FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888
FORMER CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT PLEADS GUILTY TO FAILING TO REPORT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
IN ILLEGAL GIFTS FROM LOBBYISTS
WASHINGTON – Trevor L. Blackann, 34, a former legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on his 2003 tax returns by failing to report as income thousands of dollars in illegal gifts that he received from lobbyists, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Blackann pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard W. Roberts in the District of Columbia.
According to court documents, Blackann was employed throughout 2003 as a legislative assistant for a member of the U.S. Senate. Blackann was responsible for advising and counseling the Senator on matters of legislative interest and representing the Senator in communications with other congressional offices and staff, officials in the executive branch and members of the public.
During his plea, Blackann admitted that he received things of value worth thousands of dollars from three lobbyists in 2003, including a free trip to attend the first game of the 2003 baseball World Series. According to court documents, the World Series trip included airline travel to and from New York City, transportation around New York City in a chauffeured sport utility vehicle, a ticket to game one of the World Series, a souvenir baseball jersey, admission to and entertainment at a gentlemen’s club following the game, and free meals and drinks.
In his plea, Blackann admitted knowing that the World Series trip and other tickets, meals and drinks provided by the lobbyists were given to him for, or because of, official action the lobbyists were seeking from Blackann. Blackann also admitted understanding that he had a duty to report the value of things he received from lobbyists as income on his 2003 U.S. income tax return.
The case is part of the ongoing investigation into the lobbying activities of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates. Fifteen individuals, including lobbyists and public officials, have pleaded guilty or are awaiting trial as a result of the investigation, including Abramoff who was sentenced in September 2008 to 48 months in prison.
This case is being prosecuted by trial attorneys M. Kendall Day and Peter C. Sprung of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Section Chief William M. Welch II. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, with assistance from Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
DOJ PRESS RELEASE: FORMER N.J. STATE SENATOR BRYANT CONVICTED OF PAYROLL PADDING CONSPIRACY
NEWS
United States Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey
402 East State Street, Room 430
Trenton, New Jersey 08608
Christopher J. Christie, U.S. Attorney
More Information? Call the Assistant U.S. Attorney or other contact listed below to see if more information is available.
News on the Internet: News Releases and related documents are posted at our website. Go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/index.html
Contact:
J. Gregory Reinert, PAO
856-757-5233
brya1118.rel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 18, 2008
Former State Senator Wayne Bryant Guilty of all Counts for
Schemes to Obtain a Corrupt Low-show Job at UMDNJ and
Fraudulently Pad State Pension
– Former Dean of Medical School Also Convicted –
(More)
Public Affairs Office
J. Gregory Reinert
973-645-2888
865-757-5233
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/index.html
TRENTON – A jury today convicted former New Jersey State Sen. Wayne R. Bryant on all corruption charges against him for unlawfully using his power and influence to obtain a paid, low-show job at UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in exchange for lobbying and bringing millions of dollars in extra funding to the school, and using that job and others to fraudulently nearly triple his state pension, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.
The former dean at the School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) in Stratford, R. Michael Gallagher, 59, of Haddonfield, was also found guilty of capitalized on Bryant’s influence to become dean and, in turn, rigged the hiring process to create a job for Bryant at SOM that appeared to be a legitimate, bona fide position.
Bryant was convicted on Counts One through Count Six with mail and wire fraud for their alleged scheme to defraud the public of Bryant’s honest services by use of the mails and wires. Gallagher was also convicted of Count One through Count Three and Counts Five and Six; the defendant was found not guilty of Count Four. Bryant was convicted of Count Seven with corrupt solicitation and acceptance (from Gallagher) of a bribe (the SOM job) involving an organization receiving federal funds. Gallagher, in turn, was convicted of Count Eight with corruptly offering a bribe (to Bryant) involving an organization receiving federal funds.
Bryant alone was convicted of Count Nine through Count 13 with mail fraud for his alleged scheme to defraud the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits of money and property by use of the mails
“Today one of New Jersey’s once most powerful politicians has been convicted of twelve felony charges for placing his own personal greed ahead of the interests of the good people of the State of New Jersey,” Christie said. “Once again elected and non-elected officials are put on notice, no officeholder or public employee will be permitted to turn public service into self-service in violation of the law.”
There are a number of fact-dependent determinations that will be made at sentencing. However, under certain scenarios, the defendants would be facing an advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines sentence of over 15 years. The Sentencing Guidelines, however, are advisory only, and U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson will have discretion in imposing sentence within or outside of that range. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
The jury began deliberating at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 and returned a verdict at 1:00 p.m. Judge Wolfson, who presided over the nearly 11-week trial, scheduled sentencing for both defendants on March 20, 2009.
The case was tried by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Drew and Adam S. Lurie.
In convicting Bryant and Gallagher, the jury found that the job at SOM amounted to a bribe from Gallagher, which was solicited by Bryant. The jury heard that Gallagher was elevated from Vice Dean to Interim Dean and finally, in November 2002, to permanent Dean at SOM with Bryant’s help, which included arranging meetings between Gallagher and state legislators and drafting a letter to the Governor supporting Gallagher. The jury found that in March 2003, Gallagher in turn put Bryant on the SOM payroll and in doing so committing fraudulent acts and acts of concealment.
The jury also found that from his position at SOM, Bryant used his power and influence as Senator and Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to directly lobby state agencies, high-level officials (including the state Treasurer), legislators and their staffs and personally directed changes in the state budget to bring millions of dollars in extra funding to SOM. All the while, Bryant failed to reveal that he was simultaneously on the payroll at SOM, receiving a high salary of $40,841 in 2004, and, in fact, used various means to conceal his purported role at SOM.
The jury also found that beginning in July 2002 Bryant engaged in the pension-padding scheme by taking on public positions for which he did no meaningful work. During the trial, the jury viewed evidence and heard testimony which showed that Bryant took salaries from UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM), the Gloucester County Board of Social Services and Rutgers University Camden and its law school, even as he did little to no meaningful work in return for those government salaries and other benefits.
Bryant was individually and specifically hired by the Gloucester County Board of Social Services (GCBSS) to perform legal services. Instead, he dispatched employees of his private law firm to provide those legal services; yet he personally received a salary and accrued retirement benefits. From mid-2002 through about August 2006, Bryant worked a total of about 14.8 hours for GCBSS, yet received approximately $200,000 of pensionable income. Throughout the period Bryant submitted false and fraudulent signed attorney time sheets which declared that he personally had done the work.
At SOM, Gallagher caused personnel records to indicate that Bryant worked the equivalent of three full days a week in order to make Bryant eligible for pension credits on his SOM salary. In fact, according to testimony, Bryant showed up only for about half a day once a week, did no meaningful work, and instead spent much of the time reading the newspaper. As a result of those frauds, Bryant’s anticipated annual pension from government positions went from about $28,000 in 2002 to about $81,268 in 2006.
Gallagher remains under indictment on another set of charges for his alleged scheme to created phony “profits” on financial statements for SOM’s University Headache Center, where Gallagher also served as chairman. Those “profits” resulted in additional annual bonuses to Gallagher – determined by Gallagher himself as chairman of the Headache Center – of between $15,000 and $20,000 in each of 2002, 2003 and 2004. With salary and bonuses, Gallagher had compensation that ranged from between $345,000 to $402,000 from 2003 to 2005. Judge Wolfson, in motions decided before the trial of Bryant and Gallagher, severed that set of charges from the government’s original Indictment, necessitating two trials for Gallagher and one for Bryant. Christie said he will consult within the office and with federal investigative agencies before deciding how to proceed on those charges.
Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
-end-
Defense Attorneys: Bryant: Carl D. Poplar, Esq, Cherry Hill, and Lisa Matheuson, Esq., Philadelphia Gallagher: Jeremy Frey, Esq., Philadelphia, and Ralph Jacobs, Esq., Philadelphia
United States Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey
402 East State Street, Room 430
Trenton, New Jersey 08608
Christopher J. Christie, U.S. Attorney
More Information? Call the Assistant U.S. Attorney or other contact listed below to see if more information is available.
News on the Internet: News Releases and related documents are posted at our website. Go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/index.html
Contact:
J. Gregory Reinert, PAO
856-757-5233
brya1118.rel
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 18, 2008
Former State Senator Wayne Bryant Guilty of all Counts for
Schemes to Obtain a Corrupt Low-show Job at UMDNJ and
Fraudulently Pad State Pension
– Former Dean of Medical School Also Convicted –
(More)
Public Affairs Office
J. Gregory Reinert
973-645-2888
865-757-5233
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/index.html
TRENTON – A jury today convicted former New Jersey State Sen. Wayne R. Bryant on all corruption charges against him for unlawfully using his power and influence to obtain a paid, low-show job at UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in exchange for lobbying and bringing millions of dollars in extra funding to the school, and using that job and others to fraudulently nearly triple his state pension, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.
The former dean at the School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) in Stratford, R. Michael Gallagher, 59, of Haddonfield, was also found guilty of capitalized on Bryant’s influence to become dean and, in turn, rigged the hiring process to create a job for Bryant at SOM that appeared to be a legitimate, bona fide position.
Bryant was convicted on Counts One through Count Six with mail and wire fraud for their alleged scheme to defraud the public of Bryant’s honest services by use of the mails and wires. Gallagher was also convicted of Count One through Count Three and Counts Five and Six; the defendant was found not guilty of Count Four. Bryant was convicted of Count Seven with corrupt solicitation and acceptance (from Gallagher) of a bribe (the SOM job) involving an organization receiving federal funds. Gallagher, in turn, was convicted of Count Eight with corruptly offering a bribe (to Bryant) involving an organization receiving federal funds.
Bryant alone was convicted of Count Nine through Count 13 with mail fraud for his alleged scheme to defraud the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits of money and property by use of the mails
“Today one of New Jersey’s once most powerful politicians has been convicted of twelve felony charges for placing his own personal greed ahead of the interests of the good people of the State of New Jersey,” Christie said. “Once again elected and non-elected officials are put on notice, no officeholder or public employee will be permitted to turn public service into self-service in violation of the law.”
There are a number of fact-dependent determinations that will be made at sentencing. However, under certain scenarios, the defendants would be facing an advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines sentence of over 15 years. The Sentencing Guidelines, however, are advisory only, and U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson will have discretion in imposing sentence within or outside of that range. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
The jury began deliberating at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 and returned a verdict at 1:00 p.m. Judge Wolfson, who presided over the nearly 11-week trial, scheduled sentencing for both defendants on March 20, 2009.
The case was tried by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Drew and Adam S. Lurie.
In convicting Bryant and Gallagher, the jury found that the job at SOM amounted to a bribe from Gallagher, which was solicited by Bryant. The jury heard that Gallagher was elevated from Vice Dean to Interim Dean and finally, in November 2002, to permanent Dean at SOM with Bryant’s help, which included arranging meetings between Gallagher and state legislators and drafting a letter to the Governor supporting Gallagher. The jury found that in March 2003, Gallagher in turn put Bryant on the SOM payroll and in doing so committing fraudulent acts and acts of concealment.
The jury also found that from his position at SOM, Bryant used his power and influence as Senator and Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to directly lobby state agencies, high-level officials (including the state Treasurer), legislators and their staffs and personally directed changes in the state budget to bring millions of dollars in extra funding to SOM. All the while, Bryant failed to reveal that he was simultaneously on the payroll at SOM, receiving a high salary of $40,841 in 2004, and, in fact, used various means to conceal his purported role at SOM.
The jury also found that beginning in July 2002 Bryant engaged in the pension-padding scheme by taking on public positions for which he did no meaningful work. During the trial, the jury viewed evidence and heard testimony which showed that Bryant took salaries from UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM), the Gloucester County Board of Social Services and Rutgers University Camden and its law school, even as he did little to no meaningful work in return for those government salaries and other benefits.
