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A newborn baby boy abandoned in a hospital bathroom in Tallahassee is the 10th child that parents have given up in Florida this year. All 10 are alive and fine. State law allows parents who are overwhelmed to leave their newborn at a fire station, police department or a hospital. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, children left anywhere else often don’t survive.

The newborn baby boy was found in a 4th floor bathroom in this Tallahassee hospital on Tuesday. Because the child was not left with a person, police are reviewing surveillance tapes and have opened a criminal investigation.

“We want to find out a little bit more to make sure there are no other children involved, to make sure there’s no other crime that may have been involved. We just want to be thorough and make sure,” Tallahassee Police Department spokesman David McCranie said.

Since 2000 Florida law allows parents to leave newborns up to seven days old at fire stations, police department or hospitals, without consequence, if the child is given to a person.  Since 2000, 132 babies have been given up.

Since the law took effect, 45 parents have chosen to abandon their baby in unsafe places. Only 19 survived.

“Lydia” was dropped off at a Palm Beach hospital four years ago. Born with no arms and just one leg, Lydia has been adopted and is thriving today.

The child left in Tallahassee has not been named. The Department of Children and Families says the baby boy will be placed for adoption.

“But I know the state attorney will move very cautiously on this, because you don’t want to have a chilling impact on the safe-haven law,” DCF secretary George Sheldon said.

Under the safe-haven law, parents who give up their child can ask the court for the child back up until an adoption is finalized.

A Safe Haven for Newborns is a resource for parents facing the difficult decision of giving up a child. They can be reached on the web at www.asafehavenfornewborns.com or by calling 1-877-767-2229 (Baby)

Florida is receiving 175 million federal stimulus dollars to make homes more energy efficient. The money will be distributed through nonprofit groups and as Whitney Ray tells us, there are concerns about the state’s ability to keep track of that much cash.

A quick energy audit can help you save hundreds of dollars on utility bills. Preparing your house for a storm can save you thousands….

Florida is receiving 175 million stimulus dollars to make homes more energy efficient. The money will flow from the state to non-profit organizations in every county. The Capital Area Community Action Agency is one of them. The agency will receive 6 million for four counties.

“Our normal weatherization fund is around 350-thousand dollars for all of those counties,” said the Agency’s Directory Dorothy Johnson.

The agency is hiring extra staff to help keep track of how the money is being spent. The money won’t begin circulating in Florida until September, but five states that have already received the weatherization dollars are reporting misused funds. Florida’s Stimulus Czar Don Winstead says extra measures will be in place to keep every one honest.

“I think the Department of Community Affairs has built a strong oversight mechanism there for paying attention to those monies to audit before the homes are repaired and to go check afterwards,” said Winstead.

The Department of Community Affairs is hiring ten extra people to make sure contractors are doing the work the state is paying them to do. In the past, families that qualified could receive 25-hundred dollars to weatherize their homes. Because of the stimulus money the amount has been raised to 65-hundred. To see if you qualify for an energy audit or upgrades to your home, you can log onto our website and find an office near you.

Thousands of teaching jobs are being spared and 700-thousand unemployed Floridians are receiving benefits thanks to federal stimulus dollars.

Governor Charlie Crist met with state agency heads to discuss how the federal money is being spent. So far the state has paid out 534 million stimulus dollars to the state’s unemployed. Crist also credits the stimulus dollars for saving education.

“I think it’s pretty incredible that 26-thousand teachers will continue to be able to work for Florida’s children because of these additional monies and that’s really the point. This is to help people. This is to help education system. To help people with health care needs and it’s the people’s money so they deserve it,” said Crist.

Florida’s stimulus spending is posted online. Since the state began posting the stimulus plans the site has received more than 750-thousand hits. The website is http://flarecovery.com/

Governor Charlie Crist is declaring war on pythons.

Crist has asked the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to rid state land south of Lake Okeechobee of Burmese Pythons. The order comes two weeks after a pet python killed a Florida toddler. Crist said catching the snakes will help make Florida safer.

“I think it’s an important issue. I had a good conversation with Senator Nelson and Rodney Bureto who chairs our wildlife commissioner and they are working good in concert in order to make sure we protect our fellow Floridians. I was distressed to see the death that occurred recently,” said Crist.

