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Senate will try again to privatize prisons

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:38:03 +0000

From the News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE -- After being rebuffed by a judge for its effort to privatize several prisons because of the way lawmakers went about it, the Legislature will try again to shed several prisons, this time doing it in statute. The Senate Rules Committee on Friday quietly released a proposal and scheduled a hearing for this coming Wednesday to discuss the proposed committee bill (SPB 7172), which would require the Department of Corrections to privatize all prisons and other correctional facilities in 18 counties in the Southern half of the state. Private companies wishing to bid on the prisons – which could go to multiple companies or in one big contract to just one company – must be able to find 7 percent cost savings to the state to get the contract. The Legislature passed nearly the same measure last year, but it did it in the fine print of the state budget known as proviso language, rather than passing a bill that went through the committee process. That violated the Florida Constitution, Judge Jackie Fulford ruled in September. That decision is on appeal currently. The bill would appear to take care of that concern, at least, though it won't appease the critics of privatization in general. The head of the Teamsters Union local that represents corrections officers said Friday that the state is rushing into a wholesale privatization effort without thinking it through or hearing from everyone who has an interest in the issue. "There has to be a comprehensive study – this makes a tremendous impact on the different communities … we kind of think this is a rush to judgment," said Ken Wood, acting president of Teamsters Local 2011. The measure's release comes a day after the Department of Corrections announced it will also close seven prisons around the state by the middle of the year. Those seven prisons, and four additional work camps also slated for closure, wouldn't be included in the privatization plan. The bill would require the department to privatize all prison facilities, including annexes, prisons, and work release centers in Manatee, Hardee, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands, St. Lucie, DeSoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Palm Beach, Hendry, Lee, Collier, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. That would include several prisons classified as "major institutions" by the Corrections Department, including Everglades Correctional Institution, Homestead C.I., Dade C.I., and the South Florida Reception Center, all in Miami-Dade County; Charlotte C.I. in Charlotte County; Martin C.I. in Martin County; Hardee C.I. in Hardee County; and Okeechobee C.I., in Okeechobee County. A spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, Ann Howard, said the Legislature makes the policy. "Whatever it is that goes through, we will enforce," Howard said.

Tuesday Morning Reads: Gambling lawsuit and problems in Florida’s police force

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:19:28 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- It's a dreary Tuesday in the state capital city, but there's plenty of news to read this morning. Here are the top five stories you should be reading. * The Sun-Sentinel reports that the state's controversial stand-your-ground law was key in helping a Plantation murder suspect win his case. From the story: For the first time, a Broward County man has successfully used the state's "Stand Your Ground" law to block his prosecution on a first-degree murder charge. Nour Badi Jarkas, 54, of Plantation, was facing trial for the January 2009 shooting death of his estranged wife's boyfriend, John Concannon. But Broward Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes ordered an acquittal after finding that Jarkas was an invited guest in his wife's home and felt threatened during a confrontation with the victim. Prosecutors said Monday they will not appeal. * The Herald-Tribune released a special report on how law enforcement officers who have faced serious allegations of misconduct stay on the job. From the story: Within the 12,000 pages of personnel and internal affairs documents provided to the Herald-Tribune are the stories of how hundreds of law enforcement officers can stay on the job after serious allegations of misconduct. Most of Florida's 83,000 law enforcement officers do their jobs honorably and in a way that never makes headlines. But the records provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Corrections and 120 local agencies contain numerous examples of officers who had sex with minors, raped or molested prisoners or otherwise abused their authority. Some of the officers even admitted they had broken the law. But it often did not end their careers. * The Orlando Sentinel reports that a new study says Medicaid changes could undo Florida's gains. From the story: Proposed changes to the state's Medicaid plan, including one that would charge Florida's beneficiaries $10 a month per family member for coverage, could lead to 800,000 parents and children leaving the program, according to a report released Dec. 7 from the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University. The potential setback for Medicaid recipients comes on the heels of a report the university released a week earlier showing that Florida had led the nation in getting more uninsured children covered. * The Florida Current reports on arguments before the 1st DCA over barrel racing at Gretna. From the story: The 1st District Court of Appeal will decide whether to halt barrel races in Gretna while an administrative challenge works its way through the process, after hearing oral arguments in the case Monday in Tallahassee. Regulators with the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering issued a license to Gretna Racing LLC in October to hold barrel races in the Gadsden County town. Barrel racing, in which horses maneuver around a set-up of barrels in a rodeo track, had never before been sanctioned as a wagering activity anywhere in the country. The American Quarter Horse Association and the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association objected to the license on the grounds that barrel racing doesn’t meet the statutory definition of traditional horse racing in Florida, and that it was sought before the traditional timeframe for applications begins in December. * The Miami Herald writes that talk of oil drilling off Cuba has other people in the industry talking. From the story: As Cuba embarks on a new round of exploratory offshore drilling, U.S. officials are slightly more enlightened about the island nation’s plans in the event of a catastrophic oil spill on the scale of last year’s Deepwater Horizon explosion. Several Caribbean countries, including the United States and Cuba, met last week in the Bahamas to talk about response plans. U.S. officials got an opportunity to see the Cuban disaster response plans — they’ve already participated in a mock response drill in Trinidad with the Spanish oil company that’s doing the first round of drilling. That company, Repsol, also agreed to allow U.S. inspectors from the Interior Department to take a look at the rig that will be doing the drilling. Bonus Blogs * Gov. Scott draws rare praise for Everglades budget * Democrat calls out Marco Rubio for voting against El Salvador ambassador nominee

