Broward's Blog

Misdemeanor Drug Court Graduation

2013-05-23T19:39:00.000-04:00

Judge Gisele Pollack created the Drug Court Program, she is also the proud Judge that at the end of the program graduates her "Kids" as she calls them.
Most of the participants are between the ages of 18 to 25 years old.

The Misdemeanor Drug Court Program (MDCP) began in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Fla. on September 9, 2005. The goal of MDCP is to enhance public safety by curbing their substance use and reduce crime while improving the quality of our participants lives.
MDCP participants become whole, healthy, law-abiding, self-sufficient citizens who contribute to our community in a meaningful way. The program's successful completion rate averages, 84%. The program's recidivism rate to date is 8%.

Florida Statue 397.334(1) establishes treatment-based drug court programs for persons charged with criminal offenses, who are assessed with a substance abuse problem. The programs, address the participant's substance abuse problem by providing treatment services tailored to the participant's individual needs. Persons are diverted from the traditional adversarial process. Upon successful completion of the program, the court dismisses the eligible criminal charges, pursuant to section 948.16 Fla Statutes.

Story: Bina Fink Bina@BinaFink.com

Lincoln Gabriel Diaz-Balart, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart Nephew Commits Suicide.

2013-05-20T13:32:00.000-04:00

U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is a sitting Republican representative. The Diaz-Balart family is, perhaps, the most-politically powerful in Miami's Cuban-exile community.

His brother, Lincoln Diaz-Balart retired from congress after the 2010 elections. Another brother, Jose Diaz-Balart is a Telemundo host. A cousin of theirs is son and namesake of Fidel Castro, a prior uncle by marriage. A longtime family friend U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, expressed her sorrow this morning in a radio interview during which she spoke of the toll of depression and suicide.

The family's statement:

It is with infinite sadness that we announce the passing, on May 19, 2013, of our beloved son and brother, Lincoln Gabriel Diaz-Balart.

For many years, Lincoln Gabriel struggled with depression.

Lincoln Gabriel was a kind and loving human being. His love and compassion touched many lives during his 29 years.

We will remember him with profound love and devotion for the rest of our lives.

Lincoln, Cristina, and Daniel Diaz-Balart

Our Thoughts and Prayers for the Diaz-Balart family.

Story Bina Fink Bina@BinaFink.com

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE

2013-05-19T09:12:00.001-04:00

Thousands of students from Broward County come together for a
one-of-a-kind youth rally. “Above the Influence,” the event created
by United Way of Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse and the
Broward County Public Schools. It is designed to help students and
teens to resist peer pressure, violence and to stay away from drugs.
“Above the Influence” had children from more than 40 different
schools, from kindergarten to 12th grade. The bands march from the
Kathleen C. Wright (KC Wright) Administration Building to Huizenga
Plaza.

Judge Giselle Pollack, has been serving the Judicial Community for
over 25 years and was there to support and cheer the youth.

Kathleen Cannon, President and CEO of the United Way Of Broward
County, was thrilled to work together with the Superintendent of
Broward County Robert Runcie and the whole School Board.

“Above the Influence” IT'S A STATE OF MIND. It’s about being yourself
and not letting negative influence get to you. Pressure to drink, do
drugs, be thin, discriminate against others, act violently, take
steroids, join a gang, or do anything that goes against WHO YOU ARE,
in order to fit in—that’s negative influence. And if you’re one of the
people who want to stay above it, you’ve come to the right spot. RISE
ABOVE. CHANGE YOUR LIFE. JOIN THE MOVEMENT. CHANGE THE WORLD.

Story And Pictures by Bina Fink, Bina@BinaFink.com

Orange County Sheriff’s Office Agent Honored by Anti Defamation League

2013-05-19T07:32:00.000-04:00

Orange County Sheriff’s Office Agent Honored by Anti Defamation League for Hate and Domestic Terror Investigation The ADL proudly honors Kelly Boaz, Orange County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office Agent and Assistant Bomb Commander with the ADL Doris and Murray Felton Excellence in Law Enforcement Award for 2012. Past recipients of the Award include Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office, Sergeant Barry Mankes of the Miami-Dade Police Department and SheriffsTV own Captain Rick Wierzbicki(Ret) formerly of the Broward County Sheriffs Office Hate Crimes/Anti Bias Task Force. The ADL has trained over tens of thousands of federal, state and local agents on issues concerning domestic terrorism, hate crimes, and diversity. In 2008, Agent Boaz participated in the ADL’s two-day law enforcement symposium in Tampa on Global Terrorism, Domestic Extremism, and the Dark Side of the Sunshine State in cooperation with other federal law enforcement agencies. In 2012, Agent Boaz went undercover to investigate individuals suspected of being involved in domestic terrorism residing in the Orlando area. The suspects were involved in a motorcycle gang known for violence and Agent Boaz played the role of a associate biker. In the course of the investigation, Agent Boaz successfully detonated a explosive to prove his worth to their cause. The suspects also threatened to do bodily harm to other public officials. Due to the work of Agent Boaz and his back up team, the investigation publicly exposed the leadership and organization of a Florida based racist skinhead group. The investigation also led to the arrest of more than a dozen suspects aligned with the white supremacist movement. The ADL proudly recognizes Agent Boaz for all his efforts in preserving life and property.