Bryant was individually and specifically hired by the Gloucester County Board of Social Services (GCBSS) to perform legal services. Instead, he dispatched employees of his private law firm to provide those legal services; yet he personally received a salary and accrued retirement benefits. From mid-2002 through about August 2006, Bryant worked a total of about 14.8 hours for GCBSS, yet received approximately $200,000 of pensionable income. Throughout the period Bryant submitted false and fraudulent signed attorney time sheets which declared that he personally had done the work.
At SOM, Gallagher caused personnel records to indicate that Bryant worked the equivalent of three full days a week in order to make Bryant eligible for pension credits on his SOM salary. In fact, according to testimony, Bryant showed up only for about half a day once a week, did no meaningful work, and instead spent much of the time reading the newspaper. As a result of those frauds, Bryant’s anticipated annual pension from government positions went from about $28,000 in 2002 to about $81,268 in 2006.
Gallagher remains under indictment on another set of charges for his alleged scheme to created phony “profits” on financial statements for SOM’s University Headache Center, where Gallagher also served as chairman. Those “profits” resulted in additional annual bonuses to Gallagher – determined by Gallagher himself as chairman of the Headache Center – of between $15,000 and $20,000 in each of 2002, 2003 and 2004. With salary and bonuses, Gallagher had compensation that ranged from between $345,000 to $402,000 from 2003 to 2005. Judge Wolfson, in motions decided before the trial of Bryant and Gallagher, severed that set of charges from the government’s original Indictment, necessitating two trials for Gallagher and one for Bryant. Christie said he will consult within the office and with federal investigative agencies before deciding how to proceed on those charges.
Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
-end-
Defense Attorneys: Bryant: Carl D. Poplar, Esq, Cherry Hill, and Lisa Matheuson, Esq., Philadelphia Gallagher: Jeremy Frey, Esq., Philadelphia, and Ralph Jacobs, Esq., Philadelphia
County voters rejected charter that excluded Gays and Lesbians from anti-discrimination provision, Section 10.06
Twice this year, St. Johns County voters wiesely rejected a proposed County Charter with an anti-discrimination provision that excluded Gays and Lesbians from any protection.
Despite reasoned and documented requests to add six pages of strengthening amendments -- including an Inspector General and Ombuds and anti-discrimination protection for Gays, Lesbians and employee whistleblowers --- St. Johns County Commissioners sent voters a "starter charter" unworthy of adoption.
No vote was even held on the strengthening amendments, though then-Chair THOMAS G. MANUEL said, "you have extra time," allowing me to explain them, at least.
MANUEL stands indicted for accepting $60,000 in bribes in transactions that were tape-recorded by the Department of Justice.
We rejected it twice in 2008 -- once in the August 26, 2008 Primary and again on the November 4, 2008 General Election.
Now's the time to work for a real Charter that doesn't discriminate.
Despite reasoned and documented requests to add six pages of strengthening amendments -- including an Inspector General and Ombuds and anti-discrimination protection for Gays, Lesbians and employee whistleblowers --- St. Johns County Commissioners sent voters a "starter charter" unworthy of adoption.
No vote was even held on the strengthening amendments, though then-Chair THOMAS G. MANUEL said, "you have extra time," allowing me to explain them, at least.
MANUEL stands indicted for accepting $60,000 in bribes in transactions that were tape-recorded by the Department of Justice.
We rejected it twice in 2008 -- once in the August 26, 2008 Primary and again on the November 4, 2008 General Election.
Now's the time to work for a real Charter that doesn't discriminate.
FBI: Hate crime down in 2007 but anti-gay crime up
FBI: Hate crime down in 2007 but anti-gay crime up
By MATT APUZZO – Oct 27, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hate crimes incidents decreased slightly last year despite a surge in those targeting gays and lesbians.
The FBI reported more than 7,600 hate crimes incidents in 2007, down about 1 percent from the previous year. The decline was driven by decreases in the two largest categories of hate crimes — crimes against race and religion.
But incidents linked to prejudice against sexual orientation, the third-largest category, increased about 6 percent, the report found.
The FBI report does not compare its data from one year to the next because the number of law enforcement agencies participating in the annual count varies from year to year. More agencies contributed to the 2007 report than the 2006 report, however.
The report released Monday is consistent with previous years. Racial bias remained the most common motive, accounting for more than half of all reported hate crimes. Blacks, Jews and gays were the most frequent victims of hate crimes, the report found.
The FBI report is purely statistical and does not assign a cause for the slight overall decrease or increase in anti-gay hate crimes.
More than a third of all hate crimes were categorized as vandalism or property destruction. Intimidation was the second-most common hate crime, followed by simple assault.
The report was based on data drawn from 13,241 law enforcement agencies nationwide, covering about 85 percent of the nation's population. By comparison, the broader crime report the FBI puts out every year draws data from about 17,000 law enforcement agencies.
By MATT APUZZO – Oct 27, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hate crimes incidents decreased slightly last year despite a surge in those targeting gays and lesbians.
The FBI reported more than 7,600 hate crimes incidents in 2007, down about 1 percent from the previous year. The decline was driven by decreases in the two largest categories of hate crimes — crimes against race and religion.
But incidents linked to prejudice against sexual orientation, the third-largest category, increased about 6 percent, the report found.
The FBI report does not compare its data from one year to the next because the number of law enforcement agencies participating in the annual count varies from year to year. More agencies contributed to the 2007 report than the 2006 report, however.
The report released Monday is consistent with previous years. Racial bias remained the most common motive, accounting for more than half of all reported hate crimes. Blacks, Jews and gays were the most frequent victims of hate crimes, the report found.
The FBI report is purely statistical and does not assign a cause for the slight overall decrease or increase in anti-gay hate crimes.
More than a third of all hate crimes were categorized as vandalism or property destruction. Intimidation was the second-most common hate crime, followed by simple assault.
The report was based on data drawn from 13,241 law enforcement agencies nationwide, covering about 85 percent of the nation's population. By comparison, the broader crime report the FBI puts out every year draws data from about 17,000 law enforcement agencies.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
An Interesting Idea -- Have A Government Buy the Conch House
Jay Bliss, member of the St. Augustine Port and Waterway Commission, suggested today that the county government might buy the Conch House Marina property.
I have a better idea -- if the National Park Service bought it, this would promote preseration of what is now Anastasia State Park as part of the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway.
I have a better idea -- if the National Park Service bought it, this would promote preseration of what is now Anastasia State Park as part of the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway.
Conch House's case to be continued -- Judge seeks more time to consider bankruptcy case
Conch House's case to be continued -- Judge seeks more time to consider bankruptcy case
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 11/18/08
JACKSONVILLE -- The Conch House's case in bankruptcy court in Jacksonville Monday was continued to Dec. 1 with no decision being made.
Little time was spent on the case Monday, and Federal Judge Jerry Funk requested to move the case to a day when he had more time to consider the arguments.
Intervest National Bank of New York is requesting the Conch House case be converted from Chapter 11 bankruptcy to Chapter 7, which would allow the bank to lock the place up and sell off the assets.
John MacDonald, of Akerman Senterfitt in Jacksonville, representing Intervest, said Conch House owners owe hundreds of thousands in property taxes from 2007 and 2008. This shows the company is in poor health, he said.
"(They cannot) demonstrate failure to pay taxes is justifiable and can be cured," MacDonald said. "That's the hurdle."
But Conch House attorney Jason Burnett said they aren't shaken by the case, and they feel strongly they will show the judge that's not true.
"If that's their only issue with resolving the case, we feel very good with our position," said Burnett, of Gray Robinson in Jacksonville.
The case was heard in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Conch House attorney Robert Altman, of Palatka, gave a short rebuttal to MacDonald on Monday, saying the business filed for bankruptcy after the 2007 property tax debt was incurred. Conch House owners still have time to pay the 2008 taxes and plan to do so, he said.
Burnett said debt from before a bankruptcy is treated differently. The debtor has an extended period of time to pay it.
"It has to be paid, and we will pay it, but you're given a break," Burnett said. "... You don't have to (pay it) in a lump sum."
Intervest says the Conch House must pay the 2007 taxes now because the owners filed for bankruptcy before the taxes were assessed, MacDonald said.
Both Altman and Burnett said they were "expecting a lot more" from Intervest than just an issue over taxes.
The Conch House will go before a judge in early January to present its plan to reorganize and come out of bankruptcy.
Altman said he doesn't "anticipate" the judge will shut down the Conch House with this case in December before its January hearing.
Conch House owners filed for bankruptcy after their deal with investors they sold the company to fell through. Conch House attorneys believe the bank wants the current owners gone because they're countersuing Intervest.
They say the bank gave Thomas Coghill, an investor who bought the Conch House, a $17 million loan while he was awaiting trial for fraud.
Intervest claims it had no knowledge of his criminal background, according to court documents.
The Ponce family claims that the investors negotiated the $17 million loan to buy the property and covered the rest of the $27 million price tag by allowing the Ponces to be a part of the investor group. The idea was that the Ponces would eventually be bought out of the deal.
Instead, the $17 million loan was closed without the family's knowledge, according to the countersuit.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/111808/news_111808_003.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 11/18/08
JACKSONVILLE -- The Conch House's case in bankruptcy court in Jacksonville Monday was continued to Dec. 1 with no decision being made.
Little time was spent on the case Monday, and Federal Judge Jerry Funk requested to move the case to a day when he had more time to consider the arguments.
Intervest National Bank of New York is requesting the Conch House case be converted from Chapter 11 bankruptcy to Chapter 7, which would allow the bank to lock the place up and sell off the assets.
John MacDonald, of Akerman Senterfitt in Jacksonville, representing Intervest, said Conch House owners owe hundreds of thousands in property taxes from 2007 and 2008. This shows the company is in poor health, he said.
"(They cannot) demonstrate failure to pay taxes is justifiable and can be cured," MacDonald said. "That's the hurdle."
But Conch House attorney Jason Burnett said they aren't shaken by the case, and they feel strongly they will show the judge that's not true.
"If that's their only issue with resolving the case, we feel very good with our position," said Burnett, of Gray Robinson in Jacksonville.
The case was heard in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Conch House attorney Robert Altman, of Palatka, gave a short rebuttal to MacDonald on Monday, saying the business filed for bankruptcy after the 2007 property tax debt was incurred. Conch House owners still have time to pay the 2008 taxes and plan to do so, he said.
Burnett said debt from before a bankruptcy is treated differently. The debtor has an extended period of time to pay it.
"It has to be paid, and we will pay it, but you're given a break," Burnett said. "... You don't have to (pay it) in a lump sum."
Intervest says the Conch House must pay the 2007 taxes now because the owners filed for bankruptcy before the taxes were assessed, MacDonald said.
Both Altman and Burnett said they were "expecting a lot more" from Intervest than just an issue over taxes.
The Conch House will go before a judge in early January to present its plan to reorganize and come out of bankruptcy.
Altman said he doesn't "anticipate" the judge will shut down the Conch House with this case in December before its January hearing.
Conch House owners filed for bankruptcy after their deal with investors they sold the company to fell through. Conch House attorneys believe the bank wants the current owners gone because they're countersuing Intervest.
They say the bank gave Thomas Coghill, an investor who bought the Conch House, a $17 million loan while he was awaiting trial for fraud.
Intervest claims it had no knowledge of his criminal background, according to court documents.
The Ponce family claims that the investors negotiated the $17 million loan to buy the property and covered the rest of the $27 million price tag by allowing the Ponces to be a part of the investor group. The idea was that the Ponces would eventually be bought out of the deal.
Instead, the $17 million loan was closed without the family's knowledge, according to the countersuit.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/111808/news_111808_003.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Bridge of Lions Not Closed This Morning
A St. Augustine Police Department dispatcher confirms that this morning that there is NO temporary closing at the temporary Bridge of Lions scheduled this morning.
