Between fiscal year 2010-11 and fiscal year 2012-13, juvenile arrests in Florida declined 23 percent and felony juvenile arrests declined 17 percent, while transfers to adult court declined 36 percent.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
On Tuesday, 158 New Laws Go Into Effect in Florida. Here Are the Highlights.
Here’s a run-down of the most important of the 158 new laws going into effect in Florida on Tuesday, from granting parents power to contest textbook selection to the “Florida GI Bill” which is intended to make Florida the most military-friendly state in the nation, to lowering college costs.
USA 0, Germany 1: Small Loss for a Big Win
There are numerous ways for the Americans to advance to the next round, but only two ways to guarantee it: a win or a tie against Germany, which happen to be the hardest and second-hardest results to achieve. That may leave the American fate yet again in Ghana’s hands.
My Child Can Beat Your Child: How To Make Competitive Parents Shut Up
The next time a competitive parent approaches you with a story about their overachiever who has done so much, and wants to compare your children’s intellect, athletic ability and grade point average, just smile at the mom or dad and say, What have YOU done lately?
John Thrasher’s Quest for FSU Presidency Out of Special Treatment With New Consultant
The search for Florida State University’s next president won’t be sidetracked again for a powerful state politician — or any other individual — who wants the job, the new consultant said.
Nan Rich’s Lonely Road: A “True Democrat” Fights On as Longtime Allies Back Crist
Charlie Crist is outraising Nan Rich by millions of dollars, refuses to debate her and has collected endorsements from groups Rich has worked with for years: the Florida Education Association, the AFL-CIO, Equality Florida.
The Despicable Luis Suárez Bites Again: Time to Ban the Cannibal From Football
Uruguay’s Luis Suárez bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini moments before Uruguay took a 1-0 win into the next round. It’s Suárez’s third recorded biting incident on top of other repulsive acts on the field. Time to ban the little chomp of horrors.
Silver Alert: Howard Franklin, 83, Last Seen in St. Augustine South Monday Morning
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating Howard Franklin, 83, last seen at his residence in the 300 block of Orchis Rd., Monday at 7 a.m. by a relative.
When Dick Cheney Snarls Again
Dick Cheney’s calculated refusal to refer to “President Obama,” calling him instead by his first and last name, telegraphs the notion that Obama is not rightfully the president. But it’s only one of many misfires by the loathsome ex-VP, argues Steve Robinson.
Despite Moratorium, 4 New Specialty Plates Added to Stack of 118, Hurting Sales
The new plates also come despite warnings from Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which oversees license plates, officials that the program may have reached a tipping point in terms of sales.
Obama’s Mistake in Iraq: Getting Sucked Back Into a Religious War Already Lost
The United States had no business invading and occupying Iraq in 2003, it has no business now arbitrating a religious war between Sunnis and Shiites. The mayhem unleashed by the Bush administration is being made worse by further American meddling.
USA 2, Portugal 2:
Triumph and Agony
Beating Ghana was thrilling, but only beating Portugal will prove that the Americans are serious about their World Cup campaign. Against whiny, brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo, and without Jozy Altidore, the Americans may have a crucifying 90 minutes in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.
Room For Debate:
Should The Washington Redskins Change Name?
The U.S. Patent Office’s decision to block trademarks for the Washington Redskins has renewed debate on the NFL team’s name, which Indians find offensive and the team owner and NFL commissioner defend as traditional and respectful. The debate is outlined.
After Thrasher Fracas, Florida Board Rethinks How Universities Search for Presidents
Sen. John Thrasher’s desire for the Florida State University presidency was said to be keeping other potential applicants from putting their name forward for the position while damaging FSU’s reputation.
Shout Shows: Internet Vitriol Makes Me Reluctant To Share My Views Online
Any post that has even a hint of “for or against” Obama or any Washington political actions provokes vitriolic responses, writes Ed H. Moore. I lament the angry replies because they hamper the ability to have an instant town-hall of sorts on issues facing our country.
John Ruthell Henry Is Executed, 18th Inmate Put to Death on Rick Scott’s Watch
No other first-term governor has signed the execution warrants of so many inmates since Florida re-instituted the death penalty in 1976. Since then, the state has executed 87 inmates. One in five of those has been executed on Scott’s watch, in less than four years.
For Floridians, Affordable Care Act Lives Up To Its Name: Average Monthly Premium Is $68
The $68 a month average premium is considerably less than the national average of $82. The plans are subsidized through tax credits taken in advance. Ninety-one percent of those who enrolled in Florida received the financial help, averaging $278 a month.
The People’s Guide to Defeating the Koch Brothers
People are more powerful than all of Sheldon Adelson’s and the Koch Brothers’ money combined, argues Stephen Goldstein, so if enough voters see through the barrage of lies and deceptions that engulf them in elections, people-power can neutralize the money peddlers.