Sign the petition to the Tribune Company, and tell them not to sell to the Koch Brothers

2013-05-15T09:51:00.001-04:00

What if your local newspaper was little more than a Tea Party mouthpiece? This could happen to the Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel if we don't move fast.
Sign the petition to the Tribune Company, and tell them not to sell to the Koch Brothers.
The Koch Brothers are chief architects and funders of the extreme right wing political machine. They're behind corporate front group "think tanks" like the Heritage Foundation and the CATO Institute. The Kochs are also the largest funders of the Tea Party movement and are notorious peddlers of falsehoods about Medicare, Social Security, worker’s rights, climate change, and more.

Source: http://www.progressflorida.org/

State Director of Florida Hispanic Outreach for the Republican National Committee, has defected to the Democratic Party

2013-05-14T07:31:00.001-04:00

Pablo Pantoja, who previously served as the State Director of Florida Hispanic Outreach for the Republican National Committee, has defected to the Democratic Party.

Citing the GOP's "culture of intolerance," Pantoja confirmed his party change in an email sent Monday to Florida Nation. Pantoja also drew reference to a much-maligned dissertation from the Heritage Foundation's Jason Richwine that sought to discourage non-whites from immigrating to the United States on the basis that those groups have lower IQs. Richwine resigned from his post at Heritage last week.

"I have wondered before about the seemingly harsh undertones about immigrants and others," Pantoja wrote. "Look no further; a well-known organization recently confirms the intolerance of that which seems different or strange to them."

Charlie Crist Supports Marriage Equality for Gay Couples

2013-05-09T16:29:00.001-04:00

On May 8, 2013, former Florida Governor Charlie Crist posted on Facebook:

“Some great news: On Tuesday, Delaware became the 11th state to allow marriage equality. And just a few days ago, Rhode Island adopted a similar measure, which followed victories last fall in Maine, Maryland and Washington. I most certainly support marriage equality in Florida and look forward to the day it happens here.”

This is a change from Crist’s position in 2006 when as Governor he signed a petition to help place an anti-gay marriage amendment on the ballot. The measure passed with nearly 62% of the vote in 2008. Today, polls show a dramatic shift in public opinion with a clear majority favoring equal access to marriage for gay couples.

“His position on this issue reflects the evolution of Florida voters,” stated Nadine Smith,

Executive Director of Equality Florida. “The clear majority now supports full legal recognition of marriage equality and that support is growing rapidly regardless of political party, age or religious identification.”

A poll released by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute found that Florida outpaced all other Southern states with 54 percent of Floridians surveyed favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally.

A March poll by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling found 75 percent of Florida voters favor allowing gay couples to legally marry or be allowed to form civil unions that provide the same protections as marriage. Only 23 percent said there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship. Among Republicans just 25 percent opposed legal recognition of a gay relationship.

Tell Gov. Scott to veto HB 7083

2013-05-06T20:50:00.001-04:00

In the final days of the legislative session, the Florida legislature passed a bill that increases Florida’s chances of executing innocent people. It curtails chances for people to challenge a death sentence, taking away safeguards that have helped some of the 24 people exonerated from Florida’s death row prove their innocence.

Plus, if Governor Scott signs the bill, he’ll be required to sign death warrants for 13 inmates within 30 days!"

Take ACTION at link!

http://aclufl.org/take-action/dont-make-our-death-penalty-system-even-worse/?etname=FL+-++2013-05-06+Death+Penalty+Governor&etjid=825514

Don’t Make our Death Penalty System Even Worse

aclufl.org

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida is a non-profit, non-partisan membership

Stop the Koch brothers from buying the news

2013-05-06T16:19:00.000-04:00

Right-wing extremists and tea party megadonors Charles and David Koch want to take over nine newspapers owned by the Tribune Company, including the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.

Stop the Koch brothers from buying the news.

Sign our petition. Click here.

The Koch brothers are famous for their right-wing ideology and their bankrolling of ultra-conservative, union busting organizations. Now they want to buy up influential print newspapers, turning reliable media outlets into their own versions of Fox News.

We rely on our local newspapers for smart, unbiased reporting and thorough investigations about what's happening in our communities. And we count on well-researched and untainted endorsements of political candidates on the editorial pages.

If the oil-billionaire Koch brothers take over these papers, we can expect a lot of changes at these reputable papers.

Please join SEIU and Daily Kos, and sign our petition to the Tribune Company telling them not to sell to Charles and David Koch.