She tells me the bridge tender confirms that the temporary closing of the temporary bridge begins at 7 PM.
A headline and story by "staff" in this morning's St. Augustine Record falsely claims "Bridge closed till Wednesday," stating the bridge closes at 7 AM "for 11 hours" until 6 AM tomorrow.
Not even the math makes sense.
Think of all the people who might read the Record this morning and take the long way into town, consuming mass quantities of gasoline because the Record doesn't check facts. That should teach them to be more skeptical of the local newspaper, which did not run a front page headline when Barack Obama was elected President, but ran a front page article this morning about Jacksonville getting a nuclear carrier (five years from now).
This is the same very Republican-leaning newspaper that ran no article when Faye Armitage won the August 26, 2008 Democratic Primary to succeed controversial Congressman JOHN LUIGI MICA (with 72% of the vote); gave excessive coverage and inflated crowd estimates to homophobic anti-abortion terrorist Randall Terry; writes shallow endorsements of candidates without understanding the issues; refused to cover local political scandals until there are actual arrests; favors City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS with undeserved positive publicity even after he deposited 40,000 cubic yards of solid waste in our Old City Reservoir; and too often runs press releases without attribution.
The Record famously had a front page headline in 1995 lauding its "100 years of pubic service" with a front page headline. NBC Tonight Show host comedian Jay Leno made the Record famous for its "100 years of pubic service" headline.
The Oak Ridger newspaper (also owned by Morris Communications) had in its newsroom an acrylic painting with the words "Accuracy Accuracy Accuracy." .
Perhaps the Record might wish to start with a clock and a calendar in its newsroom, and some instructions on fact-checking to Mr. or Ms. "Staff."
Any paper that reports erroneous bridge closings and fails to front-page the election of the first African-American President is in need of reform. The reporters' morale is in the dumpster and the standards are out the window.
However, there is one saving grace. As my friend Jim Dykes, the East Tennessee columnist once said of a Knoxville Chain Gang Journalism outlet where he worked, "no matter what you say about it, it's still a newspaper."
She tells me the bridge tender confirms that the temporary closing of the temporary bridge begins at 7 PM.
A headline and story by "staff" in this morning's St. Augustine Record falsely claims "Bridge closed till Wednesday," stating the bridge closes at 7 AM "for 11 hours" until 6 AM tomorrow.
Not even the math makes sense.
Think of all the people who might read the Record this morning and take the long way into town, consuming mass quantities of gasoline because the Record doesn't check facts. That should teach them to be more skeptical of the local newspaper, which did not run a front page headline when Barack Obama was elected President, but ran a front page article this morning about Jacksonville getting a nuclear carrier (five years from now).
This is the same very Republican-leaning newspaper that ran no article when Faye Armitage won the August 26, 2008 Democratic Primary to succeed controversial Congressman JOHN LUIGI MICA (with 72% of the vote); gave excessive coverage and inflated crowd estimates to homophobic anti-abortion terrorist Randall Terry; writes shallow endorsements of candidates without understanding the issues; refused to cover local political scandals until there are actual arrests; favors City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS with undeserved positive publicity even after he deposited 40,000 cubic yards of solid waste in our Old City Reservoir; and too often runs press releases without attribution.
The Record famously had a front page headline in 1995 lauding its "100 years of pubic service" with a front page headline. NBC Tonight Show host comedian Jay Leno made the Record famous for its "100 years of pubic service" headline.
The Oak Ridger newspaper (also owned by Morris Communications) had in its newsroom an acrylic painting with the words "Accuracy Accuracy Accuracy." .
Perhaps the Record might wish to start with a clock and a calendar in its newsroom, and some instructions on fact-checking to Mr. or Ms. "Staff."
Any paper that reports erroneous bridge closings and fails to front-page the election of the first African-American President is in need of reform. The reporters' morale is in the dumpster and the standards are out the window.
However, there is one saving grace. As my friend Jim Dykes, the East Tennessee columnist once said of a Knoxville Chain Gang Journalism outlet where he worked, "no matter what you say about it, it's still a newspaper."
Monday, November 17, 2008
NY TIMES MAGAZINE (November 16, 2008): Letters -- HOUSE DIVIDED
November 16, 2008
Letters
House Divided
Matt Bai’s joke that Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton hadn’t spent enough time in Washington to “take the subway without a map” (The Way We Live Now, Nov. 2) is historically off. The first small segment of the subway did not open until 1976 (the year Jimmy Carter was elected), serving only a few stops between Union Station and DuPont Circle. While the subway was still a dream, Bill Clinton was a young Washington insider as an undergraduate at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (also my alma mater), where he worked for Senator J. William Fulbright, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the days of the Vietnam War hearings.
ED SLAVIN
St. Augustine, Fla.
Letters
House Divided
Matt Bai’s joke that Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton hadn’t spent enough time in Washington to “take the subway without a map” (The Way We Live Now, Nov. 2) is historically off. The first small segment of the subway did not open until 1976 (the year Jimmy Carter was elected), serving only a few stops between Union Station and DuPont Circle. While the subway was still a dream, Bill Clinton was a young Washington insider as an undergraduate at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (also my alma mater), where he worked for Senator J. William Fulbright, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the days of the Vietnam War hearings.
ED SLAVIN
St. Augustine, Fla.
WILLIAM B. HARRISS' MOUTHPIECE GETS IT WRONG AGAIN (THIS TIME, ON FPL)
The article below states: "The city has three main options: renew its franchise with FPL, use FPL's services without the franchise, or buy out FPL's equipment in St. Augustine and start its own electric company."
The Fourth Option is to work with Jacksonville Electric Authority, Clay Electric and St. Johns County to take over FPL's service area.
That's the option that will save ratepayers money. JEA rates -- and those of other public power electric utilities -- are among the lowest in the Nation. Fully 255 of Floridians get power from public power, including Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville and Gainesville.
As usual, the City of St. Augustine uses its sophistry to deprive the public of information and expertise, denying the bleeding obvious -- we can save money on electric power and not be beholden to FPL, which retaliates against whistleblowers and heavily relies on dangerous nuclear powerplants (the cost of which FPL bills us for in advance as Cost of Work in Progress or CWIP).
The Fourth Option is to work with Jacksonville Electric Authority, Clay Electric and St. Johns County to take over FPL's service area.
That's the option that will save ratepayers money. JEA rates -- and those of other public power electric utilities -- are among the lowest in the Nation. Fully 255 of Floridians get power from public power, including Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville and Gainesville.
As usual, the City of St. Augustine uses its sophistry to deprive the public of information and expertise, denying the bleeding obvious -- we can save money on electric power and not be beholden to FPL, which retaliates against whistleblowers and heavily relies on dangerous nuclear powerplants (the cost of which FPL bills us for in advance as Cost of Work in Progress or CWIP).
City staff to discuss FPL deal
City staff to discuss FPL deal
Cobb: Agreement means $1.4 million franchise fee for city
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 11/14/08
Few residents attended the city's meeting Thursday on possibly renewing its 30-year franchise with Florida Power & Light, but it was clear they had major concerns with it.
The five residents who came to the meeting had two main questions: Why does the franchise agreement have to be 30 years, and what do city residents get out of it?
John Regan, city chief operations officer, said the purpose of the meeting was to see what issues residents had with the franchise. City staff will now take that input and decide how to pursue negotiations with FPL.
Dave Cobb, FPL spokesman, said the franchise provides financial stability for the company and the city in turn collects a franchise fee of $1.4 million.
Without the fee, Regan said, the city will have to find another form of taxation. He did not have examples of how the city would do that.
The city also collects the fee from churches and schools such as Flagler College and Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, some of the city's biggest electricity users. Churches and schools are exempt from other city taxes.
St. Johns County uses FPL, but it does not have a franchise agreement. Resident Melinda Rakoncay wants the city to do the same thing.
"County residents get the same electricity I do, and they don't pay," she said.
Resident Crail Marlowe had a problem with such a long agreement with FPL.
"A 30-year agreement is an awful long time," Marlowe said.
Regan said he met with Cobb and other FPL staff briefly before the meeting and discussed possibly having a 15-year agreement.
"We're going to continue talking with them," he said.
The city has three main options: renew its franchise with FPL, use FPL's services without the franchise, or buy out FPL's equipment in St. Augustine and start its own electric company.
City staff is gathering information on all the options, although they have warned city commissioners that it could cost $50 million to buy out FPL.
Regan said city staff will take the information from the meeting and continue negotiations with FPL.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/111408/news_1114_035.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Cobb: Agreement means $1.4 million franchise fee for city
By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 11/14/08
Few residents attended the city's meeting Thursday on possibly renewing its 30-year franchise with Florida Power & Light, but it was clear they had major concerns with it.
The five residents who came to the meeting had two main questions: Why does the franchise agreement have to be 30 years, and what do city residents get out of it?
John Regan, city chief operations officer, said the purpose of the meeting was to see what issues residents had with the franchise. City staff will now take that input and decide how to pursue negotiations with FPL.
Dave Cobb, FPL spokesman, said the franchise provides financial stability for the company and the city in turn collects a franchise fee of $1.4 million.
Without the fee, Regan said, the city will have to find another form of taxation. He did not have examples of how the city would do that.
The city also collects the fee from churches and schools such as Flagler College and Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, some of the city's biggest electricity users. Churches and schools are exempt from other city taxes.
St. Johns County uses FPL, but it does not have a franchise agreement. Resident Melinda Rakoncay wants the city to do the same thing.
"County residents get the same electricity I do, and they don't pay," she said.
Resident Crail Marlowe had a problem with such a long agreement with FPL.
"A 30-year agreement is an awful long time," Marlowe said.
Regan said he met with Cobb and other FPL staff briefly before the meeting and discussed possibly having a 15-year agreement.
"We're going to continue talking with them," he said.
The city has three main options: renew its franchise with FPL, use FPL's services without the franchise, or buy out FPL's equipment in St. Augustine and start its own electric company.
City staff is gathering information on all the options, although they have warned city commissioners that it could cost $50 million to buy out FPL.
Regan said city staff will take the information from the meeting and continue negotiations with FPL.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/111408/news_1114_035.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Letter: City shouldn't subsidize FPL
Letter: City shouldn't subsidize FPL
Roy O. Barnes, Sr.
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/16/08
Editor: In Friday's Record, the story "City staff to discuss FPL deal," quotes Dave Cobb, spokesman for Florida Power & Light Company, who said the franchise provides financial stability for the company.
John Regan, the city of St. Augustine's chief operations officer, said that the city collects the franchise fee from Flagler College, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, churches and other properties which are tax exempt, and without them paying the "fee" the city must find another form of taxation.
It is a fact that county residents pay the same for the electrical service without the franchise fee. Why should the city's citizens subsidize FPL with a franchise just to provide financial stability for their company, and why should the city's citizens be made to pay more to make up for taxes not collected from tax-exempt properties?
These are tough economic times for everyone. We do not need an extra financial load placed on our shoulders.
We all must find ways to economize, including the city of St. Augustine. Any thought that the city should buy out FPL for $50 million is just ridiculous.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/111608/opinions_1116_038.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Roy O. Barnes, Sr.
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/16/08
Editor: In Friday's Record, the story "City staff to discuss FPL deal," quotes Dave Cobb, spokesman for Florida Power & Light Company, who said the franchise provides financial stability for the company.
John Regan, the city of St. Augustine's chief operations officer, said that the city collects the franchise fee from Flagler College, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, churches and other properties which are tax exempt, and without them paying the "fee" the city must find another form of taxation.
It is a fact that county residents pay the same for the electrical service without the franchise fee. Why should the city's citizens subsidize FPL with a franchise just to provide financial stability for their company, and why should the city's citizens be made to pay more to make up for taxes not collected from tax-exempt properties?
