC, to bring more parking to the downtown venue.
After a third reading, the Jacksonville City Council voted 17-0 and approved $3.5 million to go to Jacksonville Landing Investments, LLC, to bring more parking to the downtown venue.
Court rejects privacy of texter in narrow ruling
In its first decision addressing the evolving intersection of communication technologies and workplace etiquette, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that text messages sent by a police officer on department equipment cannot be kept secret from his superiors.
But the court ruled narrowly in the unanimous decision, and questions remain regarding whether employers can stop their workers in all cases from sending personal messages using company equipment.
"A broad holding concerning employees privacy expectations vis-a-vis employer-provided technological equipment might have implications for future cases that cannot be predicted," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in the court's opinion. "It is preferable to dispose of this case on narrower grounds."
The ruling essentially maintains the status quo of allowing employers to implement policies preventing employees from using company communication equipment for personal use.
But the court ruled narrowly in the unanimous decision, and questions remain regarding whether employers can stop their workers in all cases from sending personal messages using company equipment.
"A broad holding concerning employees privacy expectations vis-a-vis employer-provided technological equipment might have implications for future cases that cannot be predicted," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in the court's opinion. "It is preferable to dispose of this case on narrower grounds."
The ruling essentially maintains the status quo of allowing employers to implement policies preventing employees from using company communication equipment for personal use.
Fla. state universities get added tuition increase
The Board of Governors on Friday approved requests from Florida's 11 state universities for an additional 7 percent tuition increase for the coming academic year.
The action by the board's Budget and Finance Committee brings the total increase for the next academic year to 15 percent, the maximum allowed under state law. The legislature has already approved an 8 percent tuition increase for the coming academic year.
The increase also brings tuition at Florida's state universities closer to the national average. Residential tuition at Florida's state universities averaged $4,382 during the 2009-2010 academic year, compared to the national average of $7,020.
The action by the board's Budget and Finance Committee brings the total increase for the next academic year to 15 percent, the maximum allowed under state law. The legislature has already approved an 8 percent tuition increase for the coming academic year.
The increase also brings tuition at Florida's state universities closer to the national average. Residential tuition at Florida's state universities averaged $4,382 during the 2009-2010 academic year, compared to the national average of $7,020.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Florida Gov. Crist signs pain clinic reform legislation
A bill that will strengthen regulation of Florida's pain management clinics was signed into law Friday.
Gov. Charlie Crist approved the bill, which will prevent felons from owning the clinics, limit anyone paying cash for the prescription narcotics to a 72-hour supply, ban advertisements for specific treatments like the opiate oxycodone and require specific training for doctors to practice pain management.
There are currently about 50 registered pain clinics in Jacksonville. The new regulations will go into effect Oct. 1.
Gov. Charlie Crist approved the bill, which will prevent felons from owning the clinics, limit anyone paying cash for the prescription narcotics to a 72-hour supply, ban advertisements for specific treatments like the opiate oxycodone and require specific training for doctors to practice pain management.
There are currently about 50 registered pain clinics in Jacksonville. The new regulations will go into effect Oct. 1.
City Says It's Only For Employees With Health Issues, Will Cost City $350,000 A Year
The city of Jacksonville plans to start a new wellness program where any employee with certain proven health problems can receive free personal training.
The training will run eight to 16 weeks and can be extended for another eight weeks. It will be for employees with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and morbid obesity.
The city will contribute $350,000 to fund the program and it also will be paid for partly with $150,000 from the city's insurance provider.
"I think the current budget situation makes it an even more appropriate time to do something...If we can invest a little bit of money and instead of spending 55 to 60 million dollars on health care in two years, we're spending 45 million. How many police officers and firefighters have we put back on the street," said Humasn Resources Director Chad Poppell.
The training will run eight to 16 weeks and can be extended for another eight weeks. It will be for employees with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and morbid obesity.
The city will contribute $350,000 to fund the program and it also will be paid for partly with $150,000 from the city's insurance provider.
"I think the current budget situation makes it an even more appropriate time to do something...If we can invest a little bit of money and instead of spending 55 to 60 million dollars on health care in two years, we're spending 45 million. How many police officers and firefighters have we put back on the street," said Humasn Resources Director Chad Poppell.
CDC: 1 in 5 high school students abuse prescription drugs
A new report shows one in five high school students have taken a prescription drug that they didn't get from a doctor.
The abused drugs include pain pills and attention deficit drugs used as study aids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that the drug use was most common among 12th graders. White students took the drugs more than blacks or Hispanics.
The abused drugs include pain pills and attention deficit drugs used as study aids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that the drug use was most common among 12th graders. White students took the drugs more than blacks or Hispanics.
Cleanup Costs and Lawsuits Rattle BP’s Investors
BP shareholders are fleeing the company’s stock amid growing uncertainty about the ultimate bill for cleanup costs, lawsuits, fines and damage to the oil giant’s reputation.
BP’s shares fell an additional 15 percent on Tuesday, as investors reacted to news that the latest effort to stem the gushing oil in the Gulf of Mexico failed over the weekend. It is the steepest drop in shares in about two decades.
Since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, the company has lost a third of its market value, or about $75 billion.
The company said Tuesday that it had spent almost $1 billion on cleanup efforts. But that bill is likely to rise as oil continues to spill into the gulf, with no guarantees that any of the new plans to contain the spill will work.
BP’s shares fell an additional 15 percent on Tuesday, as investors reacted to news that the latest effort to stem the gushing oil in the Gulf of Mexico failed over the weekend. It is the steepest drop in shares in about two decades.
Since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, the company has lost a third of its market value, or about $75 billion.
The company said Tuesday that it had spent almost $1 billion on cleanup efforts. But that bill is likely to rise as oil continues to spill into the gulf, with no guarantees that any of the new plans to contain the spill will work.
Supreme Court: Speak up to shut up with Miranda right
As police grilled him about a 2000 fatal shooting in Michigan, Van Chester Thompkins remained virtually silent for nearly three hours until one of the officers asked him about God.
"Do you pray to God to forgive you for shooting that boy down?" the officer asked Thompkins, according to court documents.
Thompkins' answer was unequivocal: "Yes."
Prosecutors used that single incriminating statement against Thompkins, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He subsequently argued that his silence throughout the interrogation should have indicated to police that he was invoking his Miranda rights against self-incrimination.
The court shot down Thompkins' argument in a narrow ruling Tuesday that essentially said simply remaining silent is far different from invoking the Miranda rights to remain silent.
"Thompkins did not invoke his right to remain silent and stop the questioning," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. "The police, moreover, were not required to obtain a waiver of Thompkins' right to remain silent before interrogating him."