The snake hunt will begin this Friday. The snakes will be caught and euthanized. Then scientist will measure and weigh the snakes to find out how much of a threat they pose to humans.

Florida’s two biggest power companies want to dig deeper into your pocket. Florida Power and Light and Progress Energy, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, are both asking for rate hikes that would push their earnings above the national average.

Electric companies are guaranteed a profit. FP&L makes just under 11 percent. Progress Energy, about 10 percent. Both want a raise. The cost to consumers: anywhere between 13 and 15 dollars a month for an average customer.

“I know you’ve heard it before, it’s a matter of ‘are we going to be able to afford drugs that we desperately need,’” Dick Williams with AARP said.

At public hearings across the state, consumers are telling regulators they can’t afford any more.

“I just don’t feel, financially, this is the time. When we’re close to a 10 percent unemployment rate in this country,” Progress Energy customer Jacqui Sulek said. “People are taking pay cuts, people are losing their jobs.”

Brandishing a 41-thousand dollar turbine blade, Progress Energy’s Alex Glenn says the utility needs a higher return to attract investors.

“We’ve also got to continue to invest in the backbone of our system, our poles, our wires,” Glenn said.

Nationally, utilities are allowed average earnings of just over 10 percent on their investment.

If the power giants get everything they’re asking for, their profit will be about 2.5 percent above the national average.

The states Public Counsel has been vigorous in opposing the hikes.

“There’s no risk or very, very, very little risk,” J.R. Kelley with the Office of Public Counsel said.

A decision on both rate hikes is due before Christmas, so any higher charges can start showing up on January’s bill.

All total, 6 million electric customers are facing rate hikes. The formal  FP&L rate hike hearing begins in August, while Progress’s starts in late September.  5 more public hearings are scheduled for this week and next:

July 16
9am-noon
City Hall
St. Petersburg

6-9 PM Pinellas County Board of Commissioners Assembly room
Clearwater

July 17th

9am-noon
Citrus Count Auditorium
Inverness

2-5 PM
Ocala City Council Chambers
Ocala

July 27th
Apalachicola Community Center
Apalachicola

A former Gubernatorial candidate, Scott Maddox, today filed paperwork to run for Agriculture Commissioner.

Maddox is also a former Tallahassee Mayor, Democratic Party Chairman, and President of the League of Cities. Maddox is the fifth Democrat to enter the race. He says the others lack the statewide exposure and the fundraising ability to win.

“We’ve got very good candidates on the Democrats side. They’re all very good people,” Maddox said. “But I think the top candidate has raised 34,000 dollars or thereabouts in a quarter. And the top republican candidate has three-quarters of a million dollars raised. So I think we need to have a competitive candidate on the Democratic side. Unfortunately, it’s expensive to run statewide in the state of Florida. And I think I can raise the money to get the message out. I think that will set me apart from the rest of the field.”

Maddox faces frontrunner Eric Draper, an environmentalist, and three other’s, including a former state representative in the Democrat primary.

Eight city and county governments are suing the state over a new law aimed at speeding up development. The legislation allows builders to develop land without paying for road construction near the property. As Whitney Ray tells us, city and county governments say the legislation unfairly requires them to pick up the road costs that developers don’t want to pay.

Builders in Florida’s urban areas no longer have to pay for road construction. A new law eliminates the road fees in an attempt to speed up development. Opponents say the legislation will lead to traffic problems, because builders will no longer have to plan for traffic. Eight cities and counties are suing the state saying the law creates an unfunded mandate because they’ll eventually have to pay to handle to traffic.

The suit also claims amendments to the legislation aimed at making housing more affordable and keeping counties from requiring business to have security cameras violate the state’s single subject rule. The Florida Chamber of Commerce says the suit is standing in the way of development.

“It’s unfortunate that you find local governments using taxpayer dollars to go and pursue this lawsuit when there are many provision in this bill designed to help Florida Businesses,” said Adam Babington, a spokesman with the Florida Chamber.

One of those provisions allows developers to extend their building permits for two years. The extension will give developers more time to finance their projects. The Florida Association of Realtors says the law will go along way to help fix Florida’s economy.

“These kind of incentives are absolutely necessary because it’s short sided to try and prevent these things from happening now because it’s building and developing that are going to bring this state back,” said John Sebree, a spokesman with the Florida Association of Realtors.