These are tough economic times for everyone. We do not need an extra financial load placed on our shoulders.
We all must find ways to economize, including the city of St. Augustine. Any thought that the city should buy out FPL for $50 million is just ridiculous.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/111608/opinions_1116_038.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
FPL's faulty electric meters focus of dispute
FPL's faulty electric meters focus of dispute
By DAVID ROYSE
Associated Press Writer
Publication Date: 01/31/05
TALLAHASSEE -- A long battle over how much Florida Power & Light Co. should repay to some big business customers for higher electric bills caused by faulty meters is heading to state regulators in an arcane case about big bucks.
The state's largest electric company is embroiled in a battle with four major companies over a type of meter that the utility has acknowledged malfunctioned while measuring peak electricital use by large business customers.
The state Public Service Commission will consider the dispute Tuesday and decide how much FPL owes retailers Target, J.C. Penney Co., and Dillard's and hotel operator Ocean Properties Ltd. for the defective meters.
FPL has refunded more than 100 commercial customers who overpaid because of the meters but says the effort by the four remaining customers is simply an attempt to financially exploit the equipment flaw.
Lawyers for the customers say the problem is bigger than FPL is admitting and may affect other companies who don't know it.
"There's thousands of these meters out there," said attorney Jon Moyle, Jr., representing the retailers.
The case involves a thermal demand meter, which uses heat to measure electrical use during peak hours.
The wrangling started a few years ago when a consulting company, Southeastern Utility Services, working to audit electric billing, alleged that some of the meters were reading inaccurately.
FPL agreed in 2002 to test about 4,000 of the 1V meters and found that more than 10 percent, about 600, were off, said company spokesman Bill Swank. Of those 600, 400 of them under-measured demand.
FPL, owned by Juno Beach-based FPL Group, offered refunds to the remaining 200 customers and replaced their meters.
But customers represented by Southeastern Utilities went to the PSC with 13 meters and argued they had misread peak demand going back longer than the one year for which FPL was offering refunds.
"What (FPL) failed to tell (customers) was that people had the ability to go back beyond 12 months," Moyle said.
Swank said FPL's refunds were fair, citing a requirement that companies refund money for a year unless a customer proves the overbilling went on longer.
"They're trying to get a lot more money back for the customers than what the PSC rules say we should be giving back," Swank said. "We tried to follow the rules ... and make sure we were fairly and uniformly treating all our customers. And we believe we did that."
FPL hasn't disclosed how much the total refund amount could be if the customers get all they want, in part because it would hard to do until the commission decides how the refunds should be calculated.
Among the issues commissioners could decide will be not only how long refunds should go back, but how they should be calculated. The two sides also disagree on how to measure the amount of overbilling and whether FPL's tests to determine the amount of inaccuracy in the meters were accurate themselves.
Meanwhile, FPL is phasing out the thermal demand meters and expects them to be replaced by electronic ones by the end of the year.
A class-action lawsuit against FPL on the same issue is pending before a Florida appeals court.
FPL Group reported net income of $887 million, or $4.91 per share, last year, down from $890 million, or $5 per share, in 2003.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/013105/sta_2858917.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
By DAVID ROYSE
Associated Press Writer
Publication Date: 01/31/05
TALLAHASSEE -- A long battle over how much Florida Power & Light Co. should repay to some big business customers for higher electric bills caused by faulty meters is heading to state regulators in an arcane case about big bucks.
The state's largest electric company is embroiled in a battle with four major companies over a type of meter that the utility has acknowledged malfunctioned while measuring peak electricital use by large business customers.
The state Public Service Commission will consider the dispute Tuesday and decide how much FPL owes retailers Target, J.C. Penney Co., and Dillard's and hotel operator Ocean Properties Ltd. for the defective meters.
FPL has refunded more than 100 commercial customers who overpaid because of the meters but says the effort by the four remaining customers is simply an attempt to financially exploit the equipment flaw.
Lawyers for the customers say the problem is bigger than FPL is admitting and may affect other companies who don't know it.
"There's thousands of these meters out there," said attorney Jon Moyle, Jr., representing the retailers.
The case involves a thermal demand meter, which uses heat to measure electrical use during peak hours.
The wrangling started a few years ago when a consulting company, Southeastern Utility Services, working to audit electric billing, alleged that some of the meters were reading inaccurately.
FPL agreed in 2002 to test about 4,000 of the 1V meters and found that more than 10 percent, about 600, were off, said company spokesman Bill Swank. Of those 600, 400 of them under-measured demand.
FPL, owned by Juno Beach-based FPL Group, offered refunds to the remaining 200 customers and replaced their meters.
But customers represented by Southeastern Utilities went to the PSC with 13 meters and argued they had misread peak demand going back longer than the one year for which FPL was offering refunds.
"What (FPL) failed to tell (customers) was that people had the ability to go back beyond 12 months," Moyle said.
Swank said FPL's refunds were fair, citing a requirement that companies refund money for a year unless a customer proves the overbilling went on longer.
"They're trying to get a lot more money back for the customers than what the PSC rules say we should be giving back," Swank said. "We tried to follow the rules ... and make sure we were fairly and uniformly treating all our customers. And we believe we did that."
FPL hasn't disclosed how much the total refund amount could be if the customers get all they want, in part because it would hard to do until the commission decides how the refunds should be calculated.
Among the issues commissioners could decide will be not only how long refunds should go back, but how they should be calculated. The two sides also disagree on how to measure the amount of overbilling and whether FPL's tests to determine the amount of inaccuracy in the meters were accurate themselves.
Meanwhile, FPL is phasing out the thermal demand meters and expects them to be replaced by electronic ones by the end of the year.
A class-action lawsuit against FPL on the same issue is pending before a Florida appeals court.
FPL Group reported net income of $887 million, or $4.91 per share, last year, down from $890 million, or $5 per share, in 2003.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/013105/sta_2858917.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
FPL seeks 7% rate hike
FPL seeks 7% rate hike
Increase would be second since July
By JULIE PATEL
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Publication Date: 11/04/08
Florida Power & Light Co. customers could see their monthly electric bills increase by more than 7 percent next year if the state approves the utility's environmental, fuel and energy conservation fees totaling almost $7.3 billion.
Under the proposal the Florida Public Service Commission will consider today, monthly residential bills for FPL would go from $110.77 now to $118.99 in January for the first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power, which is slightly less than what the average residential customer uses. Overall, that would mean monthly residential bills would be 16 percent higher than the $102.63 average in July.
The proposed price increase comes at a time when many Florida residents are facing possible job losses, home foreclosures and higher living costs as the economy worsens. The bulk of the increase comes from FPL's projected $7 billion in 2009 fuel and purchased power costs.
Many FPL customers are questioning why FPL is projecting higher fuel costs because the price of oil has plunged since July and the company had projected a drop in power sales this year and therefore less fuel use. Crude oil prices have fallen more than 50 percent from a high in July of $147 a barrel. Natural gas prices have also dropped sharply since then. To that end, Progress Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. recently lowered earlier projections of fuel fees.
"They should know we can't afford this," Flo Pettinger, a Sunrise resident said of FPL. FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana said even with a price increase the average residential customer's utility bill would still be among the lowest among electric companies statewide.
The Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which represents business customers, wants the commission to ensure that utilities don't pass the cost of lost power sales to customers. For instance, FPL had projected $278 million less in fuel costs in June because of lower energy sales but still asked to raise fuel fees. FPL says the potential savings were more than offset by "much higher" fuel costs.
The state allows FPL to keep much of its fuel cost breakdowns secret for competitive reasons.
Villafana said FPL adjusts the fuel fees when it appears fuel revenues will end up 10 percent higher than its fuel costs -- which hasn't happened at this point. The procedure, developed by the commission to ensure prices aren't changed too frequently, was triggered this summer when the commission approved an 8 percent fuel fee increase.
Under FPL's proposal, the fuel and purchased power fee portion of residential customers' monthly bills would increase by 14 percent from about $55.58 a month this year to an average of $63.09 next year for the first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power that customers use. Specifically, the fee next year would be $64.13 from January to May, $61.72 from June to October and $61.44 for November and December.
The environmental fee residents pay would more than double from 40 cents a month now to 94 cents next year. And the energy conservation fee would increase 40 percent, from $1.45 to $2.03 monthly.
If FPL's proposed energy conservation fees are approved, customers will pay about $205 million next year for programs that promote making homes more energy efficient and creating incentives for customers to use less energy.
FPL also proposes passing about $94 million in environmental costs to customers next year, including initial costs for a massive solar project in Florida that could give customers a taste of future electricity costs as the state prepares to set renewable energy requirements for utilities.
The $729 million solar project in Brevard, DeSoto and Martin counties would cost the average FPL customer more than 83 cents extra on their monthly bills in 2011, and another 31 cents more each month the first 25 years the solar plants are operating.
The Florida power-users group says that all these so-called cost recovery fees have "been a boon to regulated utilities." Utilities aren't allowed to earn a profit on the fuel fee but can on other fees such as the conservation and environmental surcharges.
A commission audit this year found that FPL included an executive's moving expenses and bonus in the fuel fees it proposed passing to customers. FPL agreed to remove the items from the fee.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/110408/state_110408_013.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Increase would be second since July
By JULIE PATEL
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Publication Date: 11/04/08
Florida Power & Light Co. customers could see their monthly electric bills increase by more than 7 percent next year if the state approves the utility's environmental, fuel and energy conservation fees totaling almost $7.3 billion.
Under the proposal the Florida Public Service Commission will consider today, monthly residential bills for FPL would go from $110.77 now to $118.99 in January for the first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power, which is slightly less than what the average residential customer uses. Overall, that would mean monthly residential bills would be 16 percent higher than the $102.63 average in July.
The proposed price increase comes at a time when many Florida residents are facing possible job losses, home foreclosures and higher living costs as the economy worsens. The bulk of the increase comes from FPL's projected $7 billion in 2009 fuel and purchased power costs.
Many FPL customers are questioning why FPL is projecting higher fuel costs because the price of oil has plunged since July and the company had projected a drop in power sales this year and therefore less fuel use. Crude oil prices have fallen more than 50 percent from a high in July of $147 a barrel. Natural gas prices have also dropped sharply since then. To that end, Progress Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. recently lowered earlier projections of fuel fees.
"They should know we can't afford this," Flo Pettinger, a Sunrise resident said of FPL. FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana said even with a price increase the average residential customer's utility bill would still be among the lowest among electric companies statewide.
The Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which represents business customers, wants the commission to ensure that utilities don't pass the cost of lost power sales to customers. For instance, FPL had projected $278 million less in fuel costs in June because of lower energy sales but still asked to raise fuel fees. FPL says the potential savings were more than offset by "much higher" fuel costs.
The state allows FPL to keep much of its fuel cost breakdowns secret for competitive reasons.
Villafana said FPL adjusts the fuel fees when it appears fuel revenues will end up 10 percent higher than its fuel costs -- which hasn't happened at this point. The procedure, developed by the commission to ensure prices aren't changed too frequently, was triggered this summer when the commission approved an 8 percent fuel fee increase.
Under FPL's proposal, the fuel and purchased power fee portion of residential customers' monthly bills would increase by 14 percent from about $55.58 a month this year to an average of $63.09 next year for the first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power that customers use. Specifically, the fee next year would be $64.13 from January to May, $61.72 from June to October and $61.44 for November and December.
The environmental fee residents pay would more than double from 40 cents a month now to 94 cents next year. And the energy conservation fee would increase 40 percent, from $1.45 to $2.03 monthly.
If FPL's proposed energy conservation fees are approved, customers will pay about $205 million next year for programs that promote making homes more energy efficient and creating incentives for customers to use less energy.
