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Florida’s Emergency response team has wrapped up its preparation efforts.

State and Federal emergency workers ended a five day test run in Florida’s Emergency Operations Center. First responders were testing new equipment and communication lines in preparation of a major storm this hurricane season. Governor Charlie Crist toured the EOC and encouraged first responders. Crist said Florida has a history of neighbor helping neighbor in times of crisis.

“Even people with the utility companies were restoring power so people could have power for their homes for their families. That’s how Floridians respond every time. So whether it’s cooking meals, trying to get the lights back on, restoring power, making sure the water’s running for people. Whatever it might be, Floridians always respond that way, and like I said there is almost 20 million of us and each and every one of us has an obligation,” Crist.

Crist said the first obligation is for every Floridian to get a hurricane supply kit. A poll conducted by emergency workers found that 4 out of every 10 Floridians doesn’t have a survival kit.

An estimated 700,000 woman who may have otherwise avoided screening for beast cancer will now get tested.

Wednesday Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation to create a breast cancer early detection program. The program will target women ages 19 to 64 and make thousands eligible for screening. Governor Charlie Crist the program will be a success despite a lack of funding.

“It doesn’t cost a lot to give somebody good advice and a good referral and this bill is about good referrals and making sure people know where they can go to have the opportunity to get screening done and that awareness is an awfully important thing, just ask anyone who has had a situation were they weren’t aware of where they might have been able to get screening,” said Crist.

Florida ranks second in the nation in new breast cancer cases per year and in the number of women who die from the disease.

Legislation that would allow State Farm and other big insurers to set their own rates passed on May first, but it has yet to be delivered to the Governor. The delay gives supporters time to try and convince the governor to let it become law. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, they have an uphill battle.

Homeowners with State Farm will likely start to see non renewal notices in November. That’s unless legislation allowing the company and others to set it’s own rates is signed by the Governor. The bill passed in response to the company’s decision to leave Florida after being denied a rate hike.

But it’s yet to hit the Governor’s desk. That is a tactic lawmakers use to build pressure. State Farm Agents Kathy Fain and Dick Franklin are part of that pressure and spent the morning meeting with their state Senator. Both acknowledged the five months since the company announced it would no longer write homeowners have been tough.

“All of our customers have called,” Franklin said. “They’re in a constant state of flux as to knowing what to do.”

Agent Kathy Fain says allowing the company to bid on coverage without price regulation will leave the decision up to consumers.

“My main thing is to let’s try this,” Fain said. “It can’t hurt.”

The legislation was passed overwhelmingly by lawmakers. But that’s not having much sway with the governor.

The Governor’s mind is almost made up.

“I think it’s also important to have appropriate regulation as it relates to the insurance commissioner’s job to keep rates low,” Governor Crist said. “That’s my current view of it. I look forward to the bill coming to me.”

If the bill is vetoed, almost a million homeowners will need to find new coverage over the next two years.

An estimated 50,000 uninsured kids will receive medical coverage from legislation the governor signed today. The legislation shortens the waiting time to enroll in the state’s Kid Care program and lessens the penalties for missing a premium payment. As Whitney Ray tells us, child advocates call the legislation a good start, but say more needs to be done.

Karen Carter is a single mother who depends of Kid Care to keep her two children healthy.

“Health care is something very important to have. You don’t know when sickness will strike. You don’t know what can happen, especially when you have children,” said Karen.

The Kid Care program offers low cost insurance to children up to ages 19. But penalties and a lengthy application process have kept thousand of families out.

Governor Charlie Crist signed legislation shortening the waiting period for eligible families who voluntarily cancelled their private insurance to sign up for Kid Care. It also reduced the waiting period to reenroll after a family misses a payment.

“It can expand the eligibility to almost 50,000 additional children in the state of Florida. It’s incredible,” said Crist.

Children’s Advocates have been pushing the legislation for three years. Karen Woodall wanted restriction loosened to let in even more families and pregnant women.