Some developers are waiting to see what happens with the lawsuit, before moving forward with their projects.

The state’s unemployment compensation hotline is being bombarded by people seeking benefits.

The call center is receiving more 14,000 calls a day. Not everyone is getting through. The call volume has increased over the last two weeks because of people trying to find out if they’ll receive extended benefits. Robby Cunningham, a spokesman for the Agency for Workforce Innovation, says people need to be patient.

“The call volume remains at an all time high and Monday and Tuesday remains our busiest days. We are currently administering seven federal unemployment compensation programs above and beyond our state program so anytime we enact one of these extended benefits or these new programs the call volume dramatically increases for at least a short period of time,” said Cunningham.

The state has already pumped out 55 million dollars in extended benefits payments to more than 30,000 Floridians. 84,000 applications have been received so fair. Those who qualify should receive payment by the end of next week.

Seventy caseworkers hired by the Department of Children and Families to keep track of foster kids lied about monthly visits.

Some kids went six months without seeing a caseworker. As Whitney Ray tells us, the caseworkers have been fired and DCF is hoping a new GPS system will help keep better track of who is skipping visits.

Over a two year period, the Department of Children and Families lost track of six foster kids and left 14 in dangerous homes. The kids’ safety was jeopardized because 70 DCF caseworkers were lying about monthly visits. DCF Secretary George Sheldon was outraged when he found out about the lying caseworkers.

“I think it is totally unacceptable. We have an aggressive effort with in the agency to investigate and document falsification. I have zero tolerance for that,” said Sheldon.

The 70 caseworkers have been fired and could face felony charges. Children Advocates say getting rid of the bad apples doesn’t solve the problem.

“We have had children that have gone missing. We have had deaths and there is always this big flurry around doing something and generally what is done is not the long term solution that is needed,” said Karen Woodall, a child advocate.

Budget cuts and large caseloads are at least partly to blame for the mix up. Child Advocacy groups say caseworkers should handle no more than 15 foster kids at a time. Some DCF caseworkers have more than double that amount.

Secretary Sheldon said a new mobile tracking device will help keep better tabs on caseworkers.

“It will go in and say this visit did or did not make it, and then we would also have alerts in that system so that if a visit didn’t occur with in the 30th day it would go to the supervisor,” said Sheldon.

Caseworkers will begin using the new devices this fall. DCF has a team of investigators charged with uncovering false reports from caseworkers. There are more than six thousand caseworkers in the state, with just 70 caught falsifying documents over a two year period.

The state Democratic Party is making a case for health care reform.

The Florida Democrats held a round table discussion in Tallahassee this afternoon to hear from people who have had a hard time getting medical attention. The Florida Democrats are recording the stories. Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman said the stories will be given to elected officials to urge them to pass legislation to reform the national health care system.

“These discussions will go back to our Florida legislators with our numbers with the stories. While there are some people that are not here today we have been collecting stories. We pass those on to legislators across the state and our congress members to make sure that they see the face to this issue and not just the numbers because sometimes that is harder to understand than when you hear a story and talk about a real life person out there,” said Sheldon.

45 million Americans don’t have access to health care; four million of those are Floridians.

The state has reached a settlement with Morgan Stanley for overcharging people trying to fill up their gas tanks during Hurricane Ike last fall.

TransMontaigne, a subsidiary company of Morgan Stanley, transports gas to some Florida stations. TransMontaigne ordered its stations to raise prices $1.60 a gallon as Hurricane Ike moved through the Gulf. Attorney General Bill McCollum said nailing Morgan Stanley for price gouging will send a message to other suppliers.

“This is a statement that big business needs to be held accountable and I appreciate the fact that Morgan Stanley has stepped up to the plate and set a very high standard,” said McCollum.

Morgan Stanley will pay the state 2.2 million dollars. The money will go to the Attorney Generals Office and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to fund future investigations. The state is still investigating 12 other cases of gas price gouging stemming from Hurricane Ike.

The state is taking steps to make sure honey bought in Florida is pure honey.

Some sellers add water, sugar, and additives to their products. Starting July 14th the state will adopt standards prohibiting the sell of honey with additives. Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson said he hopes to set an example other states will follow.