Justice Kennedy, a frequent swing vote on the court, was joined in his opinion by the four members of the court's conservative wing — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent that the high court's decision is at odds with precedents in other Miranda cases that put the burden on prosecutors to prove that defendants have waived their rights. She wrote that the ruling also creates an odd paradox for criminal suspects.
"Criminal suspects must now unambiguously invoke their right to remain silent — which, counterintuitively, requires them to speak," she wrote. "At the same time, suspects will be legally presumed to have waived their rights even if they have given no clear expression of their intent to do so."
Justice Sotomayor's dissent was joined by the other three members of the court's liberal wing — Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens.
"Do you pray to God to forgive you for shooting that boy down?" the officer asked Thompkins, according to court documents.
Thompkins' answer was unequivocal: "Yes."
Prosecutors used that single incriminating statement against Thompkins, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He subsequently argued that his silence throughout the interrogation should have indicated to police that he was invoking his Miranda rights against self-incrimination.
The court shot down Thompkins' argument in a narrow ruling Tuesday that essentially said simply remaining silent is far different from invoking the Miranda rights to remain silent.
"Thompkins did not invoke his right to remain silent and stop the questioning," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. "The police, moreover, were not required to obtain a waiver of Thompkins' right to remain silent before interrogating him."
Justice Kennedy, a frequent swing vote on the court, was joined in his opinion by the four members of the court's conservative wing — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent that the high court's decision is at odds with precedents in other Miranda cases that put the burden on prosecutors to prove that defendants have waived their rights. She wrote that the ruling also creates an odd paradox for criminal suspects.
"Criminal suspects must now unambiguously invoke their right to remain silent — which, counterintuitively, requires them to speak," she wrote. "At the same time, suspects will be legally presumed to have waived their rights even if they have given no clear expression of their intent to do so."
Justice Sotomayor's dissent was joined by the other three members of the court's liberal wing — Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens.
Jacksonville offers amnesty program for property owners with liens
Jacksonville property owners who have accumulated thousands of dollars in liens could see all forgiven under an amnesty program approved by the City Council.
The 90-day summer program would apply only to property with administrative liens, or fines for not meeting building standards.
More than 2,400 single- and multi-family homes in the city are accruing daily fines for things such as faulty roofs, holes in walls or other types of structural damage.
In total, the unpaid fines amount to $162 million.
The program will roll out in the coming months, but details are still being finalized and applications are not yet available. In a nutshell, property owners who have liens older than six months could have the total amount forgiven as long as they prove they have fixed all their problems.
Some of the fines are as much as $250 a day and date back five years or longer. They often go unpaid while the ignored repairs lead to blight, city leaders say.
The city tried a similar amnesty program in 2006-07, forgiving up to 75 percent of administrative liens. About 90 people paid the $25 fee to apply to the program but not all received amnesty.
Some of the property owners realized they had other types of fines, such as nuisance liens, that weren’t eligible for the program. Others didn’t have the money to pay their 25 percent share of the fine.
In all, the city forgave about $270,000 worth of fines under the old program. The $90,000 that was collected was used for the Housing and Neighborhoods department’s property rehabilitation programs.
Councilwoman E. Denise Lee said the amnesty bill and others are the result of a series of meetings she’s held with city agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and the School Board to address issues of blight and crime in her district.
Lee said the additional revenue will help the city pay to clean up those sites, which many times accumulate litter, are burglarized or are used for illegal activity.
“I was adamantly against it, but the proof is there,” she said. “We have all of the facts that we don’t have the money, but if we lifted the exemption, that would help.”
The 90-day summer program would apply only to property with administrative liens, or fines for not meeting building standards.
More than 2,400 single- and multi-family homes in the city are accruing daily fines for things such as faulty roofs, holes in walls or other types of structural damage.
In total, the unpaid fines amount to $162 million.
The program will roll out in the coming months, but details are still being finalized and applications are not yet available. In a nutshell, property owners who have liens older than six months could have the total amount forgiven as long as they prove they have fixed all their problems.
Some of the fines are as much as $250 a day and date back five years or longer. They often go unpaid while the ignored repairs lead to blight, city leaders say.
The city tried a similar amnesty program in 2006-07, forgiving up to 75 percent of administrative liens. About 90 people paid the $25 fee to apply to the program but not all received amnesty.
Some of the property owners realized they had other types of fines, such as nuisance liens, that weren’t eligible for the program. Others didn’t have the money to pay their 25 percent share of the fine.
In all, the city forgave about $270,000 worth of fines under the old program. The $90,000 that was collected was used for the Housing and Neighborhoods department’s property rehabilitation programs.
Councilwoman E. Denise Lee said the amnesty bill and others are the result of a series of meetings she’s held with city agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and the School Board to address issues of blight and crime in her district.
Lee said the additional revenue will help the city pay to clean up those sites, which many times accumulate litter, are burglarized or are used for illegal activity.
“I was adamantly against it, but the proof is there,” she said. “We have all of the facts that we don’t have the money, but if we lifted the exemption, that would help.”
Crist signs distressed condominium bill, vetoes CDD taxing option Read more: Crist signs distressed condominium bill, vetoes CDD taxing option - Jack
As expected, Gov. Charlie Crist signed the Distressed Condominium Relief Act into law late Tuesday, broadening the powers of community associations when it comes to delinquent unit owners while making it easier for lenders to make bulk sales on foreclosed units.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, co-authored Senate Bill 1196, which had just four dissenters in the Florida House when it was passed last April. It was designed as a give-and-take between lenders of distressed condo properties and the associations that run them, allowing a bulk buyer to not carry the liabilities normally assigned to a developer, while creating avenues for community associations to suspend access to common areas for unit owners and tenants delinquent in assessments.
The law will go into effect July 1.
Among the nearly 20 bills Crist acted upon Tuesday, seven of them were vetoes, including House Bill 7203, which would have allowed community development districts without qualified electors — found mostly in primarily commercial CDDs — to levy an optional tax of up to 1 percent on all commercial rental transactions.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, co-authored Senate Bill 1196, which had just four dissenters in the Florida House when it was passed last April. It was designed as a give-and-take between lenders of distressed condo properties and the associations that run them, allowing a bulk buyer to not carry the liabilities normally assigned to a developer, while creating avenues for community associations to suspend access to common areas for unit owners and tenants delinquent in assessments.
The law will go into effect July 1.
Among the nearly 20 bills Crist acted upon Tuesday, seven of them were vetoes, including House Bill 7203, which would have allowed community development districts without qualified electors — found mostly in primarily commercial CDDs — to levy an optional tax of up to 1 percent on all commercial rental transactions.
Floridians among worst drivers in U.S.
The 2010 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test survey found that about 20 percent of licensed drivers – roughly 38 million Americans – would not pass a written drivers' exam if taken today.
