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News Archive Index
11-30-2006
The President of the National Bar Association will speak to members of the Collier County Bar Association today in Naples. Linnes Finney is a partner in the Stuart Florida-based lawfirm Gary, Williams, Parenti, Finney, et al. The National Bar Association is the nation’s oldest and largest bar association of color. Its network includes 40 thousand African American judges, lawyers, educators and law students. Mr. Finney spoke to WGCU’s Valerie Alker.
11-30-2006
In 2004 the South Florida Water Management District began dismantling a failed housing development east of Naples known as South Golden Gate Estates. Now known as the Picayune Strand Restoration - the project is slowly re-establishing the hydrology of an area that’s been home to some of the most diverse wildlife and plant communities in North America. Once believed by loggers and developers to be nothing more than a swamp, this unique environment has been interrupted by man since the 1940’s. WGCU’s Christine Buckley visited the site to see how things are progressing.
11-29-2006
Collier County has received the second largest federal grant in the country to conduct random drug tests on high school students. Florida is the only state to get more than one grant. Hernando and Citrus Counties also won money. WGCU’s Amy Tardif reports.
11-22-2006
Bird advocates have released new guidelines for protecting birds from being electrocuted by power lines.
There are no exact figures but its estimated hundreds of thousands of birds are electrocuted by power lines every year. The American Bird Conservancy’s Steve Holmer says the deaths are a result of close contact since birds like perching on power lines and nesting on poles.
"one of the things this publication does is tell the power companies how to design their systems so they’re less to electrocute the birds and these events can also cause power outages as well so the industry has a strong interest in protecting the birds so they can protect their electric transmission system."
Birds with wide wing spans are the most frequent victims of electrocution. In Florida this includes large wading birds. The new guidelines, which are endorsed by the Department of the Interior – and representatives from electric utilities, call for power lines to be built at least five feet apart.
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The nation’s Avian Power Line Interaction Committee has released new guidelines for electric utility companies to follow to protect birds and prevent power outages. The American Bird Conservancy Steve Holmer says hundreds of thousands of birds are electrocuted by power lines every year – especially migrating raptors.
"it is a problem for migratory birds, particulary the raptors because they have such large wing spans – they can actually go from one wire to another and they can actually go from one wire to another and that causes them to be electrocuted because it closes the circuit – so it’s the larger birds that have this problem"
In Florida, larger wading birds like blue herons and woodstorks have also been electrocuted. Among other things, the new guidelines call for power lines be placed at least five feet apart to accommodate the wing span of most birds. The guidelines were adopted with input from Florida Power and Light, the state’s largest electric utility.
11-22-2006
Voters from Sarasota County are filing suit in state court in Tallahassee, asking for a revote in Florida’s 13th congressional district.
The lawsuit alleges that thousands of citizens were disenfranchised when massive under votes plagued the tight Congressional race between Democrat Christine Jennings and Republican Vern Buchanan. In a high-profile battle over former Representative Katherine Harris' seat, the result was decided by 363 votes. But more than 18,000 ballots cast on Sarasota County's e-voting machines registered no vote in the race.
The lawsuit is being filed by a group of bipartisan Sarasota County voters. The voters are represented by election advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon stresses the lawsuit is not about the winner or loser.
“Our concern is not the concern of the candidate but the concern of thousands of voters who were disenfranchised. I mean I have to say this election was an election that apparently was decided more by faulty voting machines than by the voters. The issue is that you can’t pretend to have a democracy and disenfranchise over 18,000 voters.”
Officials say at this point holding a new election is the only appropriate option.
The suit is being filed under a Florida law that lets voters contest an election based on misconduct by election officials or on evidence that legal votes were rejected in sufficient numbers to place the outcome of the election in doubt.
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A bipartisan group of Sarasota County voters is suing the state to force a new election for the 13th congressional seat.
The voters’ lawsuit cites misconduct of election officials, including the failure of Sarasota’s Supervisor of Elections to adequately investigate, identify or report equipment or software malfunctions or ballot layout errors in the touch screen voting machines. Voters and poll workers filed complaints about the machines during the two week period of early voting.
The voters are represented by various groups, including the ACLU. Director Howard Simon says this problem is even worse that the ill-designed Palm Beach county ballots in the 2000 election debacle.