That 1.3% Hurricane Charge on Your Property and Auto Insurance Is Ending 18 Months Early
Collected to help pay claims from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, an extra charge on homeowners- and auto-insurance policies will be removed 18 months earlier than previously expected.
Tracy Morgan, Truck Wrecks, and Politicians Willing To Make Our Roads More Dangerous
If you spend much time on the Interstate, you undoubtedly have seen the aftermath of horrific crashes like the one that occurred earlier this month on I-95 at the Flagler-St. Johns County line. That wreck was typical of the carnage that results from an 18-wheeler plowing into stopped cars, either because of the truck driver’s inattention or fatigue.
Gov. Scott Punts on Proposed Land-Preservation Amendment
When asked after the Cabinet meeting whether he would support or oppose an amendment in November that would cement funding for land conservation into Florida’s Constitution, Scott avoided directly answering the question.
Gov. Rick Scott’s Net Worth: $132.7 Million
Among the details in Scott’s financial disclosure, his Naples home and boathouse are worth $13.2 million, he owns 60 acres in Montana worth $1.4 million, and $43 million of his investments are tied to family investment firm RLSI-CSP Capital Partners in Naples.
This Is It: Ghana 1, USA 2: Revenge Complete
Both Team USA and Ghana return to the World Cup with revenge on their mind–the US for losing to Ghana in a terrifically fought round-of-16 match four years ago, and Ghana for being unjustly eliminated by the cheating hand of Uruguay’s Luis Suarez in the quarterfinal. It should be a high-energy, dazzling match as long as both teams display the verve they have, but don;t always produce.
Domestic Spying: How Marketers’ Tracking of Your Web History Is Getting Creepier–Offline
Online marketers are increasingly seeking to track users offline, as well, by collecting data about people’s offline habits—such as recent purchases, where you live, how many kids you have, and what kind of car you drive.
Don’t Bother Me. I’m at the World Cup.
The World Cup is as close as it comes to a religious experience for many of us–despite the sport’s corruption, match fixing scandals and ubiquitous racism among fans, in Europe especially. But it’s not for nothing that they call i the Beautiful Game. Try it. You might be reborn.
Florida Supreme Court Upholds “Timely Justice” Law Fast-Tracking Executions
In a concurring opinion of the unanimous decision, Justice Barbara Pariente emphasized that the law would not affect the Supreme Court’s “solemn responsibility” to block executions if needed to ensure that defendants’ rights have been protected.
Brazil 3, Croatia 1: An Undeserved Gift To the Host Nation | World Cup 2014
As an opening match Brazil-Croatia didn’t lack entertainment or tension, two of the absolute requisites of any football game, but it lacked skill and spontaneity, it absolutely lacked poetry and justice.
Scott and Crist Continue to Rake In Cash As Both Sides Step Up Nastier Ad War
The money will help fuel what is expected to be an expensive — and nasty — race filled with negative ads. As a sign of what’s to come, the Let’s Get to Work committee reported spending about $3.1 million on advertising in May, after spending about $5.1 million on ads in April.
George Will’s Sex Assault Chauvinism
The oft-reported number of sex assault in college is likely too inflated, but when columnist George Will insisted that women who say they have been raped assume a “coveted status” on campus, it was as nasty a remark as Steve Robinson imagines has ever made it past Will’s editors. A counterpoint.
Jitter Echo: Opponents of Amendment 2 Launch “Don’t Let Florida Go to Pot” Campaign
Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize medical marijuana launched the “Don’t Let Florida Go to Pot” campaign Tuesday, warning that passing the measure would lead to widespread abuse. Proponents of the measure are discrediting the campaign.
Impasse Developing Between State and Counties Over Juvenile Detention Costs
A years-long dispute over how to split the costs of detaining youthful offenders appears no closer to being settled after the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice held a rule-making hearing Friday with representatives of more than three dozen Florida counties, including Flagler.
ACLU Sues Sarasota Police For Access To Records On Cell Phone “Stingray” Tracking Program
The ACLU of Florida has been seeking public records for several months now from about 30 police departments and sheriffs’ offices all over Florida in an effort to access whether or not police are not trampling on privacy rights.
In Memory of D-Day:
Walking Omaha Beach
Let me tell you about a very lucky trip I had a chance to take with my wife and child about a year ago, to Omaha Beach in Normandy. I’d been wanting to go there for 30 years. I consider it part of my transformation, as an immigrant, into an American, like traveling the 50 states and being a Yankee fan.
Firefighters Hurt on the Job: Florida Justices Will Decide Legality of 2-Year Limit on Benefit
A firefighter who was severely injured on the job got two years of total disability, but was denied more when he applied. His attorneys argue that the two-year limit on temporary benefits is unconstitutional.