Florida drivers ranked 41st, with a score of 75.2 percent. While that was up from 43rd in 2009, Florida's 2010 pass-fail rate fell dramatically from 2008, when it ranked 28th with a score of 78.6 percent.
The national average score slipped to 76.2 percent from 76.6 percent in 2009. Of the 5,202 drivers surveyed, 85 percent incorrectly answered a question about what to do when approaching a steady yellow traffic light, and many were wrong when asked to identify safe following distances.
Florida drivers ranked 41st, with a score of 75.2 percent. While that was up from 43rd in 2009, Florida's 2010 pass-fail rate fell dramatically from 2008, when it ranked 28th with a score of 78.6 percent.
The national average score slipped to 76.2 percent from 76.6 percent in 2009. Of the 5,202 drivers surveyed, 85 percent incorrectly answered a question about what to do when approaching a steady yellow traffic light, and many were wrong when asked to identify safe following distances.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Key Vote: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass; America COMPETES Reauthorization Act - Vote Failed (261-148, 22 Not Voting)
The House fell short of the 273 votes needed under suspension rules to pass this bill that would reauthorize science research programs. Republicans argue too many of the $48 billion bill’s programs are duplicative while Democrats argue the bill will increase economic competitiveness.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
The House fell short of the 273 votes needed under suspension rules to pass this bill that would reauthorize science research programs. Republicans argue too many of the $48 billion bill’s programs are duplicative while Democrats argue the bill will increase economic competitiveness.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail
Key Vote: Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act - Vote Passed (59-39, 2 Not Voting)
The Senate passed this bill that would overhaul the nation's financial regulatory system. The bill must now be reconciled with the House version.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate passed this bill that would overhaul the nation's financial regulatory system. The bill must now be reconciled with the House version.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail
Smoker Wins $8 Million Verdict
A Connecticut smoker who developed larynx cancer has won $8 million in a lawsuit against a tobacco company, the first such jury verdict in New England, her attorney said Thursday.
David Golub, attorney for Barbara Izzarelli of Norwich, said Thursday a federal jury in Bridgeport made the award late Wednesday against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. after a two-week trial. He said a judge will decide additional punitive damages next month, which could bring the award to $24 million.
Izzarelli, who is 49 and smoked Salem cigarettes for more than 25 years, underwent surgery at 36 that resulted in the removal of her larynx. She must breath through a hole in her throat and has no sense of smell, and can only eat soft foods, Golub said.
"I'm ecstatic," Izzarelli said. "Now maybe I can go to any doctor I wish."
In February, a judge in Florida reduced $300 million in damages awarded to a smoker against Philip Morris USA to nearly $39 million, concluding a jury was moved by emotion rather than hard evidence. The $300 million had been the highest damage award among thousands of lawsuits filed by Florida smokers against tobacco companies.
The lawsuits were filed after the Florida Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a $145 billion class-action jury award for all Florida smokers, by far the highest punitive damage award in U.S. history. The court said each smoker's case had to be decided individually, but smoker's don't have to individually prove key findings of the original jury, that tobacco companies knowingly sold dangerous products and hid smoking risks from the public.
"Barbara Izzarelli was targeted by Reynolds when she was 12 years old with a product specifically designed to addict her," Golub said.
Howard denied the company targets youths. He said cigarettes have come with warnings since the 1960s.
The jury found Izzarelli's damages totaled nearly $14 million, but ruled that both Reynolds and Izzarelli bore responsibility for her smoking injuries. The jury allocated responsibility 58 percent to Reynolds and 42 percent to Izzarelli, reducing her award from $13.9 million to $8.0765 million.
Crist Signs FL Bong Ban
Gov. Charlie Crist has signed bills banning bong sales, cracking down on rogue debt collectors and helping lure baseball teams to Florida for spring training.
Another bill Crist signed Thursday would give a tax break to out-of-state aircraft owners who bring planes to Florida for training or maintenance.
The sale of bongs, water pipes and other devices that can be used with illegal drugs as well as tobacco will be banned except at stores that mostly sell tobacco products.
New regulations will make it easier for the state to pursue consumer complaints against abusive debt collectors.
The spring training bill will expand a state incentive program for Florida communities trying to lure teams from Arizona.
Feds grant $1.3M for Cecil lake repairs
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has awarded Jacksonville $1.32 million in federal funding to repair Lake Fretwell.
The investment will fund repairs and expansion of Lake Fretwell, an existing storm water retention facility located at the former Cecil Field Naval Air Station. The storm water retention lake was damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Fay in 2008.
The improvements to the lake will allow a major expansion of Cecil Commercial Park to create future jobs and attract private investment. The project will also protect residential neighborhoods downstream, prevent roadway and property flooding damage such as occurred in 2008, and stop further erosion of the lake’s levy.
New Law Signed by Governor Charlie Crist Bans Sex Offenders from Parks, Playgrounds, and Schools
A new law bans sex offenders from going within 300 feet of parks and schools, and from loitering in areas where children play.
The law also says those offenders cannot dress up like Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny - both costumes that could allow easy access to children.
The former law addressed only nighttime residency for offenders, not where they could spend their days.
UNF buys ADT building for $17.3M
The University of North Florida has acquired the ADT Security Services building near campus for $17.3 million, according to public records.
ADT has a lease on the building through 2021, according to The Spinnaker, but future plans the university is considering after the lease ends include a hotel, expanding the continuing education program or moving administrative offices.
ADT has a lease on the building through 2021, according to The Spinnaker, but future plans the university is considering after the lease ends include a hotel, expanding the continuing education program or moving administrative offices.
Jack Webb wins 10-9 vote for Jacks
At the end of the day, the election came down to the wire: 10 council members voting for Webb; nine for Joost.
After losing the battle for the presidency, Joost was challenged by Bill Bishop for the vice president position. Joost won on an 11-8 vote.
The following council members voted for Webb and Bishop: Webb, Bishop, John Crescimbeni, Ronnie Fussell, Daniel Davis, Clay Yarborough, Glorious Johnson and E. Denise Lee.
Voting for Joost both times were Joost, Clark, Art Graham, Art Shad, Kevin Hyde, Michael Corrigan, Reggie Brown, Johnny Gaffney and Warren Jones.
Don Redman and Ray Holt voted Webb for president and Joost for vice president.
Millions in Fines at Jacksonville Public Library
It's a staggering stat: unpaid library fines in Jacksonville total $13.2 million. In just the first seven months of this fiscal year, fines total more than $2.1 million.
For First Time, More US Troops in Afghanistan than Iraq
For the first time ever, the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is larger than the number of American forces in Iraq. Pentagon figures show that there are now 94,000 U.S. forces serving in Afghanistan and 92,000 serving in Iraq.
The crossover point for American force levels in both countries was expected to take place this Summer as the Obama administration surges 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan this year and draws down the number of forces in Iraq.