About a hundred turn out for gun show in Fort Lauderdale

2013-05-06T08:29:00.001-04:00

Event held at War Memorial Auditorium draws a small crowd in wake of debate

Existing federal law allows potential gun owners at events like the gun show to bypass the system and purchase a gun without a background check or a cooling off period.

Despite tragic events fueled by gun violence, like the Sandy Hook School Massacre, the NRA is out of touch with most Americans

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Colorado Democrats Brings Their Elections Into The 21st Century

2013-05-05T12:05:00.002-04:00

Conventional wisdom has it that whatever radical new idea California embraces, the rest of the nation is sure to follow–eventually. Well, watch out California, because Colorado is in a heated competition with you for Trailblazer status.

On Thursday, the Colorado Senate passed the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act, which had already cleared the House. The centerpiece of the bill is a ballot-by-mail provision that will send a ballot to every Colorado voter, whether they use it or not. For those who choose to vote in person instead, a certain number of early voting sites will still be open. The change, however, is set to not only save substantial sums of money, but also to improve voter turnout rates. In other vote-by-mail states the turnout rate is at least 5 percentage points above the national average.

The most controversial part of the prospective new law is the provision for same-day voter registration. Republican state senators–none of whom voted for the bill–framed it as an invitation to voter fraud. However, as Senator Mike Johnston, D-Denver, pointed out, validation of registrations already happens instantly because of advances in technology. Presumably, Republicans have heard of such technology, but cling to the current 29-days-before-an-election deadline because they so enjoy being relics of the past. Or possibly they object to the fact that same-day registration increases turnout by 7 to 14 percentage points, potentially increasing Democratic margins.

Although no Republican senator supported the voting rights bill, plenty of their fellow party members participated in writing it. As Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, said Thursday:

“It’s a technical bill that was written by the county clerks. They’re the ones who know, and they’re the ones who are going to be held accountable every day when people come in to register and vote in county elections. I trust that.”

Those county clerks are both Democrats and Republicans; their action tends to prove that if the partisan politicians would get out of the way, the people’s business could be done. All that remains is for the legislation to go back to the House, to iron out technical points, and then be signed by Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper.

Other groundbreaking laws that have come out of Colorado recently are the sweeping new gun control regulations that Hickenlooper signed into law in March; approval of in-state tuition rates for undocumented students, signed last week; and the decriminalization of marijuana, signed last November.

What sets Colorado’s initiatives apart from California’s is that the GOP in the Golden State is on life-support. Without a heartbeat, it doesn’t provide much opposition. As ABC News recently asserted, California is essentially a one-party state. In Colorado, presumably, the Republican Party still has a fighting chance to avoid extinction, if they’d only stop seeing the future as the enemy and figure out how to work with the kind of change embodied in Colorado’s new legislation. As a report commissioned by the Republican National Committee recently said:

“This trend in early, absentee and online voting is here to stay. Republicans must alter their strategy and acknowledge the trend as future reality, utilizing new tactics to gain victory on Election Day.”

Whether the GOP gets on board or not, states like Colorado and California are forging ahead. And, all kidding and all competition aside, the Democrats in these states are pulling in the same direction. For the GOP, the message is becoming clearer and clearer: get on board with the concept of change–including embracing voters rather than excluding them–or be left at the station!

2013 Florida LEGISLATION PASSED AND FAILED

2013-05-04T16:59:00.000-04:00

A LIST OF LEGISLATION PASSED AND FAILED

BILLS THAT PASSED

HEALTH CARE/MEDICINE

-HB 1159: Creating an expedited process for new nursing beds for certain communities, including The Villages retirement community in central Florida.

-HB 1159: Allowing Miami Children's Hospital to offer 10 obstetrics beds.

-HB 1159: Creating a prescription drug monitoring database

-HB 1159: Requiring insurers who offer IV cancer drug coverage to also cover oral cancer medications

-HB 1129, requiring medical care for newborns who survive botched abortions and penalizing abortion providers who don’t provide medical care for infants born alive after a failed abortion.

-SB 1520, gradually revamping the state's system of billing counties for Medicaid care.

-SB 1844, revising enrollment period for the Florida Health Choices Program, a marketplace program linking up Florida residents with health plans. It includes $900,000 for the program.

- HB 239, relating to practice of optometry. The bill will allow optometrists to start prescribing oral medications and reflected a compromise between optometrists and ophthalmologists. It allows optometrists to go beyond prescribing "topical" medications, such as drops and creams. - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

ETHICS AND ELECTIONS

- SB 2, relating to ethics. The bill makes changes to state ethics law, such as barring elected officials from taking advantage of their positions to get taxpayer-funded jobs. Also, it includes blocking lawmakers from lobbying state agencies for two years after they leave office.

