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Delays have plagued Floridians looking to gain access to their unemployment benefits after a new system was launched in mid-October. As Matt Horn reports – more delays may be around the corner for those needing benefits.

With the holiday season a week away – many Floridians are still trying to get access to their unemployment benefits.

“Kids in daycare and school, you know, bills need to be paid. It’s kind of hard right now,” said Roosevelt Jackson, who has been trying to get unemployment benefits.

The new system has been plagued with glitches since it went online in mid-October. The problems have kept many out of work Floridians from receiving their benefit. During the first full weekend in December – those Floridians may experience new delays as the Department of Economic Opportunity makes more changes.

”Those individuals that are still having any issues to call the help center and get assistance. And we just want to reassure those individuals that no one will be denied any benefits due to technical issue,” said Jessica Sims, Department of Economic Opportunity.

DEO is moving its data storage to another facility in December, which cold cause new delays for benefit seekers.

State law requires the move, which was delayed because of the unemployment system launch. The move will not allow call center representatives to gain access to benefits occasionally during the move.

“The data will be physically moved all in one day and it will only be intermittent outages during that day,” said Sims.

The delays are expected to be minor compared to bigger problems faced during the launch. But impatient, unemployed Floridians trying to get benefits say the system needs to be fixed.

“It seems like it’ll work out. But, you know, it’s just taking a little longer than I thought it would,” said Jackson.

DEO says more than 500-thousand claims have been filed with the new system.

The system has gone offline all together two times since its launch. Once in October and the second time earlier this month.

What has been a succession of months of strong tax collections for Florida came to a halt in October. And the numbers would have been even lower than estimates except for the fact economists took the Federal Government shutdown into consideration.

The taxes from Florida Real estate transactions dropped by just over five percent last month. State Corporate tax collections were off 12 percent in October. The period covers the Federal Government shut down.

Sales tax collections in October remained virtually flat. Economists says they are still crunching the final numbers. “Well, we been seeing some strong increases coming into October. October overall all, kind of came in at the forecast or just a hair below, so maybe a little bit of slowing.” says Amy Baker, Economist.

Former Congressman, now Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam has long been critical of Washington’s dysfunction. The numbers back him up.”I do think that you’re seeing an impact on consumer confidence, hiring decisions, business decisions,” says Adam Putnam, Agriculture Commissioner.

The estimates for tax collections could have been even worse had economists not factored in the looming Federal Shutdown when they issued the estimates in August.

Revenue estimators say they’ll continue to have a cautious outlook until congress fixes the budget problem once and for all. “We have no idea what they are going to do in January and February, so we’re still being cautious,” says Baker.

If there is one bright spot, overall tax collections for Florida are still 73 million above original estimates, signaling an economy improving faster than even state economists predicted.

A new plan by Citizens Insurance would have the company selecting any paying contractors directly for sink hole repairs. The company says it guarantees the job is done right but others say policy holders are being shortchanged.

Sinkholes that are as damaging as the one that opened in Dunedin this week are covered under an insurance clause called Catastrophic ground collapse. Every homeowner’s policy in Florida has the clause. But where it gets sticky is when the ground shifts, causing  cracks in walls and driveways.

Now Citizens Insurance, wants to change how it pays claims for the cracks. Beginning early next year, if approved by the Citizens board, the insurer will select the repair company and then pay them directly. Michael Peltier says, while voluntary, it is an effort to make sure damage is fixed. “I mean, your neighbors want to make sure that the properties next to them are sinkhole free or have at least been repaired to the point that their properties are not endanger,” says Michael Peltier, Citizens Spokesman.

The direct pay plan was encouraged in the 2011 law as a way for citizens to cut its sinkhole losses.”

Insurance experts say beginning with a voluntary direct pay scheme is a smart way to go. “When you do a program of this magnitude, to make it mandatory right off that bat, it’s going to have some kinks. So let’s get the kinks work out, get homes repaired and make sure everybody is in a good place,” says Lisa Miller, Insurance Industry Consultant.

But the direct pay plan is likely to become mandatory in the near future, and advocates for policy holders say it is trampling on homeowners rights. “There’s just going to be a lot of bias and they’re going to undercut the work so that they can get on to the next job and make more money,” says Nicole Vinson, Policy Holders of Florida.