The drawdown plan in Iraq calls for reducing the number of American forces to 50,000 by September 1, a move that will require a major logistical effort over the next three months.
FCAT anxiety: Can students handle even tougher tests?
Now, Florida high-school students must pass the reading and math sections of the 10th-grade FCAT to graduate. Most seniors who have the credits and grade-point average do manage to pass FCAT. And the number of students who miss out on a diploma solely because of FCAT has dropped in recent years. Last year, more than 151,000 seniors earned diplomas, while about 4,700 failed to because of low FCAT scores.
But thousands of students do have to take the exam several times, particularly to pass reading. In the class of 2010, 43 percent of the students failed the reading FCAT the first time they took it.
Students who struggle repeatedly on FCAT can use the state's test-waiver option, substituting acceptable scores on the two national college-admission exams, ACT or SAT, for a passing score on Florida's test. And an increasing number of Florida students have used that waiver in recent years.
But thousands of students do have to take the exam several times, particularly to pass reading. In the class of 2010, 43 percent of the students failed the reading FCAT the first time they took it.
Students who struggle repeatedly on FCAT can use the state's test-waiver option, substituting acceptable scores on the two national college-admission exams, ACT or SAT, for a passing score on Florida's test. And an increasing number of Florida students have used that waiver in recent years.
White House: Oil Spill Isn't Our Katrina
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told Bob Schieffer Sunday that the United States government is doing "everything humanly and technologically possible" to stop the oil leak in the Gulf - despite criticism that it has left too much responsibility to oil company BP and needs to do more.
"The Coast Guard was on the scene moments after the rig exploded in April, Gibbs said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It certainly has been weeks, and the government is doing everything humanly and technologically possible to plug the hole 5,000 feet below the ocean, and to do everything we can to contain its spread and to deal with its environmental and its economic impacts.
"The president has told the team to spare nothing in trying to cap this well," he said, later adding: "Every bit of government has been activated to try to plug this hole."
"I don't think anybody could credibly say … that the government has 'stood around, done nothing and hoped for the best,'" Gibbs said. "We were activated the moment that this oil rig exploded. This has been on the president's agenda ever since that happened."
Asked Schieffer: "Do you think this could be your administration's Katrina?"
"If you look back at what happened in Katrina, the government wasn't there to respond to what was happening," Gibbs replied. "That quite frankly was the problem. Even tracking the hurricane for days and knowing fairly precisely where it was going to hit.
"I think the difference in this case is we were there immediately. We have been there ever since."
"The Coast Guard was on the scene moments after the rig exploded in April, Gibbs said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It certainly has been weeks, and the government is doing everything humanly and technologically possible to plug the hole 5,000 feet below the ocean, and to do everything we can to contain its spread and to deal with its environmental and its economic impacts.
"The president has told the team to spare nothing in trying to cap this well," he said, later adding: "Every bit of government has been activated to try to plug this hole."
"I don't think anybody could credibly say … that the government has 'stood around, done nothing and hoped for the best,'" Gibbs said. "We were activated the moment that this oil rig exploded. This has been on the president's agenda ever since that happened."
Asked Schieffer: "Do you think this could be your administration's Katrina?"
"If you look back at what happened in Katrina, the government wasn't there to respond to what was happening," Gibbs replied. "That quite frankly was the problem. Even tracking the hurricane for days and knowing fairly precisely where it was going to hit.
"I think the difference in this case is we were there immediately. We have been there ever since."
Teachers unions contracts available online
The Duval Teachers United collective bargaining agreement with the school district is available online at the web site of Teachers Rules, Roles and Rights. So are contracts for more than 100 teachers' unions for various large districts throughout the country.
Here's the link for Duval's contract: http://www.nctq.org/contracts/15-07.pdf
Or you can visit http://www.nctq.org/tr3/home.jsp to search for other contracts.
Peyton to use $5.6 million in reserves to balance the current budget
Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton received the City Council’s blessing to use $5.6 million in reserves to balance the current fiscal year’s budget.
The city faces a $22 million deficit, mainly because of lower-than-projected revenue from the state and because unions haven’t approved salary cuts. Roughly $9.5 million in reserves was already built into the budget but that still leaves a $12.5 million gap.
Mickey Miller, the city’s director of finance, told council members Thursday that the deficit will be addressed through a three-pronged approach: about $2 million in budget cuts, $5 million that will be recovered from excess risk management premiums the city paid, and the rest from reserves.
Council President Richard Clark said he approves of tapping into the operating reserves account, which has about a $37 million balance.
A separate emergency reserve fund has roughly $44 million. That fund is not being touched.
Peyton already has announced he will cut library hours, let nearly an entire firefighter recruit class go, and cut 14 more jobs from various departments.
He also wants to remove fire engines from two stations. However, to avoid another union fight, he will ask the council to sign off on that plan before it is implemented.
Clark said he will support the mayor’s fire department cuts. He said reserves should be tapped as a last resort and encouraged the mayor to seek additional cuts in expenses, including more layoffs if possible.
Councilwoman E. Denise Lee had a much different stance. She said she would rather see the city use more reserves if it could keep people from losing work during this recession.Oil Spill Won't Hurt National Economy: Report
As big as the Gulf of Mexico oil slick is, it won't have a major impact on the national economy, according to a new report by Moody's Economy.com.
The oil spill caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig last month is hurting businesses in areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida -- but those places represent only 1 percent of the gross domestic product and national employment "so broad macroeconomic effects are unlikely, at least in the near term," the report said.
BP, the owner of the oil well where the rig was based, has said it has spent $350 million in cleanup costs so far. Exxon spent a total of roughly 11 times that much on its cleanup of the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989.
The oil spill caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig last month is hurting businesses in areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida -- but those places represent only 1 percent of the gross domestic product and national employment "so broad macroeconomic effects are unlikely, at least in the near term," the report said.
BP, the owner of the oil well where the rig was based, has said it has spent $350 million in cleanup costs so far. Exxon spent a total of roughly 11 times that much on its cleanup of the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989.
Border 'Mayhem'? An Illegal Immigration Fact Check Shows Violence Declining
By numbers alone, the border region appears, as Department of Homeland Security Secretary and former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano put it, is as "secure now as it has ever been."
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Key Vote: Motion to Recommit; America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010
Motion to Recommit; America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 - Vote Passed (292-126, 12 Not Voting)
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The House voted to send this bill that would reauthorize science and technology research programs back to the House Science committee with instructions to freeze funding at fiscal 2010 levels and to only fund the bill for three years, rather than the original five. House leaders are planning to bring the measure to a vote again this week.