“This legislation didn’t do any of that, but it was critical that we removed the barriers before we expand eligibility, because if you are losing kids out the back door it’s false advertisement,” said Woodall.

And a lack of advertisement has been one of the major problems facing the program. 1.5 million kids are enrolled in Kid Care, but there’s little money available to spread the word.

The 2010 election is still 18 months away, but debates are already being planned.

Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association are picking TV stations to broadcast debates between the gubernatorial and US Senate candidates. In years past the debates have been aired on public television. In 2010 the candidates will square off on network affiliated station. Wendy Abberber a spokeswoman with Leadership Florida said the move to commercial TV should boost ratings.

“Florida has 20 million residents, only 30 percent of whom were born here. It is so important in Florida that we get the information out to as many people as we can and that we make it as easily available as it can be, and that is certainly the case with the flagship and commercial stations,” said Abberber.

Gubernatorial candidates Bill McCollum and Alex Sink have both committed to the debates. WPLG in Miami, WKMG, in Orlando, and WJXT in Jacksonville will host and broadcast the debates. One TV station is each of the remaining eight markets will be picked to air the debates.

All 11 of the state’s public universities now have the authority to raise tuition.

The state already passed an eight percent tuition hike slated to go into effect in the Fall. Each public university will now have the right to raise tuition up to an additional seven percent to reach the new 15 percent cap. Florida has some of the cheapest tuition in the country. Governor Charlie Crist said the increase will help improve the state’s higher education system.

“I think we have expanded on a new frontier in Florida as it relates to higher education. Not only in our 11 universities, but as it relates to our 28 community colleges. The legislature has done a tremendous job of giving those communities colleges the opportunity to additionally provide access to an awful lot of Floridians in a much closer environment at an affordable rate,” said Crist.

Earlier this year state lawmaker passed legislation renaming the state’s community college system and allowing some of the schools to offer more degrees.

The state is extending unemployment benefits for an estimated 250-thousand Floridians. The extension is part of the economic stimulus package and is expected to pump an estimated 418-million dollars into the state’s economy. The state Agency for Workforce Innovation expects to begin sending out the extended benefit checks in July. Spokesman Robby Cunningham said some people will be able to collect money from as far back as February.

“It’s actually retroactive to February 22nd of this year so some qualifying recipients could receive initial payments up to 5,100 dollars,” said Cunningham.

People who qualify to receive up to 20 weeks in extended benefits still have to apply. The state is mailing out applications to people who may be eligible, but they’re asking anyone who thinks they might qualify to go to their website www.floridajobs.org and click on the “Extended Benefits” button on the right side of the screen.

It’s the first day of hurricane season, but most Floridians aren’t prepared. The governor and emergency managers are asking people to stock up on food and supplies, but as Whitney Ray tells us, the state legislature decided to kill grants and tax breaks for people who are preparing.

Emergency workers are studying maps and testing the response equipment to make sure the state is prepared for the worst. Now they’re asking people to do their part.

“Everyone should have a plan for their own family, for their business, to make sure they’re prepared for any type of event that strikes Florida,” said David Halstead, the Deputy Director of the Division of Emergency Management.

But a recent poll shows half of the state doesn’t have a disaster plan or extra food and supplies. In years past the state gave people a tax break on hurricane supplies, but lawmakers chose not to support the measure this year. They also decided to kill funding for a program helping people strengthen their homes.

The My Safe Florida Home fund runs dry at the end of the month. CFO Alex Sink said even though the state isn’t footing the bill for inspections and upgrade, people should still get them done.

“They have many good suggestions and sometimes you can even find out that you are qualified for an insurance premium discount you didn’t’ even know about,” said Sink.

Governor Charlie Crist said despite the absence of state help people still need to stock up.

“I wish that program was still around too, but I think the important thing is for Floridians to be prepared,” said Crist.