The full Citizens Board votes on the direct payment plan in December.

Naughty or nice, this year’s holiday shopping trend looks to be mostly sunny, despite uncertainty with the government shutdown earlier this fall. As Matt Horn reports, sales are projected to increase by four percent in the Sunshine State.

Retail experts say Black Friday in Florida is projected to see one of the largest increases in recent years for the holiday shopping season.

“While over the last five or six years we’ve averaged about a 3 point 3-percent increase over the previous year. I think we’re going to be over four,” said Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation.

Many shoppers have been shopping early and taking advantage of some early deals.

“I guess September. We watch for the sales that come up and everything,” said shopper Florence McCutchen.

“Well, save my money because Black Friday comes up. I get all I can get, that’s about it,” said shopper Ladarius Calhoun.

To prepare for the economic uptick, employers are hiring more people for the season.

“We as a company, we have hired more than 35-thousand seasonal workers,” said Ray Grey, a manager at JCPenney.

Retail jobs provide one out of every five jobs in Florida, bringing more than $49 billion dollars to the state in wages.

The season is “make or break” for many retailers. Some stores will make upwards of 25 percent of their annual profit in November and December.

“This is a critical time. Its also important for the state. Sales tax is a big deal to our state,” said McAllister.

There are six fewer shopping days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year.

Investigators for the Tallahassee Police Department made contract today with the attorney representing FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston was allegedly involved in a sexual battery in December 2012. The football players attorney may not let his client talk to police.

The heavily redacted police report alleging sexual battery is dated December 7th, last year. The State Attorney’s Office has confirmed it involves FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston’s Attorney says his client is absolutely innocent. “We have done our investigation. We have turned over what we believe is exculpatory  information to the state attorney with witnesses who were present,” says Tim Jansen, Winston Attorney.

The State Attorney’s office received the case file on Tuesday, that’s at least a day after police received a public records request for the report. Tallahassee Police are refusing to answer any questions including why it took so long to forward such a high profile case to Prosecutors. States Attorney Wille Meggs is traveling, we reached him by phone. “I got my first knowledge of it yesterday at 10:02, little bit shocked to learn it’s been an ongoing investigation since December 7th,” says Willie Meggs, State’s Attorney (2nd Judicial Circuit).

While Winston’s attorney says they are cooperating, he wouldn’t say if he would allow his client to speak with investigators. “They talked to me today, they confirmed to me that the state attorney has asked them to do some follow up investigation and we will try to cooperate with them as much as possible.”

Reported Vasilinda asked, “Does that mean you’ll make your client available to them?” “We will cooperate with them as much as possible,” Tim Jansen said.

Prosecutors working the case wouldn’t put a time table on resolving it.

Following California and New Jersey – two Florida lawmakers have introduced legislation banning conversion therapy, which seeks to convert gay people to being straight, for people under 18. Conversion therapy says As Matt Horn reports –few psychologists perform the therapy already.

Across the country – fifteen states now recognize gay marriage. As the number grows, two states have also banned a controversial sexual orientation change therapy – known as conversion therapy. Many Mental health experts call the therapy harmful.

“But the diagnostic and statistical manual doesn’t call sexuality, who you have sex with or what your sexual interest are a disorder,” said Kurt LaRose, Mental Health Expert.

Florida may join the list of states banning the therapy designed to change homosexuals to heterosexual. Senator Jeff Clemens introduced a senate bill to ban the therapy for children younger than 18.

“Science tells and pretty much common sense tells us that the person’s sexual orientation is decided genetically,” said Sen. Clemens.

Mental Health Expert Kurt LaRose says the therapy can have negative affects on those seeking the treatment.

“The greatest risk is symptoms that look like a mood disorder, so depression,” said LaRose.

Supporting the therapy is South Florida marriage and family therapist Doctor Julie Hamilton. Hamilton has spoken publically on helping those who have unwanted homosexual attractions.

“A lot of people believe it’s biological, that people are born gay. But you know what, the research doesn’t show that at all,” said Hamilton on a YouTube video.