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Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The House voted to send this bill that would reauthorize science and technology research programs back to the House Science committee with instructions to freeze funding at fiscal 2010 levels and to only fund the bill for three years, rather than the original five. House leaders are planning to bring the measure to a vote again this week.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: Durbin Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
Durbin Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 - Vote Agreed to (64-33, 3 Not Voting)
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The Senate adopted this amendment to the financial reform bill that would require the Federal Reserve to establish rules for "reasonable and proportional" fees that credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, charge to merchants. The Senate continues work on the bill this week.
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Sen. Bill Nelson voted Not Voting......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate adopted this amendment to the financial reform bill that would require the Federal Reserve to establish rules for "reasonable and proportional" fees that credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, charge to merchants. The Senate continues work on the bill this week.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted Not Voting......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: McCain Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
McCain Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 - Vote Rejected (43-56, 1 Not Voting)
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The Senate rejected this amendment to the financial reform bill that would have established a time frame for ending the government’s support of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Senate continues work on the bill this week.
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Sen. Bill Nelson voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate rejected this amendment to the financial reform bill that would have established a time frame for ending the government’s support of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Senate continues work on the bill this week.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted NO......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: Home Star Energy Retrofit Act
Home Star Energy Retrofit Act - Vote Passed (246-161, 23 Not Voting)
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The House passed this measure that would authorize a $6.6 billion rebate program for energy-efficient home renovations for households with incomes up to $250,000. The bill now goes to the Senate.
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Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
The House passed this measure that would authorize a $6.6 billion rebate program for energy-efficient home renovations for households with incomes up to $250,000. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted NO......send e-mail
Key Vote: Shelby-Dodd Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
Shelby-Dodd Amendment; Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 - Vote Agreed to (93-5, 2 Not Voting)
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The Senate voted to remove a part of the financial reform bill that would have created a $50 billion fund for the FDIC to cover the cost of liquidating failing financial companies. The Senate voted on several other amendments, and will continue its work on the bill this week.
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Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate voted to remove a part of the financial reform bill that would have created a $50 billion fund for the FDIC to cover the cost of liquidating failing financial companies. The Senate voted on several other amendments, and will continue its work on the bill this week.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: Puerto Rico Democracy Act
Puerto Rico Democracy Act - Vote Passed (223-169, 1 Present, 37 Not Voting)
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The House approved this bill to establish a two-stage process to determine Puerto Rico's political status. The first step would be a referendum on the question of whether to maintain or change Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth. If a majority of Puerto Ricans were to vote for a new status, then a second vote would be held to ask residents whether they favor statehood, full independence, independence with a special political association with the United States, or to retain the current commonwealth status. The legislation goes to the Senate.
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Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The House approved this bill to establish a two-stage process to determine Puerto Rico's political status. The first step would be a referendum on the question of whether to maintain or change Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth. If a majority of Puerto Ricans were to vote for a new status, then a second vote would be held to ask residents whether they favor statehood, full independence, independence with a special political association with the United States, or to retain the current commonwealth status. The legislation goes to the Senate.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010
IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010 - Vote Passed (417-3, 10 Not Voting)
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The House overwhelmingly passed this measure that would require the Defense Department to develop a system with specific metrics, including targeted schedules and cost objectives, for the acquisition of weapons, information technology and services. It would also direct Defense Department officials to set up a system by 2017 to reward organizations that meet objectives and penalize those that do not. The bill now goes to the Senate.
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Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The House overwhelmingly passed this measure that would require the Defense Department to develop a system with specific metrics, including targeted schedules and cost objectives, for the acquisition of weapons, information technology and services. It would also direct Defense Department officials to set up a system by 2017 to reward organizations that meet objectives and penalize those that do not. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 - Vote Rejected (56-42, 2 Not Voting)
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The Senate failed for a third time last week to approve this procedural motion and begin floor debate on this legislation to overhaul financial regulations. However, it appears the Senate will proceed to floor debate this week and begin voting on amendments to the bill.
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Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate failed for a third time last week to approve this procedural motion and begin floor debate on this legislation to overhaul financial regulations. However, it appears the Senate will proceed to floor debate this week and begin voting on amendments to the bill.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted NO......send e-mail
Key Vote: Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act
Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act - Vote Passed (403-11, 3 Present, 13 Not Voting)
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The House voted to move forward with a bill to sanction Iran by approving this motion to appoint House members to a conference committee with the Senate. The House version of this bill focuses on imposing sanctions on multinational companies that deal with Iran's petroleum sector, while the Senate's broader version would prohibit the U.S. government from purchasing goods from companies that are subject to sanctions under existing law and expand sanctions on foreign companies investing more than $20 million in Iran’s oil and gas sector.
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Rep. Ander Crensh aw voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The House voted to move forward with a bill to sanction Iran by approving this motion to appoint House members to a conference committee with the Senate. The House version of this bill focuses on imposing sanctions on multinational companies that deal with Iran's petroleum sector, while the Senate's broader version would prohibit the U.S. government from purchasing goods from companies that are subject to sanctions under existing law and expand sanctions on foreign companies investing more than $20 million in Iran’s oil and gas sector.
Rep. Ander Crensh aw voted YES......send e-mail
Key Vote: Confirmation Lael Brainard, of D.C., to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury
Lael Brainard to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury - Vote Confirmed (78-19, 3 Not Voting)
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The Senate confirmed Lael Brainard as the Treasury Department’s under secretary for international affairs. Her nomination had been held up over concerns that she allegedly failed to pay property taxes on time.
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Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
The Senate confirmed Lael Brainard as the Treasury Department’s under secretary for international affairs. Her nomination had been held up over concerns that she allegedly failed to pay property taxes on time.
Sen. Bill Nelson voted YES......send e-mail
Sen. George LeMieux voted YES......send e-mail
Court limits harsh terms for youths
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without parole for crimes other than murder, in a significant 5-4 decision that says imposing such sentences violates the Constitution's prohibition on "cruel and unusual" punishment.
The court's 5-4 decision — which says that an automatic life sentence for a young offender who has not committed murder violates the Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual" punishment — wipes out laws in 37 states.
It means that the 129 juveniles now serving time under such laws will, at some point, have an opportunity to make a case for parole.
Most significantly, the decision — signed by the nine-member court's four more liberal justices and Anthony Kennedy, the conservative who votes with the liberals the most — emphasizes that young criminals are different from adults. And not just when it comes to the death penalty, which the court made off-limits for juveniles in 2005.
"A life without parole sentence improperly denies the juvenile offender a chance to demonstrate growth and maturity," Kennedy wrote for the majority in the decision that found life without parole disproportionally harsh.
Supreme Court Rules 'Sexually Dangerous' Can Be Held Longer Than Sentences
A 7-to-2 majority of the Supreme Court ruled today that Congress has the authority to pass a law allowing federal prisoners who have been deemed "sexually dangerous" to be held beyond the date of their original sentence.
