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A Florida Environmental group claims companies disguised as eco friendly recycling plants are trying to set up shop in Florida. Floridians Against Incinerators in Disguise held a press conference in Tallahassee Monday, to announce a plan to keep two solid waste companies out of the sunshine state. The companies want to build plasma arc plants. The plants dispose of trash by heating it and releases syngas, which is suppose to be safer than regular omissions. Members of the organization say syngas is dangerous.

“Dioxin is one of the most toxic substances known to science,” said Bradley Angel with Greenaction. It’s been linked to cancer, birth defects, reproductive, hormonal changes, and many scientist saying we don’t need more dioxin, we need less.“

Discussions to build Plasma arc plant in Tallahassee and St. Lucie County are underway.

There is a battle underway in Tallahassee over who controls the state university system. State lawmakers are unhappy the Board of Governors is attempting to raise tuition without their approval. As Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers have fast tracked a bill that could change the university system’s governance for the third time in less than a decade, and weaken the Board of Governors.

Hear it here: Board of Governors on the Chopping Block

In yet another attempt to keep the University System’s Board of Governors off the cutting room floor, Chancellor Mark Rosenberg pleaded his case to an education council. His attempt failed. Council members approved a resolution that would cut the Board of Governors from 17 to 6 and take away some of its authority.

“It will reduce the accountability of our universities,” said Rosenberg. “We’ll return to an earlier era, where we go back to university verses university.”

In 2002 voters approved an amendment that created the Board of Governors. The idea was to give the board independence from the Legislature, but once the board starting to raise tuition, lawmakers got mad. A lawsuit is currently underway to sort out how much control the board really has. Rep. Joe Pickens says he doesn’t want to wait for the courts.

“The fact that we are in court, trying to decide what the people intended, I think is the best reason of all to go back to the people and get the clarity from them. As apposed to going to a court of law and hoping it turns out okay,” said Pickens.

The Board’s Vice Chair said what lawmakers ought to be focusing on is the students.

“This is about students. It’s not about us. It’s not about administrators. It’s also about faculty because they have to teach those students. Really it’s about giving a quality education to the most number of students that we can,” said Sheila McDevitt the Board of Governors Vice Chair.

If there is a change, it would be the third time in a decade the university’s leadership has changed. What happens with the resolution next is up to Speaker Marco Rubio, who could choose to put the bill on the house floor or take it to another committee.

State lawmakers are considering a bill to deny a ballot position to any presidential candidate whose party refused to seat Florida’s delegates at its national convention this summer. Questions remain about the ideas constitutionality, but in an effort to force the national Democratic Party to count Florida’s delegates, Governor Charlie Crist said the idea is worth studying.

“Anything’s worth consideration when you’re talking about protecting your right to vote and the exercise of democracy. I saw that and read it in some news accounts this morning. Certainly it’s something I would be willing to look at.”

If such a scenario were to unfold, the task of allotting the state’s 27 electoral votes would likely fall to the state’s GOP controlled legislature.

Governor Charlie Crist wants to raise awareness for Autism and Floridians who suffer from the disorder. Crist signed an executive order Friday, to create a taskforce on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The task force will review the efforts of state agencies and organizations that help people suffering from autism. They’ll also set up a website to help families with early diagnosis and finding treatment.

“We’re suppose to serve with a servant’s heart and do everything we can to help our fellow citizens and that’s why this is so important to me, because I’ve seen our challenges that many of our citizens have had to face as a result of this,” said Crist.

The taskforce, made up of members of victim’s families, autism advocacy groups and health care leaders will submit a report to the Governor next year.

An apparent tornado knocked down trees and damaged several homes this morning in Captola, a small town 10 miles east of the state capitol in Tallahassee. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, at least three resident there had a near brush with death.

This house was blown two feet off its foundation. Dian Chase was in bed at the time.

“You could feel it,” Chase said.  “It was like a vacuum, just poof, the air just went like that. And I ran and the windows were breaking and we got in the bathroom.”

This huge tree narrowly missed Dian’s home, even though spared by the tree, the 100 year old house is heavily damaged.

“The house is creaking,” Chase said. “I don’t know if it’s going to collapse or what.”

Initial reports of injuries and fatality turned out not to be true. But looking at the damage, it’s almost a miracle.

Skid marks in the mud show how just how far Krista Norton’s car was blown off the road

“Limbs and trees and stuff coming towards me, water,” Norton said. “And my car, the wind and stuff just shifted my car and pushed it down the hill.”

Krista’s mom, Vivian, was right behind her and is even luckier. A three foot long, 8 inch think limb crashed through her rear window as she followed her daughter. It went through the back of the drivers seat and shoved it forward off its tracks.

“My hip is hurting in the back and something punched me on my arm,” Vivian Norton said.

The shed that housed this horse was completely destroyed.  A gash clearly visible on its chest.

The storm cut a path 2 football fields wide and six football fields long…shaking the nerves of hundreds of people and animals.