But being prepared takes money, something the taxpayer and the state are having a hard time finding. The state has set up a website with a list of hurricane supplies and tips on how to strengthen your home. Tonight there is also a new site for kids. It uses animation and stories to better prepare them for a hurricane. You can access those sites www.floridadisaster.org/ and www.kidsgetaplan.com/

The Orlando Magic are headed to the NBA Finals.

The Magic upset the Cleveland Cavaliers and King James Saturday night to advance to the title game. This will be the Magic’s first trip to the finals since they were sweep by the Houston Rockets in 1995. Governor Charlie Crist is excited about the match up with the Lakers and is ready to put his money where his mouth is, he just has to get a hold of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger first.

“I’m trying to get in touch with Governor Schwarzenegger’s office for a friendly wager between Florida and California, the Lakers and the Magic. It’s great for the state. I-4 is rocking. Last year we had the Rays that did so well. Now we have the Magic. Obviously the Sunshine State is blessed and I’m excited about it. I think the first game is on Thursday night in California, but I can’t wait until they come back to Florida,” said Crist.

The Magic will enter the series as the underdogs despite having beaten the Lakers twice in the regular season.

Local government officials and environmentalists, who seldom see eye to eye, are teaming up against changes to the state’s growth management laws. On the other side are builders and developers who say they would like to see some growth to manage.  As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the fight puts Governor Charlie Crist in the middle of the feud. He has until Tuesday to sign or veto the change.

The legislation says developers will no longer need to consider the impact of their projects on local roads. Environmentalists and local governments opposed the change, arguing travel times will just get longer and longer.

“Overtime, your quality of life simply starts to degrade,” Eric Poole with the Florida Association of Counties said. “It takes you longer to get to work, it takes you longer to get to school.”

Initially, cities and counties liked the legislation. Until it exempted more and more cities  Environmentalists say the change is unthinkable.

“You’re talking about exempting 245 cities in 8 of the biggest counties in the state from growth management controls that we don’t think are appropriate,” Charles Pattison with 1000 Friends of Florida said.

Gone too are the rights of a city or county to object to a development over there that will have impact over here.

The bill does call for two studies on public transportation and sets the stage for local governments to impose mass transit fees on developers. Florida Homebuilders see the legislation as a way out of the recession.

“The current system has really led to sprawl,” David Hart with the Florida Homebuilder’s Association said. “Because you couldn’t meet concurrency requirements in the urban areas, it forced development to the urban fringe.”

But with the change…

“You’ll be able to get approved to build back in those urban centers where the infrastructure exists,” Hart said.

Even the states growth management agency says the change is the most significant growth management bill to be passed since requirements for growth were enacted in 1985.

The state is testing new technology that will help first responders focus their efforts. The state’s Emergency Operation Center can now receive images of neighborhoods in harms way and as Whitney Ray tell us, just minutes after the storm hits, the center will receive picture of damaged areas.

First responders are preparing for a historic storm… a Category 4 hurricane that hit Miami in 1926. Unlike emergency crews during the Great Miami Hurricane, Today’s first responders have technology on their side.

A new Smart Board utilizes Google Maps to show pictures of neighborhoods in harms way. Then just minutes after the storm hits, the Emergency Operations Center will be able to download pictures of the damage.

“It gives us ground truth of what has actually taken place and helps us figure out where supplies need to go,” said Ben Nelson the state meteorologist.

And when the message is sent to people in the field there is more assurance it will be received.

“Obviously everyone has a cell phone but as we know in storms what happens with phones, they go down, so we have a satellite phone to back system, now we have a radio system to back up that technology,” said David Halstead, the Deputy Director of the Division of Emergency Management.

Emergency workers can only do so much. They’re asking Floridians to take matters into their own hands and come up with a plan for hurricane season.

According to a new Mason-Dixon poll more than half of Floridians don’t have a disaster plan. The EOC has also doubled its number of work stations and training space to allow more agencies access to the center during a storm.

500 people died in motorcycle wrecks in 2008 and that’s why The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is trying to make the roadways safer for bickers.