If the ban becomes law it would be illegal for parents to force their children to go through the therapy. “Parents who have very strongly held beliefs that their child shouldn’t be gay or lesbian have tried to put their kids through this,” said Sen. Clemens.

If passed into law a child would still be able to receive counseling helping them cope with their sexuality.

The evaluations of tens of thousands of Florida Teachers are about to become public. As Matt Horn explains, the largest teachers’ union is urging parents to be cautious when they look at the data.

In 2011 lawmakers passed a law requiring districts to evaluate educators. When the first scores came back last year, teachers protested, saying the formula being used was so complicated that two out of three teachers were being judged on students who were never in their classrooms.

“This is based off 4th and 5th graders’ scores at the school, but they’re not the kids I teach,” said Margaret Goodwin, a Florida teacher.

Lawmakers changed the law after the protests, but now the original scores ranking teachers across the state will be released to the public. The release follows an appeals court order siding with a Jacksonville newspaper. Florida School Boards Association Executive Director Wayne Blanton says the court had no choice.

“The court said you have to follow the law and the law at this time says there is a one year exemption; there is no three year exemption,” said Blanton.

While Florida’s largest teachers’ union agrees with Blanton, they say the evaluations being released misrepresent teachers.

“The whole system is flawed right now. Even in the best case scenario, you’re just going to be rating teachers based on this one test, this one day,” said Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Educators Association.

The decision by the Appeals Court overturns a lower court ruling, which would have kept the records sealed.

The evaluations are based on three years of data and the original ruling would have kept the data private until the three years ended. Now the data will be released yearly.

“Your going to base them on those three years and if year one is meaningless and year two is meaningless, if year three becomes more meaningful you still have a three year period which most of the data is really bad,” said Pudlow.

The Florida Department of Education refused our request for an on-camera interview, but said they are reviewing the court ruling.

Florida is one of 34 states that have speed limits of seventy miles an hour or below, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, two state lawmakers are suggesting the Sunshine state join the five other states that raised their speed limits in the last year.

I Want to Drive 75

Florida didn’t adopt the 70 mile an hour speed limit on interstates until 1995. Last year nearly nine hundred thousand speeding tickets were written across the state. Now, two lawmakers are proposing bumping the limit up to 75 on interstates. The higher speed is just fine with George Martens  “I’d like to see 80”.  We met George on his way from Orlando to Illinois. “These cars today are made to go about ninety miles an hour, and have all sorts of items to avoid distraction” says the motorist.

Not everyone thinks its a good idea. DannyThomas worries motorists will start traveling faster than ever. “Everybody’s doing eighty plus,” says Thomas.  “So if you raise it to seventy-five, everybody will start doing eighty-five plus.”

At least fifteen states have higher speed limts than Florida’s. In Texas, you can legally go eighty-five on some roads.

The Department of Highway safety says the first thing they’re going to do is check with states that have raised the limit above 70 and ask how its working.  “What we’re going to do is reach out to the other states that have had this pass and see what their issue were and the successes with it” says Captain Nancy Rasmussen, the spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol in Tallahassee.

Back out at the rest area on Interstate Ten, long haul trucker Dan Taylor is all for traveling faster….because it’ll put more money in his pocket. “I’m paid by the mile, so the more miles I can get out in a day…and I can only drive for eleven hours, I make more money” says Tucker, who was on his way to Dallas, Texas.

Taylor is from Kansas…where interstate speeds are already posted at 75.

State Senator Jeff Clemons, one of two sponsors of the high limit was quick to point out the higher limit would be on rural interstate and toll roads only. He also tells us motorists should be able to drive at whatever speed is safe.

Here is a link to the speed limits in other states: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/speedlimit_laws.html

 

 

Decades after six veterans served their country in the military, they are being honored in a new way. Florida unveiled its new Veteran’s Hall of Fame at the state capitol. Prior to the unveiling – Governor Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott presented six hall of fame inductees with awards for going above and beyond in the military.

“The bravery and sacrifice of our veterans has preserved and protected the American Dream for generations,” said Governor Scott.

Hall of Fame inductee Captain Robert Silah says the award is special.