A study released Thursday claims smokers cost the state of Florida 20 Billion dollars a year. A statewide institute wants employers and insurance companies to pay the cost to help smokers quit. As Whitney Ray tells us some companies already offer free quitting options, but not every smoker uses them.

Hear it here: Study Claims Smokers Robs Florida of 20 Billion Dollars A Year

Kimberly Piwinski and Kimberly Crowe share a first name, share a boss and on occasion, share a cigarette.

“We do need to quit,” said Piwinski.

The women work in marking at Costco. Their company offers free quitting programs.

“Whatever we need to quite smoking they’ll give it to us,” Crowe said.

Still, both Kimberlys continue to light up. They say they want to stop smoking, but like 60 percent of smokers nationwide, it’s just a plan. The Florida Institute for Smoking Cessation announced its plan to break Floridians of the smoking habit. Three million Floridians or about 17 percent of the state’s population, smokes and its costing taxpayers.

“If every smoker in Florida’s Medicaid program quit the state would save 346 million dollars in badly needed revenue over the next five years,” said Chuck Yaros with the Washington Economics Group.

People who quit would also save. A pack of smokes cost about four dollars but experts say the toll cigarettes take on the body, plus time missed at work can actually cost the consumer more than 17 dollars a pack.

Representative Gayle Harrell is joining the institute to ask employer to help their employees stop smoking. She says it will save companies in the long run.

“People who are sick don’t perform as well on the job and if you have somebody coming to you hacking away, they’re not paying attention to what they’re doing on the job and you can have all kinds of other things happen as well,” said Harrell

Regardless of what programs are offered and who pays for them the hard part will be left up to smokes, who have chose to put down their cigarettes or suffer the consequences. Experts say it takes between 6 and 9 attempts for a smoker to stop.

Experts say counterfeiting goods and piracy cost the national economy 250 billion dollars every year. Counterfeiting is also responsible for the loss of 750,000 American jobs. State Attorney General Bill McCollum announced his support of a bill to increase the penalty for making or selling counterfeit goods. A representative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined the attorney general and lawmakers for the announcement. The group told reporters rip-offs don’t just hurt the nations economy, they can also kill.

“We see it every year, we’ve got faulty break-pads, we see fake batteries in smoke detectors, we seen electric cords the catch fire, these are being sold during the holiday season and being used to plug in a Christmas tree. And a Representative Gardiner mentions they can immediately catch fire. We’ve got surgical mask found during surgery that aren’t sterile that almost caused someone to die,” Caroline Joiner with the US Chamber of Commerce said.

The proposed legislation also increases the penalties for repeat offenders.

A proposed bill would make it harder for some first time DUI offenders to get behind the wheel. Right now Floridians who are convicted of multiple DUIs can have a machine put in their cars to keeps them from drinking and driving. The ignition interlock device requires someone who hasn’t been drinking to blow into the gadget in order to start their vehicle. The device is meant to keep people who are under the influence from starting their car. Now Representative David Simmons wants the device installed in the vehicles of some first time offenders.

“People who blow greater than a .15 on a blood alcohol test typically are persons who have a real problem with alcohol. They’re substance abusers,” said Simmons.

A bill in 2002 required the ignition interlock device to be used in the cars of people convicted of more than one DUI. Since then, DUI arrest in the state have declined.

Interest in a do-over primary is gaining momentum as the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appears to be at a stalemate. Democratic insiders say pressure will continue to build until three is a resolution, and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, Florida’s legislature may get involved.

Hundreds of mobility disadvantaged Floridians were in Tallahassee to draw attention to the obstacles they confront. Not having their Primary vote count isn’t something they want to face.

“A lot of times we struggle to get in to vote when you’re disadvantaged, “ veteran David Lowe said. “And to go to the trouble to do it and not have it mean anything.”

Conversations are now taking place about whether or not the legislature should get involved when sorting out who won the primary.

One idea has lawmakers playing a very high stakes game.

“It would say that any national party that did not seat the delegates from the state of Florida would not be able to have their nominee on the ballot,” Sen. Nan Rich said.

Similarities to the contested election in2000 are building. House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber says the pressure isn’t going away.

“If we don’t do a complied event that the DNC has blessed, whether you like it or not that’s where we are, then we’re not going to have the chance to have our delegates counted,” Gelber said.

A Tampa Activist who is already in Federal Court wanting to make sure the January 29th vote stands and says he will do everything he can to block a redo.

“I’m sure the New England Patriots would love a do-over Super Bowl, if they had another 15 minutes or maybe another chance at it. But it’s over, it’s done with, ” Victor DiMaio said.

The Federal Appeals Court hearing is Monday the 17th. Activist DiMaio says if he loses there, he will go to the US Supreme Court.

If Florida’s delegates were seated based on the January 29th results, Hillary Clinton would pick up about 50 delegates against Barak Obama.

Legislation being considered in Tallahassee will encourage elders to be screened for Alzheimer’s. The bill would set up a mechanism for future research funding and to pay for the tests…but because this is a tight budget year, sponsor Rep. Elaine Schwartz of Hollywood says  the initial thrust of the bill is to encourage screening.