-HB 569, relating to Florida Election Code. The bill makes changes to the campaign-finance system, such as eliminating a type of political funding vehicle known as "committees of continuous existence," or CCEs. It also ups limits on individual contributions to candidates.

-HB 7013, the elections bill that allows county supervisors to increase early voting days, among other things.

EDUCATION

-SB 1108, giving parents of exceptional students more say in their education

-SB 1076, the CAPE bill, attempting to tie educational goals to the job market

SMALL BUSINESS

-HB 623, relating to wine. The bill would allow the sale of wine in 5.16 gallon canisters which can be tapped like a keg, allowing easier sale of wine by the glass in restaurants and bars. Florida is one of only a couple of states that still requires wine to be sold in gallon or smaller wine bottles.

-SB 160, requiring the Department of Health to waive license fees for veterans

-HB 423, creating a sales tax break on dyed diesel fuel used by commercial fishermen, shrimpers, oystermen and clammers.

-HB 347, allowing craft distillers to sell small amounts directly to consumers.

LAWSUITS/TORTS

- HB 7015, relating to expert testimony. The business-backed bill that would tighten standards for expert witnesses in lawsuits. It would lead to Florida adopting the same standards that federal courts use in deciding whether expert testimony will be admitted.

-SB 1792, making changes to the medical malpractice lawsuit rules, including tightening requirements for expert witnesses.

- HB 55, relating to deceptive and unfair trade practices. The bill would require that customers give demand letters to auto dealers at least 30 days before filing lawsuits. Dealers could avoid litigation if, within that 30-day period, they pay the amounts sought in demand letters, along with surcharges of $500 or 10 percent of the amounts of damages claimed.

CRIMINAL LAW

-HB 7083, speeding up the death penalty appeals process

- SB 92, relating to searches and seizures. The bill will restrict the use of unmanned aerial drones by law enforcement. It bars law enforcement from using the automated surveillance aircraft unless a judge issues a warrant, there is a "high risk of terrorist attack" or officials fear someone is in imminent danger. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

-HB 1355, closing a loophole in an effort to prevent people who are mentally ill but have committed themselves for treatment and then left from purchasing guns.

-SB 964, preventing a convicted rapist from suing for parental rights if a child is conceived as a result of the rape.

-SB 390, prohibiting businesses from claiming to be veterans service organizations when they're not

- HB 95, relating to charitable contributions. The bill says that if a Ponzi schemer gives money to a charity, later that charity won't have to surrender the money after a criminal prosecution, if it took it in good faith.

-HB 217 requiring check cashing companies to report checks over $1,000 to the state to try to prevent workers compensation-check cashing scams.

-HB 15, preventing protests at funerals

HOUSING

-SB 1852, setting out spending from the National Mortgage Foreclosure settlement

-HB 87, a bill aimed at speeding up the foreclosure process.

GAMING

- HB 155, relating to electronic gambling devices. The bill outlaws the types of electronic games used in Internet cafes, effectively shutting down the controversial industry. Lawmakers rushed to pass the bill after raids on Internet cafes across the state, charges of racketeering and illegal gambling and the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll because of her past ties to the industry. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

TAXES
-HB 7007, contained an elimination for three years of the sales tax on manufacturing equipment, a key issue for Gov. Rick Scott.

-SB 406, the three day sales tax holiday on some items in August. Passed as part of a broader economic incentives bill.

-SB 342, which allows someone with a homestead exemption to rent their property out for 30 days without losing their homestead exemption

FAMILY LAW

-SB 1036: extending foster care to age 21, rather than 18 as is currently the case. It also has some independent living training language, and provides training and support for foster parents. The bill was named the Sen. Nancy C. Detert Common Sense and Compassion Independent Living Act.

-SB 718, overhauling the state’s alimony laws, including eliminating the concept of permanent alimony. It also would have created new legal standards based on the lengths of marriages and would set limits on the percentages of monthly income that could be awarded in alimony based on the lengths of marriages. VETOED BY GOVERNOR

INSURANCE

-SB 1770, setting up a clearinghouse to push Citizens Property Insurance policies into private companies, restricting Citizens coverage in some cases, giving the company an inspector general and changing how its leaders are appointed.

- SB 1842, relating to health insurance. The bill would make insurance-regulation changes as part of carrying out the federal Affordable Care Act. In part, it would temporarily rely on the federal government to do rate reviews for many insurers.

ENERGY

-SB 1472, putting in review benchmarks for power companies that want to collect money from customers in advances of building new nuclear generating plants.

- HB 4001, relating to Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act. The bill would lift the 2008 state law requiring gasoline sold by a terminal suppliers or wholesalers to be blended with ethanol. The Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act was created to attract the ethanol industry to Florida, but repeal supporters argued the requirement damages engines and drives up fuel and food costs.

TRANSPORTATION/HIGHWAY SAFETY/MOTOR VEHICLES

-SB 52, banning texting while driving except when stopped.