The law, a provision of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, was passed in 2006. A lower court had ruled that Congress overstepped its boundaries in passing the law.
But Justice Stephen Breyer, writing for the majority, found that the Constitution grants Congress the authority to enact the law.
"The statute is a necessary and proper means of exercising the federal authority that permits Congress to create federal criminal laws, to punish their violation, to imprison violators, to provide appropriately for those imprisoned, and to maintain the security of those who are not imprisoned but who may be affected by the federal imprisonment of others," he wrote.
Gov. Charlie Crist Signs New Unemployment Benefit Legislation
With the state's unemployment rate still over 12 percent, Gov. Charlie Crist today signed into law Senate Bill 1736 to extends eligibility for the Extended Benefits (EB) program.
The EB program is for job seekers who have exhausted all other benefits and qualify for the extension.
"As Florida's economy continues to recover, these federally-funded benefits will provide critical financial assistance to job seekers and their families," said Crist. "These funds will also provide a significant impact to Florida's economy, infusing millions of dollars to our local communities."
The new law provides for payment to individuals through June 5, and was funded through the federal stimulus package. It's value is estimated at $128 million.
"These Extended Benefits will provide financial support to more than 100,000 Floridians in need," said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia Lorenzo. "This new law will also strengthen the reemployment focus of Florida's workforce system by allowing our agency to better link unemployment compensation beneficiaries with job opportunities."
Garden Helps Jacksonville City Leaders Provide Dignity, Respect to the Dead
Last fiscal year, 241 people were ultimately approved for the program and became indigents of the city. That included 213 adults and 28 infants.
Once indigents are cremated, their names are held for at least four months to allow family members to claim them.
Crist signs red light camera bill
Gov. Charlie Crist signed a red light camera bill into law on Thursday that will allow Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford to install red light cameras at some of the most dangerous intersections in the city.
Crist's decision to sign the law was never really in doubt. Groups like AAA Auto Club South opposed the bill, arguing that it was more of a revenue grab than a safety issue. The state will get at least 50 percent of the revenue from people fined, it's more on a state road, even though the local governments will actually be installing the cameras and enforcing the law.
Rep. Corrine Brown Introduces Legislation to Ban Offshore Drilling Near Florida
Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., on Wednesday introduced a bill to the U.S. House of Representatives to "permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico."
The "East Coast and Gulf Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2010" comes on the heels of a massive oil spill spewing hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf near Louisiana each day.
Personal conflicts biggest cause of murders in U.S.
Guns are the most commonly used weapons in both murders and suicides, according to the analysis of data from 2007 released on Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The pattern that stands out the most is we see a lot of intimate partner violence, mental health problems and substance abuse," said the CDC's Debra Karch, who led the study.
Some of the findings from the report:
* Firearms were used in more than 50 percent of suicides, with hanging or suffocation accounting for 23 percent and poisoning 18 percent.
* Firearms were used in 66 percent of homicides and 80 percent of murder-suicides.
* Suicide rates were higher among people aged 45 to 54 -- a shift from previous years when the highest rates of suicide were among those over 80.
* Murder rates were more than three times higher among males than females. One third of women who were murdered were killed by a current or former spouse or partner, compared to five percent of men killed by intimate partners.
* Blacks made up the majority of homicide deaths and had the highest rate of homicide of any racial or ethnic group.
* Military suicides were frequently linked to a physical health problem.
Tax bills in 2009 at lowest level since 1950
Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.
Individual tax rates vary widely based on how much a taxpayer earns, where the person lives and other factors. On average, though, the tax rate paid by all Americans — rich and poor, combined — has fallen 26% since the recession began in 2007. That means a $3,400 annual tax savings for a household paying the average national rate and earning the average national household income of $102,000.
Individual tax rates vary widely based on how much a taxpayer earns, where the person lives and other factors. On average, though, the tax rate paid by all Americans — rich and poor, combined — has fallen 26% since the recession began in 2007. That means a $3,400 annual tax savings for a household paying the average national rate and earning the average national household income of $102,000.
Wal-Mart Gives $2 Billion to Fight Hunger
The Wal-Mart Corporation announced plans Wednesday to contribute $2 billion in cash and food to the nation’s food banks, one of the largest corporate gifts on record.
Over the next five years, the giant retail company will distribute some 1.1 billion pounds of food to food banks and provide $250 million to help them buy refrigerated trucks, improve storage and develop better logistics.
Study: 1 in 7 U.S. Babies Born to Moms 35+
While most women giving birth are doing it within the context of marriage, researchers said a record 41 percent of births were to unmarried women in 2008. That's up from 28 percent in 1990, according to the study, "The New Demography of American Motherhood." The trend crossed major racial and ethnic groups.
Nearly 14 percent of mothers of newborns were 35 or older two years ago - and only about 10 percent were in their teens. The age trend was reversed in 1990, when teens had a 13 percent share of births.
Today, one in seven babies is born to a mother at least 35 years old. In 1990, one in 11 had a mother in that age group.
Most mothers of newborns (54 percent) had at least some college education in 2008, an increase from 41 percent in 1990. Among mothers 35 or older, 71 percent had at least some college education.
Nearly 14 percent of mothers of newborns were 35 or older two years ago - and only about 10 percent were in their teens. The age trend was reversed in 1990, when teens had a 13 percent share of births.
Today, one in seven babies is born to a mother at least 35 years old. In 1990, one in 11 had a mother in that age group.
Most mothers of newborns (54 percent) had at least some college education in 2008, an increase from 41 percent in 1990. Among mothers 35 or older, 71 percent had at least some college education.
32,000 Duval properties owe $65 million in taxes
Jacksonville's 2009 property taxes came due April 1, and a month later, the owners of some 32,000 properties still hadn't paid. That means there's a 3 percent penalty on their tax bills, and if they don't pay by May 26, their tax debts can be sold as "certificates" to investors. Here are the top 10 biggest delinquent tax bills:
Owners of more than 32,000 Duval County properties fell into delinquency when they missed the April 1 deadline to pay a combined $64.8 million in property taxes.
The delinquent bills ranged between $17 and $516,000, according to records obtained by the Times-Union.
The top 10 in delinquent Duval County property taxes owes $2.9 million for the 2009 tax year. Of the 10, six are apartment complexes.
Ranked by who owes most, developer Jay McGarvey's Old San Jose on the River project is No. 1, with $561,109 in overdue property tax.
Jacksonville may hire private company for building inspections
About 85 Jacksonville building inspectors could be the next group of city employees replaced by private contractors.
A city committee will decide Thursday whether to send out proposals to see if any businesses could provide the same service at a lower cost to taxpayers.
The proposal is part of a sweeping look at city services that Chief Administrative Officer Kerri Stewart has said could result in hundreds of city jobs being outsourced.