“We have never had such a massive disenfranchisement problem for those who showed up on election day as 18,000 voters just in Sarasota county alone. And I want to say this is not something that should have come as a surprise to anybody. State and local election officials should have seen it coming. They were warned. We warned them years ago.”
On Monday, the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission certified Vern Buchanan as the winner of the Congressional District 13 race by 363 votes, despite the fact that electronic ballots cast by more than 18,000 people in Sarasota County showed no vote for either candidate in a high profile congressional race.
11-21-2006
A judge will hear arguments today in a challenge to Republican Vern Buchanan's slim victory in the 13th Congressional District race.
State officials certified yesterday that Buchanan won the House seat being vacated by Republican Representative Katherine Harris.
But his opponent - Democrat Christine Jennings - is suing because she says voting machines malfunctioned in Sarasota County. Jennings says she won’t quit until all the votes are counted…
“I am committed to seeing that the will of the voters is carried out in this election of 2006. I will not rest until the intended votes are counted and every person’s vote is counted and reflected accurately.”
Jennings' lawsuit says more than 17-thousand Sarasota County voters who cast ballots in other races November seventh failed to vote in the congressional contest.
That’s nearly six times higher than in the other 13th District counties or on Sarasota's paper absentee ballots.
Buchanan says the people have spoken and he's won the election.
11-20-2006
A free concert, featuring marches of famed American composer John Philip Sousa, inaugurated a new million-dollar outdoor performing arts amphitheater in the Florida Keys last night. Sousa's great-grandson was there.
Festivities featured Keith Brion and his New Sousa Band at the TIB Amphitheater, at Islamorada’s Founders Park. John Philip Sousa IV narrated the concert.
"His marches are very patriotic and hopefully that will make his music timeless. His style was very disciplined. He was very disciplined in the way he wrote his music and in the way he managed his band. Young kids come up to me and go ‘wow’ , I didn’t know about this music,’ and some of them I know have downloaded Sousa music on their iPods.”
Born in 1854, John Philip Sousa is regarded as one of America’s most famous conductors in addition to being lauded as a composer. In 1987, Congress recognized “Stars and Stripes Forever” as the national march of the United States.
11-17-2006
Farm workers and their allies in Immokalee are one step closer to making their dream of a community center a reality.
While they’ve been raising money to renovate the center since buying an old building in the center of Immokalee in 2004, they just got the needed permits from Collier County this week, and that means renovations can soon begin.
Farm worker Herardo Reyes Chavez, who works for the Coalition for Immokalee Workers, explains the need.
“It would actually belong to the community, because right now we’re renting. And we would have much more space for the community meetings that we have every Wednesday for community education formation. We would have space to show videos about other struggles, and to promote the campaign for Fair Food.”
The Coalition’s Fair Food Campaign seeks to get higher wages for tomato pickers. It recently won concessions from Taco Bell – and has now turned its sites on McDonalds.
Chavez says the building will eventually be home to a radio station, computer lab and kitchen. It’ll mainly be a place to meet and share ideas.
11-17-2006
The voter advocacy group People for the American Way held a meeting in Sarasota last night to raise concerns about voting problems in the county.
More than 200 people turned out to complain about problems in voting for congressional candidate Christing Jennings.
The Democrat trails Republican Vern Buchanan by fewer than 400 votes. A second recount is in progress, but there's still no explanation for about 18-thousand ballots that registered no vote in the high profile congressional race.
Sarasota resident Carol Fischer says she was certain she voted for Jennings, and was surprised to have the touch screen machine tell her that no vote had been recorded.
"It's very sad for our nation since 2000 to look at this city as a place that our votes don't count. Something needs to be done and our vote needs to be counted."
People for the American Way is calling for a re-vote in the 13th district congressional race.
The organization says a manual recount will never be able to account for votes which were never registered by electronic touch screen voting machines.
11-17-2006
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting a comprehensive review of alligator management for the state. It’s seeking public input at a meeting in Key Largo in early December.
At the same time, a Sanibel author is out with a new book titled “Alligators, Sharks & Panthers: Deadly Encounters with Florida’s top Predator – Man.”
WGCU’s Amy Tardif spoke with the author.