-HB 7125, keeping local governments from using red light cameras to ticket people for not stopping before turning right on red.

- HB 7059, which repealed a 2012 law that required foreigners to have a special international permit to drive in Florida. The 2012 law caused confusion among tourists, such as Canadian snowbirds. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

-SB 606, creating the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Commission, passed unanimously.

GOVERNMENT

-SB 50 guaranteeing people the right to speak before local government boards and commissions.

LABOR/EMPLOYMENT

-HB 655, to keep local governments from setting their own policies on forms of compensation like earned sick leave.

ENVIRONMENT/NAT RESOURCES

-HB 7065, setting up a process for Everglades cleanup

-HB 999, a wide-ranging permitting bill

MISC.

-SB 674, requiring many animal shelters and animal control agencies to keep records about how many animals they euthanize and make the records available to the public.

-SB 142, removing the word "retardation" from statutes in favor of "intellectual disability."

----------------------

BILLS THAT FAILED

HEALTH CARE
Several bills aimed at expanding health care coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act
Several bills aimed at increasing oversight over assisted living facilities

EDUCATION

-HB 867, the so-called "parent trigger" bill that would have given parents the ability to petition school district about a turnaround plan for failing schools.

-HB 1279, a bill overhauling the Florida High School Athletic Association

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/INCENTIVES

-SB 306, giving the Miami Dolphins the ability to get a local hotel tax increase and use it to renovate a stadium. Setting out a process for other facilities to get state money for rehabs.

TAXES/FEES

-SB 1832: Rolling back motor vehicle registration fee increases, lowering the cost by $12. In turn, the bill would eliminate a premium tax credit that out-of-state insurers pay based on payroll in Florida.

PENSIONS/RETIREMENT/LABOR ISSUES

-SB 1932: Changing the default retirement plan for state employees who don’t select a type of retirement plan to the defined contribution system and shortening the vesting period for those workers who choose the defined contribution plan, rather than the defined benefit pension plan.

-SB 1216, pre-empting wage theft regulations to the state.

AGRICULTURE

-HB 761, SB 752, making certain agricultural operations that use alternative energy technology eligible for capital investment tax credits

TOURISM
-SB 140, exempting short term rentals of cars used for 6 hours or less as part of a car sharing service from the rental car surcharge.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

-SB 1350, changing sentencing guidelines for juvenile offenders to deal with Supreme Court rulings preventing life sentences for certain juveniles.

-HB 797 preventing police from searching cell phones of arrestees without a warrant. (A Supreme Court ruling during the session essentially did the same thing, however.)

-HB 159: Increasing the amount of oxycodone and hydrocodone one may be in possession of before being charged with trafficking and reducing prison terms in some cases, therefore, for possession of prescription painkillers.

-SB 874, prohibiting open parties where minors are in possession or are consuming alcohol.

BUSINESS REGULATIONS

-HB 715: Allowing 64-ounce growlers to be filled up at brewpubs.

MISCELLANEOUS

-HB 589: Officially creating in statute the position of State Poet Laureate and providing for how the poet shall be chosen

-SB 634, re-enacting a ban on loud car stereos

-HB 58, a bill barring foreign legal systems from being honored in American family courts

Hillary supporters at Naples rally

2013-05-01T07:16:00.002-04:00

Watch Video Below

NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral

Visit Ready For Hillary

Tell the Tribune - No Koch News!

2013-04-30T11:57:00.003-04:00

Tell the Tribune - No Koch News!

The billionaire industrialist Koch brothers are not satisfied with buying our elected officials: now they want to buy the media, too.

The Tribune Company is selling eight daily newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune,South Florida Sun Sentinel, as well as papers in electoral battleground states -- and Koch Industries might be the buyer.

Nationally, the Kochs pledged $400 million for the 2012 elections. In 2010, the Koch brothers gave $1 million to rollback emission controls in California, and a Koch-connected nonprofit funnelled $11 million towards two statewide propositions in 2012. Would the Los Angeles Times cover these stories if the Kochs bought the newspaper? Or would it become a mouthpiece for the Koch agenda?

We don’t need more corporate control of our media – particularly from the Koch brothers, who have a proven track record of using their business ventures to advance an extreme ideological agenda.

TELL THE TRIBUNE COMPANY: DON’T SELL NEWSPAPERS TO THE KOCH BROTHERS

Stop the South Florida Sun-Sentinel from being sold to the Koch brothers

2013-04-27T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Koch brothers have devoted their fortunes to bankrolling climate change denial, union busting, and the Tea Party. Now, they want to expand their radical right-wing propaganda to communities across the country by buying and "Fox-News-ifying" local papers, including the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It's part of a larger bid to buy the Tribune Company's media assets, which includes TV stations and major newspapers with a history of reliable coverage.