“It’s unbelievable, especially being in the first class,” said Silah. “I never expected that, so, it’s quite an honor and I’m very, very honored.”

Florida joins Georgia and Arkansas in the Southeast for honoring veterans with a hall of fame. Nationwide there are fewer than 15 states who have a veterans halls of fame.

“I think it’s long overdue, that this should have happened years ago,” said Major John Haynes. “But, we veterans, we certainly understand. We’re very patient people.”

Statewide there are 1-point-6 million veterans. Recipient Major General John Cleland says this award doesn’t only honor him, but all of those who have fought for their country.

“All veterans stand tall and all veterans should be recognized,” said Cleland.

Inductees are chosen based on their contribution to the state in civic, business, public service or other pursuits.

Florida is also looking into offering in-state tuition for all military.

Florida State University learned this Veterans Day that it has been named as one of the top veteran friendly colleges in the country. FSU Student Veterans Center Director Billy Francis is on a mission.

“You’re going to see a family at Florida State that is locking arms, learning more about the issues veterans face and thinking about how they can help them,” said Francis.

FSU acknowledges the transition from the battle field to civilian life isn’t an easy adjustment. As a way to open the dialogue, the university is teaming up with world renowned journalist and filmmaker Sebastian Junger at the annual Student Veteran Film Festival.

“It’s hard to leave the trauma behind, but its also hard to return to quote normal society because it seems less interesting back home,” said Junger. “Ya know? And that’s true of soldiers and journalists.”

Junger’s film: Which Way is the Front Line From Here? honors longtime friend and journalist Tim Hetherington who was killed overseas.

“I think a soldier, a veteran can see this film and recognize in this film about a journalist, recognize some of their own issues, I think its kind of universal,” said Junger.

The Student Veteran Film Festival launched in 2011. It was designed to raise awareness for veterans’ issues and support for veteran-related initiatives at the university.

“The whole Florida State Seminole family have reached out and even embraced the veterans in this very diverse culture,” said Francis.

FSU has more than 330 student veterans on campus, the university is aggressively working to expand veteran enrollment.

“We get up everyday to help veterans achieve their goals,” said Francis.

This is the first year FSU was ranked in Military Times best colleges for vets.

Florida State is joined by the University of South Florida in the top 10 best colleges for vets. USF was ranked 5th in the poll.

Across Florida – a high number of fraudulent car accidents equal higher costs or “fraud taxes” for Floridians. As Matt Horn reports – one form of insurance may be on its way out in efforts to eliminate illegal activity.

Staged accidents like this one are driving up the cost of car insurance. Insurance companies say the cost of fraud in Florida is one of the highest in the country. Lawmakers blame the current no fault law for problems and are now looking for change.

“Florida is a unique state. But nonetheless, I think that sometimes we bare the brunt of a lot of insurance company losses,” said Senator Jeff Clemens, Lake Worth.

Since the early 1970’s no-fault insurance has been a fixture of Florida auto-insurance. The new plan – if passed into law – would end the mandatory $10 thousand requirement of Personal Injury Protection coverage that pays for injuries no matter who caused an accident.

Drivers should be weary of things disguised as common courtesy. In some places around Florida – being waved through an intersection – may be a trap for insurance fraud.

“People have understood and have learned to game the system and it’s easy to game the system because when you ram into someone’s car it could be an automatic 10 thousand dollars in coverage,” said Lisa Miller, Insurance Expert.

A Florida report says the extreme number of fraudulent car accidents cost Floridians around $1 billion a year. Lawmakers who support repealing the law say it will save drivers money on car insurance.

“I believe there is room for rate reduction and the hope is that either the change that were made last year or those that we could possibly make in terms of a move towards a mandatory BI would solve the issue,” said Clemens.

Some reforms were passed in 2012, but the changes are being challenged in court.

When Colorado dropped its similar no-fault insurance system, a Governor’s study drivers saved 35-percent overall for their coverage.

Want to know what a beach on the other side of Florida looks like? You’ll soon be able to get a 360 degree view courtesy the state’s tourism marketing agency. Visit Florida has partnered with Google to visually map more than eight hundred miles of Florida beaches.