FPL also proposes passing about $94 million in environmental costs to customers next year, including initial costs for a massive solar project in Florida that could give customers a taste of future electricity costs as the state prepares to set renewable energy requirements for utilities.
The $729 million solar project in Brevard, DeSoto and Martin counties would cost the average FPL customer more than 83 cents extra on their monthly bills in 2011, and another 31 cents more each month the first 25 years the solar plants are operating.
The Florida power-users group says that all these so-called cost recovery fees have "been a boon to regulated utilities." Utilities aren't allowed to earn a profit on the fuel fee but can on other fees such as the conservation and environmental surcharges.
A commission audit this year found that FPL included an executive's moving expenses and bonus in the fuel fees it proposed passing to customers. FPL agreed to remove the items from the fee.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/110408/state_110408_013.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
DOJ PRESS RELEASE -- FORMER VAL VERDE CORRECTIONS OFFICER SENTENCED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Texas
Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 13, 2008
Shana Jones, Special Assistant Daryl Fields, Public Information Officer
(210) 384-7440
FORMER VAL VERDE CORRECTIONS OFFICER SENTENCED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that Emmanuel Cassio, a former corrections officer at the Val Verde County Detention Center in Del Rio, Texas, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for violating the civil rights of a pre-trial detainee and obstructing the subsequent criminal investigation.
Appearing before United States District Judge Alia Ludlum yesterday afternoon, Cassio was sentenced to 10 months for Count 1 (Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law – 18 USC 242) and 6 months for violating Count 2 (Hindering Communication of Information Relating to Federal Offense – 18 USC 1512(b)(3)). Judge Ludlum ordered that both sentences be served consecutively. Judge Ludlum also ordered that Cassio pay a $3,000 fine and be placed under supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On April 30, 2008, Cassio pleaded guilty to the charges. Cassio admitted that on October 31, 2006, while working as a corrections officer at the Val Verde County Detention Center, he used unreasonable force when he repeatedly punched an inmate without provocation. Cassio agreed that his assault violated the inmate’s constitutional right to be free of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers. Additionally, Cassio admitted that he obstructed justice when he provided false information about the incident to investigators.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Brady and D.O.J. Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Jared Fishman.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Texas
Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 13, 2008
Shana Jones, Special Assistant Daryl Fields, Public Information Officer
(210) 384-7440
FORMER VAL VERDE CORRECTIONS OFFICER SENTENCED FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that Emmanuel Cassio, a former corrections officer at the Val Verde County Detention Center in Del Rio, Texas, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for violating the civil rights of a pre-trial detainee and obstructing the subsequent criminal investigation.
Appearing before United States District Judge Alia Ludlum yesterday afternoon, Cassio was sentenced to 10 months for Count 1 (Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law – 18 USC 242) and 6 months for violating Count 2 (Hindering Communication of Information Relating to Federal Offense – 18 USC 1512(b)(3)). Judge Ludlum ordered that both sentences be served consecutively. Judge Ludlum also ordered that Cassio pay a $3,000 fine and be placed under supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On April 30, 2008, Cassio pleaded guilty to the charges. Cassio admitted that on October 31, 2006, while working as a corrections officer at the Val Verde County Detention Center, he used unreasonable force when he repeatedly punched an inmate without provocation. Cassio agreed that his assault violated the inmate’s constitutional right to be free of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers. Additionally, Cassio admitted that he obstructed justice when he provided false information about the incident to investigators.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Brady and D.O.J. Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Jared Fishman.
FBI PRESS RELEASE: FORMER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PURCHASING OFFICIAL CONVICTED OF MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2008 (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888
FORMER DoD OFFICIAL SENTENCED FOR MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT
WASHINGTON – A former employee of the Defense Logistics Agency, an agency within the Department of Defense (DoD), was sentenced today to two years of probation for committing one count of making a false statement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Constance Walton, 55, of Mitchellville, Md., also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, Walton failed to disclose to the DoD that she received income from a company that she owned. Walton started the company to receive work assignments from contractors of the U.S. Department of the Army Information Technology Agency where her associate, Robert Johnson, worked. Between 2000 and 2006, Walton received more than $100,000 from the contractors.
On June 27, 2006, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for using his official position to obtain more than $150,000 from the Army. Johnson committed this fraud by directing two prime contractors to subcontract with two companies in which Johnson secretly held a financial interest, one of which was Walton’s company. Johnson also falsely certified that the prime contractors and their subcontractors provided services to the government when, in fact, such services were not provided. On Sept. 29, 2006, District Court Judge James C. Cacheris sentenced Johnson to 24 months in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Ann C. Brickley of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Section Chief William M. Welch II. The case is being investigated by Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the General Services Administration and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia assisted in Johnson’s prosecution.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2008 (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888
FORMER DoD OFFICIAL SENTENCED FOR MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT
WASHINGTON – A former employee of the Defense Logistics Agency, an agency within the Department of Defense (DoD), was sentenced today to two years of probation for committing one count of making a false statement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Constance Walton, 55, of Mitchellville, Md., also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, Walton failed to disclose to the DoD that she received income from a company that she owned. Walton started the company to receive work assignments from contractors of the U.S. Department of the Army Information Technology Agency where her associate, Robert Johnson, worked. Between 2000 and 2006, Walton received more than $100,000 from the contractors.
On June 27, 2006, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for using his official position to obtain more than $150,000 from the Army. Johnson committed this fraud by directing two prime contractors to subcontract with two companies in which Johnson secretly held a financial interest, one of which was Walton’s company. Johnson also falsely certified that the prime contractors and their subcontractors provided services to the government when, in fact, such services were not provided. On Sept. 29, 2006, District Court Judge James C. Cacheris sentenced Johnson to 24 months in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Ann C. Brickley of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Section Chief William M. Welch II. The case is being investigated by Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the General Services Administration and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia assisted in Johnson’s prosecution.
J. CLARK MICA, CONGRESSMAN JOHN LUIGI MICA's SON, IS A HUD POLITICAL PATRONAGE EMPLOYEE, GS-14
JOHN CLARK MICA'S Annual salary at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is at least $98,033 (GS-14, step 1)
See http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plumbook/2008/2008_plum_book.pdf, page 85 (PDF page 92)
That's not bad for a young man right out of college! His Daddy's a Congressman. George W. Bush gave him a schedule C appointment.
Some people have to work for a living to pay JOHN CLARK MICA's salary.
His Schedule C appointment expires at Noon on January 20, 2009.
Any doubt that JOHN CLARK MICA will join his uncles and sister as a lobbyist for megacorporate miscreants?
What do you reckon?
City should celebrate its past, good and bad
City should celebrate its past, good and bad
By WILLIAM LEARY
St. Augustine
http://staugustine.com/stories/090308/opinions_090308_opin_02.shtml
I read with interest and some sorrow the Sunday guest column from David Thundershield. Thundershileld and Ms. Carol Hausman advocating that we not "honor" the 500th anniversary of the landing of Ponce de Leon on the 450th birthday of St. Augustine and landing of Pedro Menendez de Aviles.
I do not quibble with their facts and conclusions that both of these Spanish explorers and their contemporaries were brutal and cruel, particularly to indigenous peoples they found here and the French explorers Menendez was sent to conquer. I do not disagree that these Spanish explorers were motivated by greed in hopes of finding great wealth and by a desire to conquer more peoples for their God and their King.
But I do most certainly disagree with the conclusion they draw that we should allow these historic events to pass unnoticed. Indeed, I believe it is our obligation to acknowledge them and to use these anniversaries as an opportunity to teach ourselves and future generations about the past, good and bad. The key lies in an honest account of that past.
My wife and I recently traveled to Peru and Ecuador and spoke to several people there about how they acknowledge a nearly contemporaneous but even more egregious history of Spanish conquest. They told us how they are uncomfortable with the idea of "celebrating" the anniversaries of the Spanish destruction of the Incan civilization. Instead, they use those occasions to celebrate their history that preceded and followed those invasions, acknowledging their occurrence and impacts, but focusing today's and future generations upon the remarkable accomplishments of their countries and the peoples that have populated them for thousands of years.
It is no different for us in how we present and discuss the civil rights history of St. Augustine. During our 400th birthday event in 1965, this town was still very torn over a racial divide and abhorrent behavior toward the black community that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. The civil rights movement was seen by some as a distraction from the birthday events of that year. In a few short years, for the 450th, we have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility to present that civil rights struggle honestly and fully. Just so with the indigenous peoples and their descendents.
We do not "celebrate" such events in our past. We commemorate them to keep the memory alive. We teach. We learn. We pledge to never again allow or encourage slavery, bigotry, genocide, or forced imposition of religious belief.
I have worked with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians. They are rightly proud of their past and have much to teach us. We should seek out and invite the tribes and their descendents whose lives were impacted by the events that have unfolded here since 1513 when Ponce de Leon first came upon the Timucuan. They should tell their stories. The authors of the letter should participate. They would have the opportunity to teach a national and international audience what happened here.
If in a few years we celebrate anything, it should be that we are not afraid to talk about our past, including the terrible tings above which we have risen. As Thundershield and Hausman suggest, we should honor our cultural diversity. I, for one, look forward to the challenges and opportunities we face in these next several years to tell our history and the stories of the remarkable people who preceded us. It is a civic responsibility and moral imperative to do it right.
William Leary is a member of the St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Commission and is on the board of the St. Johns Cultural Council.
By WILLIAM LEARY
St. Augustine
http://staugustine.com/stories/090308/opinions_090308_opin_02.shtml
I read with interest and some sorrow the Sunday guest column from David Thundershield. Thundershileld and Ms. Carol Hausman advocating that we not "honor" the 500th anniversary of the landing of Ponce de Leon on the 450th birthday of St. Augustine and landing of Pedro Menendez de Aviles.
I do not quibble with their facts and conclusions that both of these Spanish explorers and their contemporaries were brutal and cruel, particularly to indigenous peoples they found here and the French explorers Menendez was sent to conquer. I do not disagree that these Spanish explorers were motivated by greed in hopes of finding great wealth and by a desire to conquer more peoples for their God and their King.
But I do most certainly disagree with the conclusion they draw that we should allow these historic events to pass unnoticed. Indeed, I believe it is our obligation to acknowledge them and to use these anniversaries as an opportunity to teach ourselves and future generations about the past, good and bad. The key lies in an honest account of that past.
My wife and I recently traveled to Peru and Ecuador and spoke to several people there about how they acknowledge a nearly contemporaneous but even more egregious history of Spanish conquest. They told us how they are uncomfortable with the idea of "celebrating" the anniversaries of the Spanish destruction of the Incan civilization. Instead, they use those occasions to celebrate their history that preceded and followed those invasions, acknowledging their occurrence and impacts, but focusing today's and future generations upon the remarkable accomplishments of their countries and the peoples that have populated them for thousands of years.
It is no different for us in how we present and discuss the civil rights history of St. Augustine. During our 400th birthday event in 1965, this town was still very torn over a racial divide and abhorrent behavior toward the black community that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. The civil rights movement was seen by some as a distraction from the birthday events of that year. In a few short years, for the 450th, we have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility to present that civil rights struggle honestly and fully. Just so with the indigenous peoples and their descendents.
We do not "celebrate" such events in our past. We commemorate them to keep the memory alive. We teach. We learn. We pledge to never again allow or encourage slavery, bigotry, genocide, or forced imposition of religious belief.
I have worked with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians. They are rightly proud of their past and have much to teach us. We should seek out and invite the tribes and their descendents whose lives were impacted by the events that have unfolded here since 1513 when Ponce de Leon first came upon the Timucuan. They should tell their stories. The authors of the letter should participate. They would have the opportunity to teach a national and international audience what happened here.