The owners of the Tribune Company are soliciting offers on the papers now. The communities served by Tribune's properties—and all citizens who rely on a free and honest press—are key stakeholders in the decision. If enough of us make it clear that we don't want these respected and nationally influential papers—from the LA Times to the Chicago Tribune—turned into a propaganda outlet for right-wing ideologues, the Tribune Company board will have to listen.

Sign the petition to Tribune CEO Peter Liguori asking him not to sell to the Koch brothers.

Tribune CEO Peter Liguori has said he is committed to "best-in-class journalism" for his company—something that would be undermined if anti-democracy billionaires take ownership. Millions of people trust these outlets for strong, unbiased reporting. Newspapers are more than financial outlets. They are the very cornerstones of democracy.

In 2010, when out-of-state oil companies, including Koch Industries, bankrolled Prop 23 (the attempted repeal of California's first-in-the-nation global warming law) it took great coverage and a strong editorial by the Los Angeles Times to defeat it. Now the carbon kings want to buy the Times and other major assets in order to push their radical Tea Party agenda on the general public.

With this purchase, the Kochs would own some of the biggest papers in the country, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, and the widely-read Spanish publication, Hoy. The purchase of Tribune would also give them ownership over television stations in major cities like New York, San Diego, Chicago, and Houston. We can't allow hallowed journalistic institutions to become mouthpieces for the Kochs' corrupt agenda.

Tell the Tribune Company: "Do not sell major assets like the Sun-Sentinel to David and Charles Koch, or any other climate-denying propagandists."

When you sign the petition, please add a comment if you're a subscriber to the Sun-Sentinel.

Local High School Student’s Art to Hang in U.S. Capitol

2013-04-26T17:11:00.002-04:00

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz will announce winners of her 2013 Congressional Art Competition,

First place winner will travel to Washington, D.C.

On Monday, April 29, 2013, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) will hold her annual Congressional High School Art Competition reception, hosted by Young at Art Museum. The Competition affords Members of Congress the unique opportunity to showcase the talents of the creative, dynamic high school students in their districts.

The winning piece from Rep. Wasserman Schultz’s District will be displayed at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., for one year, along with the winning pieces from Congressional Districts all over the country. The winner will also be provided with two complimentary round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines to attend a ceremony at the Capitol in honor of the exhibit on Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Who: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and local high school students

What: Congressional Art Competition Reception

Location: Young at Art Museum

751 SW 121^st Avenue

Davie, FL 33325

Date: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Individuals with questions may call Michael Liquerman at: (954) 437-3936 or (954) 732-9937.

Join U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch as he hosts a free screening of the film A Place at the Table

2013-04-23T15:48:00.000-04:00

Join

U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch

as he hosts a free screening of the film

A Place at the Table

at 2pm on April 28th at the Paragon Theater
in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

3984 West Hillsboro Boulevard

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion regarding Rep. Deutch's efforts to end food insecurity.

Free Admission
Questions and RSVP Wendi.Lipsich@mail.house.gov

Watch the trailer

To learn more about the film, visit TakePart.com/Table

Congressman Patrick Murphy On Gun Violence

2013-04-23T09:52:00.002-04:00

Rick Wierzbicki of sheriffstv.com had a chance to sit down this week with Congressman Patrick Murphy, in Palm Beach to discuss grants, gun violence prevention, and the Crongressman's bipartisan work and committee assignments.

SheriffsTV Rick Wierzbicki sat down with Congressman Patrick Murphy of Florida 18 and discussed current issues affecting south floridians. Topics included gun violence, jobs, crime rates,federal law enforcement grant opportunities and bipartisanship within Congress. Congressman Murphy also announced the sponsorship of his first House Bill designed to bring economic relief to small business manufacturers within his district. SheriffsTV ongoing interviews with local, state and federal elected officials are part of the shows ongoing efforts to bring awareness on issues that affect the operation of the Office of the Sheriff. Eye on South Florida and SheriffsTV have the ability to reach over 1.6 million south florida viewers and over 25 million nationwide.

Rubio’s Losing Latino Pitch

2013-04-18T07:11:00.002-04:00

Latinos are a left-leaning demographic–and Republican support for an immigration deal won’t change that, writes Jamelle Bouie.

In the ongoing argument over how the Republican Party can move forward after losing last year's elections, Florida Senator Marco Rubio has had a clear, coherent perspective. The GOP doesn't need to change its policies—it just needs to reach out to key voters, like Latinos, and bring them into the tent. To do that, Republicans need to appeal to the immigrant identity, and present the Democratic Party as a throwback to "the countries that your parents and grandparents came here to get away from."

But there's a roadblock. As he put it during a January address to the conservative Hispanic Leadership Network, "It’s a difficult message to get to because the gateway issue of immigration stands in the minds of so many people who we live next to and love."

In other words, the party's stance on immigration keeps it from building common cause with voters who, as Rubio has described them, have a native social conservatism and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship.