“If you’re like me, you know that as those numbers of birthdays keep increasing, you get a little worried that we’ve misplaced our keys or forgot our appointments,” Schwartz said.  “And now, with a five-minute screening, we can feel at ease that things are probably OK.  And if they’re not, we’ll be able to go further and get further medical testing.”

Florida set up an Alzheimer’s research institute at the University of South Florida in 2003.

Despite a failing economy and a dwindling state budget, Governor Charlie Crist says the state of Florida is strong. Some Lawmakers disagree with the Governor’s assessment. As Whitney Ray tells us, some struggling Floridians say the picture isn’t as great as the Governor paints it.

Hear it here: Some Don’t Share Crist View on State of the State

Governor Charlie Crist says the State of the State is strong. Crist admits he’s being optimistic, but others aren’t buying it. The struggle hits closer to home for mother Jessica Harding who is feeling the pain at the pump.

“It’s getting harder especially being low income, its getting harder to get everything you need,” Harding said.

While legislative members of the Governor’s own party don’t think he’s out of touch, they say he’s not giving them enough solutions. Legislative leaders have a less optimistic outlook and said darker days are ahead.

“There’s not reason to believe that Florida’s economy is going to rebound faster than the national economy because of our reliance on real estate construction and growth,” said Speaker of the House Marco Rubio.

Political Science Professor Carol Weissert said the Governor’s view of the glass half-full isn’t any more out of touch than naysayers who see it half empty.

“If you saw the democratic responses, they were the more doom and gloom side as well, so some where in between probably where we really are,” said Weissert.

Regardless of the message, the real work is underway, as lawmakers focus on balancing the budget and finding financial relief for Floridians. While Governor Crist didn’t focus on the state’s struggles in the State of the State speech, he did urge lawmaker to look to rainy day funds to balance the budget. The suggestion isn’t sitting some members of his own party, including Speaker of the House Marco Rubio.

House leaders said lawmakers can save Florida millions all while making real estate transaction easier. Speaker of the House Marco Rubio announced a bill that would eliminate the Transfer of Interest in Real Property Form. The form is more than 20 years old. The forms were posted on boxes at the Capitol to demonstrate how much space is required to store the paper. Rubio said the form isn’t needed, and getting rid of it would save the state 11 million dollars the first year alone.

“We should do this whether the budgets good or bad, my point was, in the years when money overflows, years of milk and honey no one looks at these things, It’s like government’s great, unfortunately this years the kind of year that forces us to look at things like this. This will be the first in a series of these types of things we’re going to do,” said Rubio.

Rubio said the bill would save the state more than 40 million dollars over three years.

A Florida Senator is breaking the silence and sharing her story about a chronic-pain disease. Senator Mandy Dawson is proposing legislation that will promote awareness and funding for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Dawson was diagnosed with R.A. last year and hopes to inform others about the physical and emotional affects. She says many people don’t understand the toll the disease takes on its victims.

“I think the fear that’s associated with it brings about the depression part of it because you’re always wondering who is around you, what and if something happens, if I fall, or just what’s going to happen next,” said Dawson.

People between the ages of 40 and 60 are most likely to be affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis. Women are two to three times more likely to be affected by the disease than men.

Amidst a slumping housing market and a dwindling budget, Governor Charlie Crist delivered a positive State of the State speech. This year the Governor moved his annual address to six o’clock. The Governor encouraged lawmakers to tap into state reserves, but as Whitney Ray tells the suggestion doesn’t sit well with some lawmakers.

The predictions are dire. Houses are slipping into foreclosure, tax revenue is dwindling, and state programs are suffering. Despite the odds Governor Charlie Crist stepped to the podium and offered Floridians his view of the situation.

“I can report to you that the state of our state is indeed strong,” Crist said.

While Governor Crist down played the problems facing Floridians, he didn’t ignore them.

“Florida’s families and business are faced with extraordinary economic times, sky rocketing gas prices, the threat of foreclosure and a softening housing market,” said Crist.

The failing economy will force the legislature to cut more than 2 billion dollars from the budget. Governor Crist suggested dipping into the state’s reserves. While many lawmakers applauded the Governors positive messages, High ranking members of his own party disagreed with his suggestion to tap into the rainy day funds to weather the storm. Speaker of the house Marco Rubio says pulling reserves now could cause problems down the road.

“We feel like next year the economy will still be struggling to recover so to go to the rainy day funds this year would be a mistake,” said Rubio.

Despite the Governor’s outlook and suggestions, the state’s financial future will be up to lawmakers and the decisions they make over the next 60 days. The Governor also encouraged the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to put more tax cuts on the November ballot.

During Charlie Crist 2nd State of the State Address he applauded Floridians for approving Amendment One. Then, from the podium in the house chamber, Crist called from more property tax reform.

“These property tax cuts are just the beginning. We can and should continue to fight for property tax relief and I encourage the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, led by our great former speaker of the house Allan Bense, to give the people the opportunity to vote for another tax cut,” said Crist