The building inspection division has about 100 employees and a budget of just more than $10 million, Skipper said.The Information Technology contract, Dix says, will be $200,000 a year more expensive. City officials say they’ll save $300,000 the first year.
Eight Business-Busting Oil Spills
Damages from the spill, Kotok said, could run between tens of billions to hundreds of billions of dollars.
At least some of the cleanup costs should be covered by the $1.6 billion Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, a fund created in 1986 and funded through a tax on oil companies since 1990, following the Exxon Valdez oil tanker disaster.
Only two were in the US.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Bills that passed in 2010 Florida Legislature
Legislation that passed during the 2010 session of the Florida Legislature, which ended Friday, would:
ABORTION
- Require women seeking an abortion in the first trimester to pay for an ultrasound exam and view the live image unless they can prove they are victims of rape, incest or domestic abuse.
BALLOT ISSUES
- Place on the ballot a state constitutional amendment to loosen class size limits by requiring them on a school average basis.
- Place on the ballot a state constitutional amendment sponsors say will clarify, but opponents argue would undermine, a pair of citizen initiatives that would curtail gerrymandering of legislative and congressional districts.
- Place on the ballot a state constitutional amendment that would bar Floridians from being forced to obtain insurance coverage, a measure inspired by the new federal health care overhaul although legal experts say it cannot override federal law.
- Place on the ballot a nonbinding straw poll asking if the federal government should balance its budget without raising taxes.
BUSINESS & CONSUMERS
- Exempt from sales tax books, clothing, shoes, wallets and bags costing less than $50 and school supplies costing less than $10 during a three-day back-to-school sales tax "holiday" Aug. 13-15.
- Roll back an increase in the unemployment compensation tax paid by employers, though that will mean borrowing millions from the federal government to cover jobless workers - money that will have to be paid back in the future.
- Give financial aid to the ailing space industry and tax breaks to the film and entertainment industry and buyers of yachts, aircraft and machinery; offer a tax credit to businesses for hiring jobless workers.
- Reinstate parental waivers that exempt theme parks, go-cart tracks and other businesses from liability if their children are inured after the Florida Supreme Court had prohibited the waivers because there was no law allowing them.
- Make it harder to win slip-and-fall lawsuits by requiring a victim to prove a business knew or should have known a dangerous condition had existed for a sufficient time to have it fixed or removed - or that it was a foreseeable hazard.
- Crack down on rogue debt collectors by making it easier to regulate the industry and increasing punishments.
CRIME
- Bar sex offenders from coming within 300 feet of schools, day care centers, parks and playgrounds and prohibit them from wearing Santa Claus suits or other costumes attractive to children while preventing the state from labeling someone a sex offenders for having consensual sex with a minor if there was less than a four-year age difference between perpetrator and victim.
- Tighten screening of caregivers who work with children, the elderly and disabled to weed out convicted criminals.
- Add homeless people to the list of victims covered by Florida's hate crimes law that can result in increased penalties for attacks.
- Require youth sports coaches to undergo criminal background checks.
DRUGS
- Require retailers to track over-the-counter sales of ephedrine, which can be used to make methamphetamine.
- Require commercial pain management clinics to register with the state and let only doctors with special training dispense controlled substances.
- Ban the sale of smoking pipes, bongs and other paraphernalia commonly used for smoking illegal drugs as well as tobacco except at stores that mostly sell tobacco products.
EDUCATION
- Expand a private school voucher program for low-income students supported through business tax credits by increasing its annual spending cap, adding more revenue sources and increasing the value of each scholarship.
- Expand eligibility for private school vouchers for disabled students.
- Require middle school students to take a civics class and pass an end-of-course test.
- Increase high school graduation standards by requiring more math and science and replacing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, for those subjects with end-of-course exams.
- Encourage, but not require, school districts to hold ceremonies, assemblies or other academic scholarship signing day events to match the hoopla that surrounds the signing of college scholarships by football players and other athletes
- Bar schools from infringing on religious freedoms of teachers, staff and students.
- Prohibit schools from using mechanical or manual restraints on disabled students that restrict their breathing or secluding them in rooms that don't meet fire marshal's rules.
ELECTIONS
- Revive and repair a law ruled unconstitutional last year that required certain nonpolitical organizations to register with the state and comply with financial reporting requirements if they simply mentioned a candidate or an issue.
ENVIRONMENT
- Ban the personal ownership of Burmese pythons and six other species of nonnative giant reptiles.
FIREARMS
- Prevent adoption agencies from asking prospective parents if they have firearms in the house.
- Prohibit lawmakers from raiding a trust fund for the state's concealed weapons permitting program.
GAMBLING
- Endorse a 20-year compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that guarantees the state about $1.3 billion over the first five years and more later in exchange for the expansion of gaming at the tribe's casinos.
GOVERNMENT
- Enact a state budget of $70.4 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
- Ask Congress to call a constitutional convention to pass a federal balanced budget amendment.
- Raise liability limits for the state and local governments from $100,000 to $200,000 per person and from $200,000 to $300,000 per incident on claims that can be paid without legislative approval.
- Cap fees of outside lawyers hired by the attorney general's office at $50 million.
MOTOR VEHICLES
- Authorize the use of cameras to ticket red light runners.
- Create new specialty tags that support surfing ("Endless Summer"), fishing ("Catch Me, Release Me") and horse enthusiasts ("Florida Horse Park"), as well as the Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Diversity Foundation.
New taxes coming to tanning salons
To help pay for health care reform, tanners will be taxed 10 percent of the total cost of any indoor tanning service - whether it be in a tanning bed or booth - that uses one or more UV lamps to induce skin tanning.
A late addition to the federal health care bill, the "tan tax" is estimated to collect $2.7 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.
For regular tanners such as Cheryl Robinson, who visits Four Seasons Tan a few times a week, the tax means the monthly package she purchases, which runs about $40 and allows her unlimited access to the salon's beds, will cost about $4 more.
Crist wants federal government to run high risk health insurance pool
Gov. Charlie Crist will leave it to the Obama administration to run the federally subsidized high-risk health insurance plan that is to cover people unable to buy such insurance in the private market due to preexisting conditions such as cancer or diabetes.
In a letter late Friday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Crist said he agreed that states and the federal government must cooperate in expanding healthcare for Americans but said ``unfortunately Florida is not in a position to authorize new financial obligations.''
``We are in the process of balancing our budget on the final day of the 2010 legislative session,'' he wrote. ``As governor of Florida, I cannot commit any state resources to participate in the federal temporary high-risk health insurance program.''
``However, I understand you can . . . create a new high-risk pool at the federal level, where eligible Floridians can participate. We stand ready to assist you,'' he added.