READ FULL STORY

Rep. Wasserman Schultz Small Business Workshop

2013-04-16T13:19:00.000-04:00

If you are a small business owner, or trying to open your own business, please join Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz at her annual Small Business Workshop this Saturday. Learn how to access capital for your business, recruit and retain employees, enhance your marketing skills, get assistance with exporting your products and services. Participating agencies include: IRS, SBA, SCORE, Dept. of Labor, Dept. of Commerce, FL Women's Business Center, Workforce One, Miami-Dade and Broward Depts. of Small Business Development and more.

Link to event: https://www.facebook.com/events/146075705564509/

Toss Up Salads Grand Opening

2013-04-15T12:22:00.001-04:00

Toss Up Salad
A Gluten free & raw food lovers
5yrs executive chef Teri Rios is Cuban American that decided to change the way Latinos eat by bringing a fresh, healthy and tasty new approach to South Florida cuisine.
Toss up Salad has two locations
751 SW 121st Ave.
Davie Fl 33325
954-424-5035
8616 Griffin Rd
Cooper City, Fl 33328
954-440-4140

Broward 2014 House Seats Heating Up

2013-04-12T08:07:00.000-04:00

Even with the gubernatorial race topping the Florida election bill in 2014, for political observers, some down-ballot races in Broward County are beginning to look intriguing and competitive. Three on the House side in particular are turning some heads -- HD 93, HD 99, HD 100.

As the 2013 legislative session moves into its final weeks, here is a look at each of them at this point:
HD 93
First elected to the House in 2010, Navy veteran and attorney Rep. George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, could be facing a Democratic challenger with deep pockets but not much in the way of political success. Scott Herman, an Army veteran who served in the first Gulf War, is running against Moraitis as a Democrat.

Herman recently switched parties after being the Republican nominee who came up short against House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston in 2012. After pulling 16 percent against Thurston, Herman insistedRepublicans did little to help his campaign and have stood in the path of other gay politicians. After switching parties, Herman quickly jumped in against Moraitis.
While Moraitis starts off as a favorite, this could be an interesting race. The Republican incumbent took 55 percent against Democrat Gerri Ann Capotosto in 2012, but he spent almost $252,000 while his challenger spent less than $9,000. Despite Moraitis’ win in 2012, this is a swing district where Republicans have only a 3 percent edge over Democrats in terms of registered voters. Rick Scott beat Alex Sink here by 3 percent in 2010.
In the first quarter of 2013, Herman showed that he intends to spend more than Capotosto did against Moraitis last time. While he only raised $240, Herman has loaned his campaign more than $26,500 since entering the race on March 11. Prohibited from raising funds while the Legislature is in session, Moraitis raised $12,000 in February and loaned his campaign $500.

While he was able to outspend his opponent by more than 25-1 in 2012, Moraitis won by only 10 percent in 2012. He clearly won’t have the luxury of sitting on that kind of financial advantage this time out, though he should have the edge if Herman is his Democratic opponent. Rep. George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, Former Rep. Evan Jenne, Busineowner Elaine Geller and Teacher John Paul Alvarez

HD 99
Rep. Elaine Schwartz, one of the leading liberal Democrats in the House, is facing term limits in 2014 and two candidates have already emerged to replace her.

Former Rep. Evan Jenne is looking to return to the Florida House and hopes to cash in on his family legacy. His father, Ken Jenne, was politically active for 30 years, serving on the Broward County Commission, two decades in the Florida Senate and another decade as Broward County sheriff.
Neither is Evan Jenne any political newbie. While still in his late 20s, he won a Florida House seat in 2006, which he gave up in 2012 to seek a seat on the Broward County Commission. But he dropped out of that race, saying he wanted to go into the private sector and quickly turned around to run for the Florida House again. After entering the race on Jan. 24, Jenne raised $10,350 and spent $150 of that.
But, despite these credentials, Jenne does not have an open shot at the Democratic nomination. Schwartz is backing business owner and community activist Elaine Geller to replace her. Another prominent liberal legislator -- Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood -- is also behind Geller. Since entering the race in February, Geller has raised more than $4,000 and spent near $850. While it’s early in the race, Jenne clearly won’t have a cakewalk to the Democratic nomination and this primary contest bears watching.
There are no Republicans in the race yet. This district is a bastion of Democratic strength, with Republicans making up around a quarter of the voters, while half are Democrats. Whoever gets the Democratic nomination will be a very heavy favorite to win in the general election.
HD 100
Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Pembroke Park, is term-limited after the 2014 elections and three Democrats are already looking to replace him in representing parts of Broward and Miami-Dade in the House.
Teacher and Democratic activist John Paul Alvarez gave Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne Beach, a scare in 2012. Despite spending $190,750 compared to Alvarez’s $37,000, Tobia only won by 5 percent in November. Since that election, Alvarez moved from Brevard County down south where he hopes for better political success.
Since entering the race on March 11, Alvarez has not exactly impressed with fundraising, pulling in $935 and relying on $1,550 in loans and another $1,000 through in-kind donations. He has spent more than $1,300 already.
Two other Democratic candidates jumped in the race in early April. Former North Bay Village Mayor Joe Geller, an attorney who led Miami-Dade Democrats, is making another bid for the Florida House. Geller unsuccessfully ran against Richard Steinberg in a Democratic House primary back in 2008. He entered the race on April 2.
Another major candidate entered on April 4, Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Alex Lewy. Lewy may only be in his early 30s, but he is something of a political veteran who was elected to the Hallandale Beach City Commission in 2010. Before that, he served on Kendrick Meek’s staff when Democrat Meek served in Congress.
There are no Republicans in this race yet, and whichever Democrat wins his party’s nomination will be a heavy favorite to win this seat in the general election.