If in a few years we celebrate anything, it should be that we are not afraid to talk about our past, including the terrible tings above which we have risen. As Thundershield and Hausman suggest, we should honor our cultural diversity. I, for one, look forward to the challenges and opportunities we face in these next several years to tell our history and the stories of the remarkable people who preceded us. It is a civic responsibility and moral imperative to do it right.
William Leary is a member of the St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Commission and is on the board of the St. Johns Cultural Council.
Column: City's 450th no cause for special event
Column: City's 450th no cause for special event
DAVID THUNDERSHIELD QUEEN
Publication Date: 03/02/08
St. Augustine is the cradle of the North-American European invasion, conquest, cultural and physical genocide committed against American-Indians.
The local American-Indian community and many others say "no" to a 450th commemoration, where someone impersonating the oftentimes brutal Pedro Menendez will be paraded around as a "hero." He's no hero to Indians or Protestants who know the real history of what happened.
* Pedro Menendez, while not the butcher that Ponce de Leon and Hernando de Soto were, nevertheless did his share of plundering and murder "in the name of God."
It's well-documented that Menendez murdered 20 Calusa Indians and many Kiskiack Indians (in Cheaspeake Bay area) predominantly for resisting his coercive attempt to convert them to Spanish-Catholicism.
* Menendez murdered 245 French-Huguenots (Lutheran-Protestants) who surrendered, for the "crime" of being protestant not Catholic at infamous Matanzas (massacre) Inlet.
* Menendez ordered the first documented, anti-gay, hate crime in North America with the execution of the French-interpreter Guillermo (who was the lover of a local Guale caciques' son) for being what Menendez called "a Sodomite and a Lutheran."
We are especially annoyed by Section 2, Article 2 paragraph of the S. 2359 declaration that alludes (strongly) to some mutually-beneficial "multicultural picnic" from this forced invasion, conquest and subsequent cultural/physical genocide. It could have happened that way but unfortunately it didn't.
Like elsewhere, it started out peaceful enough, but went quickly downhill when the Timucua, others further South (Calusa) to up North (the Kiskiack of Chesapeake Bay) came up against the rude, arrogant and violently-abusive behavior of Menendez and his Spaniards.
Many decades of coerced-Christian conversions, forced labor (if not outright slavery), and cultural genocide along with widespread death from disease and cultural disruptions followed until the Timucua, as a nation, were no more.
The (protestant) French up at Fort Caroline had a much better relationship with the Indians.
They were somewhat respectful, not overtly-racist and owned no slaves unlike the slavery-supporting Menendez. The French were the preferred European-power by both Indians and blacks.
If local, state and congressional officials plan to go ahead with their 450th Commemoration they should, at least, ensure appropriate Native-American representation on their Commemoration Commission.
We see no plans to do that at present.
Virginia included representation and much input from its tribes (Mattaponi, Pamunkey Nations, etc.) at its 400th Jamestown Commemoration. That seemed to work for many Indians and Euro-Americans. A balanced presentation was crafted.
A very different situation exists in St. Augustine, but American-Indians do want the ignored side of the story told which won't be done without strong native-representation on the panels.
Many American cities, because of GOP-mandated federal budget cuts, the Bush Administration's costly, still-bloody, protracted occupation in Iraq and several earlier "natural disasters" from Katrina, to the La Jolla fires to recent tornadoes still lack necessary funding for relief and full disaster recovery.
Federally funding a 450th commemoration would present a gross misappropriation of scarce federal dollars for a superfluous, Euro-centric and unnecessary event honoring colonizers who command no historical honor.
For both American-Indians and Protestants a 450th St. Augustine Commemoration event would be a mourning not a celebration of the arrogant, disruptive and oftentimes brutal historic Spanish conquest.
David Thundershield Queen is a writer and activist.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/030208/opinions_txt01_068.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
DAVID THUNDERSHIELD QUEEN
Publication Date: 03/02/08
St. Augustine is the cradle of the North-American European invasion, conquest, cultural and physical genocide committed against American-Indians.
The local American-Indian community and many others say "no" to a 450th commemoration, where someone impersonating the oftentimes brutal Pedro Menendez will be paraded around as a "hero." He's no hero to Indians or Protestants who know the real history of what happened.
* Pedro Menendez, while not the butcher that Ponce de Leon and Hernando de Soto were, nevertheless did his share of plundering and murder "in the name of God."
It's well-documented that Menendez murdered 20 Calusa Indians and many Kiskiack Indians (in Cheaspeake Bay area) predominantly for resisting his coercive attempt to convert them to Spanish-Catholicism.
* Menendez murdered 245 French-Huguenots (Lutheran-Protestants) who surrendered, for the "crime" of being protestant not Catholic at infamous Matanzas (massacre) Inlet.
* Menendez ordered the first documented, anti-gay, hate crime in North America with the execution of the French-interpreter Guillermo (who was the lover of a local Guale caciques' son) for being what Menendez called "a Sodomite and a Lutheran."
We are especially annoyed by Section 2, Article 2 paragraph of the S. 2359 declaration that alludes (strongly) to some mutually-beneficial "multicultural picnic" from this forced invasion, conquest and subsequent cultural/physical genocide. It could have happened that way but unfortunately it didn't.
Like elsewhere, it started out peaceful enough, but went quickly downhill when the Timucua, others further South (Calusa) to up North (the Kiskiack of Chesapeake Bay) came up against the rude, arrogant and violently-abusive behavior of Menendez and his Spaniards.
Many decades of coerced-Christian conversions, forced labor (if not outright slavery), and cultural genocide along with widespread death from disease and cultural disruptions followed until the Timucua, as a nation, were no more.
The (protestant) French up at Fort Caroline had a much better relationship with the Indians.
They were somewhat respectful, not overtly-racist and owned no slaves unlike the slavery-supporting Menendez. The French were the preferred European-power by both Indians and blacks.
If local, state and congressional officials plan to go ahead with their 450th Commemoration they should, at least, ensure appropriate Native-American representation on their Commemoration Commission.
We see no plans to do that at present.
Virginia included representation and much input from its tribes (Mattaponi, Pamunkey Nations, etc.) at its 400th Jamestown Commemoration. That seemed to work for many Indians and Euro-Americans. A balanced presentation was crafted.
A very different situation exists in St. Augustine, but American-Indians do want the ignored side of the story told which won't be done without strong native-representation on the panels.
Many American cities, because of GOP-mandated federal budget cuts, the Bush Administration's costly, still-bloody, protracted occupation in Iraq and several earlier "natural disasters" from Katrina, to the La Jolla fires to recent tornadoes still lack necessary funding for relief and full disaster recovery.
Federally funding a 450th commemoration would present a gross misappropriation of scarce federal dollars for a superfluous, Euro-centric and unnecessary event honoring colonizers who command no historical honor.
For both American-Indians and Protestants a 450th St. Augustine Commemoration event would be a mourning not a celebration of the arrogant, disruptive and oftentimes brutal historic Spanish conquest.
David Thundershield Queen is a writer and activist.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/030208/opinions_txt01_068.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Orlando Sentinel--PORK:Overbearing Extremist Republican Congressman JOHN L. MICA Pushes "Unnecessary Central Park commuter-rail stop reeking of pork."
OrlandoSentinel.com
What you think
Commuter rail in Winter Park
November 17, 2008
Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel is determined to advance Rep. John Mica's pro-development agenda, which shows no respect for Central Park. No cost/benefit analysis could ever justify Mica's high-pressure tactics to cement his legacy with an unnecessary Central Park commuter-rail stop reeking of pork.
Blame me, not Beth Dillaha. Commissioner Dillaha is trying to get the numbers to work. I'm not. Dozens of noisy buses circulating in Central Park would be an environmental disaster for the tranquil setting listed as "threatened" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There is no difference in your Interstate 4 commute with a rail stop at Central Park or Florida Hospital. We don't need two Winter Park rail stops.
Littering, loitering and crime increase with transient commuter-rail passengers as opposed to destination Amtrak passengers. Improved marketing helps merchants. Nurses commuting to Winter Park Hospital can protect Central Park by riding the bus from the Florida Hospital rail stop. That bus ride would be 1.6 miles longer than the bus ride from the proposed Central Park stop. Winter Park residents will barely use commuter rail. But, they will use wider I-4 lanes.
Residents paid to make a 237,000-square-foot Central Park development disappear. They might be willing to pay something to make an unnecessary Central Park commuter-rail stop disappear to save the soul of their village from dozens of big-city buses, congestion and crime. Graffiti, anyone?
WILL GRAVES
Winter Park
orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/orl-le17_108nov17,0,2044470.story
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
Here's City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS, guilty of golf
CONTROVERSIAL ST. AUGUSTINE CITY MANAGER WILLIAM B. HARRISS LOOKS LIKE HE'S BEEN LIVING HIGH ON THE HOG AFTER 10.5 YEARS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB -- HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK WILLIAM B. HARRISS WEIGHS?
"If I had my way, no man guilty of golf would be eligible to any office of trust under the United States." -- Henry Louis Mencken
Golf tournament raises funds for local charities
Special to The Record
Publication Date: 10/08/08
The golf gods (sic) were kind to the 10th Annual Ernie's Tools Golf Tournament at the St Johns County Golf Course on Sept. 13. The sun shone brightly and there was hardly a cloud in the sky as 33 teams teed off for 18 holes of shotgun format, best ball scoring golf.
Most teams were comprised of local businessmen and their associates. Prizes for longest putt, straightest drive and closest to the pin were awarded.
The winning team for the third year in a row was that of Bill Harriss, Joe Tringali, Don Crichlow and Rob Lichter, scoring 13 under with a total of 57.
Jack Wilson Dealerships sponsored a hole-in-one challenge with the opportunity to win a 2009 Buick and a weekend resort getaway unfortunately, the prizes went back to the dealership again this year.
Play was rounded off with lunch at the clubhouse and a drawing. Companies donated more than 85 prizes to the cause, ensuring that virtually no one went home empty handed.
At the end of the day, more than $5,000 was raised for the St. Gerard Campus in St Augustine and the Salvation Army.
Anyone wishing to make a donation may do so by stopping by Ernie's Tool & Specialty, 20 S. Dixie Highway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 and asking for Rich or calling 829-5712.
The St. Gerard Campus provides a safe haven for pregnant women and offers them an opportunity to continue their education, shelter for those turned out by their families, medical and emotional support throughout their pregnancy and first months of motherhood, as well as adoption services for those who need it. In its 25 years of service, The St Gerard Campus has saved 27,000 babies.
Founded in London in 1865, the goal of the Salvation Army is to provide a spiritual foundation from which people can begin new lives.
Today all across the world, through community centers, social service programs and disaster relief efforts that focus on providing not just temporary help, but psychological, social and spiritual aid to those in need, the Salvation Army offers support.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/100808/community_1008_001.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
USDOJ Press Release: Texas School Board Exec Sentenced to Eleven Years in Federal Prison
United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA INQUIRIES: KATHY COLVIN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008 PHONE: (214) 659-8600
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXN FAX: (214) 767-2898
FORMER DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT (DISD)
EXECUTIVE SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON
DALLAS — Ruben B. Bohuchot, the former Chief Technology Officer at the Dallas Independent School District (DISD), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 11 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Bohuchot, 59, of Dallas, and Frankie Logyang Wong, 46, a businessman from Houston, Texas, were convicted in July following a three-week trial on all counts of a federal indictment involving offenses related to their operation of a bribery and money laundering scheme involving DISD technology contracts. Judge Lindsay ordered that Bohuchot surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on January 20, 2009.
Frankie Logyang Wong is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow by Judge Lindsay. Wong co-owned and was the president of Micro Systems Engineering, Inc., (MSE), a computer reseller that provided computer products and services to large corporations and school districts. MSE was headquartered in Houston, with an office in Dallas.