11-17-2006
Change is a way of life in recent months at Cape Coral Cultural Park Theatre. There’s a new Board of Directors, a new Executive Director, and a slew of new and energized volunteers. The non-profit community theatre has been producing in Southwest Florida for 40 years. Now its leaders are reaching out to re-ignite the area’s interest. Kathleen Moye checked out the latest at the theatre..."Butterflies Are Free".
11-17-2006
You read or hear about them all the time – free health screenings. A mix of for-profit companies and non-profit organizations offer screenings for a range of diseases including diabetes, glaucoma, and hypertension. But how reliable are the results? WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.
11-16-2006
Today is the Great American Smokeout – the American Cancer Society’s annual push to get smokers to give up their habit – if only for just one day. So is Smokeless Tobacco a safer alternative?
According to an email being sent to many newsrooms, smokeless tobacco is being used in Switzerland to help smokers kick the habit. It goes on to say it’s 98 safer percent than cigarettes. But according to the American Cancer Society – dipping and chewing are deadly. Melissa Peacock is the Patient Services Representative for Southwest Florida.
“43 The amount of nicotine in smokeless tobacco is two or three times the amount delivered by a cigarette. People who dip or chew eight to ten times a day receive the same amount of nicotine as a smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigs a day.”
The American Cancer Society was behind passage of an amendment in Florida last week requiring the state to spend more money on anti-tobacco programs. It also has a toll free 24-7 number for tobacco users to call for peer counseling – 1-877-yes-quit.
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The American Cancer Society’s annual “Great American Smokeout” is tomorrow – the day smoker’s are urged to give up their habit for a day – and see how it goes. But many younger people – while eschewing cigarettes are taking up smokeless tobacco. And that’s not good. Melissa Peacock is with the American Cancer Society in Southwest Florida.
“its direct absorption in the mouth which cause sores and white patches which often lead to cancers of the mouth – and also increase risk of cancer to tharnyx, larynx and esophagus – not to speak of other social things like chronic bad breath, stained fillings, gum disease – gum recession tooth loss decay.”
Currently about 21 percent of Americans still use tobacco – down from a high of 42 percent in 1966. Recently the number of smokers who’ve quit has leveled off. But help is available. The American Cancer Society’s 24-7 toll free number is 1-877-now-quit.
11-15-2006
The 2006 midterm elections are over. But there’s no rest for the winners. Future West Palm Beach Congressman Tim Mahoney’s realizing how much there is to get done before Congress starts in January.
Newly elected lawmakers flew in to Washington, DC this week to start freshman orientation. Beverly Bell of the Congressional Management Foundation says the most important decision lawmakers must make immediately is who to bring on their congressional staff.
“If you hire a bad chief of staff or a chief of staff that is not right for you that’s very difficult. It’s going to set you back a long way because that chief of staff has a lot of responsibilities getting your office set up.”
Mahoney says he’s already receiving hundreds of resumes to work in his Congressional offices. But he will have fewer openings than most freshmen.
“We’re going to hold on to most of former Congressman Foley’s staff. I don’t care if they’re Republican or Democrat. They did a great job for Congressman Foley and the 16th district.”
Mahoney says he wants to stay a bit of an outsider in Washington. He’s spending this week learning parliamentary procedure and will vote in Democratic Leadership elections.
11-14-2006
Hospice Care in Collier County could soon be expanding – after a state review found the county is underserved. Every six months the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration reviews each of the state’s 27 hospice service areas to determine if needs are being met. The agency’s most recent review listed Collier as one of three areas in Florida where more hospice care is necessary.
Eight agencies have begun the application process. Chief of the state’s Bureau of Health Facility Regulation - Jeff Gregg – says it’s a competitive process…
“I would expect that we will get large, complicated applications because in addition to submitting information to us for review, they’re also competing against one another.”
Seven of the applicants are for profit hospice providers from outside Florida. The eighth is Fort Myers-based Hope Hospice. It’s President - Samira Beckwith - says while the process is highly competitive, she’s confident in what Hope Hospice has to offer.
“There have been many studies that have shown that community-based hospice such as ours provide more comprehensive services to all people regardless of their ability to pay, and regardless of their reimbursement status. And none of the other applicants…I just know that they don’t provide the same level of services that we provide.”
All eight hospice providers have until the end of December to submit their full applications to the state. A final decision should be made at the end of February.
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