It began in the Panhandle. “Florida-Alabama state line and these are our first steps,” says Chris Officer, Trekker.

Two teams of two people have been walking Florida’s beaches since mid July. On their backs a 40 pound 360 degree camera pack. It’s the state’s latest effort to lure more people to the state. “So it’s a great opportunity to give… wet people’s appetite and help-let them virtually explore the Florida beaches,” says Will Seccombe, Visit Florida Director.

Along their way the trekkers, as they are called, were as much a tourist attraction as the beaches they walked.

Florida had ninety one and a half million tourists last year. The goal is one hundred million and marketers think the beach views will be one more tool to reach their goal. “It’s not just a picture. You want to show people what, you know, what their beach looks like and what their walk is going to be like in the morning or the sunset that afternoon,” says Seccombe.

The trekkers have been covering about 50 miles a week, their journey hasn’t been without, well surprises. “[What do you do with nude beaches?]  Well, our Visit Florida team ran across a couple of those beaches on their trek through the state. They will be blurred out just like the licenses plates on street cam for Google,” says Will Seccombe.

The journey finishes next week on South Beach, the pictures go live early next year.

Peguy Delva was at the Florida Supreme Court today asking for her day in court. Delva was fired by her employer…the Continental group, when she returned from maternity leave three and a half years ago. She sued under the states discrimination statute, but the case was throw out by a lower court. Today, Supreme Court Justices appeared stunned she was not able to argue her case. Delva hopes to spare other pregnant women the same problems she experienced. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who is going through it, there’s somebody else. Not only one,but two or three maybe a 100 of women are going, they just don’t know what to do. This would probably help them,” says Peguy Delva, mother.

“All we want is our day in court. Mrs. Delva brought a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit in Miami and it was dismissed out of hand as a matter of law, she didn’t even get an opportunity to make an argument as to why her termination was unlawful,” says Travis Hollifield, Delva Attorney.

The court did not rule today. If it sides with Delva, it would likely order a court In Miami Dade to hear the facts.

After hundreds of thousands of Floridians saw flood insurance premiums jump by triple digits, state lawmakers say its time for the state to step into the market. Legislation is being introduced that would allow private companies and maybe the the states insurer of last resort to write flood insurance. State Senator Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg said he was filing the legislation today.

“I think we are beginning to nail down details as we speak. One of the things that we are talking about is should people have to have coverage of the full replacement value of their home or should they just have to have coverage to the value of their mortgage? That’s one of the substantial changes that we are making. But we think that the national flood insurance program cannot be trusted,” says Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg.

Florida is considered a donor state, getting just twenty five cents back in claims for ever dollar Floridians spend on flood insurance premiums.

Red Light cameras are under fire tonight on two fronts. Efforts to ban them are gaining steam in the state legislature and a case at the Florida Supreme Court could result in refunds for thousands of motorists.

An average, 1770 people are caught running a red lights by a traffic camera every day in Florida. The 158 dollar fine generated about a hundred million dollars last year. Since the cameras were first allowed, lawmakers like State Senator Jeff Brandes have been trying to get rid of them. “We’re seeing cities reduce the timing of their yellow lights, change the standards on right on reds to increase tickets. So for the most part it was sold as a safety device, but some of these cities are using it to raise taxes,” says Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg.

The cameras were authorized in 2010 after lawmakers were shown clips like this one.

Prior to the 2010 law, at least two dozen cities and counties set up red light cameras without legislative approval.

Now motorist who got tickets in 2008, 9 and 10 have sued to get their money back.

The case has made it all the way to the Florida Supreme Court. More than one judge was skeptical that lawmakers intended cities to write tickets using cameras. “The local governments have the power to set up parallel traffic system,” says Fred Lewis, Supreme Court Justice.

The court didn’t rule yet but if it does decide in favor of drivers, refunds could be forthcoming. “I think it’s relevant for anyone who got a citation prior to the enactment of the Wandel Act in 2010, this certainly is going to affect if they get a refund or not,” says Jason Weissman, Motorists Attorney.

The court case and the repeal aren’t directly related, a ruling for motorist could go a long way toward convincing law makers to scrap all the cameras.