Bohuchot and Wong were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. In addition, both Bohuchot and Wong were convicted of eight counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and aiding and abetting. In addition, Bohuchot was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements on tax returns. They will have to forfeit $1,192,263.90, which represents the proceeds of the conspiracy to commit bribery and money laundering.
In his position as Chief Technology Officer at DISD, Bohuchot was in charge of procuring technology contracts for DISD. Bohuchot provided Wong and his company, MSE, with inside information thus enabling MSE to obtain two lucrative contracts with DISD. The two contracts involved a “Seat Management” and an “E-Rate 6” program; these two contracts were worth approximately $120 million.
William Frederick Coleman, III, a friend of Bohuchot’s, was hired by Wong as a consultant to assist MSE, who partnered with Hewlett Packard (HP), in obtaining the seat management computer contract at DISD. The “Seat Management” contract was an agreement in which the school district leased desktop computers, while the vendor continued to own and be responsible for the computers’ upkeep. At the end of three years, the school district would have the option of purchasing the computers. By DISD policies, Coleman was not eligible to assist MSE as a consultant because he had worked for DISD within the previous five years and because he was paid on a contingency fee basis.
Coleman, 52, formerly of Dallas, but currently residing in Detroit, Michigan, was Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer at DISD from August 30, 1999 through September 15, 2000. While at DISD, Coleman’s responsibilities included managing the purchasing department. DISD’s Purchasing Department worked with all other departments in procuring items, including computers. According to news articles in the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Coleman also recently served as the Detroit Public Schools Superintendent. Coleman pled guilty in May to one count of attempting to influence a grand jury and testified for the government at this trial. He was sentenced in September to pay a $5000 fine and serve a one-year term of probation and perform community service.
In May 2002, Bohuchot, Wong, and Coleman, along with their wives, traveled to Key West, Florida at MSE’s expense. During that trip, Bohuchot brought a copy of the specifications for the upcoming “Seat Management” contract at DISD, even before DISD had issued a public Request for Proposal (RFP). Providing information relating to the upcoming contract, before the information was provided to other vendors, assisted MSE and HP in submitting a winning bid proposal to DISD. From January 27, 2003, through July 11, 2005, MSE received at least $4.4 million as a result of its participation in the DISD “Seat Management” contract.
The government also presented evidence at trial related to the “E-Rate 6" contract. The “E-Rate program was administered by the Federal Communications Commission to provide affordable telecommunications and internet services to eligible schools and libraries. “E-Rate” is funded through taxes charged to all telephone consumers. DISD was eligible to apply for “E-Rate” funds in the sixth year of this program. Ultimately, the contract that DISD obtained for “E-Rate 6,” under Bohuchot’s direction, was worth $120 million.
Beginning in November 2002, MSE and other companies formed a consortium for the purpose of submitting a bid proposal relating to the “E-Rate 6” program at DISD. On December 17, 2002, DISD published the “E-Rate 6” RFP, giving public notice to all vendors. On January 20, 2003, the Consortium submitted a bid proposal which DISD ultimately approved. Funds paid to the Consortium under the “E-Rate 6” contract were received by MSE and then forwarded to Acclaim Professional Services, Inc. Wong and others formed Acclaim in late November 2002, prior to the “E-Rate 6" RFP being made public, to distribute “E-Rate 6" contract funds to other Consortium members. As a result of the “E-Rate 6" contract awarded to the Consortium, Wong personally received millions of dollars. He was an owner of MSE and Acclaim, as well as having interests in at least two other companies that were part of the Consortium.
Bribes to Bohuchot by Wong and MSE included access to a sport-fishing vessel, named “Sir Veza.” “Sir Veza” was a 46' Post motor sport fishing yacht that was purchased for approximately $305,000. This expensive yacht was named and controlled by Bohuchot. To conceal Bohuchot’s use of this yacht, Wong created and became president of Statewide Marketing, LLC in October 2002. Testimony revealed that Wong told the full-time “Sir Veza” boat captain to keep Bohuchot happy and that if Bohuchot did not use the boat, then Wong had no use for it.
After the second contract (“E-Rate 6") was obtained, MSE, through Statewide Marketing, purchased a second, larger yacht. The evidence showed that Bohuchot named this yacht “Sir Veza II.” “Sir Veza II” was a 58' Viking and purchased for almost $800,000. Evidence was presented that Bohuchot used “Sir Veza” I 90% of the time the boat was in use and that Bohuchot used “Sir Veza II” 80% of the time the boat was in use. All of the expenses and operating costs of these two yachts, including the boat captain’s salary, were paid by Statewide Marketing and MSE at Wong’s direction.
In addition, Wong used MSE’s credit card to pay for Bohuchot’s excessive entertainment expenses. The evidence showed that from May 2002 to July 2005, Wong paid for trips to Key West, Florida, on at least five occasions for Bohuchot, Bohuchot’s family, and Bohuchot’s friends. These expenses included airline tickets, hotels, meals, boating, and other entertainment.
Wong also gave cash to Bohuchot, disguising the true nature of these cash payments. Bohuchot arranged for Wong to hire Bohuchot’s son-in-law at MSE. Bohuchot then told his son-in-law that he would be receiving a second paycheck from Acclaim (for no additional work) and that some of this money would be given to Bohuchot in cash. Bohuchot’s son-in-law agreed to this arrangement, saved 40% of the money for taxes as directed by Bohuchot, and acted as a conduit to conceal regular cash payments from Wong to Bohuchot.
Bohuchot failed to report the income he received from this bribery scheme on his 2004 and 2005 federal income tax returns.
Bohuchot also attempted to persuade his son-in-law to testify falsely in front of the grand jury during the federal investigation of this case. Bohuchot told his son-in-law to testify that the cash payments were repayments for living expenses. Bohuchot’s son-in-law testified in the trial that he did not testify as Bohuchot requested and that the true nature of the cash payments Bohuchot received were from Wong, not any repayment by the son-in-law.
In addition to concealing payments to Bohuchot, Wong also used his administrative assistant as a conduit to conceal cash to himself. Wong’s assistant testified that Wong directed approximately $1 million to her over three years. She testified that she saved 40% for taxes, at Wong’s direction, and then split the remainder of the money with Wong, which she gave to Wong in cash. Both defendants concealed payments to themselves by diverting payments through others.
U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Department of Education, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Anti-Trust Division of the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dayle Elieson and Linda Groves, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Bray prosecuted the case.
Northern District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA INQUIRIES: KATHY COLVIN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008 PHONE: (214) 659-8600
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXN FAX: (214) 767-2898
FORMER DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT (DISD)
EXECUTIVE SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON
DALLAS — Ruben B. Bohuchot, the former Chief Technology Officer at the Dallas Independent School District (DISD), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 11 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Bohuchot, 59, of Dallas, and Frankie Logyang Wong, 46, a businessman from Houston, Texas, were convicted in July following a three-week trial on all counts of a federal indictment involving offenses related to their operation of a bribery and money laundering scheme involving DISD technology contracts. Judge Lindsay ordered that Bohuchot surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on January 20, 2009.
Frankie Logyang Wong is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow by Judge Lindsay. Wong co-owned and was the president of Micro Systems Engineering, Inc., (MSE), a computer reseller that provided computer products and services to large corporations and school districts. MSE was headquartered in Houston, with an office in Dallas.
Bohuchot and Wong were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. In addition, both Bohuchot and Wong were convicted of eight counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and aiding and abetting. In addition, Bohuchot was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements on tax returns. They will have to forfeit $1,192,263.90, which represents the proceeds of the conspiracy to commit bribery and money laundering.
In his position as Chief Technology Officer at DISD, Bohuchot was in charge of procuring technology contracts for DISD. Bohuchot provided Wong and his company, MSE, with inside information thus enabling MSE to obtain two lucrative contracts with DISD. The two contracts involved a “Seat Management” and an “E-Rate 6” program; these two contracts were worth approximately $120 million.
William Frederick Coleman, III, a friend of Bohuchot’s, was hired by Wong as a consultant to assist MSE, who partnered with Hewlett Packard (HP), in obtaining the seat management computer contract at DISD. The “Seat Management” contract was an agreement in which the school district leased desktop computers, while the vendor continued to own and be responsible for the computers’ upkeep. At the end of three years, the school district would have the option of purchasing the computers. By DISD policies, Coleman was not eligible to assist MSE as a consultant because he had worked for DISD within the previous five years and because he was paid on a contingency fee basis.
Coleman, 52, formerly of Dallas, but currently residing in Detroit, Michigan, was Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer at DISD from August 30, 1999 through September 15, 2000. While at DISD, Coleman’s responsibilities included managing the purchasing department. DISD’s Purchasing Department worked with all other departments in procuring items, including computers. According to news articles in the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Coleman also recently served as the Detroit Public Schools Superintendent. Coleman pled guilty in May to one count of attempting to influence a grand jury and testified for the government at this trial. He was sentenced in September to pay a $5000 fine and serve a one-year term of probation and perform community service.
In May 2002, Bohuchot, Wong, and Coleman, along with their wives, traveled to Key West, Florida at MSE’s expense. During that trip, Bohuchot brought a copy of the specifications for the upcoming “Seat Management” contract at DISD, even before DISD had issued a public Request for Proposal (RFP). Providing information relating to the upcoming contract, before the information was provided to other vendors, assisted MSE and HP in submitting a winning bid proposal to DISD. From January 27, 2003, through July 11, 2005, MSE received at least $4.4 million as a result of its participation in the DISD “Seat Management” contract.
The government also presented evidence at trial related to the “E-Rate 6" contract. The “E-Rate program was administered by the Federal Communications Commission to provide affordable telecommunications and internet services to eligible schools and libraries. “E-Rate” is funded through taxes charged to all telephone consumers. DISD was eligible to apply for “E-Rate” funds in the sixth year of this program. Ultimately, the contract that DISD obtained for “E-Rate 6,” under Bohuchot’s direction, was worth $120 million.
Beginning in November 2002, MSE and other companies formed a consortium for the purpose of submitting a bid proposal relating to the “E-Rate 6” program at DISD. On December 17, 2002, DISD published the “E-Rate 6” RFP, giving public notice to all vendors. On January 20, 2003, the Consortium submitted a bid proposal which DISD ultimately approved. Funds paid to the Consortium under the “E-Rate 6” contract were received by MSE and then forwarded to Acclaim Professional Services, Inc. Wong and others formed Acclaim in late November 2002, prior to the “E-Rate 6" RFP being made public, to distribute “E-Rate 6" contract funds to other Consortium members. As a result of the “E-Rate 6" contract awarded to the Consortium, Wong personally received millions of dollars. He was an owner of MSE and Acclaim, as well as having interests in at least two other companies that were part of the Consortium.
Bribes to Bohuchot by Wong and MSE included access to a sport-fishing vessel, named “Sir Veza.” “Sir Veza” was a 46' Post motor sport fishing yacht that was purchased for approximately $305,000. This expensive yacht was named and controlled by Bohuchot. To conceal Bohuchot’s use of this yacht, Wong created and became president of Statewide Marketing, LLC in October 2002. Testimony revealed that Wong told the full-time “Sir Veza” boat captain to keep Bohuchot happy and that if Bohuchot did not use the boat, then Wong had no use for it.
After the second contract (“E-Rate 6") was obtained, MSE, through Statewide Marketing, purchased a second, larger yacht. The evidence showed that Bohuchot named this yacht “Sir Veza II.” “Sir Veza II” was a 58' Viking and purchased for almost $800,000. Evidence was presented that Bohuchot used “Sir Veza” I 90% of the time the boat was in use and that Bohuchot used “Sir Veza II” 80% of the time the boat was in use. All of the expenses and operating costs of these two yachts, including the boat captain’s salary, were paid by Statewide Marketing and MSE at Wong’s direction.