Regardless of who runs the pools, the Obama administration has promised a $5 billion one-time subsidy to help make the insurance affordable. Each state's share would be based on population and need, not on who would run the pools, an HHS spokeswoman said Friday.
Florida's share of the $5 billion is $351 million.
Analysis: Congressional earmarks to colleges $2 billion
Colleges, universities and other academic organizations received just shy of $2 billion in grants directed to them by individual members of Congress in the 2010 fiscal year, an Inside Higher Ed analysis shows.
A review of appropriations bills, Congressionally mandated disclosure forms and lawmakers' news releases revealed grants to 875 institutions, totaling $1,982,532,150. (That total may be incomplete; while required disclosure of earmarks has been strengthened under federal law, and many lawmakers like to boast about the money they bring home to their local colleges and other constituents, it is still difficult to follow the flow of money with perfect precision.) That's roughly one-eighth of the overall amount of $16.5 billion earmarked by Congress in 2010, according to an estimate by Citizens Against Government Waste.
Zillow: Homebuyers fail to adequately research loans
Americans spend more time researching which car to buy than they do researching options for a home loan, according to a survey released Thursday by Zillow.
The Seattle-based online mortgage marketplace found that borrowers who obtained a home loan in the past five years spent just five hours reviewing their options and got just three quotes. Thirty-one percent spent two hours or less, despite the fact that a home is one of the largest investments people make in a lifetime, Zillow pointed out.
Suspended Drivers Continue to Drive
Authorities say the number of people who drive with a suspended license, or with no license at all, is growing. One judge says offenders do not take the law seriously.
Four days a week at Duval County Traffic Court on Beach Boulevard, offenders step before a judge to enter a plea for driving with a suspended or revoked license.
They are people from all walks of life who authorities pulled over for one reason or another only to find the drivers had no valid license.
For three days, First Coast News observed traffic court proceedings and witnessed 49 people go before two different judges:
An unemployed woman who did not have car insurance and could not pay for a citation; an undocumented worker caught speeding who never could obtain a license to begin with; a man with a number of past of traffic violations which led to his driver's license being taken away.
Each sentencing carried a message from the judge:
"No driving means no driving!" said Circuit Court Judge James Ruth. "If you have a bad record, you could face jail time."
The penalties for driving with a suspended or revoked license range from a $200 to $300 fine to jail time and felony conviction.
Many of the offenders were accompanied by drivers and others stopped to call for a ride. Others never left court: the judges sentenced several to serve jail time.
Despite the potential consequences, of the 49 drivers First Coast News saw go before the judges, three walked out of the courtroom and into their cars and drove away.
In 2008, Florida law enforcement agencies cited 226,560 people for driving with a suspended or revoked license. More than 25,000 of those people were cited on the First Coast.Navy to Allow Women to Serve on Submarines
The first U.S. women allowed to serve aboard submarines will be reporting for duty by 2012, the Navy said Thursday as the military ordered an end to one of its few remaining gender barriers.
The cramped quarters and scant privacy aboard submarines, combined with long tours of up to 90 days at sea, kept them off-limits to female sailors for 16 years after the Navy began allowing women to serve on all its surface ships in 1994.
Crist Makes it Official: No Party Affiliation
Gov. Charlie Crist made it official this afternoon: He is leaving the Republican Party and running for the U.S. Senate as an independent.
By doing so, he will bypass the Republican primary, where polls have shown he trails Marco Rubio by a large margin.
"It's the right thing for America; it's the right thing for Florida," said Crist, defending his decision in a speech in his hometown of St. Petersburg.
Sheriff John Rutherford Approves of Red Light Camera Bill
The sheriff is pleased that the state senate passed the bill allowing cameras at intersections to catch drivers running red lights.
Sheriff John Rutherford released the following statement this afternoon in response to the bill that awaits Gov. Charlie Crist's signature after being passed by the senate overwhelmingly Tuesday:
"I am very pleased about the Legislature's passage of the bill allowing red light cameras to be installed in Florida, and look forward to the Governor signing it into law.
"I've stated publicly that my support for red light cameras includes the use of 'crash avoidance' technology. It gauges or detects when a driver is coming into an intersection at a high rate of speed (when the light is changing to red) and
then delays the other traffic signal(s) from changing to green, for just a few seconds, thereby preventing a crash.
"We will support the Department of Transportation as they develop the specifications for the approved traffic control systems and camera devices, and hope that this life saving technology is allowed for or incorporated into their rules.
"Once the Department of Transportation has developed these rules, we will review our most current crash data and other factors and determine exactly which intersections will be outfitted with the devices. These intersections will be
identified publicly and we will educate the public.
"Regardless of where the cameras are installed in Jacksonville, it is my hope that drivers will treat all intersections as if they are outfitted with a camera, and drive defensively and carefully. We'd like to see the number of traffic fatalities continue to decline."
Sheriff John H. Rutherford
Good Samaritan Left for Dead on City Sidewalk
A psychologist believes there could be several reasons why people didn't offer to help Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax, 31 -- whose fate was captured on a grainy surveillance video -- perhaps including our culture's desensitization to violence from so much exposure in movies, video games and music.
"We love violence in this culture," said the psychologist, Michael Bradley. "We have this kind of 24/7 pounding of violence. We now know that that pounding of violence actually causes brain changes where people start to not distinguish between real violence and cyberviolence. We're actually rewiring our brains to not react to violence and pain the way we should."
Bradley said there are several explanations for why passersby may not have taken action.
For one thing, he said, people tend to copy the behavior of others, so if one person ignored the injured man, then others were likely to do the same thing.
People also think it's someone else's responsibility to intervene, so they won't do anything because they assume another person will call for help.
Scouts must pay man $18.5M
An Oregon jury's decision to award a man $18.5 million in punitive damages in his case against the Boy Scouts of America will likely be the first of many financial hits the Scouts will take as it prepares to defend itself against a series of sex abuse lawsuits.
The jury on Friday ordered the Scouts to make the payment to Kerry Lewis, the victim of sex abuse by a former assistant Scoutmaster in Portland in the early 1980s.
The case was the first of six filed against the Boy Scouts in the same court in Oregon, with at least one other separate case pending. If mediation fails to settle the other cases, they also could go to trial.
Florida stimulus saved 33,000+ paychecks
The federal stimulus package created or saved roughly 33,200 Florida jobs in the first quarter of 2010, Governor Charlie Crist’s office reported.
Aside from the full-time jobs saved and created, the federal program also helped nearly 74,700 people who didn’t work the full three months or were paid partly through other sources, according to state statistics.
The state said about 153,000 jobs were created or saved in Florida since February 2009 through stimulus spending. Of the $19.5 billion Florida expects to receive in stimulus funding, about $13.5 billion has awarded, About $8.8 billion has been spent of that.
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