“We hope other states, the 28 other states that are looking at this, and hopefully the FDA will come to the same conclusion, that if it’s not made by a bee, then it’s probably not honey. We just want people who are paying honey prices to get 100 percent honey,” said Bronson.

Florida is the 4th largest honey producing state. Honey has an economic impact of nearly 40 million dollars a year, employing more than 500 people. Companies caught violating the new standards could be forced to stop selling honey and pay 500 dollars per violation.

Diehard fans of Florida’s 11 public universities may soon be able to show their school spirit in death. State law has changed to allow urns with the ashes of dead alumni to be housed on campus. No Florida school has adopted a plan yet, but as Whitney Ray tells us, graduates of Florida schools are already seeking to be laid to rest on campus.

Some Florida Gators have so much school spirit, even death can’t keep them from supporting the team. Gator fans have had their ashes illegally scattered on the football field, and dozen of law abiding alumni have asked for permission to do the same.

UF isn’t the only school where people are dying to be laid to rest. There are reports of ashes being scattered around this giant oak tree on FSU’s campus.

The interest in campus cemeteries spawned legislation allowing schools to build columbaria to house the ashes of alumni. FSU Freshman Lonnie Prior grew up watching Seminole football. This fall he’ll play for the Noles.

“I’ve always been a fan and just to be buried here, that would be cool,” said Prior.

FSU Senior Adriana Sekula wants to be buried with her family, but says housing dead fans on campus could increase school spirit.

“I think it’s exciting. I don’t think we would be Gators or Seminoles without that kind of support,” said Adriana.

Alum Mark Delegal spent some of the best years of his life at the University of Florida. He never misses a home football game, and is considering spending eternity on campus.

“I do plan to be cremated, I’m not quite sure I’m ready to say I’ll have my urn put over there, but it’s as good of an idea as I have heard,” said Mark.

And if school spirit can outlast death, diehard fans may soon be dying for a spot near their favorite stadium. The University of Florida is reviewing plans to build a columbarium on campus. FSU has formed a committee to research the idea.

Students at Florida State University will no longer be able to reach some professors on their office phones. The FSU College of Business and the Department of English are cutting landlines to save money. As Whitney Ray tells us, if the plan takes off, other colleges could begin nixing their landline service.

Many professors are starting to give out their cell phone numbers to students. Not to be more accessible, but because money is tight. FSU Junior Tyler David got his professor’s cell phone number off the class syllabus.

“I think that it’s a good idea just in case you really need to get in touch with them, you have an important question, whatever it might be,” said Tyler.

While Tyler likes the extra access, FSU Freshman Meredyth Cassell thinks calling a professor on their cell phone is too personal.

“I think it should be kept professional between the student and teacher and giving them your cell phone number kind of makes it more of friend sort of thing,” Meredyth.

The English Department is the latest college to cut landlines. Dr Ralph Berry, Chairman of FSU’s English Department, says professors are sacrificing their personal cell phone minutes to stay in touch with students.

“Given the range of options of what we’ve got to cut this feel relatively painless when you compare it to the other things we might have to give up,” said Dr. Berry.

FSU is laying off 200 faculty employees and closing some departments.

The College of Business turned off half its lights to save electricity.

The penny pinching is adding up. FSU is expected to save 3.5 million dollars in utility cost this year. And with the economy forcing everyone to tighten their belts, finding the least harmful way to cut cost may mean cutting the landline.

The FSU College of Business cut landlines last year and saved thousands of dollars. Cutting the landlines in the English Department is expected to save 16-thousand dollars.

Progress Energy Customers are getting a change to voice their concerns about a proposed rate hike.

The company wants to raise customer’s base rate an average of 9 dollars a month. The Public Service Commission held a hearing in Live Oak today to allow Progress customers to voice their concerns. Progress Energy Customer Dick Williams said he can’t afford to pay more for his electricity.

“I have to watch every penny that I have and make it go as far as I can. This is going to increase annually by about $160 which doesn’t sound like much money. When you are trying to find enough money to buy medicine, to buy food, that’s a lot of money and it’s that on top of other increases that we are facing in the state.”

The PSC is holding meetings across the state so Progress Energy customers from all over can participate. The next meeting will be held in Lake Mary on the 15th.

Upcoming meetings
On the 16th in St. Petersburg
On the 17th in Ocala
On the 30th in Apalachicola