Source Sunshine State News

Red Flags Anti-Bullying Conference

2013-04-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

Conference was held at Piper High School in Sunrise

The ‘Red Flags Anti-Bullying Conference What Are The Warning Signs? From Danger to Dialogue, Safe To Be Me Coalition

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert W. Runcie says the conference is an anti-bullying, health and safety conference for parents, teachers and community members to discover ways to use information learned in workshops to assist children, participants also had the option to attend four different workshops.

Broward County Public Schools Board Members that where available to talk to the community was Robin Bartleman, Patty Good, Ann Murray, from the district office Jeanne Jusevic, Sharon Airaghi, Amalio Nieves, Jessica Herthel want to put a stop to the bullying and that is why the Participants watched the Oscar winning short film "Trevor"

Bina Fink Bina@BinaFink.com

House Democratic Leader Designate, Darryl Rouson, announced today the appointment of Democratic Party leader, Chris Mitchell as Political Director of House Victory

2013-04-05T14:58:00.000-04:00

House Democratic Leader Designate, Darryl Rouson, announced today the appointment of Democratic Party leader, Chris Mitchell as Political Director of House Victory.

Representative Rouson’s bold vision, commitment to rebranding, his proven farm team track record, strong fundraising network, and now his appointment of Chris Mitchell to lead House Victory is a clear signal. Florida Democrats are ready to fight in districts that have long been ignored and will aggressively defend Democratic incumbents.

Alan Clendenin, Florida Democratic Party First Vice Chair said, “Floridians have witnessed a dysfunctional Republican controlled House and extremist Senate and have been embarrassed by one of the most unpopular Governors in Florida history. It is time for change. Along with his demonstrated work ethic, Chris Mitchell brings strong strategic planning and execution skills as well as a commitment to Democrats across the state. Mr. Mitchell is well suited to ensure Democratic House electoral success in 2014 and 2016.”

Placing the needs of the people of Florida ahead of special interest, restoring ethics in our government, fighting for the middle class, Medicare, Social Security, and restoring faith and fairness in our voting will lead to Democratic gains. Chris Mitchell’s addition to the team is a great first of many steps needed to make the gains for the Florida Democrats in the 2014 midterm election.

“I applaud Representative Rouson for striking out on a new path to Rebrand Recruit and Reinvest for Victory. This is an exciting time for Florida Democrats." Alan Clendenin

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Six Democratic Senators Who Have Not Signed On To Equality

2013-04-05T08:18:00.001-04:00

UPDATE:

We're down to the Final Four! Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) announced his support for gay marriage on Friday, just minutes after Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) did the same. Only four Democrats in the Senate have not come out for marriage equality. His full statement, posted on Facebook:

“In recent years, our country has been involved in an important discussion on the issue of marriage equality. While serving in the House of Representatives, I had the opportunity to act on a core belief of mine: we are a stronger country when we draw on the strengths of all Americans. I voted to repeal ‘don't ask, don't tell’ and was an original supporter of the bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against someone in the workplace because of their sexual orientation. It is also for that reason that I oppose amending either Indiana’s or our nation’s constitution to enshrine in those documents an ‘us’ and a ‘them,’ instead of a ‘we.’ With the recent Supreme Court arguments and accompanying public discussion of same-sex marriage, I have been thinking about my past positions and votes. In doing so, I have concluded that the right thing to do is to support marriage equality for all.”

And then there were six. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson just became the latest high-profile politician to change his mind about same-sex marriage, saying "if The Lord made homosexuals as well as heterosexuals, why should I discriminate against their civil marriage? I shouldn't, and I won't." That leaves a mere half dozen Democratic senators who haven't yet announced their support for marriage equality: Joe Manchin, Heidi Heitkamp, Mary Landrieu, Joe Donnelly, Mark Pryor, and Tim Johnson. If you're interested, the Huffington Post has gathered each of these senators'most recent statements on the issue; as you can see, four have switched sides in little over a week.