In addition, Wong used MSE’s credit card to pay for Bohuchot’s excessive entertainment expenses. The evidence showed that from May 2002 to July 2005, Wong paid for trips to Key West, Florida, on at least five occasions for Bohuchot, Bohuchot’s family, and Bohuchot’s friends. These expenses included airline tickets, hotels, meals, boating, and other entertainment.
Wong also gave cash to Bohuchot, disguising the true nature of these cash payments. Bohuchot arranged for Wong to hire Bohuchot’s son-in-law at MSE. Bohuchot then told his son-in-law that he would be receiving a second paycheck from Acclaim (for no additional work) and that some of this money would be given to Bohuchot in cash. Bohuchot’s son-in-law agreed to this arrangement, saved 40% of the money for taxes as directed by Bohuchot, and acted as a conduit to conceal regular cash payments from Wong to Bohuchot.
Bohuchot failed to report the income he received from this bribery scheme on his 2004 and 2005 federal income tax returns.
Bohuchot also attempted to persuade his son-in-law to testify falsely in front of the grand jury during the federal investigation of this case. Bohuchot told his son-in-law to testify that the cash payments were repayments for living expenses. Bohuchot’s son-in-law testified in the trial that he did not testify as Bohuchot requested and that the true nature of the cash payments Bohuchot received were from Wong, not any repayment by the son-in-law.
In addition to concealing payments to Bohuchot, Wong also used his administrative assistant as a conduit to conceal cash to himself. Wong’s assistant testified that Wong directed approximately $1 million to her over three years. She testified that she saved 40% for taxes, at Wong’s direction, and then split the remainder of the money with Wong, which she gave to Wong in cash. Both defendants concealed payments to themselves by diverting payments through others.
U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Department of Education, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Anti-Trust Division of the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dayle Elieson and Linda Groves, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Bray prosecuted the case.
USDOJ Press Release Corrupt Businessman Sentenced to Prison In Alaska -- Nine (9) Now Stand Convicted of Corruption Crimes in Alaska
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008 (202) 514-2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888
FORMER ALASKA BUSINESSMAN SENTENCED
ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION CHARGES
WASHINGTON – A former Alaska business owner was sentenced today to six months in prison on public corruption charges, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Chief U.S. District Judge John W. Sedwick for the District of Alaska also ordered William Weimar, 68, to serve six months of home confinement, two years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay a $75,000 fine.
On Aug. 12, 2008, Weimar pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud and structuring financial transactions. In court documents, Weimar admitted to conspiring with a candidate running for an elected position in the Alaska state legislature, the owner of a company that provided consulting and advertising services to the candidate, and others by illegally paying the consultant approximately $20,000 in 2004 for expenses incurred by the candidate's campaign.
Weimar admitted that he, the candidate and the consultant agreed to make these payments in a way that concealed the payments and deceived the public. Weimar also admitted that he manipulated and structured the illegal payments to avoid currency reporting requirements for financial institutions under federal law.
Weimar admitted to making the payments to secure the candidate's election to the Alaska state legislature, to deprive the public of the honest services that the candidate would provide as a state legislator, and to gain the candidate's official support for legislation that would benefit Weimar's ongoing financial interest in a private prison project.
To date, there have been nine criminal convictions arising out of the ongoing investigation into public corruption in the state of Alaska. On Oct. 27, 2008, U.S. Senator Theodore F. Stevens was convicted of seven counts of making false statements following a jury trial in the District of Columbia. Stevens is awaiting sentencing. Thomas T. Anderson, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in July 2007 and sentenced to five years in prison for extortion, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering for soliciting and receiving money from an FBI confidential source in exchange for agreeing to perform official acts to further a business interest represented by the source. Peter Kott, a former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in September 2007 and sentenced to six years in prison for extortion, bribery and conspiracy. Victor H. Kohring, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted at trial in November 2007 for attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy, and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Four other individuals, including two executives of VECO Corporation and James Clark, the chief of staff to a former governor of Alaska, have pleaded guilty to felony public corruption charges. John Cowdery, a current member of the Alaska State Senate, was indicted on July 10, 2008, and is awaiting trial.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska. The ongoing investigation is being led by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008 (202) 514-2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888
FORMER ALASKA BUSINESSMAN SENTENCED
ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION CHARGES
WASHINGTON – A former Alaska business owner was sentenced today to six months in prison on public corruption charges, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Chief U.S. District Judge John W. Sedwick for the District of Alaska also ordered William Weimar, 68, to serve six months of home confinement, two years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay a $75,000 fine.
On Aug. 12, 2008, Weimar pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud and structuring financial transactions. In court documents, Weimar admitted to conspiring with a candidate running for an elected position in the Alaska state legislature, the owner of a company that provided consulting and advertising services to the candidate, and others by illegally paying the consultant approximately $20,000 in 2004 for expenses incurred by the candidate's campaign.
Weimar admitted that he, the candidate and the consultant agreed to make these payments in a way that concealed the payments and deceived the public. Weimar also admitted that he manipulated and structured the illegal payments to avoid currency reporting requirements for financial institutions under federal law.
Weimar admitted to making the payments to secure the candidate's election to the Alaska state legislature, to deprive the public of the honest services that the candidate would provide as a state legislator, and to gain the candidate's official support for legislation that would benefit Weimar's ongoing financial interest in a private prison project.
To date, there have been nine criminal convictions arising out of the ongoing investigation into public corruption in the state of Alaska. On Oct. 27, 2008, U.S. Senator Theodore F. Stevens was convicted of seven counts of making false statements following a jury trial in the District of Columbia. Stevens is awaiting sentencing. Thomas T. Anderson, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in July 2007 and sentenced to five years in prison for extortion, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering for soliciting and receiving money from an FBI confidential source in exchange for agreeing to perform official acts to further a business interest represented by the source. Peter Kott, a former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted in September 2007 and sentenced to six years in prison for extortion, bribery and conspiracy. Victor H. Kohring, a former elected member of the Alaska House of Representatives, was convicted at trial in November 2007 for attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy, and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Four other individuals, including two executives of VECO Corporation and James Clark, the chief of staff to a former governor of Alaska, have pleaded guilty to felony public corruption charges. John Cowdery, a current member of the Alaska State Senate, was indicted on July 10, 2008, and is awaiting trial.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Nicholas A. Marsh and Edward P. Sullivan of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Chief William M. Welch II, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph W. Bottini and James A. Goeke from the District of Alaska. The ongoing investigation is being led by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division.
ASK REPS JOHN LUIGI MICA AND WM. L. PROCTOR, WHY NO ST. AUGUSTINE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, NATIONAL, NATIONAL SEASHORE & NATIONAL SCENIC HWY
U.S. and State Representatives JOHN L. MICA and WM. L. PROCTOR brag of bringing home the bacon, but you don't get any unless you're a campaign contributor or Republican.
Case in point -- two years after proposing the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway, there's not even been a bill introduced.
You want parks? The way to do it is not by raising sales taxes (a loser in 1998 and again in 2008 at the polls).
You want economic stimulus? How about federal land purchses and local employment at good wages with good pensions for a St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway? How about a reliable flow of high-end out-of-state tourists interested in ecotourism and historic tourism?
See the map of Florida with NPS parks, below. What's the point of having a 450th Anniverary party if we can't expand the scope of the existing national monuments to embrace city, county, SJRWMD and state land, with one admission fee and central administration of all. See text of national park legislation, posted again last week (bel0w).
What are we waiting for?
Case in point -- two years after proposing the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway, there's not even been a bill introduced.
You want parks? The way to do it is not by raising sales taxes (a loser in 1998 and again in 2008 at the polls).
You want economic stimulus? How about federal land purchses and local employment at good wages with good pensions for a St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and National Scenic Coastal Highway? How about a reliable flow of high-end out-of-state tourists interested in ecotourism and historic tourism?
See the map of Florida with NPS parks, below. What's the point of having a 450th Anniverary party if we can't expand the scope of the existing national monuments to embrace city, county, SJRWMD and state land, with one admission fee and central administration of all. See text of national park legislation, posted again last week (bel0w).
What are we waiting for?
MAP OF PARKS RUN BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IN FLORIDA
FLORIDA
Big Cypress National Preserve
Ochopee, FL National Preserve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biscayne National Park
Miami, Key Biscayne & Homestead, FL National Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Canaveral National Seashore
Titusville and New Smyrna Beach, FL National Seashore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Castillo De San Marcos National Monument
St. Augustine, FL National Monument
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
De Soto National Memorial
Bradenton, FL National Memorial
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry Tortugas National Park
Key West, FL National Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everglades National Park
Miami, Naples, and Homestead, FL National Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fort Caroline National Memorial
the Timucuan Preserve; Jacksonville, FL National Memorial
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fort Matanzas National Monument
St. Augustine, FL National Monument
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Gulf Breeze, Florida and Ocean Springs, Mississippi , FL,MS National Seashore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
Jacksonville, FL Ecological & Historic Preserve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Time For New York TImes to Increase Involvement in St, Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida
I was pleased the N.Y. Times Magazine printed my letter this morning.
I'll be even happier still when the Times reports on local government scandals.
I'll be happier still when the N.Y. Times bought the St. Augustine Record and the Florida Times-Union, as it had the chance to do in 1982 (for only $200 million).
Today, the Times might buy the pair of papers for a song, based on Folio Weekly's article earlier this year about Morris Communications' money problems. Recent days have seen even less news than before in the Wreckord. What's going on?
Meanwhile, it would be wonderful if the N.Y. Times offered seven-day-a-week delivery here in St. Augustine, as it did through a distributor when we first moved here.
The time for discrimination is over -- the Times needs to serve this college town, our Nation's Oldest City, with seven-day-a-week home delivery.
What do you reckon?
I'll be even happier still when the Times reports on local government scandals.
I'll be happier still when the N.Y. Times bought the St. Augustine Record and the Florida Times-Union, as it had the chance to do in 1982 (for only $200 million).
Today, the Times might buy the pair of papers for a song, based on Folio Weekly's article earlier this year about Morris Communications' money problems. Recent days have seen even less news than before in the Wreckord. What's going on?
Meanwhile, it would be wonderful if the N.Y. Times offered seven-day-a-week delivery here in St. Augustine, as it did through a distributor when we first moved here.
The time for discrimination is over -- the Times needs to serve this college town, our Nation's Oldest City, with seven-day-a-week home delivery.
What do you reckon?
BACK-SHOOTING COWARDS -- RADICAL REPUBLICAN REACTIONARY MICHAEL GOLD, SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR'S FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER,FOSTERS THREATS ON "PLAZABUM.COM"
I called MICHAEL GOLD on Friday, to ask him about SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR (who raised a quarter million dollars running for Sheriff four years ago) and SHOAR's role in GOLD's hateful www.plazabum.com website, which spews Satanic hatred against nearly everyone (except heterosexist, homophobic, racist, sexist, misogynist, radical Republican White Anglo-Saxon Protestants and the Ku Klux Klan or KKK).
No resposne from MICHAEL GOLD, for whom I left a phone message two (2) days ago.
No response from SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR about his hey-boys role in spreading libel and disinformation against every progressive person in St. Johns County.
Why does baloney reject the grnider?
See the unanswered, unrebutted November 13, 2008 letter to SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR, below. We will print SHERIFF SHOAR's letter upon receipt.
No resposne from MICHAEL GOLD, for whom I left a phone message two (2) days ago.
No response from SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR about his hey-boys role in spreading libel and disinformation against every progressive person in St. Johns County.
Why does baloney reject the grnider?
See the unanswered, unrebutted November 13, 2008 letter to SHERIFF DAVID SHOAR, below. We will print SHERIFF SHOAR's letter upon receipt.
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