Emboldened by Penn State Case, Two Men Allege Abuse by AAU Head

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:48:36 +0000

The Amateur Athletic Union has permanently removed Robert “Bobby” Dodd from the president’s post after two men accused him of sexually abusing them when they were teens, an AAU spokesman told ABC News.

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News of Henry Flagler’s death rediscovered years later

Beach Blogger — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:52:38 +0000

Lloyd Smith holds up the news article that his daughter Jeanette Hawkins found in his home last Wednesday.

Report: Man beats girl to ‘teach respect’

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:07:00 +0000

Shaune Harito Johnson, 43, an investigator for a Tampa firm that searches for fugitives, wanted to teach a girl respect. Instead, he demonstrated in a very up close and personal way the horrors of domestic violence. Johnson handcuffed the girl to a chair, hit her legs with a buckled belt and also hit her in the face with his fists — all because she refused to write a 500-word essay about showing respect, reports the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Get the DUHtails at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Photo: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office More FloriDUH

Girl, 9, faces multiple felony charges after fit of rage on school bus

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Think your job is tough? Imagine the workday of staffers at schools for exceptional children. Like this past Monday at Royal Palm Exceptional Center in Fort Myers. A 9-year-old female student at the school is accused of spitting at staff members, jumping off the school bus, then throwing large broken pieces of asphalt at the bus. One piece struck the windshield, reports The News-Press in Fort Myers. The student then allegedly threw a metal chair at a deputy who was called to the scene. The Royal Palm Exceptional Center made the news once before. 'Net surfing teacher's aide fired. Students had sex while he loafed Get the DUhtails at The News-Press in Fort Myers. Photo: Rosa Say's photostream More FloriDUH

Potato salad rage leads to woman’s arrest

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:26:00 +0000

Karen Henry, 45, was so angry that her 80-year-old father told her she couldn't eat his potato salad that she threatened him with a large kitchen knife, reports The Daytona Beach News-Journal. The Palm Coast woman is also accused of throwing and breaking items. Don't get caught up in food rage. Get a grip. You'll only end up eating jail food — like these folks. He didn't get lemons, so he had a lemon rage. Click here for story. Calling 911: Where are my McNuggets? Click here for story. Get the DUHtails at The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Photo: Flagler County Sheriff's Office More FloriDUH

Potato salad rage leads to woman’s arrest

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:26:00 +0000

Mom accused of holding knife to child’s throat

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Why do some women even have kids? Naples mom Tiffany Elaine Rodriguez, 23, is accused of pressing a 12-inch serrated kitchen knife to the throat of her 6-year-old, reports The News-Press in Fort Myers. A witness managed to get the knife away from Rodriguez. After getting the knife away from Rodriguez, the witness heard her mumble that “if she had to die, then (name redacted) had to die,” “that it would be best if they all died as a family,” and that she wanted to drink (redacted) blood,” according to the report. Get the DUHtails at The News-Press in Fort Myers. Photo: Lee County Sheriff's office / Oct. 24, 2011 More FloriDUH

Man accused of torturing and killing small dog

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Poor pooch. Luis M. Rivera, 20, was charged with animal cruelty after admitting he smoked pot then tortured a small 12-pound Cavalier King Charles spaniel-bichon frise mix by depriving it of food, blaring loud music in headphones put over its ears, and eventually kicking the dog to death, reports the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. It get worse. According to a Sarasota County Sheriff's report, Rivera was caring for a child for the dog's owner when the abuse occurred. Get the DUHtals at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Photo: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office More FloriDUH