The department held a news conference today to recognize the end of Motorcycle Safety Month. Tina McElhenny’s son died in a motorcycle wreck in 2002. McElhenny says a careless driver killed her son.

“When you get behind the wheel of that car, your number one goal is to pay attention. You’re there to drive that vehicle. You’re not there to be putting on makeup, or eating your hamburger, or , yea, talking on your cell phone- which is something we all should think about. We just really need to just focus on what’s in front of us, what’s beside us and what’s behind us,” said McElhenny.

Motorcycle awareness month ends Sunday, but the Department of Motor Vehicles hopes drivers will look out for bikers year round.

Nearly two dozen people have been tested for exposure to Tuberculosis at
the state Department of Education in Tallahassee, and at least five have
tested positive. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the infections came to
light only after one who tested positive was laid off.

19 people at this Department of Education office have been tested for
TB. Five were positive. The other 14 are being retested. Employees we
asked were reluctant to talk with us.

Darrel Wallace isn’t surprised about the fear of retaliation. He was
laid off last week and is fighting his termination.

“The issue with me is, one, being fired as a retaliation to my whistle
blower activities,” Wallace said.

His concern is that he will lose his heath care after testing positive.

“If I lose my health insurance benefits, I can’t afford to go out and
have COBRA benefits paid for,” Wallace said. “I’ve still got a house to maintain.”

A Tallahassee judge spent Friday afternoon listening to testimony about
the TB cases. A state health nurse was quizzed about the investigation.

“Isn’t it true that the CDC strongly recommends prophylactic treatment
of those people for 12 months?” Steve Andrews, attorney, said.

“It’s encouraged,” Health Dept. nurse Jan Kibble said. “For some people it’s strongly encouraged.”

More than a half dozen other employees from the center were also
expected to tell their stories. Like Darrel, none of them want to be
identified because of the stigma of being exposed to a dangerous disease.

Statewide home sales rose 18 percent last month. To keep the momentum, the state has set aside 30 million dollars in down payment assistance for first time home buyers. As Whitney Ray tells us, starting in July the state will advance an 8,000 dollar federal tax credit to people buying their first home.

After 10 years of renting Andrew Kadunc is ready to own.

“I started looking around and I saw that a lot of places fell into my price range,” said Andrew.

Andrew’s timing couldn’t be better. Prices in Florida are down 50-thousand dollars from a year ago and remain below the national average.

“The price right now is 140,000 in Florida compared to the national one being 170-thousand and Florida is still the best place to live compared to other states,”
said Vani Ungapen a researcher with the Florida Association of Realtors

Thursday Governor Charlie Crist signed off on legislation giving home buyers more incentive to act now.

The state is offering money to first time home buyers money to help with their down payments.

30 million state dollars has been set aside to advance a federal tax credit to first time home buyers. The credit is worth up to 8,000 dollars, but right now people can’t get the money until they file their taxes.

Andrew says getting the money up front will go a long way in helping him make a decision.

“It’s definitely going to help bring the purchase payment down and therefore make my mortgage payments lower,” said Andrew.

The money will be availed starting July 1st. People taking advantage of the advance will then have to repay the state when they receive their tax refund.

The money will be available through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership or the SHIP program. SHIP has an office in every Florida county. To find an office near you go to our website. http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/HousingPartners/LocalGovernments/

The spike in home sales is giving hope to unemployed construction workers who have taken the biggest blow from the economic downturn. There are an estimated 300-thousand empty houses in Florida all but eliminating the need for new construction. The Florida Home Builders Association hopes home sales will continue to climb. Spokeswoman Edie Ousley said the advance on the first time home buyer tax credit will help put construction workers back to work.

“In Florida construction is the state’s second largest economic engine. This is going to put people back to work. Concurrently we’ve got more than 150,000 construction workers out of a job. It puts them back to work it puts essential dollars back in the state’s coffers and our economy will rebound,” said Ousley.

The Florida Home Builders Association is also supporting a proposed constitutional amendment to cut property taxes for first time buyers. The amendment will appear on the 2010 ballot.