Job Creation Exceeds 200,000 For 4th Straight Month Despite Slowdown in Economic Growth
Despite a first-quarter decline of 1 percent in economic growth, the economy added 217,000 jobs in May for a total of 1.05 million jobs so far this year, a robust, sustained growth not seen since the end of the Great Recession.
Florida Leads Nation in Inmates Who Serve 100% Of Their Sentence, Increasing Chance of Re-Offending When Released
A new study by the Pew Charitable Trusts finds Florida leading the nation in inmates who “max out” their sentences — serving 100 percent of their time and being released with no supervision beyond the prison gates, thus increasing the chance of re-offending. Almost a third do re-offend.
With Marco Rubio’s Walmart Mentality, Republicans ‘Discover’ How to End the Poverty They Created
The Tea Party GOP has declared Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” a failure. And with the 2014 elections looming, Rubio-Republicans are trying to remake themselves as sympathetic and empathetic, instead of apathetic, to the plight of the poor and the middle class, writes Stephen L. Goldstein.
Lobbyists, Lawyers and Investors Line Up to Cash in on Florida’s Nascent Pot Industry
Lawmakers broadened eligibility for medical marijuana to include cancer patients as well as those suffering from severe muscle spasms or seizures, thereby opening up the market for potential sellers. The strain of marijuana is high in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Sunshine Lows: Cities and Counties Do a Lousy Job of Sharing Information With Citizens
When the First Amendment Foundation publicized its transparency scorecard last month, it found that on average, cities and counties in Florida had lots of room for improvement in sharing the workings of government with the governed.
In a Defeat For Non-English Speakers, Court Bars Entitlement to Spanish-Speaking Shrinks in Workers-Comp Claims
In what could be a first-of-its-kind decision in Florida, an appeals court ruled Tuesday that a man suffering from head injuries was not entitled to treatment from a Spanish-speaking psychologist as part of a workers-compensation insurance claim.
As Expected, Scott Vetoes Higher Speed Limits, Citing Unacceptable Risk of More Crashes
“Allowing for the possibility of faster driving on Florida’s roads and highways could ultimately and unacceptably increase the risk of serious accidents for Florida citizens and visitors,” Scott wrote in a veto message.
Department of Children and Families Intentionally Hid Reports on 30 Dead Kids
After an embarrassing article appeared in The Miami Herald in September, a regional supervisor for the Department of Children and Families ordered workers not to file required incident reports on the deaths of children who were supposed to be safeguarded by DCF, the Herald reports.
Seeking Unity, Florida GOP Elects Leslie Dougher Party Chairman in Split Vote
With a 106-69 vote Saturday, GOP activists elected Clay County Realtor Leslie Dougher as chairwoman of the Republican Party of Florida to fill the remainder of the term of outgoing state party chief Lenny Curry. The split vote underscores challenges Gov. Rick Scott faces from within his own party in his re-election effort.
20% Chance of Florida Landfall Predicted as Calmer Hurricane Season Begins Sunday
For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA predicts a 70 percent likelihood of 8 to 13 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 3 to 6 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 2 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).
An Uncomfortable Question: Are Your Death Papers in Order?
In the wake of Rebekah McCloud learning of the death of a friend of 30 years, her friend’s family called a number of times to ask if she knew where she kept her “papers”–life insurance policies, will, deed to the house, bank-account information, etc., which made McCloud think about her own papers. They were not in the order they should be in.
Ordered to Unseal Secret Redistricting Papers, GOP Operative Seeks High Court Intervention
Pat Bainter on Wednesday asked U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to issue an emergency stay blocking an order by the Florida Supreme Court less than 24 hours earlier that granted permission for the documents to be used in an ongoing trial challenging the constitutionality of the congressional map approved by the Florida Legislature in 2012.
Maya Angelou, On the Pulse of Mourning
Starting with ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,’ Maya Angelou’s seven-part autobiography redefined the art of memoir writing while giving voice to a form of literary jazz and blues that trace the liberation and triumphs of a black woman in a culture that, as a result, bears her mark.
Alan Grayson Amendment Puts NSA on Notice Over Encryption Standards
An amendment filed by Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. and adopted by a House committee would, if enacted, take a step toward removing the National Security Agency from the business of meddling with encryption standards that protect security on the Internet.
Angling For Military Vote, Rick Scott Looks to Sue Feds for Blocking VA Hospital Inspections
The state Agency for Health Care Administration, at Scott’s urging, said Wednesday it will file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeking to allow state inspectors access to Florida-based VA hospitals so they can determine if the health care needs of veterans are being met.
U.S. Supreme Court Declares Florida’s Death Penalty Too Rigid in Low I.Q. Cases
The court, in a 5-4 decision, said Florida’s use of an IQ score of 70 “creates an unacceptable risk that persons with intellectual disability will be executed, and thus is unconstitutional.” “Intellectual disability is a condition, not a number,” wrote Justice Kennedy for the majority.